Photos: Chris Emeott
Meet seven local high school seniors who have found inspiring ways to contribute to the community.
We asked administrators from local high schools to nominate outstanding students who contribute to their school community for our annual Senior Spotlight feature. While we couldn’t feature every student nominated, we picked this group of students to highlight some of the amazing humans who are graduating this year. Congratulations to the entire Class of 2025!
Max Huberty
Age: 17
High School: Eastview High School
City: Prior Lake
Activities & Interests: Debate Team, Speech Team; writer and editor for the Lightning Press (school newspaper); National Honor Society; Latin American Literature Club; Card Playing Club; Crochet and Knit Club; and volunteer for the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) Tribal Administration, working as part of a team to renew the Tribal Nations Plaza at the University of Minnesota’s Huntington Bank Stadium
Post-High School Plans: College, pursuing international studies and/or economics
“Outside of my school life, many of my peers may not know about my passion for Dakota language. I take classes at the University of Minnesota every Monday through Friday to improve my Dakota skills. With this knowledge, I have worked with the SMSC Marketing Team to write and develop my own Dakota children’s book that is soon to be published. Wacipita Mawani (I Walk to Powwow) shares the simple journey of a boy, experiencing the nature around him as he walks to Powwow grounds. This passion to revitalize Dakota is a really important goal for me.
“For context, I am not Dakota myself, but my stepmom and stepsisters are. I live with them on SMSC land in Prior Lake, and this environment is what made me so passionate about the language. Seeing a community fight to actively learn an integral part of their culture and being invited to help that cause is something I am grateful for.
“At school, I am most proud of my success on Eastview’s debate team, particularly my junior and senior year season as a captain on the team. The moment I remember most is receiving the All State award in classic debate at the state tournament. The award is given to eight competitors who have the strongest overall success across the entire season.
“At the state tournament, it was fulfilling to see all of the kids I mentor find their own success. Throughout the season, I act as a peer coach to novice members of our team, teaching them how the activity works. This made seeing many of my younger peers break to elimination rounds, and one team even winning the JV division, feel as satisfying as my own success. Looking ahead, I am super excited to build on my success on Eastview’s debate team and see the team grow with me.” —Max Huberty
Isaiah Craig
Age: 17
High School: Apple Valley High School
City: Lakeville
Activities & Interests: Speech and Debate, Track and Cross Country teams
Post-High School Plans: College
“An achievement in my high school career that I’m most proud of is my speech career. I truly love speech so much because it is a platform for sharing stories that wouldn’t otherwise be told. My first season as a sophomore, I got the opportunity to share truths that I never thought I’d be able to share. I was part of a dramatic duo team that performed an excerpt of Gathering of Waters, a book that covers the story of Emmett Till, and our team came in second place at the National Speech and Debate Association Tournament.
“My junior year, I continued to highlight Black voices and storytelling through my speeches in four different categories. In the duo category, I worked with a partner on a historical fiction piece centered around Pullman porters, Black men who worked on rail cars and gave rise to the civil rights movement. We took third at the national speech and debate tournament. In the oratory category, my piece focused on forgiveness and how we don’t understand it. In the poetry category, I performed a compilation of poems in celebration of the Black body. In the program oral interpretation category, I picked a compilation of pieces that explored sports and the legacy of slavery. I’m grateful for the things that I’m able to do in speech, and I’m happy with the stories, truths and facts that I get to share with other people in and outside of the speech community.
“My biggest inspirations are my parents, my teammates and past leaders who have used their voices to speak for the unheard. My mom has taught me to persevere and to keep moving forward no matter what life throws at me, and my dad has taught me how to use my voice and to not be afraid to oppose things that are unjust. My parents continue to teach me more and more every day. My teammates in speech and debate have taught me so much about self-expression, self-confidence and self-love. Through their actions, they’ve taught me how to be a better person and how to enact positive change in the world around me.”—Isaiah Craig
Himani Mondal
Age: 17
School: Eastview High School
City: Apple Valley
Activities & Interests: Minnesota State Representative to the Board of Directors for Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA); Science Olympiad; Marching Band; National Honor Society; Tri-M Music Honor Society; Student Council; Flute Ensemble; Math Team; History Day participant (for six years)
Post-High School Plans: Attend college and work in education
“Some things that bring me joy are playing my flute, FCCLA and volunteering in my community.
“I find music to be very stress relieving and a great way to escape from reality when I need it. I love to learn new songs and techniques on my flute.
“I spend a lot of time doing stuff for FCCLA, and I enjoy it thoroughly. I have been a member since my freshman year, and I am very involved. In FCCLA, we compete in Students Taking Action with Recognition (STAR) events. I placed third in Teach and Train-Level 2 at nationals as a freshman and fourth in Instructional Video Design-Level 2 at nationals as a sophomore. I qualified for nationals this year, and competed in RED Talks in Education-Level 3 in early July. Whether it’s planning meetings/events, working on my STAR events, attending events, volunteering in my community, helping members with their STAR events or meeting members from other chapters from across the state and country, I love every aspect of it.
“I do a lot of community service for FCCLA, but I also like to volunteer outside of FCCLA. It is very stress-relieving and has a very rewarding feeling. I love the thought of giving back to the community in any way that I can, and I often volunteer with my friends.
“My biggest source of inspiration is the thought of all of the endless possibilities. No matter what I do, if I work hard, there is so much that I can achieve.”—Himani Mondal
Miles Zabel
Age: 17
School: Eagan High School
City: Eagan
Activities & Interests: LINK Crew (welcoming incoming freshmen and helping to transition into high school); Spectrums Club (LGBTQ+ discussion club); Spanish Club; Quiz Bowl; Prom Committee; Students Against Destructive Decisions; Interact Club (connecting students with volunteering opportunities); peer tutoring; and Tennis
Post-High School Plans: College, studying psychology or chemistry with a minor in Spanish
“One of my biggest inspirations throughout my high school years so far has been my future self. I’d rather get something done now to help out my future self than to wait to do it and let the stress pile up. It gives me motivation to know that I’m setting myself up for a successful career and social life outside of school and when I’m older.
“Academically, one of my biggest goals in elementary and middle school was to always try my best and be determined about learning. So far, I’ve done my best to stick to these values throughout high school and have a strong GPA to prove it, which is an accomplishment that I am very proud of.
“Socially, I’m very happy with myself in terms of my connectedness with friends and my peers. I have enthusiasm for inclusivity and getting to know people of all different backgrounds and experiences. In a room full of students, you’ll often find me chatting with those around me and introducing myself to people that I haven’t met. I even carry a notepad in my backpack with positive quotes on each page, which I give to my friends during tests and in the hallways to try to lift their spirits about whatever is making them feel down.
“My high school experience has been different than many of my peers due to my gender identity and how I present myself. Though I am grateful for my accepting friends and family, I often find that I have difficulty being recognized by others for who I really am. I try my best to help others understand my experiences and how I feel on the inside, but being a minority comes with its challenges by being faced with negative public perception and scrutiny for simply existing. I am extremely grateful for those in my life that have attempted to understand me and other people like me, and I hope that I can help others as a model and example that success can be blind to orientation.”—Miles Zabel
Quinn Weaver
Age: 17
School: Lakeville South High School
City: Lakeville
Activities & Interests: Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA); National Honor Society; captain of the Lakeville South Girls’ Swim and Dive Team – competing in diving; weight lifting; and Lakeville South Boys’ Diving Team manager
Post-High School Plans: College, studying biochemistry or neuroscience
“As a student, I am most proud of the opportunity to participate in Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) courses, which I began taking in my junior year. PSEO has allowed me to continue taking classes, including Calculus 2, Calculus 4 and Psychology at the University of Minnesota. It has also been a great way to prepare myself for college because I get a glimpse at what the workload is like and how I can improve my study habits. At the same time, I have maintained a steady load at the high school, allowing me to stay involved in my high school classes, clubs, sports and be with my friends.
One of my biggest inspirations all throughout my life has been my older brother, Dylan. He has always taught me to work hard and put myself out there, which has allowed me to participate in so many great opportunities. Even now when he is at school in a different state, I still call him whenever I need help or whenever I need advice.
In the summer of 2023, I went on a medical mission trip to Honduras with Summit Orthopedics through a scholarship opportunity at the high school. While there, I stayed at a 2,000-acre property that contained an orphanage and a free healthcare clinic for locals. Throughout the week, I volunteered on the property by cooking meals, fixing roads, teaching kids basketball and so much more. Most rewarding of all, I was able to help at the clinic and observe the surgical procedures. This greatly piqued my interest in the medical field because I was able to see the huge impact that even the smallest procedures could make on someone’s life.”—Quinn Weaver
Antonio Allen
Age: 17
School: School of Environmental Studies
City: Eagan
Activities & Interests: Eagan High School Science Olympiad team; Track and biking
Post-High School Plans: Attend college to earn a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering
“Growing up in the East Phillips neighborhood in Minneapolis, I started in Minneapolis Public Schools. Elementary and middle school were never a challenge for me. My mom always talked about how college was a shock to her because she never needed to study in high school. I realized that was the same with me: I had never studied more than a couple minutes for tests.
“With the Minneapolis teacher strikes in 2022, I decided to start at District 196. It was rough, but I maintained good grades throughout 10th grade while learning how to study and overall thrive in a more rigorous environment.
“A high school achievement I am proud of is my 3.95 GPA to date. I have worked hard in high school to maintain it, and I plan to continue having it until the end of my senior year. It has been a struggle, changing through many different academic forms at different high schools and getting through rigorous courses. Coming from a less rigorous school district and barely knowing how to study before 10th grade was a major shift in my learning strategy. I hope the boost in rigor from moving to District 196 will help in college as well.
“My parents have been my biggest inspiration throughout my entire school career. They are the ones who helped me with tough schoolwork, inspired me to attend college and have been my biggest supporters throughout school. Overall, I could not thank anyone more for sticking with me through my transitions, grades and outlooks.” —Antonio Allen
Maddie Sazama
Age: 17
School: Prior Lake High School
City: Prior Lake
Activities & Interests: Lacrosse; Laker Leaders; Freshman Orientation Link Crew; Academic Board Scholar; Prior Lake Youth Optimist; Morgan’s Message Mental Health Ambassador; and plunged for Special Olympics in 2022 and 2024
Post-High School Plans: Attend Grand Valley State University in Michigan, continue playing lacrosse and pursue studies in health care
“I play lacrosse at Prior Lake. I’ve built so many lifelong friendships and have learned hard work really does pay off. I also play lacrosse for a club team called Minnesota Elite. Minnesota Elite has allowed me to travel and play lacrosse around the United States.
“I love volunteering my time to introduce lacrosse to young girls. I hope to someday be cheering for these girls when they are in high school, playing for the Lakers.
“During the summer of my sophomore year while traveling with my club lacrosse team, I learned about a nonprofit organization called Morgan’s Message. This is a national organization founded in memory of Morgan Rodgers, who played lacrosse at Duke University when she suffered an injury. She died by suicide in 2019. Her story inspired me to become a Morgan’s Message Student Athlete Ambassador. The purpose of Morgan’s Message is to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health and equalize the treatment of physical and mental health in athletics.
“Two friends and I, with the encouragement and support of the Prior Lake Girls Lacrosse coach, Heather Pierson, started a Morgan’s Message chapter at Prior Lake High School. Bringing this group to Prior Lake is something I am proud of as we strive to raise awareness of mental health here at Prior Lake High School.” —Maddie Sazama
If you or someone you know is in a mental health crisis, call or text 988 for help, or visit 988lifeline.org.
