By Eric Erickson
AVID Alumni Speaker
Como students in the Advancement via Individual Determination) (AVID) program gathered in the school auditorium on Sept. 26 to hear motivational messages from a couple of young Como alumni leaders.
Aisha Mohamed and Destyn Land both graduated from Como in 2015. Mohamed is now the coordinator of the school’s Career Pathway Center.
Land is the senior health equity educator at Hennepin County Medical Center. He also is a podcaster and author of “The Rules We Live By: Stories and Reflections on Unlearning Patriarchal Masculinity,” (available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble).
Land’s book has been praised for examining the nature of traditional masculinity and the lessons that are taught to children, His tome promotes opportunities for healing, growing and learning together in community.
In his message to Como AVID students, Land shared some of his academic struggles from high school. Being an AVID student himself, Land told how his self-confidence improved and positioned him to be successful at Augsburg University and go on to earn a master’s degree in education at the University of Minnesota.
Marine Corps JROTC honors
For the seventh consecutive year, Como’s Marine Corps JROTC (Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps) program has achieved recognition as a National Naval Honor School. This distinction is reserved for the top 20% of high school JROTC programs in the country.
Criteria in the annual evaluations include enrollment numbers, community service hours, academic achievement, extra-curricular activities, drill and color guard competitions, leadership camps, field trips and more.
Engaged Citizens
Seven Como seniors studying AP Government teamed up with the League of Women Voters on Sept. 17 to encourage political participation on National Voter Registration Day.
Student leaders visited tables during lunch to pre-register U.S. citizens over the age of 16 through the Minnesota Secretary of State’s page.
Twenty Como seniors will be serving as student election judges for Ramsey County on Election Day. Students receive training in advance of their duty and are paired with veteran election judges at precincts throughout St. Paul.
Health teacher of the year
Lynn Peterson has been named the 2024 Health Teacher of the Year by the Minnesota Society of Health and Physical Educators (MNSHAPE).
Peterson has been teaching at Como since 2020, instructing classes in health education, stress management and medical career exploration while also promoting staff wellness.
Eric Erickson is a Como social studies teacher and a regular freelance writer for the Bugle.
Photo caption for Como School news: Podcaster, author, educator, and Como alum Destyn Land speaking to Como students. Photo by Molly Power-Theisen
