Diane Heaney, center, stands with some of the members of the concert choir.
The Pink Crusader
Battling cancer and directing seven choirs keeps her busy
By Kelli Lageson
kelli.lageson@albertleatribune.com
Many of the instructors at Albert Lea High School could be called everyday heroes, but one in particular spends much of her time outside of school hours helping students as well. Diane Heaney, choir director at ALHS, directs seven choirs as well as instructs anywhere from 100 to 150 voice lessons every two weeks. During the school day she instructs three choirs. Before school she has rehearsals for the show choirs and the smaller select choirs like Chorale and Caroliers. One would think with all Heaney does before and during school that she would take some time for herself after school, but she is the musical director for various school
Photo by Kelli Lageson/Graphic by Stacey Bahr
Choirs that Heaney directs are: Tiger: ninth grade choir Varsity: women’s choir Concert: older students’ choir Chorale: group of 28 students who perform around community Caroliers: group of 12 students who carol during the holiday season ‘Cat’aclysmic: high school show choir SASS — women’s show choir Blue Skies: Southwest Middle School’s show choir shows, which involves after school work. Heaney said she doesn’t mind all the work she does
because all the choirs are important. “We have to operate like a small school,” Heaney said. Heaney said the toughest part of her job is picking music for all seven choirs, because it must be fun for the kids, help them learn and be a good fit for their age group. Other factors she considers include having varied styles of music and what the audience will want to hear. “You can recycle some favorites,” Heaney said. The Tiger choir, made up of ninth-graders, is especially hard for Heaney to find music for because their voices are changing at that age, and much of the music for that age group is lacking. “A lot of music for that age is insipid,” Heaney said. She said she likes to
challenge her students by having them sing different languages and said they always adapt well. Heaney said breaking bad singing habits is a big part of her job as well. She describes herself as a late bloomer with her voice and said it helps her teach students how to sing because she had to learn herself. “I understand how kids feel,” Heaney said. “That helps me to fix issues.” She said she has friends who are natural singers who say they wouldn’t know how to teach singing because it comes naturally to them. Not only in Heaney a hero because she spends so much of her time helping students become better singers, she now has been battling breast cancer since July. She said teaching is harder because she’s often more tired.
“My body doesn’t always do what I want it to do,” Heaney said. She said she’s thankful she hasn’t lost her voice, which might have happened had she been diagnosed with another kind of cancer like esophageal or throat. After she was diagnosed she had three surgeries in four weeks and then immediately had to help run a camp at St. Olaf College for the Minnesota Music Educators Association. Though it was hard for her to help, she said the other camp leaders helped her. “It was nice to have something to do,” Heaney said. She said having cancer hasn’t changed her life drastically. She planned to start radiation in December and said the outlook was good. “My husband is a really good caretaker,” Heaney said.
Bio box: Hero: Diane Heaney Secret identity: Choir director Base of operations: Albert Lea High School Superpowers: Good at vocal coaching, cooking and on piano and organ Kryptonite: A head cold or anything that keeps her from being able to sing Affiliations: Husband, Clyde Buendorf, daughter, Claire, 16, son, Jack, 12 Origin: Heaney grew up in Kiester and currently lives in the house she grew up in. She studied music education and went to graduate school at the University of Cincinnati. She taught at various schools before coming to Albert Lea High School in 1993.
Inside Custodians at ALHS
Wrestling coaches
Though the custodians could use a little more practice with technology, most have had many years of experience keeping the schools in Albert Lea’s district looking good.
Many coaches wrestled when they were younger and use their expertise to create winning teams at ALHS year after year.
Page 2 • Albert Lea Tribune • Sunday, February 27, 2011 PROGRESS EDUCATION
Hero: Neal Skaar
Call him Mr. Fix It By Michelle Haacke
michelle.haacke@albertleatribune.com
Hero: Mark Jensen Secret identity: computer technician Base of operations: Albert Lea School District Superpowers: He is responsible for all computers in four school buildings Kryptonite: He keeps up with new technology in an ever-changing industry Affiliations: wife, Sheila, and three children Origin: Jensen got into computers about 15 years ago, working most recently at BusinessWare Solutions in Owatonna before joining the Albert Lea school district in 2002.
650
Computers Jensen takes care of throughout four Albert Lea school buildings: Southwest Middle School, Halverson Elementary School, Lakeview Elementary School and Sibley Elementary School. He credits the school staff members he works with for making his job so enjoyable day in and day out.
250
Computers in Southwest alone that Jensen oversees in five student computer labs and staff computers. These computers run off of two servers located in a room within the administration office at the school. Jensen said each school he oversees has two servers, and each cord running out of the server goes to a computer.
10 to 30
Range of computer problems he fixes on an average day. Jensen finds out about computer problems on a log, which he tracks on his Motorola android phone. Whenever school staff members have a problem with a computer in the lab or the classroom, they submit their location and the problem. Each problem is a separate job that Jensen tends to on a priority basis.
1
Times per year Jensen has to be recertified by HP and Dell. He has received continued education on information technology during his 15 years in the industry. He and two other techs, who cover the other schools in the Albert Lea School District, do everything from fixing hardware issues to replacing computer parts.
Secret identity: Albert Lea High School math and English teacher and assistant wrestling coach Base of operations: Albert Lea High School wrestling room Superpowers: He is a good technician who remembers things his colleagues forget. He is also good with computers. Kryptonite: None Affiliations: wife, Jean, sons, Alex, 40, and Nate 34 and daughters, Katherine, 36 and Rebecca, 31 Origin: Neal Skaar began wrestling for the Tigers as a sophomore at Albert Lea High School in 1962. He joined because his dad was a good “country wrestler” and a big fan of high school wrestling. Though he was unexperienced, it didn’t take Skaar long to become one of the best wrestlers in the state and later the nation. Skaar made the Tigers varsity team as a junior and became a captain his senior year in 1964. During his senior season, he went undefeated until the regional tournament, where he lost just shy of a trip to state, but the team won its first Big Nine Conference championship. Skaar went on to wrestle at Luther College for four years. He earned All-American honors during the final three years, placing fifth, sixth and third in the NCAA college national tournament. (At that time there were two divisions in NCAA sports — university and college, roughly corresponding with Divisions II and III today). He majored in mathematics and English at Luther and went on to teach those subjects and coach at Albert Lea High School in1968.
Hero: Jon Hansen Secret identity: biology and forensic science teacher and assistant wrestling coach Base of operations: Albert Lea High School wrestling room Superpowers: He has fathered six great wrestlers and is good with student athletes. He is known as a walking encyclopedia of wrestling. Kryptonite: Organization and time management of practices and competitions can be difficult for him. At right, wrestler Ben Berhow hugs Larry Goodnature after winning the state championship in 2006. Adam Hammer/Albert Lea Tribune
Affiliations: wife, Vicki, 47, sons, Josh, 25, Zach, 23, Beau, 22, Cody, 20, Cory, 17, Lucas, 15 Origin: Born in Glenville, Jon Hansen wrestled for Glenville High School from sixth grade through his senior year in 1979. Hansen then went on to wrestle at the University of MinnesotaWaseca for two years before graduating from South Dakota State University with a degree in agricultural education. Hansen landed his first teaching and wrestling coaching job at Winthrop High School in 1984 where he taught until 1989. In 1990, Hansen moved to Albert Lea and was co-head wrestling coach with his brother Mike from 1990 to 1993. By that time, Hansen’s sons began participating in the Albert Lea youth wrestling program so he stepped down from his position at Glenville and began helping with the youth program. Within a month, Larry Goodnature asked Hansen to consider coaching with Neal Skaar at the junior level, which he did from
1993 to 2008. Since then, Hansen has been an assistant with the high school program.
Hero: Mike Hansen Secret identity: Gas crew foreman with Alliant Energy and assistant wrestling coach Base of operations: Albert Lea High School wrestling room Superpowers: His energy, enthusiasm and competitive nature transfers to his wrestlers. He is very good at coaching the little things that help out each individual wrestler in different ways. Kryptonite: None Affiliations: wife, Dorenne, daughter Heidi Gaston (Sean), sons, Alex 23, Logan, 21 Origin: Mike Hansen was head coach at Glenville when that program merged with Albert Lea’s. When the two schools paired, he was asked to come along as an assistant coach. Hansen has been named the Section 1AAA Assistant Coach of the Year twice.
PROGRESS EDUCATION Sunday, February 27, 2011 • Albert Lea Tribune • Page 3
Wrestling geniuses Andrew Dyrdal/Albert Lea Tribune
The Albert Lea Tigers wrestling coaches, above, led the Tigers wrestling team to the state tournament two seasons ago. From left, Brandon Klukow, Neal Skaar, Brian Goodnature, Jon Hansen, Mike Hansen and Larry Goodnature. By Andrew Dyrdal
tribsports@albertleatribune.com
Hero: Larry Goodnature Secret identity: head coach for wrestling and Albert Lea High School physical education teacher and driver’s education teacher Base of operations: Albert Lea High School wrestling room Superpowers: He teaches wrestling technique and organizes practices. Goodnature’s teams are always prepared for competition both mentally and physically. He assembles quality coaching staffs. Kryptonite: He needs to work on delegating more day-to-day coaching responsibilities. Affiliations: wife, Mary, and adult sons Brian, Jake and Nate Origin: Larry Goodnature wrestled for the Albert Lea Tigers from 1967 to 1971. As a senior in high school, Goodnature was Minnesota state champion at 145 pounds when there was only one class. The Tigers team was the lone state champions that season and still holds the record for most points scored by a team at the state tournament. Goodnature then went on to wrestle at Mankato State University from 1971 to 1976 and earned three NCAA All-American honors. In 1973, he finished fourth nationally at 158 pounds, in 1974 he finished sixth at 158 pounds and in 1976 he finished fifth at 158 pounds. After graduating from MSU, Goodnature took a head coaching position at Hutchinson High School and coached there from 1976-79 before moving to Albert Lea. Goodnature has been a head wrestling coach for 35 years and has won three Suburban West Conference titles and six Big Nine Conference titles. He has brought the Tigers to the state tournament five times, the finals twice and coached 44 individual state place winners. Goodnature was Class AAA Minnesota Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2009 and has an overall coaching record of 368-136.
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Page 4 • Albert Lea Tribune • Sunday, February 27, 2011 PROGRESS EDUCATION
Hero: Dennis Hamberg Secret identity: custodian, supervisor over both night and day shifts, coordinator of building and grounds Base of operations: Albert Lea High School, Albert Lea Superpowers: He is a master of organization. Kryptonite: He does like getting used to technology. Affiliations: wife, Helen, two children, two grandchildren, one great-grandchild Origin: After Hamberg got out of the military, he took an industrial maintenance course at Albert Lea Area Vocational Technical Institute. He has been a custodian for 35 years.
Hero: Kevin Fischer Secret identity: custodian, night shift Base of operations: Albert Lea High School, Albert Lea Superpowers: setting up the sound systems for games Kryptonite: is unskilled with new technology but would like to learn more Affiliations: wife, Layle, son, Daniel Origin: He formerly worked for a lumberyard; Fischer has been a custodian for 10 years.
Hero: Roger Christensen Secret identity: custodian, night shift Base of operations: Albert Lea High School, Albert Lea; other Albert Lea Area Schools as needed Superpowers: He can fill in at any school in the district and is quick to remember the tasks of the job. Kryptonite: He is unskilled with new technology Affiliations: wife, Debbie, 6 grandkids Origin: Christensen worked 36 years at Wilson & Co. and six years in construction before applying for the job of custodian at Photo by Sarah Stultz Albert Lea High School. Cutout by Stacey Bahr
The Custodian Crew Hero: Oren Griffith
Secret identity: custodian, night shift Base of operations: Albert Lea High School, Albert Lea Superpowers: He is great at landscaping. Kryptonite: Fluorescent lights are difficult because he suffers from lupus. He also is hard of hearing Origin: Griffith applied at Albert Lea High School as a custodian to have a steady job with good benefits. He has been at the school for 5 1/2 years. He formerly worked at Streater.
Hero: Ray Sorensen Secret identity: custodian, night shift Base of operations: Albert Lea High School, Albert Lea Superpowers: He likes working with people and tries to do his best. Kryptonite: He struggles with computers. Affiliations: wife, Karen, two daughters, two grandchildren Origin: Sorensen has worked at Albert Lea High School for 11 years. He started part time after working at Wilson & Co. He now works full time. Note: Due to his powers of invisibility, Sorensen is not pictured.
Hero: Gene Worke Secret identity: custodian, night supervisor Base of operations: Albert Lea High School, Albert Lea Superpowers: He enjoys spending time with the kids and does a lot of work with the athletics — baseball, volleyball and wrestling. Kryptonite: He had surgery on his shoulders and knees. Affiliations: wife, Yuko, one son, one daughter and four grandchildren Origin: Worke used to be a construction worker but got injured and needed to find a job where he could get more time in. He has been at the high school as a custodian for nine years on the night shift from 2:30 to By Sarah Stultz sarah.stultz@albertleatribune.com 11 p.m.
Albert Lea Area Schools District 241
Mission: “Equip learners of all ages to think, to achieve and to care” District AIMS: 1. Safe, healthy and welcoming schools 2. Increase opportunity and achievement 3. Effective and efficient operations For complete information on our comprehensive program, go to albertlea.k12.mn.us or call 379-4800