Outstanding Anoka-Ramsey Community College students Katherine Curtis, a Cambridge Campus sophomore, and Crystal Holzer, a Coon Rapids Campus sophomore, were honored for their leadership, academic achievement, and community and college service during the All-Minnesota Academic Team Celebration at Best Buy Corporate Headquarters, March 6. Curtis and Holzer are part of the 37 Minnesota students nominated for the All-USA Academic Team for Community, Technical and Junior College Students.

Curtis and Holzer are extremely active on their respective campuses. Curtis is president of the Drama Club, an officer in Phi Theta Kappa and the resource manager for the Gay-Straight Alliance. She also has experience as a writer and comic artist for the student newspaper, and serves as an English tutor. Curtis will graduate this semester with her associates degree and, concurrently graduate from Cambridge-Isanti High School. Curtis plans to continue her college education at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh.

Exceptional Anoka-Ramsey Community College students, Katherine Curtis (second from left) and Crystal Holzer (center), are honored for being named members of the All-Minnesota Academic Team by Ruth Grendahl, MnSCU Board of Trustees Vice Chair (left); Kathleen Hoffman, Anoka-Ramsey Faculty and Phi Theta Kappa Advisor; and Dr. Patrick Johns, Anoka-Ramsey President.

Holzer serves in Phi Theta Kappa, student government at the campus and state level, is the editor of the student newspaper and a member of the creative writing club. Holzer will complete her studies at Anoka-Ramsey this spring and plans to earn a bachelors degree in journalism. She is still considering a number of institutions as a transfer options.

To be nominated to the Minnesota team, a student must be currently enrolled at a Minnesota two-year college and expect to graduate during the 2007-2008 academic year, have completed at least 12 semester credits and have a grade point average of at least 3.25 at a Minnesota two-year college.

Nominees were selected based on biographical information, letters of recommendation, academic performance, demonstration of leadership, and campus and community service involvement. Applicants also wrote an essay describing a specific educational experience while attending a two-year college that has transformed the student's thinking about learning or the future.

The All-Minnesota and All-USA Academic program is sponsored annually by Phi Theta Kappa, an international honor society for two-year colleges, USA Today and the American Association of Community Colleges. State academic teams were introduced in 1994 to provide scholarships and scholastic recognition to Phi Theta Kappa members.

For more information about Phi Theta Kappa or Anoka-Ramsey Community College, visit www.AnokaRamsey.edu.