BHS seniors honored for achievement in arts, athletics, academics

Seniors Jane McGuire and Mason Pederson have been selected as this year's Triple "A" Award recipients at Burnsville High School (BHS).

To qualify as a Triple "A" Award recipient, a student must have a "B" or better grade point average (GPA) and participate in Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) sponsored fine arts activities and athletics.

Jane maintains a perfect 4.0 GPA while taking a combination of Advanced Placement (AP) and College in Schools (CIS) courses. Outside the classroom, she leads the school’s National Honor Society chapter and serves on the Women in STEM leadership team, where she has participated in guest speaker events and career exploration activities. In athletics, Jane serves as captain of both the cross country ski and track teams, while also participating on the swim team.

"Jane exemplifies genuine care and compassion in her leadership roles," said Kim Harrod, swim coach and math teacher. "Whether it's giving tours to new students or mentoring freshmen in Link Crew, she consistently demonstrates respect and engagement throughout the school."

Mason holds a 3.916 GPA and has taken multiple AP and CIS courses. In athletics, Mason runs cross country and track, as well as serving as captain of the Olympic weightlifting team.

"Mason initiates tasks for the betterment of all on the team," noted Jeff Webber, cross country coach. "He sets high goals for himself which inspires others, and does a wonderful job building community by including and leading younger athletes."

Both students have excelled in the orchestra program at BHS under the direction of Scott Kosloski. They both noted the amazing experiences they have had being able to perform with the Dakota Valley Symphony and at the Minnesota Music Educators Association Midwinter Convention, among other notable events.

Jane is undecided on her college choice but most likely will attend the University of Notre Dame to study aerospace engineering with a minor in Spanish. Mason plans to study kinesiology at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.