Miss Chain of Lakes' Outstanding Teen 2022 Elly Rowan
photo by Paula Preston Photography
Miss Chain of Lakes' Outstanding Teen Elly Rowan developed Got Grit Ukulele Workshops to teach people of all ages about the importance of grit and a growth mindset. As a student, athlete, and musician, she has used grit to achieve success. She sets goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based (SMART) and teaches how to do this in her workshops. Her social initiative got personal as she has been recovering from surgery for a torn ACL. While this injury sidelined her from soccer and basketball, she uses her grit to relearn how to walk and grow her muscle strength.
Elly aspires to own her own music studio someday. One of her first big purchases was her own ukulele, which inspired her to create her social impact initiative. As a volunteer with Music Link Foundation, she learned many facets of a non-profit organization, including fundraising and putting on performances. She has hosted and performed at Music Link events that feature young students who have benefited from the program in public performances. Elly performs in her church worship band, in school choir, and in her private lesson studio. She was a semi-finalist at the Minnesota State Fair talent contest: she posed a triple threat by singing and playing ukulele on roller-skates.
Before she took up crutches, Elly had a very active lifestyle playing soccer and basketball. She made the Hill-Murray JV basketball and soccer teams as a freshman. She has enjoyed being a member Salvo Soccer Club since she was in elementary school and remembers her days on traveling basketball teams fondly. She even got her certification to referee soccer so she could get a part-time job with Salvo Soccer. She employs grit to sink baskets as a forward and to juggle soccer balls so she can improve her touch on the ball.
She juggles a busy schedule at school: she is in CARE club, is an Ambassador, represents her class in student council, and made state finals for interview in DECA. She won Battle of the Books three times and twice was named the science student of the month. She is taking college preparatory honors courses, yet still maintains a 3.95 GPA.
Other interests include crossword puzzles and travel. She's almost halfway through the 50 states. Her favorite thing about Minnesota is the snow!
Elly aspires to own her own music studio someday. One of her first big purchases was her own ukulele, which inspired her to create her social impact initiative. As a volunteer with Music Link Foundation, she learned many facets of a non-profit organization, including fundraising and putting on performances. She has hosted and performed at Music Link events that feature young students who have benefited from the program in public performances. Elly performs in her church worship band, in school choir, and in her private lesson studio. She was a semi-finalist at the Minnesota State Fair talent contest: she posed a triple threat by singing and playing ukulele on roller-skates.
Before she took up crutches, Elly had a very active lifestyle playing soccer and basketball. She made the Hill-Murray JV basketball and soccer teams as a freshman. She has enjoyed being a member Salvo Soccer Club since she was in elementary school and remembers her days on traveling basketball teams fondly. She even got her certification to referee soccer so she could get a part-time job with Salvo Soccer. She employs grit to sink baskets as a forward and to juggle soccer balls so she can improve her touch on the ball.
She juggles a busy schedule at school: she is in CARE club, is an Ambassador, represents her class in student council, and made state finals for interview in DECA. She won Battle of the Books three times and twice was named the science student of the month. She is taking college preparatory honors courses, yet still maintains a 3.95 GPA.
Other interests include crossword puzzles and travel. She's almost halfway through the 50 states. Her favorite thing about Minnesota is the snow!
Miss Chain of Lakes' Outstanding Teen 2020, Devon Brandt
Devon Brandt had a goal to create a more inclusive environment for people with disabilities. Her platform was Inclusivity For Disability. Devon plans to get an undergraduate degree in special education and a master's in administration to become the principal of a specialty school for special needs. She is a student athlete and has earned varsity awards on the swim team. She coached in the Northern Lights swim program, which is a swim team for children with special needs. She became a “side-by-side” in her church’s special needs program. By doing this, she is the primary caretaker for any child with special needs who comes to the church, giving the child's parents the opportunity to get a break from caretaking so they can participate fully in the worship service.
A large part of her platform is helping children overcome the struggles that are familiar to those growing up with a disability. Devon is particularly empathetic to the insecurity those children feel. She knows first-hand, having struggled herself with autistic tendencies. She learned to not only advocate for herself but for others who may also be subject to societal misunderstandings.
Devon shows her creativity through singing and songwriting. She loves to learn about other cultures and her family has hosted numerous exchange students. She dances to burn off excess energy, which she must have a lot of because she has volunteered over 100 hours in 2019.
A large part of her platform is helping children overcome the struggles that are familiar to those growing up with a disability. Devon is particularly empathetic to the insecurity those children feel. She knows first-hand, having struggled herself with autistic tendencies. She learned to not only advocate for herself but for others who may also be subject to societal misunderstandings.
Devon shows her creativity through singing and songwriting. She loves to learn about other cultures and her family has hosted numerous exchange students. She dances to burn off excess energy, which she must have a lot of because she has volunteered over 100 hours in 2019.
Miss Chain of Lakes' Outstanding Teen 2019, Lillie Imm
Lillie Imm advocates that financial literacy and the ability to manage money is an important life skill. Lillie began earning money at the age of four, which is when her parents began teaching her simple personal finance skills. Her Grandpa Kent taught her investing and saving, market trends, types of retirement and education accounts, and more. He inspired her to seek out books, games and education to further her knowledge. Over time, Lillie realized that personal finance is completely ignored in many schools. Lillie made it her mission to change that one classroom at a time through her program, Making Your Money Count.
When a freshman at Liberty Classical Academy, Lillie stepped into a leadership role by becoming the president of the student counsel. She was Suma Cum Laude Honor Roll and won awards for a number of scholastic pursuits, including: Logician of the Year, National Latin Exam Awards and Medals each year, Spelling Bee finalist, Science Fair, Chronological Quest and Chess Club.
Lillie loves all things music and performing. She spends her free time singing and songwriting, as well as playing piano, guitar and ukulele. She is a member of the worship band at her church and can be found at local open mic nights and various fundraisers and events as a featured vocalist.
Congratulations on a top 8 finish at the state competition in 2019!
When a freshman at Liberty Classical Academy, Lillie stepped into a leadership role by becoming the president of the student counsel. She was Suma Cum Laude Honor Roll and won awards for a number of scholastic pursuits, including: Logician of the Year, National Latin Exam Awards and Medals each year, Spelling Bee finalist, Science Fair, Chronological Quest and Chess Club.
Lillie loves all things music and performing. She spends her free time singing and songwriting, as well as playing piano, guitar and ukulele. She is a member of the worship band at her church and can be found at local open mic nights and various fundraisers and events as a featured vocalist.
Congratulations on a top 8 finish at the state competition in 2019!
Miss Chain of Lakes' Outstanding Teen 2018, Breanna Stoesz
Photo by Paula Preston
Breanna's platform is Fired Up for Fitness: Encouraging Brain and Body Wellness. She encourages people not just to exercise their body, but also their mind. She created a free summer program called Family Fit Night to encourage everyone to come do fun exercises and interact with other people, working on both mental and physical fitness.
An honor student, Breanna is involved in her school’s math and speech teams. She challenges herself by taking Post Secondary Enrollment Options and Advanced Placement classes. She has enjoyed being in engineering, music, business, and service classes throughout her high school years.
Breanna loves being active and spending time outside. She plays soccer, basketball and is captain of her cheerleading squad. A dancer for 12 years, she choreographed her tap dance for the state competition. She also loves cats, baking, and gardening.
Congratulations on making the top 10 at the state competition in 2018!
An honor student, Breanna is involved in her school’s math and speech teams. She challenges herself by taking Post Secondary Enrollment Options and Advanced Placement classes. She has enjoyed being in engineering, music, business, and service classes throughout her high school years.
Breanna loves being active and spending time outside. She plays soccer, basketball and is captain of her cheerleading squad. A dancer for 12 years, she choreographed her tap dance for the state competition. She also loves cats, baking, and gardening.
Congratulations on making the top 10 at the state competition in 2018!
Miss Chain of Lakes' Outstanding Teen 2017, Eden Webb
- Eden's platform, Open Hearts, Open Homes: Helping Children in Foster Care, was demonstrated by creating activities to thank foster families and provide support with fun events. She recognizes how hard it can be for children in the foster care system to be moved from one place to another, without much control over their circumstance. But it can also be challenging for the foster families, who open their homes to help these children. For that reason, Eden organized many events to provide thank you notes to all the foster families in Carver County. She organized and led a face painting booth at a holiday party for foster families. She has helped by babysitting and led a drive to collect bags for children in foster care to carry their belongings.
- Eden is in National Honor Society at Minnetonka High School. She stays active in dance, theater and choir. She loves photography and won an award in the Mountain Home Photography contest.
- Congratulations to Eden for winning first runner up at the state competition in 2017.
- Congratulations on winning the state title, talent and evening gown prelim competitions in 2018!
Miss Chain of Lakes' Outstanding Teen 2016, Jessica Sherlock
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Jessica's favorite quote is from Audrey Hepburn, "People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed, never throw out anyone." This describes how she feels about her platform, Raising Hope through Awareness – Homeless Youth."
During her year, she more than doubled monetary contributions and also doubled student participation in Blaine High School Box City fundraiser; Certified Lifeguard and Emergency Medical Responder; lettered as Baseball Manager 2015 and 2016; lettered in Diving in 2012, 2013 and 2014; Junior Varsity Conference Diving Champion 2013. Scholastic/Career Ambition is a Master of Science in Nursing; Certified Nurse Practitioner. |
Photo by Paula Preston
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Miss Chain of Lakes' Outstanding Teen 2015, Rachel Weyandt
Photo by Paula Preston
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Rachel Weyandt was the first Miss Chain of Lakes' Outstanding Teen! Her platform, Foster Care to Adoption, played the biggest role in her life. She made an impact on not only foster children, but their foster families as well. She plans to do PSEO and get some college credit in high school, attend college and major in either psychiatry or law.
She is a home schooled sophomore and is involved in attending and volunteering at church, dance, piano, shopping and photography! A lot of her time, though, is helping with her adopted sister and foster sister. Congratulations to Rachel for winning the title of Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen 2015 as well as the Overall Talent Award! |