Academy of Holy Angels (AHA) is a private,
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
,
coeducational
Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...
high school in
Richfield,
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
. Located in the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis ( la, Archidiœcesis Paulopolitana et Minneapolitana) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in the United States. It is led by an archbishop who administers ...
, the nationally recognized college-preparatory school educates more than 600 students each year, with students in grades nine through twelve coming from across the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
History
The Academy of Holy Angels was founded by the
Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet (CSJ) are a Roman Catholic congregation of women religious which traces its origins to a group founded in Le Puy-en-Velay, Le Puy-en-Velay, France around 1650 by Jean Paul Médaille#Jean-Pierre Médaille, Jea ...
on October 2, 1877, the feast of the Holy Guardian Angels. Originally a day school for girls, it was housed in the Merritt House in Minneapolis, but moved several times in its early years (first to the Ankeny home, then the Skyles house, and finally the Bassett property in 1882). The same year, it became a boarding school and day school for girls in grade school and high school. Sister St. John Ireland, CSJ, was the first directress.
It moved to its present-day location at Nicollet and 66th Street on Sept. 15, 1931, amidst a record-breaking heat wave of 104 degrees.
[Academy of Holy Angels website]
History of Holy Angels
It opened its doors to 107 students grades 1–12, having merged with the nearby St. Margaret's Academy high school some years before, with Sister Eugenia Maginnis, CSJ, as principal. Still an all-girls school, it attracted students from across the Midwest, and 182 girls enrolled by the end of the first year. The original grounds included a formal English garden in the courtyard,
tennis courts
A tennis court is the venue where the sport of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the centre. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles matches. A variety of surfaces can be u ...
, a 9-hole
golf course
A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". Th ...
, and an ice skating rink during the winter. High school tuition (grades 9–12) was $50.
On May 2, 1932, Academy of Holy Angels was formally
accredited
Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...
, and has maintained an accreditation ever since. The first graduating class contained just 13 girls. By 1943, Holy Angels had discontinued its grade school but continued to offer Kindergarten until 1946, when St. Peter's Church next door opened its parish elementary school. The 1952–53 school year was the last year for boarders to live at Holy Angels, and 1953 marked the beginning of Holy Angels solely as a day school.
In 1972, the school officially became
coeducational
Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...
, opening its doors to 128 new male students; the first four-year, co-ed class graduated in 1976. Because the school was now co-ed, the ''Angies'' became the ''co*Stars'' and varsity athletics began. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet "turned governance of the school over to a lay board of directors", but continue to own the school for the time being, renting it to AHA at a cost of $1 per year. In 1989, the Holy Angels theater school officially opened; a middle school was also established, but closed just 9 years later.
The first of two StarDomes was built in 1996, adding "a $2 million, year-round athletic facility" to campus (making Holy Angels the first high school in the United States to have a facility of this type). The complex includes
bleachers
Bleachers (North American English), or stands, are raised, tiered rows of benches found at sports fields and other spectator events. Stairways provide access to the horizontal rows of seats, often with every other step gaining access to a row ...
, a
concession
Concession may refer to:
General
* Concession (contract) (sometimes called a concession agreement), a contractual right to carry on a certain kind of business or activity in an area, such as to explore or develop its natural resources or to opera ...
building and a playing field, which consists of
field turf, and features a removable dome to make the field playable during the winter months. Two years later, campus classroom space was expanded by 15% in a substantial renovation project. The 26-acre campus was officially purchased from the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 2003; the same year, a 70,000-square-foot addition opened. Both projects were supported by a $5 million fundraising campaign.
In 2000, Holy Angels became the first private school to receive an Ethics in Curriculum Award from the Minnesota Academic Excellence Foundation. The same year, the St. John the Evangelist Chapel was refurbished and rededicated, and the new greenhouse opened. Athletic programs continued to grow, and in 2005, Holy Angels became the first high school ever in Minnesota to win both girls' (Class A) and boys' (Class AA) hockey state championships the same year.
By 2007, AHA had begun Project Laptop, equipping the 9th grade class with a personal computer for academic use. A version of the program continues today, although technology has been updated and improved substantially over the years. 2011 saw the retirement of former AHA President Jill Reilly, to be succeeded by current President Tom Shipley. The same year, the STEM diploma program opened. In 2019, a second StarDome was completed.
Service day
Service: In addition to yearly service requirements (75 hours to be completed before graduation),
students participate in an annual All School Service Day, a yearly family Christmas Basket Drive (a tradition continued since the 1940s), and Campus Ministry Team, among other opportunities. AHA's Faith in Action program also aims to "incorporate service and spirituality into all aspects of AHA life",
including sports, activities, and clubs; over 25 teams participate, contributing 2,000+ service hours.
Academics
The Academy of Holy Angels is currently accredited through AdvancedED. 19 AP courses are offered to sophomores, juniors, and seniors; in 2015, 230 students participated in the AP program (81% of senior class, 72% of junior class).
In addition to regular coursework, students can pursue
Theater Diplomaand/or
and ear
through the
Minnesota Department of Education Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) is a state agency of Minnesota. Its headquarters are in Roseville.
Commissioners
2021 – Present Heather Mueller (appointed by Governor Tim Walz)
2019 - 2021 Mary Cathryn Ricker (appointed by Governor Tim ...
.
Extracurriculars
Holy Angels currently offers 52 extra-curricular activities. These include Book Club, bowling, intramural sports, Knowledge Bowl, Math Stars, music, National Honor Society, Respect Life, robotics, skeet & trap, Social Justice Club, speech, student newspaper (''the AHA Star''), table tennis, theater (Starlight Productions), and Writers' Club, among others.
Athletics
Holy Angels participates in the
Tri-Metro Conference
The Tri-Metro Conference is a MSHSL-sanctioned athletic conference composed of schools found in the Twin Cities metro area. The conference competes in the majority of sports offered in the MSHSL. Most teams in the Tri-Metro compete in basketball a ...
, which is part of the
Minnesota State High School League
The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) is a voluntary, non-profit association for the support and governance of interscholastic activities at high schools in Minnesota, United States.
The association supports interscholastic athletics an ...
. Since 2017, AHA has made over 37 state appearances. The AHA mascot, Shiner the Angel, though retired for some years, was reintroduced recently.
Fall sports: cross country, dance club, football, soccer, swimming, tennis, and volleyball.
Winter sports: alpine skiing, basketball, dance team, hockey, Nordic ski, and swimming.
Summer sports: baseball, golf, lacrosse, softball, tennis, and track & field.
Theater
Since 1931, Holy Angels has been a sponsor of theatrical arts. Besides offering 15 courses in the acting and design/technical disciplines, students can choose to enroll in th
AHA Theater School working toward a theater diploma in addition to their regular programs of study.
Today, the Holy Angels theater department, Starlight Productions, produces three shows each year: a fall play, a spring musical, and an entry into th
MSHSL State One Actcompetition. Since first participating in 1989, Holy Angels has received
star ratingten times: in 1989, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2015, and 2016. AHA currently participates in the Section 6AA One Act class.
Graduates have gone on to perform and study at the Guthrie Theater, Theatre de la Jeune, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Carnegie Mellon University, Webster Conservatory, Tisch School for the Arts, and Broadway.
Notable alumni
*
Thomas Breitling
Thomas Breitling (born June 19, 1969) is an American entrepreneur.
Early life
Breitling was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. His father became a pilot for Northwest Airlines after serving in the United States Air Force. His mother was a nurse. ...
, entrepreneur
*
John Berg, Third Superior General of the
Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter
The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter ( la, Fraternitas Sacerdotalis Sancti Petri; FSSP) is a traditionalist Catholic society of apostolic life for priests and seminarians which is in communion with the Holy See.
The society was founded in 19 ...
*
Troy Bell
Troy Delvon Bell (born November 10, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and other leagues mostly in Europe. He is also a R&B producer. He was an All-American college player at ...
, a professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player
*
Kelly Carlson
Kelly Lee Carlson (born February 17, 1976) is an American actress and model. She is best known for her role as Kimber Henry in the FX drama series ''Nip/Tuck''.
Career
Carlson was raised in Bloomington, Minnesota, and attended the Academy o ...
, actress
*
Jack Hillen
Jack Robert Hillen (born January 24, 1986) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. Undrafted, Hillen played in the NHL for the New York Islanders, Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes.
Playing caree ...
,
Professional Ice Hockey Player - Defenseman,
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...
,
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators (commonly referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and ha ...
,
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...
(2008–present)
* Emmett Johnson, 2021 Mr. Football and
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...
for the
Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Nebraska Cornhuskers (often abbreviated to Huskers) are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference, and the Cornhuskers compete in NCAA Divis ...
.
*
Gavin Kaysen
Gavin Kaysen (born 1979 in Thousand Oaks, California) is executive chef and owner of Spoon and Stable, Bellecour Bakery, Demi, Socca, and Mara all in Minneapolis. He received the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Midwest in 2018. Previous to his mo ...
, internationally known chef
*
Susan King, professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player in the
WNBA
*
T. R. Knight
Theodore Raymond Knight (born March 26, 1973) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Dr. George O'Malley on the ABC medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2005–2009, 2020), which earned him a nomination for the P ...
, actor,
Grey's Anatomy
''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series that premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The series focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into se ...
*
Paul Peterson
Paul Joseph Peterson (born October 18, 1964), also known as St. Paul Peterson, is a singer and musician best known for his memberships in the bands The Family and The Time.
Life and career
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Peterson was the you ...
, musician
*
Paul Thissen
Paul Thissen (born December 10, 1966) is an American politician, attorney, and jurist serving as an associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court. He previously served as the Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives and DFL Minority L ...
,
Minnesota Supreme Court
The Minnesota Supreme Court is the Supreme court, highest court in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The court hears cases in the Supreme Court chamber in the Minnesota State Capitol or in the nearby Minnesota Judicial Center.
History
The court wa ...
Justice, 2018–Present,
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house of the Legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. There are 134 members, twice as many as the Minnesota Senate. Floor sessions are held in the north wing of the State Capitol in Saint Pa ...
2003-2018 (Speaker of the Minnesota House, 2013–2014)
*
John Stocco
John Stocco (born June 14, 1983, in Richfield, Minnesota) is a former collegiate and professional American football quarterback. Stocco played football for the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Starting lineup, starting at quarterback for the Wisc ...
, professional football player
*
Mike Carman, professional hockey player
Attended, but not alumni
*
Larry Fitzgerald
Larry Darnell Fitzgerald Jr. (born August 31, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver. Fitzgerald played in the National Football League for 17 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. He played college football at University of Pittsb ...
(transferred to
Valley Forge Military Academy
Valley Forge Military Academy and College (VFMAC) is a private boarding school (grades 7–12) and military junior college in Wayne, Pennsylvania. It follows in the traditional military school format with army traditions. Though military in t ...
), a professional football player in the
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
.
*
Erik Johnson
Erik Robert Johnson (born March 21, 1988) is an American ice hockey defenseman for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed the "Condor", Johnson previously played for the St. Louis Blues, who selected him with the f ...
(transferred to
US National Team Development Program
The United States National Team Development Program (NTDP) was started in 1996 by USA Hockey as a way to identify elite ice hockey players under the age of 18, and centralize their training. There are two teams in the program: under-17 and under- ...
), hockey defenseman,
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...
, 2006 NHL 1st overall draft pick by the
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the s ...
. 2010 USA Olympian and silver medalist
*
Mike Reilly, (transferred to
Shattuck-St. Mary's
Shattuck-St. Mary's (also known as Shattuck-St. Mary's School, Shattuck, or simply SSM) is a Mixed-sex education, coeducational Episcopal Church (United States), Episcopal-affiliated boarding school in Faribault, Minnesota, United States. Est ...
), hockey player,
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...
(2012–2015),
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...
(2015–2017),
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
(2017–2020),
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
(2020–2021), and
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
(2021–)
*
Paul Westerberg
Paul Harold Westerberg (born December 31, 1959) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for the Replacements. Following the breakup of the Replacements, Westerberg launched a solo career that saw him re ...
, musician. Left school spring of senior year
See also
*
List of high schools in Minnesota
This is a list of high schools in the state of Minnesota.
Aitkin County
*Aitkin High School, Aitkin
* Hill City High School, Hill City
*McGregor High School, McGregor
Anoka County
* Andover High School, Andover
*Anoka High School, Anoka
* Bl ...
References
External links
*
{{authority control
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Catholic secondary schools in Minnesota
Educational institutions established in 1877
Schools in Hennepin County, Minnesota
Richfield, Minnesota
Private high schools in Minnesota
1877 establishments in Minnesota