North Branch Area High School has selected seniors Everett Thomsen and Libby Nielsen as its 2023-2024 Minnesota State High School League Academics, Arts and Athletics award winners.
“I don’t think I had heard of it before [I received it],” Nielsen said. “But I learned it’s a ‘particular’ award because everyone is not involved in both sports and the arts. I was in a student council meeting, and our advisor said I would be a good candidate.”
The Triple-A award, as it is known, honors high school seniors throughout the state who have a 3.0 or higher GPA and who participate in league-sponsored athletic and fine arts activities. Schools from around the state are welcome to recognize one male and one female student from their school with this honor.
Thomsen was more familiar with the honor.
“When I was a freshman and sophomore, I saw the seniors who were nominated for the award – and they always were amazing people,” he said. “I wondered if I would ever have a chance to earn that [award].
“But I worked hard through high school, through COVID. I knew I had put in a lot of work, so I wasn’t as surprised when I received it.”
Both award winners have a broad background filled with success to make them deserving honorees.
Libby Nielsen
Libby Nielsen decided she wanted to play the alto sax when she entered the sixth grade.
“I hated it – it was not my thing,” she said with a laugh. “I loved making music, but I just didn’t enjoy playing the saxophone. And when I entered high school, I worried that I wouldn’t get enough arts credits, because I can barely draw stick figures.”
That year, one of her friends suggested she join the choir.
“At least in choir I could get the credits I needed to graduate,” Nielsen said. “But as a sophomore, I moved up to the top-level choir, and by my junior year, I was in love with choir.
“One day we had someone offer auditions for another choir, and my friend and I tried out – and both of us were picked for this choir, which is called Unum Vox.”
As a senior, Nielsen was selected to the Mississippi 8 All-Conference Choir. But she does more than just sing.
She joined the North Branch varsity gymnastics team in eighth grade, meaning she earned five letters in that sport, and she medaled at the state meet this past year. Nielsen also was on the track team as a sophomore.
She has been in student council since entering high school; she was the council secretary as a junior, and this year she serves as vice president. Also she has been on the prom committee the past two years, serving as an officer this year, and has been a member of the National Honor Society as a junior and senior.
Academically Nielsen plans to graduate with an Associate of Arts degree from Anoka-Ramsey Community College in May.
“I held a 4.0 [grade-point average] until last semester, when I got a B+ in college calculus – I missed the A by 0.7% – so now I have a 3.99,” she said.
Next fall she will major in mechanical engineering at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, and she has entered the Honors College there as well.
She thanks her parents, Karen Ives and her husband, Andy Ives, for their support.
“I thank them for driving me to all of my practices and games,” Libby said. “They’ve always supported me, and they knew I had big goals and big dreams. They stood behind me, no matter what I wanted to do.
“I thank my [gymnastics] coach, Christine Johnson, who has been my biggest supporter. She pushes me even when I don’t want to be pushed, because she helped me reach my potential.
“And I thank the staff and administration at North Branch. I have big ideas, and when I bring them to people to make them happen, they have been accepting and supportive.”
Everett Thomsen
Everett Thomsen has been on the varsity football team for each of the past three seasons, playing tight end and defensive end. He was on the baseball team as a sophomore and junior, but this year he decided to switch to the track program.
“I just feel like, senior year, I’m going to try new things,” Thomsen said. “Track is a very sociable sport, and that interested me.”
He also is a member of National Honor Society, serving as parliamentarian, and plays the trumpet. Thomsen has been a member of the jazz band since eighth grade, and he is the vice president of band council.
“At times it can be difficult to manage everything, but I’ve never found it to be too much of a struggle,” Thomsen said. “I believe I need to stay on top of my work. If I’m struggling with any of my classes, I talk to my teachers to get it figured out right away.
“That way I don’t fall behind in a class. That’s what I’ve always done.”
Thomsen said it only makes sense to him to work with his teachers.
“Why be shy and get the wrong answer – and not know how to fix it?” he said. “Especially when you can just talk to the teacher and get the right answer and fix the mistake.”
Thomsen has dealt with Type 1 diabetes since he was 2 years old.
“I’ve had to manage my diabetes, and that from a young age taught me responsibility,” he said.
Thomsen has a 3.985 grade-point average and is taking College In the Schools classes in statistics, English, French and chemistry. He plans to attend Minnesota-Duluth to major in business, although he is thinking of changing to engineering.
“My favorite class is College French with Mr. [Michael] Kolb,” Thomsen said. “He’s such a kind person, and he’s always ready to help me learn. He always has a positive attitude.
“I’ve always loved French, but Mr. Kolb has always made me want to learn.”
With his “free” time, Thomsen works on his family farm during the summer and then at his father’s vintage snowmobile service, Jobby Productions, in the winter.
“[The name] is a combination of ‘job’ and ‘hobby,’” Thomsen said with a laugh. “I do manufacturing, machining. I weld, I ship products – you name it, I do it. There’s a lot of production. …
“At first, I felt I had to help Dad [whether I wanted to or not]. But as I’ve grown older, I’ve come to appreciate working with him. It’s not that difficult, and it’s always different. It’s not a boring job.”
Thomsen said hay farming is not as boring as it may seem.
“You have to cut the grass, let it dry, then bale into small squares – then stack the bales onto a wagon,” he said. “We cover 300 acres, so we’re bailing a couple of times a week. …
“It’s a good source of income, and I’m helping my family.”
Thomsen thanked his parents, Ron and Cari, for their support.
“I 100% want to thank my parents, because they have inspired me from the get-go,” Everett said. “They’ve always helped me in so many ways, whether it’s financially or with mental support. Whenever I need help, I know I can always go to them.
“I also want to thank my sister, Clair. She’s going to UMD – my sister, my dad and my uncle all went to UMD, so it’s a campus I know pretty well.
Clair always is at the top of her class and keeps a good balance between her sports and her classes.”
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