ABOVE: Junior Phoebe Madsen has been recognized by the Minnesota State High School League as an ExCEL award winner.

GRANADA– Granada-Huntley-East Chain (GHEC) Junior Phoebe Madsen has been selected by the Minnesota State High School League to receive an ExCEL Award.

The award, which stands for Excellence in Community, Education and Leadership, recognizes those who work toward those three categories. Students must apply for the program, and Madsen said Activities Director Erin Roiger encouraged her to do so.

“She said, ‘No one’s ever really done this before in our school,'” Madsen said. “I felt that because it’s nice to be recognized for so many hours I put in. When I get tired and overwhelmed, it’s good to remember I am making a difference and people notice.”

When completing the application, students must demonstrate active participation in activities, a leadership position within their school and volunteer work.

For activities, Madsen is involved in band, choir, theater arts, cheerleading, basketball, track and golf. This includes honor band and choir, of which she’s been in band for two and choir for one year. Through activities, she said she takes pride in being a representative for the school.

“It’s important for me to take part in programs our school has,” Madsen said. “Especially because it’s small. “It’s really important to represent our school in positive ways through sports.”

On leadership, Madsen has been the president of her class since sixth grade. She said she has been continuously nominated and chosen, which is important to her.

“It shows they see the leadership in me,” Madsen said. “I’ve always been someone that always wants to help and serve people. What makes me happy is working for others.”

This year, one of Madsen’s main responsibilities as class president is establishing and orchestrating the details for prom. Through her class leadership and role in National Honor Society, she believes leadership experience has elevated her greatly.

“It has helped me grow my personal qualities,” Madsen said. “Being able to motivate myself to want to help others. The more I lead others, I see myself making a difference and making people happy. I also have been able to grow in making the most of everything I’m a part of. What you put into it is what you get out of it. As a leader, I’ve learned that is valuable.”

With volunteering, Madsen has put even more hours into the school as a peer mentor and helper for the early childhood and family education after-school programs. She also works as a vacation Bible school teacher, youth group president, Christian Athletes sports camp leader and with community education after-school programs.

To dedicate all the time necessary for these pursuits is a task Madsen said steps with her desire to be involved with people.

“I am someone who constantly wants to work and talk with people,” she said. “Especially with working with younger kids, it’s really important they have role models to look up to.”

While she has one more high school year left, Madsen already knows she wants to go to a four-year college to major in education. Through school volunteer work, that plan has strengthened in Madsen’s mind.

“The main thing I picked up is I noticed many kids aren’t getting all the things they need to be successful. As a teacher, I want to be able to teach the content, but I also want to teach them the things they need to go about life and become leaders themselves.”

Going into her senior year, Madsen has no plans to slow down.

“I would like to continue growing our programs working with elementary students,” she said. “I was part of a leadership committee meeting the other day, and we talked about the culture of being a K-12 school. We talked about how it’s really important for older kids to connect with younger kids, and I would like to expand those opportunities.”