2025-26 ExCEL Winners

The recipients of this year’s ExCEL awards have been announced. ExCEL (Excellence in Community, Education, and Leadership) is a unique recognition program designed exclusively for Minnesota high school juniors who are actively involved in school activities, demonstrate leadership qualities, volunteer in their communities and are model citizens.

Park High School

Park’s female recipient this year is Alli Devine. Alli served as a two-time captain in cross country and is also a letter winner in track and field. In school she is involved in band, National Honor Society, Key Club, Student Council, FCA, and Link Crew. Devine is also very involved in the community, volunteering at the local senior center, summer camp, and organizing a local food drive. She has taken many IB and PSEO classes and has a GPA of 4.1. 

 

 

Ben Paulsen is Park’s male award winner. Ben is a three-sport letter winner in cross country, Nordic skiing, and track and field. He serves as a captain in two of his sports and earned All-State Academic honors in Nordic skiing. Paulsen is also in the orchestra, National Honor Society and Student Council. Outside of school, he volunteers with Special Olympics and with his church. Ben is a Full IB Diploma Candidate and has a 4.3 GPA. 

 

 

 

Woodbury High School

Junior Riley Gauer is a Woodbury High School ExCEL recipient.  Riley excels in academics, participation in athletics and fine arts and volunteering in the Woodbury Community. Academically, Riley is a high performing student with a 3.93 unweighted GPA. Riley has been in the Spanish immersion program and is fluent in Spanish. As a member of the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) program at Woodbury High School she serves and leads others. She also volunteered with the Minnesota National Guard Youth Camp (MNGYC) as a junior counselor in the summer. Athletically, Riley is a 2 sport athlete, playing tennis for three years and a varsity letter winner the past two years. Outside of the team, she can be found training with Minneapolis Ski Club and racing in Junior National Qualifier races through US Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA). She has been a Girl Scout for 10 years and has earned both her bronze and silver awards through community service projects. In the winter, she volunteers out on the trails with Minnesota Youth Ski League (MYSL) as a junior coach, teaching and mentoring youth skiers of all skill levels in the community. Riley has been involved in Orchestra since fourth grade, playing the violin. More recently, she received an excellent rating on a duet at the Suburban East Conference solo and ensemble event last spring and served as a section leader in chamber strings during the past winter.

Junior Andrew Goehler is a Woodbury High School ExCEL recipient who demonstrates excellence in academics, athletics and fine arts, and a strong commitment to volunteering within the Woodbury community. An academic award letter winner, Andrew challenges himself by taking Honors, AP, and concurrent enrollment courses in subjects like Calculus and Physics. Andrew excels in fine arts and plays the Viola for the Woodbury High School Concert Orchestra, accepted by the audition process at the end of his ninth grade year. In the fall, Andrew rides with the PWER (Park, Woodbury, East Ridge) Mountain Bike team. A Top 10 finisher at the 2024 MN State Mountain Bike Championships and five-time letter award winner, Andrew has been named the WHS captain for the 2026 season. Andrew has also played four seasons with the WHS Boys Golf team, participating in SEC golf matches as a Junior Varsity team member. Outside of school, Andrew can be found racing four-wide down the slopes as a four-time US Ski and Snowboard Association (USASA) National Qualifier in Skiercross, most recently finishing Top 15 in the country. Within our community, you can find Andrew involved in a variety of organizations. Andrew gives back to the mountain biking community by volunteering at MN Cycling races, assisting in trail work, and serving as a youth coach with the Shifting Gears Mountain Bike Club teaching young riders the skill and love of the sport.

East Ridge High School

Nathan Hegemann is a multisport athlete and has participated in Soccer, Diving, Ultimate Frisbee and is currently our Boys Volleyball Team Captain. He has received All-Conference honors in Diving and Volleyball. Nate has been recognized in many of his activities for his hard work, determination and great attitude. He has achieved an Academic Letter and on the Honor Roll since starting High School. Nate is very active in our school community, outgoing and a true Raptor. He is the founder and President of JustServe. A Club which focuses on making service accessible to everyone. Nate believes service shouldn’t be limited only to students with good grades or money, it should be for anyone who wants to help make the world a better place. Nate enjoys volunteering at Feed My Starving Children, visiting Senior Living Homes to play games and talk with the residents, and is a Church Youth Leader. A favorite leadership quote of Nate’s is by Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Kindness is the essence of greatness”. True leadership is not about being in control, it’s about how you are able to uplift and help those around you rise to the occasion, whether it’s in sports, service clubs, or church callings. As team a captain, Nate has learned that teams don’t succeed because the strongest player dominates, they succeed because teammates support one another. True greatness in leaders doesn’t come from accomplishments, but their ability to lift others along the way.

Lillian Pohl participates in Tennis and is a Varsity Hockey Player. She is a gifted student athlete that excels in the classroom taking Honors and AP classes with a GPA of 4.500. Lillian is active in Key Club and has been playing piano for 9 years. She enjoys volunteering at Feed My Starving Children, Peer Tutoring, collecting and delivering donated books to local women’s shelters and part of Key Club helped organize a bingo event to raise money for Filter of Hope. Lillian volunteers every summer at Vacation Bible School and leads a group of elementary aged students through faith-based activities, games, crafts and discussions. Through this experience Lillian has strengthened her leadership skills, organizational skills and communication skills as well as positively impacting the youth in her community. A favorite leadership quote of Lillian’s is from Michelle Obama: "People who are truly strong lift others up. People who are truly powerful bring others together." Sometimes, leadership can be shown not through loud actions but through quiet encouragement, consistency, and bringing people together. Michelle Obama's words describe the kind of leader Lillian strives to be: someone who uses their gifts to uplift and strengthen the community around them.