Buffalo Community Middle School

In a world awash with information, it is vital that students learn to discern reliable sources from those that are questionable, and to research historical information effectively.

Buffalo Community Middle School students took part in the History Day showcase and competition on Feb. 22, an event that challenged sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders in the Quest program to address the theme “Turning Points in History” as part of the National History Day in Minnesota event. Students chose a topic related to that theme, conducted extensive research, and presented their findings via dramatic performance, exhibit, documentary or website.

“I was really excited with how this year’s school event turned out,” said Quest English teacher Danielle Kelm. “It’s the first year we’ve had an in-person competition since 2020, and it was great to be able to hold this event for our students.”

Jazz fans had a unique opportunity to hear all four BHM jazz bands perform with a professional musician on Tuesday, Feb. 20, in the Buffalo High School Performing Arts Center.

Dave Hagedorn, a retired music professor who taught at St. Olaf and the University of Wisconsin-Superior, has also played for more than 20 years as an extra for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and was the principal percussionist for the Duluth Symphony. He is still active with a variety of other ensembles as well, and was featured on the vibraphone with improvisational solos in every song.

There was plenty of intrigue, a healthy dose of investigative rivalry, and a few fun surprises in the Buffalo Community Middle School play last weekend.

Nineteen cast members and four tech crew students performed “Mystery at Shady Acres” at the Discovery Center auditorium under the instruction of Debb and Greg Bestland. A pair of shows were held, one on Friday evening and the second on Saturday afternoon.

From water quality studies to winter wildlife survival, and from croyogenics to “yo yo’s and the science of spin,” 45 students from Buffalo Community Middle School soaked in some fascinating concepts at the Spark STEM Conference on Friday, Jan. 5.

The event, organized by Resource Training & Solutions and hosted by St. Cloud State University, aimed to demonstrate how fun and interesting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) can be when students use them to study their surroundings.