Centaur Foundation

Michael Auld

• Graduated from BCHS in 1986. Still lives in Brooklyn Center. Two daughters graduated from BCHS.
• Member of Foundation Board since 2016.

Kris Edmonds

• Came to BCHS in 1990 and taught art. Served as the school's Arts Magnet Coordinator and was the advisor for the National Honor Society. Retired in 2018.
• Member of Foundation Board since 2023.

Hawa Forkpa

• Graduated from BCHS in 2007.
• Member of Foundation Board since 2021.

Charles Freeman

• Graduated from BCHS in 2007.
• Member of Foundation Board since 2021.
   

Marjie (King) Hay

• Graduated from BCHS in 1994. Taught Spanish at BCHS 2003-2012.
• Member of Foundation Board since 2013.
   

George Larson

• Came to BCHS in 1973 to teach English. Coached hockey and girl’s track. Beginning in 1999, served as BCHS Principal.
• Member of Foundation Board since 2004.
   

Beth (Kopacz) Lovre

• Graduated from BCHS in 1998.  Fall and Winter cheer coach 2000.
• Member of Foundation Board since 2016.
   

Larrick Potvin

• Graduated from BCHS in 2014.
• Member of Foundation Board since 2023.
  
   

Rick Sutton

• Graduated from BCHS in 1980. Taught English and coached football at BCHS from 1990 to 1994. Retired from teaching at Eagan High School in 2019.
• Member of Foundation Board since 2007.
   

Choua Yang

• Graduated from BCHS in 2003.
• Member of Foundation Board since 2005.

The Centaur Foundation awarded 10 grants worth $7,900 during the 2022-2023 school year.

1. Brooklyn Center ARISE Youth Leaders Exploratory Ethnic Studies: Helped fund a trip to Providence, Rhode Island for 9th and 11th grade students travel participate in ARISE's two week Ethnic Studies program. A short video documentary will be produced and shared with the BC community.
2. Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post Field Trip: 11th grade students visited the Mille Lacs Indian Museum. They complete a scavenger hunt, explored native cultural objects, and participated in craft projects related to Native American culture.
3. Flocabulary: Annual subscription to Flocabulary website in which students are able to learn creative terms and concepts. They display these learnings by writing music lyrics and creating music videos.
4. 9th Grade Overnight Trip to Osprey Wilds Environmental Learning Center: 9th grade students traveled to Osprey Wilds for a 3-day learning trip. They participated in STEAM and outdoor education activities (i.e. Ojibwe culture hike, rock climbing, help cooking meals, and having a campfire.
5. Ping Pong Enrichment: Purchased a new ping pong table, balls, and a training robot for students to participate during Enrichment.
6. Japanese Cultural Convention: Students attended a Japanese Cultural Convention in Minneapolis. They had been learning about Japanese culture and media in their Enrichment class, and this trip was the culmination of that learning.
7. 2025 Class Shirts: Funded class shirts for the Class of 2025. The students created a unique design, then were taught how to utilize the school's screen printer to make the shirts.
8. Exploring Social Issues through Spoken Word Poetry: 9th grade students took part in an interactive series of workshops that covered
   the basics of spoken word. Artist Kyle Tran Myre joined the students virtually to take them through activities, which culminated in a performance.
9. Social Play and Math Skills Pizza: Funded a pizza shop for 1st grade students to practice both math and social skills. They can pretend to buy pizza using different variation of coins and dollar bills.
10. Wolf Ridge Backpacking Trip: Funded transportation for Rising 9th grade students to attend a 2-week backpacking experience with the Wolf Ridge Environmental camp in Northern, MN. The programming costs were covered via scholarships.

Despite the arrival of COVID-19 in March 2020, the Centaur Foundation awarded 31 grants worth $16,101 during the 2019-2020 school year. Students at Brooklyn Center Middle & High School, Brooklyn Center Elementary and the Early College Academy benefitted from the grants listed below. These grants helped pay for programs, supplies, materials and activities that enriched student learning experiences. None of these grants would have been possible without the generosity of Foundation donors. The following grants were awarded during the past school year:

1. Power Link-4 helped teach cause and effect; making choices; and communication skills to SPED students.
2. 6th Grade Orientation T-Shirts helped kick off the 2019 school year as students were encouraged to begin developing pride in the Class of 2026.
3. 9th Grade Orientation T-Shirts helped welcome students, as well as their parents, to BCS.
4. Fourth Grade Class Rug used so that each student has a regular spot in which to do lessons and activities.
5.  Interactive Science Notebooks helped 2nd & 5th grade students organize, synthesize and evaluate class materials for information processing.
6.  Flocabulary for 3rd graders is a learning program that used educational hip-hop music to engage students and increase achievement across the curriculum.
7. Lego Robots were built in SPED classes as students learned about production and cooperative skills.
8. Math Manipulative Bags were used by 1st grade students during math activities.
9. Flexible Seating created a classroom environment that helped establish a flexible, safe classroom for 2nd graders.
10. Phonic Awareness helped students learn letter names & sounds; rhyming; fluency; blending; and segmenting.
11. Wireless Mic & Sound Mixers for choir helped students self-assess their voices and gave teacher instant feedback for easier assessment.
12. Ramp Up to Reading Program gave students the opportunity to share books, respond to their reading, develop identity as readers and offer reading choices.
13. Cookbooks offered a way to connect a common activity with basic math and science concepts.
14. Flexible Seating allowed 2nd grade students to feel empowered by having some choice and control in their classroom setting by wobbling, rocking or standing.
15.  Breakout In Learning Kits challenged students to work together to solve problems that use critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
16. ABC World Culture website gave 8th grade students an opportunity to learn about a country's culture, food, government and economics.
17.  Alternative Communication Options gave EB SPED students alternative ways to communicate by using communication stations throughout the room.
18. English Somali Folktale Books were placed into the EB Media Center through a grant.
19.  Noodle Tools is a suite of online tools for creating citations, annotations, notes and outlines for research projects.
20. BCS Musical grant was unused because of COVID-19.
21. Arioso Land Puppets asked that K-2 music students use only their singing voices to communicate as they work to develop their singing voices.
22. Special Phy. Ed. Equipment was used with SPED students as they taught other students in class.
23. For the Love of Reading books were purchased through a grant that helped celebrate and promote reading for pleasure.
24. Walker Art Institute field trip grant was canceled because of COVID-19.
25. Festival of Nations field trip grant was canceled because of COVID-19.
26. STEM Bins for Kids supplemented the engineering design process used to build creative design skills and solve problems.
27. 9th Grade College Visits & Senior Career Day helped build student readiness for their future.
28. Star of the North Book Challenge had 3rd grade students reading the same culturally responsive books, evaluating them and rating their quality.
29. Science Museum field trip was canceled because of COVID-19.
30. Calming Spaces for EB Students consisted of an EB initiative involving sensory opportunities to promote self-regulation and positive social skills.
31. Day Brightener plants were delivered to 1st & 3rd grade students during distance learning this spring. 

Centaur Foundation Awards $2,000 Scholarships to BCHS graduating seniors each year. 

Scholarship Recipients

2024: Erica Lee, Joycee Collins, Windy Vang (pictured left to right)

2023:  Clara Johnson, Amareona Smith, Chanelle Klatt
2022: Alexander Garduno Garcia, Elizabeth Faith Karpah, Aliza Lee
2021: George Yang, Nayeli Williams
2020: Goajay Xiong, Jack Falnes, Megan Falnes
2019: Damian Gillespie and Kylee Hofner
2018: Christina Yang, Honory Fyne, Olufemi Akindumila and Molly Falnes
2017: Jade Yang, Molubah Seley, Sandy Vang, Christina Gilbert
2016: Dahje Holmes, Ariana Wilson, Gina DeLuna, Dan-neya Yancey
2015: Brian Thao, Laura Epding, Isabella Annan
2014: Anna Lee, Martin Luna Martinez, Nicole Fuller, T’shura Holmes, Larrick Potvin
2013: Gabriel Gadson, Kau Guannu, Tabatha Lee, Jacob Peterson, Andrea Diaz, Vanessa Quijada
2012: Josh Horstmann, Sarah Juris, Alexander Lehr, Mykella Auld
2011: Katie Erickson, Va Yang, Laura Olson, Jeetendra Singh
2010: Karen Thao, ABontu Koji, Adam Almstad

 

A $1,000 award will be given once student completes their first semester of post-secondary education.  In the following year, a second $1000 will be awarded once student has completed this third semester.

Established in 1988, Centaur Foundation has given support to Brooklyn Center Elementary School STEAM and Brooklyn Center Middle and High School STEAM by awarding monetary grants. During the years since its creation, the Foundation has also contributed to BCCS by:

• Offering scholarships to graduating seniors at Brooklyn Center High School
• Purchasing a baby grand piano for the Rossi Auditorium
• Making it possible for BCCS teaching staff to experience unique training opportunities
• Offering academic and curricular grants that are used to enrich and enhance student experiences
• Supporting after-school and summer programs for PreK-12 students
• Providing opportunities for students to have new learning experiences away from their school by sponsoring field trips
• Partnering with other Brooklyn Center organizations that support the youth in the Brooklyn Center community
• Helping teachers develop programs that improve student achievement

The Centaur Foundation would like to highlight the following memorial donations made on behalf of former and dedicated BC staff, alumni, and community members. We are grateful for the generous memorial donations: Our students, teachers, and current staff at 286 schools are beneficiaries of your generosity.  

 

 

Wayne Finley

Age 76 ~ Passed away February 2024

Wayne Finley grew up in Brooklyn Center and was the oldest of five children. Wayne also raised his family in Brooklyn Center. After graduating from SCSU, Wayne taught at Earle Brown Elementary for over 30 years. He also coached hockey, football, soccer, and baseball. Wayne will forever be in the hearts of everyone who knew and loved him. 

 

 

Bernie Wesloh

Age 87 ~ Passed away January 2024

Bernie taught science at BCHS for 32 years. He was a finalist for the state “Teacher of the Year” in 1978. He coached football and track and field. Bernie was proud to be the defensive coach of the 1982 Brooklyn Center High School State Football champs and head coach of the 1985 Brooklyn Center High School State Track and Field champs. He was the recipient of the Butch Nash Defensive Football Coordinators award in 1985. In 1992 Bernie was named "MN Track Coach of The Year." He retired from teaching in 1996. Mr. Wesloh will always be remembered in the BC community! 
 

 

Ottavio Savina

Age 82 ~ Passed away October 2023

Ottavio taught social studies for 24 years and retired from Brooklyn Center High School. He served on the executive board of the ESNDC and was a volunteer tutor for the East Side Learning Center as well as serving on their board. His passions were music, dancing, travel, gardening, genealogy, winter and water skiing, March Madness, Christmas, meeting family and friends for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and everything Italian. He sang in the choirs of St. Ambrose Catholic Church. His memory lives on in the BC community!

 

 

Derek Hageman

Age 50 ~ Passed away March 2023

Derek graduated from BCHS in 1991. He was an exceptionally caring person who always saw the best in others. He developed and maintained life-long relationships with people who were blessed to know him. Derek graduated from the University of St. Thomas and Denver University (MBA) and spent his career working in finance. After college he was a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal where he managed a micro credit banking program for women-owned small businesses. He worked for a non profit company (AAII) where he managed portfolios and provided financial education. He enjoyed many sports including running, biking, participating in triathlons and skiing.

 

 

Eric Iverson

Age 46 ~ Passed away March 2023

Eric graduated from BCHS in 1994. He played many sports and was a wonderful friend to many classmates. His older brothers, Todd and Jeff, also graduated from BC. After graduation, Eric worked as a union carpenter. Eric is greatly missed!

 

 

Jim Norwick

Age 85 ~ Passed away January 2023

Former Centaur Foundation Board Member

Jim joined the inaugural staff that opened Brooklyn Center High School. There he established the art department and the baseball program - the first step requiring him to build the baseball field himself, modeled after Wrigley Field. In 1967 Jim was named athletic director, a role through which he championed the implementation of Title IX and the expansion of women's athletic opportunities in the district. In 1972 Jim also became the district's first community education director. Resolute in his belief and vision that public education should be available and accessible to all ages, Jim spearheaded a number of community education programs for the Brooklyn Center community. Other contributions included founding the Brooklyn Center American Legion Baseball program, establishing the Brooklyn Center Athletic Boosters club, and providing year-round indoor access to exercise opportunities through the daily, early opening of the Brookdale mall for walkers and joggers. More than any accomplishment or career legacy, Jim is remembered for his strength of character, his tireless spirit, and his connectivity. His joyful zest for life was both contagious and unmatched, and his moral compass and humble dedication to serving others fueled every breath and smile. But most of all, Jim was a role model - for love, respect, and kindness to all. He is greatly missed.

 

 

Warren Olson

Age 85 ~ Passed away May 2021

Former Centaur Foundation Board Member

Warren was a social studies classroom teacher/football coach for 35 years and retired from Brooklyn Center High School in 1991, where he was on the original staff (1961). After his retirement he continued to coach at Hamline University, Edina and Richfield High Schools. Warren was inducted into the following Halls of Fame: Hamline University Athletics, Minnesota Football Coaches Association and Minnesota Football Old Timers. Warren coached the Brooklyn Center Centaurs to victory in the Class A Prep Bowl I in 1982. Mr. Olson made an indelible impact on the lives of countless BC students and staff.  His memory will live on forever in the BC community.