Hall of Fame - Class of 2022
District Hall of Fame Class of 2022
Arts and Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees can be found here.
Joe Grafft
Joe is a parent and community member with a long history in service to the district. He has served on the School Board and several board committees. He actively assisted in the vision to remodel and update the district’s school facilities, and the successful bond campaign to make it possible. Joe also used his expertise in emergency services to help build a high school EMS program where students can study emergency medical services and become certified EMTs as part of their high school education.
Michael Huerth
Michael is a parent, leader and trusted elder who has worked tirelessly on behalf of American Indian students and their families. First as a volunteer, and then professionally, Michael helped establish and grow the district’s Indian Education program to help ensure academic success for students. He helped our district’s educators learn culturally specific information and implement best practices for meeting the needs of American Indian students. He also assisted individual students and families in navigating the school system and advocating for needed changes. His work with the district has helped create fundamental change and improvements in its service to all students. Michael Huerth unfortunately passed away in the spring of 2022.
Allison Hursh
Allison is a graduate of Forest Lake Area High School who has distinguished herself in the field of forensic science. During a 20-year career with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), Allison has specialized in the disciplines of drug chemistry and crime scene investigation. She has been an expert witness in both state and federal courts. In 2014, Allison became the youngest Assistant Laboratory Directory in BCA history. She manages the activities of the BCA Forensic Science Services laboratory to ensure it is in compliance with scientific and legal requirements and functions at a high level to help solve crimes in the state of Minnesota.
Richard Peterson
Rick Peterson is a graduate of Forest Lake Area High School who has served the community through law enforcement for more than 30 years. He began his career with the Washington County Sheriff’s Department where he served for five years before becoming a patrol officer with Forest Lake Police Department. In 2004, Rick was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and in 2011 became the Chief of Police for Forest Lake. As a leader in local law enforcement, Rick has strongly supported schools and the youth of our community. Under his leadership, the Police Department has maintained a collaborative relationship with school leaders and educators, helping to maintain a safe environment for learning and a thriving, safe community.
Dan Winkelman
Dan is retiring from Forest Lake Area Schools this year after an amazing 50 years of teaching 3rd grade at Columbus Elementary. Dan has taught three generations of 3rd graders who each have fond memories of the engaging lessons he presented. His tireless care for each individual student led him to seek out additional resources or tutoring for those who needed extra help, or to pull in higher-level material for those who needed a challenge. As a lifelong learner himself, Dan has always worked hard to integrate technology or seek out ways to make his lessons more engaging. His efforts and dedication to the teaching profession have made a remarkable impact on 50 years of Columbus Elementary students.