Hall of Fame - Class of 2023

Hall of Fame Class of 2023 Slide Show

Carolyn Carr Latady

Carolyn Carr Latady was the first Family Support Specialist for Forest Lake Area Schools, dedicated to assisting the experience and needs of families and students who are from historically marginalized groups. Carolyn's warmth and caring personality endeared her to families and students alike. She helped guide the very first student affinity group, which is known today as the Hmong and Asian Culture Club. Carolyn facilitated the district's celebration of its multicultural communities through the Festival of Cultures, a very popular event that included participation from district students and families as well as the broader Forest Lake community. Carolyn provided leadership for the district's Equity Leaders which increased the equity capacity in licensed staff. Finally, Carolyn also played an integral role working with the members of the Forest Lake Native American community facilitating the group for several years. Carolyn's compassion and people-first focus assisted many families throughout the district during the 16 years in her family support role.

Thomas Haas

Tom is the lead pharmacist and store manager at Rolseth's Drug in downtown Forest Lake. Tom started at the store while in high school as a night janitor, shelf stocker, clerk and doing anything else that was asked of him. After high school graduation, Tom continued his education at Anoka-Ramsey Community College and the University of Minnesota completing his pharmacy degree. Since 1976, Tom has carried on the Rolseth small town tradition all the while Forest Lake has grown into a northern suburb community of 20,000 plus residents. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tom spearheaded a store effort to help the community address the pandemic. His efforts during the pandemic were exemplary but only a snapshot of what he does every day at the store. His work week can often consume 60 hours or more and he is often on the job late at night filling and delivering a badly needed pharmacy prescription to a customer living at Birchwood Health Care Center or other assisted living facilities in the area. Throughout Tom's years at the Forest Lake store, he has employed and mentored dozens of Forest Lake High School students in stocking and clerical positions, helping them learn the value of hard work and being responsible.

Lyle Koski

Lyle works in tandem with Lee Sinna on the Community Scholarship Foundation Board to find the resources and funds to help Forest Lake Area High School students succeed after graduation. Lyle works year round to talk to community members and bolster the scholarship foundation for the benefit of students. Lyle is a caring individual who takes many frantic phone calls and emails from teachers, students, or parents during scholarship season. He is patient with every one of those conversations and he works extremely hard to see that the CSF organization is truly serving the needs of the community. Last year Lyle met with a large group of students who had ambitions to go into the trades to help show them that funds were available for trade schools and non-traditional programs, not just four-year college degrees. Through the Community Scholarship Fund, Lyle has made a positive impact on hundreds of students as well as the overall community.

Lee Sinna

Lee tirelessly leads the Community Scholarship Foundation in the Forest Lake Area. He is a community member who has dedicated many years helping Forest Lake Area High School students succeed and give them the chance to attend a college or trade school after high school. Lee seeks out new opportunities for students, working with the high school’s Career and Tech Ed Department to support not only students attending a four-year college, but also those attending trade schools.  He tirelessly seeks out resources and funds from the community to help our students achieve success. He is always willing to sit down with students and help them find their passion and understand that they can go after their dreams.

Jeanine Winiecki-Ross

Jeanine is an alumna of Forest Lake Area Schools. During her high school years, she was a 3-sport athlete, in basketball, volleyball and track. She was a captain and co-captain in 2 of her 3 sports and also participated in choir. After she had graduated, Jeanine began in 1978 to serve the students of our district by driving a school bus. As a bus driver, Jeanine had a great impact on each of her students as the first and last school staff person they saw each day. She did this important work for 44 years, until she retired in 2022. At that time, when the district continued to have a need for bus drivers, Jeanine decided to return in the fall of 2023 and continue serving as a substitute bus driver. Her years of dedication and commitment have impacted thousands of students over the course of her long and remarkable career.