By Robert Williams

Editor

Junior Katie Courneya recently became the Frazee-Vergas School’s first-ever recipient of the Minnesota High School League’s (MSHSL) Excellence in Community, Education and Leadership (ExCEL) Award.

ExCEL is a unique recognition program designed exclusively for high school juniors who are active in school activities, leaders in their schools, and who demonstrate a strong commitment to community service.

Courneya and the 33 other statewide recipients were recognized on-court during the Class AAA championship game of the girls basketball state tournament on Saturday, March 14.

“It was incredible, just the amount of support that you felt in that atmosphere and seeing yourself on the big screen was unlike anything I’ve ever been a part of,” Courneya said. “It was something really special.”

Courneya has been living a rather exceptional past year that goes back to last summer when the Miss Vergas Pageant was held for the first time since 2019 and Courneya added that crown and title to her Miss Frazee Teen 2022 win. After a busy summer, she has been an integral part of the best Hornet volleyball and basketball seasons in school history.

“I couldn’t even pick one favorite thing,” she said. “Just the amount of community camaraderie that we felt this year supporting us with the community service with the Miss Vergas platform, but also with how our sports teams have done this year. Feeling the love from the community has been my favorite thing.”

Both athletic seasons provided difficulties to overcome. The road to the final four of Section 8AA ended facing stiff competition for a state tournament bid. Frazee lost to the two-time state volleyball champion Hawley Nuggets in the semis and a three-point defeat to archrivals and state third place basketball finishers—the Perham Yellowjackets. 

“Hawley was a little bit easier just because for me basketball is my sport so I was heading into my favorite season,” Courneya said. “But this year for basketball that one was very tough. I’m honestly still recovering.”

Despite two tough playoff losses, the road to getting there, bringing the Hornets back to section prominence and sharing those journeys with good friends was what made all the effort worthwhile.

“The amount of time that me and my teammates have spent in the gym this summer getting ready for these seasons, preparing since we were in seventh grade,” Courneya said. “It all showed this year. It all finally materialized this year and it was really, really cool. Hard work gets you places.”

The team and the community had new experiences like the echoing crescendo of the crowd during crunch time at Concordia College’s Memorial Auditorium.

“It was so loud you can’t even think but at the same time you just can’t help but smile,” Courneya said. “You just have to take it all in—in the moment. It’s just incredible.”

Now as the school year is winding down, those memories are making their way into the past and new challenges are coming for everyone on the teams.

“This senior group—they’re some of my best friends in the entire world,” Courneya said. “Saying goodbye to them—it has been very difficult but it’s exciting to start a new chapter and I’m ready for it.”

Courneya has succeeded in four sports playing softball and running track in the spring. Away from sports, she is involved in band, speech and visual arts, along with being a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council and the MSHSL Student Advisory and Leadership Team (SALT). Through SALT, Courneya was one of four students chosen from Minnesota to attend the National Leadership Conference in Indianapolis.

Much like in sports, she has excelled in all of those pursuits and has a lengthy list of community service and contributions that look more like something describing what a group of people have accomplished, not just one girl. Courneya was made for the ExCEL award.

“That’s kind of the main thing that you’re judged on, how much you’re volunteering in the community,” said Courneya. “I really like staying busy in my day-to-day life so if I have to be doing something why not do something to better the community, to help those around me? I find different ways to incorporate things that I love and to help other people love them as well or just regular day-to-day things.”

From leading summer basketball camps to receiving excellent ratings in section fine arts contests to three years in a row of attaining the VFW Voice of Democracy and the Daughters of the American Revolution writing contest awards, the list of Courneya’s accomplishments is endless. She is a published poet, a member of the band’s trombone quartet that received a superior rating and she helped restart the school’s Speech program. Not only did she help get it started, she qualified for state speech both years.

It will surprise nobody that Courneya is a straight A student with a 4.0 grade point average.

In 2019, she received the Tyler Shipman Community Service Award, something she said energized her passion for volunteer work and leadership roles. In 2022, she became the youngest person to ever hold the Miss Frazee Teen title as a 13-year-old. She and Miss Frazee 2022 Marcella George were mainstays at nearly any big event in the area. Miss Frazee Teen and Miss Vergas titles have helped Courneya implement many service projects in the community.

“I was one of the little girls that always wanted to be a princess,” Courneya said. “That’s why I started with Miss Frazee Teen. I wanted that crown but after that it’s really just an accessory. You’re involved in your community every step of the way. That’s what really helped me fall in love with volunteer work because I saw how much joy it brought to other people and how much it brought to me. These experiences taught me how important volunteering is. It showed me that I can truly make a difference in the lives of those around me.”

Courneya is also on the United Way’s Volunteer Board of Directors.

“Katie contributes thoughtful ideas and takes the lead in organizing meaningful projects that benefit others,” United Way Executive Directory Terry Haus said. “Her willingness to step forward and lead our annual Blood Drive is a clear reflection of her strong leadership and sense of service.”

Courneya’s community service efforts benefit many different organizations from the Children’s Hospital of Minneapolis to the Stand By Me Cancer Foundation, her church’s Vacation Bible School, the Becker County Food Pantry, Hornet Care Closet and Lakes Area Crisis Center to Bumblebee Basketball practices, WE Fest Clean Up, the Hall of Fame Dinner, Mahube-Otwa Community Action Center and Neighbor to Neighbor to name just a few.

“My parents have definitely supported me and driven me to show me that this is a really great thing to do but it’s also something that when I sit down…this would be a really cool thing to do and my parents are right behind me, supporting me with how I want to accomplish it,” said Courneya.

Katie is the daughter of Nick and Nicky Courneya.

Editor’s note: This story is the first of four featuring this year’s MSHSL award nominees from Frazee-Vergas High School, including Brynn Smith, Adam Vigen and Ashton Stockstrom.