It’s easy to meet a person once in passing and forget their name or face. If you see them again, you might not remember who they are. It might be on the tip of your tongue yet still out of reach. While this might be an issue for some people, senior Anna Grossklaus is excellent at remembering. When she walks through the hallways between classes, you can find her smiling and waving at everyone she sees, greeting each person by name. A simple hello from Grossklaus can significantly improve someone’s day, and it’s because of her positive attitude and big heart that the senior class named her the 2021 Impact Student. 

Grossklaus is active around the school. Her senior class voted her the 2021 Homecoming Queen.  After school, she puts books away in the media center. She helps out Secretary to the Principal Dani Bryant and Student Services Secretary Tara Roberts for an hour each day, delivering passes and putting up posters for upcoming events. 

Grossklaus can also be found at sporting events in the mascot costume.

“I was Al the Tiger for my junior year,” she said. “I was cheering for the girls’ varsity basketball games.” 

Grossklaus’s favorite class is American Government with Jim Haney. She enjoys hanging out with her friends in that class along with the tough course material. She was grateful for the chance to step out of her comfort zone and complete the difficult assignments, like Haney’s infamous current events and face tests. According to Grossklaus’s teacher Erin Gustafson, Grossklaus is no stranger to taking on a challenge. 

“Anna never says no to an opportunity to try something new or learn something new,” Gustafson said. “She has an adventurous spirit that really makes her special.”

Another of Grossklaus’s teachers, Steve Alford, had similar praise for her willingness to do hard things. He is inspired by her resiliency and determination when it comes to accomplishing things that are difficult. 

“One thing that I have learned from Anna is to follow through with the goals that I have and to never give up on myself,” he said. 

Perhaps the most memorable thing about Grossklaus, however, is the kindness she shows to everyone she comes across. She has a gift for making people smile and feel like they matter. Grossklaus’s father and the ALHS principal, Mark Grossklaus, is proud of how his daughter interacts with the student body.

“She takes pride in knowing that she knows so many students,” he said. “She considers all of you her friends in different ways.” 

He also noted how proud he is of her for participating in classes, acting in school plays and cheering as the mascot. He emphasized how important it is to her to be around her peers. 

“She gets to be around her classmates,” he said. “That’s huge to her.”

Other students and staff have picked up on the joy that Grossklaus brings to ALHS.

“I feel like most people wear an invisible sign that says “See me, notice me, make me feel included,” and Anna sees that sign worn on others and acts on it,” said Gustafson. “Everyone she meets, she makes them feel special and important.” 

Senior and fellow Homecoming Court member Jacy Rosas echoed Gustafson’s sentiment. 

“To Anna, it doesn’t matter how old you are or if you’re a boy or girl; she makes everyone her friend,” Rosas said. “That is something that inspires me because Anna is a prime example of treating others the way you want to be treated.”

Grossklaus is observant and picks up on things that many people would miss. She seems to know when someone needs a little extra kindness on a bad day and is always there to provide it. 

“Her kindness towards her classmates really shows how much she cares about them,” Alford said. “When a student is not in class, she notices and asks why they are not here. When they return to class, she makes sure she says hello and welcomes them back.” 

Next year, Grossklaus will take her positive energy to the Journey Program in Circle Pines, MN, where she will figure out the next steps in her life. She loves spending time around children and hopes to be either a teacher or a host of a children’s television show. 

“We will miss Anna next year,” said Gustafson. “But [we] know she is ready for her next adventure.”