The experiment began with benzoic acid dissolved in water while being gently heated. As the solution slowly cooled, something fascinating happened: tiny crystals began to form. This process created what scientists call a supersaturated solution — a liquid that holds more dissolved material than it normally can at room temperature.
Once the crystals began to sparkle and grow, students poured their solutions into baby food jars, turning their chemistry experiments into mini snow globes!
Not only did this project teach students about solubility, saturation, and crystallization, but it also gave them a hands-on way to see how science can be both beautiful and educational.
The Peer Helping Coat Drive at Healy High School was an incredible success this year, and we extend a huge thanks to every student, family, and community member who contributed. Your generosity truly showcased the spirit of Pierz and the strong commitment we share to supporting others.
Thanks to this outpouring of kindness, the drive collected:
🧥 Approximately 248 coats and hooded sweatshirts
❄️ 8 pairs of snow pants
🎩 12 caps and hats
🧤 14 pairs of mittens and gloves
All donations remained right here in Central Minnesota, supporting local organizations that provide essential assistance to individuals and families during the cold winter months. This year’s recipients included:
Women’s Center of Mid Minnesota (Brainerd, MN) — offering safety, support, and resources to women and families.
Place of Hope — a multi-faceted outreach ministry serving individuals experiencing homelessness as they transition toward stable housing.
Salvation Army – St. Cloud — helping community members meet basic needs, including access to warm winter clothing.
The impact of this effort reaches far beyond the walls of our school. Through the dedication of the Healy High School Peer Helpers and the generosity of the Pierz community, hundreds of local individuals will be warmer and safer this winter. Your kindness and teamwork truly reflect what makes Pierz such a special community — one that always comes together to care for its neighbors. ❤️
Thank you for making a difference!
Today, Tuesday, December 9, Pierz Schools will release early due to impending weather. Pioneer will be released at 12:30pm, and Healy at 12:40pm. All students will be offered lunch. The evening performance of the K-2 Christmas concert will be moved to Thursday, December 11 at 5:15pm, followed by the grades 3-4 concert at 7pm.
Students walked the halls alongside current UMD Bulldogs and experienced firsthand what college life could look like. A highlight of the day was enjoying lunch in Superior Dining, UMD’s main dining hall. For those who preferred something different, we were also introduced to the many other food options available across campus.
A big thank-you goes out to all the students who attended and represented Pierz Healy High School so well, and to our bus driver and chaperones for making this trip possible.
If your student wasn’t able to join us this time, no worries—our next college visit will be a two-year college tour to Lake Superior College. More information will be shared soon!
We encourage all parents and students to be diligent about checking grades, attendance, assignments, GPA, and more! To continue to do so, make sure you download the new ParentVUE and StudentVUE apps in the Google Play Store and App Store!
New ParentVUE Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details...
New StudentVUE Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details...
New ParentVUE Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/parentvue-new/id6504305881
New StudentVUE Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/studentvue-new/id6618112702
Join us as our K-4 students send us into the Holidays with stories, songs, and cheer!
On Tuesday, December 9th, our K-2 students take the stage:
-Kindergarten's theme is "Sounds of the Season" (Jingle Bells)
-First grade's theme is "Snow, Snow, Snow."
-Second grade is doing an adaptation of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" with our own Mr. Tom Schutta acting as the Grinch!
Then on Thursday, December 11, our 3rd and 4th graders invite you to watch their production of "A Pirate Christmas!" Shows start at 5:30pm in the middle school gym both nights!
Note: Dress Rehearsal is open to the public on the day of the program. K-2 dress rehearsal will be at 9:30am, and grades 3-4 dress rehearsal will be at 1:45pm.
Both evening performances will be livestreamed on our district YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PierzSchools/streams
🤝 Building Bridges: Freshman Leaders Connect with 3rd Graders
Today, we saw the incredible value of our K-12 campus in action! More than 20 enthusiastic 9th graders from our "Freshman Leaders" program spent time connecting with 3rd-grade students in Ms. Ruprecht's and Ms. Lee's classes (in the coming months, they will also connect with Ms. Varner's and Ms. Girtz's classes).
The high schoolers and elementary students shared a fun afternoon playing board games, making bracelets, and simply having fun together.
Leadership and Our K-12 Advantage
The goal of Freshman Leaders is to build a supportive bridge between our older and younger students, showing our 3rd graders they have friends and mentors across all grade levels.
This interaction is vital:
For elementary students, it fosters a sense of belonging and shows them what positive leadership looks like.
For high schoolers, it cultivates responsibility, patience, and compassion.
Having all students K-12 under one roof creates a natural, family-like school environment. These moments of mentorship and connection are what make our Healy School community special, ensuring our students feel safe, supported, and ready to lead at every stage! Special thanks to this awesome group of freshmen and Ms. Maleska for making this all happen!
Today, Captain Becker, First-mate Ferguson, the the First Grade Crew talked to the Pioneer first graders about the Pioneer Way and demonstrated Respect and Kindness! Arrrgh you being RESPECTFUL and KIND?
