Standout Student: Osseo ALC’s Adrianna Robertson
Painting is a passion for Adrianna Robertson, a student at Osseo Area Learning Center. She’s currently working on a mural at her school.
“She’s just amazing,” said Emily Bollinger, a teacher at the school.
For Adrianna the mural is personal.
“I was bullied a lot in my previous high school,” she said. “I wanted to raise more awareness in this high school and make it a closer community.”
Every Monday and Friday, Adrianna works on the mural. She hopes to have it finished in a couple months. Her mural’s message is simple: bullying has serious repercussions.
“It was hard,” Adrianna said. “I was really depressed for awhile. You look at yourself a lot differently. Didn’t have high self-esteem at all.”
Juggling School with Motherhood
The painting is impressive and it’s even more amazing when you discover that Adrianna’s plate is overflowing.
Adrianna is not only a student and an artist, she is also a mom to her 1-year old son Edgar.
“I do my homework whenever he goes to sleep,” Adrianna said. “It’s a lot of late nights, but it’s worth it.”
Fortunately, Adrianna is able to do most of her juggling at Osseo Area Learning Center, which has built-in day care. In a typical school day, Adrianna gets personal time with her child, while she mixes in classes. However, she also manages to take courses at North Hennepin Community College.
“I am not a young mom,” Bollinger said. “I can’t even imagine it.”
Oversoming Obstacles
Adrianna stays on schedule through sound organization.
“She’s doing a great job with time management,” Bollinger said. “I could not be prouder of her. She’s overcome a lot of obstacles in her life. She’s advocating for herself advocating for others.”
Painting the mural is therapeutic for Adrianna and hopefully will be for other students too.
“It’s beautiful,” Bollinger said. “I think it’s so awesome that it’s student organized, created, and it will be here like a legacy.”
