Maple Grove Resident Wins Congressional Arts Competition

Maple Grove Resident Wins Congressional Arts Competition

Marissa Dessellier, a resident of Maple Grove and a junior at Perpich Arts High School in Golden Valley, was selected by Congressman Keith Ellison as the first annual 5th Congressional District-wide essay contest winner! Marissa read her essay and was recognized at the recent Congressional Arts Competition reception on Monday, April 23. Part of this prestigious award is a seat on Congressman Keith Ellison’s Congressional Student Advisory Council this fall.

Dessellier is in the high school Media Arts program.

Perpich Arts High School opened its doors in 1989 and graduated its first class in 1991. It is a tuition-free, public, residential high school for students in 11th and 12th grades. The school is part of Perpich Center for Arts Education, a state agency funded by the Minnesota legislature. Students who wish to attend Perpich Arts High School must go through a competitive application and review process. Those accepted have shown artistic promise and a strong commitment to serious study in the arts and academics. The school stresses arts and academics equally and emphasizes creative and analytical thinking, problem solving, and decision-making.