Saint John’s Prep is celebrating Isabel Schwinghammer ’26, who has been shortlisted for the Minnesota Youth Poet Laureate Program. She advanced to the finals of the 2026 contest with three original poems, earning recognition for both her creative voice and thoughtful engagement with important themes.

The hosts an annual poetry initiative that honors young writers using poetry to create artistic, civic, and social impact. Through this program, emerging poets are recognized for their leadership, creativity, and commitment to using words as a force for connection and change.

Isabel is the daughter of Stewart and Kim Schwinghammer of Saint Augusta. She is the sister of Gabe ’28. Isabel is mentored by English teacher, Kelly Fitch.

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Yesterday was a day of profound tragedy and sadness, not just in Minneapolis but here and everywhere. We pray and hold close to our hearts the children who perished at Annunciation ������ and their families who will deeply grieve their loss forever. For the students and adults who were gravely injured. For the entire Annunciation School community whose lives were shattered by another extraordinary act of evil. For ourselves and the sadness, weariness, and fear we feel.

We pray because we believe in hope. We pray because we believe in community. We pray because we believe in healing. We pray because we believe that only love can prevail in the face of hatred and the violence it creates.

We live in profoundly challenging and too frequently violent times. Its frequency puts us at risk of becoming desensitized. But we cannot simply look away. More than ever, we are called, young and old alike, to reflect deeply on our values and beliefs – and then to translate those values into action. Our Benedictine values preference a common good in support of community. They demand deep listening, with both the ear and the heart, to the voices of those around us, particularly the voices of the suffering, the oppressed, and the vulnerable. They teach us to actively strive for peace – with self, with others, and with God. They call us to community, not division; to goodness, not callousness; to empathy and care, not self-mindedness. And they call us to do all of this through the prism of love: love of neighbor, love of self, love for creation.

How will change happen? While it’s tempting to point to large organizations or big social movements to lead change, the reality is that change almost always happens – or at least begins – one person at a time. It begins with you and me. What we expect of ourselves. How we stand up for what we believe in. How we pay attention to who others are and what they are experiencing – and when they need help. How we respond when we see injustice or wrong. How we find the courage to give voice to our values. Love will prevail over hate and violence only when we make it so, each of us, all of us.

I promise that we are here for you at Prep. But equally important, we need to be here for each other. When we act together and support each other, we can begin to make an even bigger difference to the people and communities around us. With compassion, courage, conviction and love we can change the world.

Jon McGee
Head of School  

Members of our Student Services and Benedictine Center teams are available for our students. Contact Counselors Jen Whitehead, Jayne Greeney, or Jane Saunders for assistance.

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Saint John’s Prep is proud to announce that girls’ soccer varsity head coach Kris Fremo has been named the 2024 Class A coach of the year by the Minnesota State High School Soccer Coaches Association. Ms. Fremo has coached the Prep girls’ varsity soccer team for 16 non-consecutive years and has been a girls’ varsity soccer coach for 27 years overall. Coach Fremo will be honored at the Girls All State Celebration at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in Saint Paul on Sunday, October 20.

This year the Johnnies finished the season with a 9-4-1 overall record and 7-3-1 record in section play. Despite losing a top scorer to injury, and playing without their regular goalie for six games, the team was able to finish the season with a winning record.

Coach Fremo shared: “My plan in the off-season was for a new system of play based on the personnel we had left. I spent the first few weeks of the season teaching our girls how to maximize their gifts and talents through that system of play, with the addition of hard work and intelligent decision making. We have a small group of hard-working, mostly younger players, who have been determined and versatile in the face of challenge.” 

This recognition isn’t a surprise to her players, Coach Fremo is known for her supportive and encouraging coaching style. Players say she doesn’t shy away from pointing out ways they can improve and pushing them to have confidence when they face tough opponents.

“Coach Fremo has been one of the most supportive coaches since day one for me. Not only does she make you feel heard, but you can also tell she puts a lot of thought and consideration into what she replies with. I admire her ability to deliver honesty in a way that helps to motivate and inspire us players,” senior captain Natalie Kayser says.

Coach Fremo started her career as a soccer coach at Saint John’s Prep for 12 seasons before coaching the varsity team at Sauk Rapids/Rice High School for 11 seasons. During her career she’s coached in the Granite Ridge Conference, Central Lakes Conference, Wright County Conference, and West Metro Soccer Conference. Her overall coaching record is 202 wins, 182 losses and 35 draws.

“We are so blessed to have Kris coaching soccer at Prep. She has a magical way of inspiring and pushing students to be their best,” Principal Christine Glomski and soccer parent observes. “She has high expectations, and she encourages her players to rise. She is a gift to our soccer program!”  

This is Coach Fremo’s third time being named as the section coach of the year, in 2007, 2021 and 2024, all while the head coach for Prep. This is the first time she has been named the Minnesota head coach of the year.

Saint John’s Prep Head of School Jon McGee says “Kris is an extraordinary coach, and this is an extraordinary honor. She not only prepares our students to play their best but also teaches them to be strong leaders who play with character. We are so proud of all she has done with our students and our soccer program.”

While she does challenge players to play hard, she does encourage them to enjoy themselves and be active team members above everything else. “The season has been fantastically fun. I am filled with gratitude for the gift that it is to be a coach of wonderful kids and to have a role in the development of their love for game and for each other.”

Besides coaching soccer, Coach Fremo is an upper school art teacher at Saint John’s Prep and a frequent member of the choir for all-school Masses. She is also a professional photographer. She and her husband, David, live in Cold Spring. They are the parents of 2024 Prep graduate Hannah, and Prep freshman varsity soccer player, Maia.

Coach Fremo is the head of the Saint John’s Prep girls’ soccer program alongside assistant soccer coaches Manuel Pinta, Scotia MacNeil, and McKenzie Braeger.

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