About Me

I’m Nick Petersen, Westonka Class of 2010 from Mound, Minnesota. Grew up shy—only two yearbook mentions—but the schools there taught me civics, history, and that one voice can matter. Now I’m sharing this once-in-a-lifetime story because Westonka deserves the credit.

This is the classic Mound-Westonka White Hawks logo I grew up with during my time in the district (circa 1997–2010).

All rights and trademark ownership belong solely to Westonka Public Schools. I’m using this image here purely for personal nostalgia and to show the branding from my school days—no claim of ownership or affiliation.

Unlisted YouTube excerpt from my public comment at the Westonka Public Schools Board Meeting on January 5, 2026. Full video:

.

All rights belong to the district.

I uploaded this short clip myself—so it’s easier for people to see—no promotion or ask.

Grateful to Westonka, and the Class of 2010.

How a Small Town on Lake Minnetonka Shaped My Life—and Why I Brought My Story Home

"Every story has a beginning. Mine began in Mound, Minnesota."

Before Washington.

Before the White House.

Before the letters.

Before people around the world ever heard my story.

I was simply a quiet kid growing up in Mound, Minnesota.

Nestled along the western shore of beautiful Lake Minnetonka, Mound has always been one of those rare communities that quietly leaves a footprint much larger than its size. It's a place where neighbors still know one another, where sunsets over Cooks Bay become lifelong memories, and where generations of families have learned that character matters just as much as achievement.

This little town has been building remarkable stories for generations.

The Story of Mound, Minnesota

Long before my own journey ever began, Mound had already earned a unique place in American history.

In 1946, a small company called Mound Metalcraft opened inside an old schoolhouse. Those hardworking craftsmen weren't trying to change the toy industry.

They were simply building quality products.

A few years later, those products became Tonka Toys.

Millions of children have pushed bright yellow Tonka trucks across playgrounds without ever realizing those toys trace their roots back to this little town on Lake Minnetonka.

Mound has never been about being the biggest community.

It's about building things that last.

Sometimes those things are toys.

Sometimes they're people.

Westonka Public Schools: Where My Story Began

Like thousands of students before me, my journey through Westonka Public Schools began at Shirley Hills Primary School before continuing through Grandview Middle School and eventually Mound-Westonka High School, where I graduated with the Class of 2010.

Looking back now, I realize Westonka was doing something much bigger than teaching math, science, history, or music.

It was quietly shaping people.

Teachers believed in students long before many of us believed in ourselves.

Coaches taught resilience.

Music teachers taught discipline.

Friends taught loyalty.

The community taught responsibility.

I didn't appreciate all of that as a teenager.

I do now.

The Quiet Trumpet Player

If you had known me back then, you probably wouldn't have remembered me.

I wasn't the loud kid.

I wasn't the popular kid.

I wasn't the class president.

I wasn't the athlete everyone knew.

I was the quiet trumpet player.

Twenty years ago, sitting in band class at Grandview Middle School, there was a girl sitting beside me.

Every day I wanted to introduce myself.

Every day I talked myself out of it.

Fear convinced me silence was safer.

It took me years to realize something I wish every Westonka student could understand.

Rejection heals.

Regret lingers.

If I could go back, I wouldn't tell my younger self about Washington.

I wouldn't tell him about the White House.

I wouldn't tell him how life turns out.

I'd simply say...

"Go say hello."

Because courage doesn't suddenly appear one day.

It's built one conversation at a time.

One decision at a time.

One brave moment at a time.

Learning Character in My Hometown

One of my first jobs was stocking shelves at Jubilee Foods in Mound.

Under the longtime ownership of Bob Boese and his family, Jubilee wasn't simply a grocery store.

It was part of the community.

People knew each other.

Neighbors helped neighbors.

Young people learned what it meant to work hard, be dependable, and take pride in doing ordinary things well.

Those lessons stayed with me long after I left the grocery store.

Looking back, I wasn't just stocking shelves.

I was building character.

Westonka's Legacy

This community has quietly produced remarkable people.

Kevin Sorbo grew up here before becoming known around the world through Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

Years later, Shane Wiskus would carry Westonka all the way to the Olympic Games.

Their journeys were different.

Mine would eventually become different too.

That's one of the beautiful things about Westonka.

It doesn't ask students to follow the same path.

It simply gives them a foundation strong enough to build their own.

Following My Heart

When I traveled to Washington, D.C., I wasn't chasing recognition.

I wasn't trying to become part of a larger story.

I simply wanted to express what was on my heart.

What happened afterward became one of the most unexpected chapters of my life, and that story is told throughout this website.

What matters most to me isn't where the story ended.

It's where it began.

Everything I carried with me started right here.

Bringing the Story Home

Before I shared this journey more broadly, there was one place I knew I had to return first.

Home.

I met privately with Superintendent Kevin Borg because I wanted Westonka to hear the story before anyone else.

There was something beautifully full-circle about that moment.

When I walked the halls of Grandview Middle School, Mr. Borg was the principal.

By the time I graduated from Mound-Westonka High School in 2010, he had become superintendent.

Years later, after a journey neither of us could have imagined, I found myself sitting across from the same educator who had helped lead the district throughout my school years.

I wasn't there asking for recognition.

I came to say thank you.

The teachers.

The classrooms.

The community.

The school district that quietly helped shape the person I would become.

I wanted Westonka to hear the story before the rest of the world did because this story belongs here as much as it belongs anywhere.

To Every Student Walking These Halls Today

If you're reading this while attending Westonka Public Schools, I hope you'll remember one thing.

Don't let fear make your decisions.

Take the chance.

Introduce yourself.

Raise your hand.

Join the band.

Try out for the team.

Apply for the opportunity.

Speak from your heart.

You never know which ordinary moment may become the first page of an extraordinary story.

In Memoriam – Westonka High School Class of 2010

As this story continues to reach new readers, I never want to forget classmates whose journeys ended far too soon.

Toby Lee

Brent Swanson

Mackenzie Anderson

Miles Wilson

Ethan Samuelson

Brandon Host

Connor Bishop

To their families,

Growing up in Mound, we shared the same classrooms, hallways, football games, concerts, and milestones. Even as the quiet kid, I remember each of them. As this story continues to grow, I want their names to remain part of Westonka's story. They were classmates, neighbors, and members of our community. They will not be forgotten.

Forever Rooted in Mound

No matter where life takes us, our roots never leave us.

Mine will always lead back to Mound, Minnesota.

Back to Lake Minnetonka.

Back to Westonka Public Schools.

Back to a trumpet in a middle school band room.

Back to a grocery store where I learned the value of honest work.

Back to a community that quietly shaped me long before I understood what those lessons would someday mean.

If this page introduces someone to Mound for the first time, I hope they see more than a dot on a map. I hope they see a community that has quietly shaped generations of people who carried its values far beyond Minnesota. And if one Westonka student reads these words and decides to believe in themselves just a little more, then bringing this story home will always have been worth it.

Rooted in Mound. Proudly Westonka. Forever grateful.