According to Education Minnesota, a Roseau teacher has been named as one of the 12 finalists for the Minnesota Teacher of the Year competition for 2025. Soren Olson, who grew up in Denmark, came to the U.S. in 1988. After a career serving as a Boy Scout counselor, a logger, maintenance manager, wildfire fire fighter, janitor, mechanic and interventionist he eventually landed his first teaching job as an industrial technology teacher in Indus. Today Soren is the welding and machine shop teacher at the Roseau High School and also advises the Skills USA Club. An independent selection panel of 21 leaders in the areas of education, business, government and nonprofits selected the finalists from a group of 31 semifinalists. There were 142 candidates for this program year. The selection panel meets again May 3 to conduct individual interviews with each of the 12 finalists and to cast votes for the 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year.