Brainerd High School Welcomes 3 New Hall of Fame Members at Ceremony

The Brainerd Lakes Area community came together on Friday to honor and acknowledge three former Brainerd High School students.

The Distinguished Achievement Hall of Fame welcomed its 87th, 88th, and 89th members—Christine Nesheim Plonski, Leslie Ambrose “Bullet Joe” Bush, and Norman Carlberg—for the 2025 induction ceremony. The Hall of Fame was established in 1999 to honor students and graduates of Brainerd High School that have made a positive impact in the world.

For Brainerd Public Schools Archivist and Curator John Erickson, the Hall of Fame helps protect and preserve the history of Brainerd Public Schools, as well as its students, graduates, teachers, and staff.

“In the telling of stories about people, you gather together the events of the time and the places of the time. That’s true with the Hall Of Fame,” said Erickson. “We’re fortunate that we have 150 years of history that we can pull out of. There’s so much more. We can’t do all we would like, but we have done what we can.”