From a Dakota County news release:
The Dakota County Board of Commissioners presented the 2026 Public Health Achievement Awards to three
recipients Tuesday, April 7, in celebration of National Public Health Week.
The winners are the TriDistrict CAPS Healthcare class, Stacie O’Leary, and Mission Outpost.
The youth award winner is the TriDistrict Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) Healthcare class. The unique program brings together high school juniors and seniors from South St. Paul,
Simley, and Two Rivers high schools to explore careers in health care. The program helps students develop empathy, communication skills, and community awareness. Through a partnership with Vivie-River Heights nursing home in South St. Paul, these students demonstrated how meaningful relationships across generations can strengthen community well-being and create lasting positive impacts.
Stacie O’Leary, the individual award winner, is the health services coordinator and lead school nurse for West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Area Schools. She has been instrumental in strengthening
districtwide immunization compliance, an essential public health priority that protects not only individual students but the entire community. Her visionary leadership was spotlighted when she brought the “Warrior Care” school-based health center to Two Rivers High School through a partnership with Riverland Community Health, Dakota County Public Health, and the Minnesota School-Based Health Alliance.
Mission Outpost at Prince of Peace Church, the group award winner, is an integrated hub of health care, food assistance, and social supports. It was founded as a food pantry in 2002. In 2025, 49 local dental professionals donated their services to the dental clinic. The eye clinic has recruited three optometrists and 12 opticians who volunteer their time. This past year, 9,000 volunteers distributed nearly 611,500 pounds of food to more than 7,000 individuals.
The county board established Public Health Achievement Awards in 2000 to recognize residents who devote their time, energy, and talents to create a healthy future for Dakota County residents.