brandon valley high school echo september 2014
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Volume 53 Number 1 Brandon Valley High School - Brandon, SD 57005 Friday, Sept. 26, 2014
The Lynx face Washington
Warriors /page 5
Finger scanners improve accuracy, efficiency
Freshmen eat lunch same periodBy Kristen PaulsenCirculation Manager
In order to answer freshmen-only questions, Dr. Gregg Talcott scheduled all freshmen to eat together during fourth period.
“The noise,” he said, is a major con to this schedule, but “I’m okay with it because we are going to work on keeping conversations at your own table.”
Freshman Maddi Stamp
said the freshmen should eat together first semester only, then mix all the grades together for second so she can expand her friend group and meet more upperclassmen.
“Eating together took a lot of stress out of the first day of school,” freshman Micah Holtz said.
Talcott said he may do this from now on with the freshmen.
By Kristen PaulsenCirculation Manager
Finger scanners take .006 of a second for students to purchase their lunch accurately and efficiently.
“My phone calls this year already are way down with wrong charges, and I attribute it all to the scanners,” child nutrition director Gay Anderson said.
In the past some students tried to use someone else’s PIN number, which is hard to catch, she said.
Now with the scanners, 300 high school students go through a line in eight to 10 minutes.
“This process allows more ‘seat time’ at lunch,” Anderson said. “We want to make sure everyone has enough time to eat their meal and have a break before you are back in class. We all have those days we just can’t remember the right number and I have noticed even high school students stand and try to remember that PIN number.”
Once students are in the system with the scanners, they do not need to re-enroll.
“They make it very quick,” junior Tanner Burkman said, “and you can’t mess up unless your finger is wet. All-in-all it’s a good investment.”
One of the parent concerns was the fingerprint itself.
Because there is no way for the school to replicate a finger print, it would be impossible for them to give information to the police department, Anderson said. All they can see is a mixture of num-bers and letters; there is no pic-ture of anything.
“As with any form of
technology, we can still have the system go down in the middle of lunch and then struggle with names and writing things down,” she said.
One problem is the finger must be dry because wet, sweaty ones will not read well. Also, the cashiers are instructed to wipe off the scanners frequently so there is not as many germs being passed on by students.
If parents decide they do not want their child to participate, they are still allowed to use the PIN number, not the scanner.
By Jacob BoomsmaPhoto Editor
Last spring, Dr. Gregg Talcott announced an expan-sion of South Dakota’s dual en-rollment program, which now grants juniors and seniors the opportunity to take certain col-lege classes at the University Center in Sioux Falls or online at a fraction of the cost.
“I was excited. First of all, there’s no way I’m turning down college credit for $40 per credit,” senior Sally Hoffmann said. “Also, right now I’m thinking about going to medical school, so the more college I get done now, the faster I’ll be done.”
Hoffmann is taking psy-chology and biology at the University Center and has plans to take sociology and chemistry next semester. She has previously taken U.S. his-tory and college algebra for college credit and is currently taking calculus, Spanish 4 and English courses for col-lege credit as well. By gradu-ation time, Hoffmann hopes to
Dual enrollmentsaves time, money
have completed enough credits to almost finish her freshman year of college.
Hoffmann chose classes at the University Center because she doesn’t enjoy online classes and prefers being able to talk to her teacher face-to-face, but for students with limited time, online classes are also an option.
Hoffmann will have saved a combined total of almost $3,500 from her classes by the end of the year and encourages more students to try this special program.
“It’s an awesome opportu-nity with so many benefits,” she said.
Students raise money for AIM Photo by Umaima Koch
Junior Sheila Rodriguez researches for a project in American Heritage.
Rodriguez experiences American culture with three host families
Cost per three-credit class
Dual Enrollment: $120
South Dakota State: $690
Black Hills State: $762
University of South Dakota: $802
Augustana College: $1,320
Sources: Colleges’ websites
Photo by Jacob Boomsma
Senior students show their patriotism in English instructor Matt Christensen’s seventh hour Composition 1 class. Patriot Day was the first day of homecoming week.
By Umaima KochNews Editor
A lover of travel and photogra-phy, junior Shelia Rodriguez of Spain will spend this school year immersed in American culture and the English language.Why did you want to come to America?I want to be an English teacher, so I came to improve my English. The first week I was here, my English was very bad, but now, with time, it’s getting better. I hope that at the end of my exchange, I am fluent in speaking English. What are you looking forward to, being here in America?I want to learn about the culture of another country. I want to explore the United States; it’s my dream. I like to see new places. I love travel.Where have you traveled?I have been to Italy and Prague. I saw all of Venice on a gondola. It’s pretty. It is almost the same as Spain, but Spain has more sun. My favorite town of Italy is Pisa because of the Leaning Tower. In the future I want to travel to France because I love learning languages and I want to learn French.Is it scary being here all by yourself?At first, I thought, “How am I going
to the United States?” But now that I am here, I think it’s okay. Being an exchange student is an adventure I would recommend to all people. You learn how to live by yourself, how to not depend so much on your parents.What do you like about Brandon?The people, because when I get here, the people were very nice with me; it was very nice. They help you when you need help. I’m here with three families, so for me
it’s a challenge when you are used to a family you have to change. It’s difficult to say bye to the first family because I get along very well with them. They are very nice and I want to stay.Why three host families?My exchange program is about learning the culture. If you are with three families, you can know more of the culture of the country. Also, my exchange program helps children with polio. When I wanted to do an exchange, I chose this organization because it helps children in the time that I’m here, with the money that I give them. So I love helping (those) kids.What do you like to do?I love to take photos; it’s my favorite hobby. When I was in Spain, I loved to go out with friends and take photos of them and myself. I bring with me my camera, and when my host family takes me to another town, I take my camera with me. I take pictures and then I share them on Facebook.What things do you like to photograph?Taking photos of people and taking pictures of pretty landscapes, I love. It’s a way to express myself.
By Becca GothA&E Editor
Besides crowning the king and queen at coronation, students raised money for Agape International Missions in Cambodia.
“AIM rescues the girls from sex trafficking, gives them a place to live, food to eat, health care, and teaches them a trade,” Dr. Gregg Talcott said.
The rescued girls in the AIM program make bracelets to sell and raise funds for themselves. The royalty court all wore the bracelets.
Royalty court members included seniors Tyler Erck, Nate Bennett, Jake Comeaux, Tonner Bowman, Alex Darrington, Matthew Gorsuch,
Calli Hensley, Alissa Kuhn, Bethany Headrick, Umaima Koch, Savannah Garrow and Kjerstin Williams.
Senior athletes paired with seniors Alissa Kuhn, Maci Smykle, Karly Neuberger and Ashley Westcott to choreograph and perform a dance during the ceremony.
The week was full of costumes and characters. Monday was USA/Olympian Day; Tuesday, Tacky Tourist/International Day; Wednesday, Character Day; Thursday, Color Day and today, Spirit Day.
The homecoming football game kicks off at 7 p.m. against Washington. After the game the dance will be in the commons from 9:45 to 11:30 p.m.
Brandon Valley Echo Friday, Sept. 26, 2014
Program lends opportunities
What do you think about the
finger scanners?
Students experience life skill by feeding hungry
Avian/ShoupFinger scanner Winter weather
The Echo is published monthly by the publications students of the Brandon Valley High School, 301 S. Splitrock, Brandon, S.D. 57005. Telephone number is 582-3211. It is a state and national award-winning publication affiliated with the South Dakota High School Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association. News Editor..........................................................................Umaima KochVoices Editor ...................................................................Estel NiyotwizeraA&E Editor ...............................................................................Becca GothSports Editors ..........................................Dylan Bludorn and Haley HoekeUpdate Editors .................................................................. Shelby SimpsonPhoto Editors......................................................................Jacob BoomsmaAd Manager ..............................................................................Becca GothCirculation Manager ................................... .......................Kristen PaulsenAdviser ........................................................................Debra RothenbergerStaff Writers.........................Halle Doe, Samantha Peterson, Amy Vardsveen, Sean McEachran, Macy Murren, Jessica Andreasen.Brandon Valley Echo is a public forum. The editorial content of the Echo expresses the views of the newspaper and not necessarily of the administration, faculty or school board of the Brandon Valley School District. Bylined editorial content is the writer’s opinion and not necessarily of the staff, adviser or school administration. Signed letters to the editor are encouraged, but they may be rejected or edited for grammar, condensation, good taste and/or libel.
Dual Enrollment Program gives students a head start on higher education because it saves them money and time.
The University Center in Sioux Falls paired with the South Dakota Board of Regents launched a Dual Enrollment Program this year. This allows high school students to enroll in college level courses through the University Center, while receiving high school and col-lege credits. The students can choose to take their courses online, at the University Center or on campus at col-leges such as South Dakota State University or the University of South Dakota. Students can save money by participating because the courses cost only $40 per credit hour, versus $300 per credit hour at some universities.
Colleges and universities provide basic courses that all freshmen are required to take, typically in their first se-mester. These courses most often will not help students advance in their majors, nor will they help students toward their minors. The classes are basics like chemistry and chemistry lab, speech, psychology, histories and freshman level seminars. All classes are three or four credits each, and at around $300 per credit, those basic classes may cost up to $1,200 each. Through the University Center, those classes would cost about $160 each.
Saving money is not the only perk for students. If they were to take these classes through the Dual Enrollment Program, they could save themselves a semester of col-lege. Students could now be graduating high school with a diploma and a semester of college on their transcript.
Enrolling in these classes is the best choice for students because the classes not only save them time and money, but also allow room for early college advancement.
“They go way slower than if you typed in the number.”
–Junior Alex Johnson
“It’s gross because there could be leftover ranch or something and I don’t want to stick my finger in it.”
–Junior Kyle Bailey
“It’s good, but sometimes it has a malfunction.”
–Sophomore Derek Hubers
“They make the lines move faster, and you don’t have to worry about remembering a PIN.”
–Sophomore Kara Peterson
“It’s fast and easy and makes us go through the lines a lot quicker.”
–Freshman Emily Knouse
“It would be a lot easier to just type in a number than stand there and scan your finger.”
–Senior Connor Smith
By Estel Niyotwizera Voices Editor
About 850,000,000 chil-dren worldwide are starv-ing every day, according to www.fmsc.org. Most of these children live in de-veloping nations and others here in America.
Many people tend to overlook the magnitude of world hunger and miss that hunger surrounds them daily, maybe even in their own community.
However, senior Calli Hensley is not one of them. She has volunteered for the Feed My Starving Children program for four years.
This year she is organizing the trip. The group will go to Chanhassen, Minnesota, Nov. 8, to pack dry food specifically formulated for malnourished children in need.
The Feed My Starving Children Volunteer pro-gram provides an opportu-
nity to reflect on the world’s many problems such as hunger and poverty; and, hopefully, one day, become a part of the change in fight-ing world hunger.
“I’m glad Brandon Valley students get to participate and help others change lives,” Hensley said. “The whole process is very special.”
Learning the importance of selflessness is a good skill that will last a lifetime.
Thumbs up to the finger scanners. Students can go through the lunch line faster with accuracy. The
scanners allow more time to eat and eliminate the possibility of forgetting a PIN number.
Thumbs up to the Avian/Shoup Concert. Math instructor Jacob Shoup performed with the band Avian
after the Pigskin Classic football game. About 300 people attended.
Thumbs down to the weather. An early September snowstorm left crews in the Black Hills cleaning up
eight inches of snow. This is the earliest snow fall since 1888.
Brandon Valley Echo Friday, Sept. 26, 2014
Derek Jeter prepares for retirement
Senior Carter EricksonSport: GolfWhat is your favorite sports moment?Getting a hole in oneWho is the greatest athlete of all time?Jackie RobinsonWho is your favorite sports team?Green Bay PackersIn the movie about your life, who would play you? Will FerrellWhat is your favorite pre-game meal?Chicken McNuggets
Senior Haley HoekeSport: SoccerWhat is your favorite sports moment?When Jessica Andreasen brought me two pink roses after my gameWho is the greatest athlete of all time?Hope SoloWho is your favorite sports team?Chicago BearsIn the movie about your life, who would play you?Kim KardashianWhat is your favorite pregame meal?Subway
Senior Tyler LimmerSport: SoccerWhat is your favorite sports moment?Scoring the winning goal in the state championshipWho is the greatest athlete of all time?PeléWhat is your favorite sports team?Manchester UnitedIn the movie about your life, who would play you?Adam SandlerWhat is your favorite pre-game meal?A Subway footlong
Senior Makenzie MarsoSport: TennisWhat is your favorite sports moment?Winning ESD doublesWho is the greatest athlete of all time?Serena WilliamsWhat is your favorite sports team?Minnesota VikingsIn the movie about your life, who would play you?Melissa McCarthy What is your favorite pre-game meal?Pasta
Senior sports spotlights
Boys compete for ESD title
Soccer teams defeat Harrisburg, girls senior night
Photo by Jacob Boomsma
Senior Alex Hamer putts at Willow Run against the Washington Warriors. The boys won 154-158.
Photo by Jacob Boomsma
Senior Braydon Reindl steals the ball from Washington. The boys won 2-1. They play Aberdeen Central Saturday.
By Dylan BludornSports Editor
After 19 seasons in Major League Baseball, New York Yankees star shortstop Derek Jeter is set to retire.
In his 19 seasons with the Yankees, Jeter became the 28th player to join the 3,000 hit club. Jeter, on July 9, 2011, hit number 3,000 in grand fashion with a homerun. Jeter, along with Hall of Famer Wade Boggs, are the only two players to hit a homerun for number 3,000, according to baseball-reference.com. This season Jeter passed Honus Wagner for sixth all time in hits.
His baseball expertise started in Pequannok, New Jersey. During his senior year at Kalamazoo Central High School, he won several national sports awards, including being named the American High School Coaches Association’s 1992 High School Player of the Year, the 1992 Gatorade High School Player of the Year and USA Today’s High School Player of the Year.
After high school, Jeter was drafted by the New York Yankees with the sixth pick in the 1992 Amateur Draft. After being drafted The Captain started his professional career in the minor leagues. He obtained a .295 average, hitting five homeruns during the 1993 season. His play only improved in 1994 when he was selected as the Minor League Player of the Year by the Sporting News and Baseball American.
Jeter’s methodical MLB career began in 1995 when he made his debut on May 29 against the Seattle Mariners. In 1996, Jeter’s first full year, he proved his heroics at the plate once again by batting .314 and hitting 10 homeruns. Jeter also got it done with the glove as well with a fielding percentage of .969. With the help of Jeter, the Yankees went on to win the World Series defeating the Atlanta Braves. He also won the 1996 American League Rookie of the Year Award that season.
After the 1996 season, with Jeter’s help, it was a start of a dynasty in New York. The Yankees went on to win back-to back-to-back World Series titles in 1998, 1999 and 2000. During this span Jeter hit an astonishing .371 in the World Series giving him the nickname Mr. November. 2000 was a memorable year for Jeter, he won the Most Valuable Player Award in the World Series and in the All-Star Game.
Emotions ran high last night as he said goodbye to the Yankee crowd for the last time in uniform. Jeter will go down as one of, if not the best, shortstop ever to play in Major League Baseball history.
By Jessica AndreasenStaff Writer
Boys golf team will compete for Eastern South Dakota Conference title Saturday at Aberdeen.
“I feel good about our team as we get to the real important meets like our conference tournaments and state,” coach Scott Carroll said. “We have been pegged as one of the teams to beat, and I think our kids are up for the challenge.”
Carroll said senior Riley Duncanson is the leader of the team.
“He is a very consistent player,” he said, “and strives to make himself better as well as the team.”
Duncanson said his goals are a team ESD title and most of the players making all-conference.
The team will lose Duncanson
and three other key players including seniors Alex Hamer, Greg Koehn and Carter Erickson.
“We are not only losing great golfers, we are losing leaders for our program,” Carroll said. “We will definitely miss them but are hopeful someone will step in and take that role next year.”
Carroll said juniors Taylor Fjerestad and Jackson Dziedzic may be the players to take the leap and lead the team next year.
“They have helped tremendous-ly this year, but will be counted on even more next year,” he said.
At the Mitchell Invite Thursday the Lynx placed third with a score of 299.
Koehn tied for sixth place with a score of 73, and Hamer tied for ninth place with a 74. Fjerestad tied at 12th with a score of 75.
By Haley HoekeSports Editor
Both girls and boys soccer teams will play against Aberdeen Central Saturday.
“We will be playing with a lot of enthusiasm because we know what it is like to win,” senior Sam Sperlich said. “We are going to do it for the seniors and the rest of the team.”
The 4-7-1 boys and 5-8 girls beat Harrisburg Tuesday.
“We started off the first half more defensively minded going into halftime 0-0, which was our goal,” senior Tyler Limmer said. “We played the second half more attacking minded and got a goal winning 1-0.”
With the season almost over,
the girls coach Marlon Mollet said the team has fought hard this season.
“We struggled in the beginning, but we finally got everything figured out,” he said. “It has been a great learning experience.”
As for the boys, coach Chris Limmer said, “It was an up-and-down season, but I think we are ending well. We are going to end on a high note even though we didn’t make it into the state playoffs.”
Preparing for next season, the girls coach has a plan for them.
“I plan to have 12 training sessions through Sanford or wherever we can find a place in the off season to make my players better,” Mollet said.
Brandon Valley Echo Friday, Sept. 26, 2014
By Becca GothA&E Editor
Both the dance and cheer teams started their season in early July, beginning with new captains and routines.
“I have been honored to be the BVDT captain two years in a row,” senior Alissa Kuhn, a 14-year dance veteran, said. “This means a ton to me because of my love and dedication to my team. I had always looked up to my captains and hoped that I would be in their position some day.”
Placing as Grand Champions at the Eastern South Dakota Conference last year, the girls started the season with high goals. Their ultimate goals are to be the champions of the Metro, ESD and state competitions. To do that, the teams hold practices for two hours
Dance, cheer set high goals
a day, five days a week. “These long practices can be very
tiring,” cheer captain senior Cassidy Wethor said, “but are necessary and beneficial to the team.”
The dance team won Grand Champion at the Brookings Cheer and Dance Invite last Saturday. They placed first in jazz, kick and pom.
“I think we have a very strong team this year,” dance co-captain senior Maci Smykle said, “and we perform great together because we are working very hard on our showmanship and encouraging each other to work hard in practices and at competitions.”
The dance team placed first in kick and second in pom and jazz at the Yankton Invite Sept. 11.
The teams will be competing at the O’Gorman Cheer and Dance Invite next Thursday.
Photo by Jacob Boomsma
At the Lynx Invite, junior Jacob Hegland races to a second place finish.
Klatt, Hanna place first at Lynx Invite
Photo by Jacob Boomsma
Junior Hanna Mutschelknaus serves the ball against SFR.
Girls tennis set to play in Metro TournamentLady Lynx beat Harrisburg
Photo by Macy Murren
Sophomore Sommer West spikes the ball against Huron. The girls lost 3-0.
By Amy VardsveenStaff Writer
At the Lynx Invite sophomore Jakob Hanna and freshman Courtney Klatt both placed first.
Klatt, running her first cross country race, finished at 15:43 and Hanna finished at 17:17.
“My fears for the season would be injury,” Klatt said. “I don’t want to hurt myself and jeopardize a chance at helping my team at state.”
With most runners being freshman, junior and senior runners are undecided about how this year will go.
“We’ve probably got more youth than we would probably like,” Hanna said.
After the home meet Klatt gave the seniors some faith in this year’s youth.
“We ended up winning the meet
so everybody seemed like they stepped up pretty well,” Hanna said.
“My first meet was really exciting,” Klatt said. “I felt very confident in my abilities and in my team so I knew that our team would do great.”
In her first race she broke the freshman school record that was established in 1990 and put herself at No. 4 on the program’s all-time list.
With junior Jacob Hegland placing second and senior Mitchell Selken fourth, Hanna had nothing but good things to say about his teammates.
“Jacob Hegland’s worked really hard over the summer getting in pretty good shape and Mitchell Selken always seems to step up when we need him the most,” Hanna said.
Senior runningback Riley Frantzen runs the ball through the Yankton defense. The Lynx lost 27-24 in overtime. Tonight they play the Washington Warriors for Homecoming.
Photo by Umaima Koch
Bennett aims to play his bestBy Umaima KochNews Editor
On the line. Stance set. The ball flies, the line surges forward to block the opposing force. Suddenly the whistle trills and the players halt, straighten up. Each line they run against is modeled after their opponents’ lines. This week, it is Sioux Falls Washington.
Senior Nate Bennett plans to combat Washington’s downhill running scheme by being lower than the offensive linemen and shattering plays in the backfield during tonight’s game.
Growing up, Bennett loved watching football and played flag football at a young age. Fifth grade year, he started tackle football.
Eighth grade year, he almost quit.“Football was very frustrating,” he
said. “I didn’t play much. I played B-team, but even then, I didn’t play a lot of B-team. It just felt like it wasn’t worth all of the practice.”
Unconditional support from his family and the constant presence of his friends kept him in football. He kept trying harder until he reached the point at which he willingly put forth all he had, even though his
playtime was limited. Countless hours of weightlifting and film watching later, and freshman year, he started on the freshman team; sophomore and junior years, on varsity. Now, between lifting, practices and reviewing tapes, Bennett dedicates over four hours every day to football; without it, he said, he’d have no idea what he would be doing with his life.
Bennett plays left tackle on offense and defensive tackle on defense. His 14-tackle record thus far this season consists of nine assisted and five unassisted tackles, and three tackles for a total of 10 yards in losses.
“He was a really good player right away—had good quickness and strength,” coach Matt Christensen said. “He performs consistently at high level, uses flawless technique, and he plays it right. He plays it with the right kind of strength and right kind of balance. His hands are always positioned perfectly on the opponent, whether blocking or tackling.”
Some players get too rough or too mouthy, he said. Bennett is never any of those things.
“He’s gentle and kind, and vicious at the same time,” Christensen said. “Essential, but some people don’t realize it. They think the skill guys are the essential guys, but number 71 is super important, never to be taken for granted.”
The team’s 2-2 record has not been an effortless gain. Each loss is a reminder that, despite the Lynx’s preseason No. 2 rank, the fight isn’t going to be easy. Regardless of win or loss, significant and miniscule struggles always surface.
“When we lose, I struggle with how could I have been better and help my teammates pull off a victory,” Bennett said.
He works on little things to improve his technique: getting lower, attacking half a man on the left or right, driving the legs continuously.
“I think our goal is to go out there every Friday night and play our best, and play with and for each other, and leave it all on the field,” Bennett said. “Play your hardest, so that after the game you can look back at yourself and say, ‘There’s nothing I could have done better.’”
By Samantha Peterson Staff Writer
Lady Lynx beat Harrisburg Tuesday 18-25, 25-16, 27-25, 25-22.
Senior Hannah Paauw had 12 kills and sophomore Elsie Zajicek had 15. Junior Taylor Thorson had 30 digs and senior Emily Anderson had 14.
The girls beat Mitchell last Friday 25-19, 28-26, 25-21. Both sophomore Elsie Zajicek and sophomore Hannah Jellema had 11 kills. Junior Sommer West and senior Maddy Klamm both had 14 digs.
“My goal is to make the state tournament,” coach Lindsey Smith said. “I think it is a reachable goal, and something we can earn.”
The girls will host Brookings next Tuesday.
By Dylan BludornSports Editor
Girls tennis team will play in the Metro Conference Tournament in Sioux Falls Saturday.
“We will have to come out together as a team, work hard, and cheer each other on,” junior Jessica Sadler said. “We will have to keep positive attitudes and always be supportive of one another.”
At the tournament the Lynx will face the state’s top competition including defending state champion Sioux Falls O’Gorman.
Monday the Lynx competed in a triangular against Madison and Yankton. The team started off with a 7-2 victory over Yankton.
The two seniors beat their opponents. Marso defeated Simone Droge 10-2 in singles, and senior Logan Hawkins defeated Anne Knoff 10-7.
The Lynx defeated Madison 8-1.
Brandon Valley Echo Friday, Sept. 26, 2014
FFA attend trap shoot
Did you know...?
SADD meets Tuesday
Katie HartzPosition: Guidance CounselorHometown: HamlinWhy did you choose to be a counselor? Knew she wanted to do something in the teaching fieldEducation: Undergrad at South Dakota State University; master’s degree at Mankato State UniversityFavorite food: PastaPets: Two dogsHardest thing to adjust to: Not getting to the know the students personallyHobbies: Cooking, cooking classes, travelingBest memory: Trip to Cambodia
Katie PricePosition: Language artsHometown: Edgan, MinnesotaWhy did you choose to be a teacher? Wanted to work with kids and wanted high school experiences to be usefulEducation: Bethel UniversityBest memory: Studying abroad in IsraelFavorite book: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper LeeHobbies: Running, baking, taking road trips, spending time with friendsHardest thing to adjust to: Smaller school than she’s used toAmbitions: Have a familyFavorite color: Blue
Chris WhitePosition: Math Hometown: Port Huron, MichiganWhy did you choose to be a teacher? Love to help people and love schoolHardest thing to adjust to: Having to speak all dayFamily: Wife and two sonsEducation: Undergrad at Ann Arbor, Michigan; master’s degree at Wayne State UniversityBest memory: Sponsoring the Class of ’96Favorite math equation: Quadratic formulaHero: Jackie RobinsonHobbies: Running, playing base guitar, collecting vinyl records
Hartz, Price, White join faculty
Orchestra presents concertChoirs perform early concertBy Macy MurrenStaff Writer
Just 33 days after school began, the choirs performed their first concert Monday.
“I was a little nervous for our first concert,” senior Summer Rogers said, “but I was excited for our concert because the music is a ton of fun.”
The choir is divided into two sections, a 65-person Concert Choir and a 35-person Lynx Choir. The concert consisted of eight songs, conducted by director Terry
By Macy MurrenStaff Writer
Senior Jacob Boomsma, the only senior in orchestra, and the other 27 members will perform a six-song concert, directed by Shelly Berg, Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center.
“It’s interesting being the only senior, but I don’t feel isolated,” Boomsma said. “Everyone is friendly regardless of grade.”
Boomsma looks forward to making new friends, learning new pieces and gaining new experiences during his last year as a violinist in orchestra.
Although Boomsma has decided not to tryout for orchestra in college, he said he will keep busy even without orchestra.
“I am not sad. I had good times,” he said. “I do not think orchestra will be the same in college.”
Marching Lynxplace third
During halftime of the Yankton football game, senior Tate Green (above) plays percussion for the show Second Star to the Right and Straight on ’Til Morning. Junior Ethan Brown (left) plays the tuba. At Marshall, Minnesota, last Saturday, the Marching Lynx placed third.
Photos by Umaima Koch
Gullickson.Because most students have been
in choir for four years, they have the experience to put on a show with a short amount of time to practice.
All-State chorus members include seniors Lydia Eichelberg, Alli Fatone, Stephanie Podhradsky, Robert Berndt, Eli Suchowacky, Summer Rogers, Alex Hillestad, Riley Duncanson, Kevin Huizenga: juniors Brad Gingles, Kirstyn Polasky, Katie Wright, Isaiah Dietz; sophomores Lexi Hokenstad, Mason Blue and Johnny Hoffmann.
FFA members attended a trap shoot at Isaac Walton Monday.
“I think the trap shoot was very fun,” junior Krista Mohror said. “It was a great learning experience for beginners. I hope they enjoyed it and will come to our next one.”
The FFA officers are junior Allison Poncelet, president; Mohror, vice president; junior McKenzie McNamara, secretary; junior Rachel Waldner, treasurer; senior Kristen Paulsen, reporter; and junior Collin Hodkinson, sentinel.
The next FFA meeting will be Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. in adviser Gary Griesse’s room.
n First Priority meeting is Tuesday at 7:15 a.m. in room 255. Breakfast will be served. n Early Bird Oral Interp Tournament is at Harrisburg Tuesday.n Challenge Day for juniors and seniors will be Wednesday and for freshmen and sophomores, Thursday.n Early dismissal for elementary and high school parent/teacher conferences is Oct. 6 and for middle school conferences, Oct. 7.n O’Gorman Oral Interp Novice Tournament is Oct. 9.n No school is on Oct. 10 because of an in-service-workshop day.n No school is on Oct. 13 for Native American Day.n First quarter ends Oct. 21.n Brandon Valley Novice Interp is Oct. 21.n Oral interp performs at the Orange and Black Festival is Oct. 24 at Washington.n Seniors Daniel Eitreim, Sally Hoffmann and Umaima Koch are semifinalists for the National Merit Scholarship.n September Students of the Month are freshmen Elizabeth Duncan, Intisar Koch; sophomores Chloe Hauge, Derek Hubers; juniors Kohta Komatsubara, Katie Wright; seniors Tyler Erck, Becca Goth and Reid Grode.
Students Against Destructive Decisions members, who meet every Tuesday after school in room 211, believe in making a difference.
“SADD will provide a great opportunity for its current members by enhancing leadership skills and bringing awareness to the school,” Guidance Counselor Sonja Merrigan said.
SADD members will be talking to other schools about drug and alcohol abuse, suicide and bullying, as well as life choices. Every month they will have a new focus.
FCA to meet Sunday
By Halle DoeStaff Writer
Marching Lynx placed third out of six at Marshall, Minnesota, last Saturday.
“The show sounded really good and came together well,” said senior Courtney Stegenga, who is competing in her fourth year of marching band.
The band performed Second Star to the Right and Straight on ’Til Morning, a twist on Peter Pan.
“I think they did a very nice job and show promising signs,” band director Jesse Miller said.
This year, the band directors are video taping practices to show the students what they need to improve on.
Because the Marching Lynx are larger, they have a different classification with competition.
Marching Lynx will compete at the Luverne Tri-State Band Festival and host the Big Sioux Review Saturday.
FCA members will meet Sunday at 6 p.m. at the high school before attending the Hobo Stew night in Corson at senior Makenzie Marso’s Uncle Cory Hansen’s house.
The members will play games and, before closing, hear a lesson given by FCA adviser Jacob Shoup.
FCA focuses on serving and benefiting Christian athletes.
Volume 53 Number 1 Brandon Valley High School - Brandon, SD 57005 Friday, Sept. 26, 2014
The Lynx face Washington
Warriors /page 5
Finger scanners improve accuracy, efficiency
Freshmen eat lunch same periodBy Kristen PaulsenCirculation Manager
In order to answer freshmen-only questions, Dr. Gregg Talcott scheduled all freshmen to eat together during fourth period.
“The noise,” he said, is a major con to this schedule, but “I’m okay with it because we are going to work on keeping conversations at your own table.”
Freshman Maddi Stamp
said the freshmen should eat together first semester only, then mix all the grades together for second so she can expand her friend group and meet more upperclassmen.
“Eating together took a lot of stress out of the first day of school,” freshman Micah Holtz said.
Talcott said he may do this from now on with the freshmen.
By Kristen PaulsenCirculation Manager
Finger scanners take .006 of a second for students to purchase their lunch accurately and efficiently.
“My phone calls this year already are way down with wrong charges, and I attribute it all to the scanners,” child nutrition director Gay Anderson said.
In the past some students tried to use someone else’s PIN number, which is hard to catch, she said.
Now with the scanners, 300 high school students go through a line in eight to 10 minutes.
“This process allows more ‘seat time’ at lunch,” Anderson said. “We want to make sure everyone has enough time to eat their meal and have a break before you are back in class. We all have those days we just can’t remember the right number and I have noticed even high school students stand and try to remember that PIN number.”
Once students are in the system with the scanners, they do not need to re-enroll.
“They make it very quick,” junior Tanner Burkman said, “and you can’t mess up unless your finger is wet. All-in-all it’s a good investment.”
One of the parent concerns was the fingerprint itself.
Because there is no way for the school to replicate a finger print, it would be impossible for them to give information to the police department, Anderson said. All they can see is a mixture of num-bers and letters; there is no pic-ture of anything.
“As with any form of
technology, we can still have the system go down in the middle of lunch and then struggle with names and writing things down,” she said.
One problem is the finger must be dry because wet, sweaty ones will not read well. Also, the cashiers are instructed to wipe off the scanners frequently so there is not as many germs being passed on by students.
If parents decide they do not want their child to participate, they are still allowed to use the PIN number, not the scanner.
By Jacob BoomsmaPhoto Editor
Last spring, Dr. Gregg Talcott announced an expan-sion of South Dakota’s dual en-rollment program, which now grants juniors and seniors the opportunity to take certain col-lege classes at the University Center in Sioux Falls or online at a fraction of the cost.
“I was excited. First of all, there’s no way I’m turning down college credit for $40 per credit,” senior Sally Hoffmann said. “Also, right now I’m thinking about going to medical school, so the more college I get done now, the faster I’ll be done.”
Hoffmann is taking psy-chology and biology at the University Center and has plans to take sociology and chemistry next semester. She has previously taken U.S. his-tory and college algebra for college credit and is currently taking calculus, Spanish 4 and English courses for col-lege credit as well. By gradu-ation time, Hoffmann hopes to
Dual enrollmentsaves time, money
have completed enough credits to almost finish her freshman year of college.
Hoffmann chose classes at the University Center because she doesn’t enjoy online classes and prefers being able to talk to her teacher face-to-face, but for students with limited time, online classes are also an option.
Hoffmann will have saved a combined total of almost $3,500 from her classes by the end of the year and encourages more students to try this special program.
“It’s an awesome opportu-nity with so many benefits,” she said.
Students raise money for AIM Photo by Umaima Koch
Junior Sheila Rodriguez researches for a project in American Heritage.
Rodriguez experiences American culture with three host families
Cost per three-credit class
Dual Enrollment: $120
South Dakota State: $690
Black Hills State: $762
University of South Dakota: $802
Augustana College: $1,320
Sources: Colleges’ websites
Photo by Jacob Boomsma
Senior students show their patriotism in English instructor Matt Christensen’s seventh hour Composition 1 class. Patriot Day was the first day of homecoming week.
By Umaima KochNews Editor
A lover of travel and photogra-phy, junior Shelia Rodriguez of Spain will spend this school year immersed in American culture and the English language.Why did you want to come to America?I want to be an English teacher, so I came to improve my English. The first week I was here, my English was very bad, but now, with time, it’s getting better. I hope that at the end of my exchange, I am fluent in speaking English. What are you looking forward to, being here in America?I want to learn about the culture of another country. I want to explore the United States; it’s my dream. I like to see new places. I love travel.Where have you traveled?I have been to Italy and Prague. I saw all of Venice on a gondola. It’s pretty. It is almost the same as Spain, but Spain has more sun. My favorite town of Italy is Pisa because of the Leaning Tower. In the future I want to travel to France because I love learning languages and I want to learn French.Is it scary being here all by yourself?At first, I thought, “How am I going
to the United States?” But now that I am here, I think it’s okay. Being an exchange student is an adventure I would recommend to all people. You learn how to live by yourself, how to not depend so much on your parents.What do you like about Brandon?The people, because when I get here, the people were very nice with me; it was very nice. They help you when you need help. I’m here with three families, so for me
it’s a challenge when you are used to a family you have to change. It’s difficult to say bye to the first family because I get along very well with them. They are very nice and I want to stay.Why three host families?My exchange program is about learning the culture. If you are with three families, you can know more of the culture of the country. Also, my exchange program helps children with polio. When I wanted to do an exchange, I chose this organization because it helps children in the time that I’m here, with the money that I give them. So I love helping (those) kids.What do you like to do?I love to take photos; it’s my favorite hobby. When I was in Spain, I loved to go out with friends and take photos of them and myself. I bring with me my camera, and when my host family takes me to another town, I take my camera with me. I take pictures and then I share them on Facebook.What things do you like to photograph?Taking photos of people and taking pictures of pretty landscapes, I love. It’s a way to express myself.
By Becca GothA&E Editor
Besides crowning the king and queen at coronation, students raised money for Agape International Missions in Cambodia.
“AIM rescues the girls from sex trafficking, gives them a place to live, food to eat, health care, and teaches them a trade,” Dr. Gregg Talcott said.
The rescued girls in the AIM program make bracelets to sell and raise funds for themselves. The royalty court all wore the bracelets.
Royalty court members included seniors Tyler Erck, Nate Bennett, Jake Comeaux, Tonner Bowman, Alex Darrington, Matthew Gorsuch,
Calli Hensley, Alissa Kuhn, Bethany Headrick, Umaima Koch, Savannah Garrow and Kjerstin Williams.
Senior athletes paired with seniors Alissa Kuhn, Maci Smykle, Karly Neuberger and Ashley Westcott to choreograph and perform a dance during the ceremony.
The week was full of costumes and characters. Monday was USA/Olympian Day; Tuesday, Tacky Tourist/International Day; Wednesday, Character Day; Thursday, Color Day and today, Spirit Day.
The homecoming football game kicks off at 7 p.m. against Washington. After the game the dance will be in the commons from 9:45 to 11:30 p.m.