View the current list of winners for this year’s Scholar of the Week program. The Scholar of the Week program is a partnership between Dakota News Now and your local Touchstone Energy Cooperatives that honors the region’s accomplished high school students. Each weekly winner receives a cash award from their local Touchstone Energy Cooperative and is featured on Dakota News Now. All winners are also eligible to receive one of the three scholarships that are given away at the annual Scholar of the Year banquet. Nominations for the weekly awards are submitted by area school principals and faculty, whose selections were based on excellence in the classroom and service in the community.
Owen Comes
October 20, 2019 - October 26, 2019
- School
- Waverly-South Shore (605-886-9174)
- GPA
- 4.08
- Activities
- Student Council President, Region Student Council Vice President, National Honor Society Member, Band member, Choir Member, Represents WSS at All-State Choir, Lettered in Football, Lettered in Basketball (won Hustle award twice), Lettered in Track, Lettered in Theater (won best actor twice and best supporting actor once) member of a National History Day National Team (represented WSS in Washinton DC), Represents WSS at several math competitions (member of 2 teams that won team titles and placed individually in 3 competitions) Member of local 4-H, Member of local church Youth Group, Volunteers for activities at the local Domestic Violence Center and Humane Society
Owen Comes is from Watertown, SD, located within Codington-Clark Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Haley Pedersen
October 13, 2019 - October 19, 2019
- School
- Hamlin High School (605-783-3644)
- GPA
- 4.03
- Activities
- SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), Book Club, Family Career and Community Leaders of America, recognized as Student of the Month in 9th grade, Skills USA - 1st place at State, National Honor Society. Haley is ranked 2 of 48 students in her senior class. She has already taken four dual credit courses, and is currently in two this semester. She has taken Health Science CTE courses and will complete Health Science 2 in the Spring where she will also earn Medical Terminology credits through LATI. She plans to attend LATI for Nursing next fall and will begin her college career with a strong base. We, at Hamlin, feel Haley is well deserving of this award.
Haley Pedersen is from Hayti, SD, located within H-D Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Derek Pravecek
October 6, 2019 - October 12, 2019
- School
- Scotland (6055832237)
- GPA
- 4
- Activities
- Football, Golf, National Honor Society, FFA, Boys State, Youth Business Adventure, Gifted Program, Bausch & Lomb Science Award, #1 in the senior class for GPA.
Derek Pravecek is from Scotland, SD, located within Bon Homme-Yankton Electric Assn., a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Callie Frei
September 29, 2019 - October 5, 2019
- School
- Wagner High School (605-384-5426)
- GPA
- 4
- Activities
- National Honor Society Volleyball Academic Letter Winner Wrestling Statistician FFA GOLF Volleyball Letterwinner Student Council FCA member Mentoring 4H
Callie Frei is from Wagner, SD, located within Charles Mix Electric Association, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Sierra Heidinger
September 22, 2019 - September 28, 2019
- School
- Corsica-Stickney (6059465475)
- GPA
- 4.11
- Activities
- Volleyball- 6 years- 1 year letterwinner, football cheerleader- 2 years and 2 year letter winner, basketball cheerleader-1 year and 1 year letter winner, track and field- 4 years and letterwinner for four years, choir- 6 years and lettered 2 years, band-6 years and lettered 2 years, student council treasurer and secretary- 3 years, All-school play-3 years, Oral Interpretation- 1 year, National Honor Society-3 years and currently the secretary, Family Career and Community Leader- 4 years- gold every year at the state convention and two top superiors, Youth group with her church for 7 years, all-state choir participant for one year and an alternate for all-state choir for one year, and participant in the Augustana University band festival for two years.
Sierra Heidinger is from Plankinton, SD, located within Central Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Grace Nelson
September 15, 2019 - September 21, 2019
- School
- Madison High School (605-256-7706)
- GPA
- 4.05
- Activities
- Activities - FFA, Student Council, School Newspaper, Student Congress, Debate, FCA, Basketball, Volleyball, Pentagon Volleyball, Souled Out, National Honor Socienty, FBLA, Youth Group Accomplishments - Began the 1st ever FCA at Madison High School, Study Body President, Student Council Secretary, FFA Chapter Vice President and former Chapter Treasurer/Secretary, 2018-2019 Varsity Basketball Captain, School Newspaper Editor, FCA Chairmen, Senior Ambassador, NHS Secretary, 2015-2016 Student of the year, 2017 and 2018 Regional FFA Extemporaneous Speaking Champion, Hugh O'Brien Youth Conference Nominee, 2019 Girls State Delegate, Local VFW Voice of Democracy winner, "Future 50" nominee for volleyball, Church Youth Group Ambassador, Tutor
Grace Nelson is from Madison, SD, located within Sioux Valley Energy, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Jaqualyn DeYoung
September 8, 2019 - September 14, 2019
- School
- Tea Area High School (6054982700)
- GPA
- 4.03
- Activities
- I participate in Tri M, TATU, NHS, and jazz band. I am also the secretary for our school's HOSA chapter. I have made it into South Dakota All State Band the last three years and South Dakota All State Orchestra last year. I have also been in many other honor bands throughout the years.
Jaqualyn DeYoung is from Tea, SD, located within Southeastern Electric Coop, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Danielle Houghtaling
May 5, 2019 - May 11, 2019
- School
- Doland High School (635-6302)
- GPA
- 4
- Activities
- Big IDEA winner, Region Student Council State Rep, Student Body President, several FFA awards
Danielle Houghtaling is from Doland, SD, located within Northern Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Kristin Kotas
April 28, 2019 - May 4, 2019
- School
- Bridgewater Emery (605-449-4271)
- GPA
- 4.04
- Activities
- Activities: Band,Emery Development Committee, Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) (Chapter VP, President, State Current Trends State Leadership Team, HOSA, 4-H (Chapter VP, Secretary), National FFA Organization (Chapter President, Secretary, Treasurer, District VP), National Honor Society, Newspaper, Yearbook, Oral Interpretation, School Play, Student Council, Track, Volleyball Accomplishments: Gold Placing National FFA Convention Gold Placing National FCCLA Convention State Track Participant
Kristin Kotas is from Emery, SD, located within Central Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Cooper Benning
April 21, 2019 - April 27, 2019
- School
- Lennox High School (6056472203)
- GPA
- 3.86
- Activities
- National Honor Society, Cross Country, Track, Student Council: Student Body President, FFA President (National Qualifier in Meat Sciences), Best Buddies Chapter President, Turner County Evangelical Youth Group, Tennis, Archery,
Cooper Benning is from DAVIS, SD, located within Southeastern Electric Coop, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.