Winners

January 21, 2024 - January 27, 2024

School

Elk Point-Jefferson (605-356-5900)

GPA

4

Activities

band, jazz band, choir, drum line, volleyball, golf, student council, NHS, science fair, and newspaper NHS and Student Body president, drum major, attending All-State Choir for two years, being editor of the newspaper, attending Quad State Honor Band, placing 2nd in her category at state science fair her sophomore year and 1st her junior year, and A Honor Roll since freshmen year.

Avery Norris is from Elk Point, SD, located within Union County Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.

January 14, 2024 - January 20, 2024

School

Woonsocket High School (605-796-4431)

GPA

4

Activities

Activities- Oral Interp, School Play, Art Club Director, Varsity Golf, Choir, Regional Music Festival, Taekwondo, National Honor Society, Student Council Treasurer, Girls State Representative. Volunteering- School Concessions, Feeding South Dakota, Community Clean-up. Job- Cashier at Woony Foods Food Market.

Rain Swenson is from Wessington Springs, SD, located within Central Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.

January 7, 2024 - January 13, 2024

School

James Valley Christian School (605-352-7737)

GPA

3.43

Activities

Three time letter winner in basketball and track, four time letter winner in soccer, soccer team captain, Senior class President, High Honor Role, Student Council, Band, Church Youth group community service

Jackson Peck is from Huron, SD, located within Dakota Energy Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.

December 17, 2023 - December 23, 2023

School

Dell Rapids Public High School (605-428-5473)

GPA

4

Activities

Education-Dell Rapids High School GPA: 4.0 Class Rank: 1 of 65 Act Composite Score: 29 High School Credits By Graduation: 33.75 College Dual Credit Hours By Graduation: 24 Community Service ● Mission Trip to Jamaica with The Rescue Church (11) ● Church on the Street (10) ● Habitat for Humanity (10,11,12) ● Referee Youth Wrestling Tournament (9,10,11,12) ● Referee Middle School Football Jamboree (12) ● The Banquet (10) ● Elementary School Football Signing/Question Day (11) ● St Francis House (12) ● RFK Camp Volunteer (12) ● Madyson Barbee Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser (11,12) Leadership Opportunities ● South Dakota Boys State 2023 ○ City of New York Mayor ○ Minnehaha County Auditor ○ Court Appointed Defense Attorney ○ South Dakota Senator ○ South Dakota Attorney General ○ Passed The Bar Exam ○ Boys Nation Interviewed Candidate ● Service Leadership Academy by The Humanity Launch Athletics ● Football (9,10,11,12) ○ Playoff Qualifier (9,10,11,12) ○ State Champion (11) ○ Letterwinner (11,12) ○ Academic All State (12) ○ Fellowship of Christain Athletes Seminar (10,11,12) ● Wrestling (9,10,11,12) ○ Team Captain (11,12) ○ Class A All State Honorable Mention (10) ○ State Tournament Qualifier (10) ○ Letterwinner (9,10,11) ● Track (9,10,11,12) ○ State Meet Qualifier (9,11) ○ Letterwinner (9,10,11) ● Baseball (9,10) Extracirricular/Student Organizations ● SQUAD - Supporting Quarriers United And Dependable(11,12) ● TATU-Teens Against Tobacco Use (11,12) ● Quiz Bowl (11,12) ○ Team Captain(12) ● National Honor Society (11,12) ○ Leadership Position Community Organizations ● Sons Of The American Legion Member (12) ● Member of Lutheran Church of Dell Rapids ○ Rally Sunday Volunteer (12) ● Mutual Ministry Committee (10,11,12) Special Awards ● Bausch and Lomb Honorary Science Award ● American Legion Good Citizen Award Work Experience ● Kimmel Properties LLC (9,10,11,12) Other Things To Know About Me ● Veterans Community Project Fundraiser (12) ○ Over $1,000 and counting ● Enjoy riding motorcycle (11,12) ○ Reason to Ride Poker Run (Ronald McDonald House) ○ Warriers for Mick Poker Run (ALS) ● Enjoy Hunting, Fishing, and Campin

John Mortrude is from Dell Rapids, SD, located within Sioux Valley Energy, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.

December 10, 2023 - December 16, 2023

School

Vermillion High School (605.677.7000)

GPA

4

Activities

Soccer every year in high school, club soccer, basketball and baseball freshman year, track during junior year, lettered in soccer every year, National Honor Society, Team Captain for soccer, helps to coach youth soccer, referee youth soccer, participated in Missouri River Clean up day 2023, works at Mart Bros Construction

Tayden Wells is from Vermillion, SD, located within Clay-Union Electric Corporation, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.

December 3, 2023 - December 9, 2023

School

Parker High School ((605)297-3456)

GPA

4

Activities

Track, 4-H, FFA, FCA, Basketball, Quiz Bowl, Math Club, Choir, NHS President, Vice President of Student Council

Parker Lessman is from Chancellor, SD, located within Southeastern Electric Coop, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.

November 26, 2023 - December 2, 2023

School

Mitchell Christian School (605-996-8861)

GPA

4

Activities

Multimedia, English (9th-11th), Spanish, Geometry, Precalc, and Personal Finance Academic Excellence Award; band; choir; All-State Chorus (10th-11th); Robotics team CEO; Cross Country State Qualifier; Student Council President; National Honor Society; Boy Scout (Eagle Scout Project - clean up the bike trails in Mitchell cutting down dead trees, trimming trees, and clearing dangerous conditions on trails); Basketball; Track; Spring Play; School praise team; youth group praise team at church; Mission Trips: Mexico to build houses, Belize, Sioux Falls (homeless outreach); lifeguard; maintenance volunteer work at school during the summer

Joseph Tegethoff is from Mitchell, SD, located within Central Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.

November 19, 2023 - November 25, 2023

School

Yankton High School (6056657378)

GPA

4.15

Activities

Student Council, Leadership Committee for National Honor Society, Senior Class Treasurer, Competitive Dance Team, Competitive Cheer, Sideline Football Cheer, Sideline Basketball Cheer, Science Olympiad, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, HOSA, Homecoming Committee, Prom Committee, YHS Spring Musical, Studio Dance at Academy of Dance, Youth Discipleship

Katie Schulte is from Yankton, SD, located within Bon Homme-Yankton Electric Assn., a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.

November 12, 2023 - November 18, 2023

School

Webster Area High School (6053453548)

GPA

4.08

Activities

Chayse is involved in National Honor Society, Robotics, and FFA. He also helps run Bearcats TV and announces at many of our sporting events. He has been on the honor roll all semesters of his high school career and has earned his Academic Letter.

Chayse Shoemaker is from Webster, SD, located within Lake Region Electric Association, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.

November 5, 2023 - November 11, 2023

School

Leola High School (605-439-3142)

GPA

4

Activities

Shaylee Gill is a highly motivated, inquisitive senior who likes to challenge herself academically. She is attending college classes through NSU’s Northern Academy this fall. She is currently taking four dual credit college courses, an AP course, and her required HS classes to graduate this coming May. Shayle has plans to attend college to pursue a degree in Computer Engineering or Computer Science. Her plan is to obtain a master’s degree in one of the fields from a STEM university on the East coast, ideally through Questbridge. She hopes to make use of this degree by becoming a Computer Scientist/Computer Engineer. Her favorite subjects in school are mathematics and physics. Shaylee has also been involved in band, yearbook, STEAM club and student council during high school. After school for the past three years, Shaylee has been an elementary school tutor during the afterschool program. She also keeps herself busy in the summers by lifeguarding at the local pool for the past three years and being assistant manager for one.

Shaylee Gill is from Leola, SD, located within FEM Electric Association, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.