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.
Luke Van Gerpen
November 13, 2011 - November 19, 2011
- School
- Avon High School
- GPA
- 4
- Activities
- Basketball, Football, Track, Boy's State, Student Body Vice President, FCA,
Luke Van Gerpen is from Avon, SD, located within Bon Homme-Yankton Electric Assn., a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Courtney 1
November 6, 2011 - November 12, 2011
- School
- Yankton High School
- GPA
- 4.1
- Activities
- National Honor Society Officer(Treasurer);Mathletes-honorable mention at the SD Math Competition; Basketball, Soccer - All-state goalkeeper-Captain of Soccer team; Roll of Excellence & Press & Dakotan Student of the Week. Various Community volunteer activities - Special Olympics-Youth Soccer Coach-TOPS soccer assistant; FCA and community youth basketball assistant.
Courtney 1 is from Yankton, SD, located within Bon Homme-Yankton Electric Assn., a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Brittany Cleveland
October 30, 2011 - November 5, 2011
- School
- Sisseton High School
- GPA
- 4.068
- Activities
- FBLA-Future Business Leaders of America 9,10,11,12 local parliamentarian-11 local treasurer-12 state president-12 FCCLA-Family Career and Community Leaders of America 10,11,12 Art Club 9,10,11,12 vice president 10, president 11 Student Council Secretary/Treasurer 12 Class secretary/treasurer 9 and vice president 10 Drama Club 9,10,11,12 president 11 two year outstanding member 10,11 IMPROV troupe 9,10,11,12 Knowledge Bowl 9,10,11,12 Band 9.10 Oral Interpretation 10,11,12 (state qualifier 10,11) One Act Play 10,11 Missoula Children's Theatre 9,10,11 Community Melodrama 9,10 Wrestling Cheerleader 9 Cross-country Manager 9 Honor Junior Honor Roll National Honor Society 11,12 (inducted as a junior), Prom Committee 11 yearbook staff Girls State delegate 11 performing arts center light and audio crew 11,12 Key Club 11,12 president 12 National Student Leadership Conference 11 Governor's Leadership Luncheon 10 HOBY delegate 10 Sunday School Teacher 9,10,11,12 Church Youth Group Member 9,10,11,12 Church Learning Committee Member 9,10,11,12 president 10,11 Head of Vacation Bible School 9,10 Church Lector 12 Worked at WASP (Westside After School Program) 9 Babysitter 11,12 works at The Cottage Restaurant10,11,12
Brittany Cleveland is from Sisseton, SD, located within Whetstone Valley Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Kiley Maki
October 23, 2011 - October 29, 2011
- School
- Marshall High School
- GPA
- 4.116
- Activities
- Band, Marching Band, Math Team
Kiley Maki is from Marshall, MN.
Megan Krogman
October 16, 2011 - October 22, 2011
- School
- Elkton High School
- GPA
- 4
- Activities
- ?Varsity Basketball, 2008-present ?Junior Varsity Volleyball, 2008-2009 ?Varsity Volleyball, 2009-present ?Varsity Track, 2010-present ?Band ?Choir ?School Musical ?Church Choir ?FCA, 2010-present ?FCCLA, 2007-present ?All- State ?B? Tournament Team, 2009 ?All-Conference Selection Basketball, 2009 and 2010 ?All-Conference Selection Volleyball, 2009 and 2010 ?Brookings Register All-Area Team Selection Basketball, 2010 ?South Dakota Youth Leader Award, 2009 ?Miss Elkton First Attendant, 2011
Megan Krogman is from Elkton, SD, located within Sioux Valley Energy, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Justin Mahutga
October 9, 2011 - October 15, 2011
- School
- Baltic High School
- GPA
- 4
- Activities
- Band, Chorus, FCCLA, Cross-Country, National Honor Society, Quiz Bowl, Student Body President, Homecoming Royalty, 4-H, School and Community Volunteer,
Justin Mahutga is from Baltic, SD, located within Sioux Valley Energy, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Eric Milbrandt
October 2, 2011 - October 8, 2011
- School
- Groton Area High School
- GPA
- 4.08
- Activities
- Soccer - 5 years Cross Country - 6 years Hockey - 3 years Student Congress State Participant Church Youth Group
Eric Milbrandt is from Groton, SD, located within Northern Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Hannah Wollmann
September 25, 2011 - October 1, 2011
- School
- Menno High School
- GPA
- 3.93
- Activities
- Activities: Volleyball, Basketball, Football Cheerleading, Basketball Cheerleading, Softball, Track, FFA, FCCLA, NHS, Student Council, Chorus, Band, One- Act Play, 4-H, CYO, PCRC Youth Honors: Academic Excellence - 3 years, All State Band - 1 year, A+ Student -1 year, Best Attitude - Cheerleading 2 years, Girls State, Cumulative 4.0 - 2 years, Superior Ratings at band - 3 years, Superior Ratings at Chorus Contests - 1 year, State One-Act play 3 years, HOBY Ambassador, HOBY J-Staff, Nestle Best in Youth, selected as outstanding student to recieve a tuition free class at DWU, Student Council Pres., Class officer, FCCLA officer, FCCLA - superior ratings at district & state levels for illistrated talks- 3 years, FFA - superior rating at district level for communications
Hannah Wollmann is from Olivet, SD, located within Southeastern Electric Coop, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Tyler Koupal
September 18, 2011 - September 24, 2011
- School
- Elk Point-Jefferson High School
- GPA
- 4
- Activities
- 9th grade (2008-2009) ? Basketball team ? Football team ? Track team ? Vocal ? Church group ? A honor roll ? Concessions ? Academic Letter 10th grade (2009-2010) ? Acceleration ? Edgars Basketball Tourney ? Little Huskies assistant ? Salt Drive ? Vocal Varsity Letter ? Church group ? Honor study hall ? A honor roll ? Concessions ? Friend's Feast ? Merten Hasse Mathematics Contest - geometry ? American Mathematics Contest 10- 3rd place 11th grade (2010-2011) ? Acceleration ? Edgars Basketball Tournament ? Roger Haas Basketball Tournament 8th grade Assistant coach ? Little Huskies ? Salt Drive ? American Mathematics Competition- First Place in Calculus ? Merten Hasse Mathematics Contest - Superior in Calculus ? Varsity Letter Basketball ? Most valuable player JV/C basketball ? National Honors Society Member ? Varsity Letter Football ? Church group ? Honor study hall ? A honor roll ? Concessions ? Sand bag volunteer in Dunes/Windstone ? Math Olympiad 12th grade (2011-2012) ? Honor Study Hall ? A honor roll ? Varsity basketball team ? Varsity golf team ? National Honors Society member ? Concessions Jobs ? SMACK (2009 summer)- rouging corn ? Hanson Farms (2010 summer)- farm chores ? Dave?s Roofing (2010 summer)- roofing houses Miscellaneous ? Host family for foreign exchange student (2010 ? 2011) ? People to People Student Ambassador to Australia/New Zealand (2005)
Tyler Koupal is from Elk Point, SD, located within City of Elk Point, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Ali Haines
September 11, 2011 - September 17, 2011
- School
- White Lake
- GPA
- 3.92
- Activities
- Student Council Class Officer Basketball (7-12) Track (7-12) Volleyball (7-12) Band (7-12) Chorus (7-12) State Track (11th grade)
Ali Haines is from White Lake, SD, located within Central Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.