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.
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.
Ashley Robinson
September 4, 2011 - September 10, 2011
- School
- Hanson High School
- GPA
- 3.71
- Activities
- School Newspaper,Annual Volleyball, Basketball, Track & Field, Choir, National Honor Society.
Ashley Robinson is from Alexandria, SD, located within Central Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Whitley Falor
May 1, 2011 - May 7, 2011
- School
- Kimball High School
- GPA
- 3.979
- Activities
- FCCLA - 4 years FBLA - 3 years Student Council - 4 years Volleyball - 4 years Basketball - 4 years Cheerleading - 3 years Oral Interp - 4 years Drama (School Play) - 4 years K-Club - 4 years Vocal - 4 years Band - 4 years, jazz, marching, pep, and concert Modern Woodman - 4 year member Volunteers with youth athletics, church activities and in the community.
Whitley Falor is from Kimball, SD, located within Central Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Sean McCluskey
April 24, 2011 - April 30, 2011
- School
- West Central High School
- GPA
- 4.098
- Activities
- Band, Concert Choir, Drama, National Honor Society, National Merit Scholar Semi-Finalist
Sean McCluskey is from Hartford, SD, located within Sioux Valley Energy, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Austin Jensen
April 17, 2011 - April 23, 2011
- School
- Oldham-Ramona School District
- GPA
- 3.63
- Activities
- football,basketball,track,student body president
Austin Jensen is from Arlington, SD, located within Sioux Valley Energy, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Kailey Eidsness
April 10, 2011 - April 16, 2011
- School
- Henry High School
- GPA
- 3.71
- Activities
- volleyball, basketball, track, choir, band, TATU, student council, student body president, school play, oral interp, 4-H, church youth group
Kailey Eidsness is from Henry, SD, located within Codington-Clark Electric Cooperative, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Summer Mette
April 3, 2011 - April 9, 2011
- School
- Tea Area High School
- GPA
- 4
- Activities
- Band, Choir, Basketball, Volleyball, FCA, FCCLA, Church activities, National Honor Society
Summer Mette is from Tea, SD, located within Southeastern Electric Coop, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.