Volume 53 Number 4 Brandon Valley High School - Brandon, SD 57005 Friday, Dec. 12, 2014

The Angel Tree provides gifts/page 4

Seven to graduate midyear

Cadet Steven Brown

Cadet Brown visits students

By Kristen PaulsenCirculation Manager

Seven seniors will be graduating next Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center.

Students are Jessica Andreasen, Halle Doe, Trey Jorgenson, Sean McEachran, Tessa Reiter, Kylie Snoozy and Brittany Tofteland.

“I want to be able to pay for my own education, so after graduation I plan on working,” Andreasen said. “Eventually I want to go to school for makeup artistry.”

Andreasen is looking at schools in Los Angeles, California, and New York City, New York.

“I have grown up imagining my graduation ceremony with my whole class,” Andreasen said. “But, I am ready to graduate early and get a head start on working towards my career.”

Doe plans to take online classes to study to become a certified pharmacy technician. Along with that, she will be working full-time at Robert’s Buffet at the Grand

Falls Casino and Golf Resort. “I’m both scared and excited to

graduate because I’m starting to realize how fast I am growing up compared to graduating in May,” she said.

After McEachran graduates, he is going to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, to finish his training for the Army National Guard.

“I will be getting 100 percent of my tuition paid for when I come back,” he said.

By Eli SuchowackyUpdate Editor

U.S. Military Academy Cadet Steven Brown, ’11, spoke with students as part of the USMA Cadet Public Relations Council program.

This program gave Brown the opportunity to talk about the USMA with students. He spent the beginning of the program discussing various general topics concerning the academy, including academics, cadet life, discipline and opportunities.

After Brown talked about these topics, he opened up the floor to the students to ask him questions.

Letting the students ask him their own questions about the academy and his experiences at it, he said, was the best way for them to gain the most out of the program.

“If I just stand up here and talk the whole time, you guys aren’t going to leave with anything,” he said during the program. “It’s best for all of us if this is a dialogue, not a monologue.”

In the latter half of the program, students asked a variety of questions ranging from simple matters like

Brown’s favorite subject to deeper ones like his plans for after he graduates from the academy.

Brown majors in the Chinese language at the USMA and, thanks to his numerous opportunities to travel to Chinese-speaking countries, has become fluent in the language.

Senior Kevin Huizenga was impressed with Brown’s linguistic abilities.

“My favorite part of the program was when Brown taught us some Chinese,” he said. “I always like learning new languages.”

By Sean McEachranStaff Writer

Fingers and thumbs are being saved with the latest addition to the shop, the SawStop.

The Home Builders Care Foundation, through its Tools for Schools program, provided a matching grant for the purchase of the saw, the ninth saw they have given away in their program.

“Students feel more comfortable using the machine knowing the safety measures built into it,” instructor Patrick Donelan said.

Bryce Strasser of Stan Houston Equipment demonstrated to the students how the saw works. The saw carries a safety feature not seen in many saws and woodworking equipment.

By measuring an electrical current while being operated, the saw can detect if a person’s finger comes in contact with the blade.

As soon as a finger comes in contact with the blade, the current changes. At that point, the saw responds by jamming an aluminum brake into the saw blade and pulling the blade under the table, leaving a person with

only a nick, rather than suffering a severe cut or losing fingers.

To demonstrate, Strasser placed a hotdog on a board and pushed it through the blade. As the hotdog came in contact with the blade, it stopped within 10 milliseconds.

SawStop improves safety

Bryce Strasser of Stan Houston Equipment demonstates how to remove the sawblade after the brake stopped the saw. The Home Builders Care Foundation donated the saw.

Photo by Sean McEachran

Photos by Umaima Koch

State Farm representative Bill Thompson (above) presents the Brandon Valley School District with a check worth $100,000. Brandon Valley placed second in the Celebrate My Drive campaign.

Celebrate My Drive successBy Umaima KochNews Editor

State Farm representative Bill Thompson presented the Brandon Valley School District a massive check worth $100,000 at the giving assembly last Friday.

The district placed second in the Celebrate My Drive campaign.

“I was thrilled that all our hard work as a community paid off,” said senior Karly Neuberger, who coordinated the lip dub with senior Savannah Garrow. “The lip dub did require a lot of effort, just like the first one, but when I saw that $100,000 check, I knew it was all worth it.”

Ten thousand dollars of the prize money will be donated to the Brandon Food Pantry; another $10,000 will go towards driver safety programs; $20,000 will go to the middle school, and another $20,000 will be distributed amongst the elementary schools.

The remaining $40,000 is for the high school and will be spent purely on fun.

“We want to provide new, meaningful opportunities for students and staff to experience a range of events,” Principal Gregg Talcott said. “The vision is to create a menu of opportunities that include both meaningful and fun components. Spreading $40,000 across 1,000 students does really limit the choices, but we still believe that

lots of great memories can be made.”Ideas for such fun are day trips to cities

like Omaha, Minneapolis or Kansas City and activities and sights such as museums, galleries, zoos, concerts or theme parks. However, no plans have been made official

as to the fate of the fun money.Brandon has many opportunities to

“give back”: the annual Polar Plunge helping Special Olympics, the Angel Tree providing gifts for children, SALSA’s volunteer opportunities, the funds collected

towards Agape International Missions in Cambodia, the Children’s Inn toy drive hosted by senior Sally Hoffmann.

Hoffmann is collecting absolutely everything for the Children’s Inn, a safe house that provides free, 24-hour services for victims of family violence, abuse, neglect or sexual assault. Last year, her drive obtained everything from teddy bears to bags of chips, to car seats, to bed sheets.

“This is my senior year and I want to make an actual impact,” she said. “Every little bit helps.”

A box to collect items for the toy drive is set up in Dairy Queen.

But the money and fun isn’t the main idea of the drive—it never was.

“The key message needs to be that we are committed to making safe driving decisions,” Talcott said. “It is easy to get caught up in the contest, the grant, a potential concert, and lose sight of the purpose of this campaign.

“Beyond that, the lesson that hopefully will be learned is that it is not possible to accomplish an amazing result without the assistance of others. One of the tenants of our Freshmen Unity Day is to ‘Do hard things that are too difficult to do alone.’ This campaign is a great example of that tenant for students, staff and community.”

Brandon Valley Echo Friday, Dec. 12, 2014

What do you think about the

Angel Tree?

By Jacob BoomsmaPhoto Editor

It’s the time of the year when, nation-wide, the inclusion of Christmas pieces in the public school concerts ushers in the seasonal tradition of debating their place in schools funded by the tax dollars of not just Christians, but of Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Pastafarians, followers of other religions and those with no religion.

I enjoy certain Christmas songs as much as anyone. But as one of the many people who don’t celebrate the holiday, I do not think it is appropriate to have a concert filled with music showcasing one religion, while largely ignoring music from other religions.

Those in favor of keeping Christmas in schools will often base their arguments on Christian music being educational and im-portant to our heritage and that it is what most audiences want in a December concert.

I agree some Christian music has edu-cational and historical value to students. Choir music began in churches and was largely a religious activity until the last hundred years or so. We can’t just ignore centuries of choral masterpieces, but in our diversifying society, music cannot remain exempt from change.

Schools must either have a legitimate “holiday” concert which features not only Christmas music, but important music stemming from other religious holidays celebrated by the community members in December such as Hanukkah, Kwanza, the Buddhist holiday of Bodhi Day and the Pastafarianism holiday of Holiday.

If a balanced concert repertoire is too challenging to accomplish, the acceptable alternative is a secular concert that cele-

brates the beauty of the winter season with-out any religious overtones to protect non-Christian students from exclusion which, according to the Huffington Post, has been the policy of the South Orange-Maplewood schools since the 1990s, a decision sup-ported by the Third Circuit Court, one of the most powerful U.S. judicial bodies.

Some Christmas enthusiasts argue that because their musical preferences represent the current majority of Americans, it must be justified to educate students by perform-ing musical pieces representing the major-ity religion. America has a notorious history of mistreating minorities, and it’s clear that progress is still needed to grant all citizens, and their beliefs, the respect they deserve.

Those who exploit the majority-rule should also consider that as older adherents of their beliefs die out and are replaced by immigrants of other faiths and an increasing secular youth, the very rule some Christmas music supporters promote may be retaliated against them in what, according to Time magazine, is the quickly transforming reli-gious landscape of America.

I don’t have a problem with Christmas when celebrated in people’s own time and place, but when Christmas pieces are per-formed without pieces from other religions and supplemented with only one or two non-Christmas winter songs, that is where I have issues.

Religious inclusion isn’t a one-way street in the public school educational system. Across the nation, directors of tax-funded school music programs must aim to be reli-giously inclusive or follow the South Orange-Maplewood School District’s path and ban all religious music equally and entirely.

Should schools include sacred music?Sacred music holds ground in education

Sacred music must be inclusive to all students

“I think the Angel Tree is a great way to get students involved.”

-JuniorElise Oren

“The Angel Tree is an amazing way for the students to give to others.”

-SeniorVanessa Kaler

“The Angel tree is a fun way to help out the community over Christmas.”

-JuniorGinger Wardlow

“The Angel Tree is a good way to give to less fortunate people.”

-JuniorNick Rise

“The Angel Tree is a great idea to help the people who can’t afford it.”

-Sophomore Mitchell Hoover

“It is good to donate things to people who are less fortunate than us.”

-Sophomore Zane Swenson

By Becca GothUpdate Editor

Religious text in musical ensembles performed in public school winter/holiday concerts are not a violation of the separation of church and state nor should this text be taken as offensive.

The question posed most often at this time is, “Is sacred music (or music that alludes to religion) appropriate for choir and/or orchestra winter concerts?”

The South Dakota court system addressed this issue in terms of the First Amendment in 1976 when atheist Roger Florey protested the Sioux Falls School District, where his child attended, for including the hymn “Silent Night” in a holiday ensemble. His motion for omitting the music was denied three times. The court said that the use of religious music is not a violation of the separation of church and state if it is used for musical education.

Over 20 other similar cases have been ruled in favor of religious music for educational purposes. Rightfully so, the courts have upheld the idea that without religion, the fine arts realm would be a very different, much more banal place; one in lack of many cultural symbols and allusions that work to teach, mold and enhance the arts.

In order to qualify as musical education, the activity must be secular in nature, not be endorsed by religious groups in any form and not enhance or inhibit religion. In the case of Bauchman vs. West High School, the court said that music broadens the understanding of the arts; it does not just set mood or convey a tone to students and their audiences.

I am not saying that instructors should be piling their winter concerts high with classic religious Christmas music, but rather they should be including the music. Without this inclusion, there is ignorance of the musical developments that have been achieved by groups of religious faith.

The fine arts have blossomed basing their roots in ancient religion, and not teaching this based on religious preference would be benighted. According to ccwatershed.org, Catholicism specifically widened the world of music by giving it intricate hymns. Some of these hymns are “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” “Christmas Carol” and “In Excelsis Gloria.” These hymns are very often seen in winter concerts and motion pictures and, therefore, are commonly known.

Without these teachings in musical education, there would be lack of knowledge in the earliest and some of the most shifting forms of arts. For example, Michelangelo’s work in the dome of St. Peters Basilica in the Vatican City could not be taught without alluding to the Catholic faith. Similarly, “In Excelsis Gloria” cannot be taught without alluding to faith as well; however, this does not mean that educators are teaching the faith. Rather, they are teaching the music.

By teaching the music, not the religion, educators cross no barriers. Teaching an ensemble that contains text suggesting religion is not the same thing as instructing to practice a religion, nor should it be thought as so.

With the instructors crossing no barriers, I see no proper way to form an educational winter ensemble without including some form of religious Christmas music.

Brandon Valley Echo Friday, Dec. 12, 2014

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Lynx play against BrookingsBy Dylan BludornSports Editor

Boys basketball team will open its season at Brookings tonight.

“We’ll have to control the boards and need to play solid defense all around,” senior Austin Trevino said.

Besides Trevino, seniors Tyler Erck, Alex Wilde, Ryan Larson

and Peter Choudek will lead the Lynx this season.

“Having five seniors, I hope to make it to state especially with the talent that we have as a whole,” Trevino said. “It would be great to make it back after losing in districts last year.”

Lynx will play against the O’Gorman Knights Saturday here.

“O’G is a very balanced team returning two starters that led them in scoring last year,” coach Brent Deckert said. “Playing them this early in the season will be a fun challenge. We’ll certainly find out much about our team that night. In order to win any game our team will need to take great shots and share the basketball.”

By Macy MurrenStaff Writer

Both girls and boys bowling teams lost against Yankton last Friday.

Nine team members bowled their season high game. Junior Lauren Blue bowled the team’s highest game 243 and had a day’s highest series at 578.

For the boys, sophomore Ricky DeLaCruz led the team with a 224 game and 554 series.

“As a team we performed great,” coach Richard Blue IV said. “Seeing all the new personal best scores, I know the team is moving in the right direction.”

For the girls, Blue will lead the girls’ team. She has the most experience and has bowled more than the rest of the girls team

Photo by Macy Murren

Senior Thomas Siemonsma practices at Empire Bowl. The bowling team will host West Central today.

Lynx host Rough Riders

Photo by Becca Goth

At the Roosevelt Invitational, senior Wyatt Winter receives a fall in 2:00 over Nathan Day of Sioux Falls Washington. Winter also defeated Josh Mettler of West Central in the semis.

Lynx finish second in opener

members combined. “Our girls team is very

inexperienced,” coach Blue said. “Of the eight girls, five have never bowled before.”

For the boys, senior Tyler

Limmer and DeLaCruz have stepped forward as the top bowlers.

Boys bowling team’s goal is to work together and finish the season with a top five or higher at state.

Bowlers lose to Yankton

By Dylan BludornSports Editor

No. 11-ranked Lynx wrestlers will compete in a quadrangular with Yankton, Vermillion and Dakota Valley today in Yankton.

“Vermillion will likely be our toughest competition on Friday,” coach Kraig Presler said. “Their lineup includes four or five top tier wrestlers, including the dynamic duo of Brett and Regan Bye. To defeat the Tanagers we will have to win the matches we are expected to win, and hopefully, we can knock off some of their higher ranked wrestlers. As for the other two duals, we should win decisively due to our depth.”

At the Roosevelt Invite, the Lynx placed second with a score of 230. Going into the final round of competition, the Lynx trailed No. 3 ranked Sioux Falls Roosevelt

by six points. In the final round Brandon Valley had six wrestlers placing in the championship with one champion.

“I felt our effort was solid,” Presler said. “It is just one event, and we do not want to put too much stock in an early season

tournament. However, it is pretty clear we can compete with about any team in the state as we hung with Roosevelt, ranked third in

the state, to the last roundAt 220 pounds sophomore

Andrew Sorenson placed first at the invite. His road to the podium consisted of a first round bye, a 12-1 major decision and in the finals a pin in 32 seconds.

“Andrew is a physically dominant wrestler and showed that on Saturday,” Presler said. “Although his weight class was not particularly strong, Andrew overpowered the competition to his championship.”

No. 4-ranked Wyatt Winter, Lynx’s 152-pound wrestler, finished second. In the semifinals, Winter defeated No. 7-ranked Josh Mettler from West Central 3-1.

“I feel like I competed okay,” Winter said. “I definitely would’ve liked to perform a little better, but it’s the first meet so I think we will get better as the season progresses.”

By Haley HoekeSports Editor

Lady Lynx will host the Roosevelt Rough Riders, Saturday.

The girls played the Brookings Bobcats Thursday. Results were unavailable at press time.

For the season opener, the girls took on the O’Gorman Knights at O’Gorman losing 74-28.

“This is a pretty young group, a little inexperienced and we need to try to get them to play together more,” head coach Mark Stadem said. “It is a growth process and that’s what we are going through.”

The Knights, who placed third at state last year, won the opening tip and jumped out to an early lead.

Senior Carley Kueter came out with a 5-2 point lead at the 4:25 mark of the opening quarter. After that, O’Gorman went on a 44-9 run.

The halftime score was 48-14.During the second half, the

Lynx struggled on defense, allowing the Knights to get inside the lane for open lay-ups. The Knights also had success scoring in transition.

“I haven’t played a lot with this group of girls,” Kueter said. “It was our first game and we learned a lot about what we need to improve on.”

The starting five were senior Kueter, senior Emily Harris, junior Courtney Bickley, junior Sydnie Buchheim and sophomore Emma Terveer.

Starting varsity for her first time as a sophomore, Terveer was a little nervous.

“I definitely wasn’t ready to step in for Taylor Thorson, as she was gone sick, but it went fine,” she said.

Brandon Valley Echo Friday, Dec. 12, 2014

Winter Formal Friday

Did you know...?

GSA raises money for the Trevor Project

Choirs, orchestra perform winter show

By Samantha Peterson Staff Writer

Angel Tree, sponsored by the high school Student Council, is putting smiles on children’s faces this holiday season by providing gifts for 115 children.

“I believe that without these presents, there could be children without any gifts for the holidays,” Guidance Counselor Michelle Stemwedel said.

The Salvation Army created the Angel Tree in 1979. Its goal was to provide cloth-ing and toys for underprivileged children at Christmas time. The Angel Tree has been adopted by many cities and organizations wanting to bring joy to children.

“The Angel Tree helps the kids who aren’t fortunate enough to experience the joy of receiving a gift,” senior Kaity Dybdahl said. “It is a great way for people to give to the ones who really need it and make a difference in their lives.”

The Angel Tree tradition began over 20

years ago. Any family is able to sign up if they are in need of assistance for the holidays. It’s easy for a family to sign up. All they need to do is contact a counselor in any building of the district.

Each child who has signed up for the program has an ornament on the tree that lists their age and what they want and/or need for Christmas. Anyone who would like to help out another is encouraged to choose an ornament off the tree. The spending limit is $50 or less per child.

“I think it is great for us as students to have the opportunity to help the ones in need throughout our community,” senior Riley Frantzen said.

If there are ornaments that haven’t been chosen, there are staff members that will offer to take any angels that are left on the tree.

All gifts were due Thursday. Student Council members will be wrapping the gifts Saturday.

Angel Tree provides 115 children with gifts

Photo by Samantha Peterson

Senior Kaity Dybdahl selects an angel off the Angel Tree. Over 100 children received gifts.

By Halle DoeStaff Writer

Fruit sales were finalized and distributed last Tuesday.

Sophomore Heather Kirkpatrick sold $1,800 and junior Allison Poncelet, $180 worth of fruit.

“The reason I sold an abundance of fruit is because I know many people that want FFA fruit,” Kirkpatrick said. “My favorite part of selling fruit is the distribution. It is much easier than asking people if they want fruit.”

For every $25 sold, the student will receive a dollar back. This will be given out at the fruit sales party. The party will include a movie and dodgeball.

Over $7,450 worth of food items were sold, totaling 436 boxes of fruit. The other items sold were pickled herring, cheese and beef sticks.

FFA sells $7,450 worth of fruit

Winter Formal is next Friday from 8:30-11 p.m.

Many people have asked their dates in a creative way. Senior Cassidy Wethor dressed up in a dog suit and brought senior Alex Wilde a poster that said, “Formal would be ‘ruff’ without you.”

The Art Club decorated the entrances into the commons for the dance last Wednesday. They painted the windows in a winter theme.

“That tempera paint application rocked my window-painting world,” senior Brendan Gayken said.

The dress for the dance is semi-formal. Girls typically wear short prom-dress style dresses. Boys normally wear dress pants, button up shirts and a tie or bow tie.

Members of the Gay-Straight Alliance will be selling rainbow bracelets for a charity fundraiser in January.

Money raised will be donated to the Trevor Project, a support group that helps lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual youth who are undergoing struggles in their lives.

The Trevor Project offers a 24/7 suicide and crisis hotline that receives a staggering 36,000 calls per year.

Trained counselors stand by to help reduce suicide rates in these young teens in any way they can.

“We are trying to find a couple of businesses that will sell these for us,” adviser Louisa Otto said. “Josiah’s in Sioux Falls has already agreed to sell them. We are trying to find more.”

n Winter Band Concert is Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center.n Semester tests are next Friday, Dec. 22 and Dec. 23.n Winter break is Dec. 24-Jan. 5.n Oral interpers will compete at Roosevelt Jan. 10.n Oral interpers will compete in the Silver Bowl Tournament at Sioux Falls Lincoln Jan. 16.n No school is on Jan. 19 for Martin Luther King Day.n Oral interpers will compete in the Speech Fiesta at Watertown Jan. 24.n All-State Band auditions will be at Sioux Falls Lincoln Jan. 24.

Photo by Halle Doe

Senior Kristen Paulsen and junior Allison Poncelet help students prepare their order with bow boxes. Sophomore Heather Kirkpatick sold the most fruit, $1,800 worth.

Quiz bowl wins championship

Senior Summer Rogers Senior Evan Wieser

Interpers host CFC tournament

By Amy VardsveenStaff Writer

Quiz bowl teams have won four out of five tournaments and all of the teams have finished in the top 10 places at all tournaments.

Senior Daniel Eitreim, senior Robert Haggar and junior Jacob Hegland went undefeated in the 2014 USF Siouxper Bowl Championships. The quiz bowl team played

10 rounds and beat the Bishop Heelan team in the finals. Both Eitreim, who placed first, and Haggar, seventh, received individual awards in the preliminary rounds.

“This is the best any of our quiz bowl teams have ever done,” Haggar said.

All three of the teams advanced into the finals. By winning the Siouxper Bowl, they are now qualified for nationals in Washington, D.C., next June.

“It’s exciting!” Eitreim said. “Quiz bowl is a bunch of fun even when you aren’t winning, but when you are winning, it’s more fun.”

The team has also been chosen to compete in the National NSQT event in Chicago next May, but it is undecided whether they will go.

Future events are the Lynx Invite Jan. 12 and the home school tournament Jan. 25.

Choirs and orchestra performed their Sounds of the Season Concert Monday.

Director Terry Gullickson conducted the Chamber Choir, Concert Choir and Lynx Choir.

Chamber Choir sang one song, Concert Choir sang six and Lynx Choir sang four. Concert Choir and Lynx Choir also sang two songs as a combined choir.

Senior Robert Berndt sang a solo in “Noel.”

“The concert went really well,” he said. “All the choirs were on point.”

Orchestra performed five songs

under the direction of Shelly Berg.

By Umaima KochNews Editor

Oral interpers will host the first Central Forensic Conference meet Saturday morning at 8:30.

“They’re smaller tournaments, and we see a really different kind of competition,” coach Gina Koehn said. “We see a lot more variety than we do when we’re in some of the bigger tournaments.”

Oral interpers competed last Friday and Saturday at the State Oral Interp Festival in Huron. Koehn dubbed it “just one of those years,” for the team came home with two superiors out of seven categories.

“It’s so subjective when we walk in there,”

she said. “A different day, a different panel of judges, one different judge in a panel of three, and we would’ve walked away with

five or six superiors. There’s no scoreboard at the end. There’s no written criteria for what makes a superior. It’s the judge that thinks it’s a superior or doesn’t think it’s a superior performance, and we have no idea what that is when we walk into the room.”

Seniors Summer Rogers and Evan Wieser received a superior for their duo, “The Shadow Box.” Wieser also received a superior for his non-original oratory, “A Moment of Sincerity.”

“State’s always exciting,” Rogers said. “It can be tricky when you work really hard and don’t get a superior, but that’s the game of interp.”