September 2012 BVHS Echo

Volume 51 Number 1 Brandon Valley High School - Brandon, SD 57005 Friday, Sept. 28, 2012

The Rogen, Koehn reign over homecoming/page 3

Junior Shelbie Holiway adds her name to a list of Challenge Day participants. Challenge Day promoted group sharing and positive coping strategies.

Challenge Day: Students encouraged to ‘Be the Change’

Gunu, van Eden arrive from Ghana and Germany

Scholars earn college credit

Senior Tyler Anderson studies during his Calculus 1 class taught by Allen Hogie.

Photo by Dustin Johnson

Junior Kim van Eden studies her Spanish in Leah Lockner’s Spanish II class. She is from Germany.

Photo by Madison McKeown

Junior Kofi Gunu takes a quiz in Elizabeth Lubbers’s American Heritage class. He is from Ghana.

Photo by Cole Boscaljon

Photo by Cylie Svartoien

Photo by Umaima Koch

During the start of Challenge Day, freshman Cole Kocmick enters through a tunnel of cheering teachers and adults along with others from the sophomore and freshman classes. Altogether, more than 200 people participated.

By Madison McKeownPhoto Editor & Cole BoscaljonStaff Writer

F o r e i g n e x c h a n g e students Kofi Gunu and Kim van Eden left their countries to be juniors here.

Gunu, who is from a town of 100,000 people in Ghana, attended a b o a r d i n g school.

“My school is an all-boys boarding school,” he said, “and I spend nine months there with no girls.”

At his school, students are given a major or topic to study throughout high school similar to college.

Because learning is easy for him, he is taking many advanced classes because electives are not

counted towards his total credits earned and he would not receive credit for this year if he took them.The biggest change for Gunu was the food. In Ghana, food is spicy and here it is mild to him.

Because Gunu has never seen snow before, he is anxious to experience his first winter.

“I wish to thank everybody for

the warmth in Brandon,” he said.

Van Eden is a 17-year-old for-eign exchange student from Germany.

“I was very nervous that people wouldn’t be nice here,” she said.

What she enjoys about Brandon Valley is how everyone is united.

“Here every-one works to-gether, and the teachers are much nicer,”

she said.The hardest adjustment for van

Eden is also the food. In Germany, she said, food is mainly steamed and fresh. “In Germany I eat fast food twice a year!”

Van Eden is looking forward to being on the track team this spring. She will focus on long jump and sprints.

By Cylie Svartoien News Editor& Umaima KochUpdate Editor

Challenge Day brought people closer together by urging students to open their ears and minds.

“I had no idea what to expect. I thought this day could be awful or be amazing,” sophomore Sarah House said. “I’m grateful that I got to experience it.”

More than 200 students, faculty and adults participated in the two-day long program sponsored by a Sioux Empire United Way grant.

Challenge Day leaders Tony Lowe and Florabeth Luebke began with interactive activities and games to help students relax. Some of the games included seat swaps, seated volleyball and contests.

Later, students “got real” when they listened to Lowe and Luebke.

“Most of us hide our feelings of fear, loneliness, weakness, shame and sadness because society says we HAVE TO,” Lowe said. “At Challenge Day, we teach that those feelings are all right to feel and if people have the courage, those are the feelings that pop up first. That is why it appears to cause people to cry.”

Luebke painted a mental picture of an emotional balloon that is inflated by worry and anger. She said if you don’t let it out once in a while, the balloon will “pop.”

“Everyone has their breaking points,” she said. “But, as human beings, we’re

really strong.”Luebke helped the group brainstorm

positive ways to deal with negative influences. Some ideas included running, drawing, laughing, keeping a journal, talking to people and going to the batting cage.

Students and adults split up into small groups where they were asked to think about life issues. When sharing their thoughts, many became emotional.

“A weight’s been lifted off my shoulders,” freshman Jaidon Birath said after the group activity ended.

By Dustin JohnsonSports Editor

For the first time students are attaining college credit on campus.

Through Northern State University, the Rising Scholars Program offers College Algebra, taught by Kraig Presler; Calculus 1, Allen Hogie; Composition 101/Literature 210, Matt Christensen; and U.S. History 151/ U.S. History 152, Jeremy Risty.

“It’s nice to get a head start before

college,” Hogie said. Hogie teaches Calculus 1 the

same as last year, but with one exception.

“There’s a little more homework involved,” he said, “but the students are learning to do it.”

His students agree.“It’s definitely a little

harder,” senior Tyler Anderson said, “but you know there is the reward of getting both high school and college credit.”

Anderson said there isn’t

much difference between the AP classes and the Rising Scholar classes.

“You still have to put in the effort and work hard to get the grade you want,” he said.

The Rising Scholar courses are unique to the AP courses. Instead of paying approximately $90 to take a test, students pay $40 a credit, which may transfer to other South Dakota colleges and some out-of-state colleges like the University of Minnesota.

Brandon Valley Echo Friday, Sept. 28, 2012

Challenge Day moves students

The Echo is published monthly by the publications students of the Brandon Valley High School, 301 S. Splitrock, Brandon, S.D. 57005. Telephone number is 582-3211. It is a state and national award-winning publication affiliated with the South Dakota High School Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association. News Editors ...................................................................... Cylie SvartoienVoices Editor ................................................................... Stephanie MeeterA&E Editor ............................................................................ Payton KnollSports Editors .................................Dustin Johnson and Kinnley ComeauxUpdate Editor ..........................................Umaima Koch and Austin SadlerPhoto Editors ............................ ..Madison McKeown and Casey KoutstaalAd Manager ..................................................................... Jessica MorrisonStaff Writers ..........................Cole Boscaljon, Wyatt Reed and Troy SmallAdviser ........................................................................Debra RothenbergerBrandon Valley Echo is a public forum. The editorial content of the Echo expresses the views of the newspaper and not necessarily of the administration, faculty or school board of the Brandon Valley School District. Bylined editorial content is the writer’s opinion and not necessarily of the staff, adviser or school administration. Signed letters to the editor are encouraged, but they may be rejected or edited for grammar, condensation, good taste and/or libel.

What did you think about

homecoming?

Koch: After Challenge Day I became a better ‘me’

Echo editors encourage readers to submit letters to the editor, which must be signed. They may be rejected or edited for grammar, condensation, good taste and/or libel. They should be addressed to the Echo editors or dropped off in the publications room, 120.

Challenge WeekHomecoming Texting ban

Challenge Day was the best-ever day retreat at Brandon Valley.

While most programs push students to change, Challenge Day urged them to feel. In turn, this transformed students’ mindsets to wanting to improve the world around them, instead of feeling forced to.

The way the day was organized was genius. The games at the beginning of the day helped break down personal walls and judgments toward others by encouraging others to step out of their usual friend groups. Without these activities, the day would have been far too serious and less likely to succeed in its mission.

One adult was placed in every small group. Under normal circumstances, opening up to an adult would be uncomfortable, to say the least. However, their presence was appreciated and even embraced. The adults’ presence reflected the sense of maturity that the day as a whole projected.

Experiences that truly move people are rare; yet, Challenge Day touched nearly all who attended. Normaly caged thoughts and feelings flowed freely.

Anybody can have a breakdown of emotions, but what made Challenge Day unique was that people listened and cared. The group used the common sing-language symbol for “I love you” to share their silent support for others.

To any who hadn’t been there, the day may sound like a sob-fest. But it wasn’t; it was real.

By Umaima KochUpdate Editor

Utter silence drifted in the air, broken only by the somber sound of feet shuffling. I glanced at my friend, catching her eyes, but I was met with a wordless stare as I returned the look. While I listened to the soft, low music, a small, hard lump formed in my throat. All of us freshmen and sophomores crowded behind a strip of blue tape, looking across the black stage floor at the daunting line that challenged us to cross it.

Before I knew it, people crossed the line, and I saw a side of them, just as they saw a side of me, that no one else had truly seen before. Some cried from the start, others as soon as they walked across the blue line. For some, it took a little longer.

My resolve crumbled inside of me as I watched the faces of those in front of me contort from sorrow and unseen pains because of feelings that burdened their hearts. I briefly thought of staying on the other side of the line, I was crossing it so often. That thought withered away.

“Cross the line if you have a family member who has a life-threatening illness,” Challenge Day Leader Florabeth “Flo”

Luebke said.I paused for a second, then

slowly weaved around the people standing, walking to that gradually-filling blue line with my eyes trained on the floor. Immediately, I turned to face everyone, my gaze passing over their faces in an attempt to look stoic, strong; I was unable to meet anyone’s eyes, so I looked at everything but those. Until Flo began to speak.

That was my breaking point. I knew it, felt it. I averted my eyes to the floor, head down and burst into tears. They wouldn’t stop, just kept rolling down my cheeks one after another. My heart ached terribly, and I held my hand to my mouth to suppress my crying.

Someone rubbed my back gently, comfortingly, though I was unresponsive to it. I was surrounded by people in the same situation as I was, yet I felt all alone. I couldn’t look up and face everybody. But I didn’t care that they were watching me cry. It didn’t matter. I was glad that they were there, with me, as I was hurting. That alone was enough.

We rejoined the crowd. Shortly afterward, my friend cried as well.

It didn’t seem like I had been

crying that much, yet my eyes felt swollen, dry and red.

It went on like this, Flo speaking, people crossing the line, comforting one another, sobbing, hugging and hurting.

It was heartbreaking to see them, all those people I knew, completely lost and broken down and crying. People who I never would have expected to see cry, their faces streaming with tears. It was the most emotional 20 minutes I’ve ever been through.

After final hugs and small smiles to friends, we went back to our “families,” small groups of five students and an adult. We sat and closed our eyes as Flo spoke, tying the ends of our last activity together.

Although it was sad and it still hurt, I calmed down.

After the leaders passed out the cards and pens, everyone wrote a letter to someone whom they could count on, whom they loved. Some people shared their letters.

In those few moments, something inside of me shifted. I felt relaxed—relaxed and calm and cleansed, as if all of those briny tears washed everything I had locked away with them.

When Challenge Day ended, I walked away as a changed, forgiving person.

Thumbs up to Homecoming Week. Because of Challenge

Day, the week saw many changes that focused on creating a more fun and welcoming

atmosphere. Organizers ended Kangaroo Court, encouraged students to perform and planned large group competitive games involving everyone such as “seated volleyball.”

Thumbs up to the upcoming Challenge Week. Because

the two Challenge Days had been so successful and not everyone could attend, Dr. Gregg

Talcott plans to have a Challenge Week so everyone can experience what it advocates: understanding, kindness and acceptance.

Thumbs up to the texting ban initiated by the city of

Sioux Falls. The ban will prevent texting and driving, which is a leading cause of distracted

driving deaths. According to Sioux Empire Safety Village, about 18 deaths occur daily. Proponents of the ban hope it will soon go statewide.

“The entire week was pretty radical as always.”

-SeniorJames Warwick

“It was awesome seeing people dress up.”

-JuniorBrittney Mitchell

“It was a fabulous moment we all cherished together.”

-SeniorCaleb Tschetter

“The changes this year didn’t make it as memorable.”

-SeniorQuiana Pardee

“It would have been more fun with Kangaroo Court.”

-JuniorRyan O’Neal

“It was fun dressing up, and the dance was awesome.”

-FreshmanNoah Laycock


Bender: Peer pressure impacts tobacco usage

Eastwood stars in ‘Trouble with the Curve’Ode, Bruget Show Horses

Photo courtesy of Kathryn Ode

Juniors Kathryn Ode and Courtney Bruget sit on their Arabian horses while wearing their competition attire.

By Kinnley ComeuxSports Editor

“Smokeless” tobacco may appear to be a healthier tobacco choice, but Rick Bender knows otherwise.

At age 12, Bender began his addiction of chewing tobacco because of peer pressure.

“My friends would always say, ‘What are you scared of Bender?’” he said at the assembly homecoming day.

The other reason why he began chewing tobacco was his strong

passion for playing baseball.

Baseball is a well-known chewing tobacco sport, he said.

At age 25, Bender was diagnosed with oral cancer, and after that diagnosis he had multiple surgeries.

By his fourth surgery he lost one-third of his tongue, the entire right half of his jaw and 25 percent use of his right arm. At age 26, his doctor said he had two years to live; instead, he overcame the cancer.

Bender talks to teenagers around the country making an effort to help them not fall into an addiction that affected his life forever.

At coronation hundreds of toys and games lined the stage. Students donated them for the Child Care Centers, the New Start Program and the Bowden Youth Center.

“These events never surprise me,” Principal Gregg Talcott said about the response. “I am never afraid to ask the students to help because they always respond.”

What impressed Talcott the most was how even students who do not have much, still donated to the charity event.

That evening, Elliot Blue, ’12, and Heidi Hoff, ’12, crowned seniors Alex Rogen and Allison Koehn as king and queen. The other royalty members were seniors Jordyn Griffith, Brooke Merry, Abigail Voigt, Kara Shroll, Luke Hyronimus, Adam Guthmiller, Chase Marso and Matthew Vandeberg.

During an assembly, Rick Bender tells about his experiences and the dangers of using smokeless tobacco.

Photo by Casey Koustaal

Senior queen candidates

Brooke Merry, Abigail Voigt,

Kara Shroll and Jordyn Griffith

(above) team up to play Twister

against the king candidates.

Sophomore Brooklyn

Widmann and freshman Kelli

Hoeke (right) battle off in the

pillow fight. Widmann won.

Photos by Kinnley Comeux, Umaima Koch and

Casey Koutstaal

Sophomores Bethany Headrick and Karly Neuberger are Angry Birds on Character Day.

At the olympics senior Jack Kruger sings his rendition of “Sweet Home Brandon Valley.”

Seniors Alex Rogen and Allison Koehn reign as king and queen over homecoming activities.

Join the Party @ Dynamic!Work out and have FUN!BVHS Student Special Drop-in Rate $3First Class FREEMondays & Wednesdayswww.dynamicstudio.org for schedule

By Payton KnollA&E Editor

After hours of tireless work preparing, conditioning and practicing with their horses, juniors Kathryn Ode and Courtney Bruget returned home with a World Championship title and two buckles from the Pinto World Championship in Tulsa, Okla.

Sharing their love of riding, Ode and Bruget both entered their first year of showing horses with the Glory Bound Arabians. Ode, borrowing her horse from Susan Maier of Worthing, and Bruget, who purchased her horse in Miller, worked nearly every day during the summer practicing for the championship.

“We usually practiced an hour or more,” Ode said. “People think we just ride horses around in circles, but there’s so much more to it.”

The girls train the horses every day, sand their hooves, clip and bathe them before every show.

After the girls arrived in Tulsa, they fed and cared for their horses in preparation for the event. Before the showing, the duo dressed in competition attire,

composed of long dress pants and shirts, helmets and breeches.

Bruget received two Reserve World Champion titles and two buckles, while Ode placed

both second and top 10 in two divisions.

“Showing is like a beauty competition,” Ode said. “You want to make it look easy.”

By Payton KnollA&E Editor

Trouble with the Curve is a sports-drama baring resemblance to movies such as Money Ball and Gran Torino. The film stars Clint Eastwood playing the familiar role of a grumpy, no-nonsense old man named Gus and Amy Adams as his plucky and hard-working daughter, Mickey.

Gus is a respected but aged baseball scout past his prime. Due to his failing eyesight and old-fashioned ways, his job is in jeopardy. Pete, portrayed by John Goodman, a fellow coworker and a friend of Gus, attempts to con-vince Gus to communicate and get treatment for his eyes. How-ever, Gus’s pride and stubborn-ness brush him aside.

In a last desperate attempt, Pete calls Gus’s daughter, Mickey, an accomplished lawyer, and tries to coerce her to visit Gus in Atlanta

and help him recover from his low point. After enough pushing by Pete, Mickey decides to visit her father, only to have him push her away when she initiates a per-sonal conversation with him.

However, Mickey stays per-sistent and accompanies her dad to baseball games and helps him scout the players, acting as his eyes, while also attempting to have a real conversation with him.

In a jumble of stress and con-fusion, Mickey is then forced to choose whether she stays to help her dad or return home, ruining any chance of a personal rela-tionship she and her father would have.

Trouble with the Curve is an entertaining film with a stellar cast of actors and witty dialogue that is delivered perfectly. Unfor-tunately, the film suffers from a predictable plot.


After receiving a pass

from senior quarterback

Chase Marso, two Mitchell

Kernels wrestle down

senior Matt Vandeberg. The

Lynx won the homecoming game against

Mitchell 71-10. The Lynx play

tonight against the Eastern

South Dakota Conference

Huron Tigers in Huron.

Football teamundefeated, ranked second

Photo by Kinnley Comeaux

By Madison McKeownPhoto Editor

Cheer and dance ends in October instead of November.

“I believe having a shorter season is good because it will prevent injuries and we won’t dread the end of the season like past years,” said senior Quiana Pardee, captain of the competitive cheer team.

In three out of five competitions, the cheer team placed in the top three.

“I think we have a great chance to take ESD this year,” Pardee said, “and I’m so looking forward to that.”

At the Brookings Invite the cheer team placed third with the score of 220.5.

Dance placed first in jazz with 261.5, first in kick with 248 and second in pom with 242. Dance also received Grand Champs with an average score of 250.5.

Last Tuesday the teams competed in Huron. The cheer team placed second and also placed second overall. Dance team placed first in kick, first in jazz and second in pom.

“I feel like this year we have a stronger set of girls to help carry us out through the year,” senior

Haley Carmody said. Carmody is co-captain of the

dance team with senior Katie Peterson.

“I feel like our strongest routine would be jazz mainly because we all relate to the song differently and it brings our emotions out

and we can get into it the most,” Carmody said. “I feel like we could take the ESD title for the first time ever and that’s a great feeling.”

Cheer and dance’s Lynx Invite will be Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the auxiliary gym.

Photo by Madison McKeown

Cheer team members hit their ending pyramid during their first competition at Aberdeen. The team placed fifth.

Cheer, dance set for own invite

Girls tennis team set for state tournament

Photo by Jessica Morrison

Sophomore Makenzie Marso returns the ball to her Luverne opponent. The Lynx won 5-4. Their next event is the state tournament in Rapid City.

Cross country competes in ESD By Jessica MorrisonAd Manager

Girls tennis team will compete at the state tournament in Rapid City Oct. 4-6.

At the Pierre Invite last weekend the girls lost to Pierre, 5-4, and to Rapid City Stevens, 9-0.

“We’ve lost to really good teams, and the girls have been staying positive,” Coach Jesse Gladis said.

The girls competed in the Eastern South Dakota Conference Tournament

Thursday at Brookings. Results were unavailable at press time.

At the Lynx Team Invite, Sept. 7, the girls won against Milbank, 9-0, and Vermilion, 9-0, but lost to Rapid City Stevens, 8-1. On Saturday the girls won against Spearfish, 8-1, but lost to Washington, 9-0.

The girls beat Luverne 5-4, Sept. 13.

“They did well and had close matches,” Gladis said. “The strategy going into the game was to stay consistent.”

By Jessica MorrisonAd Manager

Both the boys and girls cross country teams will compete in the Eastern South Dakota Conference Tournament next Saturday in Brookings.

Last Thursday the boys team placed third with 71 points in the 5000-meter at the Brookings meet. Senior Zachary VanEde placed second with a time of 16:29:18.

In the 4000-meter, the girls placed first with 69 points. Junior

Kaija Nitz placed fourth with a time of 15:02:97 and eighth grader Haylee Waterfall, seventh with a time of 15:11:06.

The Lynx Invite, originally planned for Aug. 30, was moved to last Saturday.

Both the girls and boys placed first. VanEde placed first with a time of 16:49. Other top finishers were Jacob Heglang, Mitchell Selken, Cody Dutson, Nick Wilde, Jakob Hanna and Brendan Gallo.

Nitz also placed first with a

time of 15:31. Other top finishers were Haylee Waterfall, Jaidon Birath, and Sarah Presler.

Both teams competed in Watertown Thursday. Results were unavailable at press time.

At the Champion Invite in Sioux Falls Sept. 8, VanEde placed fifth for varsity boys with a time of 17:35:45 and junior Brady Zell, 10th for the JV 4000 meter, 14:58:33.

Nitz placed fifth in varsity with a time of 15:40:39.

By Casey KoutstaalPhoto Editor

At 5-0 the football team is set to compete against the Eastern South Dakota Conference Huron Tigers tonight in Huron.

“We are better than Huron, and we are striving for perfection, trying to get guys healed up and strengthening our team,” coach Chad Garrow said.

The Lynx beat the third-ranked Lincoln Patriots 31-13 last Friday. When senior Matt Vandeberg intercepted a pass, he returned it 100 yards for the game-winning touchdown. It was one of four touchdowns for Vandeberg that night.

“We are grateful to win, but we didn’t play a perfect game offensively,” Garrow said. “We left a few gaps defensively. We were not always at the right place at the right time.”

The Lynx remain second-ranked in the State AA.

“We are not satisfied yet,” senior quarterback Chase Marso said. “The season is not over.”

Including tonight’s game, the Lynx have four more regular season games before playoffs.

Their goal is to hold onto their ESD title and win state, Marso said.

Lynx footballshould stay in 11AAA


‘If we can come out day one (at state) and put together a low score, then I think we can make some noise on day two.

–Senior Trevor Tobin

’

Lynx retain ESD crown

Photo by Dustin Johnson

Senior Tanner Wehrkamp chips onto the green during the O’Gorman and Lincoln triangular here. The Lynx were third.

Boys, girls soccer vie against Spearfish

Photo by Stephanie Meeter

Senior Kenny Mattson dribbles against the Watertown defender. The Lynx lost to Watertown.


Senior Valerie Peltier and junior Lexi Hoover stretch to block the spike from the Brookings Bobcats. The girls lost to the Bobcats in three games.


Controversy about the South Dakota High School Activities Association’s decision to add a seventh football class has been building.

The new 11AAA class will consist of eight teams (Lincoln, Roosevelt, Washington, Aberdeen Central, Watertown, Rapid City Stevens, Rapid City Central and Brandon Valley). The original 11AA division will also have eight teams (Pierre, Spearfish, Mitchell, Yankton, Sturgis, Huron, O’Gorman and Brookings). However, according to the Argus Leader, O’Gorman may want to petition up into 11AAA, causing an imbalance in the eight and eight system.

SDHSAA prefers to keep eight schools in each class, but if O’Gorman does find a way into 11AAA, then there will be nine schools. Right now, Brandon Valley would be the first school asked to either stay or move down and then Watertown is next in line. But I don’t expect Brandon Valley to be willing to move down into 11AA. However, nothing is finalized. The system can still be altered and maybe there should be changes.

Based on student body population, the change makes sense. But if O’Gorman petitions up into the 11AAA, then it isn’t as balanced, even though O’Gorman should be competing in 11AAA because of its prestigious program.

The main reason for this class conniption is the argument that the Eastern South Dakota Conference schools and West River schools are unable to compete with the Sioux Falls schools. A logical case since the last championship an ESD school (Yankton) won was in 2002 and the last appearance in a championship game by an ESD school (Aberdeen Central) was in 2009. Granted, those same schools seemingly dominate as it is, but we have competed well in the past along with other non-Sioux Falls schools.

Earlier, O’Gorman wanted to petition up to 11AAA, but their season may determine their decision. With the deadline for the conference changes being in January, there is time to see how the rest of their season unfolds. Maybe the amount of success of O’Gorman’s season will determine whether or not they stay in 11AA?

But whether it’s 11AA or 11AAA next year, Coach Chad Garrow will prepare the team regardless of class.

Net play


Lynx Boys golf team edged out Yankton 309-310 in the Eastern South Dakota Conference Tournament Saturday.

“I feel that from the start of the season through now, we have matured as players,” senior Trevor Tobin said. “I feel that this helped us on the back nine of the conference meet because the majority of us got off to a rough start.”

Placing second overall, senior Tyler Anderson led the team with a 76. Other contributors included sophomore Riley Duncanson (77), senior Trevor Tobin (78), and sophomore Greg Koehn (78). All four players made All-Conference.

After starting out the season by winning the Lynx Invite and the Warrior Invite, the team lost some momentum. Several meets with no victories humbled the team.

“After many second and third place finishes we started to realize what it takes to put together a good team score,” Tobin said. “Seeing throughout the season that every

shot is crucial, we all grinded out the back nine and were able to win by one shot.”

The Lynx are looking to carry the momentum from the ESD Tournament to the State AA Tournament, which is Monday and Tuesday in Mitchell.

“The key for us is having a good first day,” Tobin said. “If we can come out day one and put together a low score, then I think we can make some noise on day two.”

By Stephanie MeeterNews Editor

Boys and girls soccer teams play at home against Spearfish today.

Both teams lost against Lincoln last Friday. The boys 3-0, and the girls 4-0. Both boys and girls’ records are 1-6-2.

The boys won their first game against Brookings Sept. 18.

“We have played pretty well against some of the stronger teams in the state,” Coach Chris Limmer said, “but have not played to our abilities in a lot of games.”

Limmer said they have been working on defense to better the team as well as creating more

scoring chances. They hope to do well during the playoffs next week and ultimately go to state.

“It’s our goal to get there,” he said, “and once we’re there, we should have the confidence to do well in each game because we’ve proven we can compete with the best teams in the state.”

The girls won their first game against Watertown Sept. 4.

We are playing much better as a team this year as opposed to last year,” senior Becka Tripp said. “We have been a bigger threat to the teams we have played and are progressively getting better with each game.”


SALSA members stuff envelopes

Did you know...?

Gullickson conducts Fall Choir Concert

n Earlydismissalforelementaryandhighschoolparent/teacherconferencesisMondayandformiddleschoolparent/teacherconferences,Tuesday.n OralinterpcompetitionatO’GormannovicetournamentisTuesday.n NoschoolonFridaybecauseofanin-service/workshopday.n NoschoolonOct.8forNativeAmericanDay.n BoardofeducationmeetingisOct.8.n ASVABtestisOct.12.n All-stateorchestraauditionsareOct.11-12inSiouxFalls.n EndoffirstquarterisOct.19.n HighSchoolPressConventionisOct.24inBrookings.n All-StateOrchestraConcertisOct.26inRapidCity.n ACTtestdateisOct.27.n SeniorportraitsaredueDec.3inthehighschooloffice;otherwise,juniorpictureswillbeused.n SeniorsChaseMarsoandBrendanGalloareNationalMeritScholarshipsemifinalists.

Band to host Big Sioux Review


Senior Brendan Gallo plays trombone at half-time at home football game. The Marching Lynx received third in parade, second in field and Overall Sweepstakes at Waseca.

Photo by Umaima Koch

Art Club members view a chalk drawing of Superman, drawn by artist Mike Dowling, during their Sculpture Walk in Downtown Sioux Falls Sept. 12. The Art Club meets Wednesdays at 3:20 p.m. in instructor Chad Nelson’s art room.

Students tour Europe

FFA members attend Fun Time Rodeo

Sculpture Walk

SALSAspenttwoweeksstuffingenvelopesinaprojectknownasEnvelopesfortheOptimist.

Studentswillbemailing6,600envelopeswithcouponstopeopleintheBrandonValleySchoolDistrict.ItisafundraiserfortheOptimistClub.TheywillbemailingthecouponsMonday.

ThenextSALSAmeetingisWednesday.TheirnextprojectisaHabitatforHumanityhouse.

DirectorTerryGullicksonwillconducttheFallChorusConcertOct.19at7:30p.m.inthePerformingArtsCenter.

“Thiswon’tbeasbigorgrandastheothers,”Gullicksonsaid.“Itwillbemoreofastartershow.”

Theconcertwillincludeselectionsfromtheall-staterepertoire.

AboutthreedozenvocalistsfromboththeConcertChoirandtheLynxChoirauditionedWednesdayfortheAll-StateChorusConcert.TheconcertisOct.26atRapidCity.

Photo courtesy of Carolyn Ebright

Instructor Carolyn Ebright and the students gather outside the Opera House in Paris, France. The group toured Paris and Nice, France; Monaco; Florence and Rome, Italy; and the Vatican City.

By Cylie SvartoienNews Editor

Twelve students toured Europe thissummer with instructor Carolyn EbrightthroughEducationFirstTours.

“Ifyouevergettheopportunitytotravel,doit,”Ebrightsaid.“Goseewhatyoudreamtosee.”

ThegroupvisitedParisandNice,France;Monaco;FlorenceandRome,ItalyandtheVaticanCity.

“It(traveling)allowsmetoseeadifferentside of my students,” Ebright said, “and Ienjoybeingabletobringoursocialstudiestoreality.”

Some sights visited included the EiffelTower,NotreDameCathedral,theLouvre,

St.FrancisBasilica,theColiseumandtheRomanForum.

Instructor Melanie Sittig is planning a

tripabroadtoRome,Italy;GreeceandtheGreekIslandsduringthesummerof2013.

By Stephanie MeeterVoices Editor

Marching Lynx will host The Big Sioux ReviewSaturday,performitsexhibitionat10:30a.m.andcompeteinLuverne,Minn.

At Waseca last Saturday the Marching Band receivedthird in parade, second in field, and took home OverallSweepstakes.

DirectorJesseMillersaidhewasverypleasedwithhowtheypreformedinbothevents.

Themarchingbanddecidedearlythissummerthattheywanted to generate more sound, pay attention to detailvisuallysuchasposture,styleofstepandfoot.

“Thejudges’commentshelpedindicatetousthatwearestarting to reach someof our seasongoals,”Miller said.“Theynoticedsomeofourareasofconcerninapositiveway.”

“MusicforaRevolution”isanoriginalcompositionthatstoodthestandoftime,Millersaid.

The composition, written by the Russian composerDmitri Shostakovich, was arranged for marching band.ThemovementsareFestiveOverture,TheFireforEternalGloryandthelastmovementofSymphonyNo.5.

The first movement is fast-paced and energetic. Thesecond movement was written for the memorial of theGreatPatrioticWarandhasapatrioticsorrowthatgraduallycomesoutofthedarkfeel.Thethirdmovemtentisshort,slightlyupbeat,butendsmysteriously.

Combiningboth the fast-pacedmusic anddrill provedtobechallenging,Millersaid.Thewholecomposition isplayedandmarchedto160beatsperminute.

MarchingbandreceivednewuniformsintimefortheircompetitionatWaseca.Themaindifferencebetween theoldandtheneware thecommanderuniforms,whicharenowblackinsteadofwhite.

FFAmembersattendedtheTriValleyFFAchapter’sFunTimeRodeolastSaturdayatCrooksforachapterinvite.

Studentsarealsopreparinginag/broadcastingjournalism,businesssalesmanship,publicspeakingandjobinterviews.

Forty-twopeopleattendedtheThreshingBeeandmanagedthepettingzooSept.8.

TwelvepeopleparticipatedintheOldMcDonaldsFarmandshow-casedanimalsduringtheSiouxEmpireFair.

ThenextFFAmeetingisOct.16.

Documents

September 2012 BVHS Echo