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.
Andrea Miller
February 11, 2024 - February 17, 2024
- School
- Gayville-Volin High School (605-267-4476)
- GPA
- 4.04
- Activities
- 1. High Honor Roll; Grades 9,10,11 2. Girls State Delegate (I was unfortunately unable to attend due to the overlapping of State Softball) 3. Attended HOBY (Grade 10) 4. Softball; Qualified for Fall Ball State (8) (10), Qualified for Summer Ball State (7)(8)(9)(10)(11), Qualified for High School State (11). Have Hit 14 career homeruns, Have 7 school records, and for sure one state record and a tied state record. Captain (11), All-State Infielder honorable mention (11). 5. Basketball; Made Varsity (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) 6. Track; Made Varsity (8) (9) (10) 7. Volleyball; Took Stats (11) (12), and Qualified for state (12) 8. Youth Group; 9,10,11,12; collected food for the local food pantry (11)(12) 9. 4-H Volunteer; 6,7,8,9,10,11,12 10. Mission trip to New Orleans; 12 11.Mentoring Program; 10,11,12; I take 30 minuets out of every week to help a younger student gain better social skills or help them with school work if needed. 12. Student Council; 10,11,12 13. FFA; 10,11,12; Chapter Reporter (12), State qualifier in Livestock Judging (10), Represented my chapter as a state delegate (11). Attended Notional FFA Convention (11)(12) 14. 4-H; 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12; was award the helping hands award in my county (11), won 5th over all market lamb at the state fair (11), reserve seniors showman at state fair (12), clay county High point livestock judging champion (8) (10) (11), club treasurer (10), County ambassador (11) (12). 15. FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes); 9,10,11,12 16. SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions); 9,10,11,12
Andrea Miller is from Gayville, SD, located within Clay-Union Electric Corporation, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Zoey Christensen
February 4, 2024 - February 10, 2024
- School
- Viborg-Hurley High School (605-766-5418)
- GPA
- 4.11
- Activities
- National Honor Society, HOSA, FFA, Volleyball, Track, Student Council, Class President, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, All School Play, Boys basketball statistician
Zoey Christensen is from Viborg, SD, located within Southeastern Electric Coop, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Grace Anderson
January 28, 2024 - February 3, 2024
- School
- Hills-Beaver Creek HS (507.962.3240)
- GPA
- 3.94
- Activities
- Volleyball, Knowledge Bowl, Math League, High Honor Student, Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO), Homecoming Queen.
Grace Anderson is from Beaver Creek, MN, located within Sioux Valley Energy, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
Avery Norris
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.
Rain Swenson
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.
Jackson Peck
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.
John Mortrude
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.
Tayden Wells
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.
Parker Lessman
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.
Joseph Tegethoff
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.