The Lynx Way
Frost heads to regional oratorical contest
Brandon Valley High School senior Kelsey Frost won the Optimist International District Oratorical Contest. She received a $2,500 scholarship and advances to regional competition in St. Louis June 27.
After winning the club-level competition, Frost and another student, Alyssa DeCurtins, advanced to the zone-level competition, which Frost also won.
Last weekend, she secured the district-level win – “pretty remarkable, considering our Optimist District encompasses North and South Dakota, Minnesota and Manitoba,” noted BVHS instructor and Optimist Club member Jeremy Risty.
If Frost wins at regional competition, she advances to worlds, also in St. Louis the next day.
More scholarship money is available at these levels as well, Risty said – up to $20,000.
Sponsored by the Brandon Valley Optimist Club, the oratorical contest is open to BV students in grades 7-12. Students compose and perform an original 4- to 5-minute speech on a theme.
This is Frost’s third year competing. BVHS Oral Interp coach Gina Koehn worked with her on this year’s speech, which was themed, “Where are My Roots of Optimism?”
Mills awarded SDSDF scholarship
Brandon Valley High School senior Jason Mills has been awarded a $1,500 scholarship from the South Dakota School for the Deaf Foundation. He plans to attend the University of South Dakota, majoring in business with a minor in criminal justice.
A member of the BVHS powerlifting team four years, Mills is a Sergeant in the Sioux Falls Police Explorers, which has exposed him to police work and events like Cinco de Mayo, Hot Harley Nights and parades. He currently works at Taco John’s in Brandon as a crew leader.
Mills was one of eight recipients of a South Dakota School for the Deaf Foundation scholarship.
The SDSD Foundation awards scholarships to high school seniors who have received services from South Dakota School for the Deaf and provided service to their school and community.
Area students among USD spring grads
The University of South Dakota held the 131st Spring Commencement Ceremony May 5 in the Sanford Coyotes Sports Center honoring more than 2,000 graduates from this past academic year.
This is the first year USD hosted a single commencement ceremony to honor all graduates of the academic year on the same day. Winter commencement was eliminated in December 2017. And it’s the first commencement to be held in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center instead of the DakotaDome. USD retiring President James W. Abbott and longtime member and past president of the S.D. Board of Regents and USD law graduate, Harvey Jewett, were presented honorary degrees of Doctor of Public Service.
Among the area Undergraduates are: Brandon: Kara Polasky, Bachelor of Arts, Communication Sciences & Disorders; Andrew Weidenbach, B.A., Criminal Justice; Bailey Quanbeck, B.A., English, Communication Studies; Taylor Staab, B.A., Sports Marketing & Media; Wesley Hanson, Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting; Jared Waltz, Bachelor of Business Administration, Finance; Nathan Unzen, Bachelor of Business Administration, Finance; Darrion Jones, Bachelor of Business Administration, Health Services Administration; Lanette Hendrickson, Bachelor of General Studies, General Studies; Alexa Kruse, Bachelor of Science, Biology, Sustainability; Luke Laycock, B.S., Health Sciences; Paul Halter, B.S., Psychology, Criminal Justice; Conner DeBoer, B.S. in Education, Elementary Education, Special Education; Emily Backer, B.S. in Education, Elementary Education; Rebecca Lien, B.S. in Education, Elementary Education; Paige Wright, S.S. in Education, History Education; Samantha Batzler, B.S. in Nursing, Nursing; Sara Onnen, B.S. in Nursing, Nursing; Elizabeth Hedman, Doctor of Medicine, Medicine; Andrew Hubbart, Master of Business Administration, Business Administration; Gillian Heirigs, Master of Science, Administration; Garretson: Jennifer Harris, B.S. in Nursing, Nursing; Valley Springs: Madelin Klamm, Bachelor of Business Administration, Marketing; Taylor Andersen, B.S., Psychology; Nicole Miller, B.S. in Nursing, Nursing. Graduate and Professional - Brandon: Rodney Paul, Master of Arts, Addiction Studies; Lucy Benitez, M.A., Educational Administration; Jon Knutson, Master of Professional Accounting, Professional Accounting; Sara Prenger, Master of Science, Administration; Garretson: Michelle Olofson, M.S., Administration.
