Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo Winner girls basketball team was presented a national Good Deed Award at the athletic awards night on May 18. The Winner American Legion Auxiliary submitted the entry to state which sent it on to national. After every basketball game, whether at home or away, the girls help clean the bleachers and pick up trash. Judy Wilcox of the Winner Legion Auxiliary presented the award to coach Larry Aaker. Girls in front from left are Emma Jorgensen, Karlee Brozik, Joselin Kludt, Ellie Brozik, Bella Swedlund, Katherine Jankauskas and Melanie Brozik. Team members in back from left are Ava Craven, Aryn Meiners, Maggie LaCompte, Kalla Bertram, Kelsey Sachtjen, Shannon Calhoon and Jenna Hammerbeck.
Submitted Photo Randy Donovan has waited 35 years to get his pre-school diploma. He received it at graduation on May 17. In back are Toni Donovan, left and Karissa Odenbach.
Submitted Photo The Tripp County Community Foundation-First Fidelity Bamk fund awarded a $25,000grant to the Tripp County Building Facility Committee for a new sheep and swine building at the Tripp County Fairgrounds. Construction has begun and the building along with new pens is to be complete prior to the Mid Dakota Fair, Aug. 5-7.Accepting the grant is Bonnie Rutten, chairman of the committee, center. Also pictured are Dawn Covey and Rita Neyens, chairman and vice chairman of the Tripp County Community Foundation.
Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo The Winner High School freshmen English class put on a mock trial after reading the book â””Of Mice and Men.â”” Coy Brickman is on the witness stand with Bailey Fairbanks as the defense lawyer.
By Dan Bechtold
Editor
Freshmen at Winner High
School really get into the classic book “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck.
Cyndy DeMers teaches freshmen
English and to help the students get into the book a mock trial is held.
Now, nowhere is the book is
there mention of a trial but there is a murder.
So, characters in the book
can easily be plugged into a trial setting with lawyers, witnesses and even a
jury.
So, last Tuesday afternoon,
Kendall Dice put on her best lawyer face and acted as the prosecutor in the
case. Bailey Fairbanks was the defense lawyer. Other class member served as
witnesses and were sworn in to tell the truth just like the in real trail.
There is a guest judge and on
this afternoon WHS principal Gerald Witte was the judge.
Since she has been teaching freshmen English full time, DeMers, who is retiring this year after a career of 37 years, has added a trial when the class is done reading the book. “It is a way to get the students more involved in what is going on in the book,” said DeMers.
“Of Mice and Men” narrates
the experiences of George Milton and Lennie Small, two displaced migrant ranch
workers, who move from place to place in search of new job opportunities during
the Great Depression. The book was published in 1937.
Students pick which character
they want to play and they have to dress the part to portray that character.
Now remember this book takes
place in the Great Depression so students had to dress the part.
Students are graded on their
dress and how well they get in character.
“The students have to know
their character inside out and the lawyers have to know all the characters,”
explained DeMers.
“Honestly, I think they get
more enjoyment out of this rather than writing an essay. They learn the book
better.”
The jury has to decide if the
defendant is guilty or not guilty.
DeMers noted the funny part
is that she is putting on a mock trial in a class but most the kids do not know
what happens in a trial. Most say they watch
Judge Judy but DeMers says there is no trial in that TV show.
So there is some class
discussion and instruction on what happens in a trial before the students do
their mock trial.
During their freshmen year
the students read outloud the condensed version of “Romeo and Juliet.”
Only the boys in the class do
the reading because in Shakespeare ‘s day women were outlawed from playing parts in a play.
DeMers asked the boys not just to “read” but to put so me feeling in their character.
“This is the only way I am going to get them to read Romeo and Juliet.,” said the teacher.
This then leads into Brit Lit when they are seniors and are exposed to more
British classics. As juniors the
students take American Literature.
“We have a good reading
curriculum thought the four years of high school,” said DeMers.
Why is it important for
students to read books like this?
“Reading is so important because
we want you to learn the book but to also make your think. If you can read
something and figure out what is really being said that is going to help you,”
said the teacher.
“It is proven if kids don’t
read well they don’t score well in ACT and SAT tests and will struggle in a lot
of areas,” added DeMers.
Now while the freshmen were
doing a mock trial the juniors were doing a debate on the book they just read
“A Separate Peace,” set in the era of World War II.
DeMers noted there was a lot
of good debate.
Just another example of how
Winner High School is using innovate ways to prepare students for the real
world.
Leo Froning, 95, of Winner, South Dakota, passed away Thursday, May 20, 2021 at Faulkton Area Medical Center Hospital, Faulkton.
Funeral Mass was at 11 a.m., Tuesday, May 25, 2021 at St. Liborius Church, Polo, Fr. Kevin Achbach and Father Christopher Hughes, celebrants. Burial followed at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Polo.
Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Leo’s arrangements. Visit www.familyfuneralhome.net.
The summer lunch program in the Winner
School District will start June 1 and run till Aug. 6. There will be no lunch on July 5.
All kids in the Winner School District 18 and under can eat lunch for free.
Sack lunches will be handed out Monday
through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30
p.m. at the Winner Elementary back gym door.
On Thursday there will be two lunches
handed out so students will have a lunch on Friday.
Lunches will be delivered to Winner
Housing and Ideal. There will be no in town delivery in Winner.
Students who are attending summer
school will also get a lunch. Summer school runs June 1 to July 7.
For the 2021-2022 school year lunch and
breakfast will be free for all students.
For more information
contact Laura Root at 842-8101 or Sherry Bohnet at 842-8106
Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo Winner High School seniors who are members of the National Honor Society are in front from left Bailey Brown, Mackenzie Levi, Megan Brozik, Meagan Blare Marlie Schuyler and Teresa Taylor. Second row from left are Bosten Morehart, Landon Thieman, Aryn Meiners, Brennan Bachmann, Maggie LaCompte, Jackson Hansen and Jesse Colson. Third row from left are Preston Norrid, Sam Kruger, Shannon Calhoon, Kalla Bertram, Brady Fritz and Evan Farner. In back from left are Hayley Hanson, Katherine Jankauskas, Taylor Headrick, Delanie Nelson, Presley Foudray, Kayla Natoli and Shelby Scott.
Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo Colome High School honor graduates are from left Saydee Heath, Baylie Hoffine and Makayla Shippy. The Colome graduation was on May 15.