Author Archives: Rita Pravecek

By Langston Dutt
Hi, today I’m going to talk about what I learned in D.A.R.E. in the past few weeks. D.A.R.E. means Drugs Alcohol Resistance Education. So let’s get straight into this.
The first thing I learned was what cigarettes and alcohol can do to your body. The alcohol can change your moods like if you’re happy, sad, or angry. Then it can also trick your eyes like they see stuff normally but it moves so you can’t tell if you’re driving in the right lane. 75,000 people each year die of alcohol related deaths. The cigarettes are bad so if you smoke, this will probably be you. The cigarettes can do different stuff to you like your lungs will be clack, you will smell bad, and it may cause cancer.
Next, we talked about risk and consequences. Risk means taking a chance, and consequence means a result of something you choose. Like if your mom says be home at 3:00 pm when you went to the park with your friends but you got home at 3:30, there’s a risk you may or may not get trouble. If you do that’s a consequence and you might get grounded.
Then, we talked about pressure and peer pressure. Pressure means a force or influence that acts you to do something. Peer pressure means when people around your age try to get you to do something. I did experience peer pressure before when I was at the pool in Winner, South Dakota. I got peer pressure when people around my age wanted me to do a front flip on the high dive! I was scared but I said why not and I did it. It didn’t end well because I ended up hurting my back really really bad.
I learned a lot in D.A.R.E. like not smoking because I don’t wan bad lungs and I don’t want nicotine inside of me. Also, I won’t drink because I don’t ever want to get in a car crash that damages something in my body. Vaping I will never do because I don’t want metal in my lungs or body. I will use what I learned in D.A.R.E. to make responsible choices. To help someone out like people who are homeless, and need help with an addition. I will always clean my room and do chores that parents want me to do because I love them. Well, this is all I learned in D.A.R.E. and hope you make good choices like I chose to do.
By Evan Bice
What do you think D.A.R.E. is? If you don’t know I am going to tell you about it. D.A.R.E. is very important for many reasons. It gives you real life situations and teaches you about how to stay away from drugs as a kid. A lot of people are starting to peer pressure kids to smoke, vape, do drugs, and drink. I am going to tell you how to stay away from them, walk away, or say no when people ask you to even your friends! DARE means; D means define, A means assess, R means respond, E means evaluate. Now I am going to give you a real life situation and I’ll help you make a choice your friend has a beer he ask if you want a drink you say no right correct you made a great choice I hope you keep reading and keep on learning about DARE!
I am going to tell you what I learned in DARE. I learned how to keep calm in tough situations. I learned how you have to say no in peer pressure situations. Officer Blare teach us how to stay healthy and keep our bodies healthy. Officer Blare also taught us the five W’s of who, what, when, where, why. I am going to give you a situation that you can use the five W’s. Landon was walking home from the park for supper. He runs into a bully named Adam. Adam says, “Landon is a loser and sucks at sports.” Now I am going to use the five W’s Who: Landon, What: getting called mean things, When: on his way home, Where: the park, Why: because Adam thinks Landon is bad at sports.
I am going to tell you how I use the DARE decision-making model. My sister shoved and called me names this is going to be my situation D-define my sister pushed me and shoved me and called me names. A-assess my choices are to not tell on her and get hurt or tell on her and not get hurt. R-respond I am going to tell on her because it didn’t make me feel good and it hurt my feelings. E-evaluate I think I made a great choice because I no longer will get hurt. Now she doesn’t fight me and is nice to me.
I am now going to tell you how I will use DARE in the future. I will use it to stay away from drugs, smoking, vaping, and drinking. I will use it to teach younger kids to stay away from drugs because they will mess up your life. I will be a good adult and never do those types of things. In a tough situations, I’ll remember what Office Blare said.
I am very happy that we had DARE this year. I am very thankful for Officer Blare for teaching us. I will use DARE for the rest of my life in tough situations. DARE is a very good educational thing in school for young kids to stay away from drugs, smoking, vaping, and drinking. DARE is a great thing and I really had a great time with him here teaching us and taking out time of his day for him to come to school and teach my grade.
By Reece Halligan
DARE is so fun! You also learn way more than we will. You will learn an enormous amount of things about drugs. But that’s not all learn about. You also learn about stress, bullying, and peer pressure. I learned a lot and I’m going to tell you will too.
When I was in DARE I learned so many things. I know that cigarettes contain nicotine. Did you know that there are 200 harmful chemicals known in cigarettes, chewing tobacco also contains nicotine. It also contains fiberglass. I learned a bunch in DARE those just a few of the insane things.
The DARE decision making model stand for define, assess, respond, and evaluate. When you define you find the problem, challenge, or opportunity. When you assess you find your choices. When you respond you make your choice. When you evaluate your review your decision was a good choice. I will use the DARE decision making model when I’m offered drugs, when me or someone else is getting bullied, or if someone else or I is in danger. I also use it when my brother and I get in a fight.
I plan to use what I learned when I’m under stress or peer pressure. I am a very stressful person. I get stressed a lot, more than I should. I’m also under peer pressure quite a bit. I plan to use what I have learned to help me with stress and peer pressure. I plan to take a deep breath and slow down sometimes. I plan to use what I learned in DARE a lot in the future.
Now you know that DARE is not only fun but interesting. I hope you learned a lot because I did. I plan to think of what I learned in DARE a lot.

Fifty students will graduate from Winner High School on Saturday, May 15. The ceremony will start at 2 p.m. in the Winner Armory.

The speaker will be senior Meagan Blare.

Shannon Calhoon, student council president, will present the outstanding faculty award.

Senior Brennan Bachmann will sing “I’ll Always Remember You.”

The honor song will be presented by the Chasing Hawk drum group.

The Winner High School Band, under the direction of Nicole Pierson, will play the processional and the recessional.

Mike Calhoon, school board president, will award the diplomas.

The graduation ceremony will feature a power point presentation on the graduates and a flower ceremony.

Seniors graduating with high honor are Brennan Bachmann, Kalla Bertram, Meagan Blare, Megan Brozik, Kady Cable, Shannon Calhoon, Jesse Colson, Evan Farner, Brady Fritz, Hayley Hanson, Taylor Headrick, Katherine Jankauskas, Maggie LaCompte, Mackenzie Levi, Aryn Meiners, Bosten Morehart, Kayla Natoli, Delanie Nelson, Preston Norrid, Marlie Schuyler, Shelby Scott, Teresa Taylor and Landon Thieman.

Students graduating with honor are Zachary Bohnet, Bailey Brown, Presley Foudray, Jackson Hanson, Dawsyn Kahler and Sam Kruger.

Students who will receive the president’s award for educational excellence are: Kalla Bertram, Meagan Blare, Shannon Calhoon, Jesse Colson, Evan Farner, Presley Foudray, Brady Fritz, Hayley Hanson, Taylor Headrick, Katherine Jankauskas, Dawsyn Kahler, Mackenzie Levi, Kayla Natoli, Preston Norrid, Shelby Scott, Teresa Taylor and Landon Thieman.

Regents scholars are: Brennan Bachmann, Kalla Bertram, Meagan Blare, Zachary Bohnet, Megan Brozik, Shannon Calhoon, Jesse Colson, Owen Duffy, Evan Farner, Presley Foudray, Brady Fritz, Jackson Hansen, Hayley Hanson, Taylor Headrick, Katherine Jankauskas, Sam Kruger, Deja Kucera, Maggie LaCompte, Mackenzie Levi, Aryn Meiners, Bosten Morehart, Kayla Natoli, Delanie Nelson, Preston Norrid, Marlie Schuyler and Landon Thieman.

National Honor Society members are: Brennan Bachmann, Kalla Bertram, Meagan Blare, Bailey Brown, Megan Brozik, Shannon Calhoon, Jesse Colson, Evan Farner, Presley Foudray, Brady Fritz, Jackson Hansen, Hayley Hanson, Taylor Headrick, Katherine Jankauskas, Sam Kruger, Maggie LaCompte, Mackenzie Levi, Aryn Meiners, Bosten Morehart, Kayla Natoli, Delanie Nelson, Preston Norrid, Marlie Schuyler, Shelby Scott, Teresa Taylor and Landon Thieman.

The graduation ushers will be Alani Old Lodge, Charley Pravecek, Bella Swedlund and Kade Watson.

Handing out programs will be Hattie Hespe, Ashton Klein, Jace Brazelton and Madeline Watzel.

The class flower is the cream magnolia and the class colors are purple, black and white.

The motto is: “I am not afraid of tomorrow because I have seen yesterday and I love today.”

Eighteen seniors will graduate from Colome High School on May 15.

The graduation ceremony will start at 6 p.m. in the Colome gym.

The speaker will be Wade Juracek, government teacher at Colome High School.

Scholarships will be awarded and the Colome Legion will present an award to an outstanding middle school student and a high school student.

The Colome band under the direction of Cheyenne Heath will perform.

The class colors are green, silver and white. The class flower is the white rose.

The motto is: “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

There will also be an 8^th grade graduation.

Several Winner 6^th and 7^th graders placed in the SDBA instrumental contest that took place on April 30 in Winner.

In addition to Winner, there were students from Colome, Chamberlain and Gregory.

The  students performed in front of three judges. 

Band teacher Nicole Pierson said the 6^th and 7^th graders did an amazing job.

Wyatt Winfield received a superior rating, Aidan Hespe received a superior rating, Shannon Rank received a superior rating, Evan Littau received a superior rating, Suchi Chaudhari received an excellent rating, Amanda Edwards received a superior rating, Ronin Gilpin received an excellent rating, Addi Heenan received a superior rating and Noah Manke received a superior rating.

By Dan Bechtold

Editor

For 42 years Ray Hannett has been an important part of the Grossenburg Implement team.

He has been an appliance manager and for most of his career sold John Deere equipment.

Hannett has retired from Grossenburgs and an open house was held in his honor on Friday.

It was a time for long time customers to say “thank you” to Ray for all the great service he provided them.

Hannett started with Grossenburgs Oct. 1, 1979. He had heard that Don Gregoire, long time Grossenburg employee, was retiring.

In September Hannett went to Grossenburgs and met Gene Grossenburg coming out of the tire shop. “I asked him if Don was going to retire and he said yes.”

Gene asked Ray if he wanted the job and Ray said “maybe.” Gene’s response was: “You are hired.”

The rest is history of a long time, loyal employee at Grossenburg Implement.

Prior to working at Grossenburg’s, Ray worked for five years at Karl’s TV.

At the time Ray started at Grossenburgs the appliance department only sold Maytag products. “When I took over I turned it into a full appliance store. We sold TVs, refrigerators and microwaves,” said Ray.

In 1980, Ray started selling John Deere lawn mowers and three years later he was selling big John Deere farm machinery.

Grossenburg Implement celebrated its 50^th anniversary in 1987 and at the anniversary site north of Winner, Ray sole $60,000 worth of appliances in one day. “It was then that Gene decided I was worth more selling tractors than appliances,” explained Ray.

While Grossenburg Implement celebrated its 50^th anniversary John Deere celebrated its 150^th anniversary. Ray, Blanche Grossenburg, Gene Grossenburg, Rodney Grossenburg and Barry Grossenberg went to Albuquerque N.M., for the gala celebration. Ray noted the Grossenburgs ate at the table with the president of John Deere. He also recalls the evening featured a seven course meal.

In 1995, Rodney Grossenburg retired as sales manager and Ray took over as sales manager. He held this position until 2012 when Charlie Grossenburg became sales manager.

The sales staff has doubled since the time Ray took over as sales manager when there were four on the sales staff.

Over the years, Ray has developed quite a clientele of customers who trusted him and Grossenburg Implement to give them a fair deal.

In his cell phone, Ray has over 1,600 contacts of customers.

Ray’s personality, honesty and fairness helped draw customers to Grossenburg Implement.

Ray was the first salesman of John Deere to receive a master’s in salesmanship through the on line John Deere University.

When asked what he liked about selling, Ray said he lied the dealing with customers who are customers for life. “You  know their needs and they know how I operate with honesty and fairness.”

Ray added: “Grossenburgs is a great place to work. They supported me through all they years. They are good people.”

In retirement, Ray and his wife, Deb, plan to travel, see the grandkids and enjoy life.

The couple have two daughters: Jolene Keckler, Sioux Falls and Carrie Hock, Rapid City. The Hannetts have five grandchildren. Jolene has three girls and Carrie has two boys.

Carrie is a pharmacist at Ft. Mead and Jolene is an educational psychologist for the Sioux Falls School District.