Hot Springs School District 23-2

Ham Radio Operation

National Kindness Video Contest for ages 12-19. ACT NOW! Your kids ages 12-19 still have time to submit a video about kindness! Important Notes: • Nowadays, kids can create a video in minutes right on their phones! • Videos can be as simple or creative as they'd like. • We are looking for messages of kindness: What does kindness mean to them? How has someone showed them kindness? How can kindness make a difference in their school? Or show examples of kindness in action - it could be a skit, commercial, PSA, anything that shows the message of the importance of kindness! • Videos should be uploaded to a private YouTube account and the video link sent to Bruce Seifert at viakofkvideocontest@outlook.com by midnight this Saturday, January 18th. • Don't over think it - your video and message doesn't need to be fancy, just meaningful AND you have the chance to win two SUPER BOWL tickets (including flights and hotel) or CASH! Learn more at https://www.viafdn.org/kindnessvideocontest

It is that time of year that scholarship applications should be part of the "to do" list for our seniors. There are so many opportunities out there, but it takes time to look and to fill out the applications. Please refer to this current list. We do add to it when we receive information. It would be worthwhile for parents and seniors to bookmark it. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-tDNXmEl2t96Zy8Luq-wekZeQvwOaYIvbJGbdhtZvzY/edit?pli=1&gid=0#gid=0 IN ADDITION, the deadline for the Build Dakota Scholarship is March 31st.

High School Seniors: The Association of South Dakota County Weed & Pest Boards offer SD Weed Fighter’s Scholarships each year. To be eligible for a scholarship, you must meet the following requirements: 1. Must be a citizen of the United States and a South Dakota resident. 2. Must be a high school graduate, you’ll receive the funds after you complete one semester in college. 3. Must be a post-secondary student with an agriculture production, precision farming, agronomy, entomology, or Natural Resources as fields of study in a South Dakota College, University or Technical School or any bordering state. At least 2 scholarships will be awarded with a minimum of $1000 each. The application form and requirements can be found at: https://sdassociationofweedandpest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/sd-weedfighters-scholarship-2025.pdf For more information on this scholarship opportunity, please contact Gary Pribyl at sdweedfighters@gmail.com. The application deadline is March 31, 2025 and late applications will not be considered.

Exciting news for our boys wrestling team. We are sitting 19th out of 64 teams for the top dual teams in Class B. They will be in action both Friday in Phillip and Saturday in Hill City.

Thank you to our high school student council and FFA for presenting information to the school board at Monday's School Board Meeting. Both groups did a wonderful job of informing the board of their priorities and actions that they have taken this year along with what is ahead.

Information for current juniors: Will you be a senior in the 2025-2026 School Year? If so, we have an amazing opportunity for you to spend 48 hours growing your leadership skills and servant heart, connecting with 70+ rising seniors from the region, and having lots of fun in the process. The Service Leadership Academy (SLA) has been making a difference for students since 2022 and we are excited to announce that there will be two SLAs this summer, June 2-4 and July 30-August 1. The SLA starts at 11:00 AM on day one and ends at 11:00 AM on day three. There are no academic requirements, participants only need a desire to grow and want to make a difference. The SLA is free thanks to the generous support of our benefactors who are committed to growing the next generation of leaders. The Humanity Launch created the Service Leadership Academy to connect the amazing students they meet on their retreats at schools around South Dakota, SW Minnesota and NW Iowa. They will use a leadership team and ten college students to lead you and the other SLA participants. The SLA includes keynote speakers, leadership and service roundtables, a half day of service at a local nonprofit, group and one-on-one conversations, loads of fun activities, and field trips around Sioux Falls. You will be housed in dorms at Augustana University with single or double rooms of your choosing. Lodging, meals, transportation around Sioux Falls, supplies… are all provided free of charge. If this sounds like something you are interested in, register soon as the 70 spots will be filled quickly. If you have a friend you want to share this experience with, share this information and encourage them to apply. To learn more check out the links below: You can get some perspectives of students that have attended by watching he KELO story about the SLA at: https://www.keloland.com/news/local-news/local-high-schoolers-learning-leadership-skills/ We made a short Service Leadership Academy informational video that you can share with students and parents. https://youtu.be/wdFxSzI1KE4 If you have students that are interested can register at: https://forms.gle/qMR8wMJwehYuMH366 Questions?? - Contact Gregg Talcott 605-261-0645 Gregg@TheHumanityLaunch.com

Seniors: We would highly encourage you to apply for this scholarship. Deadline is January 31st. 2025 VIBZ Scholarship Applications are Open! Are you headed to college in the fall? How would you like some money to help pay for books, tuition, and that all-you-can-eat meal plan? Now is your chance to apply for one of BHFCU's ten $2,000 VIBZ scholarships! Great applicants look like high school seniors who demonstrate outstanding commitment, leadership, community service, and academic achievement. To qualify, applicants must be in their senior year of high school, 19 years old or younger, and a BHFCU member. Students can use the scholarship at any accredited vocational and technical school, college, or university during the 2025 – 2026 academic year. Apply online by Friday, January 31! We will share our ten lucky recipients by Friday, February 21. Good luck! https://www.bhfcu.com/explore/learn/blog/2025-vibz-scholarship-application

This is for JUNIOR and SENIOR BOYS! Boys State is a once in a lifetime opportunity for junior and senior boys. Throughout the week, students will hear from the SD Congressional Delegation, SD Municipal League Office, Secretary of State, County Officials, among many other state leaders. You will participate in law enforcement class from the SD Highway Patrol, legal classes from members of the SD Bar Association, run for elections at every level of state government and join in the party caucuses. This is one of the best leadership trainings offered to high school students and is a great opportunity to network with other student-leaders from around the state. To register go to www.southdakotaboysstate.com. If you have already attended Boys State, you won’t be eligible. Boys State will be June 2-6 on the campus of NSU in Aberdeen.

Hello Bison Families, We are inviting our students, parents, and community to nominate individuals for the following awards: Hot Springs Teacher of the Year and Hot Springs Classified Staff of the Year. The deadline to submit the following form is Friday, January 24th. We have so many excellent staff members, but this gives you the opportunity to acknowledge the one that has gone above and beyond for you/your child/the community. Teacher nomination form: https://forms.gle/WydUHmnXMTbGawJA8 Classified Staff nomination form (custodians, maintenance, paraprofessionals, secretaries): https://forms.gle/NqNWFquqntKWSW9R8

Juniors and Seniors: Be on the lookout for an announcement about Paul Mitchell in Rapid City coming to Hot Springs to talk to interested students. This would be for students interested in Cosmetology, Esthetics, Nail Technology, and Massage Therapy. 🎓 2025 Scholarships Now Available at Paul Mitchell The School Rapid City! 🎓 We’re excited to announce new scholarships for students starting in June - November! Whether you’re pursuing a career in cosmetology, nail technology, esthetics, or massage therapy, we’ve got you covered with $1000 scholarships! Available for ALL Programs! ✨ 2025 High School Graduates Scholarship: • High School Transcript with a minimum 2.5 GPA • Submit a written or video essay • Graduate High School in the year 2025 ✨ Military Scholarship: • Medically or Honorably Discharged Veterans • Active Duty Military Personnel • Spouses of Active Duty Military Personnel 🔗 For more information and to apply, email our Financial Services Leader, Mary Popkes, at: maryp@rapidcity.paulmitchell.edu Note: • One scholarship available per applicant. • Scholarships are limited. • You must maintain satisfactory academic progress to keep your scholarship.

Hello Bison Families. I apologize for some students being left off of the Honor Roll list yesterday. We will be sharing the names of those students that are also on the honor roll lists. Thank you so much for your patience and I once again apologize for the list not being complete. We are so very proud of these students for their academic accomplishment for first semester. I also want to thank all those parents that reached out to me and let me know that their student may have been mistakenly left off of the list. Dr. Cumbow Additional students on the Roll of Merit (3.0-3.49 with no Ds or Fs): Zoren Aspinall Jasmine Crowley Lukas Cupsa Kye Kutz Brylee Mello Eliza Nadeem Peter Noteboom Jaidyn Schuh Taven Crowley Avery Davis Emma Druce Bentley Hughes Victoria Davis Elizabeth Lauing Lilly Parker Layton Ringstmeyer Holten Rutz Carter Walz Additional students on the Roll of Excellence (3.5-3.99 with no Ds or Fs): Isaac Ambuul Eva Erickson Junibelle Gilbert Casen Humbracht Tanner Naze Lyla Perez-Nitsche Sylvia Wermager Kash Baker Zoey Dunn Dalton Hunter Gunner Parisien Reagan Schultes Alain Rono Gaige Sides Haylee White Keenan White

Hello Bison Families. I apologize for some students being left off of the Honor Roll list yesterday. We will be sharing the names of those students that are also on the honor roll lists. I have completed the high school lists and will be working on the middle school lists as soon as possible. Thank you so much for your patience and I once again apologize for the list not being complete. We are so very proud of these students for their academic accomplishment for first semester. I also want to thank all those parents that reached out to me and let me know that their student may have been mistakenly left off of the list. Dr. Cumbow Additional students on the Roll of Merit (3.0-3.49 with no Ds or Fs): Keagan Braucher Adisyn Clasen Elizabeth Jones Nehemiah Lewis Jacob Merrill Mira Palyan William Robinson Oakley Sowers Emma Torres Konnor West Ben Black Reese Naze Ray Sanders Jax Tschacher Braxton Watson Therese Ambuul Sergio Cantu Ashlynn Elshere Cardar Halls Wyatt Nellen Lakoda Shafer Rose Burchfield Teagan Erskin Kaemyn Kippenstein Kenadee Maciejewski Senay Pulscher Additional students on the Roll of Excellence (3.5-3.99 with no Ds or Fs): Karlie Mathis Shayna Morgan William O'Neill Ruby Russell Azbayar Bayambanorov Olivia Moffitt Annelieke Deboer Clancy Koupal Olivia LeGrand Kiana Lewis Lyzzet Rapp Trenton Jordan McCoy Rippentrop Laura Walker

Congratulations to our middle and high school students that earned academic achievement by being on the Roll of Merit by earning a 3.0-3.49GPA this first semester. https://www.canva.com/design/DAGcHWsLaok/3_Uw0cmieKzgNBg3K117Lw/view?utm_content=DAGcHWsLaok&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=hbe8522e3fe

Congratulations to the following middle and high schoolers for achieving the Roll of Excellence (3.5-3.99GPA) for first semester. https://www.canva.com/design/DAGcHR6MqtA/YwB6-xM6-aaeQMtLgWrotw/view?utm_content=DAGcHR6MqtA&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h4922690eeb

Congratulations to these middle and high schoolers for their academic achievement of a 4.0GPA for first semester. https://www.canva.com/design/DAGcG10qEcc/AS1wYu1AGtILuQvCL2HfXw/view?utm_content=DAGcG10qEcc&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h415416c6e3

Spelling Bee: 3-5th graders will be involved in classroom spelling bees this week. It is amazing what some students are able to spell (without spellcheck!!). The middle schoolers will be participating the week of January 21st.

2025 Legislative session opens tomorrow The 2025 legislative session will begin Tuesday, Jan. 14, with the Governor’s State of the State Address at 1 p.m. (CT). This year marks the 100th session of the South Dakota Legislature. You can track all bills via the Legislative Research Council’s website at https://sdlegislature.gov/. SDPB streams committee meetings and meetings of the House and Senate at https://www.sd.net/.

22 students showed up interested in Archery today. If your 4th-12th grader is still interested, make sure that you contact Mrs. Mazzocchio and/or Mrs. Palo.

Hot Springs spirit wear is always in style! • 1/20 - 1/26: Quarter-Zips $10 Off • 1/27 - 2/2: Crewnecks $10 Off • 2/3 - 2/9: Pajama Pants 25% Off Gear up for the winter at https://1stplace.sale/114508