The Wellmark Foundation is awarding grants for up to $10,000 for projects that promote active living as well as access to and consumption of healthy foods. Heidi Hora, Viborg's economic development director just entered our community project for a chance to receive a grant for more playground equipment at the elementary school playground. Our hope is to add these additional pieces of equipment as well as some benches that were built and donated by the Viborg-Hurley FFA so that the elementary playground is a fun and safe place for the younger students and children in our community to use during non-school hours or during weekends, holidays, or the summer when school is not in session. We are hoping that the addition of the benches will make our playground more user friendly for those parents that want to come and watch their children playing during non-school hours. Starting September 26th, you can vote for our project at Facebook.com/WellmarkBCBS. You can help us by logging on and voting for our grant proposal for new playground equipment for the Viborg-Hurley Elementary School playground. Thank you in advance for your help and support.
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It is true that "many hands make light work." As you can see by the pictures above there were quite a few helping hands assisting with the FFA clean up project this past weekend. On Sunday, September 18th our local FFA chapter spent the afternoon helping out their neighbors on a farmstead just south of Viborg. The chapter members and alumni pitched in and helped to trim trees, cut brush, and do general yard clean up during the afternoon making quite a difference on the landscape. Congratulations to all that helped on a job well done.
 ALEXANDRIA, VA—The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) announces John Rist, agricultural education instructor at Viborg-Hurley Schools in Viborg, South Dakota, as the recipient of the 2016 Region V Carl Perkins Community Service Award. This award recognizes educators who have used career and technical education (CTE) to make a significant impact on a community/humanitarian cause through leadership in programs and activities that promote community involvement. This award was named in honor of the late Congressman Perkins, and is designed to recognize individuals who have demonstrated the same humanitarian concerns exemplified by Congressman Perkins.
John Rist delivers all high school courses for Viborg-Hurley School district’s full-time agricultural program, in addition to teaching agricultural education exploration to 7th and 8th graders. The program appeals to students from rural and urban areas alike, with a majority of program completers going on to pursue jobs or postsecondary education in agriculture. Rist has taught at three schools over the past 30 years, leaving a legacy of community service behind with each FFA chapter. In Bowdle, South Dakota, his FFA chapter built new dugouts for the baseball field; worked with the county 4-H clubs to build a new covered show ring at the fairgrounds; planted and maintained a Community Tree Bank; conducted an extensive economic development survey that led to several expanded and new businesses for the community; and conducted an extensive Agricultural Awareness Program for approximately 20+ schools annually in a 60 mile radius of Bowdle. Recent years have found Rist’s Viborg-Hurley FFA chapter re-siding an old country school-house, making improvements and painting the Danish Heritage Society & Museum building, hosting Old McDonald's Farm during the Turner County Fair, and serving on the local economic development board. When the community mobilized to save its landmark historical theater from closing in 2011, the chapter joined up with a community economic development group to conduct a community survey, assist with fundraising and cleanup and short-term repairs. His students have since become many of the day-to-day volunteers that operate the theater four nights per week. “John Rist is a positive role model and a great mentor to all students who are privileged to partake in his teachings,” says Brett Mellum, High School Principal for Viborg-Hurley School District. Rist currently serves as the South Dakota ACTE President. Rist is one of four finalists for the 2017 national title. The national winner will be announced at the ACTE Awards Banquet, a dinner and award presentation recognizing the best CTE educators in the country. The event will take place on Wednesday evening, November 30, during ACTE’s CareerTech VISION 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Awards Banquet is sponsored by Express Employment Professionals, the US Army, CareerSafe, Certiport, Stratasys, and International Baccalaureate. For more information about the ACTE Excellence Awards, visit our webpage. Source: http://www.acteonline.org/general.aspx?id=10932#.V9mXIygrLIU
Congratulations to all of our Royalty candidates we know each of you will represent us well. Please come out and help us cheer our Cougars and Lady Cougars on to Victory throughout the week.
 Did you know that Freshmen starting high school this year will be learning about 9/11 as a historical event that took place before they were born? Patriot Day, which falls on the 11th of September is remembered world-wide as the anniversary of the catastrophic terrorist attacks on the USA that occurred on September 11th, 2001. For those of us who lived through it, this day is embedded in our memories and most of us can tell you exactly what we were doing at the moment that we first got the news that three jet planes had been hijacked and crashed into the New York World Trade Center and the Pentagon and that a fourth plane (United Airlines Flight 93) had also been hijacked and was on course toward Washington DC. This fourth plane crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, which we found out later was the result of the heroic acts of the passengers on board the plane when they found out what had happened in New York and at the Pentagon. For most of that day and the days to follow, people were glued to their televisions watching first in horror, anger, and shock and then finally a deep sense of sadness as the reality of what had happened sank in and the names and faces of the fallen flashed across the screen. Many of us were hoping that the rescue workers would find some survivors in the twisted rubble even though that hope dimmed as the days passed. The large majority of those that were lost after the attacks on the Twin Towers were working at or above the points of collision. On this day like many others before, thousands of people had gone to work that morning. On that particular September morning though they suddenly found themselves stranded at the top of a burning skyscraper while the entire world watched. A number of them made the choice to jump from the flaming buildings rather than to wait to be caught by the flames or for the building to collapse because there was no way for them to escape. No one that watched the events unfold on the news coverage or at the scene will ever forget the terrifying and heartbreaking stories and images that were captured by the news footage of the day. When we remember that day we also need to remember the many brave men and women from the emergency services that risked their lives trying to help rescue victims after the World Trade Center collisions. We need to remember that 411 of them lost their own lives attempting to fight fires and rescue people that day as these brave men and women were true hero's. Today, Patriot Day is recognized by United States law as the official day of remembrance for these tragic events. It has been observed every year since the attacks of September 11, 2001 and each year on this day, American flags are flown at half-staff to honor and commemorate those who lost their lives. Our President asks that all Americans take time to observe a moment of silence at 8.46 AM (Eastern Daylight Time), which is the time of the first plane collision into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. While the events took place within the USA, the shock and grief experienced in response to the attacks was shared world-wide, and for this reason Patriot Day is observed not only in America, but all over the world. Please help us take time to remember the 2,977 people that were lost that September day fifteen years ago. Local Farmers Help VIBORG-HURLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT Win $10,000 Grant to Improve STEM Education
Grant from the America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education Program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, will provide enhanced learning opportunities for Viborg-Hurley students to develop important and leading skills – helping to shape the future of agriculture
Viborg, Hurley SD August 26th, 2016 – To feed the world’s rapidly growing population and tackle many other global challenges, our country’s next generation of leaders will need to be highly-skilled in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). That’s why the America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education Program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, has awarded the Viborg-Hurley School District with a $10,000. The Viborg-Hurley School District plans to use the funds to integrate new technology inside and outside of the Middle School and High School Science classrooms. Each classroom will receive a new digital microscope with a USB camera for easy whole class instruction and viewing. Sustainable mini greenhouses, hydroponic growing kits, and STEM activities addressing Matter, Energy, and cellular Sciences are among the Middle School activities; while data collection devices are among the high school’s top priorities. “ I am so thrilled and thankful for the Monsanto Grant. It will allow our students to have innumerable opportunities to extend their knowledge of the subject matter; to gain a deeper understanding of what we are studying in class and how it relates to their world. ” said Mrs. Jena Campbell, Middle School 5th-7th Science Teacher & 5th, 6th Reading Teacher. Earlier this year, farmers in Viborg SD, and Hurley, SD, nominated the district for consideration. After the nomination, the district developed its submission to enhance its STEM education offering through Mrs. Jena Campbell, utilizing STEM activities throughout all Sciences. A group of science and math teachers reviewed each submission and selected Viborg-Hurley School District as a finalist. Next, the Program’s Farmer Advisory Council, which is composed of approximately 30 farmer leaders from across the country with an interest in agriculture and education, selected Viborg- Hurley School District for one of the Grow Rural Education Grants. Grant applications were judged based on the merit of the application, need and community support. The America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education program began in 2011. Since 2011, more than $11 million has been awarded to over 700 rural school districts to enhance STEM education. For a complete list of winners and to learn more about the America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education program, visit www.GrowRuralEducation.com. About America’s Farmers The America’s Farmers campaign highlights the importance of modern U.S. Agriculture through communications and community outreach programs that partner with farmers to impact rural America. To learn more, visit America’s Farmers at www.AmericasFarmers.com. About the Monsanto Fund The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of Monsanto Company, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the communities where farmers and Monsanto Company employees live and work. Visit the Monsanto Fund at www.monsantofund.org.  September is Attendance Awareness Month, please, join us in making good attendance a habit. As students are returning to classrooms, it is appropriate that September marks “Attendance Awareness Month.” The goal is to raise awareness around the importance of students attending school daily and how it connects to academic achievement. South Dakota's Governor, Dennis Daugaard is also making school attendance a priority this month as he addressed this topic in his monthly column in an article entitled "Make School Attendance a Priority." According to several studies, missing several days of school significantly reduces the likelihood that students will graduate from high school. While reading about this topic, I came across the following research on why attendance matters.
We do understand that there are reasons why students need to miss school but we ask that parents work with us to keep these absences down to as few as possible. If you child is going to be absent and you know ahead of time please let the school know so that the student can get work ahead of time. If an absence is unplanned then please notify the school office between 8:00 and 9:00 AM on the day of the absence. Sources: https://getschooled.com, http://www.attendanceworks.org/facts-stats-school-attendance/, http://absencesaddup.org/?gclid=COWm9Ly1t84CFQWBaQodwycOaA  |
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