Our Young People

Sullivan participates in All-State Band

Published by admin on Wed, 04/03/2024 - 8:57am
The 74th Annual South Dakota High School All-State Band was held in Pierre, at T.F. Riggs High School, March 21-23. Everett Sullivan of Hill City High School participated in this event. Sullivan is a junior and plays the euphonium in the high school band. You might have also seen him running up and down the court as a member of the Hill City  boys basketball team.

Zoe Alexander awarded DWU Presidential Leadership Scholarship

Published by admin on Wed, 03/27/2024 - 9:21am
Hill City High School senior Zoe Alexander was awarded the Presidential Leadership Scholarship for Dakota Wesleyan University (DWU) in Mitchell. Alexander has been attending school in Hill City her entier life, and she will now continue her education at DWU to pursue a career as a pediatric nurse. 
The Presidential Leadership Scholarship is $21,000 per year for four years adding up to $84,000. The student awarded the scholarship must live on campus and maintain a GPA of 2.7 or higher to continue to receive funding. The scholarship will go toward tuition and housing. 

Cass to be featured on Rising Star of the West

Published by admin on Wed, 03/06/2024 - 10:26am

Custer High School senior Bailey Cass will be featured as part of KEVN Black Hills FOX’s Rising Star of the West scholarship contest Thursday, March 7, on The SIX and on Black Hills FOX News at 9 p.m. Cass qualified for the contest by submitting a short video of herself to KEVN Black Hills FOX. Cass is one of the semi-finalists who will be seen through March 22. Her one-minute commentary will be aired and then placed on blackhillsfox.com for viewers to watch and rate.  One competitor from each week will then advance to the final round in May.

Brandt wins Voice of Democracy contest

Published by admin on Wed, 02/28/2024 - 11:15am

Lexi Brandt from Hill City High School was recognized by Custer VFW Post 3442 as this year’s Voice of Democracy winner.
VFW Post 3442 scholarship chair Corey Virtue said that in the organization’s Voice of Democracy contest, Brandt has taken first place at the post, district and state level. She will now go to Washington, D.C., March 2 to compete against 49 other students for a chance to win up to $35,000 in scholarships.

Brandt headed to Washington, D.C. for Voice of Democracy essay contest

Published by admin on Wed, 02/28/2024 - 9:19am
Hill City High School junior Lexi Brandt is heading to Washington, D.C. for the final round of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Voice of Democracy (VOD) essay contest.
According to vfwar.org, the “VOD audio-essay program provides high school students with the unique opportunity to express themselves in regards to a democratic and patriotic-themed recorded essay. Each year, nearly 40,000 ninth through 12th grade students from across the country enter to win their share of $2.1 million in educational scholarships and incentives awarded through the program.”

Hermosa Elder’s Wisdom program Thursday

Published by admin on Wed, 02/14/2024 - 11:33am

Last year, Hermosa Elementary School students took part for the first time in the Elder’s Wisdom, Children’s Song program, a long-time Custer tradition. This year, they will host a program of their own as the fourth and fifth grade students honor Stringbean Svenson and Maxine Knapp. The program begins at 6 p.m. at the Hermosa school tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 15.
Elder’s Wisdom, Children’s Song aims to bring communities together and bridge generational divides through narrative and song.

School full of goodies

Published by admin on Wed, 02/14/2024 - 9:06am
In the spirit of Valentine’s Day I would like to reference the Forrest Gump’s saying, “Life is like a box of chocolates!”  This wisdom can be applied to the ‘goodies’ in our school, but unlike Mr. Gump we know exactly what we will get.  

Mr. Chase’s class wins SDDOT snowplow naming contest

Published by admin on Wed, 02/07/2024 - 9:43am
Look out winter, Snow-key the Bear is on the job. That is the new name of the snowplow that runs through Hill City thanks to Brady Chase’s third-grade class at Hill City Elementary School. 
The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) started the annual Name the Snowplow Contest four years ago. 
“It was introduced just to engage our customers,” said Rich Zacher, Area Engineer for SDDOT. 

Students to honor elders with original songs

Published by admin on Wed, 01/31/2024 - 10:56am

On Monday night, the Custer fourth grade classes will bring the community together at the Custer High School theater to celebrate two of Custer’s finest: Diane Dennis and Jim Kelley. Dennis and Kelley are the latest honorees in Custer’s Elders’ Wisdom, Children’s Song Program, which aims to bring communities together by celebrating its own members and bridging generational gaps.
The program begins at 6:30 p.m. with refreshments being served at a recpetion in the commons afterward.

Daiss dances in New York City

Published by admin on Wed, 01/17/2024 - 9:38am
Most dancers dream of performing in New York City (NYC). Grace Daiss, an eighth grader at Hill City Middle School, achieved this dream Dec. 13 when she performed before The Rockettes’ Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. 
Grace started dancing at Prima School of Dancing in Rapid City when she was 3 years old because her mom, Britt Daiss, tap dances there. Then, in fifth grade, Grace auditioned for the Prima Company competition team.