People across the country struggle from food insecurity and are unable to access the food that is required to meet their nutritional needs. For this reason, it is important that individuals give their best aid to these struggling people. That is exactly what the FCCLA members have done for people who need assistance with acquiring food in the Sturgis, S.D., area.
The FCCLA concluded a food drive, which held the goal of raising as much food as possible within a month.
“The 2023 FCCLA food drive started on Oct. 21., and ended on Nov 21,” Gracie Sauer (11) said. “Our goal as an FCCLA chapter was to make all students able to contribute to our food drive.”
The event was popular.
“We raised 150 pounds of food in the food drive,” Sauer said.
FCCLA members gather collected food from the food drive in Darla DeKraai’s classroom on Nov. 21. Pictured were Taylor Keyes (11), Kylee Phillips (11), Gracie Sauer (11), Madison Yaw (10) and Avery Thurman (10). photo by Darla DeKraai
Both students and staff from the school were able to donate food to the food drive.
“If they could, they brought food from home and put it in the office at the school,” Kylee Phillips (11) said.
The way FCCLA members gathered the food was effective. The location where the gathered food was kept helped bring attention to the food drive.
“When people came inside [the building], they saw the food as a reminder to bring some,” Phillips said.
There are more ways to bring attention to the food drive than just keeping the food in the office. For example, posters were utilized effectively.
The FCCLA “put out posters to make people aware,” Phillips said.
FCCLA members also found success in “encouraging students and staff to participate,” Taylor Keyes (11) said.
The food drive received many food donations, and the food was sent to a food pantry.
Sauer said, “the food that was donated to the food drive was taken to the local Kiwanis Food Pantry.”
The food that was taken to the Kiwanis Food Pantry, which is located in Sturgis, S.D., was not just all types of food. Food donations consisted of food that was healthy and long-lasting.
Sauer explained that families in need require “healthy food items rather than foods that have high levels of saturated fats.”
“Some things that really help families are food that can last a long time, does not need to be kept at certain temperatures and does not have soon expiration dates,” Phillips said.
When people are struggling as a result of food insecurity, it is important to provide as much aid as possible. Similar to FCCLA drive, everyone is encouraged to donate food to the Sturgis Kiwanis Food Pantry.
According to the CDC, nearly one-third, or 29% of students struggle with mental health.
Three SBHS students involved in FCCLA have chosen to speak up and inform teens about mental health, why it matters and solutions to aid their struggles.
“Mental health is a topic that is highly overlooked. It is looked at as more of a problem rather than a reality,” Avery Fogelman (11) said. “Each person deserves to be educated and supported throughout the time they may be struggling.”
Taylor Keyes (10), Nellie Wetsit (10), and Fogelman are promoting awareness about mental health. They have spent the past several months educating and presenting to eighth grade students about mental health and the transition from middle school to high school. The presentations took place at Sturgis Williams Middle School from January and into April.
Members focused on educating eighth graders, because they know about and have already experienced stress that occurs due to the transition from middle school to high school.
“Mental health is a very important topic. I think transitioning from middle school to high school can be a very scary experience and middle schoolers need all the support and care they can get,” Wetsit said.
The members took numerous hours to create a slideshow, talking about what mental health is, different kinds of stress, how stress can be handled, signs of weak mental health and why exactly mental health matters.
“I knew immediately that I wanted to do a project focusing on mental health,” Keyes said. “I feel a lot of eighth grade students are stressed about going into high school and it is important for them to know they are cared for and not alone.”
When the presentation was completed, the team felt as if they made a difference and have hope that students will use information from this presentation to their benefit.
“Doing this project really showed me how a few students can tremendously affect younger individuals’ high school experiences,” Keyes said. “It is important to talk about mental health in order to address the problem and help students understand they aren’t the only ones that might be feeling that way.”
FCCLA members collected surveys from the eighth grade students after each presentation to evaluate the effectiveness of their program. The information gathered will be included in their portfolio, which they will take to the FCCLA state convention on April 23.
“Completing this project showed me why we started it in the first place. It showed the importance of talking about emotions and stress,” Fogelman said.
The efforts of these FCCLA members are commendable as mental health is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed more often in schools and in communities. It is essential to raise awareness and provide support for individuals who may be struggling with mental health issues.
By educating the 8th-grade students, these FCCLA members are making a difference in their community and helping to break down the stigma surrounding mental health.
“After this project, I had a better understanding of the number of students who feel stressed about going to high school. It showed me how important it is to promote mental health awareness,” Wetsit said.
On Jan. 17 in math instructor Dan Skinner’s classroom at Sturgis Williams Middle School, FCCLA members Avery Fogelman (11), Nellie Wetsit (10) and Taylor Keyes (10) talk with eighth graders about mental health. Creation and implementation of this project was to inform, help and promote open communication about the topic. photo by Dan Skinner
STURGIS, S.D. – On Sept. 28, 41 high school students traveled to Rapid City for the opportunity to learn and connect with leading industry experts.
Promoted by Associated General Contractors of S.D. (AGC), this year’s construction career camp offered hands-on experience in heavy equipment, carpentry, concrete, surveying, HVAC/plumbing/electrical and virtual reality. The camp was made possible with cooperation from S.D. School of Mines and Technology and Western Dakota Technical College.
Before schooling is complete and students graduate, the need to explore possible career paths has been a key focus for individuals within CTE programs.
Taking his turn at the oculus, a virtual reality training tool, Tadlee Opstedahl (12) searches for safety hazards to repair in a underground mine. photo by Korbin Jensen
“It opened a bigger door to all of these similar trades,” Tadlee Opstedahl (12) said. “Instead of construction, there are other options, such as concrete, carpentry and HVAC.”
Although Opstedahl plans to focus on a future career in ranching, he plans to use construction knowledge to potentially build a side business.
Currently working with water and sewer lines as well as dirt work, Korbin Jensen (12), saw the camp as a way to gain insights.
“There are a lot of different opportunities that I learned about in the construction industry,” he said.
Jensen plans to become a welding and generator mechanic.
“There is going to be a lot more work in construction in the future, more opportunities. It may be hard work but it’s a living,” he said.
Kash Krogman (12) plans to attend Mitchell Tech to become a lineman. His goal is to fly helicopters for a lineman company while still participating in the PRCA.
Even though he is in his fourth year working with concrete, Krogman said the camp gave him many back up plans to consider.
Participants from Cyle Miller’s Machining III, Tate Dewey’s Welding and Marco Marolt’s Building Trades classes were bussed to the event.
Sharing insights about electricity, Derek the pole bender watches as Korbin Jensen (12), Tadlee Opstedahl (12) in the background manipulate materials. To the right, Kydn Mahaffy (11) and Broady Moore (11) waited to try. photo by Cyle Miller
Computers, cellphones, cameras- technology is all around us. Nowadays, almost any daily task requires some form of modern technology. With these newfound tools, there certainly comes a number of advantages, but there also comes the need for proper care to ensure these technologies stay running and working properly.
While capturing images of fish underwater at the D.C. Booth Fish Hatchery in Spearfish, Sam Teigen (11) gained more insights than use of the camera. photo by staff
“On a regular basis, I use my phone and TV daily. During the school year, I use my computer almost daily to complete homework. Technology benefits me significantly when I’m trying to do school or creating projects. I would most likely not be at the level I am without the internet. I find it incredible how convenient it is to access information when I need to look something up,” Sam Teigen (11) said.
Cellphones have a small size that proves them to be a powerful and convenient tool that provides a source of communication and knowledge at almost anytime. That small size also makes it prone to easy loss or clumsiness that could cause significant damage to the device. Cellphones also require the need for charging on a regular basis, or else they will die and be of no use.
In school, and in many other workplaces, computers are a major technology used. Once again, they allow for communication, this time often via email, as well as prove to be an advanced digital workspace. Computers are less likely to get lost as they are much bigger than cellphones, but they are still pretty portable and light, making them prone to damage due to clumsiness or carelessness. It’s important to make sure that the computer is being held properly: one hand on the bottom and one hand supporting the screen. Using laptops on level surfaces is also recommended.
While cellphones and computers are more casual, widespread examples of modern technologies that many possess, there are also some technologies that are more niche, but just as helpful to the people who use them. For example, in journalism and photography, digital cameras prove to be an incredibly useful tool that can visually capture important moments.
These cameras require special care to ensure proper function and durability. The camera must be held and anchored properly at all times. It should be set down on a level surface, or if being held by an individual, the neckband should be around the neck. Lenses should either be placed on the camera or have appropriate lens covers on and stay safely stowed in the camera case.
Teigen recounted how she demonstrated improper camera care, resulting in damage to a camera lens.
“Probably the biggest technology mishap I’ve had is when I dropped a DSLR camera lens into a pond. During Journalism Camp this last summer, we traveled to the Fish Hatchery in Spearfish for some photo ops,” Teigen said. “As I pulled my camera out of its case to take photos, the extra lens that remained was too heavy. Because I left the case unlatched, it flipped over, and due to the weight of the lens, fell out, bounced off the bridge and finally landed in the water. Unfortunately, I am now burdened with the replacement of this lens. I feel like I’m a good example of what not to do.”
While everyone can likely benefit from modern technology to some degree, it’s important to remember that there needs to be a level of care provided to the devices to ensure they stay intact to function properly.
Summer break provides advantageous opportunities for J-students to hone and learn new skills during the annual J-Camp, visiting area medias. Thank you to Melissa Barnett and Mark Watson at The Black Hills Pioneer in Spearfish for the educational tour today, Day 2 of J-Camp.
