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3/4/2009 – News


Volume 126, Number 5           Wednesday, March 4th, 2009



Testifies in Washington, DC
US Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) speaks with Dana Lee Jetty, a member of the Spirit Lake Nation, before a Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing on youth suicide in Indian Country on February 26. As the sister of a youth suicide victim, Ms. Jetty shared her story on how youth suicide impacts a family, Indian youth and her entire tribal community. She attends Minnewaukan High School. American Indians have a higher rate of suicide than any other American ethnic group.



Mini Society at Leeds
Leeds Elementary students in grades 3-6 are participating in Mini Society, an entrepreneur-based program that teaches students about the world of business. In Mini Society students form their own society, print currency, provide goods and services in their businesses and keep records of their expenses, income and profits. Mathias Follman and Joe Silliman display their products for sale.

Paige Johnson and Sarah Galbraith are ready for business.

Spencer Follman, Braydon Follman and Dalton Onerheim work together at their business.


Langstaff scores 1,000
Warwick High school senior Kyle Langstaff scored his 1,000th point at Lakota when the Warriors traveled there on February 7.
Langstaff began his high school basketball career at Warwick in the eighth grade. Since then he’s been named to all-district and/or all-region teams three times between 2007-2009 and all-tournament teams twice, in 2007 and 2008. He averaged 19 points a game this year.
At parents’ night held in Warwick on February 12 his family presented him a star quilt done in the Warrior School colors.
A local drum group, the Rhythm Riders, was also present and honored him with a song.

Kyle Langstaff is shown wearing the star quilt presented to him at parents’ night February 12 at the Warwick School. Kyle scored 1,000 points during his basketball career and he is holding the ball which was used to obtain that record. On the right is basketball coach Robert Lawrence.

Kyle is shown with his uncle, Melvin Langstaff Sr. and his mother, Eleanor Cavanaugh. He is holding the ball used to score the 1,000th point.



LionCats win
Showing the totes they received are the winners of the girls’ 8th grade division in the first annual Shiverfest basketball tournament.
The event was held in Devils Lake on Saturday, February 21.
The LionCats team consisted of 8th grade girls from Leeds and Maddock, who had help from an Esmond 7th grader. Kneeling, left to right, are Katelynn Engh of Maddock, Renae Lauinger of Esmond and McKenzie Silliman of Leeds. Standing are Katie Rice, Jessica Johnson and Katherine Sears, all of Maddock, Megan Jorgenson of Leeds and Sara Schwanke of Maddock. The girls were coached by Kate Schwanke of Maddock and Jessie Schwanke of Lake Region State College, Devils Lake.



Bleacher donation
The BOBCAT yearbook staff from Maddock School sold flowers for Valentine’s Day. Pictured are BOBCAT editors Ben Backstrom and Preston Gilderhus presenting a check for the proceeds of that fund-raiser to Corinne Stadum, representing the Bleacher Fund. The check was in the amount of $883.23. The BOBCAT staff challenges other groups who have not yet had a fund raiser for the Bleacher Fund to do so.


Maddock students solving crime in after school program
A select number of Maddock students have been participating in a Mystery Festival Activity held as part of the 21st Century After School Program. Mrs. Nancy Follman and Ms. Vanessa Peters have been instructing the students during this program, which has lasted five weeks so far.
The students meet after school one day a week for about an hour to do several activities, including observing a mock crime scene, taking photographs, analyzing evidence and discussing different characteristics of suspects. The students have worked with fingerprints, DNA, thread and stain analysis and have learned how to test and find the pH levels of different liquids. In the last session, the students will determine who committed the mock crime, based on the evidence found or determine that there was no one at fault.
The Mystery Festival Activity is made for students in grades 3-6. Students who are participating include: Garret Tandeski and Kevin Johnson (grade 3); Ethin Johnson, Rebecca Johnson, Emily Sears and Spencer Sears (grade 4); and Megan Olson, Alexis Gigstad and Maria Sears (grade 6).

Alexis Gigstad, left, and Ethin Johnson conduct a pH analysis.

Megan Olson, left, and Emily Sears conduct stain tests.

Garret Tandeski, left, and Spencer Sears conduct an analysis of thread.



SON members earn medals
The Mollargutten Sons of Norway Lodge has been continuing its cultural activities this winter. February 27 and 28, Martha Elliot, District 4 Cultural Director, was in Maddock to present a workshop on Norwegian music. Eight members earned all three music medals and one member earned the first bar. The workshop consisted of listening to music and writing reports about their reactions to the music. They also discussed composers and their styles of music. Members who received their awards are pictured, left to right, Judy Olson, Darlene Erickson, Marilyn Ingwaldson-Poulsen, Mavis Maloney, Carol Thompson, Alf Dybing, Hulda Faleide and Alice Engkvist. Helen Berg earned her first bar, but is not pictured.



Study dinosaurs
The second grade class at Maddock School has been learning about dinosaurs, fossils and paleontologists. Students used tools to uncover the fossils and then assemble the pieces to create their own dinosaur. They were also able to identify what type of dinosaur they had built. The students learned what a difficult, yet exciting task finding fossils can be. The boys are holding the dinosaur fossils with their partners kneeling in front. Left to right, standing, are Connor Arnold, Samuel Hill, Brady Kallenbach, Jay Garcia and Gannon Griffin. Kneeling are Kenzie Randle, Charity Dosch, Abigail Grossman, Talissa Aabrekke and Marissa Lunde.Their teacher is Mrs. JoLynn Fautsch.

Dinosaur "bones" are removed from clay. Below are the completed dinosaurs.



Compete in STAR
Leeds FCCLA members recently competed in STAR Events at Rock Lake. Morgan Leapaldt and Brenna Stone received a Gold Star in National Programs in Action, Senior Division with a project titled "Bee A Treehugger" and will advance to state competition. Logan Gunderson competed in an Illustrated Talk, Senior Division with a speech titled "Safe Googling." Logan received a Gold Star and will advance to state competition. Hannah Anderson competed in Illustrated Talk, Senior Division with a speech titled "Since November 12, 2007." She received a Gold Star and placed second. Ashley Manley, new District III State Officer, served as an evaluator and advisor Jane Brown served as lead consultant. Left to right are Gunderson, Anderson, Stone and Leapaldt.



Help with reading
Logan Gunderson is one of several Leeds High School students who help out with reading centers in the kindergarten room each morning. Pictured with him are Carson Tracy, Kearyn Nelsen, Izik Burtchell and John Fischer (standing).

Jeni Swanson helps out at one of the reading centers working on basic beginning letter sounds. Left to right are Chynna Cavanaugh, Samara Blegen, Jeni Swanson and Blayne Anderson.



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