150 Book Challenge

Teachers log books and then 
the books appear on the bookshelves
in the display case by the office's lost
and found table. 

story by Kenley S., photo by Mrs. Andrews

The 150 book challenge is a challenge for teachers to read more. It is also a way to celebrate 150 years of YSD. 

I interviewed two staff members of YMS, Mrs. Andrews and Mrs. Buechler to find out what they think. I asked both teachers if they were excited for the challenge and they replied “Yes, it’s good for staff that love to read.” I also asked about their favorite author and favorite book. Mrs. Buechler replied, The Lord of the Rings is my favorite book and my favorite author is Sarah J. Maas.” Mrs. Andrews replied, “My favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird and my favorite author is Anthony Doerr.” Then I asked the teachers how many books they think they will read and they both expect to read ten. Finally, they both added that they hope the challenge will encourage students to read by showing them that teachers read for fun, too!

Locker Troubles by Aria H.

 

Results of the Dress Up Days Survey

by Saige N. and Josie A.

We made a survey on the homecoming dress-up days a few weeks ago. It was open the first 2 weeks of October. In total, we had 33 responses to it. There were seven questions. Here are the results from the survey.

The first question I’m answering is, “What was your favorite dress-up day this year?” Nine people chose Twin Day, while there were seven people for both Jersey Day and Throwback Day, 6 for Country vs. Country Club, and 4 for School Spirit Day.

Question 2 was, “What throwback decade would be most fun?” The 1980s won by a landslide with 24 out of 33 people. The 1960s surprisingly had six people. The 1970s had only three people.

Question 3 was, “What dress-up days do you want next year?” We are only putting in the ones we saw the most of. The most popular one was Pajama Day. The next one was teachers dressing up like students and students dressing like teachers. A couple of other ones were color code, movie day, and hat day.

The fourth question was, “Did you dress up?” Nineteen people said yes, one person said no, and 13 people said some days.

The next question was, “Did you have fun costumes?” Seven people said no, while the other 26 said yes.

The final question was, “Will you dress up next year?” Unfortunately, two people said no. The other 31 people said yes!

Thank you to everyone who answered the survey! We really appreciate it.

Girls Basketball Starts!

by Aria H.

On October 20th, 2025, girls basketball officially tipped off at Yankton Middle School! Basketball is a fast-paced, teamwork-driven sport that requires skill, coordination, and dedication. It was first introduced to women in 1892 at Smith College—just one year after the sport itself was invented. No wonder so many young athletes are eager to join this season!

To learn more about the excitement surrounding this year’s team, I interviewed a few of the players.

First, I spoke with Jocelyn H.
I began by asking, “Are you excited for the season to start?”
She smiled and answered, “Yes, because it gives me something to do during the school year.”

I followed up with, “What do you think you’re best at in basketball?”
Without hesitation, Jocelyn replied, “I think I’m best at shooting!”

She also told me that she played last year — and when I asked why she decided to join again, Jocelyn said, “Because I played basketball last year and I enjoyed it!”
It’s always inspiring to see someone stick with something they truly love.

I then got the chance to talk with Nora B., one of the players on the seventh-grade basketball team. My first question for her was, “Are you excited for the season to start?” She grinned and said enthusiastically, “Yes!”

When I asked what she thought she was best at in basketball, Nora replied, “I think I’m best at shooting from the block.” She told me she also played basketball last year, so this isn’t her first season on the court.

Finally, I asked why she decided to sign up again this year. With a big smile, she said, “I signed up for basketball because it’s my favorite sport, and it’s the one I think I’m best at.”

After our chat, I thanked her for her time and headed off feeling excited for the season ahead too.

As the season gets underway, it’s clear that the Yankton Middle School girls’ basketball team is ready to give it their all. With teamwork, determination, and plenty of school spirit, these players are sure to make this season one to remember. Go Gazelles!