All About Chickens

photos and story by Sydney S.

Chickens are intelligent birds, and we’re lucky enough to have the chance to get to know them. I asked two YMS students about their opinions on chickens. From the best things about them to the color of their eggs, you can learn more about these outstanding birds.

Aria, a 7th grader, said that her favorite thing about chickens is how their personality differs so drastically from chicken to chicken. Some can be curious, while others can be more docile. Kora, a 6th grader, noted that her favorite thing is their feathers. Other good qualities are that they will eat anything because they’re omnivores and they’re natural bug control.

Aria also said that her least favorite thing is the constant cleaning of poop and the flies that come with bug season. Kora said that she hated their loud sound. These are both true, and chickens are also very high-maintenance animals.

Kora would definitely encourage others to get chickens because you can get free eggs daily. Aria agreed, saying you should get them to learn about owning an outside animal and to learn responsibility.

They both agreed that they would want colored eggs. Chickens can lay blue, green, olive, cream, and pink-tinted eggs. Aria said her favorite color of egg is ruby red and Kora’s favorite is brown.

They both quickly noted that their favorite colored chickens are black chickens. Aria described their feathers as ‘almost rainbow in the sunlight’. Other good breeds include Buff Orpingtons who are friendly, Black Australorps, Rhode Island Reds who are hardy, and Barred Rocks who are steady!

Chickens are amazing creatures,and I hope you learned something new about them today!


Sources:

https://greenamerica.org/green-living/many-benefits-backyard-chickens

Med Camp

by Kenley S.

Med Camp is a program for 7th graders. It is a day set aside to learn about health and make healthy decisions. It is held in the school gym. This program that makes this happen is called Area Health Education Center. They teach students how to perform CPR and other medical procedures. I interviewed Mrs. Schaffer, and she said the students enjoy it, it is very interactive, and it is cool to be around. Med Camp is scheduled for this Wednesday, April 22, 2026.

YMS Drama Performance Selection

by Hattie H. 

This semester, the Drama classes are doing “The Twelve Angry Pigs.” The play is about twelve pigs convicting a person accused of blowing down two houses. A movie was made after the play called “The Twelve Angry Men.” The play is full of arguments, jokes, and confusing characters. The play teaches you the importance of critical thinking, looking beyond prejudice, not jumping to conclusions without evidence, and not following the crowd unless you truly believe in it.

Being on the Newspaper Staff - One Reporter's Perspective

by Sloane H. 

The Yankton School System has a good way of providing students with quality clubs, programs, and extra classes. One of which includes the YMS Newspaper class. My experience was definitely a fun one, with meeting new friends, exploring new topics, and improving my public writing skills. It truly has been a fun roller coaster of unique stories from all points of view.

Since joining in my sixth-grade year, every month has been a different experience. It's like everything is planned out, yet exact opposites, all at the same time, every time. Most are about topics that you can pick, so it's not exactly like homework you don't want to do. The one thing you can’t pick, is that everything you write about has to be related to either YMS, stuff happening in Yankton, or things around South Dakota.

Making friends has never been easier this way. Picture this: You're able to partner up with anyone who's willing to be in the Newspaper community. If you want to do a solo project, you can still make friends that way. For example, every month there are work days to visit Mrs. Andrews’ room to work on assignments for Newspaper, most people go to those. You can make contact on similar topics, and have deep connections even in different grades.

To add to this, Newspaper has improved my day to day life in a lot of ways. It has me double check on what I'm writing and fix mistakes when writing it. I feel free when typing whatever comes to mind, but it's alright to write things down on paper first. Having a rough draft for informational topics is a clever way to redraft my work and make it the best it can be to post to the public. All of these have led me to understand story structure and opinion writing better.

In conclusion, the experience is very fun and helps you in countless ways. This very article would have been very different if not for the stuff you can learn at YMS Newspaper. Every memory made, from attending meetings, to publishing projects, will be remembered and loved. Even if it has to end in a couple months from now, if sure has been fun, can't wait to get to work on more articles soon!

Easter Myths!

by Cate H.

Easter is a very treasured holiday in history. I have 10 crazy myths to tell you!

1. The Easter Bunny came from a Germanic tribe myth.
2. 1.5 MILLION Peeps are consumed each year.
3. American’s eat over 16 MILLION jelly beans a year.
4. Before chocolate, Prentzelts were originally gifted to others.
5. An old German custom involves dancing around eggs without cracking them.
6. In Germany it is common to hand painted eggs on a tree.
7. The most expensive egg was bought for around 7,000 euro in the UK.
8. In Greece eggs are usually dyed red to symbolize the blood of Christ.
9. The world biggest chocolate egg is about 33 feet tall and 15,000 pounds! Imagine being crushed by a chocolate egg!
10. The first ever chocolate egg was in 1873, Bristol, UK.

State Testing Season

by Saige N.

Sorry to say it, people, but State tests are coming up. I know seventh- and eighth-graders just took some big tests, but those didn’t count. Let's hope you remember all the things you learned this year in math and ELA, but you eighth-graders have to take a science test, too. It will include things from the past 3 years, so you might need a refresher. I’d get on that if I were you. I personally remember nothing from sixth grade. At least we have different periods to go to, unlike elementary kids, who pretty much have to sit there for 5 hours. Let's all get through this together. Good luck to you all.

Time For Track!

by Addie E. 

It is finally time for 6th grade track! Whoever wants to join will be training either on Mondays and Wednesdays, or Tuesdays and Fridays! Then at the end of the year they will have their one meet! Let's wish them good luck with their season!

The coaches for the middle school track team are Jamie Tramp and Nikki Iwan . Coach Tramp is going to split the students who sign up into two groups. The first group will be practicing on Mondays and Wednesdays, while the second group will have their practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The two groups will also alternate with Friday.

There will be one meet, on May 12, Tuesday. Jamie Tramp says it is an “Intramural track meet.” If the track would like to participate in track they must keep up with their homework or Mrs. Tramp will have to send them to their teachers to work on whatever they need to.

The track team will start practices on Tuesday, March 24, the day after the meeting to sign up in the lecture hall. So track is finally here! Let’s wish the YMS track team a great season! Good luck Bucks and Gazzels!

Student Feature: Reader Extraordinaire: Sydney!

by Aria H. 

Some people scroll for hours on their digital devices, but Sydney S. doesn’t; instead, she uses her time by reading and doing other fun activities! Sydney S. is a 7th grader who loves to read and just last year, read about 178 books, and this year so far, about 21 books! According to an article by Dimitrije Curcic, the average person reads about 12.5 books a year, including books they started but didn’t finish, meaning Sydney just last year read about 14 times more books than the average person, which is pretty impressive.

I interviewed her to get deeper into her world and to learn more about how she can do this! First, I asked what she does in her free time, unlike how others go on digital devices. She answered, "I read and spend time with my animals in my free time.” Then I asked her if she had a favorite genre or book, and she smiled and said, “My favorite genre is mystery, and my favorite book is Twilight.” I also asked her, since she reads so many books, whether she buys most of them, and if so, where she keeps them, or if she donates them. She replied with, “I buy lots of books, but I also go to the library a lot, and I have a bookshelf in my room, but I read so much and buy so many books that I can’t keep all of them. I get rid of any books that I don’t want to reread and keep all the books I love enough to reread.”

Other than reading, I asked, What are your hobbies? She answered, “Other than reading, I enjoy writing my own stories, scrapbooking, drawing, hanging out with my sisters, and playing with my animals outside.” Then I lastly asked whether you would change anything about how you read or your efficiency? She answered, “No, I love having every story I read be a part of me, and I think I’m efficient enough.” If you’re lucky enough to work with Sydney or pass her in the hallway, make sure you ask her about what book she’s reading right now because she goes through them a lot!


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Creative Corner: Last Day of Winter

by Addie E.

It was the night before the last day of winter. I was super excited for spring. I was definitely going to miss winter though. All the snow days and activities and hot cocoa. It was supposed to be very snowy and icy the next day and I was hoping for a snow day.

Mom walked into the room and said, “ Well, it is a two hour late start.”

“ Yay!” I said. It wasn’t a snow day but I got some time to do my list of winter activities.

The next day I woke up really early. Probably around six thirty( It was still dark). I put all of my snow stuff on and went sledding on the hill right next to my house. I climbed the hill and sled down on my new sled. It was bright red and had a white string connected to it. I did this for about a half hour. I came to my yard and started making an army of snow angels. After ten minutes my little sister came out. We built a snow man then came inside.

“ Great idea to wake up early and enjoy the last day of winter Addie” Said my mom as she made us some hot cocoa and got us some poptarts.

“Thanks! I want to get everything done on my list before school starts. It will be tricky, but I can do it!”

My mom took my list and said, “ Well I love your enthusiasm but you really think you can get this all done.

I took the list back and looked. I checked off sledding, snow angels, build a snowman, and hot cocoa. All I needed was ice skating, winter crafts, and snowboarding.

“ yup!” I said with even more enthusiasm.

“ Okay then let's go to the ice rink!” My mom said putting on her coat.

At the ice rink I was working on a jump. My sister was just skating with my mom. We were there until eight o-clock. After that we went to the dam hill and did a little snowboarding. I was just going down the hill a few times while I let my sister use my new sled. It was fun!

“ What's left on your list Addie. “ Asked my mom helping my sister with her goggles.

“ I just need to do some winter crafts. I said. Looking at my sheet in the car.

“ Okay lets go bye some at Hobby Lobby.”

At Hobby Lobby we found snowflakes, snowmen, and sled crafts. We got two of each and paid for them. When we were walking to the car I dropped the bag with all the crafts and the wind picked them up and they started flying away!

“ Oh no! “ I screamed.

Those were the last ones in the store, so we chased after them. They got too high and were gone.

“Aw.” I cried.

“ I’m sorry Addie. Maybe we could get them somewhere else.” My mom said thoughtfully.

“ School starts in half an hour and there is no time.” I said.

“ Well we should go home and get ready for school then.”

So we left and went to school. I was disappointed that I couldn’t do any winter crafts, but as the day went on I started to feel better. The day went on and on, 1st period, 2nd, 3rd, all the way to seventh. When it was finally eighth period I walked into the room and saw that we had a sub. I greeted her with a smile and sat down.

“Good Afternoon! I am Mrs. Gluten. Today we are going to just draw instead of a huge project. When your teacher is back you will do something cooler.” The woman looked around 50 years old and had a blue sweatshirt on.

“Before we begin, do you want me to tell you a story?” She said, grabbing her bag.

I loved when subs told stories of their life. They were always so interesting. Especially ones about dogs.

We all said yes and she began, “ Well this morning obviously was a late start and my daughter brought her children to my house because she had to work. My grandchildren wanted to do some crafts so we went to Hobby Lobby. Sadly they were all gone. “

I flinched. I was the one who took the last one’s. I felt terrible.

“ We decided to go to Dollar Tree so we went to our car but saw some crafts in a tree!” She exclaimed.

My eyes opened wide. I raised my hand slowly.

“Yes dear.” Said Mrs. Gluten.

“ What did you do with the crafts?” I said, shocked.

“Well we took two, but didn’t use the other ones.”

My jaw dropped. “ What did you do with the other one’s”

“ Well they are right here.” She said holding the snowmen and snowflake crafts.

“ I had the same idea as you so my family went to Hobby Lobby to get some crafts. They were the last ones.” I said cautiously.

“ Oh, so you got the last ones!” She said with a smile on her face.

“ Yes, I was so excited but I dropped them and they blew away.” I said slowly.

“Well these must be yours then. Would you like to have them?” She reached them out to me.

“Yes, if you don’t mind.” I said, trying not to yell with excitement.

She handed them to me and I put them in my folder. When the bell rang for us to go home I rushed to my locker and put the crafts in my bag. I tried to get out of school quickly so I could have the crafts safe and sound at home. I was not losing them again! I rushed home so I could tell my mom everything. I got home at 3:45 and went into my momś room where she was reading and my sister was playing a game. I told them everything.

¨ That's great! Would you two like to do them?¨ Said my mom taking the crafts that were in my hands.

¨You bet I do!” I said.

The rest of the afternoon my sister and I did the crafts. I made a snowflake and snowman and so did my sister. We watched a movie before we went to bed, and had cookies. When I got in bed I thought to myself, this was the best last day of winter ever!

The End.

Science Olympiad Update

by Kenley S.

Science Olympiad, or SO, is an academic track meet with 23 events. Each member competes in 3 science majors. SO is for 6th through 9th graders. For SO, I interviewed Remi Stoddard and Mrs. Mehlhaff, who is our 6th-grade science teacher and a SO coach. The first thing I asked was, Are they excited for the state and why? They both answered yes, but Remi said, “because she has never gone,” and Mrs. Mehlhaff said, “ Because she has a good team and they are ready.” I also asked what they will be doing for the state, and Remi said, “Machines, entomologies (bugs), helicopters, plants, and a ping pong parachute.” Mrs. Mehlhaff said, “She will be attending coaches' meetings, be there for building events, and cheer on her team.” 15 kids compete for SO, with 4 alternates. Also, this is year 44.

Feature: St. Patrick's Day Traditions

by Sloane H.

We all know the livelihood of holidays, they bring joy, spirit, but best of all, tradition! Most people often push certain holidays to the side, not knowing their history, how they formed, or how their traditions changed. St. Patrick’s Day is a great example, since most, if not all, people just throw away all the story behind it. In fact, you could ask anyone you know about St. Patrick’s day and they’ll probably sum it up to just “you wear green. If you don’t, you get pinched, punched, hit, etc. Oh, and there’s a leprechaun or something” that's kind of it, at least that’s what most people think it’s about.

But hold up, maybe it wasn’t always “just all that,” there could have been more. Let’s go back a few decades, to the 17th century: St. Patrick's Day was more of an annual feast than anything else. Christians of the time would get together to bestow the well-known priest, Saint Patrick. Although he wasn’t much of a saint.

The holiday gets a lot of hate for the law of drinking being lifted. It reinforces stereotypes about Irish people and those who are part of their culture, even though this holiday is celebrated in more countries than any other national festival. The present-day celebrations have been widely influenced by people from the Irish diaspora, especially in North America. But in the last few years, it gained more popularity in the diaspora than in Ireland.

Before it gained popularity, Ireland in the 1700s considered 3 a significant number. Painters and writers symbolized shamrocks as their theme for the holiday to justify the number 3 in it to make it more popular, though the plant was not sacred.

The color green has always been associated with Ireland since 1640, when the green harp flag was adopted. When shamrocks also came to mean green, and over time, it became almost a necessity to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day.

This unpopular holiday has evolved. It taught us about Ireland's history and culture. There are many small but popular traditions, too, like picking shamrocks to find four-leaf clovers, going to church, and, of course, wearing shades of green. It also reminds us of our journey through March as a fun, nature-filled month.

Saint Patrick's Day Myths!

by Cate H.

St. Patrick's Day is a celebration and a lot of fun. But along with that fun, some myths or fables started this holiday. I will dig into busting myths today, explaining how they happened and how they appeared on the day of green.

This first holiday was invented in Ireland, where the myth is that Saint Patrick got rid of all the snakes, so the holiday was invented to celebrate. Now, when you think of Saint Patrick’s day, you think of leprechauns and a pot of gold, right? Well, turns out this idea originated in the 18th century in Celtic folklore, where they believed it was linked to the Vikings.

One more thing, when you think of the national color of Saint Patrick’s day, you think it was green back then, too, right? Wrong! Well, turns out Saint Patrick never wore green. He always wore Blue! The color green was actually just popular at that time because of its association with the nationality.

Another thing, nevertheless, everyone thinks that Saint Patrick’s first parade was in Ireland, right? I mean, it would make sense, but it was actually in New York City in the 18th century, held by Irish soldiers during the Revolutionary War. Moving on to another popular myth about shamrocks and the trinity. Well, in the lore of how this holiday started, we have to go back when Saint Patrick was alive, and well, the lore suggests that Saint Patrick used a shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity. The reason it is not the myths is that there is NO textual evidence of him doing that, nor of anything else.

Fun Facts about Albert Einstein

by Sydney S.

Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879, and I’m just going to say what we were all thinking: Happy birthday, Albert Einstein! Want to know some amazing and jaw-dropping facts about him? I’ll take your silence as a yes!

Did you know that Albert Einstein was almost the second president of Israel? They offered him the position, but he told them he had “neither the natural ability nor the experience to deal with human beings.”

Albert Einstein also HATED school! He didn’t like the rules, and one of his teachers once told him, “he wouldn’t amount to anything.”

Einstein hated socks, too! He barely ever wore them, even to fancy dinners. He believed socks were a nuisance because they always had holes!

He didn’t start talking until he was three years old. People began to think he was slow because it took him so long. He even repeated sentences until he was seven.

Einstein believed that knowledge isn’t as important as imagination. Einstein once said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.”

Albert Einstein also loved animals. He had a tabby cat named Tiger and a dog named Chico. Einstein once said, “There are two means of refuge from the misery of life: music and cats.” At one point, he also had a parrot named Bibo. People reported that he used to tell Bibo bad jokes to cheer the parrot up!

Einstein co-invented the refrigerator! He worked with his student Leo Szilard to invent an eco-friendly refrigerator, aiming to avoid the toxic gases found in earlier models.

Well, those were some awesome facts! I hope you had fun learning about Albert Einstein! See you later!

March Secret Staff Member

CORRECTION! This story was edited at 12:55 PM on March 19. Therfore we have opened the link to resubmit an answer! 

story by??? (author will be revealed when the Staff Member is revealed)

A staff member was asked a few questions, just like last month, but with slight variations. Time for a refresh, here are the rules: you're allowed to ask all and any of your teachers questions to see if they match up to our secret staff member.

Our staff members' favorite food is pizza, specifically Pizza Ranch Sweet Swine with barbecue sauce, not marinara. They graduated from Pocahontas area in Iowa.

They have more than one sibling. Their favorite color is pink, and their favorite shape is a crescent. They have one pet, and their favorite person to work with is Mrs. Todd.

Their favorite movie is Olaf's Frozen Adventure. Their favorite soda is Dr. Pepper, and they've worked here at YMS for 2 years.

Here are your hints for this month's secret staff member. Good luck. Remember that this could be any staff member throughout YMS. Just like last time, ask a few questions to find what you're looking for. Good luck!

Click this link when you are ready to submit your guess!      

Wayne State Band Competition

By Saige N.


Tomorrow, the YMS band will compete at Wayne State University. At this competition, the band will play Ancient Flower and La Fiesta Brava. They will not be playing English Folksong Suite or Three Scottish Vistas. The Jazz band, separate from the regular band, will also play a few songs. Last year, the jazz band did very well and got to be on the front of the website this year. At Wayne, the band will play songs, listen to songs, and eat a lot of food. The food will be amazing. They will be gone all day. Have fun and do good, band!!

February Secret Staff Member Revealed!

 

Our next Secret Staff Member story will post Wednesday morning! 

8th Graders Register for YHS Classes

by Josie A. 

I interviewed Mariah T. and Lilly D. to ask them how they felt about high school registration. I asked them three questions: What feeling did you have during registration? Are you excited for high school? What are some of the classes you signed up for?

First, Mariah’s answers. She said she was “nervous but eager to sign up!” For the second question, she said she is excited for high school because there will be new teachers and new things to try, but she is also nervous that she will feel lost for the first few days. For the last question, a few of the cases she signed up for are Algebra I, English I, Finish Carpentry, and Choir.


Next, we have Lilly’s answers. For the first question, she was “scared because there were so many classes and it was intimidating.” She was also happy to see how many choices there were and to find out what was best for her! Next, she said yes because she can’t wait to experience things with her friends and make new friends. Finally, she signed up for Honors English, Algebra I, and Art.

Thank you for reading this! Hope everyone else's registration went well!

Black History Month

By: Aubrey H.

Black History Month is a time to recognize and honor the achievements, struggles, and contributions of African Americans throughout history. For many years, these contributions were ignored or minimized, even though they played a significant role in shaping the United States. From overcoming the injustice of slavery to leading movements for civil rights and equality, Black Americans have shown resilience, creativity, and determination. Learning about Black history is essential not only to understand the past, but also to better understand the society we live in today. On February 5th, I interviewed all the social studies teachers at YMS to learn what they know about Black History Month and why they think it's essential.

Starting strong with Mr. Hohn in 6th grade. Mr. Hohn said that "the idea of the movement started back in the mid-1920s by Carter Woodsen, as well as other organizations, such as the study of African American History. I know initially it was more of a week designated for Black Americans until it eventually bloomed on college campuses during the civil rights era. Gerald Ford eventually recognized it on a federal level in 1902, and Black History Month started to take on the form of what we think of it now, today. I think Black History Month is extremely important to celebrate because I think we need to recognize the efforts of Black Americans, such as leaders, activists, and role models, throughout our country's history. Its an opportunity for all of us to acknowledge the fight against slavery, segregation, racism while also celebrating resilience and progress. Black History Month, however, is not just about recognizing the past; it's about understanding the present and learning how to shape a better future. If we forget history and our past, then we will also forget how to take the right steps forward."

Moving forward to Ms. Stanosheck from 6th grade as well. Ms. Stanosheck started with…" I have a mug in my classroom that says, "Don't make me repeat myself - History." This is a play on the common idea that history repeats itself. I'd like to state that it doesn't necessarily have to be true. If we teach about the terrible things that happened in the past, hopefully students will grow up to be citizens that don't allow such atrocities to happen again. Unfortunately, the history of black Americans is that of slavery and segregation. Those things must be taught to keep them from happening again."

These are excellent answers so far for 6th grade. Moving on to our 7th-grade teachers, we have Mrs. Blaha and Mr. Huber.

First from 7th grade is Mrs. Blaha. Mrs. Blaha exclaimed that…" I think Black History Month is essential to the study of history. The history of African Americans was widely left out of the narrative of United States history. Black History Month celebrates the accomplishments of people with African ancestry and recognizes the roles of the ethnicity throughout American history. Studying history from all perspectives helps us to fully understand historical events and how those events shaped the world we live in today.”

Now, Mr. Huber teaches 7th and 8th-grade social studies. Mr. Huber said, "Black History Month is an important cultural experience that is celebrated in the United States and a few other countries. If my memory serves me, it started as a weeklong celebration in its origin and then was expanded later on. I think it is important to celebrate the many cultures of the United States, and the impacts they have made on our society. I often think about being in the profession of Education, and a quote from Frederick Douglas often comes to mind. The quote states, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”

Now, last but not least, our 8th-grade social studies teacher. Mr. Savey.

Mr. Savey exclaimed that "I feel that it is very important to learn about Black History Month in my classroom because it recognizes the achievements and contributions of Black Americans that have often been overlooked in traditional history. It helps provide a more complete and accurate understanding of American History by acknowledging both the struggles and successes of Black individuals. Black History Month honors resilience, inspires future generations, and reminds us that Black History is an essential part of American History."

Black History Month is more than just something we celebrate in February; it's a time to remember the bravery, strength, and achievements of African Americans throughout history. This year is extra special because it marks 100 years since it first began as Negro History Week in 1926, started by Carter G. Woodson. What began as just one week has grown into a whole month that is recognized across the country. As the teachers at YMS shared, learning about Black history helps us understand the struggles people faced in the past and the progress that has been made. It reminds us why equality and fairness are so important. By learning about and honoring Black history, we can make sure these important stories are never forgotten and continue working toward a better future for everyone.

Perspective from a New Student

by Kenley S. 

Emersyn H. is a new student at YMS. I have interviewed her to see her perspective. 

The first question I asked was, are you liking YMS and what is your favorite thing here? 

She responded “Yes, and my favorite thing is the teachers.” 

Next I asked where you were from and what brought you here. 

She said “I am from Elkpoint, and I came because of family.” She also said she has been to Yankton before. Emersyn said she might try school activities including volleyball or basketball. 

Be sure to be nice to all new students!

Get to Know Ms. Henderson!

Ms. Henderson

Story by Saige N. 

Ms. Henderson is an 8th grade student-teacher. She is teaching with Mrs. Andrews for her ELA classes and some of Mrs. Andrews's drama classes.  

She goes to USD for college. The reasons she wants to be a teacher are that she loves teaching, seeing growth in people, and she thinks the students are fun to be around. 

Ms. Henderson wants to teach 8th grade and up. 

Some of her hobbies are baking, reading, spending time with loved ones, singing, and dancing. Her favorite class in high school was “Family Consumer Sciences.” 

Her favorite food in particular is Papa John's pizza with extra marinara sauce on the side. (Hot-take for the article is she would eat pizza with onions on it.) 

Ms. Henderson's favorite color is green. She listens to all music except what she called screamo and new country. (In this writer's opinion, she is right about new country. It is not it.) 

Her favorite season is fall. In high school she did powerlifting and was on the dance team.  

Hot Versus Cold

by Aria H. 

Many people have strong opinions about the weather, especially when it comes to choosing between summer and winter. Some enjoy cold temperatures and snow, while others prefer sunshine and warm days. To see what YMS teachers think, I decided to interview staff members about their favorite weather.

First, I interviewed Mr. Hohn, a sixth-grade social studies teacher. I asked him whether he likes a hot summer or a cold winter, and he responded with a smile, "I would have to say warmer weather because it allows me to go out more and to be outside. I love to travel as well, so summer tends to be the ideal time for me to do that." I agree that summer weather is the perfect time to travel and hang out with family!

Then I asked a seventh-grade teacher named Mrs. Stanosheck. I asked her the same question, and she answered, "While both have their pros and cons, I prefer chilly weather to hot weather. One of my favorite outdoor activities is sitting by the fire pit in my backyard and hanging out with my family or reading a book. This is most comfortable when it is cold outside. When it's extremely cold, I enjoy cuddling up in my house with a good book or TV show." I agree with this different opinion! Resting after a long day, you always have a chilly outdoor time waiting for you! Soon after I asked Mrs. Stanosheck, I asked Mrs. Ryken, an eighth-grade math teacher. I asked what her preferred weather is, and she responded, "I would say I prefer a hot summer." I agree with this opinion too! A lovely hot summer can accommodate you in endless activities!

Of all the teachers I interviewed, they enjoy hot weather more than cold. What do you prefer?

Meet Mrs. Ryken and Mr. Vander Sluis

Mr. Vander Sluis

by Berta G.

Today I interviewed Mrs. Ryken and Mr. Vander Sluis, her student teacher. Mrs. Ryken is the 8th-grade math and algebra teacher; she’s the only algebra teacher, but there is another math teacher. Mr. Vander Sluis is her student teacher for this semester. He studies at USD (which was one of the questions I had asked him)

For my first question, I asked both of them what made them want to teach. Mrs. Ryken responded that she’d always wanted to be a teacher since she was young (she said since she was about eight, too). Mr. Vander Sluis answered that he had many good teachers and coaches in high school, which influenced him. He also said he wants to help us students.

The second question I asked them was, “How has the school year been?” Except for Mr. Vander Sluis, it was how his past month at the school had been. Mrs. Ryken said it’s been good, just average so far, except for when we celebrated her 50th birthday, and Mrs. Belgum (the band teacher) had the 3rd period band class play the birthday song for her. Mr. Vander Sluis responded that it’s been good here, just different from his last school, where he was at Vermillion High School.

From this point on, the questions I asked were different. I had asked Mrs. Ryken what her favorite thing to teach was. She responded with systems of equations, which she taught in both algebra and math! My question to Mr. Vander Sluis was: What things make him nervous about teaching? He had to think for a few moments, but he had decided that it was about putting everything he had learned together and just doing a good job.

For my next question, I asked Mr. Vander Sluis what he was going to teach. He said the grade was still undetermined, but he knew he would be teaching math! I asked Mrs. Ryken how she liked having a student teacher, and she said she really likes it. She likes helping people who want to be teachers because she knows one day she won’t be teaching anymore. I took it to mean that she wants to help ensure there are good teachers out there, even if it’s just one or two. I don’t know if that’s what she meant, but that’s the way I took it. For my fifth question, I asked her if there were any cons of having a student teacher. She took a moment to think, but ultimately decided there was none.

At the end of the two interviews, I asked them both if there was anything they wished to add. Mr. Vander Sluis said no, there’s nothing that he can think of, but Mrs. Ryken did have some things to add. She said she enjoys helping students meet their goals and learn new things, and she enjoys teaching 8th-grade math. She also revealed that she’s been teaching for the past 25 years (so for half her life)! She’s only ever taught math, never anything else, but for 20 years she taught 7th grade, and only started teaching 8th-grade math five years ago. She’s taught it for only one-fifth of her entire career. That wraps up my interviews with them. Have an amazing second semester, and go, Bucks and Gazelles!

All-State Orchestra and All-State Band

Story by Sofi F.
Photos by Mrs. Belgum and Mr. Ohlendorf

This year, for middle school, all-state we had 9 people try out for orchestra all-state and 19 people try out for band all-state. Out of those numbers, 6 got in for orchestra, and 8 got in for band. 

Both Mrs. Belgum and Mr. Olendorf are very proud of their students, both the ones who made it and the ones who tried their hardest. 

The students who made all state for band are Jazlin R.- clarinet, Josin H.- alto sax, Abby V.- clarinet, Tate Bertrand- trombone, Kale Cameron- baritone, Angela Z.- clarinet, Selena B.- flute and Myles H.- tenner sax (the only 7th grader)

For orchestra, the people who made it were Angela Z.- violin, Lacey T.- violin, Maggie W.- viola, Aria H.- viola, Adelyn G.- viola and Sofia F.- viola.

Meet Mr. Guenther

Mr. Guenther

by Addie E.

Mr. Guenther is a new student teacher at YMS. He is in Mr. Huber's room, and is very happy to be here. Mr. Guenther has wanted to be a teacher for as long as he can remember. He wants to be a teacher because he has a passion for teaching and explaining things. He says he had many great teachers and family members who inspired him to teach. Mr. Guenter would like to teach 6th-12th social studies.

He is not very interested in being a coach, but he says he would give it a try. He thinks the best thing about teaching is being a “positive part in kids' lives.” He would love to be the reason a kid is a good citizen and a good person.

So in conclusion, Mr. Guenther is very excited to be a teacher for 6th-12th social studies and wants to be a positive part in kids lives.

YMS out of school activities

by Aubrey H.

On January 8, 2026. I interviewed a couple of YMS students about their out-of-school activities and why they enjoy them. I also asked whether they would recommend the sport they play to others and why.

First, I interviewed Remi S, who is in 6th grade. Remi said her out-of-school activity is “soccer, because it's really fun and entertaining. I also like it because I play goalie and that's really fun. Also because of my teammates and that there is a lot of action.” I then asked Remi if she would recommend soccer to other students of YMS, and right away Remi answered “yes, because it builds character and makes you stronger, and you can endure more stuff like getting hurt. You also get to play with your teammates, and that makes it really fun.”

I really hope that Remi S. is encouraging you to try soccer. Now on to our 7th graders. I interviewed two 7th graders.

First, I interviewed Aria H. Aria said her out-of-school activity is “softball, because of the teammates and how many new people you meet, people you may not have met if I didn’t sign up years ago.” I then asked Aria if she would recommend softball to other students of YMS, and right away she answered “yes, because it's a very active sport. You also get to be with all your friends, and you also get to travel to different places.”

Next, I interviewed Ericka S. Ericka said her out-of-school activity is “Gymnastics, because it's very fun and I get to hang out with friends.” I then asked whether she would recommend gymnastics to other students. Ericka answered yes because you get to get a coach you will have fun with and you get to learn/ get to do more things you couldn’t do before.

Continuing on with our 8th graders here at YMS.

First, from 8th grade, I interviewed Irelyn M. Irelyn said her out-of-school activity is “Hockey because I get to be with some of the people I love most and play the sport I love.” I continued to ask if Irelyn would recommend hockey to other students. Irelyn responded with “yes, because it is one of the best sports there is, and everyone gets along, there is no drama there. It also brings people many new friends.”

Last I interviewed Mariah T. Mariah said her out-of-school activity is “volleyball because it is a very active sport and I just really enjoy playing the sport.” I then proceeded to ask if Mariah would recommend volleyball to other students. Mariah answered “yes because you can meet a lot of people and make a lot of new friends and it's a very fun experience.”

Overall, the students I interviewed all shared positive experiences about their out-of-school activities. Each student explained why they enjoy their sport and gave thoughtful reasons for recommending it to others. These interviews show that participating in sports can be fun, help build friendships, and encourage students to stay active. Hopefully, hearing from students in different grade levels inspires others at YMS to try a new sport or activity outside of school.

Books Books Books!

by Cate H. 

This month the 2 popular books I am rating are Astrologica and Hungry Hearts. 

Astrologica is all about astrology and zodiacs. It even has some myths, and fun stories about stars they made during the ancient civilizations and is entirely recommended in my opinion. It has beautiful art inside and outside, and stories about planets. Astrologica also features stories about the zodiacs. So if you love astrology and zodiacs check out this book when you can!

The next book is called Hungry Hearts. It features a life and beings of a chief also highly recommended because of all its delicious sounding food. If you love cooking again, highly recommend this book. Lastly, If you love chapter books this is for you.

February Secret Staff Member

story by??? (author will be revealed when the Staff Member is revealed)

A mystery staff member was asked a few questions. With a few clues, can you guess who it is? Do you know enough about your YMS staff members? Can you find who our special staff member is in record time? Let’s see! So, here are the rules, you’re allowed to ask all and any of your teachers questions to see if they match up to our secret staff member, and . . . well, truthfully, that’s about it. Let’s start!

Our mysterious staff member’s favorite soda is Coke Zero. His/Her favorite color is blue. Need a few more clues?

This staff member went to Yankton High School. His/Her favorite book is The Nightingale. Our mystery staff member’s favorite movie is When Harry Met Sally, and if he/she could jump into any movie, it would be in Shrinking. Still need some help?

Our special staff member has three kids, wears glasses, and has worked here at YMS for 18 years! His/Her first pets were named Muffin and Mittens, too.

I think those are some really good clues for your special staff member hunt! Remember that it could be any staff member. . . . . and if you suspect someone, just ask them a few questions, the worst thing that could happen is you learn something new about someone! So, good luck and have some fun!

Click this link when you are ready to submit your guess!                                 

Olympic Fever?

 Reporter Sydney S. and Mrs. Andrews have put together a personality quiz for you. Click on the link to find out what role you should play in the upcoming Winter Olympics. 

To learn more about all the sports that will be featured in this winter's Olympics in Milano Corina, Italy, go to this site: https://www.olympics.com/en/sports/winter-olympics

Meet the New Art Teacher!

by Cate H. 

Mrs. Rous is the new art teacher, and she is very grateful for the opportunity. She was inspired by her high school art teacher and has wanted to help kids explore art and learn about the various types of art in life. Her favorite subject in art is painting, and her favorite artist is Van Gogh. Also, from her perspective, sculpting is a fun experience, as it allows her to turn her imagination into real 3D art. She really wants to make some great memories here at YMS.

Meet Mr. Bloch!

story and photo by Hattie H. 

Recently, I interviewed Mr. Bloch, a teacher of 7th- and 8th-grade students. He teaches both design and build, as well as TCE. 

Did you know that it's his first year teaching here at YMS, but not his first year teaching overall? He used to teach high school science and then became a special education para before coming here. There's a vast difference between where he was before and where he is now, both in terms of age group and the number of students he sees throughout his day. 

However, with the new room comes new favorite things, and instead of an object, he chose the layout of his room, which gives both him and his students more space to create, design, have fun, and explore new ideas. 

My favorite response of his when asked, What is his favorite part of his day at YMS, to which he responded with "being able to change someone's mood in just one class period," which shows what kind of teacher he wants and strives to be. 

His favorite person to work with is Mrs. Olson. He says it's because she's the person he spends a lot of the day with, with whom he constantly communicates about students and what they have planned for that day. 

His favorite school lunch is the cherry blossom chicken; I don't see why, but okay. One thing he thinks the people at YMS should know is that he likes chaos, also known as his homeroom.

Resolutions

by Sloane H. 

January is the first month, the start of the new year, and the point at which people start to think and fulfill New Year's Resolutions. New Year’s Resolutions are personal goals or promises made at the start of a new year, representing a commitment to self-improvement by starting a new habit, stopping a bad one, or achieving a specific objective. Many people all over the globe make these to commit to the “New year, new me” saying.

A lot of common New Year’s Resolutions made by adults are losing weight, starting or improving on a hobby, gaining or saving money, learning a new language, Ect. The list goes on. A lot of common New Year’s Resolutions for kids (specifically students) are getting good grades, keeping in touch with friends and family, and making their own money or saving up to get something they want.

New Year’s Resolutions will never all be the same, yet people share a lot of the same ones, depending on their age. From ages 3-6, people might want for the new year to have something, like toys or wishes.

From the ages of 7-12, they might find a hobby or sport, and their resolutions might be to get better at it, or achieve a goal from it. This might also be the age where they intend to ask for their own money to get the things they specifically want.

From teen and middle ages 13-30, people make their resolutions on self-care and hygiene. Focusing on losing weight, maintaining financial stability, or any other personal preferences. Making or keeping connections with friends and family is a New Year’s Resolution that goes along with all ages.

To conclude this, New Year’s Resolutions have always been a fun tradition. It gets you thinking of the year ahead, what you plan to do, and who you plan to be. Some people even do group resolutions, a list of things that you want to complete as a group. New Year Resolutions aren’t for everyone, but it is very fun to make them. It’s a chance to look to the future and think of all the good things that it will bring!

Winter Activities

by Aria H.

As the temperature drops and winter sets in, YMS students find ways to enjoy themselves inside or out! This winter, I interviewed YMS students about their favorite cold-weather activities! For some, that can mean drinking a warm mug of hot chocolate—marshmallows slowly sinking into the chocolaty dessert, snuggled up on the couch, watching the snow peacefully drift on the tree tops, or for others, bundling in snow gear with family and sledding, making memories they'll never forget!

First I interviewed Stella H., a sixth grade student. I asked her what her favorite winter activity was and she answered joyfully, “I love playing club volleyball and going to fun tournaments with my friends and teammates!”

Then I asked Asher P., a seventh grade student and he answered, “ For me, my favorite winter activity is wrestling, to the long bus rides to laughing with friends at practice to everything inbeteween.” With all these sports this question should be what’s your favorite winter sport!

Lastly I asked Lacey, an eighth grade student and she answered, “I love going to the ice rink and skating with my friends!”

Although their activities are different, each student shared something in common: spending winter doing what they love with people who matter to them!

The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever

by Kenley S.


The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever is a newer movie. It is about a Christmas pageant that is very important to their town. The lady that usually runs it broke her leg, and a mom that normally doesn't run stuff steps up and runs it. Her son gets bullied by a group of kids called the Herdmans and they don’t go to church. Her son told them they are missing out because there are a bunch of snacks (which is a lie.) The next week they come to church they all sign up for the pageant and everyone else is scared to. Everything from there goes wrong.

Buy your 2025-2026 YMS Yearbook Now!

by Berta G.

Yearbooks are for sale for the 2025-2026 school year! As you may know (which you probably should due to the announcements) you can buy yearbooks up until February 20th! 

I’m gonna go a little more in depth for you guys. You can purchase the yearbooks at “shop.memorybook.com” with the school code ‘980768M”. They’re being sold for $30. The past two years there have been sales where you can bring in the $30 into the office, but it’s not a guaranteed thing. The sales will end at midnight on February 20th. 

There will be a list of everyone who ordered a yearbook posted on the library(room 111) doors or you can check with your homeroom teacher. If you have any questions you can talk to Mrs. Andrews.