For the first time since 2013, Dakota Valley will be sending both the girls and boys varsity teams to state for cross country on Saturday, October 22nd. The meet will take place in Huron, SD at the Broadland Creek National Golf Course. Members of the girls varsity team include: Sophia Redler, Alex McCullough, Ella Otten, Mia Riibe, Finley Huber and Lizzie Mueller.

A brisk afternoon, along with some strong running competition, greeted the Dakota Valley cross country team in Vermillion on Thursday, Oct. 13 at the SDHSAA Region 3A meet. A lot was on the line, as only the top 3 boys teams, top 3 girls teams and the 20 fastest individuals from each varsity race would qualify for state.

Send-offs will be held on Friday, Oct. 21 for the Cheer, Dance and Cross Country teams as they leave for their state tournaments. The North Sioux City Police and Fire departments will escort the teams to the interstate on ramp. The send-off for Cheer and Dance is at 9:30 a.m. and Cross Country is slated for noon. The community is invited to attend.

The Panther competitive cheer squad travels to state competition in Watertown, SD on Oct. 21. The competition is set to start at 5 p.m. on that Friday for Class A schools. The Class AA schools will compete on Saturday. Dakota Valley is slated to perform at 6:19 p.m. “We were state runner up last year and it would be incredible to continue to hold that title,” Cheer Coach Melanie Yakel stated. “We would ultimately be happy with a top four placement.” The Panther cheer squad consists of 9 students, which makes their squad unique and also smaller than most when it comes to competition. Members of the 2022 roster include: Olivia Scardino, Bailey Link, Madison Bell, Mia Lynch, Sunny Byington, Raelee Felix, Chloe Smith, Claire Kilcullen and Rachel Bryan. “The team’s biggest strength this year is their ability to overcome any obstacles in their way,” Yakel detailed. “We are tiny – but mighty – this year so any absence, illness or injury takes a large toll on our ability to practice efficiently. They have proven over and over again that they can handle that pressure. They are quick to pick up changes, they are willing to sub in for different positions when needed and continue to pour everything they have into every performance.”

The dance squad for Dakota Valley has high goals for their state contest in Watertown, SD Friday, Oct. 21. It is the hope of all that the Panthers will extend their consecutive state run of 1st place titles.

The Dakota Valley dance team travelled over 160 miles on Saturday, Oct. 15 to dominate and perform at the Black Panther Cheer and Dance Competition hosted by Platte- Geddes. First place honors were achieved for both of Dakota Valley’s routines in pom and jazz. These top finishes also crowned the talented dance squad as grand champions for the day.

The Panther competitive cheer squad brought home a 3rd place finish on Oct. 10 from the Bon Homme Invite. Dakota Valley battled through a teammate’s illness and adjustment to their routine to still score high and come away with a solid performance.

With several YMCA staff in attendance and the future of the YMCA Summer Program on the agenda, the Dakota Valley School Board had some decisions to make at their meeting Oct. 10.

Every year Johnny and Shari Tureaud, of Dakota Dunes, assemble a Halloween theme in their front yard for others to enjoy. The couple has multiple skeletons that they set up in poses to the delight of neighbors and anyone fortunate enough to drive by Oxbow Trail in the Meadows neighborhood of the Dakota Dunes.

Once again, schools have become the target of a TikTok Challenge and not in a good way. Last year the school’s experienced strains of vandalism as students were challenged to photograph or video themselves vandalizing school property. The new challenge – “swatting” – goes even further. Swatting is when a person makes a prank call to emergency services in an attempt to bring about the dispatch of a large number of armed police officers to a particular address. On Thursday, Oct. 13 at least five schools were targeted – Watertown High School, Brookings High School, Mitchell Senior High School, Rapid City High School and Lincoln High School (in Sioux Falls). Because of these prank calls, law enforcement officials surrounded and swept through the school while students were told to shelter-in-place. During the week of Oct. 3, over two dozen schools in South Carolina also faced the same issue. While the immediate school districts haven’t been impacted, it’s still a cause for concern. “I am aware that this has been occurring,” Dakota Valley Superintendent Dr. Tonia Warzecha said. “We have an updated safety guide in place, and we will implement those protocols should this occur at Dakota Valley.” “At this time it has not impacted the EPJ district,” Elk Point-Jefferson Superintendent Philip Schonebaum said. “If it were to happen we would stick to previous trainings on intruder/ other items. Swatting is a serious crime and a perpetrator, if caught, can face jail time. The local authorities are aware of this harmful TikTok craze. I believe that the best defense for these types of things is education, from parents and school districts, on proper uses of social media.”