North Dakota
North Dakota homeschool co-op logs impressive growth in first year – The Lion
Capstone, a faith-based homeschool co-operative in North Dakota, has already reached impressive heights within one year of its formation.
“The group has expanded so much that they’ve currently capped the number of elementary-age students involved and will be meeting at two separate locations in the fall,” writes RubyAnn Stiegelmeier for The Dickinson Press.
The program caters to all grade levels, with over 70 students participating in projects including crochet sculptures, civics studies, cooking, and life skills classes.
“We are not the kids’ primary educators,” said Lisa Aune, one of Capstone’s leaders. “As parents, you are their first educator, and you know them better than any brick-and-mortar school will know them. We spearhead topics and then the parents take it from there.”
‘We are a Christian group’
Kari Roller, a parent who teaches the co-op’s civics class, led students in researching House Bill 1151, which contained regulations against cell-cultured proteins.
Part of their hands-on experience involved finding a legislative sponsor and testifying at committee meetings at the state capitol, according to Stiegelmeier.
“Our bodies are natural, and our foods should be too,” said homeschool student Cooper Rosenquist in a testimonial supporting the bill. He was featured in an article written by Jenny Schlecht for Agweek.
The co-op meets weekly at Hillside Baptist Church and requires families to sign a statement of faith before joining.
“We are a Christian group,” Roller said. “We vet tutors and you have to be a professing Christian to be part of the group.”
While co-ops may not work for every homeschooled student, they can help families draw on the collective strengths of parents with a range of teaching backgrounds, Aune said.
“We wanted to have an option for families who have a desire for deeper educational opportunities on a variety of subjects. Some students choose which topics they study through the co-op, and some parents choose for their students.”
Parent Erika Kubas also praised co-op organizers for providing a safe space for her family to learn and grow.
“We were on a search for something more,” she said, “not just an activity, but something to be part of.”
North Dakota
North Dakota voters to decide single-subject requirement for future constitutional amendments on June 9
BRECKENRIDGE — Coaches, teammates, friends and family gathered in the south parking lot of Breckenridge High School for another state tournament sendoff.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
This year, it was Troy Berndt taking the ceremonial convertible ride. He is headed to St. Michael-Albertville High School for the Minnesota Class A State Track and Field Meet on June 4-6.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
He will be running in the third heat of the 400-meter prelims, scheduled for 4:52 p.m. June 4. There are seven athletes in each heat, 21 total, and nine will advance to the finals at 6:20 p.m. June 5.
The top two finishers in each heat advance, along with the next three best times. Berndt’s personal best time of 50.67 has him seeded 13th, but the 10th-, 11th- and 12th-seeded runners are less than five hundredths of a second ahead of him. The eighth- and ninth-seeded runners are also close, at 50.33 and 50.39, respectively.
Berndt dropped nearly seven-tenths of a second from his previous personal best at the Section 6A West Subsection Meet on May 21, running 51.35, and shaved another 0.68 seconds off at the Section 6A Championships on May 28 with a time of 50.67. If he keeps lowering his time, he will have a shot at reaching the podium against the best runners in Class A.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
Results and photos will be available online immediately following the race June 4 and in the June 10 print edition of the Wahpeton Daily News.
Corbin Lee is a sports reporter for the Wahpeton Daily News and Richland County News-Monitor. Corbin can be reached by calling (701) 291-3551 or emailing corbin.lee@wahpetondailynews.com.
On this day in 1971, Rugby repeated as North Dakota’s high school sand greens golf champion behind medalist Dwight Stempson’s winning performance.
Here is the complete story as it appeared in the paper that day:
Rugby Repeats As Sand Greens Golf Champion
RUGBY, N. D. — Rugby repeated as North Dakota high school sand greens golf champion here Wednesday, posting a four-man total of 293 strokes for 18 holes.
Led by medalist Dwight Stempson’s medalist 36-35 — 71, the Panthers were eight strokes ahead of runnerup Stanley, which had a 301. Following were Garrison 311, Beulah 315, Leeds 322, Ashley 323, Bottineau 328, Pembina 329, Tioga 332, Parshall 341 and Hettinger 342.
Stempson and teammate Bruce Carlson each had one-under par 71s, but Carlson was unable to be at the regional and wasn’t qualified for individual honors.
Rounding out the Rugby totals were Delwin Wilson 40-37 — 77 and Dennett Hutchinson 35-39 — 74. Gary Kirchoffner, 41-39 — 80, was Rugby’s fifth entrant with the best four-of-five scores counted.
Runnerup Stanley was led by Steve Springan’s 34-38 — 72 and Joe Springan’s 36-38 — 74. Their two-man total of 146 strokes was good enough for the doubles title. Two strokes back with a 148 was the duo of Stempson and Wilson. Stan Saathoff and Mike Stepina of Garrison each had 76s for a 152 total and the Ashley combo of Steve Maier (76) and Dave Kretschmar (78) was fourth with a 154.
Stempson was the driving contest winner with a distance of 280 yards. Chris Knutson of Garrison headed the pitch and putt competition.
Kate Almquist is the social media manager for InForum. After working as an intern, she joined The Forum full time starting in January 2022. Readers can reach her at kalmquist@forumcomm.com.
-
Idaho3 minutes agoIdaho State Police: Driver runs stop sign, hits hay-stacker truck in Twin Falls
-
Illinois10 minutes agoConsumer advocacy groups oppose Illinois American Water $142.4M rate hike and potential major acquisition
-
Indiana12 minutes agoPHOTOS | Restored fountains at Garfield Park Sunken Garden
-
Iowa18 minutes agoWaukee Northwest beats Urbandale in Iowa boys soccer state semifinal
-
Kansas25 minutes agoKansas City, Missouri, police searching for missing 11-year-old girl
-
Kentucky28 minutes agoKentucky Lottery Cash Ball, Pick 3 Evening winning numbers for June 3, 2026
-
Louisiana33 minutes agoDHS watchdog finds use-of-force issues and safety and sanitation concerns at Louisiana ICE center
-
Maine40 minutes ago‘I could die here’: Photographer recalls Maine wedding stabbing
