South Dakota
See which four South Dakota schools were named Blue Ribbon Schools this year
Four South Dakota schools were named Blue Ribbon Schools on Monday out of 356 schools to receive the honor nationwide this year.
South Dakota’s winners are Christ the King School in Sioux Falls, Lennox Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School in Aberdeen and Warner High School.
The award recognizes schools for excellence in overall academic performance or for progress in closing the achievement gap among student subgroups, according to a press release from the South Dakota Department of Education.
2023 winners: 3 South Dakota schools named as Blue Ribbon Schools
This year, Lennox Elementary, Christ the King Elementary and Warner High School were honored for their high scores in English and mathematics, while Lincoln Elementary was recognized for its progress in closing the achievement gap among student subgroups.
Why were each of the schools recognized?
Christ the King Elementary used data to target learning priorities and combined that with small-group instruction to meet the needs of each student. The Blue Ribbon designation is the highest honor a school can receive from the USDOE, according to a press release from Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools announcing Christ the King Elementary School’s award.
Christ the King Elementary School Principal Julie Kolbeck said in a release that she was excited on behalf of the school, and added that the school will have a celebration Oct. 22.
“Being recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School is a great honor,” Kolbeck said. “It affirms the hard work and dedication of all our students, faculty and parents here at Christ the King Elementary.”
2022 winners: Sonia Sotomayor, Holy Spirit named Blue Ribbon Schools in Sioux Falls
Lennox Elementary used a data-centered approach, according to a release from the SDDOE. Data from various assessments gives teachers an individualized profile of each student, allowing them to curate learning experiences to target deficiencies and build on established knowledge.
Lennox Elementary School Principal Cody Lutes said the school is very excited and honored to receive the award. He added the school will be recognized at the Teacher of the Year banquet on Thursday in Pierre, and will receive an award in early November in Washington D.C.
“I look forward to sharing this great accomplishment with our staff and community over the year,” Lutes said. “Our staff works hard every day to give students the best education. Our students and families are amazing. Without the students’ hard work, this would not have been possible. I am very proud of them all.”
Lincoln Elementary has instituted math and reading interventions, allowing students to acquire fundamental skills. The school also has a dedicated STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) program, which provides hands-on, project-based learning for all students.
Warner High School has a traditional approach to education, according to a release from the SDDOE, adding that “academic offerings are bound to fundamental subjects, which are taught and reinforced by experienced staff who are resolute in their high expectations for all students.”
What are education leaders saying?
SDDOE Secretary Joe Graves said in a release that the schools’ work is a “testament to talented teachers and staff, students who work hard to achieve their potential, and dedicated leadership.”
2021 winners: These four South Dakota schools were named as a National Blue Ribbon School for 2021
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a release that the National Blue Ribbon Schools Award is a testament to the “exceptional achievements of students and educators at each of these schools.”
“The 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools are raising the bar for our nation’s students, serving as models for effective teaching and intentional collaboration in their schools and communities,” Cardona said. “As we celebrate their achievements, let us look to these schools for inspiration as we champion education as the foundation of a brighter future for every child.”
South Dakota
Argus Leader First/Second Five: South Dakota’s best girls high school basketball players
See Sadie Mehrman, Sydney Terveen talk about O’Gorman girls basketball’s three-peat
O’Gorman seniors Sadie Mehrman, left, and Sydney Terveen, right, talk about winning their third straight state championship to end their careers.
More than 40 years ago, a tradition was born to honor the top high school basketball players in South Dakota, regardless of class: the Argus Leader First and Second Five.
Here are the 2025-26 First and Second Five teams for girls basketball, which celebrate those athletes who made individual impacts and lifted their teams to new heights.
First Five
Alyvia Padgett
Brandon Valley | 5-7 | Sr. | G
Padgett broke the Brandon Valley career scoring record this season after averaging 26.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists on 60.0% shooting from the field and 44.0% shooting from beyond the arc. The Class AA Spirit of Su winner led her Brandon Valley team to an unbeaten regular season thanks to a 40-point outing against O’Gorman in the season opener. The Lynx lost in the Class AA state championship game.
“She loves the work and it has loved her back,” Brandon Valley head coach Mike Zerr said. “She just always continues to find a way to level up her game each year. She has worked hard to become a three-level scorer, is at her best in transition offensively or defensively and has a tremendous vision for the game.
“Liv is not someone who craves the spotlight but has handled it all with grace. Those things will continue to stay with her in life on her next steps and continue to make her a tremendous player and person.”
Sydney Terveen
O’Gorman | 5-11 | Sr. | G
Terveen became the eighth O’Gorman girls basketball player to hit 1,000 career points, hitting that mark in her final regular season game. Then scored 33 points in her final high school game to help the Knights win their third Class AA state title in a row. The Omaha commit averaged 18.4 points on 50.4% from the field and 35.6% from three, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
“Sydney is a tremendous basketball player and she is at her best when the lights are shining the brightest,” O’Gorman head coach Kent Kolsrud said. “She is such a versatile player that makes huge plays and is a great leader. She can score at all three levels, is great in transition and so active in our presses. She has meant a tremendous amount to our basketball program for the last four years.”
Ashlyn Koupal
Wagner | 6-3 | Sr. | G/F
Koupal was the first South Dakotan girl named to the McDonald’s All-American Game this year, and the Nebraska commit rewarded the selection committee by going for 28.3 points, 14.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game while shooting 58.8% from the field and 48.4% from deep. She also recorded 60 steals and 82 blocks. Wagner went 19-5 and finished eighth in the Class A state tournament.
“Just knowing her personality and who she is, she’s a team-oriented kid who looks out for the team first,” Wagner head coach Mike Koupal said. “All the accolades she’s gotten over the years mean really nothing to her, because in the long run it’s what did she accomplish with her teammates at Wagner.
“Skill-wise, she’s a three-headed monster because she can score with her back to the basket, she can score off the dribble and she can score from the perimeter. In South Dakota the last couple years, we didn’t really get to see a lot of that because she’s picked up 90 feet with people hanging all over her. It’s hard to see what she’s really capable of.”
Ashlan Carlow-Blount
Maȟpíya Lúta | 6-0 | Sr. | G
Carlow-Blount may not have won a Class A state championship at Maȟpíya Lúta, but her teams went 80-4 over the last three years and finished as runners-up the last two seasons after going unbeaten heading into the state title game. The South Dakota commit averaged 17.2 points on 46.0% from the field and 40.0% from deep, 7.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists to go with 99 steals. Carlow-Blount also won the Class A Spirit of Su award.
Jaelyn Huntimer
Arlington | 5-9 | Sr. | G
Huntimer was Arlington’s do-it-all guard, averaging 28.8 points per game, 10.3 rebounds per game and 2.5 assists per night at 5-foot-9. Her nightly heroics weren’t enough for a SoDak 16 appearance, as Arlington finished 15-7 and lost in the Class B Region 2 semifinals as the top seed.
“Jaelyn has been part of our varsity program since seventh grade, and watching her grow into the player and person she is today has been truly special,” Arlington head coach Tara King said. “The time, heart and dedication she’s poured into this game is something you don’t always see, and it shows in everything she does. She has a special ability to take over a game, even when all the attention is on her. But what stands out most isn’t just her talent, it’s her heart. She’s faced a lot throughout her career and has lead with strength and resilience through it all. Jaelyn isn’t just a great basketball player, she’s someone who left a lasting impression on our basketball program, school and community, and we have been so blessed to watch her compete as a Cardinal.”
Second Five
Dana Harpe
Sioux Falls Washington | 6-0 | Sr. | G
Harpe provided Washington with a go-to scorer and playmaker with the size of a forward. She contributed 18.2 points a night on 48.7% shooting, 5.9 rebounds per game and 6.8 assists per outing to lead the Warriors to a third-place finish at Class AA.
“Dana has a motor that doesn’t quit,” Washington head coach Jamie Parish said. “She always plays hard on both sides of the ball and is a great teammate. She will be missed.”
Ruby Moore
O’Gorman | 5-8 | Jr. | G
Moore was in control of O’Gorman’s fast-paced offense all season and frequently had the ball in her hands in big moments. The South Dakota State commit averages 15.3 points and 4.6 assists while shooting 49.5% from the floor and 45.7% from deep. She also got 82 steals.
“Ruby is a very dynamic player that makes huge plays when the game is on the line,” Kolsrud said. “Great basketball IQ, tremendous floor general, can score in so many ways. She has been a huge part of our basketball program for the past three years. Great passer, leader in steals, tremendous shooter, big time player.”
Brinley Altenburg
Sioux Falls Jefferson | 5-10 | Jr. | G
Altenburg was Jefferson’s top option all season, and she delivered time and time again. The junior has garnered lots of interest from power conference schools like Iowa, Ohio State and Kansas. She paced the Cavaliers with 18.8 points per game on 45.8% shooting and 32.2% from 3-point range.
“Brinley is a huge piece of our offense, and she is our leading scorer this season,” Jefferson head coach Shaunteva Pruett said. “She is super quick and gets our offense going in transition. Brinley has a very fast first step that helps her get by defenders. She is capable of scoring from anywhere on the court, including deep threes. She tends to be the other team’s focus for each game, and she sees a lot of different defenses thrown at her. She has really grown throughout the season on learning how to contribute to the team on other levels besides just scoring. She is long and athletic and is developing a nose for the ball on defensive and offensive rebounds, as well as reading the defense for steals. Brinley is an extremely hard worker who is the definition of a gym rat.”
Taylor Reuvers
Vermillion | 5-5 | So. | G
Reuvers has an extremely quick release and good feel for getting to the rim with the ability to finish in a variety of different ways for Vermillion. The sophomore guard went for 27.8 points per night, 6.8 rebounds per game, 4.7 assists per game with 114 steals on 41.0% from the field and 37.0% from beyond the arc. The Tanagers lost in the Class A Region semifinals to cap a 13-9 season.
“Taylor is a true point guard who can do everything on the floor,” Vermillion head coach Jon Brooks said. “Her ability to shoot from distance along with her quickness getting to the hoop makes her very difficult to defend. She is very unselfish and always seems to make the correct play. Her basketball IQ is as high as any player I have ever been around. Taylor is always a step ahead on the court, which allows her to let things develop around her. With how talented she is, what separates her the most is her competitive drive. It doesn’t matter if it’s a shooting drill in practice or the biggest game of the year, she never wants to lose.”
Mak Scott
Lyman | 6-0 | Sr. | F
Scott was the Class B Spirit of Su winner and led Lyman to the top seed in the state tournament thanks to her size, positioning and finishing ability by the rim. The 2,000-point scorer averaged 15.2 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists as she and her sister Jordyn helped lead the Raiders to a 22-4 season and a fifth-place finish in the Class B state tournament.
South Dakota
TBD vs. South Dakota Coyotes – Live Score – March 31, 2026
South Dakota
SD Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for March 28, 2026
The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 28, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from March 28 drawing
11-42-43-59-61, Powerball: 25, Power Play: 4
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from March 28 drawing
15-29-30-32-35, Star Ball: 09, ASB: 05
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Dakota Cash numbers from March 28 drawing
04-08-13-31-35
Check Dakota Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 28 drawing
12-14-17-22-55, Bonus: 04
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
- Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
- Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.
When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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