School news of the week: Memorable opportunities, inspiring visits

Amazing things happen in our schools every day — if you know where to look! Do you know some school news others would love? Let us know at [email protected].

We start with a big shout-out to the Promising Futures Fund, which always creates exceptional experiences for students and did so especially last week.

The eighth grade girl’s basketball teams from Whittier, McGovern and Ben Reifel middle schools went to SDSU to see the SDSU vs. USD women’s basketball game.

But they also got to shoot hoops in the women’s practice facility, hear from President Barry Dunn, visit with college students about how to prepare for college during high school years and what college life is like and then visit with players following the game.

And also, 1,750 fourth and fifth graders representing 11 low-income schools got to see “Call of the Wild” at the Washington Pavilion.

And finally, kids at Whittier Middle School got to learn snowboarding at Great Bear Ski Valley — thanks to a partnership of the Sioux Empire Boys & Girls Clubs, Great Bear, the Reaves Family, Promising Futures Fund and Whittier. Inspired to learn more about the Promising Futures Fund and connect or contribute?  Click here.

Students at Laura B. Anderson Elementary, families and staff enjoyed a Skyforce basketball game last week. Discovery Elementary students sang the national anthem and the LBA students helped hold the flag on the court.

It was a lesson in life skills for this class at Sioux Falls Lutheran School. The high school class spent the past week learning about all things automotive with Jerry and Mary Ellen Heirigs of J&M Transmission & Auto Service.

What a fun and valuable program at Oscar Howe Elementary: PBIS ticket winners. Every Friday, each classroom takes their tickets for the week to the office. A student can earn a ticket every day for exhibiting the qualities of the Oscar Howe PACK: Perseverance, Accountability, Control and Kindness. Here are a few lucky winners from earlier this month.

Second graders at Sonia Sotomayor Elementary are learning about the three states of matter through some cool experiments.

We’re not exactly sure what led up to this, but a “snowball” fight broke out at Lowell Elementary during professional learning day as staff in K-2 took on 3-5.

And finally, this is impressive: Check out all the students at St. Michael Elementary honored for perfect attendance in the first semester!