South Dakota High School Students Participate in the SDDP’S Annual YELL! Event
PIERRE, S.D. – Students from across South Dakota participated in the the South Dakota Democratic Party (SDDP)’s annual Young Elected Legislative Leaders (YELL)! event, held this past weekend (April 6-7) at the South Dakota State Capitol Building in Pierre.
“It’s great to see so many young people are interested in our political process, want to learn more about it, and want to become more involved in it,” said Sam Parkinson, SDDP Executive Director. “Democrats believe young people like these students aren’t just the future – they’re also the present, and we want to encourage them to make sure their voices are heard and the issues they care about are a part of the political discussion in our state.”
The YELL! Program is an annual event sponsored by the South Dakota Democratic Party, bringing young Democrats from across South Dakota together for a mock legislative session with Democratic legislators, SDDP staff, and other South Dakota Democratic leaders. This year the students also heard from attorney general candidate Randy Seiler, U.S. House candidate Tim Bjorkman, and gubernatorial candidate State Sen. Billie Sutton.
Awards were given to individual students who distinguished themselves during the mock legislative session. The award winners, along with their hometowns and schools are as follows (a picture of the award winners is below):
Best Committee Member, Committee A: Alexandra Licht, Rapid City, Stevens High School
Best Committee Member, Committee B: Sierra Sattler, Lemmon, Lemmon High School
Best Committee Member, Committee C: Benjamin Menke, Sioux Falls, Harrisburg High School
Best Committee Member, Committee D: Enjie Wong, Sioux Falls, Roosevelt High School
Best Advocate: Baxter Meyer – Rapid City, Saint Thomas More High School
Best Speaker: Benjamin Menke, Sioux Falls, Harrisburg High School
Legislators’ Pick: Benjamin Menke, Sioux Falls, Harrisburg High School
Over 30 students from around the state attended the event (a full group picture is below):
Aberdeen – Connor Hansen, Roncalli High School.
Burke – Sierra Liewer, Burke High
Dakota Dunes – Justin Weaver, Dakota Valley High School
Eagle Butte – Oliver Miner, Cheyenne-Eagle Butte High School
Lemmon – Sierra Sattler, Lemmon High School
Madison – Martin Contreras, Madison Middle School; Ronan Wicks, Madison Middle School
Martin – Ohitika Lewis, Red Cloud High School; Dante Witt, Red Cloud High School
Piedmont – Ricky Clark, Sturgis Brown High School
Rapid City – Keaghan Duffy, Stevens High School; Sydney Kincart, Stevens High School; Alexandra Licht, Stevens High School; Baxter Meyer, Saint Thomas More High School; Olivia Perli, Central High School
Sioux Falls – Yairis Alvarado, Lincoln High School; Heidi Anderson, Lincoln High School; Mackenzie Bevers, Roosevelt High School; Charles Ellingson, Lincoln High School; Sydney Huntimer, Roosevelt High School; Benjamin Menke, Harrisburg High School; Courtney Merchant, Lincoln High School; Amy Pham, Roosevelt High School; Engie Wong, Roosevelt High School; Amy Xiang, Lincoln High School
Spearfish – Tanner Walkins, Spearfish High School
Sturgis – Lexi McKee-Hemenway, Sturgis Brown High School; Taylor Tobias, Sturgis Brown High School
Watertown – Braden Bury, Watertown High School; Meredith French, home-schooled; Kahden Mooney, Watertown High School
Yankton – Carter Demaray, Yankton High School; Kiah Holmstrom, Yankton High School
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