The academic achievements of the best and brightest students of the Class of 2025 were recognized late last month (April 28, 2025) at the 35th Annual Academic Excellence Recognition luncheon.
Governor Larry Rhoden and the Associated School Boards of South Dakota (ASBSD) honored students who were identified as the top one percent of their senior class, from the state’s Public, Private and Tribal/BIE schools.
Students designated as their high school’s honoree(s) received a certificate signed by Gov. Larry Rhoden Secretary of State Monae Johnson and ASBSD President Garret Bischoff, a commemorative South Dakota pin and the opportunity to meet and have their photo taken with the Governor.
“Congratulations to all the students here,” Gov. Rhoden told the seniors. “You’ve put in years of effort and your hard work and perseverance are an inspiration to all of us.”
“You’re the best and the brightest. You’re the next generation of leaders in our state.”
ASBSD President Garret Bischoff of Huron echoed the Governor’s sentiment on the students being the next leaders of the state.
“South Dakota needs talented and skilled people like yourselves to share your creative ideas and solutions to continue to push our great state forward,” Bischoff said, adding that today was a special celebration of the students’ academic achievements.
“You have strived to reach your academic heights and we’re thankful for the opportunity to recognize your achievement. Today, we celebrate your well-earned accomplishments.”
Musical entertainment was provided by the Huron High School String Quartet under the direction of Dr. Beth Neitzert, and the Huron High School Madrigals Quartet under the direction of Misses Tabitha UnRuh.
The event was sponsored by A&B Business Solutions, Colliers Securities LLC, the South Dakota Board of Regents, and South Dakota Education Association.
A list of honorees is below. If a high school is not listed an honoree was not submitted by the school.
| School District | Name | High School |
| Aberdeen School District | Reese Comstock | Aberdeen Central High School |
| Bryson Hanson | Aberdeen Central High School | |
| Aglaia Ramey | Aberdeen Central High School | |
| Madeline Sandvig | Aberdeen Central High School | |
| Aberdeen Christian School | Taylor Ingemansen | Aberdeen Christian High School |
| Aberdeen Roncalli | Anna Unser | Aberdeen Roncalli High School |
| Agar-Blunt-Onida School District | Sheridan Voorhees | Sully Buttes High School |
| Alcester-Hudson School District | Ethan Bovill | Alcester-Hudson High School |
| Andes Central School District | Emery Bultje | Andes Central High School |
| Arlington School District | Ellisyn Vincent | Arlington High School |
| Armour School District | Riley Spaans | Armour High School |
| Avon School District | Lila Vanderlei | Avon High School |
| Baltic School District | Ava Tiahrt | Baltic High School |
| Belle Fourche School District | Lydia Main | Belle Fourche High School |
| Bennett County School District | Wyatt Huber | Bennett County High School |
| Beresford School District | Elena Andrews | Beresford High School |
| Bison School District | Ethney Simmons | Bison High School |
| Bon Homme School District | Landon Schmidt | Bon Homme High School |
| Bowdle School District | Cole Beitelspacher | Bowdle High School |
| Brandon Valley School Dist. | Jacob Hansen | Brandon Valley High School |
| Braydon Heronimas | Brandon Valley High School | |
| Xavier McGuire | Brandon Valley High School | |
| Mazzi Moore | Brandon Valley High School | |
| Bridgewater-Emery School District | Candice Stahl | Bridgewater-Emery High School |
| Britton-Hecla School District | Oliver Moeckly | Britton-Hecla High School |
| Brookings School District | Xavier St. Pierre | Brookings High School |
| Ernest Ting | Brookings High School | |
| Yuki Zhu | Brookings High School | |
| Burke School District | Avery Zeisler | Burke High School |
| Canistota School District | Brady Scott | Canistota High School |
| Canton School District | Chance Riley | Canton High School |
| Castlewood School District | Jarin Eidson | Castlewood High School |
| Centerville School District | Anna Preheim | Centerville High School |
| Chamberlain School District | Aadyn Hosek | Chamberlain High School |
| Chester Area School District | Will Seeley | Chester Area High School |
| Clark School District | Lauren Luvaas | Clark High School |
| Colman-Egan School District | Kaitlyn Taggart | Colman-Egan High School |
| Colome-Consolidated School District | Westlie Cahoy | Colome High School |
| Corsica-Stickney School District | Saylor Lefers | Corsica-Stickney High School |
| Crow Creek Tribal School | Kasiah Dion | Crow Creek High School |
| Custer School District | Quinn Lewison | Custer High School |
| Dakota Christian School | Kalee Dykshorn | Dakota Christian High School |
| Dakota Valley School District | Michael Daniels | Dakota Valley High School |
| Dell Rapids School District | Eliot Olson | Dell Rapids High School |
| Dell Rapids St. Mary’s Catholic School | Megan Geraets | St. Marys High School |
| De Smet School District | Samuel Gigov | De Smet High School |
| Deubrook Area School District | Zoey Molengraaf | Deubrook High School |
| Deuel School District | Jared Hotzler | Deuel High School |
| Doland School District | Emma Schneider | Doland High School |
| Douglas School District | Reva Hancock | Douglas High School |
| MacKenzee Launsby | Douglas High School | |
| Dupree School District | Braydon Terveen-Smith | Dupree High School |
| Eagle Butte School District | Quinn Benoist | Cheyenne-Eagle Butte High School |
| Edgemont School District | Katelyn Lauritsen | Edgemont High School |
| Edmunds Central School District | Avery Beyers | Edmunds Central High School |
| Elk Point-Jefferson School District | Natalie Wells | Elk Point-Jefferson High School |
| Elkton School District | Andrea Renkly | Elkton High School |
| Estelline School District | Ava Gunderson | Estelline High School |
| Ethan School District | William Kreth | Ethan High School |
| Eureka School District | Sydney Bertsch | Eureka High School |
| Faith School District | Melody Olugbenga | Faith High School |
| Faulkton Area School District | Morgan Demery | Faulkton High School |
| Flandreau School District | Alfie Henderson | Flandreau High School |
| Flandreau Indian School | Akira Fast Horse-Armell | Flandreau Indian High School |
| Florence School District | Ashelyn Klitzke | Florence High School |
| Frederick Area School District | Gabby Millard | Frederick Area High School |
| Freeman School District | Claire Hofer | Freeman High School |
| Garretson School District | Cortney Rogich | Garretson High School |
| Gayville-Volin School District | Will Pirak | Gayville-Volin High School |
| Gettysburg School District | Jhett Simon | Gettysburg High School |
| Great Plains Lutheran High School | Esta Cameron | Great Plains Lutheran High School |
| Gregory School District | Cole Serr | Gregory High School |
| Groton Area School District | Gretchen Dinger | Groton Area High School |
| Haakon School District | Josie Jones | Philip High School |
| Hamlin School District | Talayna Opdahl | Hamlin High School |
| Hanson School District | Cadence Jarding | Hanson High School |
| Harding County School District | Kelsi Costello | Harding County High School |
| Harrisburg School District | Aadil Ali | Harrisburg High School |
| Carson Bushfield | Harrisburg High School | |
| Ava Gross | Harrisburg High School | |
| Easton Klatt | Harrisburg High School | |
| Nick Tucker | Harrisburg High School | |
| Henry School District | Shylynn Hansen | Henry High School |
| Herreid School District | Pausha Meidinger | Herreid High School |
| Highmore-Harrold School District | Aidan Ferens | Highmore-Harrold High School |
| Hill City School District | Lexi Brandt | Hill City High School |
| Hitchcock-Tulare School District | Ella Johnson | Hitchcock-Tulare High School |
| Hot Springs School District | Destiny Rose Webb | Hot Springs High School |
| Hoven School District | Ethan Johnson | Hoven High School |
| Howard School District | Briella Wettlaufer | Howard High School |
| Huron School District | Logan Gerrits | Huron High School |
| AnneClaire Rubish | Huron High School | |
| Ipswich School District | Maxwell Kulesa | Ipswich High School |
| Irene-Wakonda School District | Hailey Orr | Irene-Wakonda High School |
| Madison Orr | Irene-Wakonda High School | |
| Iroquois School District | Shelby Pekron | Iroquois High School |
| James Valley Christian School | Tayne Herrmann | James Valley Christian High School |
| Jones County School District | Jace Nix | Jones County High School |
| Kadoka Area School District | Allison Roghair | Kadoka Area High School |
| Kimball School District | Madi Von Eye | Kimball High School |
| Lake Preston School District | Trinity Pirlet | Lake Preston High School |
| Langford Area School District | Eliana Darling | Langford Area High School |
| Lead-Deadwood School District | Kari Mollman | Lead-Deadwood High School |
| Lemmon School District | Gage Anderson | Lemmon High School |
| Lennox School District | Noah Buhta | Lennox High School |
| Leola School District | Jonathan Butler | Leola High School |
| Lower Brule Day School | Martina Desphy | Lower Brule High School |
| Lyman School District | Morgan Hoffman | Lyman High School |
| Madison Central School District | Katherine Johnson | Madison High School |
| Mahpiya Luta Owayawa | Robert Patton | Red Cloud High School |
| Marion School District | Dominic Sperling | Marion High School |
| Marty Indian School | Jordan Zephier | Marty Indian High School |
| McCook Central School District | Madison Lauck | McCook Central High School |
| McIntosh School District | Brandi Baumeister | McIntosh High School |
| McLaughlin School District | Jestice High Cat | McLaughlin High School |
| Meade School District | Bennett Gordon | Sturgis Brown High School |
| Kylee Phillips | Sturgis Brown High School | |
| Abilgail Tweedy | Sturgis Brown High School | |
| Menno School District | Addisyn Friesen | Menno High School |
| Milbank School District | Claire Snaza | Milbank High School |
| Miller School Distrcit | Olivia Resel | Miller High School |
| Mitchell School District | Lauren Hofer | Mitchell High School |
| Brady Trefz | Mitchell High School | |
| Rachel Ziegeldorf | Mitchell High School | |
| Mitchell Christian School | Jason Baas | Mitchell Christian High School |
| Mobridge-Pollock School District | Elsy Larsen | Mobridge-Pollock High School |
| Montrose School District | Makarie Wiebersick | Montrose High School |
| Mt. Vernon School District | Reagan Rus | Mt. Vernon High School |
| New Underwood School District | Addison Larson | New Underwood High School |
| Newell School District | Hailey J. McCann | Newell High School |
| Northwestern Area School Distrcit | Anna Brumfield | Northwestern Area High School |
| Oldham-Ramona-Rutland School District | Kimberly Trystad | Oldham-Ramona-Rutland High School |
| Parker School District | Alek Kuchta | Parker High School |
| Parkston School District | Mya Wickersham | Parkston High School |
| Pierre School District | Campbell Cronin | T.F. Riggs High School |
| Nathan Kist | T.F. Riggs High School | |
| Nicole Weiss | T.F. Riggs High School | |
| Plankinton School District | Abigail Davis | Plankinton High School |
| Platte-Geddes School District | Sydney Neuman | Platte-Geddes High School |
| Rapid City Area School District | Hannah Lapp | Rapid City Central High School |
| Amelia Schaefbauer | Rapid City Central High School | |
| Kelty Silbernagel | Rapid City Central High School | |
| Kaylie Tupper | Rapid City Central High School | |
| Emma Dressler | Rapid City Stevens High School | |
| Marieda Kalahar | Rapid City Stevens High School | |
| Katelinn Ohrtman | Rapid City Stevens High School | |
| Ephraim Roque | Rapid City Stevens High School | |
| Dylan Tipton | Rapid City Stevens High School | |
| Rapid City Catholic School System | Brian Bowers | St. Thomas More High School |
| Rapid City Christian School | Eric Poole | Rapid City Christian High School |
| Redfield School District | Addisyn Evans | Redfield High School |
| Rosholt School District | Zachary Smith | Rosholt High School |
| St. Francis Indian School | Raiden White Hat | St. Francis Indian High School |
| Sanborn Central School Distrcit | Caleb Kneen | Sanborn Central High School |
| Scotland School District | Trinity Bietz | Scotland High School |
| Selby Area School District | Josey Hubner | Selby Area High School |
| Sioux Falls School District | Champ Baumgarten | Sioux Falls Jefferson High School |
| Meridian Hailu | Sioux Falls Jefferson High School | |
| Averi Schmitt | Sioux Falls Jefferson High School | |
| Maya Sutton | Sioux Falls Jefferson High School | |
| Betelihiem Tecleab | Sioux Falls Jefferson High School | |
| Griffin Etrheim | Lincoln High School | |
| Reagan Lovrien | Lincoln High School | |
| Katya Surendran | Lincoln High School | |
| Emma Terveen | Lincoln High School | |
| Vanessa Ung | Lincoln High School | |
| Madelin Eggers | Sioux Falls Roosevelt High School | |
| Simon Medehin | Sioux Falls Roosevelt High School | |
| Peter Nguyen | Sioux Falls Roosevelt High School | |
| Kennedy Schaaf | Sioux Falls Roosevelt High School | |
| Laila Sumic | Sioux Falls Roosevelt High School | |
| Calla Freesemann | Sioux Falls Washington High School | |
| Harold Mayer | Sioux Falls Washington High School | |
| Jamie Nguyen | Sioux Falls Washington High School | |
| Carson Wheeler | Sioux Falls Washington High School | |
| Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools | Stephanie Rutten | O’Gorman High School |
| Braxton Smith | O’Gorman High School | |
| Sioux Valley School District | Maggie Siegel | Sioux Valley High School |
| Sisseton School District | Carlee A. Moen | Sisseton High School |
| Smee School District | Danica DeMarrias | Wakpala High School |
| Katie Mitchell-Boe: Spearfish School District | Cadence Kilmer | Spearfish High School |
| September Vojta | Spearfish High School | |
| Hollie Wise | Spearfish High School | |
| Stanley County School District | Hayden Roggow | Stanley County High School |
| Summit School District | Regan Schmidt | Summit High School |
| Sunshine Bible Academy | Owan Watson | Sunshine Bible High School |
| Takini School | Artorreus Romonte Waloke | Takini High School |
| Tea Area School District | Olivia Hubley | Tea Area High School |
| Abigail Munson | Tea Area High School | |
| Timber Lake School District | Jordan Jones | Timber Lake High School |
| Todd County School District | Mason Randall | Todd County High School |
| Tri-Valley School District | Carly Rickenbaugh | Tri-Valley High School |
| Tripp-Delmont School District | Jamie Bacon | Tripp-Delmont High School |
| Vermillion School District | Benjamin Kerby | Vermillion High School |
| Viborg-Hurley School District | Natali Blair | Viborg-Hurley High School |
| Wagner Community School District | Presley Slaba | Wagner High School |
| Wall School District | Jace Blasius | Wall High School |
| Warner School District | Libby Scepaniak | Warner High School |
| Watertown School District | Max Dylla | Watertown High School |
| Emma Hendricks | Watertown High School | |
| Molly Hendricks | Watertown High School | |
| Waubay School District | Tigh Gaikowski | Waubay High School |
| Waverly-South Shore School District | Jace Jellis | Waverly-South Shore High School |
| Webster Area School District | Katie Braun | Webster Area High School |
| Wessington Springs School District | Branden Flowers | Wessington Springs High School |
| West Central School District | Rylee Cawley | West Central High School |
| White Lake School District | Ryden Becker | White Lake High School |
| White River School District | Skyler Krogman | White River High School |
| Willow Lake School District | Cordell Hervi | Willow Lake High School |
| Wilmot School District | Mya Heinje | Wilmot High School |
| Winner School District | August Bartels | Winner High School |
| Wolsey-Wessington School District | Ashton Hill | Wolsey-Wessington High School |
| Woonsocket School District | Emilie Lindgren | Woonsocket High School |
| Yankton School District | Kaylee Goeden | Yankton High School |
| Rain Lane | Yankton High School | |
| Natasha Wells | Yankton High School |
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