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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - The South Dakota Board of Regents has announced a set of objectives designed to position South Dakota state schools to adopt artificial intelligence in higher education.

“Artificial intelligence is transforming every sector of our economy, and higher education must evolve just as rapidly,” said BOR President Jeff Partirdge. “These strategic objectives ensure that South Dakota’s public universities prepare students to be AI-ready, responsive to workforce demands, and capable of responsibly utilizing emerging technologies. This is an investment in the long-term success of our students and our state.”

The Board of Regents says their objects are in five core components:

1. Governance and infrastructure needs
2. Curricular and programmatic impacts
3. Optimization and utilization of agentic AI
4. Research
5. Development of AI literacy and fluency among students, faculty, and staff

“By building a strong support system and investing in training across our campuses, we are helping ensure students, faculty, and staff can use these tools responsibly, confidently, and in ways that strengthen learning and opportunity for everyone,” said University of South Dakota President Sheila Gestring.

YANKTON — Two top-three finishes in the boys’ long jump and two boys’ relay victories highlighted Vermillion’s showing in the First Dakota Relays track and field meet, May 7 in Yankton.

In the boys’ long jump, Elijah Lara won with a mark of 21-2. Ian Job was third, posting a mark of 20-8 1/2.

Also for the Tanager boys individually, Dean Fleming was second in the high jump (5-10) and Oscar Edelen was fourth in the 800 (2:01.84).

Edelen anchored the Tanager boys to victory in the 3200 relay, teaming with Gage Beverly, Hunter Morse and Tim Freeburg to finish in 8:21.93.

Elijah Lara and Job teamed with Ryne Chapman and Jacob Fischer to win the 400 relay (43.24). Job, Elijah Lara, Fischer and Bryce Voss were second in the 800 relay (1:31.48). Chapman, Voss, Brock Wilroth and Freeburg were third in the medley relay (3:53.68).

Shelan Hinseth was the top individual finisher for the Tanager girls, placing fourth in a competitive high jump field by clearing five feet. Also for Vermillion, Callie Radigan was fifth in the 1600 (5:42.15), Beatriz Hernandez-Lucas was fifth in the 3200 (13:12.87) and Caitlyn Reins was fifth in the pole vault (8-0).

The Vermillion quartet of Josie Askew, Marasia Warren, Reece Trumper and Flynn Peterson finished second in the medley relay, clocking a time of 4:34.76. Lucas and Peterson teamed with Eleanor and Lydia Anderson to place third in the 3200 relay (10:23.03).

After competing in the Dakota XII Conference Championships on May 14, the Tanagers will wrap up the regular season with the Southeast South Dakota Showcase, May 21 in South Sioux City. State is set for May 28-30 in Sioux Falls.

When its turn came, Vermillion rolled out a full patriotic welcome for South Dakota’s traveling flag honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Last Friday’s program, held at the Pump N’ Pak parking lot, included the Pledge of Allegiance, elementary and high school students, patriotic speeches and the ROTC unit from the University of South Dakota.

Only one thing was missing: the wind.

“What a beautiful day. We couldn’t have asked for anything better. Maybe a little more wind, which is funny to say in South Dakota, right?” noted Hanna DeLange with the Vermillion Chamber and Development Company (VCDC).

But just as the ROTC unit and students unfurled the flag, a stiff breeze lifted the 20 feet by 30 feet cloth adorned with a buffalo and the Badlands. The ROTC soldiers raised the flag, and it flew strongly over the Highway 19-50 intersection for all to see.

The moment marked the end of a program where people of all ages celebrated both the nation’s 250th birthday and their South Dakota pride.

The traveling flag, designed by the State Historical Society and made by Maximum Promotions, has been raised and lowered across the state. The flag remains for a day at each location before moving to its next destination.

The traveling flag allows each community to conduct its own special ceremony. In the process, students express their patriotism and become part of history.

The Vermillion Elementary School student council kicked off the program by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor Jon Cole and District 17 Sen. Sydney Davis spoke, a Vermillion High School student offered remarks and the ROTC cadets helped raise the flag, assisted by the students.

Vermillion has already started celebrating the 250th this spring with educational and cultural programs along with family friendly gatherings, DeLange said.

“This (flag raising) is our official kickoff for America 250 celebrations,” she said. “We're hosting a big Fourth of July celebration in Prentis Park. This (flag raising) is giving momentum and energy to this historic year.”

MILITARY SUPPORT

As they awaited the flag raising, SFC James Wait said his ROTC detail’s participation was returning the support received from the community.

“We love to give back as much as we can, and being part of this (event) is important,” he said. “We support the idea of the 250th anniversary of the country we are sworn to defend.”

Wait commended the Vermillion students’ participation in the ceremony. “Our youth need to know the history of the country and what it took to get it where it is now and showing that pride in our country and state,” he said.

Capt. Parker Young has interacted with the community in another way – he assists with the Vermillion High School band and show choir. He had participated in the high school show choir in Johnston, Iowa, a Des Moines suburb, and offered his talents to the Vermillion schools.

“I used to mentor the drummers below me (in high school), so I thought I might as well reach out and see if I can help,” he said. “Originally, I was going to just help with percussion. Now, I help wherever I’m needed. It’s been fun for me to get to know some of these kids.”

During the flag ceremony, he saw several familiar VHS students. In turn, he believed the detail’s role provided the ROTC program with greater visibility to the students and public.

Parker believes that patriotism remains important, and the attention given to the flag raising ceremony reinforced his feelings. He feels confident that younger generations will carry that torch into the future.

STUDENTS SPEAK

Vermillion High School junior Gavin Ma was among the U.S. History students participating in the ceremony. As a young adult, Ma recognized the event’s meaning.

“It's really important to be part of this today because we're celebrating America's 250th anniversary,” he said. “I feel like this is just a really important milestone in our country's history, and it should be celebrated.”

For Ma, the ceremony reinforced his sense of Americanism. “I feel like a part of history,” he said.

Nearby, the Vermillion Elementary Student Council awaited their turn to lead the Pledge of Allegiance and assist with unfurling the massive flag.

Student Council Advisor Gina Mrozla said the VCDC reached out to the principal looking for student participants, and in turn the Student Council was chosen as the representatives.

Fourth grader Grant Holoch said he didn’t expect to find such a massive flag. “It was very large. I was surprised,” he said.

Holoch was asked what it meant to touch the flag and become part of history.

“I think it means a lot,” he said. “You’re helping put up the flag of South Dakota, your own state, for the 250th anniversary for America.”

For Mrozla, the project took her students outside the school and connected them to the larger community. The exercise provided the third, fourth and fifth grade students with a chance to represent their school.

“It’s definitely a good opportunity to learn leadership,” she said. “It’s something we always work on. How can you change and mold the community. How can you be part of a kind, welcoming and nurturing community? That’s what we focus on at school, and here, they get to be part of something bigger.”

SUPT. REFLECTS

Vermillion Superintendent Damon Alvey, who attended the ceremony, spoke to the Plain Talk about the event’s importance for the elementary and high school students.

“What a great opportunity for our kids to see history in action,” he said. “And, they got a message from our mayor and legislator about how all of us have responsibilities to celebrate 250 years and keep us going into the next 250.”

The flag-raising ceremony meshed well with the students’ classroom experiences, Alvey said. The high school teachers are emphasizing the 250th birthday, while the elementary student council participated by walking just a few blocks from their new school, he added.

Also, the students saw the community support for the event and themselves, Alvey said.

“They saw why, as a young person, it’s important to be engaged. And it’s nice to touch the flag and be part of something bigger with the ROTC and others,” he said. “As adults, we appreciate when we attend things and see engagement from our community. But it’s really neat to see kids participate with adults, side by side.”

The young people gained a sense of patriotism and citizenship, Alvey said.

“They start from a young age to say, ‘This is our city, this is our county, this is our nation, and we should be part of it,’” he said. “They celebrate and work together to make things better.”

In turn, the adults gained a new perspective looking through the students’ eyes, Alvey said.

“It was a nice commemoration with the flag and its symbolism for state of South Dakota,” he said. “That's important, and I'm glad that our kids got a chance to see it.”

POLITICIANS SPEAK

In his remarks, Mayor Jon Cole said the Founding Fathers were taking a risk but believed ordinary people could govern themselves. “That vision helps shape the greatest nation in the world,” he added.

Today’s freedoms and opportunities are built through courage, sacrifice and a belief in something bigger than us, Cole said. America’s story has always been about progress, not perfection, he said.

District 17 Sen. Sydney Davis recognized the everyday people from all walks of life have come together to serve the nation.

America’s story has never been about perfection, Davis said. “It's always been about perseverance, resilience and believing that each generation has a responsibility for leaving it a little bit better than they found it,” she said.

THE FLAG’S JOURNEY

The state’s America 250 was commissioned to help organize and celebrate the nation’s birthday, according to spokesman Kevin Larsen with the State Historical Society.

The ceremonies started earlier this year with Tyndall and other communities and has spread across the state.

“The idea spearheaded from some folks that said, ‘What’s more patriotic than flag raising?’ So different communities have raised this massive 20 feet by 30 feet flag.”

Mark Nelsen said his Maximum Promotions company has provided massive flags for previous celebrations. Each town has found a different way to organize the current flag-raising event and create a special show of patriotism, Nelsen said.

“This has really taken off in ways we didn’t expect. Each community is different, and that’s what makes South Dakota so unique and special,” he said.

“You see kids, elderly folks, everybody come together for these flag raising events. And that's really the most important thing of these flag raising events, is everybody from every generation comes together and celebrates what it is to be a true American.”

Nelsen anticipates great demand for the flag’s appearance as July 4 approaches. He urged interested communities to counties to contact the State Historical Society to book a date.

After the flag finishes its journey, it will go to the South Dakota State Archives of the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre.

The participants in each ceremony become part of history, Nelsen said.

“Everybody gets their touch (of the flag), and whoever puts on the local ceremony puts their own touch on it,” he said. “We like to tell people, they got the cake and we’re bringing the icing.”

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SALEM, S.D. (KELO) — Jay Ostrem has been sentenced to three counts of life in prison, without parole all to be served consecutively.

Earlier Thursday the McCook County Courthouse was packed full of family and friends of Paul Frankus, Zachary Frankus and Timothy Richmond. During the sentencing several impact statements from family were read aloud for the court, with several asking for life imprisonment without parole.

In March a jury found Ostrem guilty of three counts of first-degree murder. He faced a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Ostrem was found guilty of killing Paul Frankus, Zachary Frankus and Richmond in 2024 in Centerville. Those charges were all first-degree murder charges.

During sentencing, the judge said it appears very clear Ostrum has expressed no remorse for his actions before handing down the sentence.

Several family members of Paul, Zachary, and Timmothy also gave impact statements, including Denise Frankus, mother of Paul and Zach, who said in her impact statement said hell would be too good for Ostrem.

“You took my children from me, my sons, ” Frankus said. “Paul and Zachary were good men, who had just begun to live their lives, not to mention Timothy who you had never even met. Your complete disregard for the law and for the lives of Paul, Zachary, and Timothy is disgusting and the impact it has left on me, my daughter, and my family is soul crushing agony that will never heal.”

Katie Cambern, Paul and Zachary’s aunt said Ostrem is the definition of pure evil.

“No parent should have to go through the brutal murder of their children and because of you and your wife we will never see the boys live out their lives or fulfill their dreams. Nor will we ever know why, because you are refusing to admit or explain or take responsibility, or show remorse or guilt,” Cambern said.

Ostrem’s trial lasted four days, starting with opening statements on March 16, 2026 and with a verdict being reached on March 20, 2026, where he was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder.

During the trial several pieces of evidence including body camera footage, 911 calls, witness testimony, and expert testimony were all heard.

The jury also got a look at items recovered from the scene including several weapons, including a pistol, rifle, and shotgun as well as shotgun shell casings and spent rifle rounds.

Ostrem is a former mayor of Centerville. He also served in law enforcement in Wyoming and was a Turner County law officer from 2007 to 2014. Before joining Turner County, Ostrem was a police officer for the city of Gillette, Wyoming. Ostrem started with Gillette in July of 1982 and retired as a sergeant in December 2003.

 Austin Brunick is running for District 17 House of Representatives. We discuss why he's running, his campaign, and the healthcare system.

(South Dakota News Watch) - Next school year, about 141,000 students in South Dakota public schools may begin to see more conversations about substance use disorder – and how to prevent it – being had in their classrooms.

Emily’s Hope, a South Dakota-based nonprofit focused on substance abuse prevention, was recently awarded over half a million dollars from the state’s opioid settlement fund to distribute its multi-grade substance abuse prevention curriculum to public schools in South Dakota.

Emily’s Hope founder Angela Kennecke told News Watch that the organization’s education program has been in the works for years, beginning with pilot programs implemented in schools across the region. The curriculum now reaches 30,000 students in six states with programs from kindergarten through high school.

South Dakota will be the first to see statewide implementation thanks to the $518,000 award from the Department of Social Services, which controls the state’s $99 million opioid settlement fund.

The organization also received $100,000 from the South Dakota Community Foundation’s Beyond Idea Grant toward its education efforts for a public awareness program called Facing Fentanyl, which will teach about the dangers of fentanyl and reach about 50,000 students, parents and educators.

Program designed to follow students through schooling

The program is not the same as the once-a-year Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) assemblies of days past – though Kennecke said those still have their place, and she often goes to speak at school assemblies. Lessons take place throughout the school year, increasing in frequency as students get older. Because the curriculum follows students through their school journey, concepts can build off of each other as they get more complex.

In early years, students learn about their body, emotions and who “trusted adults” are. They read books written by Kennecke and illustrated by her daughter Abby Groth, where students are introduced to characters who will follow them throughout their education. Topics get more specific in nature as students age –first grade sees titles like “Your Super Powers!” In fifth grade, students will graduate to “Brain Busters: Cracking the Code on Substance Use.”

In high school, conversations get much more practical. Those students are even more at risk for drug use and exposure to substance abuse, and Kennecke said it was important to create a curriculum that was able to reach students where they are.

“High school is a different animal, and we really worked with a lot of folks who work in high schools (to create the curriculum). So it’s more project based, it’s more student-led,” Kennecke said.

Importantly, students will be hearing about these issues from an adult that they know and trust. The curriculum is designed for teachers to easily implement into daily classroom activities, without much need for ongoing support from Emily’s Hope. Kennecke has said that while most pilot programs see teachers running the program, she’s also heard that school nurses and guidance counselors have also taken up the task.

“If you look at the studies on DARE, you’ll see that it didn’t do what was intended, and I think part of that was somebody coming in from the outside to teach it. It wasn’t long enough, it wasn’t comprehensive enough, it didn’t go over enough years. And so I thought, ‘Oh, my gosh, I want to start talking to kids at a younger age,’” Kennecke said.

That ongoing relationship means that teachers, counselors and nurses also receive education from Emily’s Hope on how best to handle difficult conversations, she said. For example, if a student reaches out with concerns for a family member or friend who may be using.

Pilot program sparks difficult conversations in some communities

Kennecke told News Watch that students sometimes recognize signs of substance abuse around them when being exposed to the concepts through Emily’s Hope’s curriculum.

In the northeast South Dakota town of Wilmot, population 381, the community suffered two overdose deaths in a single year, Kennecke said. That sparked Wilmot Public School counselor Tracy Ronke’s outreach to Kennecke to become a pilot school.

“I wanted to educate our kids on something that will help them lifelong, not something just for today,” Ronke said in a video for Emily’s Hope. “The drug addiction in our community is not going to go away.”

The Wilmot pilot program began with third and fourth graders. In those classrooms, Ronke said, it became clear that while some concepts from the curriculum – like how the endocrine system works – were new to students, others were all too familiar.

“What we learned along the way doing the curriculum is (the students) knew about the drugs. They knew about how drugs were being used. They knew that they saw them in their home, they knew that they had peers that were using them,” Ronke said. “What really started talking to me during this process wasn’t what the curriculum was teaching, it was what my kids already knew.”

Part of the pilot program’s goals have been to re-contextualize the conversations about substance abuse that students may be exposed to. That especially applies to higher-risk communities, where having a family member or friend with substance use disorder is common, Kennecke said. On the Rosebud Indian Reservation, for example, the ongoing pilot program at Rosebud Elementary School reaches students who live in a high-poverty county with high rates of substance use.

“What I have found when I talk to those students is that most of them have someone in their family or know someone suffering from substance use disorder, but they have no context for what’s happening to that person. All they hear is the talk of adults. And a lot of times that can be stigmatizing language,” Kennecke said.

Prevention key part of ongoing opioid strategy

Though much of the state’s opioid settlement fund spending has gone to treatment and recovery initiatives, the funding for Emily’s Hope represents a broader need for ongoing prevention measures to stop addiction before it begins, Kennecke said.

On April 2, Gov. Larry Rhoden and Department of Social Services Secretary Matt Althoff announced $7.82 million in grants for various organizations across the state. In that disbursement, $1 million was allocated to the Sioux Falls School District to provide prevention education, community engagement and intervention protocols for students using substances across grade levels.

Programs that target young people often see big returns, Althoff said.

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Emily’s Hope substance use curriculum coming to South Dakota schools

Marie Atkinson-Smeins, a counselor at Luverne Elementary School, teaches students curriculum...

Marie Atkinson-Smeins, a counselor at Luverne Elementary School, teaches students curriculum from Emily's Hope.(Emily's Hope)

By Molly Wetsch

Published: May 9, 2026 at 11:29 AM CDT|Updated: 1 hour ago

(South Dakota News Watch) - Next school year, about 141,000 students in South Dakota public schools may begin to see more conversations about substance use disorder – and how to prevent it – being had in their classrooms.

Emily’s Hope, a South Dakota-based nonprofit focused on substance abuse prevention, was recently awarded over half a million dollars from the state’s opioid settlement fund to distribute its multi-grade substance abuse prevention curriculum to public schools in South Dakota.

Emily’s Hope founder Angela Kennecke told News Watch that the organization’s education program has been in the works for years, beginning with pilot programs implemented in schools across the region. The curriculum now reaches 30,000 students in six states with programs from kindergarten through high school.

South Dakota will be the first to see statewide implementation thanks to the $518,000 award from the Department of Social Services, which controls the state’s $99 million opioid settlement fund.

The organization also received $100,000 from the South Dakota Community Foundation’s Beyond Idea Grant toward its education efforts for a public awareness program called Facing Fentanyl, which will teach about the dangers of fentanyl and reach about 50,000 students, parents and educators.

Program designed to follow students through schooling

The program is not the same as the once-a-year Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) assemblies of days past – though Kennecke said those still have their place, and she often goes to speak at school assemblies. Lessons take place throughout the school year, increasing in frequency as students get older. Because the curriculum follows students through their school journey, concepts can build off of each other as they get more complex.

In early years, students learn about their body, emotions and who “trusted adults” are. They read books written by Kennecke and illustrated by her daughter Abby Groth, where students are introduced to characters who will follow them throughout their education. Topics get more specific in nature as students age –first grade sees titles like “Your Super Powers!” In fifth grade, students will graduate to “Brain Busters: Cracking the Code on Substance Use.”

In high school, conversations get much more practical. Those students are even more at risk for drug use and exposure to substance abuse, and Kennecke said it was important to create a curriculum that was able to reach students where they are.

“High school is a different animal, and we really worked with a lot of folks who work in high schools (to create the curriculum). So it’s more project based, it’s more student-led,” Kennecke said.

Importantly, students will be hearing about these issues from an adult that they know and trust. The curriculum is designed for teachers to easily implement into daily classroom activities, without much need for ongoing support from Emily’s Hope. Kennecke has said that while most pilot programs see teachers running the program, she’s also heard that school nurses and guidance counselors have also taken up the task.

“If you look at the studies on DARE, you’ll see that it didn’t do what was intended, and I think part of that was somebody coming in from the outside to teach it. It wasn’t long enough, it wasn’t comprehensive enough, it didn’t go over enough years. And so I thought, ‘Oh, my gosh, I want to start talking to kids at a younger age,’” Kennecke said.

That ongoing relationship means that teachers, counselors and nurses also receive education from Emily’s Hope on how best to handle difficult conversations, she said. For example, if a student reaches out with concerns for a family member or friend who may be using.

Pilot program sparks difficult conversations in some communities

Kennecke told News Watch that students sometimes recognize signs of substance abuse around them when being exposed to the concepts through Emily’s Hope’s curriculum.

In the northeast South Dakota town of Wilmot, population 381, the community suffered two overdose deaths in a single year, Kennecke said. That sparked Wilmot Public School counselor Tracy Ronke’s outreach to Kennecke to become a pilot school.

“I wanted to educate our kids on something that will help them lifelong, not something just for today,” Ronke said in a video for Emily’s Hope. “The drug addiction in our community is not going to go away.”

A worksheet from the Emily's Hope curriculum filled out by a student in Luverne, Minn.

A worksheet from the Emily's Hope curriculum filled out by a student in Luverne, Minn.(Emily's Hope)

The Wilmot pilot program began with third and fourth graders. In those classrooms, Ronke said, it became clear that while some concepts from the curriculum – like how the endocrine system works – were new to students, others were all too familiar.

“What we learned along the way doing the curriculum is (the students) knew about the drugs. They knew about how drugs were being used. They knew that they saw them in their home, they knew that they had peers that were using them,” Ronke said. “What really started talking to me during this process wasn’t what the curriculum was teaching, it was what my kids already knew.”

Tracy Ronke, a counselor in Wilmot, S.D., teaches a classroom curriculum from Emily's Hope.

Tracy Ronke, a counselor in Wilmot, S.D., teaches a classroom curriculum from Emily's Hope.(Emily's Hope)

Part of the pilot program’s goals have been to re-contextualize the conversations about substance abuse that students may be exposed to. That especially applies to higher-risk communities, where having a family member or friend with substance use disorder is common, Kennecke said. On the Rosebud Indian Reservation, for example, the ongoing pilot program at Rosebud Elementary School reaches students who live in a high-poverty county with high rates of substance use.

“What I have found when I talk to those students is that most of them have someone in their family or know someone suffering from substance use disorder, but they have no context for what’s happening to that person. All they hear is the talk of adults. And a lot of times that can be stigmatizing language,” Kennecke said.

Prevention key part of ongoing opioid strategy

Though much of the state’s opioid settlement fund spending has gone to treatment and recovery initiatives, the funding for Emily’s Hope represents a broader need for ongoing prevention measures to stop addiction before it begins, Kennecke said.

On April 2, Gov. Larry Rhoden and Department of Social Services Secretary Matt Althoff announced $7.82 million in grants for various organizations across the state. In that disbursement, $1 million was allocated to the Sioux Falls School District to provide prevention education, community engagement and intervention protocols for students using substances across grade levels.

Programs that target young people often see big returns, Althoff said.

“There’s always a predisposition to youth,” he said during the press conference. “We’ll always prioritize our youth in South Dakota. I think in many cases, if there’s low-hanging fruit, it’s from the youth, as far as investment and risk and reward.”

Part of that funding will go to implementation of the Emily’s Hope curriculum in the district, which currently serves about 25,000 students. Kennecke said that the curriculum going into schools in South Dakota’s largest city has been a goal of Emily’s Hope for years.

“Everybody who helped formulate the elementary school curriculum, everybody who helped formulate the middle and high school curriculum, a lot of them are Sioux Falls educators or counselors. And so we were anxious to get our curriculum into the Sioux Falls School District,” Kennecke said.

Kennecke said that while some students may already have experience with substance use in their families, relationships or communities, a primary goal of the curriculum is to create awareness and prevention strategies for all students – regardless of whether they have been previously exposed.