According to Superintendent Steve Pummel, Hay Springs has received more than a 20% influx in student enrollment this year; almost every class in the upper level has gained at least one new student. Hay Springs High School has received three new juniors, two new sophomores, and one new freshman. The Junior High also received new students, including one new seventh grader and two new sixth graders.
Zade Henry, Charles Jerrell, and Quinn Tiensvold have all been added to the junior class. Zade is from Clifton, Arizona, but has visited Hay Springs frequently during the summers, although he spends most of his time working. His mom, Shelli Rose is a beautician, and he is an only child. He plans to play football and wrestle this year.
Charles also plans to wrestle this year, but that is the only sport he is interested in. Although Charles has attended Hay Springs High School before, he most recently moved here from Annapolis, Maryland. He lives here with his dad, Charles Jerrell Sr., who is a retired member of the military. He has one older brother and two older sisters. Charles favorite class is P.E. because of the fun people and he likes to sleep in his spare time.
Quinn, the only girl to transfer into the junior class, lives in Gordon, where she used to attend school with her younger sister, Sage, who is now a freshman at Hay Springs High School. Her parents, Mark and Ila, raise buffalo/ She is going to be part of the volleyball team this year, although she also enjoys reading, swimming, and boxing. Quinn’s favorite class this year is English because she finds it fun.
The sophomore class received one new boy and a new girl, who happens to be a foreign exchange student from Germany. Leah Griese, is from West Germany, where she used to ride horses for sport, read, and listen to music. This year she is trying out volleyball at Hay Springs High School. In Germany, her biological parents are Sandra and Ulf, and she has a younger sister. Her mother helps blind children at an elementary school in the area and her father is an IT consultant. So far this year, her favorite class is band, because she enjoys music.
Tyler Merritt also transferred to the sophomore class this year (just what they need, another boy). He moved from Olathe, Kansas with his father Shane, who works for BNSF Railroad in Alliance. His mom, Stephanie, is a manager at Olive Garden. Tyler has a step-brother, a step-sister, and a sister. This year, he is going to go out for football, basketball, and track, and in his spare time he likes to hang out with his friends. His favorite class is woods with Mr. Badje, because he doesn’t have to learn that much.
Sage Tiensbold, sister of Quinn, is the only new face in the freshman class. She also transferred here from Gordon schools and is going to play volleyball this year. She also enjoys swimming and hanging out with her friends. She also lives with her parents Mark and Ila. She enjoys taking choir, with Mrs. Varvel.
In the Junior High, two girls and one boy arrived this year. Bayli Bilby is a seventh grader, and Augusta McMillin and Levi Glines, are both in the sixth grade. Bayli transferred here from Chadron Middle School, and she plans to participate in cross country, basketball, and track. She lives with her father, Burt, who is a rancher and her mother, Dawn, who runs a daycare, and her younger brother. When she isn’t in school, she enjoys riding horses, working with her dad, and going to rodeos.
Augusta is also new into the Junior High. She is in the 6th grand and plays volleyball, basketball, and track as well. She is part of a large family; four brother and two sisters. Her parents, Jennifer and Bruce own a buffalo ranch, and her mother teaches as well. She moved here from Kadoka, South Dakota.
The only boy new to Hay Springs Junior High is sixth grader Levi Glines. He used to live in the country near Pine Ridge, with his mother Nicole, who is a dental hygienist, his father Chris who works in construction, and his two younger brothers. His favorite class this year is math, and he likes to work on remote control planes in his free time.
We are NOT doing practice records this year! Yes, you heard right, NO PRACTICE RECORDS! Instead I am implementing a program called “Band Ninja.” This is an opportunity for students to earn different levels of “belts” (really they are ribbons) that they will tie around their instrument as badges of honor. Any 6th-8th grade student has a copy of the requirements to earn belts. If they earn all belts they will have the opportunity to become a “band ninja.” We already have white belt players and several who are now attempting their yellow belt!
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