MHS Music Department Bestows Year-End Band Awards

Milbank High School band and choir students were presented with end-of-the-year band and choir awards: 
Ellie Neugebauer received the Arion Award. The  Arion Award is the oldest and most prestigious national award given for outstanding achievement by high school musicians. Winners must demonstrate an outstanding contribution to their school’s music department; scholastic achievement; personal, professional, and musicianship qualities; and performing abilities.

Merik Junker received  the John Phillip Sousa Award. The award originated in 1954 and is the most prestigious award for high school band students who demonstrate musicianship, leadership, dependability, and loyalty. 

Zach Ringsaker received the Justin Maass Memorial Award in recognition of outstanding effort and motivating enthusiasm for choral singing with strong musicianship.Ellie Neugebauer, Max Lightfield, and Jacob Shelstad each received a National School Choral Award. The award honors a female and a male singer in the senior class who have contributed most to the school vocal program with their singing ability and their enthusiasm for choral performance.Elsie Seffrood received the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award. The award is presented to a student whose participation in jazz band continues Mr. Armstrong’s desire for the true jazz sound. 
James Batchelor, Nick Fonder, Rachel Schulte, and Stella Wendland have been selected to sing in the 49th Annual South Dakota Honor Choir. The event will take place July 30-August 4 on the Augustana University campus in Sioux Falls.

Luis Berrones claimed the Director’s Award for choir and Emily Jo Wollschlager.earned the award for band for assisting the directors and students.Ellie Neugebuaer, Joe Schulte, and Rachel Schulte participated in the 2023 South Dakota All State Band  Merik Junker, Joe Schulte and Rachel Schulte. participated in the 2022 South Dakota All State Orchestra. Both events took place in Sioux Falls.Spirit of Marching awards for band, as voted on by their classmates, went to senior Aiden Ludvigson, junior Joe Schulte, sophomore Joe French, and freshman Ashlynn Batchelor.Outstanding choir members, as chosen by their classmates were junior Nick Fonder, sophomore Graham Lightfield, and freshman Ashlynn Batchelor.

Region 3 Large Group Contest Results: MHS Band (3 superiors): MHS Choir (3 superiors)

4 Year Band Pins: Luis Berrones, Dylan Bohn, Kylene Bowen, Mason Cordingley, Laura Eilers, Averie Engebretson, Mallory Falk, Addie Farrell, Sammy Femling, Laney Forrette, Madisen Frerichs, Merik Junker, Ian Liebe, Max Lightfield, Aiden Ludvigson, Tice Mursu, Ellie Neugebauer, Justus Osborn, Carter Phinney, Cadence Pillatzki, Hailie Pillatzki, Nathan Pillatzki, Zach Ringsaker, Elsie Seffrood, Jacob Shelstad, Maurina Street, Paul VanDover, Keara VanHoorn, Avery Whitesitt, Camryn Wiese, Julia Wiik, and Emily Jo Wollschlager

North Area Honor Band: Luis Berrones, Alex DeLaRosa, Addie Farrell, Laney Forrette, Merik Junker, Hope Karels, Katie Kruger, Ruth Luis Gomez, Brooke Mumbauer, Ellie Neugebauer, Krista Nies, Carter Phinney, Joe Schulte, Shane Spiering, Keara VanHoorn, Isabella Vogel, Sophia Whitlow, Connor Wiik, and Emily Jo Wollschlager.

4 Year Choir Pins: Luis Berrones, Dylan Bohn, Kylene Bowen, Mason Cordingley, Jenna Dexter, Averie Engebretson, Addie Farrell, Laney Forrette, Madisen Frerichs, Ian Liebe, Max Lightfield, Aiden Ludvigson, Ellie Neugebauer, Ashlyn O’Farrell, Justus Osborn, Cadence Pillatzki, Hailie Pillatzki, Zach Ringsaker, Hallie Schulte, Casside Seezs, Elsie Seffrood, Jacob Shelstad, and Camryn Wiese.

All-State Chorus Pins: James Batchelor, Veronica Fonder, Max Lightfield, Aiden Ludvigson, Hope Karels, Ellie Neugebauer, Jacob Shelstad, and Nadia Thue.Major Letter Awards:Seniors: Laura Eilers (band), Mallory Falk (band), Jorge Franco (choir), Nathan Pillatzki (band), and Casside Seezs (choir).

Juniors: Payton Brown (choir), Josie Ramirez (band), and Jayden Johnson (choir).

Sophomores: Joe French (band/choir), Carlos Olivares Zuniga (band), Josie Riveland (choir), Owen Tesch (choir), and Howie Zemlicka (band).

Freshman: Ashlynn Batchelor (choir), Kalli Grong (band), Zane Kilde (band), Evy Liebe (band), Allie Meyer (band), Anna Neugebauer (band), Krista Nies (band), Yanderyn Olivares Zuniga (band), and Camryn Sovell (band/choir).

Major Bar Awards:
Seniors: Luis Berrones (band), Dylan Bohn (band), Kylene Bowen (choir), Mason Cordingley (band/choir), Averie Engebretson (band), Addie Farrell (band), Sammy Femling (band), Marianna Fonder (choir), Laney Forrette (band), Merik Junker (band), Ian Liebe (band/choir), Max Lightfield (band/choir), Aiden Ludvigson (band/choir), Ellie Neugebauer (band/choir), Ashlyn O’Farrell (choir), Justus Osborn (band), Carter Phinney (band), Zach Ringsaker (band/choir), Elsie Seffrood (band/choir), Jacob Shelstad (band/choir), Maurina Street (band), Paul VanDover (band), Keara VanHoorn (band), Avery Whitesitt (band), Camryn Wiese (band/choir), Julia Wiik (band), Emily Jo Wollschlager (band)

Juniors: James Batchelor (band/choir), Sunne DeBoer (band), Nick Fonder (band/choir), Aubrey Fraasch (band/choir), Kaitlyn Huber (band), Hope Karels (band/choir), Maggie Kruger (band), Ivy Lewno (band), Brooke Mumbauer (band), Victoria Nelson (choir), Landon Novy (band), Amelia Pederson (band), Abby Pillatzki (band), Shaylee Schuchard (choir), Joe Schulte (band/choir), Rachel Schulte (band/choir), Daniel Shelstad (band/choir), Cailey Sime (band/choir), Lydia Street (band), Nadia Thue (band/choir), Isabella Vogel (band/choir), Olivia Wendland (choir), Stella Wendland (choir), Sophia Whitlow (band), and Connor Wiik (band).

Sophomores: Alex DeLaRosa (band), Veronica Fonder (band/choir), Katie Kruger (band), Graham Lightfield (choir), Ruth Luis Gomez (band), Bryan Meyer (band/choir), Ella Sandvig (choir), Shane Spiering (band), Gemma Street (band/choir), and Charles Whitesitt (band).

Perfect attendance at Marching and Pep band events: Dylan Bohn, Merik Junker, Ian Liebe, Krista Nies, Yanderyn Olivares Zuniga, Zach Ringsaker, Jacob Shelstad, and Nadia Thue.

Band Officer pins: Co-Presidents – Ellie Neugebauer and Jacob Shelstad; Secretaries – Emily Jo Wollschlager, Laney Forrette, and Max Lightfield.

Drum Major pins: Ellie Neugebauer and Elsie Seffrood.

Color Guard pins: Averie Engebretson, Laney Forrette, Aubrey Fraasch, Hope Karels, Victoria Nelson, Claire Snaza, Cailey Sime, Gemma Street, Olivia Wendland, and Camryn Wiese.

Band Section Leader pins: Luis Berrones, Laney Forrette, Aubrey Fraasch, Merik Junker, Ivy Lewno, Max Lightfield, Brooke Mumbauer, Ellie Neugebauer, Carter Phinney, Joe Schulte, Jacob Shelstad, Maurina Street, Keara VanHoorn, Isabella Vogel, Emily Jo Wollschlager, and Julia Wiik.

Chorus Section Leader Pins: Soprano – Rachel Schulte, Elsie Seffrood and Nadia Thue; Alto – Hope Karels, Ellie Neugebauer, Olivia Wendland, and Stella Wendlan; Tenor – Nick Fonder, Aiden Ludvigson, and Jacob Shelstad; Bass – James Batchelor and Max Lightfield

Jazz Band Member pins: Luis Berrones, Dylan Bohn, Mason Cordingley, Alex DeLaRosa, Sunne DeBoer, Addie Farrell, Sammy Femling, Aubrey Fraasch, Joe French, Jose Hernandez, Merik Junker, Hope Karels, Zane Kilde, Katie Kruger, Maggie Kruger, Ian Liebe, Max Lightfield, Aiden Ludvigson, Allie Meyer, Bryan Meyer, Anna Neugebauer, Ellie Neugebauer, Krista Nies, Landon Novy, Jack O’Farrell, Yanderyn Olivares Zuniga, Justus Osborn, Amelia Pederson, Carter Phinney, Collin Phinney, Abby Pillatzki, Zach Ringsaker, Joe Schulte, Elsie Seffrood, Daniel Shelstad, Cailey Sime, Camryn Sovell, Shane Spiering, Gemma Street, Lydia Street, Maurina Street, Keara VanHoorn, Charlie Whitesitt, Connor Wiik, Emily Jo Wollschlagaer, and Howie Zemlicka.

Submitted Photo: Back Row:  Nick Fonder, James Batchelor, Stella Wendland, Joe Schulte, Joe French, Graham Lightfield, Rachel Schulte, Ashlynn Batchelor
Front Row:  Aiden Ludvigson, Zach Ringsaker, Jacob Shelstad, Merik Junker, Max Lightfield, Luis Berrones, Elsie Seffrood, Emily Jo Wollschlager, Ellie Neugebauer