MHS Students Earn Music Awards

The Milbank High School Music Department presented end-of-season awards for 2024-25 during their Spring Concert on May 13 at the school. Miriam Schwenn is the choir director for MHS and Susan Karels directs the bands.

The John Philip Sousa Award originated in 1954. This award is the most prestigious award for high school band students demonstrated by their musicianship, leadership, dependability, and loyalty. The 2024-2025 MHS recipient was Katie Kruger.

The Louis Armstrong Jazz Award –  Presented annually to a student(s) whose participation in jazz band continues Mr. Armstrong’s desire for the true jazz sound. The 2024-2025 recipients were Shane Spiering and Charles Whitesitt.

Arion Award – The Oldest and Most Prestigious National Award for Outstanding Achievement by High School Musicians – Gemma Street. Qualifications include the Individual’s contribution to their school’s music department, scholastic standing in band and choir, demonstration of personal and professional qualities, and performing ability and musicianship.

Justin Maass Memorial – In recognition of outstanding effort and motivating enthusiasm for choral singing with strong musicianship demonstrated as a Milbank High School chorus member. – Joe French

Outstanding Vocal Performance Award – Ella Sandvig

National School Choral 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. – Veronica Fonder, Graham Lightfield, and Bryan Meyer

Director’s Award – Presented  to an individual who assists the band/choir director and students with the overall program. The 2024-2025 band recipient was Ruth Luis Gomez. The choir recipient was Rylee Scoular.

Spirit of Marching Award (Voted on by classmates) – Top Seniors – Alex DeLaRosa and Carlos Olivares Zuniga Top Junior – Krista Nies Top Sophomore – Jenna Korstjens  and Top Freshman – Raina Untalan

Outstanding Choir Member (Voted on by classmates) Outstanding Junior– Garrett Weber  Outstanding Sophomore – Rebecca Lavallee Outstanding Freshman – Rylan Wendland

51st Annual South Dakota Honor Choir: Preston Laskowske, Macy Mueller, Yanderyn Olivares, Sam Shelstad, and Camryn Sovell

Region 3 Large Group Contest Results: MHS Band (3 superiors); MHS Choir (2 Superiors, 1 Excellent)

Four-Year Band Pins: Alex DeLaRosa, Veronica Fonder, Joe French, Johana Jimenez, Katie Kruger, Graham Lightfield, Ruth Luis Gomez, Bryan Meyer, Carlos Olivares Zuniga, Elyse Reede, Ella Sandvig, Claire Snaza, Shane Spiering, Gemma Street, Siera Wenzl, Charles Whitesitt, and Howie Zemlicka

Four-Year Choir Pins: Isabella Anderson, Veronica Fonder, Joe French, Katie Kruger, Graham Lightfield, Bryan Meyer, Ella Sandvig, Rylee Scoular, Claire Snaza, Gemma Street, and Siera Wenzl

North Area Honor Band: Alex DeLaRosa, Franco Flores, Katie Kruger, Ruth Luis Gomez, Alexis Meyer, Anna Neugebauer, Krista Nies, Yanderyn Olivares Zuniga, Kayla Schweer, Sam Shelstad, Camryn Sovell, Shane Spiering, Gemma Street, Jack ter Denge, and Charles Whitesitt

All-State Chorus Pins: Sopranos – Ashlynn Batchelor, Veronica Fonder  Altos -Anna Neugebauer, Camryn Sovell Tenors -Sam Shelstad, Garrett Weber  Bass -Graham Lightfield and  Bryan Meyer

Major Letter Awards:
Seniors: Isabella Anderson (choir), Johana Jimenez (band), Jericho Jones (choir), Elyse Reede (band)

Juniors: Noah Falk (band), Ashlynn Lamp (band), Kenadee Mueller (choir), James Nelson (band), and Elexia Quintanilla (choir)

Sophomores: Rashawn Gertsema-Collins (band), Liam Heller (band), Adalynn Roark (band), and Sam Wilson (band)

Freshmen: Bryton Blauert (band/choir), Kaitlyn Brandenburger (band), Armando Chan (band), Franco Flores (band), Lydia Gall (choir), Darin Hagen (band), Andrew Karels (band/choir), Pierce Mathiason (band), Lawson Novy (band), Adison Pauli (choir), Belle Pauli (choir), Tate Pew (band), Avery Schuneman (choir), Bree Townsend (choir), Brooklynn Twedt (band), Raina Untalan (band/choir), Teaneashea Vogel (band), Rylan Wendland (band/choir), and Phillip Yost (band)

Major Bar Awards:
Seniors: Alex DeLaRosa (band), Veronica Fonder (band/choir), Joe French (band), Katie Kruger, (band/choir), Graham Lightfield (choir), Ruth Luis Gomez (band), Bryan Meyer (band/choir), Carlos Olivares Zuniga (band), Ella Sandvig (choir), Rylee Scoular (choir), Claire Snaza (band/choir) Shane Spiering (band), Gemma Street (band/choir), Siera Wenzl (choir), Charles Whitesitt (band), and Howie Zemlicka (band)

Juniors: Ashlynn Batchelor (band/choir), Braylen Bowsher (choir), Jonathan DeBoer (band/choir), Kalli Grong (choir), Jack Howard (choir), Zane Kilde (band), Nycole Korstjens (band/choir), Evy Liebe (band/choir), Allie Meyer (band), Anna Neugebauer (band/choir), Krista Nies (band), Yanderyn Olivares Zuniga (band/choir), Hunter Reede (choir), Camryn Sovell (band/choir), Keira Steffen (choir), Elyssa Tomac (band/choir), Marnie VanLith (band), Garrett Weber (band/choir)

Sophomores: Parker Grabow (choir), Jenna Korstjens (band/choir), Preston Laskowske (band/choir), Rebecca Lavallee (band/choir), Alexis Meyer (band/choir), Macy Mueller (band/choir), Franklin Pederson (band/choir), Tanen Schmieg (band), Kayla Schweer (band), Sam Shelstad (band/choir), Jack terDenge (band/choir), and Cody Wiik (band)

Perfect Attendance at Pep Band Events: Kaitlyn Brandenburger, Armando Chan, Jonathan DeBoer, Jaylynn Fraasch, Darin Hagen, Liam Heller, Evy Liebe, Krista Nies, Carlos Olivares Zuniga, Yanderyn Olivares Zuniga, Jack terDenge, Garrett Weber, Rylan Wendland, Charles Whitesitt, and Howie Zemlicka.

Band Officer Pins: President – Gemma Street  Vice President – Katie Kruger Secretaries – Ruth Luis Gomez, Carlos Olivares Zuniga, and Claire Snaza Treasurer – Graham Lightfield

Drum Major Pin: Katie Kruger

Color Guard Pins: Ashlynn Batchelor, Johana Jimenez, Evy Liebe, Ruth Luis Gomez, Macy Mueller, Yani Perez Montes, Claire Snaza, Gemma Street, and Marnie VanLith

Band Section Leader Pins: Ruth Luis Gomez, Carlos Olivares Zuniga, Alex DeLaRosa, Katie Kruger, Yanderyn Olivares Zuniga, Shane Spiering, Gemma Street, Anna Neugebauer, Elyssa Tomac, Charles Whitesitt, Krista Nies, Nycole Korstjens, Sam Shelstad, Graham Lightfield, Ella Sandvig, and Siera Wenzl

Chorus Section Leader Pins: Soprano: Ashlynn Batchelor, Veronica Fonder, Gemma Street; Alto: Katie Kruger, Anna Neugebauer, Ella Sandvig; Tenor: Hunter Reede and Sam Shelstad; Bass: Graham Lightfield, Bryan Meyer, and Garrett Weber

Jazz Band Member Pins: Ashlynn Batchelor, Kaitlyn Brandenburger, Armando Chan, Alex DeLaRosa, Franco Flores, Joe French, Rashawn Gertsema-Collins, Darin Hagen, Andrew Karels, Zane Kilde, Jenna Korstjens, Nycole Korstjens, Katie Kruger, Preston Laskowske, Rebecca Lavallee, Evy Liebe, Ismael Gomez, Allie Meyer, Bryan Meyer, Macy Mueller, James Nelson, Anna Neugebauer, Krista Nies, Lawson Novy, Carlos Olivares Zuniga, Yanderyn Olivares Zuniga, Layten Osowski, Franklin Pederson, Tate Pew, Jesse Rutherford, Tanen Schmieg, Sam Shelstad, Camryn Sovell, Shane Spiering, Gemma Street, Liam Street, Jack terDenge, Marnie VanLith, Teaneashea Vogel, Rylan Wendland, Charles Whitesitt, Cody Wiik, Phil Yost, and Howie Zemlicka

Submitted Photos: Top-Front Row: Rebecca Lavalle, Jenna Korstjens, Ruth Luis Gomez, Ella Sandvig, Veronica Fonder, Gemma Street, Katie Kruger.
Second Row: Shane Spiering, Graham Lightfield, Carlos Olivares Zuniga, Joe French, Garrett Weber, Rylan Wendland.
Not pictured: Charles Whitesitt, Alex DeLaRosa, Bryan Meyer, Rylee Scoular, Krista Nies, Raina Untalan

MHS Choir Picture
Row 5–Liam Heller, Joe French, Jack ter Denge, Graham Lightfield, Lawson Novy, Braylen Bowsher, Bryan Meyer, Howie Zemlicks, Garrett Weber, Darin Hagen, Emmett Snaza, Devin Brown, James Nelson
Row 4–Bryton Blauert, Parker Grabow, Jonathan DeBoer, Fischer Hawley, Thomas Bass, Rylan Wendland, Keaton Johnson, Nolan Grabow, Jack Howard, Bennett Hunt, Max Scoular, Beckham Berrry, Dane Anderson, Hunter Reede, Carter Folk, Noah Falk
Row 3–Macy Mueller, Rebecca Lavallee, Drew Anderson, Andrew Karels, Veronica Fonder, Gemma Street, Siera Wenzl, Lydia Gall, Raina Untalan, Paige Korstjens, Anna Neugebauer, Jasmine Tietjen, Claire Snaza, Morgean French, Brooke Hendricks, Preston Laskowske, Franklin Pederson, Sam Shelstad, Izabella Glomstad, Taylor Hallquist
Row 2–Heyden Montag, Jenna Korstjens, Ashlynn Batchelor, Zayda Townsend, Kenadee Mueller, Keira Steffen, Krista Nies, Rylee Scoular, Jossy Garcia, Ava Sichmeller, Camryn Sovell, Isabella Anderson, Bree Townsend, Addison Brown, Belle Pauli, Ella Sandvig, Katie Kruger, Bianca Berry, Annabelle Schwenn
Row 1–Tuesday Gastineau, Kara Fonder, Ella Pederson, Estelle Schweer, Evy Liebe, Marnie VanLith, Adison Pauli, Allie Meyer, Yanderyn Olivares, Nycole Korstjens, Teaneasha Vogel, Avery Schuneman, Kalli Grong, Jericho Jones, Elexia Quintanilla, Tayla Trapp, Macie VanLith, Elyssa Tomac
Not pictured:  Alexis Meyer, Riley Ehelbracht

All-State Choir Picture
Front Row: Ashlynn Batchelor, Veronica Fonder, Anna Neugebauer, Camryn Sovell
Row 2 – Bryan Meyer, Garrett Weber, Graham Lightfield, Sam Shelstad