While high school held so many positives and negatives, many of us would argue the best part of these last four years will be graduating. Part of me often agrees that walking across the stage will be the best part, but another part of me is reminded of what school has given us.
Most of the friendships I have gained are because of school. Among the last months of high school, my friends have been half the reason I show up. There have been many days where my perspective on going to class was that it is meaningless. Part
of this is because my weeks at Brookings High School seem to drag on, when in reality these are the weeks that seemed so far away. I will admit that through a lot of my classes, I obtained valuable lessons and knowledge. I will walk away from high school having gained a lot, but the best part of all this, is that none of it will define us.
While it has more than likely shaped who we are today, high school will not define us as people. There is so much importance in knowing graduation from Brookings High School is a beginning, not an end.
Four years ago I heard the phrase, “Enjoy every moment because it will fly by in the blink of an eye.” While I did not understand the meaning behind this phrase as a freshman, I completely understand it four years later as a senior.
All throughout high school I never imagined what life would be like after high school until I was forced to my senior year. I saw high school as an endless cycle of life and couldn’t imagine myself not at BHS. Now as the school year comes to an end I’ve forced myself to look at the reality of high school truly being over. No more school dances, powderpuff games, BHS student sections, or just seeing your friends in the hallway. No more telling your teachers and classmates that you’ll see them next year because you simply won’t anymore.
This has honestly brought me a lot of sadness and grief throughout my senior year, but then I remember
that this is just the beginning of the journey. High School taught me so much that I will use what I learned for the rest of my life.
The biggest piece of advice I can give you is to stop worrying about what the wrong people think about you and instead worry about what those who love you think about you.
So, while we will be saying goodbye, I know that the class of 2024 truly has some of the smartest and most talented people I have ever had the privilege of knowing. Sadly, we will all be in different parts of the country, but,I look forward to seeing what my classmates will accomplish in the future. As sad as I am that this chapter is ending, I cannot wait to see all of our smiles as we step onto that stage and accept our diplomas.
Where is the class of 2024 headed?
Adam Anderson: I will give the title of Red 40 to Eric.
Kalli Anderson: Gotta give my zebra backpack thing to a random kid?
Brooklyn Benthin: I, Brooklyn Benthin, will my class tardiness to Hailey Stimson.
Brian Blachford: I will my terrible attendance to Gus Kunze.
Harriet Boltjes: I, Harriet L. Boltjes, will my happiness and success to my little sister, Grace H. Boltjes.
Halle Bortnem: I, Halle Bortnem, will my procrastination skills to Lauren Bortnem, and to Lauryn Rasmussen, I will my school spirit and energy for sports!
David Brink: I will the D-core to Cody Jacobson and Waylon Carroll.
Amber Brockberg: I, Amber Brockberg, will my joy and love for cheer and dance to Cloë Barber and Katie Marshall, I will my title of being the best Brockberg in school to my brother Logan, I will my confidence to Isabella Park, I will my love for other people to Eli Hawks and Bailey TeKrony, and finally, I will my pole vaulting abilities to Kavish Salunke.
Sophia Casper: I, Sophia Casper, will my angst to Jenny K.
Samantha Clark: I, Samantha Clark, will Finn Schulte my sound board. Jacob Saunders my hair care routine. Ava Hilmoe my addiction to cottonwood coffee. Jamo Gundvaldson my extra pencils.
Alex Cranford: I will my decade old function 3ds XL to my little brother.
Maggie Dailey: I leave my passion to the entire Bobcat Theater Tech Crew, my perseverance and dedication to Abram Bucholz, my design skills and creativity to Esther Klingbile, part of my talent to Jacob and Seija Saunders, and my chill energy to Adisyn Davis.
Ryann Davis: I, Ryann Davis, will the bobcat XCTF instagram meme page to Sophia (Steve) Schmit.
Maya Enz: I will my number 10 soccer jersey to Isabella Park.
Alaina Evans: I will my super speed to Amari Ward.
Delilah Fuls: My golfing skills to Miyah Forester.
Makenna Harding: I, Mikenna Harding, will all of my missing assignments to Julissa Peterson.
Hayden Heller: I, Hayden G. Heller, will my God complex to Jackson Heller.
Raya Hesser: I, Raya Hesser, will all my big brains to Julissa Peterson.
Xander Hof: I, Xander D. Hof, leave my attitude and sassiness to Marylin Lopez, Maddie Berkenhoff, and Amanda Martin. I trust you will use them well :)
Emily Hua: I, Emily Hua, will the debate team senior stick to Amanda Martin and Maddie Berkenhoff. I, Emily Hua, will all my instagram reels to Nana Dwomoh and Quinton Zhu.
Ren Jacobsen: I, Ren Jacobsen, will my fantastic essay writing skills to Tre Christopherson. (He needs them).
Sam Johnson: I, Sam R. Johnson, will my walmart privileges to Cooper Schneider.
Jacob Kahle: I, Jacob Kahle, will all my state championships to the future of Rangers Hockey!
Karianne Kessler: To Adisyn Davis, I will the last two songs on the list of solos I’ve played over the last four years so that you may continue to follow in my footsteps, if you wish.: Nocturno by Franz Strauss, and Hornkonzert by Richard Strauss. To Michael Lam, I will the section Instagram. To Michelle Lam, I will my arrangement of Shake It Off. I’m sure there’s a copy in the band room somewhere. To Leah Tucker, I will all my acting talent. To the whole mello section, I will all the love I have for marching band and for all of you. I’ll be with you in spirit at every competition, forever your biggest cheerleader. I love you all so much, thank you for making my senior marching season the best one of them all!
Kai Kistner: I, Kai Kistner, of sound body and mind, will my childish enjoyment of stupid things to Essy Klingbile and Issy Iwerks, the ability to deal with other people’s [nonsense] to Kilea Moore and Tessa Horn, and the book I “borrowed” to Jacob Saunders.
Cole Knutzen: I, Cole Alexander Knutzen, will my procrastination skills to the next class.
Dylan Kopecky: I, Dylan Kopecky, will the middle Cottonwood booth to Cloe Barber and Eva Brandt.
Kit Kuebler: I, Kit J. Kuebler, will aux for music to Alex Drager. I, Kit J. Kuebler, will my nerdiness to Makhia Wilson. I, Kit J. Kuebler, will my tropical raspberry fruit drink with strawberry boba to Remi Klingbile. I, Kit J. Kuebler, will my patience and epic chops to Josie Entwistle.
Olivia Lacher-Starace: I, Olivia Lacher-Starace, will the title of Babushka to Isaiah Vogt.
Elise Lefers: My high school soccer jersey is being willed to my younger sister.
Maizy Mathis: I, Maizy Mathis, will my good grades and awesomeness to Mason. I Maizy will my inspirational speeches to Tess Burns:) Go Cats.
Keegan Mertz: I leave everything including my parking spot to Gus Knuze.
Abby Mohs: give BHS soccer jersey number (#2) to Isabel Eide.
Ben Moret: I, Ben Moret, will Connor May my back row parking spot.
Clover Naughton: To my sister Honor Naughton: wHen I wAs a YouNg bOy.
Aryana Nelson: To Ladd Nelson I will Granny the car, to Clay Nelson I will the right to pester my younger brother when he gets to High school within reason, and to Kade Nelson I will the right to pester Mr. McMahon as much as he likes within reason.
Sampada Nepal: To Maddie and Amanda, the debate stick of power. To Quinton and Nana, the PF cow. To Anika, freedom from the lab. To Xavier, Ernest and Aedan, the old catapult and trajectory launchers. And the team’s cramming abilities.
Nithin Perumal: I, Nithin Perumal, will my passing ability on the soccer field to Jasper Lee.
Sophia Poppen: I, Sophia Poppen, will the center snare binder and drum key to Ava Hilmoe, as a placeholder until a new center snare is chosen.
Jacob Prout: To Kira, I will my job of talking to people outside of class, and to Paige, I will my hobby of annoying Kira.
Owen Schneider: I, Owen W. Schneider, will my abilities to play chel to Luke Honkomp.
Alex Shore: I, Alex Shore, will my moral ambiguity concerning evidence use to the debate underclassmen.
Garner Soukup: To Logan Brockberg, I will the arthritis passed down to me from Luke Bielfieldt. Have fun. To Landon Wingate, I will the ability to transcend the fourth dimension. To Luka Kenneth Kennedy, I will the curse of only being able to play trombone for the rest of time. Better start practicing.
Andrew Sternhagen: I will Jay Harris the highest GPA on the hockey team.
Cierra Strand: I, Cierra Strand, give my visitor parking spot to Macaulley Coble.
Emily Traynor: My notes.
Liam Wagner: I will all of my high school anxiety and stress to who ever needs it the least.
Nancy Yang: I, Nancy Yang, will my mad Student Congress skills to Finn Bartlett & my distaste of salty teenage boys to Mallory Wells.
Marz Wilson: Evian Johnson: I love you so much and I’m so happy I got to dance with you, please lead our team well and remember everything I’ve told you about being a good leader, I love you. I leave the dance team to you.
Jacob York: To Alex Diersen I will the title of “Carrier of the Boats & Logs.” Your unending drive and discipline serves to inspire those around you and breeds excellence in whichever environment you may be in, stay driven my friend. To the Twins, you two never fail to make those around you smile. You use your cleverness, empathy, and intelligence to help others to find the good even on the gloomiest of days. For this I will the title of “good friends who are funny because I couldn’t think of a clever way to put it”. To Ernest I will the XC Frisbee, don’t tell Chris when it is in use though... Keep being a leader on the XC team and excelling in all that you do. To Jon I will the duty of keeping Miles and Marco from being too... much like Miles and Marco, this is a big ask.
Dear Class of 2024, I don’t think it’s a secret that you all are a special group to me. As my first kids, I was bound to remember you all, but you guys made it so there’s no way I could ever forget you. Speaking of never forgetting, there are a variety of sounds, images, and memories that your class has forever ingrained in my mind - for better or worse. The following is a short and very random list:
The Xylophone
All of “The Audios” Dogs & Desert Islands
The Sin Bin & Yellow Cards
Canada & The White House
Y’all finding out my full name
Jordan Mofle standing on the chair
The immeasurable amount of laughter
Cole Skyberg finding out my dog’s birthday Y’all finding out what position I played in rugby
The unreal amount of YumEarth suckers consumed
The countless times you all have fallen out of my chairs
Cookies (specifically off-brand Samoas & animal crackers)
Some of these I wouldn’t mind forgetting, while others I hope time never takes from me, but regardless of what memories stay with me throughout my career, I hope you all make stronger, funnier, and happier memories throughout the rest of your lives. Yours is a class full of joy, creativity, strength, and resilience.
Wherever this world takes you, take care of yourselves.
All the best, Jacobs
You did it! I wish you the best of luck and I can’t wait to see what you will accomplishCongratulations!
Mrs. Blocker
Dear Class of 2024--
To the class of 2024, It’s been my privilege to get to know so many of you, not only because of having you as a student, but also because of the events I watch. I will miss seeing my son Dawson at the events, but I will still attend them for the fun of it and probably for taking pictures for the yearbook.
I will miss my senior advisory, with all the conversations that were had in my room and the physical activities for which the desks were moved around (you know which ones if you were in my advisory).
Thank you to all of you who provided me with information for the yearbook, which included scores, quotes, caption writing, etc.
Look back proudly at what you’ve accomplished, be good to yourselves, and do well in your endeavors and personal lives. Take care.
-- Mrs. Gross
Class of 2024: Congratulations! Best of luck in wherever life leads you. Remember to tell the important people in your lives that you love them and to treat each day as a present.
Mr. Kreie
Graduating Class of 2024, I was lucky enough to meet some of you in Freshman Study Hall with Ms. Zerfas. It has been great keeping up with you as the years have passed.
As you enter your final days of your Senior year of high school, there’s a lot for you to look back and reflect on. Those memories come with varying degrees of emotion. Lucky for us, we get to participate in those reflections with you. That’s what makes us a Bobcat Family; we were in it together. Take the time to reflect but also, take the time to dream.
Journey on Bobcats, Mrs. Ganci
When I was in seventh or eighth grade, I started learning taekwondo. I loved it; I loved yelling as I practiced my forms; I loved the clean white uniform; I loved the reward of the sparring trophies I earned at each rank I passed through. I loved my new sport with the single-minded enthusiasm that often overtakes me when I learn something.
But what I loved most was the promise of the black belt. My teachers good-naturedly would tell me that no other student was in a bigger hurry to get past the belts that, in my mind, resembled crayons more than indicated what I was learning. I obsessed, even as the teachers struggled to get me to focus on what I was doing in the moment, to appreciate that I was, in fact, better and better at taekwondo each and every week. For all the effort I exerted--and it was a lot--I only thought about that black belt, and cared nothing for the steps that would lead me to it.
If you can understand that, then it shouldn’t surprise you that I never got a black belt. The closer I got to it the less interested I became in the work it would take to get there. All I cared about was the thing I didn’t have. And that made me bitter and impatient, and I quit going to taekwondo after about a year and a half. I was a brown belt when I left the club for the last time.
When I think about the irony of that short span of time in my life, I think about goal-blindness robbed me of the things I now appreciate about wholehearted effort, both as a practitioner of and facilitator for it. I wasn’t very patient–still haven’t got that one fully sorted–and it makes me sad for my younger self that I gave up on something that single-mindedly
Don't be scared of the unknown and just do it.
--Levi Murray
Work harder and study more.
--Chloe Wade
Go talk to people. They’re cool.
It only gets better!
--Nacy Yang
--Ryann Davis
For the love of god, JOIN SOMETHING. Take an extracurricular, PLEASE.
--Maggie Daily
Everything will work out. Enjoy high school while it lasts.
--Kylie Moe
I would tell my freshman self that it’s okay to distance yourself from people that don’t make you happy, and that it’s okay if people don’t like you.
--Amber Brockberg
You will survive lots of things and have more people on your side than you think.
--Zoey Rost
Don’t worry about what others think. Just be yourself and be involved.
Think ahead.
--Brooklyn Hieb
--Xander Hof
Congratulations BHS Class of 2024~
It has been a pleasure watching you grow, learn and mature over the past years! You are a class with many unique talents and abilities, and I can’t wait to see all of the things you will accomplish in the years to come.
Remember to always value your roots and being a Bobcat Alumni! Come back and visit us!
~Mrs. Johnson
As seniors, you have accomplished so much this year. I am proud of you for all your hard work and dedication. Graduating high school is a big achievement, and you should feel proud of yourselves.
You may feel a mix of emotions as the year comes to an end, but remember you have prepared the last 13 years for whatever comes next. It’s okay to feel nervous or unsure about the future. Change is scary, but discomfort can be a catalyst for growth.
As you move forward, try new things, step out of your comfort zone, and take chances. Even if you don’t think you will like something; try anyways, you might be surprise. This is your time to explore and discover who you are and what you want to become. Even if that means you make a couple missteps along the way.
Admit when you are wrong, ask for help, be kind, be curious and never stop learning. I can’t wait to see all the incredible things you will accomplish.
Your Art Teacher, Shelby Meyer
Seniors, over the past four years, you have seen the world change in a multitude of ways -- and you adapted. Stay flexible, stay true to yourselves, and continue to challenge the status quo.
-- Oorlog
Dear seniors, It has been an honor teaching and learning from you during this first semester of my regular education teacher career. I have valued and enjoyed the many personalities! Do you know where you’re headed from this day onward? Maybe, maybe not, but do something to get there eventually, for this is a good thing.
All the best,
Miss Mittan
You know, Class of 2024, y’all were a lot of fun your freshman year, and it’s amazing to see that you’re ready to take on whatever the world holds for you.
Remain true to yourself. Know your heart. Reflection will allow you to be the best version of yourself and give you the strength you need to power through the tough times. Best wishes for the brightest of tomorrows! Mr. Moudry
Dear Class of 2024,
As you leave BHS, some of you may never take another mathematics course. However, I hope that you remember some of the lessons that taking a math class has taught you: Admit when you are wrong. We learn best from our mistakes.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Be present. Don’t try to multi-task when doing something important. Don’t give up. Start what you finish. Find friends that understand you, share your interests, and bring out your best. Give respect to get respect.
I wish you the best of luck in the future and hope you fondly recall the years you spent at BHS. Know that I am rooting for you in everything that you do.
Sincerely, Pamela Zubke
obsessed me so intensely for such a span of time. I’d love to know what I missed when I was thinking only of what was ahead of me, rather than what was in front of me.
I’ve said this to many of you, but it bears repeating: I may have never met a group of sophomores who were more ready for graduation when I met most of you in the fall of 2021. It was easy to see because of the intensity you levy towards your goals. It was easy to see because I’ve been there.
Goals should remain important to you. But they work like black belts: we define an aspirational moment as early as we can, then mark the steps that we take to get there. Sometimes we do this with colorful belts, checkmarks on the calendar, or down payments for real estate. You don’t get to the last day of anything without a few dozen days of struggle in between that make it the last day. So if there’s a piece of advice in here, it’s that: learn the struggle. Learn how you struggle, so you know how you’ll react when those times come. You might avoid spending your time wishing away the moments in between where you are and the black belt you’re chasing.
When I look back at my short time as a taekwondo student, I find that I don’t regret not having a black belt as much as I wish that I spent more time enjoying my blue belt. I was far too late that I remembered that for all its expression of middling ability, blue is actually my favorite color.
Godspeed, ‘24. Couldn’t be prouder to have been your teacher.
RHG
Don’t worry about what others think. Just be yourself and be involved.
--Brooklyn Hieb
Get your grades up, they’re holding me back.
--Jacob Kahle
It gets easier, and you will develop a friend group.
--Sophia Casper
I don’t think I could fit all the advice you’ll need over the next 4 years into anything resembling a concise paragraph, so I’ll just say this: Look out for yourself, love yourself, and be INCREDIBLY picky about who deserves your energy.
--Karianne Kessler
Don’t be nervous for the future; be excited.
--David Brink
Stay focused on the important things.
--Austin Clark
Take classes that not only introduce you to your future career, but help you become a successful, independent adult.
--Addison Smetana
All the bad things that are going to happen to you will work out in the end... find the people who truly know you and focus on that!
--Abby Mohs
You only got three more years. Stick it out.
--Shalea Aker
This emotion that you are experiencing will pass. It isn’t worth becoming this upset about an assignment that you won’t remember in a month. Your mental health isn’t worth being jeopardized over some silly little worksheet or project.
--Maya Enz
Don’t wait until the last minute to do projects for class.
--Natalie Gonzalez
DO NOT DO JAZZ! You already have enough on your plate. Also, don’t do AP U.S. History; it’s not worth it.
--Jacob Prout
Don’t write a cringe college essay for your early application.
--Alex Shore
I’m glad you put effort into school.
--Cale Jones
Don’t stress over simple things. --Andrew Dammen
Life goes on.
--Keegan Mertz
Instead of just focusing on school 24/7, have fun because grades are important. The memories you make are 10 times more important and are something you will remember for forever.
--Harriet Boltjes
Don’t be afraid to be who you are and surround yourself with people that bring out the best in you.
--Kit Kuebler
This is only four years of your life, so enjoy every little moment.
--Cierra Strand
Talk to people who you don’t normally talk to.
--Laura Schultz
Take 2 more seconds to study.
--Blake Herring
Take charge of your life; your dreams are at your fingertips.
Be nice to yourself.
--Andrew Sternhagen
--Cassie Fenske
Enjoy it while it lasts.
Please try hard in school.
--Aryana Nelson
--Nithin Perumal
Stop worrying; everything will fall into place like it’s supposed too. Just have fun and enjoy it.
--Maizy Mathis
It’s not that deep.
-- Paige Stout
