October 2019

October 2019

THE LEGACY OF SMCHS Taking a deeper look at our new building! | page 3

STRAWBERRY GHOSTS How to make adorable, but simple halloween treats | page 6

INTERVIEW WITH FR. WOLF Learn more about SMCHS’s new religion teacher | page 9

St. Mary’s Central High School | 5802 Ridgeland Dr. Bismarck, ND 58503

October 2019

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Reader,

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t’s true to say that the Saint Mary’s community has experienced many changes this school year, the biggest one being our new location. However, it’s imperative to remember that we’re still the same Saints at heart. This is my first year as Editor-In-Chief and I couldn’t be more excited!

Throughout this school year the Messenger will not only be starting new traditions within our content, but also out in the community. Without further ado, I welcome you to enjoy the FIRST EVER edition of the Messenger at 5802 Ridgeland Drive! Within this enticing arrangement of articles you will find a variety of interviews, opinions, sport spotlights, and much more. With that being said, I look forward to being your new Editor in Chief and hope you have as much fun reading this October issue as the Messenger staff had making it.

Allyson Treiber Editor-in-Chief

OUR EDITORS

OUR MISSION

ALLYSON TREIBER Editor-in-Chief

JULIA JARAMILLO Layout Editor

MEGHA BHARADWAJ Feature Editor

ALLISON BRAUN Opinion Editor

ANNA BRAUN Entertainment Editor

KENDALL TIBOR Religion Editor

RYAN BROWN Sports Editor

JEFFREY SAVADEL Photography

Here at Messenger, we love to see the groups of people huddled around our paper, the proud smile when students read articles about themselves, and the slight laughs as students make fun of our bad attempts at jokes. Our mission at the Messenger is to produce a quality newsletter that provides insight into SMCHS by featuring our own students and their accomplishments and goals.

ON THE COVER The new home of the Saints: 5802 Ridgeland Drive!

CONTACT US Instagram: SMMessenger Email: smmessenger@locstudents.org

READ IT ONLINE https://issuu.com/smmessenger

OUR WRITERS Teagan Bauer Maddy Beckler Kyle Burns Maja Dojs Emma Fleischaker

Alyssa Fortney Hannah Gardner Lilyanne Haag Meg Hepper Jordan Jacobson

Margaret Kathol Hannah Koch Eva Krebsbach Julianna Lengowski Edmund Peliska

Soraida Pichardo Eva Rykowsky Clare Tamisiea Ruby Tolstad Ainsley Westmoreland

Table of Contents 3

THE LEGACY OF SAINT MARY’S Taking a deeper look at our new building!

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STRAWBERRY GHOSTS Learn how to make these adorable, but simple Halloween treats!

One Student’s View on Our New School | pg. 5

A Spooky Good Idea | pg. 6 Time Crunch Costumes | pg. 6

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Teachers’ Picks | pg. 7

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MONTH OF THE HOLY ROSARY An in-depth look at one of the most beautiful prayers in the faith Saint of the Month: Mother Teresa | pg. 9 Senior Spotlight | pg. 10

A Glance At Homecoming Week

8 Homecoming photos provided by Miss Vetter

FEATURE

The Legacy of Saint Mary’s

The entryway of the new SMCHS campus.

Photo by Jeffrey Savadel

Fulfilling the Promise | Jeffrey Savadel & Kyle Burns

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hether we know it or not, we are all a part of history. This year, in the fall of 2019, the brand-new SMCHS northern campus opened its doors to students after being announced to the public in a November 2015 press conference. Looking back at how it began, it’s amazing to think that this is what Catholic education has come to today.

Catholic education in Bismarck began 141 years ago when four Benedictine sisters from St. Joseph, Minnesota placed their trust in God and founded the Saint Mary’s Academy and Boarding School for grades 1-3. This was the first ever Catholic education in Bismarck.

Soon after, in 1951, the place that we now know as the Saint Mary’s Academy opened up on 1025 North Second Street as a brand new high school, the most advanced of it’s time. It served the city well for 70 years, and now it will help bring up our middle schoolers that will go on to attend the brand new high school. It is an incredible blessing, and, in the words of our principal Mr. Ruggles, “It is an incredible gift and now it’s our turn to respect the gift we have been given!”

and outside the classroom.

All graduates of SMCHS remember the very limited seating at 1025 North 2 nd Street. On your off period, you could either sit in the atrium or the cafeteria. In the words of our principal Mr. Ruggles, “students could pick a different seat to sit in every day of the year and never sit in the same one twice!” Students can hang out with their friends in the cafeteria, or head over to the Saint Thomas Aquinas Academic Center to get some homework done, having their choice of many quiet and secluded spots or group-oriented spots.

This new, expanded, and student-oriented seating is one of the most successful aspects of the new school, in the eyes of the

Our New Home

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ur new facility is different from St. Mary’s Academy in many areas. The biggest difference is just the sheer size of the two facilities. Our new high school location is almost 2 times the size of the facility located at 1025 N 2nd Street.

The new school is also much more modern in its structure and design and everything in the school is purposefully designed to inspire learning and have capacity for growth. One of the biggest points of emphasis that administration had in mind when building the new school was having more seating, both inside 3

A view of the St. Thomas Aquinas Academic Center. Photo by Jeffrey Savadel

student body and Mr. Ruggles. Along those lines, Mr. Ruggles successful in the first month, and one-fourth of the facility is still also mentioned the new breakout areas included in under construction. the Academic Center, stating that they “allow Along with the Fine Arts building, we “Most important of all, the for more collaborative opportunities during also have a beautiful chapel on the way! school is widely enjoyed and class time but also offer places for students to While the chapel will not be finished in time welcomed by the students as study before or after school or on a student’s to use this school year, it should be ready to well, which is what off period.” go in God’s time. matters.”

Another success of the school that Mr. Ruggles has noticed and pointed out is that “The flow of our school is very smooth. Having six sets of stairs Already Feels Like Home to get up and down in the Saint Thomas Aquinas Academic Center has been excellent. We’ve been amazed at how fast ost important of all, the school is widely enjoyed and students transition from one class to the next. We have also been welcomed by the students as well, which is what amazed with how quiet this facility is, especially while students matters. Senior student Rebecca Burckhard commented on the are in class.” new seating, saying “My favorite aspect of the new school is Most, including myself, definitely agree. I think we all can the new comfy chairs that we have. My favorite spot is the remember at least one time when we have been too loud with our U-shaped couches down in the science wing.” Other friends in the hallway or atrium and we have been told to quiet students just plain enjoy the fact that we have a new school. down by administration or a teacher. At this new facility, that has Junior student Ty Sturm commented that he “really likes the not been a problem at all. openness of the Academic Center” and Senior student Chris

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“It is an incredible gift and now it’s our turn to respect the gift we have been given!”

Mr. Ruggles.

A Work in Progress

Birnbaum said that he “likes how it is modernized. It doesn’t look like an old school.”

Along with the school, students love finally having our own athletic field in Smrekar Field.. Sophomore student Matthew Huck “loves having our own field and having our own concession stands.” Smrekar Field is the first football/soccer field to have games played on at Saint Mary’s, and what a gift it is to be the first students to be able to witness it.

A Message From Mr. Ruggles

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A view of the soon-to-be completed chapel.

Photo by Jeffrey Savadel

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he school is still being built, as we all know. The school is great, but things could still be improved as we strive for greatness. When we asked Mr. Ruggles what he thought could and will be improved with the continued construction, he said that “Once the Fine Arts Center is completed, more parking along the south side of the building will open up.

This extra parking will be great for all of us. Of course, the greatest aspect of the Fine Arts Center being finished in the coming months is that it will give our fine arts students a beautiful facility in which to practice and perform. We want to thank our students and faculty for being patient and flexible.” It’s crazy to think that the school has been so

his article is going to end with a special message from our principal Mr. Ruggles: “Saint Mary’s Central High School will continue to develop the whole person. This is what separates us from our public school friends. We have the opportunity to talk about faith and reason, the body and the soul, and everything else that rests on the foundation of God. Our educational mission of preparing Saints for life in this world and the next, will always remain a constant. On another level, we want this facility to feel like a home for everyone. A building is more than bricks and mortar. It’s about building relationships and creating great memories with each other (high and sometimes low). As those things continue to happen, our hope is that this building will begin to feel more and more like a home away from home for our students, faculty, and staff.

We are a part of something historic and have so much to be thankful for! We are part of a powerful legacy and tradition as the St. Mary’s Saints, and with much given to us, much is expected! We must respect the gift of our lives, the gift of each other, the gift of our Catholic Education, and the gift of this school. If we do that, we will keep the promise to the generations who have come before us and who will come after us. Lastly, any time you look at the inside or outside of this beautiful facility, may you grow in confidence and trust in God’s providence and constant protection of us and our Catholic Schools. Our Lady of Victory... Pray For Us!”

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OPINION

One Student’s View of Our New School | Teagan Bauer

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he new school is a dream that has been in progress for many years. Finally, it is a reality. With all the break out spaces and fun spots to study in, this new school offers a fun environment. The break out areas allow us to be creative with each other. The new seating arrangements make class more enjoyable and engaging. Along with the seating in classrooms, the seating in the entry way seems to be a big hit with everyone. With the addition of The Shark Tank in our St. Mary’s cafeteria, Saints apparel (a must have for ANY Saints fan) is available at more than just games. The big windows allow a lot of natural light that help keep us awake during the day. The top loading gym

works great for volleyball games and will work amazing for basketball games and wrestling matches. Outside of the school, the beautiful Our Lady of Victory Stadium, and Smrekar field, gives the athletic teams and fans a place of their own- lending to an amazing game day experience.

Soon we will be able to enjoy the Fine Arts wing. Patiently we will await the finishing of the Chapel which will be the most breathtaking place in the school. This school is an amazing addition to the Light of Christ Catholic Schools and will be an amazing school for generations to come.

Library Media Center The Library Media Center is right in the middle of the academic wing of the school. Each day, over a hundred students visit the library to take online classes such as Computer Programming, Medical Related Careers, and Principles of Engineering.

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ENTERTAINMENT Strawberry Ghosts A sweet and scary treat! | Hannah Gardner

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re you ready for Halloween? In less than one month, we will be celebrating another year of shrieks and scares! However, horror and thrills are not everyone’s cup of tea. Some people prefer a sweeter Halloween that will bring smiles, not screams.

Included in this article is an adorable recipe that is sure to bring smiles to any “sweet tooth” while still sticking to the theme of Halloween! Be sure to make these sweet treats at your next Halloween party!

Ingredients

2 cups strawberries 1.5 cups white chocolate 1 tsp. coconut oil .25 cups mini chocolate chips

Directions

Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.

Melt the white chocolate in a bowl.

Mix in the coconut oil.

Dip strawberries in chocolate then add the mini chocolate chips as the eyes and mouth.

Let sit to harden.

Eat and enjoy!!!!

A Spooky Good Idea Halloween Costume Idea | Kendall Tibor

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oing out for Halloween? Well, you will need a hip costume to max out on loot. Luckily, I have the perfect solution for you! It is somewhat complicated, so prepare yourself.

What you’ll need:

1 (one) pair of scissors 1 (one) black felt-tip sharpie 1 (one) white sheet

The sheet should be as white as possible, and as plain as possible.

It should also be large enough to cover your entire body.

Now to put it all together:

First, start out by taking your sheet and throwing it over your person. The middle of the sheet should lie atop your head. Using the black felt-tip sharpie, have a partner draw an outline of where your eyes are. You may want to outline arm holes too. After this, take off the sheet, and proceed to take your scissors to start cutting the outlines. Remove the excess fabric, and there you go!

The perfect ghost costume for Halloween. Now you are ready to go spook everyone with the greatest costume ever.

Time Crunch Costumes | Meg Hepper

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ith Halloween right around the corner, some of us may be coming up with costume ideas already. The majority of us, however, are too busy with school and extracurricular activities to even think about coming up with a costume. Most years, I find myself trying to put something together the night before Halloween. In a case like this, there are some super simple and easy costume ideas.

That old suit in the back of your closet that sees the light of day, maybe once a year? Pair it with some sunglasses and you could pass for a Men In Black agent. Want to live out your

dream of being a convicted felon without the felony? A beanie and anything with stripes would be great. If you feel like getting a little more crafty, but don’t want to put too much effort into your look, cut up a white shirt and throw on a mask to recreate a Purge inspired costume. If you want to, add some fake blood to make the costume a bit more daunting. Halloween should be fun, and with a little bit of creativity and resourcefulness, it’ll be a night to remember!

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TEACHERS’ PICKS Miss Voeller

| Margaret Kathol MESSENGER: What book are you currently reading?

MISS VOELLER: I am currently reading The Outsider by Stephen King.

M: If you could be any person for a day, living or deceased, who would you be and why?

V: This is such a hard question! There are so many ways you could answer this. I would be F. Scott Fitzgerald.

M: How do you spend your summer breaks?

V: I taught summer school, so I was teaching at Legacy.

Freshman, naturally.

M: What would your last meal be?

V: Ice cream.

M: What is your favorite memory from school?

V: My AP English class with Mr. Jordan Vetter, just the entire thing.

M: Which Hogwarts house would you be sorted into?

V: Huffelpuff! Without a doubt.

M: What is your spirit animal?

V: You know, I’ve taken this quiz on Buzzfeed before, but is it accurate? I feel like my spirit animal would be like an old dog, you know because it’s still a dog, and it’s like loyal and sometimes has energy, but like it’s old so it’s also tired.

M: If you could pass any wisdom to your students, what would you share?

V: The wisdom I would pass to my students is to take school seriously, but make sure you’re still enjoying yourself.

Mr. Voltz

| Maddy Beckler

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MESSENGER: Have you taught at any other schools?

MR. VOLTS: No, this is the first school I’ve taught at.

M: What is your favorite sports team?

V: The New York Yankees.

M: What is your favorite color?

V: My favorite color is blue.

M: What is your favorite thing about being a teacher?

V: My favorite thing about being a teacher, is the relationships I get to build with other teachers and students.

M: Do you have any hobbies?

V: Yes, I like to golf, be outdoors, and I enjoy sports. I like to spend time with my family and friends. I also like going to the lake or traveling.

M: What is your favorite food?

V: Watermelon, I eat watermelon almost everyday.

M: Do you have any pets?

V: I do not have any pets.

M: What is your dream vacation?

V: My dream vacation would be to go hiking in Banff, Canada.

M: What is a fun fact about yourself?

V: I was a speech state champion for the Richardton Taylor speech team.

RELIGION

The Month of the Holy Rosary

An in-depth look at one of the most beautiful prayers in the faith | Ruby Tolstad

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ctober is devoted to the Holy Rosary, mainly because annually Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated on October seventh. In 1571, Saint Pope Pius V introduced the feast to honor the Christian forces’ miraculous victory in the Battle of Lepanto.

He attributed the victory more to the power of the Rosary than the soldiers’ valor.

The Virgin Mary entrusted the Holy Rosary to Saint Dominic.

Saint Pope Pius helped greatly to spread the popularity of the prayer and it became one of the most beloved prayers in Christendom. It was approved in present form in 1569, with the later addition of the second half of the Hail Mary and the Glory Be to the Father.

In the Middle Ages, the Rosary replaced the Divine Office for monks who didn’t know how to read. They substituted one hundred and fifty psalms for one hundred and fifty Our Fathers, counting them on the ring beads of a corona, or crown.

Those Our Fathers later got replaced with one hundred and fifty Hail Marys, which were divided into fifteen decades by Henry Kalker, a Dominican friar. Another Dominican named Alanus de Rupe divided them further into joyful, sorrowful, and glorious

mysteries. In 2002 Saint Pope John Paul II added the Luminous Mysteries, completing the present day Rosary.

The Rosary is not supposed to be rattled off as just words.

We can’t build a friendship with God if we are not listening! The Rosary is brilliantly set up as a call and response with the Lord.

The repetition gives us time to think about the mystery we are praying, and to digest it and ask ourselves questions about it.

While we pray, we can also reflect upon the virtues mentioned in the prayers and see how we can express and practice those to become virtuous people in our everyday lives. “ The Rosary is not supposed to be rattled off as just words. We can’t build a friendship with God if we are not listening!”

Ruby Tolstad

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Saint of the Month: Mother Teresa of Calcutta | Hannah Gardner

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aint Teresa of Calcutta, known for her mission work in India and her incredible humility and generosity, has inspired the eligious and non-religious to become the best they can be.

Throughout her life, she served the citizens of India, specifically the poor, sick, uneducated, and non-chrisitans. She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 for her exceptional service to help people in all situations. In 1950, she started the Order of the Missionaries of Charity, and sisters in the religious order continue to carry on her mission long after her death. Mother Teresa is an example to us all because of her unconditional love for everyone she encountered, and her strong relationship with Jesus, which was the center of her life.

Sources: https://epicpew.com/sevensaints-for-surviving-september/

An Interview With Fr. Brandon Wolf | Eva Rykowsky and Eva Krebsbach

MESSENGER: What made you decide to become a priest?

FR WOLF: Ultimately Jesus. I was at a point where I was looking for truth and happiness, and that was when I really found Jesus.

M: What advice would you give on a daily prayer schedule for a busy high school student?

W: I would say, upon awakening, to offer your day first to the Blessed Mother and Our Lord saying “I offer this day to you.”

Always remember that gratitude is important! Throughout the day, just offer the little things you are struggling with and soon you’ll find yourself praying much more often. At night after a busy day, pray three Hail Marys.

M: How did it feel to say your promises?

W: It felt, when I made my promises, like there was a sense of fulfillment, a sense of duty and there’s a certain amount of being overwhelmed with the grace of God and gratitude.

M: Is the priesthood different than you first expected?

W: Yes, the biggest thing that is very different is knowing you’re a priest all the time. It’s not as if you’re a priest from 9:00 to 5:00, you’re a priest for all hours. Once you say your vows, you will always be a priest. But because there aren’t set hours, people come to me for different things which is very humbling.

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M: Which saint inspires you most?

W: If we’re talking any saint, The Blessed Mother because she lived the most perfectly.

M: What do you enjoy doing on the weekend?

W: I enjoy hanging out with my friends, as well as Fr. Dominic. I go hunting, fishing, and camping, along with doing archery.

M: What is the best advice you’ve received in your life?

W: From my mom and dad, they said that no matter how much they love me and want to take care of me, they’re only human and I have a Mother and Father in heaven that loves me more.

M: Do you prefer mornings or nights?

W: I prefer mornings, I like to get up super early!

M: What’s your favorite holiday and why?

W: Easter, because we’re celebrating the resurrection. Also, it’s spring time, we’re coming out of winter and celebrating new life. Without Easter we wouldn’t be where we are.

M: What is your favorite type of music?

W: Although it depends on my mood, my favorite type of music is old school country blues.

SPORTS 20 SENIOR SPOTLIGHT 20 An inside look into some of the athletic careers of our seniors.

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ABBY SCHMIDT | GOLF

MESSENGER: What are your individual and team expectations for this season?

ABBY SCHMIDT: Individually I am hoping to continue placing in the top 10 in tournaments and hope to make All-state again. As a team, our main goal is to make it back to the state tournaments.

M: How is the team looking?

A: I believe we are looking pretty good. Overall we have some areas where we need to improve but I believe we will make it back to state this year.

M: Will you continue to golf in the future?

A: I hope to continue playing golf in college in Arizona next year.

M: How is it being the only senior?

A: I really don’t mind being the only senior because there are three juniors that I have played with for four years that really contribute to leading the beginners.

M: Is there anything you’d like to say to underclassmen that are thinking about joining golf?

A: Join golf! You won’t regret it. The season isn’t very long and it’s the only sport where you can eat and play at the same time.

M: What is your go-to after school snack?

A: Pizza rolls

JOE SCHON | SOCCER

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oe has played soccer every since he can remember, but his first time participating in an organized soccer league was when he was in kindergarten. And now, twelve years of training later, Joe plays soccer for the Mandan Braves varsity as a center defense. He does not plan on playing soccer in college but the lessons he has learned from the sport will stay with him forever. He says that one way soccer helps him in his faith life is that it helps him stay more disciplined.

Here are a few more fun facts about Joe: his favorite place to eat is Kobe’s. He gets the Alaskan Roll; Joe loves to go kayaking, play frisbee golf, and play spikeball; he is currently watching “Friends” on Netflix. His favorite SM memories include the Rome Pilgrimage and the ROCK.

A note to the freshman: Joe’s advice for this year’s freshmen is “don’t be afraid to meet new people or make new friends. Don’t worry about what others think about you because they are probably just thinking about themselves.”

Senior Spotlight by Jeffery Savadel and Hannah Gardner respectively

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What’s Happening This Month?

Thursday, October 3rd Saturday, October 5th

The Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library will be holding its annual fall book sale. There will be over 50,000 books for sale at $1.00 per pound. DVDs , CDs, and other items will be priced separately.

Wednesday, October 9th

Sale hours: Thursday, October 3rd: 7:00 am to 8:00 pm Friday, October 4th: 9:00 am to 5:45 pm Saturday, October 5th: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm

Get ready folks for the first ever ROCK at the new SMCHS campus! The speaker is Alexandra DeSanctis, a journalist from DC for the National Review.

The theme is Hawaiian Luau, so grab your hydroflask, your puka shell necklace, and stop by the ROCK at 7:00 pm.

Wednesday, October 30th

Come one, come all to the first Fall Choir Concert of the year! You’ll get to hear the beautiful music from 4 different choirs at 7:00 pm. The event takes place at the current SM Academy (1025 N 2nd Street in case anyone forgot) and will feature songs such as “Remember Me”.

Thursday, October 3rd Sunday, October 13th Join our local theatre production by Dakota Stage of the musical Monty Python’s Spamalot! This production stars current SMCHS junior Rachel Rusch and other SMCHS alumni including Chase Angermeier, Megan Krantz, and Sterling Severson. Ages 14+ Showtimes: October 3rd - 5th and 10th - 12th: 7:30 pm.

October 6th and 13th: 2:00 pm.

Friday, October 11th at 7:00 pm

The Haunted Fort opens for its 2019 season. It will be open every Friday and Saturday with November 2 being the last night. To get your fear tickets ahead of time and at a discount go to www.hauntedfort.com/scare-tickets.html

The Diocesan Youth Conference will be held at the Bismarck Event Center. It is an event for all youth grades from 6-12 to attend. The key speakers will include Fr. Leo Patalinghug and Bishop David D. Kagan. There will also be a concert performed by Popple and a break out session for high schoolers with Avera Maria Santo, a young Catholic speaker.

Eucharistic adoration and penance will be available for attendees. It is a free event, but registration is required so participants can be given lunch. For more information or to register go to bismarckdiocese.com/youthconference.

Saturday, October 26th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Make sure to stop by these wonderful events and appreciate the events going on in our local community. See you there!

Community Events done by Megha Bhardwaj and Allison Braun