Education
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Summer is coming to an end and students across South Dakota are heading back to school. I was home to see my three boys off to start the 2021-2022 school year this week.
While many schools in our state remained open during this past year, the same cannot be said about school districts across the country.
Some of my favorite memories growing up was when school closed for a snow day. But watching the snow pile up outside while waiting for news from the Pierre school district was agonizing as a young kid.
Thanks to Samyok Nepal, a student from Brookings High School, he and his fellow classmates do not have to wait with the same anticipation.
That's because Samyok designed Bobcat Notify, an app to alert students of snow days.
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) announced South Dakota's second annual Congressional App Challenge (CAC), an app competition for middle and high school students.
The CAC was established by Congress to encourage young people to learn coding and to inspire them to pursue a career in STEM. Students of all skill levels are encouraged to participate in the competition, no previous coding experience is required.
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) announced three South Dakota student artist winners for the 2021 Congressional Art Competition.
Elora Gould, a rising sophomore from Faith High School is the first-place winner of the 2021 Congressional Art Competition for South Dakota. Her pencil and charcoal artwork, "To Have Slept in a Hollow," will be on exhibit in the Cannon Tunnel at the U.S. Capitol, along with the winning artwork from other congressional districts for the next year.
Vermillion, SD – On Saturday, Representative Dusty Johnson announced Professor Michael Roche of Vermillion for the first Strength of South Dakota award. The Strength of South Dakota award was created to celebrate and honor South Dakotans that display unusual perseverance, compassion, and innovation, and are beloved by their community.
Each year congressional offices across the country interview potential candidates for our nation's military and service academies.
It's one of the best parts of my job. South Dakota is home to some of the best and brightest students, many of them hoping they'll go on to serve our country at one of our nation's esteemed military institutions.
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-SD) announced eight Service Academy appointments of South Dakota students and residents. They will begin their military training at their respective schools this summer. The Congressman nominated each of these students in December 2020 and they recently accepted their appointments.
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) introduced the Kids In-Person Determines School (KIDS) Success Act to assess the impact extended school closures have on students' academic and emotional wellbeing. According to recent data, only "47 percent of schools serving fourth-graders and 46 percent serving eighth-graders were open for full in-person instruction."
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) announced the 2021 Congressional Art Competition, which puts the artwork of South Dakota students in the nation's Capitol building. The South Dakota Arts Council (SDAC) is now accepting entries on behalf of Rep. Johnson's office.
The contest is open to all South Dakota high school students, and the first-place winning entry will be displayed in the Cannon Tunnel of the United States Capitol for one year. The second-place winning entry will be displayed in Johnson's Washington, D.C., office.
I am proud to be a South Dakotan. As a father with three sons in public school, I'm grateful they have an opportunity each day to go to class in-person. Too many school children across this country aren't being given that opportunity, and it's a shame.
Study after study has shown that children being forced to learn remotely are falling behind students attending school in-person. The impact of those decisions will be felt for years to come.