Feature Stories:
February 7:
Inspiring Students to dream big:
DEBRA EVERSON
![Picture](/uploads/2/5/2/1/25217945/6262078.jpg?334)
By Erin Croucher
Feature Editor
Strolling into Room 108, one will find Debra Everson, head of the English Department, with a camera in her hands or critiquing a five-page research paper. Her English skills, leadership and bright personality have impacted her students deeply. But where did she find the will to take on such diligent work? Starting off, Everson knew hard work at a young age as an athlete in several sports.
“I played basketball, was a gymnast, played intramural volleyball, ran track and played softball,” said Everson.
Little does anyone know, Everson had her own unique past after graduating at MHS.
“I went to college at SDSU where I met my darling husband. I actually dropped out of school for a while and I moved with him, which I tell him that’s why I married him, because he was moving to Hawaii,” Everson adds with a laugh. “So we moved to Hawaii very young and went to the University of Hawaii for two years.”
Soon after, Everson and her husband moved to Clarksville, TN, due to her husband serving in the military. Because her spouse only had eight to nine months left to serve, Everson decided to move back to Mitchell to finish her studies.
“I came back to SD by myself, and moved back to Brookings, so I could finish my degree, before he got out of the Army, because we were very poor and somebody had to work. So I moved back to Brookings, by myself, I had a little one-room apartment, and waited for him to come home from the military at Christmas time,” said Everson.
Everson and her partner eventually had three sons who are now ages 29, 27 and 25. They were all wrestlers like their father was in high school. Two later moved to Minneapolis, MN, and Memphis, TN, while one stayed in Mitchell. Along with a family, came a career. But how did Everson find her way into the teaching field?
“I had some outstanding teachers when I was growing up here in Mitchell that I was really impressed with, and I just thought that was what I wanted to do,” said Everson.
Everson has been teaching for 26 years total with 20 of them being at MHS. One student shares his appreciation for his AP English teacher.
“I think she is a good teacher because she takes the time to go over specific points of papers and helps us understand how to do them better so we can get a good grade and be prepared for college,” said senior Isaiah Munsen.
Along with Munsen, senior Ashton Weigand, who has been a part of Everson’s yearbook staff for three years, has found inspiration in the English teacher.
“Everson has been a life-altering person in my life. Our relationship started off as any normal student with a teacher, but she has ended up becoming my role model. She has so much on her plate and makes it look easy. She has taught me more than just yearbook guidelines. She has taught me about life, not to give up and to let nothing get me down,” said Weigand.
Everson offers advice for those still unsure about their futures.
“Dream big, go for what you are interested in because life is too short. You have to go for what you want to do.”
Feature Editor
Strolling into Room 108, one will find Debra Everson, head of the English Department, with a camera in her hands or critiquing a five-page research paper. Her English skills, leadership and bright personality have impacted her students deeply. But where did she find the will to take on such diligent work? Starting off, Everson knew hard work at a young age as an athlete in several sports.
“I played basketball, was a gymnast, played intramural volleyball, ran track and played softball,” said Everson.
Little does anyone know, Everson had her own unique past after graduating at MHS.
“I went to college at SDSU where I met my darling husband. I actually dropped out of school for a while and I moved with him, which I tell him that’s why I married him, because he was moving to Hawaii,” Everson adds with a laugh. “So we moved to Hawaii very young and went to the University of Hawaii for two years.”
Soon after, Everson and her husband moved to Clarksville, TN, due to her husband serving in the military. Because her spouse only had eight to nine months left to serve, Everson decided to move back to Mitchell to finish her studies.
“I came back to SD by myself, and moved back to Brookings, so I could finish my degree, before he got out of the Army, because we were very poor and somebody had to work. So I moved back to Brookings, by myself, I had a little one-room apartment, and waited for him to come home from the military at Christmas time,” said Everson.
Everson and her partner eventually had three sons who are now ages 29, 27 and 25. They were all wrestlers like their father was in high school. Two later moved to Minneapolis, MN, and Memphis, TN, while one stayed in Mitchell. Along with a family, came a career. But how did Everson find her way into the teaching field?
“I had some outstanding teachers when I was growing up here in Mitchell that I was really impressed with, and I just thought that was what I wanted to do,” said Everson.
Everson has been teaching for 26 years total with 20 of them being at MHS. One student shares his appreciation for his AP English teacher.
“I think she is a good teacher because she takes the time to go over specific points of papers and helps us understand how to do them better so we can get a good grade and be prepared for college,” said senior Isaiah Munsen.
Along with Munsen, senior Ashton Weigand, who has been a part of Everson’s yearbook staff for three years, has found inspiration in the English teacher.
“Everson has been a life-altering person in my life. Our relationship started off as any normal student with a teacher, but she has ended up becoming my role model. She has so much on her plate and makes it look easy. She has taught me more than just yearbook guidelines. She has taught me about life, not to give up and to let nothing get me down,” said Weigand.
Everson offers advice for those still unsure about their futures.
“Dream big, go for what you are interested in because life is too short. You have to go for what you want to do.”
December 12:
Social Media Ask.FM proves to endanger
students' self-esteem
![Picture](/uploads/2/5/2/1/25217945/2955214.jpg?486)
By Maggie Sivik
Focus Editor
Ask.fm, a website that allows users to ask questions anonymously to other users, is only one example of a social network which has had to make adjustments to prevent bullying online. The website recently had to change their ways because bullying has been becoming a problem.
“Kids should know the consequences of cyber bullying. In a lot of cases it can be a crime. Also, kids should be educated on how to avoid being put in a position where there is potential to be cyber bullied,” said senior Alison Murphy.
Social media sites are having to make themselves more familiar with cyberbullying so they are able to prevent more of it from happening. Ask.fm recently had to disable the anonymous question-asking option because adults and teens alike where using it to ask question that were not appropriate. Facebook is making privacy settings more available for users.
“Websites should be more private like Facebook, twitter, ask.fm. You can choose to accept messages from people or notifications from them,” said sophomore Riley Cowins.
Websites making themselves more private will only solve part of the problem. Many of these cyber bullies aren’t going to be stopped just because a private wall blocks them.
“People feel the need to bully on social networks because they feel bad about themselves and need to make someone else feel bad. Pointing out someone else’s flaws makes themselves feel better, it makes them happy to see someone else sad and insecure,” said junior Darby Swenson.
Being made more aware of online bullying can help the ones whom it affects and will make social networking safe for others.
Focus Editor
Ask.fm, a website that allows users to ask questions anonymously to other users, is only one example of a social network which has had to make adjustments to prevent bullying online. The website recently had to change their ways because bullying has been becoming a problem.
“Kids should know the consequences of cyber bullying. In a lot of cases it can be a crime. Also, kids should be educated on how to avoid being put in a position where there is potential to be cyber bullied,” said senior Alison Murphy.
Social media sites are having to make themselves more familiar with cyberbullying so they are able to prevent more of it from happening. Ask.fm recently had to disable the anonymous question-asking option because adults and teens alike where using it to ask question that were not appropriate. Facebook is making privacy settings more available for users.
“Websites should be more private like Facebook, twitter, ask.fm. You can choose to accept messages from people or notifications from them,” said sophomore Riley Cowins.
Websites making themselves more private will only solve part of the problem. Many of these cyber bullies aren’t going to be stopped just because a private wall blocks them.
“People feel the need to bully on social networks because they feel bad about themselves and need to make someone else feel bad. Pointing out someone else’s flaws makes themselves feel better, it makes them happy to see someone else sad and insecure,” said junior Darby Swenson.
Being made more aware of online bullying can help the ones whom it affects and will make social networking safe for others.