A DA -B ORUP H IGH S CHOOL N EWSLETTER
D ECEMBER 2, 2014
Greetings!
The winter season jumped on us quickly and the kids had to dig out their winter gear! It is hard to believe, but we are just about
to the half-way point of the second academic quarter of the 2014-15 school year. Before we know it, Winter Break will be here!
It is truly amazing how fast time flies!
With the Thanksgiving Holiday last week, it is a great time to reflect on all of the super things going on in our school district and
lives. We are so fortunate in many ways!!
The following is a list of things for which we are thankful and other informational items.

On behalf of the Ada-Borup Board of Education and staff members, I would like to say “THANK YOU” to everyone for
supporting the bond referendum vote on November 4th. We are extremely excited to get moving with the project and
providing an outstanding learning environment for our current and future students!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!

THANK YOU for all of the great support of our young people this fall in all of their activities!! We are very fortunate to
have a great group of students to work with at ABHS and your support only makes them better! We had a very good
football season and our volleyball team brought home the 2014 State Class A Consolation Championship!!
CONGRATULATIONS to the players, coaches and fans of all of the teams!! You were great!

Congratulations to Miki Lee for being named to the 2014 State Class A All-Tournament Team. Super job Miki!

THANK YOU to Mr. Tuttle and the ABHS Pep Band for their outstanding support of our teams! Their energy level and
outstanding performances truly make a difference!! I would also like to thank all of the chaperones who helped out
during the trips to Section and State games. GREAT JOB!

CONGRATULATIONS to the Ada-Borup and NCW students on working together with Mrs. Triplett and Mrs. Kemper
to provide an outstanding musical this fall! Aladdin was a big hit and everyone performed very well! GREAT JOB!!

CONGRATULATIONS to all of the students who had Perfect Attendance and/or made the ABHS Honor Roll for the 1 st
Quarter! GREAT JOB!!

CONGRATULATIONS to the volleyball team for receiving a “Gold Rating” and the football team for receiving a “Silver
Rating” from the Coaches Association for their team GPA! GREAT JOB! We have great kids!!

CONGRATULATIONS to Lexi Merkens, Miki Lee and Haley Poehler for being named Academic All-State in Volleyball
for 2014!

CONGRATULATIONS to all of the National Honor Society Banquet members. The annual banquet was held on
Tuesday, November 24th and new members were inducted. I would like to congratulate all of the members and thank
Mrs. Brown for all of her efforts. SUPER JOB!!!

I would like to say “THANK YOU” to all of our adult volunteers, the AB Booster Club and anyone else who volunteers
his/her time at the school district. We really appreciate your help!!

Congratulations to Kim Moen for being named Ada-Borup Teacher of the Year!!
One last thing before I am done. I would to ask all parents to encourage your children to ask teachers for extra help before and
after school and make sure to ask questions if there are problems. Please encourage them to use the staff as a resource. They are
all willing and able to help!!
Thank you for your time and efforts!!
Mike Kolness
Supt of Schools/ HS Principal
Ada-Borup ISD #2854
A DA -B ORUP H IGH S CHOOL N EWSLETTER
P AGE 2
C HOIR NOTES ... FROM
MRS . KEMPER
The Ada-Borup Middle Choir, Concert Choir, 8th Grade Girls Swing Choir, and Sensations Show Choir will perform their
Winter Concert of seasonal songs on Monday, December 8, at 7:00 p.m. in the ABHS Auditorium. The eight solo contest
participants will provide pre-concert entertainment starting at 6:15 p.m. for any parents or relatives that wish to hear their
student. This concert is free and open to the public and will be recorded for the radio. I hope to see all of you for an evening of
holiday cheer! Best wishes for the New Year, Mrs. Kemper
S OLO
CONTEST
2014
The Ada-Borup Choir sent 8 students to compete in the Subsection 30 Music Solo Contest held at the
Win-E-Mac High School on Monday, November 10. Results are as follows:
Raven Jensen: Superior (Double Star)
Jonathan Markley: Superior (Double Star)
Elizabeth Petrik: Superior (Double Star)
Ashley Nirschl: Superior (Double Star)
Taija Turpin: Superior (Double Star)
Danielle Yost: Excellent (Single Star)
Katie Thompson: Excellent (Single Star)
Katelyn Vilmo: Good
Accompanists included: Nikki Gullingsrud, Leah Atwood, and Tanya Kemper. Congratulations to all participants on a job well
done!
2014 ABHS Band and Choir Solo Participants:
Back Row: David Visser, Evan Purrington,
Mason Kitchell, Theo Solseng, Zach Holweger,
Nick Hagan, Michael Kolness, Jonathan
Markley.
Middle Row: Alyson Erickson, Katelyn Vilmo,
Raven Jensen, Taija Turpin, Elizabeth Petrik,
Katie Thompson, Ashley Nirschl.
Front Row: Greta Rockstad, Alexis Merkens,
Danielle Yost, Svetlana Stoen, Megan Vesledahl
Not Pictured: Jesse Kemper, Paul Knoell,
Brooklyn Erickson, Dustin Olson
WEIGHTROOM
The weight room is open daily for Ada-Borup students wanting to get in
an early morning workout (before school) or an afternoon workout
(after school). The weight room is also open on Sunday evenings from
7:00-8:30 during Sunday night Open Gym. All Ada-Borup students in
grades 7-12 are invited to come in and participate. Ada-Borup Cougars
coaches provide the supervision.
P AGE 3
Mrs. Ruebke’s 9th/Sophomore Art Class recently
completed this abstract group painting which will soon be
hanging in the hallways of ABHS! Each student was
assigned a color and abstract pattern to paint! They have
also been working on Cubist inspired drawings called
Shattered Images after learning about Pablo Picasso and
Cubism. Students have been working on individual acrylic
paintings and are now doing Zentangle drawings that are
awesome!
8th Grade art students have been busy
learning and using the Elements and
Principles of Art as they work on various
projects such as a still life drawing of their
shoes - adding values, textures, shadows and
color; a 2-pt.perspective drawing of a building;
clay pottery and an Op Art Painting!
Juniors and Seniors in the Art I class brought in their own objects to
create amazing still life compositions using colored pencils to add color,
value, shadow to their drawings. Currently they are working on clay
projects that incorporate a face (animal,human/abstract) into the
design. Next up they will practice drawing their classmates’ portraits and
will finally draw or paint a self portrait that reflects their own personality!
Make sure to check out the student artwork hanging outside the
auditorium and in display cases in the hallway!
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Utilizing community assets such as the Dekko Community Center have
provided several hours of fitness and recreation benefits for
Ada-Borup P. E. students enjoyment.
Community Education Classes
Defensive Driving Refresher Course:
Monday, December 8, 2014 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. (ABHS Media Center) Cost: $25
Photography Class by Nick Wagner
Wednesday, December 17, 2014, from 6 to 9:00 p.m. (Mrs. Johnson’s English Classroom) Cost: $5
Call the high school office to register...784.5300
P AGE 4
A DA -B ORUP H IGH S CHOOL N EWSLETTER
News from Mrs. Johnson’s Classes:
Junior English:
Juniors have had a busy fall in English 11. They have created PowerPoints, written essays, and read many works
from American Literature. They started their journey in the 1500’s, reading about the discovery of the new world
and have continued through to the signing of The Declaration of Independence. Students most recently watched the musical
1776, which is about the writing and signing of The Declaration.
Seventh Grade:
Seventh graders began their year reading Harris & Me by Gary Paulsen. Students really like this book, and it was a great way to
start off the year. They have also been working on grammar, short stories, and writing. They also wrote a personal narrative
essay. Seventh graders will be reading the classic novel, The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton in the near future.
Eighth Grade:
Eighth graders had a busy start to their year. They started the school year reading the novel Touching Spirit Bear by Ben
Mikaelsen, and they are currently reading The Call of the Wild by Jack London. When they aren’t reading novels, they are
writing about them, practicing grammar skills, and reading short stories.
2014 VOLLEYBALL NEWS

Varsity Overall Record of 28-6

PTP Conference Champions 2014

1st Place Ada-Borup Tournament

1st Place Hawley Tournament

6th Place Moorhead Tournament

1st Place North Section 6A Tournament

1st Place Section 6A Tournament

5th Place State Class A Volleyball State of MN

Team Academic Gold Division: 3.82

All Conference for PTP: Lexi Merkens, Haley Poehler, Morgan Miller, Miki Lee

Honorable Mention PTP: Tianna Hilde & Emma Kroshus

PTP Most Valuable Player 2014: Lexi Merkens

Individual Academic All-State: Haley Poehler, Lexi Merkens, Miki Lee

All Tournament Team at the 2014 Class A State Volleyball: Miki Lee

PTP Coach of the Year and Section 6A Coach of the Year 2014: Ruth Hayden

2014 Section 6A Assistant Coach of the Year: Nikki Gullingsrud

JV Record of 18 wins and 8 losses. Congratulations to all the teams, players, coaches, managers, and
helpers throughout the season. Great job to all involved. It was an awesome year!
P AGE 5
NEWS FROM MRS. HAYDEN….
10th Grade and 7th Grade Health
The students have covered in their Current Health Choices magazine for September issue: Body Bullies and the strong link between
how we feel about our appearance and our overall happiness, despite whatever shape or size we happen to be. The power of sleep
and how enough sleep boosts your mood and lowers anxiety, meaning you are less likely to stress out. A good discussion on “Sugar
Shocker” and what too much sugar is really doing to your brain and body, learning on the average, teens eat about 107 pounds of
sugar a year. We also discussed how to beat the clock and get things done: which one are you the procrastinator, the over
committer, or the forgetter? In the issue we also talked about foster kids and how they are the same as any other kids. Therefore,
there is no reason to knock them down. The importance of drinking more water and less energy drinks, juices, and pop was a hot
topic. Why drinking more water matters: it give you more energy, it gives the brain a boost, it gives you fresher breath, and gives
your skin a healthy glow. Try to drink 8-10 glasses of water daily. Which side are you on? Are Smartphones making us stupid?
Kids discussed smartphone addiction how it is affecting our ability to focus, the quality of work, and how well students learn.
Smartphones also feed us knowledge and foster important conversations. Smartphones encourage us to think more and research
topics quickly. Our world instantly gets bigger—straight from the palm of your hand.
In the Current Health Choices magazine for October Issue: We discussed at length the ugly side of prescription pain killers and
how you could get hooked. Drug addition is a chronic brain disease that distorts your thinking and the way you feel physically.
Prescriptoin drug abuse is the worst drug epidemic in US history. One in four teens have misused or abused prescription
medications at least once. We also talked about friend fluence—the power your friends have over the tiny and many decisions you
make daily. A true friend is one who builds you up and encourages you to be yourself—not who she/he wants you to be. In an
interesting article was a study on saving bats and how they help our environment and they need to be protected. The kids read
about the incredible work-out of yoga and actually tried some different yoga moves. Yoga helps to get you stronger, stretch your
muscles, improve your balance, and to relieve some stress. October was anti-bullying month, we talked about how we want
kindness to go viral and how a climate of kindness can drown out cruelty. We are hoping to kick up the kindness at our school.
Remember, “treat people the way you would like to be treated.” Our last article was the debate of: “Have we all become too
sports—crazy?” Sports definitely keeps us active and teach crucial life skills, like teamwork and commitment, but have we become
too obsessed with athletics that our study habits, social lives and other extra curriculars suffer because of it. We came to the
conclusion, schools need to find a balance between academics and athletics, and provide equal opportunity and encouragement for
both. We need to remember sports teach important values and inspire healthy habits for life. Sports are a great way to learn hard
work, cooperation, and physical fitness.
8th Grade Health
The first quarter 8th graders went through a variety of different topics and did research in the media center on some of them to
have a better understanding and awareness of the topics. They are as follows: discrimination, harassing, sexual harassment,
bullying , violence, crimes hazing, gangs, random violence, carjacking, drive-by shootings, prohibition, domestic violence, bias
crime, and rape. We talked about the four major categories of crimes of violence: aggravated assault, homicide, sexual assault, and
robbery. We have learned about the three categories of gangs: hardcore, associates, and peripherals. With domestic violence we
discussed the different kinds of abusive behaviors which are involved in domestic violence: physical abuse, verbal abuse, emotional
abuse, and sexual abuse. We talked about dysfunctional families and characteristics they often share: alcoholism, drugs, low
self-esteem, and personal set-backs. We also discussed ways to prevent violence and personal violence. In our last lesson we talked
about preventing violence at schools and what we can do to discourage and control disruptive and violent behaviors among
students.
9th Grade Phy. Ed. and Fitness Activities
The students have had a variety of activities to keep them moving. We had a beautiful fall so most
days the kids were outside. Activities included fall softball, smaller groups for football, soccer,
tennis, bean bags, Norweigian golf, Frisbee golf, regular golf, kickball, dodgeball, regular volleyball,
2 on 2 volleyball, regular basketball, 3 on 3 basketball, eclipse ball, bingo basketball, bocce ball,
flickerball, whiffle ball, and some weight lifting for warm-ups. We stress to the kids to get some
movement, try to stay physically active throughout your lifetime.
P AGE 6
Drivers Education
The ninth grade students at Ada-Borup High School are excited about earning their drivers’ license and would like to
share the following information with their parents and others. The state of Minnesota has a process called Graduated
Drivers’ License (GDL) in which teenagers earn their license in graduated steps. What is GDL? The Graduated
Drivers’ Licensing system is designed to ease inexperienced drivers into the driving environment. Under the GDL
system, anyone under 18 years of age must hold an instruction permit for at least six months before taking a road test.
When they have passed the road test, they may apply for their license. The three steps are permit, provisional license,
and regular Class D license.
Permit—1st Phase

Age 15

Complete 30 hours of classroom instruction

Pass a vision screening and knowledge test

Complete a license application and pay the required instruction permit fee (valid for two years)

Drive with licensed adult age 21 or over in front seat

NO cell phone

Must have permit for six months and record thirty hours (at least 10 at night) of driving with licensed adult
Provisional License—2nd Phase
FIRST SIX MONTHS

Age 16

Complete behind the wheel instruction ($250)

Have had a permit for six months and pass road test

Can drive without adult supervision

No driving from midnight to 5:00 a.m. (unless 25 year old or older driver is with them, driving between home and
work, driving between home and school event for which the school does not provide transportation, and
employment purposes)

One passenger under the age of 20 unless accompanied by parent or passengers are immediate family members

NO cell phone
SECOND SIX MONTHS

No more than three passengers unless with parent or passengers are immediate family members

NO cell phone
CLASS D LICENSE—3rd Phase

Age 18

Have held provisional license for at least twelve consecutive months with no convictions for alcohol violations,
controlled-substance violations, or crash-related moving violations, and not more than one conviction for a moving
violation that is not crash related

Drive 10 hours under supervision of a licensed driver who is at least 21 years of age.
NEWS FROM MRS. SPILDE….
P AGE 7
FACS 8
The eighth grade students have a trimester in FACS 8. The students started out with a nutrition unit and
utilized the MyPlate guidelines for meal selection so they can better fuel their bodies. Next was food safety
and sanitation, they practiced the single greatest food protection fact of thorough hand washing and learned
how quickly germs are transferred utilizing the Germ Glo lotion. Finally they culminated their foods unit as
they prepared raw fruits and vegetables, breakfast with pancakes, waffles and French toast,
cookies and quick breads and their one dish meals. The students then learned about the sewing machine, sergers and
sewing equipment to prepare them to create their sewing project. They selected a pattern of their choice, usually a
loosely fitted pajama or short pattern with an elastic or drawstring design with at least one style of pocket. The pride
they have once they are finished is awesome and they also have added a new wardrobe piece!
FACS 9
The freshman spent the quarter discussing child development; covering care giving, safety, child
development of babies through preschool. The students chose an age group and created posters of the
knowledge the learned in the five different areas of child development and how it applied to their chosen
age group. They also had a couple of play days, utilizing the preschool toys (identifying how much children
learn through play), making and playing with silly putty and sidewalk chalk. The second quarter students are
excited about getting into the kitchen to test their culinary expertise after a unit on nutrition. They will
“eggsperiment” with various egg recipes including omelets, egg bakes or soufflés to name a few, more
challenging quick breads with crepes & cream puffs, cookies, frozen bread dough, side dishes and possibly a
unit on Italian cooking.
LifeSmarts
The seniors have been getting prepared for life after high school, identifying their needs, wants and both short and long term SMART
goals. Understanding smart shopping techniques to get the best buy for your money based on your situation. They also investigated
various lending institutions and their pros and cons, banking basics, and ended with a checking/debit card account simulation. Units
on savings and investing to prepare for retirement (it’s never too early), another on understanding forms necessary to complete when
starting a job, what the deductions from your paycheck are and completing tax forms. Units yet to be covered are using credit wisely,
credit cards, credit reports, identity theft, renting housing and leases, researching, purchasing and insuring a vehicle, resumes and job
interviewing skills. They finish off the semester with a Life In simulation where they utilize the information learned in their final
project.
Quilting
Fourteen junior and seniors have embarked on creating their own quilts! They reviewed the elements and
principles of design, discussed the history of quilting, identified different type of quilts and then refreshed
their sewing machine skills. Doris Simonson, an avid quilter was a guest presenter with many different types
of quilts and ideas for the students to ponder.
The students then measured, cut and created three quilt samples, a four patch, rectangular block and a crazy
quilt block to practice the techniques necessary for creating their quilt project. Each student then selected
their quilt pattern, drew it to scale on graph paper, selected their unique fabrics and have been sewing their
blocks together. They will finish their quilt tops, attach the batting, backing and then quilt their project.
P AGE 8
From Mr. Lindell’s Science Classroom…….
LIFE SCIENCE
The year is off to a good start with the seventh graders! It has been a time of adjustment for them to say the least. It appears they have
become accustomed to the daily operations of a science class. The topic of discussion to date has been the inner workings of a typical
cell….and there is a crazy amount of information that goes with it! Future topics include…evolution, microbiology, plants, animals,
ecology, and human biology. Besides daily lectures and discussions…students take notes, work cooperatively in small groups,
complete daily assignments, work on homework, watch videos, experience labs and activities, and take quizzes and exams. The Leaf
Collection project was completed and they did a very nice job on that! We have started the Science Fair….the next big project.
Students have chosen an idea and will begin researching. Busy…busy…busy….Life Science is the place to be!!
BIOLOGY
The sophomores are working hard! They have the task of learning the State of Minnesota Graduation
Standards that pertain to Science. The MCA Exam they will take next May is all about Biology!!...so we
have a big job to do in the meantime. The amount of information involved is extremely extensive and the
pace of instruction is fast. The students all understand what our mission is. I am happy to report they are
following the program! The goal is to have as many of them, as possible, pass that important exam!! Hard
work, in and out of class, is paramount for each to attain that goal. Basic biological concepts are the
current topics….cells, photosynthesis, cell respiration, cell reproduction, genetics/heredity, and protein
synthesis. Future topics include evolution, classification, a number of ecological topics, human biology, and a touch-up on
microbiology and botany/zoology. As always…labs/activities and videos are a big part of the process. IPads are used in a number of
educational ways. It is a good tool to enhance and supplement the science curriculum. Keep it up super Soph’s!!!! Biology Rocks!!
GENERAL SCIENCE
Semester 1 in General Science is all about Ecology. Students will learn about energy relationships, ecology of organisms, population
properties and dynamics, species interactions, properties of ecological communities, ecosystems,
ecosystem recycling, biodiversity, conservation biology, current global issues, and human influences.
Whew!! All good stuff! When the dust settles….students will have a better understanding of…the
natural world and current global issues…such as global warming, deforestation, habitat destruction,
pollution, resource depletion, ozone concerns, and how all of these relate to humans. Sustainability for
future generations is a hot societal/political/global issue and students are connecting cause and effect with
problem solving and solutions. The major project was an October field trip to Itasca State Park, where
student groups collected data relating to studies on animals and water. It was a nice day as groups bushwhacked through the woods looking for animal signs, vertebrates/invertebrates, birds, and habitats…..and put on the boots to study
the Mississippi River ecology, such as a stream flow study, dissolved oxygen, pH/temperature, and a collection of different water/
substrate samples. Post Itasca work, in the classroom, included an organization of collected data and a production of an elaborate,
accurate, and professional looking report. It was an awesome experience for students to follow the scientific method from start to
finish and have fun in the process!! General Science Rules!!!
ADVANCED BIOLOGY
Advanced Biology is an elective course that focuses on a review of basic biological concepts, learning topics that were not covered on
MCA Standards, and a preparation/insight to the college experience. The year began with an Insect Collection….and we are
wrapping up a big unit on Botany (plants). The major project relating to Botany is the creation of a Botany Portfolio. This activity
requires the operation of a digital microscope that has the capability to capture a photo of the specimen being observed. Students
utilized prepared slides, and their own slides, of various plant root, stem, and leaf cell/tissue structures. Once photographed, they
transferred the images to their IPads and edited each. Twelve topics were assigned and the outcomes are amazing!! Technology keeps
improving and we do our best to keep up with it. Next up is microbiology…viruses and
bacteria….and then into the animal kingdom. In addition, a number of labs will be
conducted….including mitosis, osmosis/diffusion, and photosynthesis. Students will learn to follow
instructions independently, work efficiently with a partner, and create an acceptable lab report. Way
to go…Advanced Bio!!!
P AGE 9
News from Mr. Gullingsrud
The American History classes spent most of the first quarter discussing the Civil War including the five main
reasons why it began. We covered the key people from the war, the battles and the strategies used by both the
Union and Confederate army, along with the difficulties experienced by both sides. We continued with the
Emancipation Proclamation, the famous 54th Massachusetts regiment, Frederick Douglas and eventually the
assassination plan of John Wilkes Booth targeting Abraham Lincoln, Vice President Andrew
Johnson and Secretary of State William Seward. Do you know the result of the plan on Andrew
Johnson and William Seward?
The class continued with the Reconstruction Era and the "rebuilding" of the southern states and
the nation after the Civil War. It was a very difficult time frame for our nation and it resulted in
many difficult moments and emotions throughout the southern states!
Currently the class is covering the Plains Indian Wars including the Dakota Conflict of 1862 in Minnesota. We will be
discussing the problems between the Native American Tribes and the U.S. government regarding the westward
expansion of settlers and the occupation of lands throughout the Midwest. It has been a great start to the year!
The seniors in the Economics class has had a steady start to the year highlighting many of the important terms and
theories of Economics. The class has discussed the basics of Macroeconomics and Microeconomics, different
market systems and economic systems around the world along with the benefits of each system.
The class has discussed supply and demand which results in price points and the theory of market equilibrium. We
also have discussed the reasons for increasing and decreasing supply and demand.
More recent topics have been minimum wage, price ceilings, price floors, and the different
forms of businesses. Students have interviewed a business of their choice and they
presented them to the class highlighting the differences between a sole proprietorship,
partnerships and corporations. Good work!
The Senior High Geography class has been on a world tour discussing the physical and cultural geography of
Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean Islands, South America and currently northern Europe. For each of the
regions we discussed many of the well known historical events and how it impacted the country or region.
Northern Europe including the United Kingdom and Scandinavia has been very interesting as we discussed the many
sights of London, the historical difference of Scotland, and the cultures of Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Scandinavian countries of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and Finland have some historical similarities but
as we are finding out, they have many differences too!
It would be great to travel the world and see the sites that we have discussed in class!
The eighth grade students are learning something new each day as we are highlighting the countries of Central
Asia after covering the island countries of the Pacific Ocean.
As a part of our content for Central Asia, the students were very interested to learn about Russia and the beauty of
the largest country in the world! We then covered Afghanistan and the reasons for U.S. involvement in 1998, 2001
and again in 2003. Many students had background knowledge of Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda but many didn't
know the events of his death in Pakistan. Our classroom discussions were very interesting as some students
recently heard a little bit of the interview involving Robert O'Neill and his account of the event involving Seal Team
Six.
Mongolia and China are the current focus in class and we are really impressed with the beauty of China and the
number of unique and historical sights in this busy country.
In the future we will have country profiles of India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn."
P AGE 10
Reminders from the School Health Office:
As cold and flu season approaches, please remember good health habits like getting vaccinated against influenza, covering your
cough and washing your hands often can help stop the spread of germs. Here are some tips to help keep your family healthy
this fall.
1. Avoid close contact. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to
protect them from getting sick too.
2. Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help
prevent others from catching your illness.
3. Cover your mouth and nose. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing or cough in your sleeve. It
may prevent those around you from getting sick.
4. Clean your hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an
alcohol-based hand rub.
5. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated
with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
6. Practice other good health habits. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when
someone is ill. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.
Always keep your child at home if they have an elevated temperature. Temperatures should be normal for 24 hours (without
Tylenol or Ibuprofen) before he/she returns to school. Children with a temperature of 100 degrees or above cannot stay in
school and parents will be notified to pick them up.
If your child has vomited or had diarrhea, please keep him/her home until 24 hours after the last episode.
If your child has any rash that may be disease related or you do not know the cause, check with your family health care
provider before sending your child to school.
If your child is diagnosed with any infectious disease, please let the health office know.
It is the parent’s responsibility to regularly check your children for head lice. Mass screenings are no longer recommended in
schools as evidence shows that school transmission of head lice is very low. Please remember while head lice is an
inconvenience, it does not transmit any disease. If you do find head lice, please notify the health office so we can work with
you to eliminate it.
Vision and hearing screenings are almost complete. Children are screened for vision in grades 7 and 10 and for hearing in
grades 8 and 11. If you have concerns about your child’s hearing or vision, let the health office know as a screening can be
completed at any time during the year.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I can be reached at the school, at Norman-Mahnomen Public Health
at 218-784-5425 or by email at sarahk@ada.k12.mn.us.
1st Quarter Perfect Attendance
7th Grade: Kora Kritzberger, Ryleigh Robins, Julissa Rodarte, Cassandra Wills
8th Grade: Renae Knoell, Jessie Sargent
9th Grade: Nathan Brown, Samantha Gonzales, Maria Gullekson, Madeline Hushagen
10th Grade: Elizabeth Birkemeyer, Jasmine Elseth, Alissa Purrington, Ella Rockstad, Bailey Sip
11th Grade: Julia Brainard, Dalton Harris, Tianna Hilde, Pavla Kinclova, Morgan Miller, Brett Mortenson,
Ashley Nirschl, Kara Ramey, Austin Robb, Patrick Sherman, Emily Vesledahl
12th Grade: Leah Brownlee, Paul Knoell, Evan Purrington, Theo Solseng, Alison Stene, Taija Turpin,
Katelyn Vilmo
P AGE 11
Ada-Borup High School Holds National Honor Society Banquet
On Tuesday, November 25, 2014, Ada-Borup High School held the National Honor Society Banquet
initiating new members to the group. The National Honor Society was founded about the year 1920, when a
committee was formed for the purpose of recognizing outstanding ability and achievement in the secondary
schools of this country. The constitution of this national organization recognizes four principle objectives
and ideals as fundamental in all educational practices: scholarship, character, leadership, and service. The
purpose is to hold these objectives above everything else as goals toward which we should all strive.
Membership in this Society is considered one of the highest honors that a school can confer. A member of
this society is a member of national organization that is represented in over 8,000 secondary schools in the
United States and foreign countries. The flaming torch is the emblem of the purposes of the organization—to
bear forward the searching light of truth, to lead that others may follow in the light, to keep burning in our
school a high ambition for the enduring value of life, and to serve in consideration of others.
Current members of the National Honor Society inducted new members. The current members of NHS are
Leah Brownlee, Dalton Harris, Zach Holweger, Gracie Johnson, Michael Kolness, Miki Lee, Lexi Merkens,
Morgan Miller, Haley Poehler, Greta Rockstad, Theo Solseng & Ali Stene.
Newly inducted members were Julia Brainard, Elizabeth Birkemeyer, Paige Byron, Alyson Erickson, Luke
Heitman, Tianna Hilde, Lucas Lindell & Ella Rockstad.
Dinner was provided by Bob Kinkade of Quality Catering, and honorary servers were members of the
freshman class: Brookelynn Erickson, Brooklyn Erickson, Sydney Harris, Madeline Hushagen, Zoe Johnson,
Connor Thompson & Emilio Torres.
Honor Roll—First Quarter
P AGE 12
4.00
12th Grade
Leah Brownlee, Alyson Erickson, Zach Holweger, Raven Jensen, Paul Knoell, Michaela Lee, Alexa Merkens, Haley Poehler,
Evan Purrington, Greta Rockstad, Theo Solseng, Alison Stene, Danielle Yost
11th Grade
Paige Byron, Dalton Harris, Tianna Hilde, Gracie Johnson, Michael Kolness, Lucas Lindell, Morgan Miller, Lexi Nelson
10th Grade
Elizabeth Birkemeyer, Luke Heitman, Ella Rockstad, Brooke Ruebke
8th Grade
Jared Brainard, Renae Knoell, Breanna Qualley
3.666—3.999
12th Grade
Sarah Hanson, Brandon Kaste, Jesse Kemper, Megan Vesledahl, Katelyn Vilmo
11th Grade
Taliah Arends, Julia Brainard, Megan Kappes, Emma McCollum, Taylor Miller, Elizabeth Petrik, Kara Ramey, Teresa Suarez, Tatum Tufte
10th Grade
Audrey Visser
9th Grade
Brooklyn Erickson, Sydney Harris, Madeline Hushagen, Zoe Johnson, Connor Thompson, Emilio Torres
8th Grade
Sierra Tufte, Gretchen Vesledahl
7th Grade
Thea DeVos, Carmen Kemper, Kora Kritzberger, Mason Miller, Julia Nelson, Robert Roesch, Raegan Sargent, Elle Scherfenberg,
Brandon Stene
3.000—3.665
12th Grade
Dyllon Dudgeon, Genia Gullekson, Anjana Gwin, Mason Kitchell, Michael Moen, Zach Schjenken, Alex St. Claire, Taija Turpin,
David Visser
11th Grade
Summer Eggen, Taylor Eklund-Visser, Pavla Kinclova, Ryan Knutson, Emily Larson, Paige Leigh, Brett Mortenson, Ashley Nirschl,
Austin Robb, Nick Stewart, Emily Vesledahl
10th Grade
Tiffiny Brandt, Jordan Crompton-Steffen, Tyler Hoven, Emma Kroshus, Alissa Purrington, Brittany Roesch, Blade Sargent, Bailey Sip,
Svetlana Stoen
9th Grade
Brookelynn Erickson, Chase Hanson, Nash Jacobson, Kalvin Kesselberg, Blake Miller, Riley Miller, Carter Peterson, Tyrel Quick,
Drake Solseng, Molly Swenson, Kaitlyn Thompson, Robert Whiting, Olivia Winfrey
P AGE 13
Honor Roll—First Quarter (continued)
3.000—3.665
8th Grade
Grant Arends, Giorgia Brandt, Ryan Chisholm, Brent Eggen, Destiny Eggen, Brett Fetting, Nathan Franks, Radmila Gullekson,
Ivy Johnson, Brandon Nirschl, Jessie Sargent, Emily Sip, Leah Sip, Madison Smart, Colby Stevenson, Kia Stevenson, Thomas
Stewart, Julia Tennihill, Jade Thompson, Julia Yeager
7th Grade
Joseph Brainard, Mya Brower, Chase Buchholz, Macey Gordon, Jennings Lee, Catherine Nelson, Katherine Petrik, Ryleigh
Robins, Julissa Rodarte, Karly Sip, Olivia Sip, Meridith Smart, Devon Stalboerger, Braden Thompson, Jace Thompson
2014 One act play auditions
all students 7-12
Tues/Weds. December 9-10
This is aTest
by Stephen Gregg
As the ticking clock reminds you, only 60 seconds remain to complete this oh-so-important predictor
of your future. But you didn’t get the review sheets, your teacher doesn’t like you, and your
classmates are blatantly cheating. Time passes and the voices in your head remind you that though
you are having trouble with the test, your personal life is far, far worse. Then you reach the essay
question. The good news—it’s an opinion essay. The bad news—it’s in Chinese. And things aren’t
going to get better!
Gender flexible Cast of 13-15
Student director
Technical crew
Sign Up for Audition Time Slots in Room 323.
P AGE 14
English News from Mrs. Trickle’s Room 323
The freshmen have had a busy fall—beginning with William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. In addition to reading the
play, the students created masks and danced the palm-to-palm dance, wrote love sonnets, and diaries in the voice of
Romeo or Juliet. All-in-all, they came away with a good understanding of this classic piece of literature. They have also
read many short stories and have been contributing to their writing folders. We currently are reviewing poetic elements
and in the coming weeks, the students will choose a topic for a poetry anthology assignment in which they will find,
analyze, and assemble poems them-anthology style-in a folder complete with pictures representing the theme of each
poem.
The sophomores in Speech class have been busy researching various topics for informative, persuasive, and demonstrative
speeches. They began the semester by learning about and focusing on the communication world that surrounds us all.
They also worked in groups to create persuasive ads and commercials for unique products. In the coming weeks they will
be choosing literature for an oral interpretation. In January, they will end the semester of speech with a short unit on
debate.
ABHS Speech Team Q & A
Question: Can 7th and 8th graders join the speech team?
Answer: Absolutely! We welcome everyone 7-12.
Question: How do I join?
Answer: Let coach (Mrs. Trickle) know you are interested and attend the meetings posted in the daily announcements.
Question: Why should I join speech?
Answer: Joining the speech team is a great way to not only improve one’s speaking abilities, but also a Great way to make new friends, win
awards, and gain scholarships like the Triple “A” and Dekko. This is a competitive extra-curricular activity that looks good on resumes.
Question: How do I know which category of speech to be in?
Answer: Read the background of each category (which can be found on the MSHSL website or from a handout in room 323) or talk to the coach
or veteran speakers for ideas.
Question: How do I find a speech?
Answer: Check the binders in room 323 or bring in a favorite story, poem, or play. We have ample speeches on hand and all you have to do is
find one that fits you.
Question: When are speech meets?
Answer: The regular season of invitational speech meets begins at the end of January and is generally held on Saturdays with a few junior high
meets held during the week.
Question: What time do we leave for the speech meets?
Answer: Most of the time we leave from the bus garage before 7am, but it all depends on where the meet is being held.
Question: How long do they last?
Answer: Meets usually start at 9am with awards around 2:30 or so and we are usually back in Ada by 5 or 6pm.
Question: How many meets do we attend?
Answer: We usually participate in 4-5 regular invitational in addition to sub-section and section meets. The number we attend depends upon
student schedules.
Question: How often should I practice with the coach?
Answer: I require speakers to practice twice weekly before each meet, but you can practice every day if you want.
Question: Do I have to memorize my speech?
Answer: No. We will put your speech on black paper; however, as the speech season goes along, most people eventually do memorize their
speeches.
P AGE 15
FCCLA
FCCLA has had a busy fall, in September eight chapter members attended the Walk Out of Darkness, suicide awareness
walk in Fargo with over 1500 other people! The chapter then hosted a movie night, watching a Robin Williams film
"RV". The annual gutter party was attended by 55 potential members. Box City was held October 4th at the West Side
Park with twenty-eight members attending, the group and community raised about 100 pounds of food and a $100
donation for the Norman County Food Shelf. The community and students donated five bags of new socks and underwear
and donated them to Norman Mahnomen Health for families in need.
The chapter had 48 students attend the FCCLA Fall Meeting in Crookston on October 14th at UMC. They heard Kim
Hruba from Warroad speak as a entrepreneur and encouraged the students to follow their passion in life. The region and
state officers presented round tables on FCCLA projects. The day ended with distracted driving activities to keep us
aware of being alert and focused when behind the wheel.
The annual Halloween Carnival was held on October 28th in the elementary gym and auditorium. Those in attendance
enjoyed the games and were scared as they ventured through the Haunted House.
Ada-Borup FCCLA Region Officer, Patrick Sherman, attended the November Summit in the cities Nov. 11-12th with
adviser, Barb Spilde. The group Youth Frontiers were active and engaging presenters building community and inspiring
character.
The Ada-Borup chapter is gearing up for the STAR event competition in February. If anyone has a community need we
could help with, please contact adviser Barb Spilde.
NEWS FROM MR.TUTTLE…
As usual, it’s been another busy fall in the Ada-Borup Band
department. Our volunteer tournament pep band played at 2 football and
7 volleyball playoff games. We had sixteen high school band members
compete in the Music Solo Contest @ Win-E-Mac on Monday, November
10th.
Our high school jazz band is tackling a college level song called, Bohemian
Rhapsody, and has been communicating their progress with the composer,
Rick Hirsch.
On Tuesday, November 18, our band members put on a great concert. It
was definitely a team effort, all the way. Thanks to the soloists who
performed before the concert. Thanks to Mrs. Kemper for helping lead the
singing on God Bless America. Thanks to Liz Brainard and the parent volunteers who served donuts and
beverages in the commons while the jazz bands performed (thanks also to AgCountry for donating the paper
products). Congrats to the high school jazz band for their success on Bohemian Rhapsody part 1. Thanks to
the tear down crew for taking everything out of the auditorium and neatly setting up the band room
again. Thanks to Zach Pelzman for running the video and Mrs. Anderson for live streaming the video on
Internet. Thanks to Mrs. Triplett and the musical cast for sharing the stage with us. I have posted 26 videos of
our performances on YouTube.
This is a reminder that it is not too late to sign up to be a part of the Schwan's
fundraiser. If you order Schwan's in your home, it is an easy way to get 5-20%
back into your student's account. Please email Liz Brainard if you would like to
join, ebbjjj@hotmail.com.
Thanks to Craig VanderLinden for making two music stand carts for the band
room. They look and work great!
Now we turn our attention to getting ready for our Pops Concert on Thursday,
January 8, 2015. Thanks to the students, faculty, parents, and communities of
Ada & Borup for their continued support of the arts! Mr. Tuttle
P AGE 16
NEWS FROM MRS. KOLNESS
Accounting
Accounting has been busy learning the Accounting Period
Cycle for a service business organized as a proprietorship. The
students are currently working on activities included in the
accounting cycle for Eddie Ortega, Disc Jockey – a simulation
packet. After the class finishes the packet, they will be
entering the world of Accounting for a merchandising business
organized as a corporation. As you can see by the smiles on
their faces – they love accounting!!!!
Computer 9
The Computer 9 class has finished 4 units in Microsoft Word and is
currently in the 4th unit in Microsoft Excel. Along with learning the
Microsoft package, the students have been utilizing their iPads by taking
tests on-line. It has been a challenge – but I “think” they are getting the
hang of it!
Computer 7
The Computer 7 class is learning the Microsoft Office 2010 integrated
software package, which means they are learning: Word—word
processing, Excel—spreadsheet, & PowerPoint—slideshow presentations. These applications can be used for writing
letters or research papers, creating charts, and creating slideshow presentations.
Excel
The Advanced Excel students are finding out the hard way that creating formulas in spreadsheets aren’t always easy.
Our class is introduced to the basic, intermediate, and advanced spreadsheet features using
Microsoft Excel 2010. The objectives of this class are to teach the fundamentals, expose
students to practical examples of the computer as a useful tool, acquaint students with proper
procedures to create worksheets and to develop and encourage indendent study. A must take
for students furthering their education after high school.
Webpage
This class is geared towards the web page design aspect of computers. During the semester
the students have been working with Microsoft Expression Web 3 and also a little bit of HTML coding. The students
have one more chapter to get through before they will be applying what they have learned by creating their very own
websites – which will be published when they are finished. I am really excited to see how creative they can be. The
link is located on the High School site – click on the Student Websites link on the left.
Business Marketing/Video Productions
Hey - check out what our class has been doing - go to ada.k12.mn.us and click on the Homecoming 2014 link on the
left. Along with creating homecoming videos, my students have been in charge of selling bleacher chairs, tournament
tattoos, and tournament eye blacks. They also create the profiles and upcoming events that go into the programs for all
home games. Our school’s USTREAM is usually being videotaped by one of these students. So next time you are at a
game and you see a student up in the booth – it is one of mine!!!!!
P AGE 17
NEWS FROM DR. SORENSON
It's been an fun year so far teaching Chemistry at AdaBorup High School. While it has been an adjustment
moving from private industry to secondary education, it
is truly a joy to be working with kids every day. While my
classes have been learning the basics of electron
configurations, ion formation and chemical bonds, we've
had some fun with in-class demonstrations and learning
how to put out fires (with the help of Fire Chief Steve
Petry :) ). The college chemistry class took a field trip to
NDSU where we toured the Chemistry Department, the
USDA Sunflower and Soybean lab, and the NDSU
electron microscopy lab. I hope to have another field trip yet this year and
continue to try and make Chemistry a fun and exciting subject.
Members of the Ada-Borup FFA attended the Region I FFA Fall Rally held on September
17th at the Maple Lag Resort near Callaway, Minnesota. The officer team from Ada-Borup
participated in the Officer Demonstration competition, where they performed well, placing
2nd in the region. Team members include (sitting, left to right): Alyson Erickson, Secretary;
Megan Vesledahl, Treasurer; Emma McCollum, Officer-At-Large; (standing, left to right):
David Visser, Student Council Rep.; Tyler Hoven, Sentinel; Mason Kitchell, Reporter;
Dalton Harris, Vice Presdient; and Evan Purrington, President. Evan was selected as
"President of the Day" with the best performance overall amongst all presidents competing.
ADA-BORUP FFA NEWS
This first semester of the current school year has been a busy and very successful one for the
members of the Ada-Borup FFA Chapter, with meetings, contests, fundraisers and numerous other activities.
This year, there are approximately 80 students in grades 9-12 who have joined the FFA. It will be another
very active and rewarding year for those involved.
The Region I Fall Rally was held in September where some of our members participated along with
over 300 students. In the Greenhand Knowledge competition, Drake Solseng earned an outstanding 1st place
overall. Placing a close 3rd was Kalvin Kesselberg. Other top 10 finishers were Alex Wohl placing 5th and
Jordan Avery placing 9th. In the Officer Demonstration event, the officer team from Ada-Borup performed
extremely well and earned the 2nd place award. Team members were Evan Purrington, President; Dalton
Harris, Vice President; Alyson Erickson, Secretary; Megan Vesledahl, Treasurer; Mason Kitchell, Reporter;
Tyler Hoven, Sentinel; Emma McCollum, Officer-at-Large; and David Visser, Student Council Rep. Evan
Purrington was selected as “President of the Day” for having the best performance amongst all team
presidents, and he closed out the Fall Rally general assembly by performing closing ceremonies.
October brought our first set of Regional contests which count for state advancement. The Soils team
repeated as champions with their 1st place finish and will advance to state in April. Evan Purrington tied for
2nd high individual, Luke Heitman placed 4th high individual, and Zach Holweger tied for 6th high individual.
Dustin Olson and Tyler Hoven were the other team members. The Poultry team placed 9th overall. Team
members were Taliah Arends, Tatum Tufte, Emma McCollum and Nathaniel Yost.
In October, the FFA Chapter hosted their 2nd annual Pumpkin Carving competition. This event was
very well attended, and a great time was had by all.
Near the end of October, eleven members travelled by charter bus to attend the National FFA
Convention held in Louisville, Kentucky. In addition to attending numerous sessions and talent performances,
the members toured a career show where over 300 exhibitors had displays set up. The FFAers also toured
the Corvette factory, Mammoth Caves, and the Louisville Slugger factory. Also during this year’s National
Convention, FFA graduates Jacob Chisholm, Austin Ganje and Nolan Rockstad received their American
Degree, which is the highest degree attainable in the FFA organization.
The Ada-Borup FFA Chapter completed their 2nd year of raising vegetables in their community garden.
Due to the garden being wet this past spring, it was not planted until the first part of July. Even with the late
planting, the garden produced some great crops, which were donated to the Norman County Food Shelf, the
school lunch program, and to others in need. This year’s garden managers were Evan Purrington and Tyler
Hoven.
The annual fruit, meat and cheese sale was again a huge success, with the members selling over
1,000 units to nearly 400 buyers. The profits from this fundraiser help fund various activities for the FFAers
throughout the year, including contest prep materials, activity fees, leadership conferences, and state and
national convention expenses. The orders will be ready for pick up on December 9th and 10th from 3-6 p.m.
Ag Activities Day will be held on Friday, December 5th. Ada-Borup will have approximately 70
members competing in 12 different contests. The teams have been busy preparing for this event, which is
held at the University of Minnesota Crookston. Over 1,000 students are expected from schools across
Minnesota and North Dakota.
There is never a break in activities dealing with the FFA. Members are constantly preparing for
contests, planning for various events, and participating in the numerous activities of the chapter, regional,
state and national FFA organizations. The members are very involved, and are proving that the Ada-Borup
FFA is a “top notch, class act”.
NEWS FROM MR. SMART
Civics 9
Civics class has been busy studying the history of our government, the constitution, and the amendments. Students never think that
the constitution ever affects them but we talked about a number of scenarios where students
were part of huge Supreme Court cases that shaped how many students are treated in school.
We have also been studying about civil rights and the first attempts by black students to
attend all white schools. We follow that up by looking into hate groups where we will study
many infamous groups including the KKK, Neo-Nazis,
Posse Comitatus, and the Nation of Islam. By
Christmas ,we will be ready to go through the Civil
Rights Movement. My freshmen have been an interesting
group, some don’t say much and others want to say it all! All in all though they have been very
enjoyable and offer up a lot of interesting ideas every day!
History 7
My seventh grade history students have been busy studying the life in the colonies before the
Revolution. We recently did some research on the colonies and the kids came up with a number of
interesting facts including: hemp farms were common in the colonies, that the average American male
was 5’ 8” and weighed 144 pounds, water was not trusted by many colonials so
they drank beer and hard cider for breakfast, young boys wore loose-fitting
dresses until age 6, and most Colonial girls were engaged to be married by age
12! Times have certainly changed! We are about to start the American
Revolution where we will break away from the rule of England and establish
our country with our own rules so we have lots of exciting history in front of us!
World History 11
My juniors are busy learning about the various cultures of the ancient world. A lot of what we study is
difficult because historians have sometimes had to make “educated guesses” about some civilizations
because of the lack of written records. We have studied the
Egyptians and the Greeks and are now finishing up Ancient Rome!
We continue to see and read about some amazing things! Some of
the areas we concentrated on this nine weeks included: the sack of
Troy, separating myth from fact, the invasion of the Persians, the great philosophers, Greek
architecture, the beginnings of democracy and the Punic Wars. Rome and Carthage really
disliked each other!! We will soon be working on presenting a “live newscast” from Ancient
Rome. It is going to take some imagination but the kids will have a lot of creative ideas about
what to do with this so their finished product should prove to be quite interesting!
US Geography
The US geography class is currently in the Midwest. We will then finish our semester with the Intermountain West and the Pacific
coast states. We will attempt to discuss and view some footage on a landmark in each region including: the Empire State Building,
The Pentagon, Mt. Rushmore, the St. Louis Arch, Hoover Dam, the Golden Gate Bridge, Las Vegas, and
the Alaskan Pipeline. So when we finish we will have covered Northeast, the South, the Midwest, the
Intermountain West and the Pacific Coast. Although we have a small class they have been very good about
discussing things and I am looking forward to an enjoyable semester. ;)
Girl’s Basketball
The girls’ basketball season just got under way and we are busy preparing for another fun year! We need
to replace four starters and develop some depth so there is a lot of work to be
done. We played in a scrimmage recently and discovered we still have a number of
areas that need improvement but this group is very willing to do what needs to be
done in order to be successful so I am hopeful we will improve every day and be
ready by season’s end to compete in the playoffs and make a run again this year.
This season will be filled with challenges but the girls work very hard and so far
have shown that they have high goals and are willing
to work to achieve them. We have 21 girls playing this
year on JV and Varsity. Seniors-Haley Poehler, Lexi
Merkens, Miki Lee, Juniors-Morgan Miller,
Lexi Nelson, Tianna Hilde, Gracie Johnson, Julia Brainard, Tatum
Tufte, Sophomores-Emma Kroshus, Elizabeth Birkemeyer, Brooke
Ruebke, Lana Stoen, Freshmen-Brooklyn Erickson, Zoe Johnson,
Olivia Winfrey, Brookelynn Erickson, Bailey Nelson, Abby Olson,
Sydney Harris, and Hana Nelson. JV coach will be Amy Johnson again
this year. Junior high coaches are Eric Smart and Nick Gordon.
We would love to see everyone come out and watch us this season! Go
Cougars!
“Every struggle is a reminder of the question: how bad do you want it?”