Then and now, Minot youth shine
Three local news stories last week stand out from the rest as examples of how Minot youth do good and are involved in positive activities.
Our own Andrea Johnson reported on how Erik Ramstad Middle School eighth-grader Chloe Carlson became the Ward County Spelling Bee champion – for the second year in a row.
How cool is that? Great job. Imagine the time she and all of the other contestants put in practicing how to spell words such as “ascetic,” “toccata,” “aspidistra,” and “pterodactyl.” Good luck, Chloe, at the North Dakota State Spelling Bee on March 17. And to Christopher Jenner, a seventh-grader at Surrey, who also earned a ticket to state.
Next time somebody says that all kids do these days is play video games and chat on social media, tell them about Chloe, Christopher and all the other spellers who dared to try become the best in the county.
Competing at state today is Autumn Schreiner, a Minot High School junior who is taking part in the State Poetry Out Loud competition in Bismarck.
Autumn told reporter Andrea Johnson that people often think poetry is a dry subject, but they should give the art a chance.
“The fundamental purpose of poetry is communication,” said Schreiner. “To get emotions out, to get a story out.” She said people should go find a poem they love and enjoy it.
Young people finding new ways to express themselves through an ancient and beautiful way; that is poetry to our ears.
Another one of our reporters, Senior Staff Writer Jill Schramm, related to us the history behind a nearly 100-year-old monument in Rosehill Memorial Park that holds an important place in the history of World War I memorials in the United States.
The white marble monument erected by the Girls Military Squad of Minot in May 1918 is believed to be the very first permanent memorial in the nation to recognize local soldiers who died during the war.
In all three instances noted here, youth put forth the effort to set and reach goals. And they deserve the honors.
But we also know that in the background, adults were also working and sacrificing to help them reach and hopefully surpass those goals.
It’s no accident that Minot has good kids. Minot raises good kids.