By Shannon VanErmen,Muhamed Farahand Hannah Smith

Warriors will join citi-zens across the U.S. today in voting for

local, state and national-level elections.

Election ballots include positions for U.S. Senate, U.S. House and governor along with three statewide measures other state and local positions.

All WHS students will have the opportunity to experience what election day is like, how it works and the importance of participating in a mock elec-tion organized by government teachers and set up in front of the auditorium all day for students and classes and indi-viduals wishing to participate.

Government teacher Marc Murren said he is excited for

today’s official and mock elections. “Voting is important

because people should be participants, not spectators,” Murren said. “I think the mock election will help kids learn the process and how our voting system works. It’ll be a lot like a real election, because kids will need their ID, as they will in the real election.”

Students will receive ballots identical to the ballots used at actual voting sites and each class will have their own desig-nated voting area.

Some 18-year old students, including senior Connor Schneider, will vote in the offi-cial election today, as well.

“I’m excited to vote for my first time and be able to participate in our country’s democratic election process,” Schneider said.

Happening Now•Debate: After-school novice event 3:30 p.m. at Lincoln High School

Lunch Time at WHS•Today’s lunch: Pizza burger•À la carte lines: Pasta, beef fajita, baked potato bar, chef salad, sand-wiches

Group Meetings•Sideline Cheerleaders: For basket-ball will meet at 3:10 p.m. today in E-109.•Drama Club: Members will meet at 3:30 p.m. today in the Little Theatre.•Green Club: Members will meet at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday in A-209.•Prom Committee: Members will meet at 7:40 a.m. Wednesday in A-124.•All WHS Girls Basketball: Athletes will meet at 7:45 a.m. Wednesday in A-118.•Spanish Students: With three or more years of the class are invited to an informational meeting about a summer Cuba trip at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Ronning Library.•LibCATs: Library advisory group will meet at 7:15 a.m. Thursday in the library.•SALSA: Volunteer group will meet at 3:15 p.m. Thursday in the orches-tra room, C-111.•Quiz Bowl: Team members will meet at 3:15 p.m. Thursday in A-159.•All Winter Athletes: For WHS will meet, along with a parent, at 6 p.m. Monday in the gym.

NOW Tuesday Staff

Co-Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andy Heckand Hannah Smith

Assistant Editor . . . . . . . .Meg WolstenholmStaff: Trey DeCroock, Shannon VanErmen, Rayden Collins, Reagan Stenzel, Aliyah Hudson, Mariah Madsen, Mohamed Farah, Maham ShahEditor-in-Chief . . . . . . . . . . . Jack NachtigalManaging Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . Lizzie SpierAdviser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Jason Lueth

The News of Washington is a publication of the Orange & Black StaffWashington High School–Sioux Falls, S.D.

Some material courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors/MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service

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Today’s electionFor all students:•The WHS mock election will take place during all periods today in the auditori-um foyer. Most social studies teachers will take classes to vote. Students not in a class that participates can vote anytime. Know your voting district and have student ID to vote.For registered 18 year olds:•Polls will be open in South Dakota from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. today. Find your voting loca-tion by visiting sos.sd.gov/Elections/VIPLogin.aspx

WHS students have opportunity to vote in mock-election todaySome 18-year olds cast official ballots today, as well

Volleyball team ends season at play-in gameBy Reagan Stenzel, Trey Decroock, Mariah Madsen and Meg Wolstenholm

Varsity volleyball team members fell to the Lincoln Patriots in a District 2AA play-in game 25-18, 23-25, 25-17, 17-25, 9-15 Monday night at WHS.

With the loss, the season is over for the Warriors. Lincoln will now face the district No. 1 seed Harrisburg in a game tonight.

Junior Mearah Miedema led the Warriors with 13 kills in Monday’s loss. Freshman Hailey Olson led the team with 31 assists and senior Halle Randall in digs with 26 and three ace serves.

“We had a great team of girls this year that were willing to come in every morning and will-ing to work hard” coach LaDawn Nesje said. “I would like to thank the student section. This year has been one of the best turnouts for the student section, even during the rough games, they still cheer on our girls.”

Photo by Zach Heintz SPIKE—Junior Jamie Kayl prepares to spike the ball on the Patriots in Monday’s District 2AA play-in game. WHS lost in five sets.

By Andy HeckToday marks one of the most

important days in America—election day.

Today millions of voters across the country will participate in an activ-ity that makes the United States the envy of the free world—voting on legislation and elected officials on the county, state and national levels.

Recently, WHS students got a pre-view of what the life of a politician is like from one of South Dakota’s most powerful men who is not running for re-election today—U.S. Senator John Thune.

Students in U.S. Government class had the unique opportunity to get an insider’s

view on our federal government by listening to and speaking with Thune, one of the state’s two U.S. Senators and a member of the Republican Party who was voted into office in 2004. He has since moved up to Republican Conference Chairman, the third most powerful party posi-tion in the U.S. Senate.

Thune has visited WHS several times throughout the years at the invitation of long-time WHS govern-

ment teacher Marc Murren.Senior Connor Schneider said the

presentation was a good one.“John Thune began his presenta-

tion by describing his journey into politics, which began with him meet-ing a senator after one of his high school basketball games,” Schneider said. “He has been involved in politics ever since.”

Students visited with Thune in the Little Theatre Oct. 22 and asked questions ranging from bills he has supported to the current senate race.

“I asked Sen. Thune who he wanted to win today’s election, and he said he wanted former Governor Mike Rounds so the Republican party would have a majority in both houses of Congress,” Schneider said.

Senior Radovan Mirkovic, who is active in Democratic politics, said he also enjoyed the presentation.

“Even though I’m a supporter of Rick Weiland and president of the Young Democrats here at WHS, it was still very interesting and infor-mative to have the chance to listen and talk to a Washington Politician,” Mirkovic said.

Students who are interested in being politically active can vote in

today’s mock election and can join political clubs including both Young Republicans and Democrats at WHS.

• News of Washington Page 2 Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014

ReadyTo VisiT.

schedule your visit today!800-952-3541 • sdstate.edu

U.S. Senator John Thune speaks with WHS government students

Feature

Speaking of elections. . .

History.com (MCT)On Nov. 4,

1990, “Dances with Wolves,” a film about an American Civil War-era soldier and a group of Sioux Indians that stars Kevin Costner and also marks his directo-rial debut, premiered in Los Angeles.

The film, which was shot nearly exclusively in South Dakota, opened across the United States on Nov, 21, 1990, and was a surprise box-office success that earned 12 Academy Award nominations, including Best Actor for Costner. “Dances with Wolves” took home seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director, and solidified Costner’s place on Hollywood’s A-list.

Costner was born on Jan. 18, 1955, in Lynwood, Calif., and by the early 1980s had racked up a small list of film credits.

Costner struck box-office gold with the baseball films “Bull Durham” (1988) and “Field of Dreams” (1989).

In “Dances With Wolves” Costner played the Union Army’s Lieutenant John Dunbar, who travels to a deso-late Western post, befriends his Sioux neighbors and even-tually becomes an honorary member of their tribe. Based on a novel by Michael Blake, the film put South Dakota on Hollywood’s map of film locations, and contained Lakota dialogue with English-language subtitles.

‘Dances with Wolves’

debuts in 1990

OurHistory

Photo by Connor Schneider SENATOR—John Thune (left) is introduced to students by govern-ment teacher Marc Murren.