MITCHELL, S.D. – George Hawkins, a social studies teacher at Jefferson High School in Sioux Falls, has been named the 2024 South Dakota Teacher of the Year.  Secretary of Education Joseph Graves made the announcement at a banquet at the Highland Conference Center in Mitchell.

“George is the embodiment of excellence in teaching,” said Graves. “His ability to take what he has learned and experienced outside of the classroom, and incorporate that into lessons about history and government, is a gift to his students today.”

Hawkins began his 12th year of teaching this fall. He teaches American Experience, AP Government, and dual credit Government. His classes focus on project-based learning, which means he teaches by assigning history-related projects to his classes. The students work on projects and learn through that experience.

In a previously recorded video promoting the education profession, Hawkins explained the importance of building relationships with students and helping them to interact with one another. “Teaching is much more than content,” he said. “Teaching is developing those foundations. That’s really the bedrock of what’s going to create a good classroom.”

Hawkins’ pathway to the profession was a non-traditional one. He studied law and worked as a lawyer for several years before becoming a teacher.

As South Dakota Teacher of the Year, Hawkins receives prizes including a $5,000 grant from the West River Foundation to use as he wishes, and a $2,000 honorarium from the South Dakota Board of Regents to present a series of professional development seminars to aspiring teachers. Additional prizes are made possible through the generosity of the South Dakota Retailers Association and the South Dakota Education Association.

Hawkins will represent South Dakota as a candidate for the 2024 National Teacher of the Year award. The winner will be announced during a ceremony in Washington, D.C., next spring. The National Teacher of the Year Program began in 1952 and continues as the oldest, most prestigious national honors program that focuses public attention on excellence in teaching.

 

 

SIOUX FALLS, SD – A Sioux Falls man faces multiple charges after allegedly requesting and sending illicit photos to a minor.

According to court documents, 30-year-old Kevin Thongvanh sent images of himself via Snapchat to a 15-year-old girl.

The alleged incidents began as early as September 2020 and spanned three years. The court documents reveal the incidents began while he was an instructor at Champion Legacy Dance Academy where the victim was a participant.

Thongvanh has been charged with ten counts of soliciting a minor.

 

 

PIERRE, SD – Bills signed into law on Tuesday by California Governor Gavin Newsome increase taxes on firearm and ammunition purchases as well as add tighter restrictions to concealed carry. Governor Noem is taking this opportunity to try and bring more people to South Dakota.

The passage of Assembly Bill 28 adds an eleven percent excise tax to all sales of firearms and ammunition.

In response, Governor Kristi Noem made a post on X that said, “Why live in a state where your Second Amendment rights are infringed?”

According to the Governor’s office, South Dakota’s firearm industry has a total economic impact of $400,000,000 and also ranks as the state with the second-highest number of registered weapons per 100,000 people.

 

 

SIOUX FALLS, SD – A sex offender, with a criminal history in at least two states, is back behind bars accused of child pornography in South Dakota.

Thomas Tatar faced a Minnehaha judge twice on Thursday. In one case a complaint list faces four counts of child pornography.

In the other case, he’s accused of failing to update his address as a sex offender.

When the dust settled his bond was set at $100,000 cash only.

Tatar is on the registry because of crimes he committed while living in California.

In that case the then-26-year-old California man met a 13-year-old South Dakota girl through online video games. He repeatedly asked her to send him sexual pictures and videos.

Tatar was sentenced to five years in the federal case and another five years in the California case.

He remained on supervision until May of this year.  While it is unclear on exactly when he moved to South Dakota, local court records show he’s been in and out of court here since 2018.

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RAPID CITY, SD – Authorities in Rapid City have released new information involving a hit-and-run crash that left one person dead.

Rapid City Police say the vehicle that struck and killed a motorcyclist is likely a white 1999 to 2007 Chevrolet Silverado pickup. Detectives believe the vehicle has damage to the passenger side view mirror, damage to an AVS brand window visor and general damage to the passenger side of the pickup.

They say the vehicle is believed to have black AVS wind visors around the window and that there may also be black paint transfer on the damaged area of the Chevrolet pickup from the collision with the motorcycle.