Area students present winning essays

In the fall of 2025, homeschooled students from the Black Hills Catholic School House intermediate and advanced writing classes were invited to submit entries to the South Dakota Right to Life’s Annual essay contest. Encouraged by their instructor, Gail Wingert, and writing under the prompt “Why I am pro-life,” students submitted 500-word essays. Four of the students placed after entries from around the state were judged. Three of the winners were asked to read their essays aloud at the Rapid City Right to Life’s Annual Memorial of Life event that coincides with the anniversary of Roe v Wade. In the Junior division, Gemma Daniel placed third, in the Senior Division, Hope Skoog placed fourth, and her sister Grace Skoog placed third.