Kailee Berger from Waubay High School was honored as Scholar of The Week. The Scholar of the Week program is a partnership between Dakota News Now and your local Touchstone Energy Cooperatives that honors the region’s accomplished high school students.

Kailee very outgoing and is viewed as a leader. She is active in her high school student council and is the Senior Class President. She is Basketball Varsity Team Captain and Vice President of her local 4-H club. “Being a leader to me, is a very rewarding accomplishment. I feel honored that people look up to me in a way that they would elect me to be their leader or team captain. To be a leader you need to be honest, determined, and understanding,” said Kailee. Her advice to the younger classman, is “Do not procrastinate, and get your work done.” Kailee has excelled academically, while continuing to be involved in extracurricular activities. She has the highest GPA in her class, takes dual credit courses and is a member of the National Honor Society. Outside of school, she participates in 4-H, and several barrel racing associations. In addition to her love of riding horses, Kailee loves to read books.

 I asked Kailee what advice she would give herself, given the opportunity to go back and have a conversation with her younger self, what would be the most important thing she would share, and her advice is something that she will undoubtedly follow as she continues her education and life beyond high school, “I would tell her not to lower your expectations of yourself based on those around you.”

Kailee’s parents are Art Jr. and Nicole Berger of Ortley, and she has two younger siblings, Bo and Jett. After graduating from Waubay High School, she plans to attend SDSU to study Animal Science.

She was nominated for the Scholar of The Week award by school counselor Dan Kennedy, based on her excellence in the classroom and community activities. Each weekly winner receives a cash award from their local Touchstone Energy Cooperative; Kailee was presented with a check for $250 from Lake Region Electric and was featured on Dakota News Now Monday, March 6 and again on the Dakota News Now morning news on Tuesday, March 7. She is also eligible to receive one of the three scholarships that are given away at the annual Scholar of the Year banquet. Kailee said, “It was an honor to be chosen as scholar of the week, and it feels very rewarding.”