Touchstone Energy Scholar of the Week: Homeschooled senior from Salem excels

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - <<Ella Stiefvater home schools at the Salem Veterinary Services, where her dad is a vet, and her mom is the office manager.

“My parents felt called by the Lord to home school us all four of us kids. I do have an older sister and there is three of us here. We do the majority of our work here at the clinic where both my parents work. We get a lot of hands on time. We have a lab at the clinic,” said Ella.

Ella does spend some time at McCook Central High School, taking agriculture courses.

“I greatly appreciate the school that lets us come for one hour a day to do our agriculture education classes. Which makes us eligible to be in FFA,”

“Ella has always been one to motivate herself, as well as others. She can also sit there and work well in any type of setting. I’ve given her different areas and aspects to work on, and the skills that she’s learned both here, and at home have helped her I think in where she’s at right now,” said agriculture teacher Tracy Chase.

The 3.95 student will go to college at South Dakota State, with plans for a career in agriculture.

“I’m actually looking forward to being a agriculture television reporter. I’m really hoping to get involved with reporting agricultural stories, and I think being part of a veterinary practice is going to help me a lot with that,” said Ella.

Ella credits her home school background for her success.

“It has taught me so much about how to be a self starter, about how to be self motivated, and work hard to meet my deadlines,” said Ella.

For being named our Scholar of the Week, Ella gets a $250 scholarship from the Southeastern Electric Cooperative, which is a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.

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