Tag Archives: grant-deuel wildcats

Once a Wildcat…

The school is now closed and will no longer hold the cheers of a crowd, squeak of basketball shoes on the shiny, waxed floor, whistle of the refs and buzz of the clock. I close my eyes and these sounds and memories flood back to me as though it was just yesterday. Luckily, the passing of time means the memory filter allows only good vibes to flow through as I bid a final farewell to my last opportunity to click  the shutter of my camera within these walls.
Image and edits by Joyce Meyer

Nostalgia was the theme of the day for me on August 15, 2017. For 26 years I drove this route from early August until the end of May as I prepared and taught a new group of students each year at Grant-Deuel School located in Revillo, South Dakota.

Cheer, cheer for GDHS!

Wake up the echoes cheering their best,

Send the loyal cheers on high,

Shake down the thunder from the sky,

What though the odds be great or small,

The blue and white will win over all,

While our loyal sons are marching forward to victory, Fight!

Blessed be the memory…

Grant-Deuel High School…class of 2017

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Images blended by Joyce Meyer

Things end, but memories last forever.

The Last Wildcat “Swish”

It was a warm, summer day as my mother accompanied me on a trip to a little South Dakota town just across the border from Minnesota.  A job interview was scheduled for a teaching position and the day resulted in a job with a new life living in a small, farming community.

Yeah, I can see myself doing this a couple of years…  which stretched out to 26 years plus additional substitute teaching years.

It was an emotional ending for the last Grant-Deuel High School sporting event held in the Revillo, South Dakota gymnasium. I listen for that memorable roar of Go, Big, Blue!,  smell the fragrant concession stand popcorn and gaze at the sea of blue and white filling the stands… now merely memories of days gone by.

Blessed be the memory…

 

 

 

 

 

One net, one volleyball

2014GDVB-3788pl…but so much more.

2014GDVB-4054Dig deep.  Practice makes better, but you will rarely be perfect.

2014GDVB-4020Help set others up to experience success.

2014GDVB-4065You play as a team, but sometimes you may be the one needed to keep the momentum going.

2014GDVB-0059popWhat it takes is all you’ve got.

2014GDVB-3792pl50Be there for each other.  Being positive moves us further in life.

2014GDVB-0061plWe all have our roles to play, focus on what you can control.

2014GDVB-3821Meet opposition and challenge straight on.

2014GDVB-4027Things may not always go your way.  Pick yourself up and move on.

2014GDVB-3897Listen.   Everyone has something to offer.

2014GDVB-3889Know that you have done something good in the world.

2014GDVB-3935Appreciate your fans. It is an opportunity to bring family and friends together.

Seniors… buckle up, it’s about to get nostalgic. Remember these walls that have soaked up your pain and exhaustion and know that you’ve learned to win and lose with dignity.  

Now, take a deep breath and  enjoy the ride with Wildcat pride in your hearts…

2014GDVB-0010… while the band plays on.

 

 

 

 

 

Friday Night Lights… only memories

Witnessing the end of something or someone near and dear is always difficult and the demise of the Grant-Deuel High School football field is no different.  It’s the end of an era with no possibility of future high school football memories to be made…

It’s not that I’m such a die hard football fan, but I am a fan of community pride. Volunteers from the community and school would show up in droves to work the games in various capacities and, of course, pump up school spirit as cheerleaders and pep band members. Fans would start parking vehicles early in the morning or even the night before a home game just to get their favorite spot.  The community would hum with chatter the next day after an exciting game with their own strategy analysis.

High school football was a catalyst for teaching the importance of hard work, perseverance, tolerance and teamwork. You win together, you lose together, and the big one… life isn’t always fair.

So, here’s to the final farewell of Friday night lights and the Grant-Deuel Wildcat football field.

Blessed be the memory…

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Blended image by Joyce Meyer RJMeyerArts