U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) announced Cadence Micucci from Tea as the winner of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition for South Dakota. Micucci’s mixed media artwork is named “The Original Soldier.” Her piece is pictured at right. Micucci is a sophomore at Tea Area High School. Her art teacher is Angela Kamps. The artwork will be on display for the next year in the Cannon Tunnel at the U.S. Capitol along with the winning artwork from other congressional distri

The Tea Area School District celebrated the accomplishments of the Class of 2026 during its annual JK-12 Graduation Celebration held Monday, May 11, in the Tea Area High School gymnasium. The event recognized graduating seniors for academic achievement, leadership, fine arts, athletics and community involvement. In addition to numerous local scholarships, district officials announced that the graduating class had accepted more than $803,000 in scholarships for their freshman

The Class of 2026’s top 1 percent of graduating seniors were recognized recently at the 36th Annual Academic Excellence Recognition luncheon for their academic achievements throughout their high school career. Among those was Jaycie Babb and Ashlyn Karpinen of Tea Area High School. Governor Larry Rhoden’s office and the Associated School Boards of South Dakota (ASBSD) honored students identified as the top 1 percent of their senior class, from the state’s Public, Private and

Jaden Schumacher is stepping into a breakout season with the release of his newest single, “My Hometown,” which dropped April 23, 2026. The song serves as a tribute to Schumacher’s small-town upbringing, highlighting the people, places and everyday moments that helped shape him. With its message centered on appreciating life’s simple moments, the track reflects the values he says were instilled during his childhood in Tea. “Growing up in Tea meant seeing what small-town life,

By Dr. Tonia Warzecha, Superintendent The Tea Area School District Teacher of the Year Committee recently selected four outstanding finalists for the 2026 Tea Area Teacher of the Year honor, following another strong year of nominations from across the district and from the community. Nominations opened on April 1, and the committee was pleased, but not surprised, by the number and quality of submissions. The response reflects what our community already knows: Tea Area is hom

Two Tea Area High School seniors were recognized among the top academic students in the state during the annual Academic Excellence Recognition luncheon held Monday, April 27, in Pierre. Jaycie Babb and Ashlyn Karpenin, both members of the Class of 2026, received Academic Excellence Awards for ranking in the top one percent of their class. The honor places them among an elite group of students selected from schools across South Dakota. The awards were presented by Lt. Gov. To

Three hundred seventy South Dakota FFA members were recognized for receiving their State FFA Degree during the 98th South Dakota State FFA Convention on Tuesday, April 21 during the second session at First Bank and Trust Arena, sponsored by SD Army National Guard The State FFA Degree is the highest honor the South Dakota FFA Association can bestow upon its members. Recipients have dedicated several years to developing their Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs, b

Officer Taylor White, City of Tea Police Department, was recognized with the Ken Prorok Traffic Safety Officer of the Year for his professionalism, dedication, and proactive enforcement. The award is given out by the South Dakota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Highway Safety to recognize the outstanding efforts of a South Dakota law enforcement officer who has made significant impacts on highway safety in their community. “Taylor exemplifies professionalism through

Final preparations are underway as Tea Area students get ready to bring The Wizard of Oz to life on stage this weekend, with performances set for Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25 at 7 p.m. inside the Tea Area Performing Arts Center. Doors will open at 6:15 p.m., and tickets are available online or at the door for $5 per seat. As excitement builds, director Mary Beth Sutton says one of the most breathtaking elements of this year’s production is quite literally taking th

Two Tea Area High School students recently gained firsthand experience in state government, serving as pages during the fifth week of the South Dakota legislative session. Senior Brody Miller and junior Jaxon Johanneson were selected to serve in the South Dakota Senate, assisting legislators with daily tasks and gaining a behind-the-scenes look at the legislative process. Johanneson also returned to serve on Veto Day, held March 30. Both students were sponsored by District 6