she wasn’t happy about it but reflecting back admits that she wouldn’t have met her husband Dan had it not been for her move to Yankton. Deb recalls her move to Yankton, “Before moving here to Yankton, I had always attended Catholic schools. So, I vividly remember panicking a little because I didn’t have many clothes!” I laughed. She continued, “I had always worn a uniform and that was an adjustment. YHS was much larger than any other school I attended and I remember when the bell rang, the hallway was flooded with students, like the school scenes on T.V!” After obtaining her elementary education major and Spanish minor degrees from USD, she taught at Sacred Heart in Yankton, in Freeman and in Sioux Falls, SD before returning to Yankton to teach Spanish. She continued teaching until 2006 when she decided to instead become a full-time Realtor with her husband at Vision Real Estate Services. The couple added three beautiful daughters to their family: Jayna, Regan and Cameryn. Jayna, a 2010 YHS graduate, teaches 2nd grade in Brandon Valley and she and husband Cody Silvernail just welcomed baby Quinn Christine to their family. Regan, a junior at USD, is majoring in elementary education while Cameryn is a sophomore at YHS. Though Deb attended high school on Mulberry Street while her daughters all attended the Summit Street location, they all shared a common bond: their affection for the popular Mrs. Tereshinski! Deb, a 1986 graduate, loved her Spanish class with Senora T. and years later they even taught together! Both daughters followed suit, Jayna having many favorites including Mrs. T’s Spanish class, choir with Mrs. Larson and literature class with Mrs. Mikkelson. Regan enjoyed Mrs. T. and Mrs. Mathison was a favorite to both Regan and Cameryn. Favorite classes also included A.P Literature and Elements of Reading . Literature. Regan followed in her mom’s cheerleading footsteps, the two having fun comparing cheer routines. Deb treasures her memories of being a cheerleader when her boyfriend (now husband Dan) became the state champion in wrestling and cheering the 1985 Bucks football team to a championship in the USD Dome. Homecoming provided some good memories, Jayna remembering her mom dressing up for homecoming in the 80’s in an original, shiny metallic unitard. Continuing, she explained that her dad also wore the same outfit during homecoming. Hilarious! Regan enjoyed the Homecoming festivities during the week,especially getting together with friends to decorate t-shirts, adding, “They progressively got better as we got older.” Cameryn has fun participating in different sports, and Jayna recalls having fond memories of school groups and activities. Jayna added, “My husband Cody and I met in homeroom. Our teacher, P Schultz, had also been Cody’s dad’s homeroom . teacher. We thought that was pretty cool!” Reflecting on the changes over the years, Deb noted when she was a student, they carried their books to and from school daily and students went to their lockers after each class. While she taught, students had backpacks filled with books to avoid constant stops at their lockers. For safety concerns, students today keep their belongings in their lockers and do not carry backpacks nor do girls carry purses. Technology has also changed considerably, noted Deb. “Mimeograph copies are a thing of the past, along with overhead projectors and filmstrips. Today, most all classrooms have SmartBoards with immediate access to the internet.” Students can also use chrome books, or laptops, as well as their personal smart phones if allowed. Though apparent that many changes have taken place over the years at Yankton High School, the quality of education and athletics has never waivered. Our community is blessed to have a wonderful school system providing our children with a safe, fun and opportunistic education respected throughtout the area, and for that, I am among many, proud to say that I am a YHS graduate. vBy Julie Eickhoff check out... hervoiceonline.com Willcockson Eye Associates, P .C. 415 W. 3rd, Yankton, South Dakota The physicians of Willcockson Eye Associates, P are dedicated to providing the best possible .C. medical and surgical eye care for you and your entire family. In addition to comprehensive eye exams and contact lens fittings, our physicians perform state of the art small-incision cataract and implant surgery. Our physicians are the regional experts in the diagnosis and management of sight threatening conditions such as glaucoma, diabetes, and macular degeneration. Paula Hicks, M.D. Board Certified Ophthalmologist Medical and Surgical Eye Care Gregory A Kouri, O.D. Optometrist Medical Eye Care For all your eyewear needs visit the Spectacle Shop next door. They offer an extensive selection of frames from traditional styles to the latest fashion design with frames to meet every family’s budget. New patients welcome! The Spectacle Shop, L.L.C. Call 605-665-9638 Karen E Dickes, D.O. Board Certified Ophthalmologist Medical and Surgical Eye Care Brady W. Betten, O.D. Optometrist Medical Eye Care HERVOICEvMAY/JUNE 2016v21