Tava Jean Sexton from Whitewood, South Dakota is sixteen years old, in the eleventh grade at Western Christian Academy, with a 3.85 grade average. She has three brothers and two sisters. This her third year of High School Rodeo competing in the Southwest Region.
Her events are Queen, cutting, reined cow horse, barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, team roping, and breakaway roping. Her rodeo horses are Rock Star, Vegas, Harley, and Curly.
Tava has been NJHFR State Youth Secretary and competed at NJHFR on the Shooting Sports Team. She has competed for two years at NHSRA Finals in Cutting. She is a member of the SD Cutting Horse and the National Cutting Horse Associations.
Tava enjoys being outdoors with her animals, riding, and training horses, and helping with ranch work. She is a ten year 4-H member. Tava has worked as a dog groomer for the past year. Her hobbies are singing, playing guitar, artwork, and raising Bernese Mountain dogs.
After high school graduation, she plans to study equine vet science. Tava is excited about her third year of high school rodeo, knowing it will provide her with many learning opportunities, travel and new friendships.
Scholarship Program
The South Dakota Peace Officers’ Association knows that an education is the foundation upon which success is built.
Every year the SDPOA makes up to five $500 scholarships available to its members for the purpose of continuing their education. Applicants may apply for this scholarship once for each year of their continued education.
In the event that the number of applicants exceeds the number of available scholarships, winners will be selected by a drawing. In the event that all available scholarships are not used, the scholarships will be made available to member’s dependents (spouse or unmarried child).
Additionally, the SDPOA Auxiliary offers at least one $200 scholarship a year to auxiliary members, their children, grandchildren, or great grandchildren. For information on how to apply for this program, please contact us.
Coler-Williams Memorial Award
On June 26th 1975, FBI Agents Jack Coler and Ronald Williams were murdered on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. It is in the memory of these men and their sacrifice that the South Dakota Peace Officers’ Association awards one recruit from each South Dakota Law Enforcement Academy session with the Coler-Williams Memorial Award.
Recipients of this award have demonstrated all-around outstanding performance while attending the academy.
911-Communications Top Student Award
Kaeden Nelson-Hare was awarded the Top Student Award sponsored by the South Dakota Peace Officers’ Association. Congratulations Kaeden!
south dakota state high school basketball spirit of six award
The “Spirit of Six” award was created by the South Dakota Peace Officers’ Association, as a memorial for the six cheerleaders from Rapid City who lost their lives in an airplane accident while returning to Rapid City from the 1968 boy’s State “B” basketball tournament.
As reported by the Rapid City Journal, the spirit epitomized by the Rapid City cheerleaders, was best expressed with an inscription on a picture from one of the Rapid City cheerleaders to another member of the squad. the inscription said:
“This year has been quite a challenge for everyone. you’ve got the qualities that a good cheerleader needs. I sure hope that we go to state basketball, because that is definitely one of the better sides of cheerleading …….be happy and enjoy this year with all the memories.”
The Spirit of Six award is given out each year to one Cheer Squad winner at the six South Dakota State Basketball tournaments, class AA, A and B for both boys and girls.
The award is based upon the cheer squads’ abilities displayed in the areas of crowd control, sportsmanship, enthusiasm, behavior on and off the court and dress at each state tournament.
This award has been given out each year for over 50 years at the boy’s tournaments by the SDPOA and since 1977 at the girl’s tournaments by the Auxiliary.
2025 Award Dates: March 20-22 in Aberdeen, Sioux Falls and Rapid City.
Congrats to the Boys State Basketball tournament cheerleading squads who received the Spirit of Six award!!
2023 south dakota state high school basketball spirit of six award
