October 2021

October 2021

OUR LADY OF VICTORY CHAPEL Taking a closer look at the new chapel! | page 3

MUST DO FALL ACTIVITIES The Fall to-do list for the Bismarck/Mandan area | page 8

INTERVIEWS WITH OUR NEWEST TEACHERS Learn more about Father Franchuk and Miss Bichler | page 9

St. Mary’s Central High School | 5802 Ridgeland Dr. Bismarck, ND 58503

October 2021

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dear SMCHS Student Body, We are so excited to be releasing our first issue of the 2021-2022 school year. This year, with luck, current events will be looking up and school activities will continue to be “normal.” We look forward to having a great year. This year we have a few changes happening in the Messenger community. We have a new editor team that comes straight from the heart of St. Mary’s Central High School, and we have more articles that are focused on activities and people in the school.

The Messenger team has put in many hours of hard work for this issue and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Happy Spooky Season!

Teagan Bauer Editor-in-Chief

OUR EDITORS

OUR MISSION

TEAGAN BAUER Editor-in-Chief

JULIANNA LENGOWSKI Entertainment Editor

ALEXYS HUGHES Feature Editor

FIONA KELLY Religion Editor

MARGARET KATHOL Opinion Editor

MAJA DOJS Layout Editor

EVA RYKOWSKY Activities Editor

BELLA SLETTELAND Co-Layout Editor

Here at Messenger, we love to see the groups of people huddled around our paper, the proud smile when students read articles about themselves, and the slight laughs as students make fun of our bad attempts at jokes. Our mission at the Messenger is to produce a quality newsletter that provides insight into SMCHS by featuring our own students and their accomplishments and goals.

ON THE COVER The new Our Lady of Victory Chapel.

CONTACT US Instagram: SMMessenger Email: smmessenger@locstudents.org

READ IT ONLINE

OUR WRITERS Makenzie Mills Hannah Koch Soraida Pichardo

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https://issuu.com/smmessenger Kerstin Hilzendeger Rose Kelly Eva Krebsbach

Emily Storick John Schaff Eli Davis

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Table of Contents

S NA S P HO T

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Pages

An Autumn Playlist

The Messenger suggests some tunes for those evenings spent sipping on apple cider.

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Question of the Month

What was your favorite part of Homecoming week?

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Movie Reviews

Suggestions for what to watch when looking for just the right movie.

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Five Fall Festitivies

Events around Bismarck/Mandan to make this time of year extra special.

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Interviews with our New Teachers Learn a little more about our new teachers Miss Bichler and Father Franchuk.

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Senior Spotlight

Peek into something special one of our seniors is doing.

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FEATURE

Our Lady of Victory Chapel

View of the entrance of the Chapel

The Inagural Mass, Music, and Art

By Kerstin Hilzendeger, Fiona Kelly, and Hannah Koch The Inagural Mass

Sacred Music

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Twenty-seven steps above the main floor of the recently opened Our Lady of Victory chapel lies the choir loft. The loft has a capacity of over fifty students, and offers a stunning view of the chapel interior from above. From it, the Marian windows are particularly visible, reminding musicians of the many titles of Mary.

fter almost 3 years of waiting, Our Lady of Victory Chapel is finally finished. It certainly is true that the best things come to those who wait. SMCHS students all knew they were in for a treat when the big wooden doors opened for the first time, but no one was prepared for the beautiful and intricate details put into every corner of the chapel. All those who had the treat of seeing the chapel during Mass or numerous tours can agree on one thing: it is truly a work of art in and of itself.

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SMCHS Sophomore Samantha Berger explained, “I was in shock, so I didn’t really say anything and I kind of just kept looking around.” Donna Zander, who received a tour of Our Lady of Victory Chapel, related, “It was one of the most beautiful churches I’ve ever been in; I was completely speechless walking in.”

Sophomore Rebekah Roller said, “I want to live here.”

No matter how many times the students at St. Mary’s walk into the Chapel, it will always take their breath away and leave their hearts and minds spinning every time they walk out its doors. The SMCHS student body and faculty are all very lucky to have such a beautiful chapel available for their use.

The loft itself features a full-sized electric-pipe combination Allen organ. The pipes of said organ are located within the loft, which allows the sound of the organ to be amplified by the vaulted ceiling of Our Lady of Victory Chapel. As well as this, a grand piano has been placed in the chapel, for use at Mass. The floor of the choir loft is tiered, once again for a better auditory experience. For the Inaugural Mass on the seventeenth of September, members of the Concert Choir provided vocal music, accompanied by Shana Klee on the piano and Dr. Beverly Everett on the organ.

Music will be provided every mass by one of our three school church choirs: Our Lady of Victory Chapel Choir, VOX Caelestis, or FundaMENtals.

Art in the Sanctuary The artistry inside Our Lady of Victory Chapel is filled with the truth and beauty of our Catholic faith. From the breathtaking sanctuary murals and the hand-carved statues, to the vibrant stained glass windows, not a single aspect of Our Lady of Victory Chapel was created without purpose and reason. Every stroke of paint on every wall has some sort of intention behind it, and this extends to the ceiling as well.

The chapel is so full of beautiful artwork that it can be difficult for one to comprehend it all or even notice all of it in a single viewing. Be sure to look up to the beautiful ceiling that arches above, looking to find the hidden eight constellations. Perhaps the most inspiring moment of looking up in the chapel is the view inside the dome, as hand-painted angels swirl around in a heavenly manner, where they are greeted at the peak of the dome by a dove, symbolizing the Holy Spirit.

Many murals are depicted along the walls of our beautiful new chapel. Among these murals are images of St. Teresa of Avila, St. Dominic, Our Lady of Lourdes, and Our Lady of Guadalupe. Not only is the beautiful imagery of our faith and those who lived faithful lives shown to us through the murals on the walls, but these stories are shared with us in the windows, too.

Beautiful murals and paintings like in the altar baldachin and the marian paintings on either side of the altar.

Each stained glass window conveys the image of a Saint, with a life of holiness that began when they were young. In addition to these beautiful portrayals, there is an upper (clerestory) level of windows that display the different titles of our mother Mary, from the Litany of Loreto. Also included in our chapel are two windows dedicated to the bishops who built our schools (Bishop Vincent J. Ryan and Bishop David D. Kagan), a balcony rose window depicting Our Lady of Victory holding Christ child, and the transept windows depicting the Annunciation and the Holy Family.

Our Lady of Victory Chapel contains more beauty than a single article or words can express. But while this writing may just be an insight to what this beautiful structure holds, we can only imagine what more beauty God wants to share with us. The artwork in our chapel is just a reflection of the beauty God wants us to have in our lives. This is also the beauty he wants to share with us, and He invites us into this beauty each and every day as we walk into our new chapel. We are blessed to be the first classes of SMCHS to worship in this inspiring chapel. Our Lady of Victory...Pray for us!

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OPINION Messenger’s Music:

Autumn

13 songs to listen to while you look for crunchy leaves to step on

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Autumn Leaves

Nat King Cole

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Just Like Autumn

Jordy Searchy

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Wake Me Up When September Ends

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Autumn in New York

Frank Sinatra

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Autumn Town Leaves

Iron & Wine

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The Leaves That Are Green

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The Purple People Eater

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Soul Fire

Creeptones

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October

U2

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Bones

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seasonal depression

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Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime

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Monster Mash

Green Day

Simon and Garfunkel Sheb Wooley

Cassette Deck mxmtoon Dean Martin Bobby Pickett

Q The football game. Don’t try to change my mind.

- Dalton Rouse

Seeing everyone’s school spirit all week!

- Zoe Frolich

Interviews by Bella Sletteland

Dress up days and school spirit!

- Ms. Voeller

I loved dressing up for the theme days and seeing everyone else dress up too.

- Elizabeth Heinert

Watching Powder Puff and Powder Buff.

- Joe Eberle

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

What was your Favorite part of Homecoming Week?

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ENTERTAINMENT

Movie Reviews Free Guy O

ne of the biggest films to hit theaters since the start of the coronavirus, Free Guy stars Ryan Reynolds as Blue Shirt Guy, an NPC in the video game Free City. Guy must save his fictional world from being deleted by its creator, with help from Molotov Girl (Jodie Comer) and Keys (Joe Keery). The film is full of humor and pop culture references, appealing to every demographic. Free Guy features a diverse cast with many recognizable actors and actresses, as well as many popular internet stars such as Pokimane and Jacksepticeye. Seeing the movie was one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had at the movie theater in a long time. The movie was released on August 13th, 2021 and is rated PG-13. Receiving a solid 80% on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has made a global total of $179.6 million.

Shang-Chi:

and The Legend of the Ten Rings

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n incredible film packed with action and martial arts, Shang-Chi follows a classic Marvel origin story plot filled with amazing CGI, familial drama, and a comic-relief bestfriend (played by Awkwafina). A supernatural element is included in the movie with the control of 10 magic rings, enabling the wearer to have superhuman powers and strength. Seeing the movie in the theatres was a great experience and left me with a positive view of the film. Marvel tends to create powerful movies, and Shang-Chi lives up to this expectation. Shang-Chi earned a well-deserved 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, and earned over 300 million U. S. dollars at the box office worldwide as of September 25, 2021. I would highly recommend seeing Shang-Chi. The film was released on September 3, 2021 and is rated PG-13.

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Reviews by: Eli Davis (Top) and Julianna Lengowski (Bottom)

Five Fall FESTIVITIES in Bismarck/Mandan

By: Julianna Lengowski and Makenzie Mills

Papa’s Pumpkin Patch Open from September 12 to October 24. Enjoy activities such as ziplines, pony rides, mazes, and lots of pumpkins!

Address: 5001 Fernwood Drive, Bismarck ND

Annual Turkey Trot Happening in Bismarck on 11/25 at 9:15 am, there are multiple races to participate in such as 5k and 10k runs along with family fun walks.

The Haunted Fort ‘Spookless Nights’ will take place on Friday the 1st and Saturday the 2nd from 7pm to 10pm, with tickets being $15 at the door. On ‘Spookless Nights’ the monsters, ghouls, and spooks will be your guides and friends through the haunted fort. The Haunted Fort will then continue to be open every Friday and Saturday of October from 7pm to 11pm.

There will be a kids Halloween Bash on Sunday the 24th from 1pm to 5pm. On the last day the Haunted Fort will be open, they will have a ‘Darkness Unleashed’ night on Saturday the 30th from 7pm to 11pm. This will be a night of ultimate scares with all the lights turned off and your only source of light a glow stick.

Annual Fall Art Show Visit the 78th annual art show and view or buy amazing pieces of art in various mediums. Exhibits are open from October 5-29. Tuesday-Friday 10-5 and Saturday 1-3.

Address: 442 East Front Avenue, Bismarck, ND

Haunted Hoover Halloween Haunt

This is a free, all ages, haunt that will take place October 29th through the 31st from 6:30 pm to 11:30 pm. The Hoover Haunt will have decorations in the front and the backyard with trick or treating candy. This is a local house that has been doing this event for 5 years and they have been raising money for the Sanford’s Children Hospital every year.

Address: 2222 Hoover Ave, Bismarck, ND

Address: 4480 Fort Lincoln Rd, Mandan, ND At the Door Prices: Friday and Saturday Nights $27 GA $45 Fast pass $65 Ultimate Fear Experience Darkness Unleashed $30 GA $45 Fast pass $80 Ultimate Fear Experience

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ACTIVITIES Interview By: Margaret Kathol

MESSENGER: If money was no object, what would you have in your classroom and why?

MISS BICHLER: I would probably have a large greenhouse for my ecology class to do projects in and have the latest in anatomical models for my anatomy students.

M: If you were not a teacher, what would you want to be and why?

B: If I was not a teacher I would most likely be a physical therapist. I would want to be in either a pediatric unit or an amputee hospital. I love how the body works and solving a good challenge, and I had initially wanted to go into this field before changing to education.

M: What is your spirit animal?

B: Red Panda M: What inspired you to become a science teacher?

B: I know a lot of great teachers and when I thought about who had inspired and formed me the most it was those teachers. My dad is also a science teacher so I guess I had an interest early on in science.

M: What is one of your hidden talents?

B: I can cook! (I wouldn’t say it’s a hidden talent, but I love to do it.)

M: In which other teacher’s class would you like to enroll, even for a day? Why? B: I think I would want to take Mrs. Jacob’s FACTS class, because it was always a class I wanted to take but never had the opportunity to.

New Teacher Interviews Interview By: John Schaff

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Father Ben Franchuk was recently ordained a priest on June 11, 2021, and we are all very lucky that, for his first year as a priest, he is teaching at St. Mary’s. If you have not yet met him, be sure to introduce yourself.

Father was born in Dickinson to Deb and Mike Franchuk. He was raised Catholic and attended Trinity Catholic School. Although his family actively participated in the faith, his mother had always wanted it to play a more important role in their home life. She never quite achieved this goal, but faith did begin to have more relevance in Father Franchuk’s life after he attended a SEARCH retreat during his Junior year. He first felt a stirring towards the priesthood in his senior year, but it was very brief. Soon he had a girlfriend, and any thoughts of entering the priesthood had been abandoned upon the side of the road.

He studied for 5 years at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in order to become an engineer. This is where his

Miss Bichler

Fr. Franchuk faith truly began to struggle as his life began to fill up with other things. Even as he gave God less and less attention, however, he never stopped going to Mass every week. During his final year of college, he attributes it only to the grace of God that he was nudged back into more active participation in his Catholic faith.

In 2014, while he was working for Caterpillar in Illinois, he decided to enter into the seminary. It was not a dramatic moment that brought him to this choice but simply recognition of the fact that his current prospects had nothing to offer him. He returned to North Dakota, and, seven years later, he was ordained one of God’s priests.

I asked him if he had any words of wisdom that he would like to share with the students of St. Mary’s, and after thinking for a moment, he told me this: “Remember the faith and how important that is in every other aspect of life.”

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SENIOR SPOTLIGHT An inside look into some of the outside careers of our seniors.

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SAVANAH BENZ | MUSIC MESSENGER: Tell us about the songwriting process leading up to your single.

SAVANAH BENZ: The songwriting process for my single “Without You” was unique. I wrote it in March of 2020 during quarantine. Although it did take a bit longer to write than my other songs, it was one of the most pure and honest songs from my heart I’ve written. It was absolutely straight from the heart and each lyric means something important to me because it is part of my story. I’m so glad I didn’t rush the process of writing that song. Since it was the first song I’d written, I remember being unsure if it was good enough to do anything with it. So, for the longest time, I just would play it at my local gigs and shows until I finally realized it was really connecting to people and making an impact on them. So, I then decided to record it and make it come to life even more!

M: What has been your favorite venue to play in so far?

S: My favorite venue I’ve played at so far has to be the Bismarck Event Center, where I recently opened for a touring country singer named Brandon Jones after the Bucking Battle. It was so surreal playing in the Bismarck Event Center, and it was the largest crowd I’ve played in front of. It was so much fun performing on that big stage under the lights and hearing the crowd singing along and dancing to the music.

M: What has been the most unexpected thing about releasing a new song?

S: Since “Without You” is my first single, there have been some unexpected things that have happened. Since I don’t have my own management team quite yet, I was solely in charge of everything. But I’m so grateful that I had to experience doing it by myself, because I feel that it’ll help me in the music industry knowing what to do rather than relying on other people to do it for me.

M: Do you have any plans to release another song this year?

S: While I was in Nashville, TN, this summer, I recorded two songs. One was “Without You” and the other is a very fun, upbeat, and very country song! I have not yet set a date on when that next song will be released, but I can’t share too much on it quite yet as it is a bit of a secret! But I will say that the song should be released hopefully before 2021 ends, but if not, it is something to look forward to in 2022! I am headed back to Nashville in October and am looking forward to doing some co-writes down there to keep gaining songs to release along the way.

M: What was the inspiration behind your single, Without You? S: My debut single “Without You”, which came out September third, is probably the most special song I’ve written so far. It is actually the very first song I wrote in quarantine in 2020. These lyrics are very dear to my heart because it tells part of my story. The inspiration for this song came from some tough times I went through in the past years when I was knocked down and hurt by some people, and the way I chose to rise up even through the extremely difficult times. It is a song that has already connected with so many people I know. I feel like this song can help someone find hope, forgive, and move on, or even just be a song for someone to cry to and let their emotions out.

Interview by Eva Rykowsky 10