Props to SD Presidential Scholars Kantack and Skorey

Don't break out your anti-intellectualism on these kids: Maria Skorey of Yankton and Benjamin Kantack of Brookings have been named South Dakota's 2008 Presidential Scholars.

These kids are flat smart, and smart is something to praise. Skorey plays flute and piccolo, belongs to both the Yankton HS Environmentalist Club and the Teenage Republicans (discuss that one, anti-eco-hysteria rightwingers), and wants to combine theology and premed studies at Loyola. Putting Ben Stein in his place, Skorey tells the Yankton Press & Dakotan that it's "really important to learn just for the sake of learning, because there's so much out there. ... To learn as much as we can, I think that's really beautiful."

I know Ben Kantack personally -- I've had the pleasure of judging him in several debate rounds, including the final round at Northern NFLs this February, where he won the district championship and qualified for the National Debate Tournament. Kantack's performance in that final round exemplified the best in South Dakota debate; cool, controlled, sincere, and smart, the finest intelligent speaking our education system can produce. Kantack will have a busy June, representing South Dakota at the National Debate Tournament in Las Vegas June 15-20, then flying straight to Washington, DC, to join Skorey for the big Presidential Scholars recognition event June 21-24.

Each Presidential Scholar nominates a teacher to accompany them to the big D.C. events. Which teachers did Skorey and Kantack choose to honor as so important and influential in their achievements to deserve a trip to the nation's capital? Skorey chose Kristi L. O'Connell Ekroth, her English teacher. Kantack chose Judy Kroll, his debate coach.

Good job, kids! You will represent South Dakota well. Have fun in D.C.!