January student of the month passionate about broadcasting

Garrett Satterly earns award from Heartland Power and KJAM Radio

Colman-Egan High School senior Garrett Satterly is no stranger to extra-curricular activities.

From the arts to student organizations to leadership programs and more, Satterly finds plenty of ways to be involved.

“Garrett has been involved in CEHS activities his entire career, all while working part-time and maintaining excellent grades,” said CEHS Counselor Kendra Steinberg. “He is an outstanding role model for peers of all ages.”

For his achievements, Satterly has been named Heartland Consumers Power District and KJAM Radio’s January Student of the Month. He is the son of Gretchen and Mike Wendell.

While Satterly boasts a long list of extra-curricular interests, honors and achievements, his passion is broadcasting.

In the seventh grade he began recording sporting events for the school. Over the years, he taught himself how to commentate games over the livestream as well as create and operate a scoreboard. He worked with the school to collect sponsorships and donations and helps produce and broadcast commercials for local businesses.

Today, the livestream is a source of pride for Satterly, accessible to all members of the school district and surrounding area. It has also sparked an interest that will likely lead him to a career in media.

Satterly now serves as the P.A. announcer at all CEHS home sporting events and has begun training students to take over after his graduation. He has performed job shadow training during collegiate sporting events and last summer he attended the KSFY Media Camp.

After high school he plans to study broadcast journalism at South Dakota State University. Ultimately, he hopes to accept a job for Brookings Radio or the Jackrabbits Sporting Network.

Beyond the livestream, Satterly is a member of National Honor Society, Teens Against Tobacco Use, Future Business Leaders of America and FCCLA. He has been a statistician for volleyball, girls and boys basketball and football, and participates in oral interp, spring and one act plays, band and choir.

He’s a member of student council, including time served as class president, was a 2018 Boys State participant, and has served as South Dakota FCCLA District III Secretary as well as FCCLA Region V Vice-President for two years.

Satterly is also the founding member of the Colman-Egan Acts of Kindness Club, which promotes kindness throughout the school and community through fun projects and rewards. He sings in his church choir, tutors students outside of school and has volunteered over 500 hours at the Banquet in Sioux Falls.

Other honors include four consecutive years of All-State Choir, outstanding performer recognition during the 2017-18 One Act Play season, selection to SDSU and Augustana Honor Bands, and two qualifications to state Oral Interp.

The “Student of the Month” is awarded through a partnership of Heartland and KJAM Radio in Madison and recognizes exceptional students in one of five area school districts. Heartland provides wholesale power to the cities of Arlington, Colman, Howard, Madison and Volga, all of which are in the KJAM listening area.

Each month of the school year, Heartland presents an outstanding student from one of these schools with a recognition certificate and small token, and advertisements announcing the winning student air on KJAM Radio. Officials from each participating school nominate students for the award.

This is the eighth year Heartland and KJAM have teamed up to offer this program.