The (very) few, the proud: the ones who were lucky enough to attend a small high school in South Dakota! You know I’m talking about you if you can relate to these nine things (or at least a couple of them). Let’s face it: with as many small towns in South Dakota as there are (and as many high schools as there are wherein), a few of these are bound to apply to us all. Check it out!

1. Your teacher was your coach.
Your teacher was your coach. - Small High School In South Dakota
Chris Warren / Flickr
Your history teacher was also your track coach. And they were probably also your volleyball coach as well as your gym teacher. Everyone carries a little extra weight in a small school.
2. Your graduating class was under 100 people.
Your graduating class was under 100 people. - Small High School In South Dakota
The People's Tribune / Flickr
You graduated with most of the same students you started kindergarten with and there were definitely less than 100 of you.
3. The whole town comes to the football games.
The whole town comes to the football games. - Small High School In South Dakota
Breezy Baldwin / Flickr
Every Friday night, football games draw in the entire high school student body as well as the rest of the town.
4. You played pretty much every sport.
You played pretty much every sport. - Small High School In South Dakota
Oscar Rethwill / Flickr
And you were also in pretty much every club. Like I said, everyone has to do a little more in a small school.
5. FFA was your life.
FFA was your life. - Small High School In South Dakota
CAFNR / Flickr
You were in every club but FFA was your favorite. Mostly because you got out of class and got to hang out with livestock.
6. Spanish was the only option for a foreign language.
Spanish was the only option for a foreign language. - Small High School In South Dakota
Elentir / Flickr
Not only was Spanish the only option for a foreign language at your school. They only offered the bare minimum required to graduate high school. If you were lucky, you could take a semester of German as well.
7. Kindergarteners through seniors were all in one building.
Your Kindergarten through Seniors were all in one building. - Small High School In South Dakota
Nathan Schock / Flickr
So you went to kindergarten and high school in the same building. You definitely got the full experience of going to a small high school in South Dakota, potentially the smallest.
8. Dating options were limited.
Dating options were limited. - Small High School In South Dakota
Tea Area High School / Facebook
You probably dated a few of the same people your friends had dated. No one was mad about breaking "bro code" or "girl code" because everyone knew options were limited.
9. You knew everyone in your class.
You knew everyone in your class. - Small High School In South Dakota
Canton High School / Facebook
You knew everyone in your class by name and probably even everyone in the whole high school.

No kidding: every one of these small towns in South Dakota has a high school, and everyone went to one of those. You know what we mean. Did you connect with more than five things on this list? If you did, you probably when to a small high school in South Dakota. What were your most prominent memories of attending that small school? Tell us all about it in the comments.

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More to Explore

Small Towns in South Dakota

Tori Jane | May 02, 2023
  1. What are some of the best small towns in South Dakota? 

South Dakota is an amazingly beautiful little state, and it’s a shame that folks just don’t visit it very often. Like anywhere else, it’s home to some truly wonderful small towns. There are so many that we can’t list them all, but some of our all-time favorite small towns in SD are:  

  • Deadwood – This one’s great for anyone with an appreciation of history, as it was the original Gold Rush town back in the 1800s. Today, it’s a quiet small town with big personality.  
  • Chamberlain – This town’s situated right alongside the Missouri River, and it’s absolutely stunning. Fans of amazing views will love this town.  
  • Lead – The residents of this town are ridiculously lucky, as they have some absolutely awe-inspiring views of the Black Hills.  

Learn more about all these small towns in South Dakota! 

  1. What are some fun things about South Dakota? 

South Dakota is an absolutely incredible state. There are so many amazingly fun things to do, see and experience that, much like the small towns, we can’t mention them all here. Some of the best fun facts about South Dakota include things like:  

  • South Dakota has more shoreline than Florida thanks to its thousands of lakes. No, seriously.  
  • It became the 40th state in 1889. 
  • The state bird is the ring-necked pheasant. The state flower is the Pasque flower. Now you know.  
  • South Dakota is the 16th-largest state in the United States.  
  • The state insect is the adorable honeybee.  

Learn more about why people are moving to South Dakota. 

  1. What is living in South Dakota like? 

Life in South Dakota is amazing, especially if you’re a fan of the great outdoors. There are hundreds of amazing hiking trails, campgrounds, scenic drives, state parks, lakes, National Parks, and SO much more – it really is totally unfair that South Dakota is one of the least-visited states. It’s also a state incredibly rich in history, and if you’re one of the folks who love old ghost towns (same), you’ll definitely love South Dakota. Sure, the winters can get frigid – but the amazing weather for the rest of the year makes it all worth it! Check out some of the best things about living in South Dakota.    

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