Most tourists visit Montana's national parks in the summer. Eight Thompson Falls High School students got to experience Yellowstone National Park during the height of winter last month. The students attended the Ecology Project International (EPI) program through the school's GEAR UP program. Students talked about their trip at Monday's school board meeting, detailing how they tracked bison in the park and conducted research projects using the scientific method. The students learned about ecology and migration patterns of wildlife.

Danielle VanHuss attended the summer EPI program in Yellowstone last year. She said that this was her first time in Yellowstone in the winter. "It's completely different." Jenna Totzauer said the trip was amazing and her takeaway was learning about the political aspect of the park.

Gabriella Pallister told the school board how the students participated in a wolf summit in Yellowstone and learned about what is happening with wolf management in the government, with the students learning how to compromise on positions. "Yellowstone is a great place to experiment and see what works in the real world," Pallister said.

Also Monday, high school principal Rich Ferris presented junior Kelsey Frank with the GEAR UP Achiever Award. The program honors one high school student and one GEAR UP college student with the award each year. GEAR UP coordinator Penny Beckman wrote in her recommendation that Frank "is very resilient, ambitious and energetic. Kelsey is never too busy to volunteer her time for TFHS or community activities. ... Kelsey is truly a well-rounded and balanced student that is a great value and importance to our student body."

Ferris also announced that Brad Lantz, a junior, has been selected to attend the Youth Leadership Summit for GEAR UP high school students. The summit is set for July in San Francisco, and according to the program's website, helps students identify and maximize their leadership skills, create a national network of peers and receive the tools and training to make positive change happen in their communities and around the world.

The school board on Monday accepted the resignation of teachers Jeff Wheeler and Kelly Wheeler, who will both retire at the end of the school year. Superintendent Bill Cain said that although this is the first year he has worked with the teachers, he knows they have both impacted a lot of lives.

The next school board meeting is scheduled Tuesday, May 7, at 6 p.m.