SPRING 2025 Early Morning Harvest is Growing in Popularity 2025 CONSOLIDATED SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS ESPORTS AT RICHARDTON HIGH SCHOOL CYBERBULLYING IS AN INCREASINGLY SERIOUS PROBLEM REACH SUMMER
2 SUMMER 2025 We hope you’re enjoying a sizzling summer! There’s so much to do and explore this time of year, and Consolidated can be with you every step of the way. As we look ahead to the start of a new school year, we’re congratulating our 2025 Consolidated Scholarship Winners on page 3 as they begin a new educational chapter. Then on page 4, you’ll learn that Through Esports, Students Gain Team Experience and Other Skills, and Consolidated is proudly supporting local esports programs including the one launched last year at Richardton High School. You’ll find another article related to students on page 5, Cyberbullying Is an Increasingly Serious Problem, which is important reading for parents. Are Your Social Media Posts Increasing Your Risk of Burglary? Find out how to share about your summer vacations more safely on page 7. Then on page 8, check out Consolidated’s summary of Summer Highlights and mark your calendar accordingly. Cool technology mixes perfectly with warm days, so if you need an internet upgrade to better handle all your devices and online activities, please let us know! Sincerely, Bryan W. Personne CEO/General Manager Consolidated The Consolidated Reach newsletter is a publication of Consolidated Telcom. — Robbin Schwindt, Editor — CONTACT US Office Hours Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (MST) Phone Numbers Local: 701.483.4000 US Toll Free: 888.225.5282 Main Fax: 701.483.0001 Internet Support 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week 701.483.4638 or 701.483.INET Telephone & TV Support 701.483.4444 or 800.247.1858 Mailing Address Consolidated Telcom PO Box 1408 507 South Main Dickinson, ND 58602 www.consolidatednd.com Copyright © 2025 by Consolidated Telcom and Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. REACH SUM 25
SUMMER 2025 3 REACH Scholarships Karady Evans Scranton HS Lainey Kucera Killdeer HS Taylor Wanner Bowman HS Landyn Gerbig Bowman HS Carson Wyant South Heart HS Haylee Wegleitner Dickinson HS Jack Wood Dickinson HS Adyson Gerbig Bowman HS Rhett Seaks Dickinson HS Elysa McAvoy Trinity HS Consolidated is proud to award a $1,000 scholarship to ten graduating seniors whose parents or guardians are Consolidated customers. Applicants were judged primarily on the written essay topic, “How has technology contributed to your community?” Consolidated continues to award eight $250 dual credit scholarships per year for students taking college credit courses online or in person where there is a cost to them. We are proud to offer these programs and show our commitment to the youth in our service area. Congratulations to this year’s Consolidated scholarship winners, and the entire class of 2025! 2025 Consolidated Scholarship Winners Dual Credit Scholarship Winners 2024 June Jack Wood - Dickinson HS Noah Njos - Bowman HS Reagen Honeyman - Bowman HS Sophia Mackey - Dickinson HS 2025 January Blake Larson - Hettinger HS Erica Havelka - Hettinger HS Grace Bieber - New England HS Gracia Jorgenson - Hettinger HS
4 SUMMER 2025 RICHARDTON HIGH SCHOOL LAUNCHED SUCCESSFUL ESPORTS PROGRAM Richardton High School began its esports program in fall 2024, and it was a great success! Consolidated was proud to support their efforts with a $2,000 contribution to help them get started on this exciting new journey. A total of 13 students participated in the inaugural esports season, competing in games such as Minecraft, Valorant, Fortnite, and Chess. The season ran from January 13 to March 7 and was filled with fun, teamwork, and fierce competition. Several teams came close to qualifying for the state tournament—a promising start for a brand-new program. JacksonWilkes competed in the state tournament for Chess in Grand Forks on March 28-29. We’re thrilled to see the growing interest in esports and proud to partner with local schools as they create new opportunities for students to compete, connect, and thrive. Congratulations, Richardton High School! THROUGH ESPORTS, STUDENTS GAIN TEAM EXPERIENCE AND OTHER SKILLS Not every student is cut out for traditional sports that demand physical strength and skills. An alternative is esports (or electronic sports), where reflexes, strategy, and digital prowess reign supreme. A growing number of schools now offer esports, particularly for grades 6 to 12, and it’s a sought-after extracurricular activity. Players compete against their opponents in video gaming competitions across a variety of video game genres. To succeed, members of the esports team must work collaboratively and solve problems quickly. As with any school sport, the teams have a fanbase that comes together to watch—in-person or virtually —and supports gamers as they play. Competitive video gaming itself is not new. However, improvements in computing power and graphics as well as internet performance have made game play more immersive and interactive. Streaming services like Twitch and YouTube, through which players can broadcast their game play and spectators can watch live or post competition, also contribute to the rising interest in esports. What are some of the benefits experienced by esports participants? • Positive impacts on self-esteem • Increased focus in class • Improved academic performance • Building of strategic, analytical, and leadership skills • Enhanced problem-solving abilities • Opportunities to make friends • Greater sense of belonging at school In addition, these students gain new technical skills that can be applied outside of esports, and they may be inspired to pursue higher education or careers in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). As mentioned earlier, internet performance is key to online gaming. Players require low latency for real-time interaction. (Latency, measured in milliseconds, is the delay between a player’s action and the game’s response.) Players also need high download speeds for fast downloading and high upload speeds for streaming their gameplay. Plus, since nothing is as frustrating as being disconnected mid-game, a consistent internet connection is essential. Consolidated actively supports our esports in our service area. See the sidebar for details.
SUMMER 2025 5 REACH 5 DOWNSIDES OF 5G HOME INTERNET As the saying goes, “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.” Some customers who switched to 5G home internet are feeling buyer’s remorse for these reasons: 1. Service is less stable. Signals for 5G travel through the air rather than in cables underground, and speeds tend to fluctuate more often. 2. Actual speeds are often slower than advertised ones. Factors such as network congestion, buildings and other obstructions, and inclement weather can slow down speeds. 3. During peak usage times, your connection may be deprioritized. This is because 5G home internet is a connection shared by many users. 4. The farther you are from the radio towers, the weaker your internet signal will be. Since 5G home internet uses radio frequencies, the travel distances of the signals are limited. 5. 5G home internet isn’t as good as fiber internet. Fiber is the fastest, most reliable internet available. Call 701.483.4000 for details on our fiber internet. CYBERBULLYING IS AN INCREASINGLY SERIOUS PROBLEM Cyberbullying is the use of electronic communication to harass, threaten, or humiliate someone. This can be harmful and lead to depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide—especially among teens. Common types of cyberbullying include: • Exclusion – To intentionally leave someone out of an online group or message thread. • Harassment – To send persistent and hurtful online messages to a victim. These messages can contain threats. • Cyberstalking – To monitor a victim’s online presence closely. • Outing – To openly reveal a person’s gender identity or sexual orientation without their consent. • Doxxing – To maliciously share personal data about an individual online that wouldn’t normally be publicly known to harass or intimidate a victim. • Fraping – To use a victim’s social media accounts to post inappropriate content with the victim’s name attached to it. • Trolling – To post derogatory comments about them online in the hopes of hurting these individuals. • Dissing – To spread cruel information about the victim. • Flaming – To post about or send insults and profanity to a victim. • Denigration – To post or publish false information online about the individual. • Impersonation – To post comments on social media using the individual’s name. • Trickery – To befriend a victim until the targeted individual feels comfortable sharing secrets and other sensitive information, and then publicly releases the information. • Fake Profiles – To set up fake online profiles on behalf of victims. • Catfishing – To create a fake online identity and pretend to be someone else. Of special concern is the fact that most information communicated electronically is permanent and public, if not reported and removed. A negative online reputation, including for those who have been cyberbullied, can unfairly impact college admissions, employment, and other areas of life. Make sure you discuss cyberbullying with your children, starting when they’re young. Encourage them to let you know if they ever experience cyberbullying, and you’ll help them respond appropriately.
6 SUMMER 2025 PowerG Wireless Switch Controls lighting and appliances wirelessly for added convenience. PowerG Wireless Temperature Detector Monitors temperature fluctuations to alert you to potential issues like freezing. PowerG Wireless Water Valve Automatically shuts off water supply in case of a detected leak to prevent damage. Smart Garage Control Remotely monitors and controls your garage door for added convenience and security. Smart Thermostat w/HD Color Touchscreen Wi-Fi enabled thermostat with a color touchscreen for easy temperature control. Indoor/Outdoor PoE Camera w/2-Way Audio Provides video surveillance with two-way audio for clear communication, indoors or outdoors. Outdoor Flood Light Camera Combines a security camera with a floodlight to enhance visibility and deter intruders. PowerG Wireless Door/Window Contact Monitors the opening and closing of doors or windows for added security. PowerG Wireless Lock Smart lock for keyless entry and remote control of your doors. Video Doorbell Camera Allows you to see and communicate with visitors at your door remotely through video and audio. One App to Control All Enhance your Home Security and Automation with Smart, Easy-to-Install Devices for your Every Need INDOOR & OUTDOOR HOME AUTOMATION AND SECURITY Scan for More Information
SUMMER 2025 7 REACH Long-awaited vacations are exciting, and it’s only natural to want to share your photos and travel stories on social media. However, your posts could inadvertently be putting your home security at risk by letting burglars know when you’re away. ARE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS INCREASING YOUR RISK OF BURGLARY? Here are the main areas of concern and how to address them: Including your location in posts gives thieves valuable information. When you post an update on many social media sites, they will ask whether you’d like to include your location. For example, Twitter’s location icon lets you choose the city and state you’re currently in, or you can turn on “share precise location,” which will share your exact GPS coordinates. Security experts recommend that you never enable location services for social media sites or add location tags. Why? Because if you post your location while you’re at home, thieves have your address. All they have to do is wait for you to later post that you’re away on vacation, and they have a vacant house (otherwise known as an easy target) for a burglary. Don’t post about your vacation until after it’s over. We know it’s tempting to show off your toes in the sand or your family in front of a landmark in real time. But it’s a better idea to wait until you’re back home to share your vacation photos, and when you do, make it clear that the vacation is now in the rear view mirror. If you really want to post about trips while they’re happening, create a private photo album on a site like Flickr or Google Photos and share it only with family and close friends. Remember, you don’t want to return home from vacation to find your belongings stolen or damaged. Take precautions before and during your trip to help keep burglars away. Find recipes at: Consolidated.com/cookingcrave Mail recipes to: Consolidated/Rhonda Fitterer PO Box 1408 Dickinson, ND 58602 Wednesday Evenings and Thursday Afternoons on Consolidated Channel 18
P.O. Box 1408 Dickinson, ND 58602 Cornerstone Group © 2025 SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS Check out the 2025 Dickinson Press Women’s Expo. Visit our booth at the West River Ice Center on Saturday, August 23 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Enter Consolidated’s 2025 Calendar Photo Contest. Submit your favorite photos by Monday, August 25. If you have one or more photos chosen to be featured in our calendar, you’ll receive a $25 bill credit. For details and to submit entries, visit www.consolidatednd.com/contests. We wish you luck and can’t wait to see all the photos! Labor Day is Monday September 1. We hope you enjoy the holiday. Our office will be closed.
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