past award winners   (in  progress - will update)

Year -  COY (since 1979),     Assistant COY (since 1994)   &  Oral Interp COY (since 2014) award winners:
2024 - Sally Pies - Brookings, Michael Cole - SF Jefferson, Teresa Fester - SF O'Gorman
​2023 - Eric Johnson - Sturgis, Levi Margolies - Aberdeen, Teresa Fester - SF O'Gorman
2022 - Kerry Konda - Aberdeen, Chloe Goldade - O'Gorman, Gina Koehn-Rief - Brandon Valley
2021 - Travis Dahle - SF Washington, Eric Uecker - SF Washington, Carrie Oorlog - Brookings
​2020 - Kerry Konda - Aberdeen, Chloe Goldade - O'Gorman, Michelle McIntyre - SF Washington
2019 - Travis Dahle-SF Washington, Danielle Harms-Watertown, Teresa Fester-SF O'Gorman,
2018 - Sally Pies - Brookings, Leslie Stusiak-Drew - Brandon,  Carrie Oorlog - Brookings
2017 - 
2016 - Scott Walker - Watertown, Kristine Hayes - SF Lincoln, Roger McCafferty - Aberdeen
2015 - 
2014 - Travis Dahle - SF Washington; Bo Pons - Yankton,  Teresa Fester-O'Gorman;  
2013 - Douglas Tschetter - Milbank; Ron Frauensuh - Milbank; Teresa Fester - SF O'Gorman
2012 - 
2011 - ?, Sally Pies-Brookings
2010 - ?, Lovilla Roberts-Watertown
2009 - ?, Travis Dahle-SF Washington
2008 - Leo Kallis, Yankton; Paul Harnes - Yankton
2007 - Kim Maass-SF Lincoln; Collen Miesenheimer-Aberdeen
2006 - Kristen Gonsoir-Groton; Paul Tschetter-Vermillion
2005 - R. Jon Frey-Aberdeen; Ruth Barrett-RC Stevens
2004 - Kim Maass-SF Lincoln; Collen Miesenheimer-Aberdeen
2003 - Doug Tschetter-Milbank; Trevor Mischke-Aberdeen
2002 - Laura Raeder-SF Roosevelt; Sally Pies-Brookings
2001 - Steven Bartholomew-RC Stevens; Rev. Warren Uecker-Madison
2000 - Judy Kroll-Brookings; Leo Kallis-Yankton
1999 - Mitch Gaffer-Huron; Leo Kallis-Yankton
1998 - Doug Tschetter-Milbank; Rich Mittelstedt-Watertown
1997 - Kelly Parker-SF Roosevelt; Scott Walker-Watertown
1996 - Donus Roberts-Watertown; Judy Pederson-Watertown
1995 - Paul Harens-Yankton; Rich Mittelstedt-Watertown
1994 - Steve O'Brien-SF Washington; Kris O'Brien-SF Washington (1st year of ACOY)
1993 - Judy Kroll - Brookings
1992 - Ann Tornberg - Beresford
1991 - Douglas Tschetter - Milbank
1990 - Judy Kroll - Brookings
1989 - Judy Kroll - Brookings
1988 - Robert Stevens - SF Washington
1987 - Carl Swanson - SF Lincoln
1986 - Rosella Blunk - SF Lincoln
1985 - Donus Roberts - Watertown
1984 - Jack Holmquest - Huron
1983 - Judy Kroll - Brookings
1982 - R. Alan Peterson - Aberdeen
1981 - John Westby - Groton
1980 - Ken Pickering - Clear Lake
1979 - Don Dobesch - Vermillion (1st year given out)