It's time to celebrate! Celebrate spring, the end of the school year, the beginning of summer! Celebrate! And to make the celebration complete, the Miller Family Amusements will be offering thrills and fun this Thursday through Saturday. Rides and booths are ready for kids of all ages in the East City Park. The gates will open Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 5:30 p.m.(SMT Photo by Annabeth Miller)

A SMT News Report

A special prayer service is being planned to remember in the Dexter community to pray for the victims and survivors, and to seek comfort and guidance following the devastating tornado in Joplin and Southwest Missouri.

The members of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) are planning a an "Ecumenical Prayer Service For Recent Disaster" at 6 p.m., Wednesday, May 25 at the church on Stoddard Street in Downtown Dexter.

The service will include songs of faith, readings from the Bible, and prayer. The evening’s prayer service will include three parts – prayer of confession, prayer of need and prayer of commitment.

Church members participating and helping to lead this special service include Lisa Thrower, Nona Robinson, Bill Boesen, Tommy Horton, Kellie Reese, and Jim Putnam. Hymns will include “Amazing Grace,” “O God Our Help In Ages Past,” and “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”

The community is invited to join the First Christian Church family for this special service as they remember and pray for the victims and survivors of this week’s tragic storms in the state.

Dexter's T.S. Hill Middle School bands presented an exciting evening of music recently. Featured were the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade bands and the Middle School Jazz Band.

The bands played to a full house of parents, family and friends at the middle school.The concert was the final concert of the academic year. Band directors are Scott Rybolt and Jim Wade.

Photo Left: 8th Grade band members Jackson Hubbard and Ryan Hulshof prepare for the start of the 8th Grade portion of the evening's program.

6th Grade Band

7th Grade Band

Middle School Jazz Band

Photos by ShowMe Times Reader Kay Steventon. Thanks so much, Kay!

The following awards were presented this week at Dexter High School during the school’s annual Awards Assembly.

Faculty Awards

Agriculture – Caleb Johns

Art – Sydnie Rinehart

Band – Steven Harrellson

Business – Tyler Chapman

Choir – Kaycee Dukes

C.C.E. – Austin Seabaugh

Family & Consumer Science – Miranda Johnson

Foreign Language – Elizabeth Ashby

Language Arts – Catherine Kinchen

Math – Catherine Kinchen

Physical Education – James Jones

Publications – Yearbook – Amelia Jibben

School Spirit – Taylor Jarrell

Science – Catherine Kinchen

Social Studies – Lincoln Webb

Speech/Debate – Blake Kimbrough

Student Council – Samantha Long

Athletic Awards

Girls Tennis

Most Valuable Player – Hannah Ward

Most Singles Wins – Catherine Kinchen

Most Doubles Wins – Hannah Ward/ Audra Lasater/Amelia Jibben

Volleyball

MVP Offense – Elisha Flanigan

MVP Defense – Katelynn Frazier

Best Setter – Lauren Ward

Football

Most Valuable Back – Cody Stevens

Most Valuable Lineman – Dan McCoy

Most Valuable Defensive Player – Aaron Mace

Most Valuable Player – Jake Cox

Cross Country

Male Outstanding Runner – David Rybolt

Female Outstanding Runner – Elizabeth Kohlbaker

Wrestling

Most Aggressive Wrestler – Cody Stevens

Most Valuable Wrestler – Cody Stevens

Most Improved Wrestler – Cody Stevens

Girls Basketball

Defensive Award – Katelynn Frazier

Rebound Award – Brittany Harris

Best Free Throw Percentage – Mollie Whitehead

MVP – Brittany Harris

Boys Basketball

Leading Rebounder – Alan Flannigan

Defensive Award – Jake Cox

Best Free Throw Shooter – Alan Flannigan

Most Valuable Player – Alan Flannigan

Cheerleading[

Cheerleading Award – Madison Pixley

Boys Tennis

Most Valuable Player – Tyler Miller

Most Singles Wins – Brauck Burge

Most Doubles Wins – Tyler Miller, Sam Ward, Brauck Burge[

Boys Track

Leader Scorer – Austin Richardson

Girls Track

Leading Scorer – Taylor Martin

Golf

Season Medalist – Cody Stevens

Softball

Highest Batting Average – Alec Jackson

Most Valuable Player – Alec Jackson

Team Dedication – Alec Jackson

Baseball

Highest Batting Average – Alex Cliff

Most Valuable Player – Bradley Potts

Female Athlete of the Year

Brittany Harris

Male Athlete of the Year

Jake Cox

Photo Above: During the Awards Assembly at DHS this week awards were given for citizenship . Receiving awards were (from left) Steven Harrellson, the American Legion Award; Malinda Mayor, the I Dare You Award, and Taylor Jarrell, Daughters of the American Revolution Award. Not pictured are Madison Pixley, American Legion Award; and Jacob Stevens, the I Dare You Award. (SMT Photo by Annabeth Miller)

The Stoddard County Transit System officially opened the doors to its new facility in Dexter. A Ribbon-cutting celebration was hosted by the Dexter Chamber of Commerce Wednesday morning at the new facility on Wildwood Drive, just north of the North Outer Road. On hand for the presentation were (front row, from left): City Councilman Jerry Corder; SCTS board member David Fleming; Board president Myra Jines; SCTS Adinistration Sandra Harty; Blanch Dinsmore, board member; Colleen Moore, SCTS board member; Dexter Mayor Joe Weber; Chamber of Commerce board member Mendy Bell; State Rep. Billy Pat Wright, SCTS board member Morris Gregg and Dexter Chamber executive director Janet Coleman.

On hand for the special day was Mokhtee Ahmad,(photo right) regional administrator of the Federal Transit Administration office in Kansas City. Ahmad presented Sandra Harty a plaque marking the completion of the new facility. Funds for the new facility were from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the Federal Transit Administration. Ahmad commended the local transit service and praised the Stoddard County office for completing the construction project on time and within budget this year. (ShowMe Times photos by Annabeth Miller)