Bernie, Missouri – The Bernie Board of Education hired long time employee Jason Long as the new volleyball coach for Bernie High School. Long currently teaches social studies and physical education.
Gavin Miller formally resigned to take over the assistant principal at the T.S. Hill Middle School in Dexter. Debbie Freed resigned her position as assistant volleyball sponsor only and Paige Williams resigned as parent educator for the Parents as Teachers program.
In executive session, board members approved the hiring of Courtney Gore for a non-specified high school teaching position and Tyler Vincent to work in the maintenance department.
The Board also approved the Special Education program outline for the district as well as several updates to the elementary and high school student handbooks to be distributed in the fall.
Also approved was the FBLA student trip to the Executive Leadership Conference in Columbia, Missouri on July 27th and 28th.
Other news: Bernie Graduation will be Sunday, May 17th at 2:00 p.m.; Summer School begins May 27th and runs thru June 12th; and the next Board Meeting is slated for June 8th at 7:00 p.m. in the Media Room at the Bernie High School.
Unlike other All-state honorees that can be recognized multiple years while in high school, his award is cumulative and can only be received once during a students’ high school career.
Miller was one of only 10 students throughout the state of Missouri selected for the team. Including this award, Miller has amassed seven different local, state, national and international awards for his photography in the 2014-2015 school year.
Richland’s yearbook, which Miller is the co-editor of this year, has received 21 different individual local, state, national and international photography awards during the 2014-2015 school year for their excellent photography work. The awards have come from various sources including: Jostens, Journalism Education Association, Quill and Scroll as well as others.
"The Missouri Journalism Education Association sponsors the annual All-State Journalism Team for Missouri high school students. Members of the 2015 team will be selected in the spring. The MJEA invites all its advisers to nominate students for this honor."
"The purpose of the All-State Journalism Team is to recognize those students who have proven themselves to be indispensable to their respective school media. Missouri has numerous journalism contests that recognize “bylined” excellence. The All-State Team recognizes those students who are “most valuable players” – those students whose leadership, energy, dedication and expertise make their publications possible but whose main contributions often occur behind the scenes."
"The Missouri All-State Journalism Team consists of the top students who practice excellent journalism in any of the following venues: newspaper, magazine, yearbook, broadcast, radio or online. All Missouri student journalists in grades 9-12 are eligible to be nominated. A student journalist must be nominated by his or her adviser. The adviser must be a member of the Missouri Journalism Education Association. Nominations may not exceed two students per school. Students are eligible to win the award once in their high school career."
Photo by Kyle Carter / Richland School
Students in grades six through eight were in the junior group; high school students made up the senior group.
Blunt will represent the state of Missouri while competing in the National History Day Competition in June in Washington, D.C.
Blunt will also be competing in the National Junior Beta Photo Competition in Nashville, Tennessee, which is also in June.
"National History Day in Missouri, launched in 1980, is the state affiliate of National History Day. Each year, nearly half a million students nationwide—grades 6 to 12—participate in this innovative educational program. They conduct extensive research on a historical subject that they choose and present findings their way by creating documentaries, exhibits, papers, performances or websites.
The State Historical Society of Missouri, in partnership with the Missouri Humanities Council, administers National History Day in Missouri. Over 3,000 students participate in local and regional competitions each year, with nearly 600 advancing to the state contest at the University of Missouri in April.
Top winners in each category earn the opportunity to serve as Missouri delegates to the Kenneth E. Behring National History Day Contest in College Park, Maryland in June. Missouri's students represent the Show-Me State well, frequently bringing home medals in both the junior and senior divisions!"
Congratulations Emily Blunt! We are proud of you!
Photo by Kate Wyman / Richland School
Delaney Pullen received the female "I Dare You Citizenship Award" and Tyler Stevenson received the male "I Dare You Citizenship Award".
William F. Danforth, founder of Ralston Purina, wrote the book, “I Dare You” from his person experience. He challenged young students to their highest potentialin service and good citizenship.
The Danforth “I Dare You” Award recognizes youth who have an in depth knowledge of the 4-H program. It is to challenge them to develop their skills for future endeavors through life and most importantly service to others.
Students must be a junior in high school and demonstrate leadership skills and good citizenship at an outstanding level.
Poplar Bluff, Missouri - The Libla family finalized a seven figure donation to the Three Rivers Endowment Trust during a signing event held at Three Rivers College on Monday, May 8. In return, the college announced that institution’s proposed athletics building would be named the “Libla Family Sports Complex.”
“We’re proud to help Three Rivers College launch this endeavor, and this is part of our commitment to giving back to the community as much as we can,” said David Libla. “By having this project named for the Libla family, it serves as a remembrance of our parents, and hopefully inspires our children and grandchildren to continue giving back to this community which has given so much to us.”
Attending the signing ceremony were Sen. Doug and Elaine Libla, and David and Mary Libla. The agreement was also signed by Dr. Wesley Payne, President of Three Rivers College; Ben Ressel, Chair of the Three Rivers College Board of Trustees; Phil Davis, Vice Chair of the Three Rivers Board of Trustees, and Emily Parks, Executive Director of the Three Rivers Endowment Trust.
“It’s so amazing to see a self-made family building businesses, living the American dream, then giving back to their community,” said Ressel. “On behalf of the Board of Trustees, thank you to all those who have made this project possible.”
The donation makes possible the construction of the college’s new Sports Complex on its Poplar Bluff Campus, which will replace the Bess Activity Center as the home of the Raiders and Lady Raiders basketball teams. The current proposal is for a 75,000-square-foot structure incorporating a 3,000-seat gymnasium, offices for all of Three Rivers’ coaches, improved training and locker room facilities, and a Three Rivers Sports Hall of Fame. The facility also will have a FEMA-certified safe room capable of withstanding an F5-strength tornado funded by a $2.5 million SEMA/FEMA grant.
“The Liblas have supported our community in many ways, both seen and unseen, and their generous donation is making the Libla Family Sports Complex possible,” said Dr. Payne. “With this, we should be able to move forward with this state-of-the-art facility, that will serve Three Rivers for many years to come.”
Three Rivers College is committed to contributing to the quality of life in Southeast Missouri with quality, affordable higher education opportunities and community services that support and encourage the economic, civic, and cultural vitality of the region. For more information about college and workforce programs and upcoming events, visit trcc.edu.
