Ryan Glick of the Class of 2018 has been awarded the $1,000 Poplar Bluff Public School Foundation scholarship designated for a PBHS student, past of present, planning to become a teacher.

 

Having already earned 30 credits from Three Rivers College through the High School’s dual credit program, Glick intends on continuing his higher education at the community college and then transferring to Missouri State University in Springfield to pursue a degree in history education.

 

Glick wrote in his essay that he wishes to one day return to his hometown of Poplar Bluff to start his teaching career. His mother, Kim Glick, works as a social studies instructor at PBHS. Since 2001, the Foundation scholarship has been awarded to 20 PBHS students, several of whom went on to teach for the R-I school district.

 

Pictured are Foundation Vice Chair Emily Hogg awards Ryan Glick the Foundation scholarship in May.

Photo and article submitted by Tim Krakowiak, Communications/Marketing Director, Poplar Bluff R-I School District

 A female and male student athlete from both Poplar Bluff Junior and Senior High has been named Missouri Good Sports for their behavior, positive role modeling, and outstanding display of sportsmanship through participation in interscholastic activities.

 

Nominated by the coaching staff on Wednesday, May 23, award recipients included: PBJHS basketball player and track runner Emilee Cheek and football player, wrestler and track runner Gatlin Taylor; and from PBHS, cross country and track runner as well as swimmer Paige Bradley and basketball player/track runner Dominique Hardimon.

 

“We at MSHSAA firmly believe that a positive role model such as yourself can positively influence the actions of others in your school—your teammates, younger students, your opponents and even spectators,” stated Jason West, Missouri State High School Activities Association communications director. “Since a few things bring schools and communities together like high school activities, the actions you display in competitions go a long way to influence others’ perceptions.”

Pictured (From left) Gatlin Taylor, Paige Bradley, R-I Athletic Director Kent Keith, Dominique Hardimon and Emilee Cheek.

Photo and article submitted by Tim Krakowiak, Communications/Marketing Director, Poplar Bluff R-I School District

Sam Traxel of the Poplar Bluff High School Class of 2018 has been awarded the $500 Kyle Curtis Dicken Memorial scholarship, available to graduating seniors pursuing music. Traxel plans to study audio engineering technology at Belmont University in Nashville.

 

Contributions to the Dicken Memorial scholarship fund may be made to: Community Foundation of the Ozarks, 425 E. Trafficway, Springfield MO 65806. For more information, email awingo@cfozarks.org of call 573-803-1248.

 

Pictured: Curtis and Wanda Dicken present Sam Traxel with a scholarship in May. Also pictured is band director Stephen Winters.

Photo and article submitted by Tim Krakowiak, Communications/Marketing Director, Poplar Bluff R-I School District

The Designing Women Foundation honored three scholarship recipients and Charlie Classics reading contest winners from Poplar Bluff Schools during a reception held Monday, May 14, at the Bloodworth House.

 

PBHS senior Kenneth Hadley earned the $2,000 Charlie Classics Scholarship by reading 101 approved novels beginning in Junior High. Kenneth received an additional $300 Visa bank card for being the top reader in the Class of 2018, completing 42 Charlie Classics throughout the school year, and has been the top reader in his class since eighth grade. Seventh grader Charlee Deaton read a total of 45 books this school year, also earning a $300 bank card.

 

PBHS senior Alexis Tinsley was selected by a committee to receive the $1,000 Designing Women Foundation scholarship, designated for a female student. She plans to attend Union University in Jackson, Tenn., where she will major in pre-med.

 

Aimed to promote literacy, the Charlie Classics reading program is open to all Junior and Senior High students. To qualify for a US Bank-sponsored card—also awarded to second place winners in the amount of $150—Senior High students must read at least 10 classics and Junior High students must read a minimum of 20 books from the respective lists.

 

The Designing Women Foundation in a nonprofit organization dedicated to the cultural and educational enrichment of deserving young people, primarily women. For more information, contact Linda Surber at ljsurber@hotmail.com.

Pictured (From left) R-I Superintendent Dr. Scott Dill, Linda Surber, Alexis Tinsley, Kenneth Hadley, Charlee Deaton, and Kathern Harris of the Designing Women Foundation.

Photo and article submitted by Tim Krakowiak, Communications/Marketing Director, Poplar Bluff R-I School District

Lake Road and Junior High have been selected among only four schools in Missouri and 123 in the United States as national showcase award winners under the Capturing Kids’ Hearts, program officials have announced.

 

“You and your team have created an outstanding environment for students and staff to learn and grow together,” Kelsie Acres of the Flippen Group stated. “During our team’s visit to your school, the positive energy and welcoming tone was evident from the moment they arrived.”

 

The Texas-based Flippen Group, which administers the professional development, recently scheduled site visits to the nominated schools, interviewing the campus community and gathering quantitative and qualitative data on improvements.

 

Capturing Kids’ Hearts teaches processes in order to increase students’ connectedness with both peers and adults on campus, according to a press release from the company. Junior High first piloted the program during the 2013/14 school year. Now a district-wide practice, Lake Road began implementation in 2016.

 

A repeat national showcase award winner, Junior High shifted its focus this year to building relationship capacity with students, instating kindness week by initiating an Instagram challenge, and creating a shoutout or affirmation wall. The school continues to offer Teen Leadership I and II as an elective.

 

“I felt like our teachers have a firm foundation so we thought we’d work with the student body, building on the additional training we have received from the Flippen Group” as a result of this honor, PBJHS Principal Candace Warren commented.

 

Having achieved gold-level recognition under the school-wide positive behavior support program, Lake Road teaches and reinforces expectations in order to improve student behavior. Office discipline referrals are currently on track to be lower than last year, which was already a hallmark year since starting PBIS. While Lake Road has always had classroom expectations, Principal Erica Weadon said having students actually create their own social contract—one of the tools taught under Capturing Kids’ Hearts—leads to more buy-in.

 

“I believe it’s helped with our classroom climate, bringing us closer as a community. After you do it so long, it becomes your culture,” Weadon explained. “Now we hold each other accountable for all those [directives] and at some point, you no longer have to hold people accountable—it’s just what they do.”

 

Pictured: Sean Dunphy, Flippen Group leadership development strategist, observes classrooms and interviews students during a site visit last month at Lake Road.

Photo and article submitted by Tim Krakowiak, Communications/Marketing Director, Poplar Bluff R-I School District