Poplar Bluff High School is sending 18 juniors to Missouri Boys and Girls State this summer, the largest group in recent memory, according to the counseling department.

 

In order to be nominated, students recommended by their teachers must display leadership skills and knowledge of government, and maintain a minimum of an 8.3 grade point average.

 

American Legion Auxiliary Girls State sponsors included 1st Midwest Bank; First Missouri State Bank; God’s House Church; Kevin Barbour of Kraft, Miles and Tatem; Missouri Rep. Jeff Shawan; Nathan Maurer of Poplar Bluff Realty; the Rotary Club of Poplar Bluff; Rowland Family Dentistry; Southern Bank; and Sunkissed Tanning Salon & Spa. American Legion Boys State of Missouri sponsors were taken care of through the state office with help from Bettie Rusher, Boys State manager of development and administration.

 

The weeklong program in June on the campus of the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg is designed to educate and train Missouri’s high schoolers in functional citizenship, leadership and government, according to a press release issued.

Pictured: PBHS students headed to Boys State include (standing, left to right) Harrison Warren, Ethan Tucker, Benjamin Hickey and Randy Hederer; and (kneeling, from left) Samuel Persons, Michael Joseph, Austin Tinsley and Ross Dare.

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

The Poplar Bluff High School Studio Jazz Band, under the direction of Stephen Winters, received the outstanding ensemble performance award out of about a dozen area schools during the Carol Moore Memorial Jazz Festival on Friday, March 1, at Mineral Area College in Park Hills.

 

Additionally, outstanding soloist awards were given out to four music students – a higher percentage than many of the competing schools, Winters reported. Recipients included Jackson McGraw, Isaiah Thomas and Michael Allen Ward Jr. of the Studio Jazz Band, as well as Dustin Ramsey of the PBHS Stage Jazz Band, under the instruction of Anthony Hasek.

 

Studio Jazz band members include (left to right) Kaleb Alcorn-Young, Cody Daughertee, Christian Redden, Lucas Redford, Alyssa Brown, Darian Young, Jacob Redford, Brileigh Cates, Isaiah Thomas, Marie Wilson, Chandler Shipp, Reanna Thompson, Michael Allen Ward Jr., Michael Tiffany, Layton Sanders, Jackson McGraw and Brooks Ray.

 

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

Chartwells School Dining Services hosted a series of taste tests last week at Poplar Bluff High School in an effort to receive student input on potential menu items.

 

Students chose from a chicken BLT salad or a Buffalo chicken salad on Tuesday, March 5, and Korean chicken bulgogi or a chicken fried rice bowl the following day in the cafeteria, then voted for which meal they liked the best.

 

“These are things they choose, not us,” explained Dixie Harden, food services director. “We get their input and [create] recipes that fall within the nutritional guidelines.”

 

PBHS is one of three educational partners in Missouri selected to experiment with the Student Choice program through the vendor. Food service employees previously set up a taste test in November featuring burgers.

 

Harden said a permanent Student Choice line may be established next academic year at the High School serving regular lunch items built around feedback, with more periodical samplings.

 

Pictured: A student chooses dressing for her BLT salad while others visit the free salad bar station.

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

Sixth grade reading teacher Terrie Sullivan of the Poplar Bluff Middle School was selected to receive an IKEA classroom makeover upon winning a drawing during the recent PB Connect conference.

 

With the $400 gift certificate, Sullivan was able to better organize her classroom with storage totes, bins, mesh baskets, magazine boxes, letter trays and a bookshelf, plus a rolling cart, magnetic chalkboard, big face clock and a new chair, the teacher happily reported.

 

Sullivan picked out her items after doing some online research to see how other educators have been able to transform their classrooms at IKEA, according to district instructional coach Keri Jameson, co-organizer of the fifth annual PB Connect along with her colleague Stephanie Kuper. All the faculty who attended the in-house workshop were entered into the drawing for the event’s grand prize.

 

Pictured: Student helpers (from left) Matthew Holloman, Cody McNiel, Lilly Coleman, Tervoris Causey, Ryan Burkhart and Blazin Crow assist teacher Terrie Sullivan with her shopping spree items.

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

More than 60 Poplar Bluff High School students signed up to participate in the fifth annual Reality Fair to learn about money management during an event similar to a poverty simulation held Wednesday, Feb. 27, at Three Rivers College.

 

Administered locally by the Ozark Federal Credit Union in partnership with business leaders, the program was developed by the University of Missouri at Kansas City and the Department of Economic Education.

 

“One person changes career paths eight times in a lifetime,” Ozark FCU Business Development Specialist Davine Conover explained to over 200 students, including those of Neelyville and Naylor.

 

Students were randomly assigned family scenarios on an app through which they received a unique profile that included a career path, income, spouse, children, a credit card bill, insurance co-pay and student loan debt.

 

They were tasked with visiting several booths in order to make mock financial purchases, both major and minor, then gathered in the Tinnin Center theater for a lecture about the importance of wise financial decisions.

 

“Everything we do revolves around money,” stated Conover, who has been teaching financial literacy for over 14 years. “These [healthy] habits start today.”

 

Pictured: Realtor Terry Stewart walks students through various pricing options for mock expenditures.

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