Students at Dexter's T.S. Hill Middle School were recognized for academic, leadership and sportsmanship success during the school's Awards Program.

Principal Roger Alsup presided at the evening program. He began the evening by recognizing three educators who were retiring at the end of the academic year - Mrs. MaryRuth Boone, middle school and high school choir; Mrs. Kaye Blankenship,middle school special services; and rs. Joanne Mangum, middle school reading.

Faculty awards were presented in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade by faculty members, and Mrs. Nancy Langley, school counselor, announced the names of eighth grade students receiving the President's Education Award.

Mrs. Angie Duncan, assistant principal and school athletic director, presented the Sportsmanship Awards to eighth grade students Austin Aldridge and Kathryn Reiker.

Bill Miranda, Commander of the Kenady-Hanks American Legion Post 59, presented the American Legion/Faculty Merit Wards to Brooks Probst and Honey Patel.

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A Dexter graduate has received a scholarship to attend Missouri State University in Springfield.

Nate Watkins has received the Board of Governors Scholarship to attend MSU in the fall.

Nate is a 2011 graduate of Dexter High School and is the son of Angela and Mike Watkins of Dexter. Nate also received the Missouri Bright Flight Scholarship, Dexter Bearcat Booster Club Scholarship, and the Regional Healthcare Foundation Scholarship.

To be eligible for the Missouri State University Board of Governors Scholarship, students must score 28 on the ACT and be in the top 10 percent of their high school class or have a 3.9 grade point average or better on a 4.0 scale.

Missouri State University is a public, comprehensive university system in Springfield with a mission in public affairs, whose purpose is to develop educated persons. The University is committed to achieving five major goals: democratizing society, incubating new ideas, imagining Missouri’s future, making Missouri’s future and modeling ethical and effective behavior as a public institution.

Give those youngsters a hand!!!

The fifth grade students at Central Elementary School in Dexter got to hear the praise and accolades of their third and fourth grade friends, teachers and school staff Thursday afternoon during the school's traditional "Clap Out."

Thursday was the last full day of classes in the Dexter schools, and the fifth grade students were congratulated for completion of the academic year. The students will move from Central Elementary to T.S. Hill Middle School next school year.

As students left the Fifth Grade Hallway, they were greeted by applause and "high 5's" on their walk down the hallway to the north exit to the school.It was a proud walk, marking the end of the school days at the elementary school.

The final day of school in Dexter is Friday, May 28. It is a half-day of classes for students, with students dismissed at 11:30. No lunch will be served on Friday.

"Lunch with the Principal" students like to read!

Second grade students at Southwest Elementary School in Dexter have participated in the Accelerated Reader program all academic year, and this week have celebrated their successes as the school year comes to a close.

On Monday, students who met their Accelerated Reader goal all four quarters of the year with at least an 85 percent accuracy rating on reading comprehension got to have a fun time at Lunch with the Principal.

Southwest Principal Sherry Matthews shared a picnic lunch with these students and they had the chance to romp and play on the "second grade playground" at Southwest. (Plans originally called for the event to be held at Boon Park, but conditions at the park necessitated the change.) Monday afternoon the two three Accelerated Rader students in each second grade classroom got to go bowling at Dexter Bowl. The students not only had to be in the top three of their class, but had to maintain a 90 percent or better accuracy every quarter this year.

The bowling party was provided by Dexter Bowl free of charge as a service to the Dexter schools.

According to reading teacher Felicia Powers, the primary focue os Accelerated Reader is reading comprehension.

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The vocal music students at Dexter's T.S. Hill Middle School presented an end-of-the-year concert Tuesday evening, May 17. The concert was held for family and friends at the Bearcat Event Center.

Featured in the concert was the 6th grade under the direction of Melissa Whitaker and the 7th and 8th grade choirs under the direction of MaryRuth Boone.

Assisting Boone with the 8th grade choirs were high school Cadet Teachers Shelbie Hessling and Ben Rodgers. Both are seniors at DHS and are members of the DHS Chamber Choir. Hessling and Rodgers each directed a selection performed by the 8th Grade Chorus.

The concert was Boone's final concert as a teacher in the Dexter Public Schools. Boone is retiring at the end of the school years after 30 years as a music educator in the Dexter schools. At the conclusion of the concert the 8th grade Chorus presented her with a dozen red roses for her contributions to the Dexter music program.

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