Written by

Beth Farrah, SMT Writer

Essex, Missouri – The Class of 2013 recently graduated from Richland High School on Friday, May 17^th in the gymnasium on their final day of school. The class was rewarded their diplomas along with a number of scholarships and awards given by their counselor, principal, and superintendent. The Class of 2013 Scholarship Award Total ended at $93,252 and is renewable to $182,224.

Kelly Motta (Valedictorian, STUCO Class Representative) – Missouri State University: College Preparatory Award, Outstanding Art Cadet Teacher Award, Elk Student of the Month ($50), Missouri State University Provost Scholarship ($2500 renewable to $10,000), Missouri A+ Scholarship, Federal Pell Grant ($5500), Richland Community Scholarship ($500).

Joshua Pearce: Outstanding Drawing Skills Award, Service Award from BETA Club.

Jessica Shidler (Salutatorian, Senior Class President) – Southeast Missouri State University: Outstanding Colored Pencil Skills Award, Psychology Award, College Preparatory Award, Richland CTA Scholarship ($500), Essex Lions Club Scholarship, Southeast Missouri State University Scholarship, Southeast Missouri State University Dale White Scholarship, SEMO Superintendent Association Scholarship, Missouri A+ Scholarship, Missouri Beta Scholarship, Richland Beta Leadership Award.

Baylee Taylor (Senior Class Secretary and Treasurer) – Crowley Ridge College: College Preparatory Award, Southeast Health Center of Stoddard County Auxiliary Scholarship, Crowley Ridge College Presidential and Athletic Scholarship (will be playing college volleyball), Richland PTO Scholarship, Shelter Insurance Scholarship, Essex Lions Club Scholarship, Bayless Taylor Jr. Memorial Scholarship, Marilyn Taylor Williams Memorial Scholarship.

Branden Wamble: Missouri A+ Scholarship

Jesse Barnes (Senior Class Vice President) – Missouri State University: Algebra III Award, College Preparatory Award, Elks Student of the Month, Federal Pell Grant, Missouri A+ Scholarship, Richland Community Scholarship, Missouri State University Provost Scholarship Award.

Nicholas Daniels – Three Rivers College: Computer Maintenance Award, Missouri A+ Scholarship, Richland Community Scholarship, Dub and Helen Crutcher Scholarship.

Richard Forshee – Crowley Ridge College: Business Technology Award, Computer Maintenance Award, Rotary Interact Scholarship, Essex Area Development Scholarship, Essex Lions Club scholarship, Crowley Ridge College Athletic and Presidential Scholarship (will be playing college basketball).

Rebecca Harden – Three Rivers College: College Preparatory Award, Ladies Eagles of Dexter Scholarship, Essex Lions Club Scholarship, Missouri A+ Scholarship, Richland Community Scholarship, Federal Pell Grant.

Jessica Hill (Senior Class Publicist) – Southeast Missouri State University: College Preparatory Award, Beta Club Citizenship Award, Beta Service Award, Missouri A+ Scholarship, Richland Community Scholarship, Dub and Helen Crutcher Scholarship.

Taylor Jacobs – Three Rivers College: Outstanding Art Cadet Teacher Award, Outstanding Art Painting Skills Award, Stoddard County Development Foundation Scholarship, D&D Trucking Scholarship, Essex Area Development Scholarship, Essex Lions Club Scholarship, Missouri A+ Scholarship, Federal Pell Grant.

Tyler Jacobs: Computer Maintenance Award.

Dexter T.S. Middle School- This listing of activities is a service offered by the ShowMe Times, working in partnership with the Dexter Public Schools for your convenience.

The ShowMe Times would like to encourage all of our readers to support our local school system. The education and growth of young people in our community is important to everyone's future.

We would like everyone to join us as we encourage these young students in their pursuits.

So lets get involved by supporting the events at our schools.

If you would like to submit information and a picture of a student and his/her accomplishments, send it to news@showmetimes.com. We would love to hear from you.

Dexter Senior High School - This listing of future activities is a service offered by the ShowMe Times, working in partnership with the Dexter Public Schools for your convenience.

We hope you will mark your calendar and we encourage everyone to support our local students and their activities.  The education and growth of young people in our community is the key to everyone's future!

If you would like to submit information and a picture of a student and his/her accomplishments, send it to news@showmetimes.com.

Dexter Senior High School- This listing of activities is a service offered by the ShowMe Times, working in partnership with the Dexter Public Schools for your convenience.

The ShowMe Times would like to encourage all of our readers to support our local school system. The education and growth of young people in our community is important to everyone's future.

We would like everyone to join us as we encourage these young students in their pursuits. 

So lets get involved by supporting the events at our schools.

If you would like to submit information and a picture of a student and his/her accomplishments, send it to news@showmetimes.com.  We would love to hear from you.

Written by

Beth Farrah, SMT Writer

Essex, Missouri – The Richland Rebels celebrated the end of the 2012-2013 school year on Friday, May 18^th. The school day ended with an early release, sending the students home at noon. It was a busy day for all students and faculty members, but it was especially busy for the high school seniors and the kindergartners, who were both preparing for graduation.

Both graduations took place in the gymnasium, but the kindergartners were the first to start their first graduation program after many successful practices earlier on Thursday and Friday. The program began at 6pm and there was a great turnout for the soon-to-be first graders. All of the kindergartners had a great first year of school and are excited to continue their elementary education at Richland with their new teachers in the fall.

While the kindergartners were celebrated the end to their first year of school, the seniors were graduating the end to their last year of high school. The senior graduation took place two hours later, at 8pm on the stage in the gymnasium, where senior classmate, Jesse Barnes, welcomed all of the visitors and began the ceremony. Mr. Nathan Rice from the Harvest Assembly Church of God in Essex, began the invocation and welcomed the salutatorian and valedictorian, Jessica Shidler and Kelly Motta.

During the presentation of scholarships, Richland’s counselor, Mrs. Michelle Chism, had quite a long list to give to the graduates. The students worked very hard and competed for multiple scholarships. A majority of the senior class is planning on going to college or pursuing a secondary education after high school.

Superintendent, Mr. Frank Killian, and high school and junior high principal, Mrs. Cindy Rhodes, were honored to present the class with their diplomas. Mr. Loyd Odum, President of the Richland R-1 Board of Education also congratulated the class and helped confer their diplomas. The junior class escorts included Tyler Maddox and Kayla Uhles, who were both chosen by the seniors to help guide them onto the stage and represent the upcoming class.

Tears began to pour during the special recognition, where the seniors passed out flowers to their family members, friends, and other important members that helped them get to this point in their life. The recognition was followed by the senior slideshow titled “Thirteen Years of Memories”, which many of the twelfth grade classmates worked very hard on most of the year to gather enough baby pictures, group pictures, and songs to create a timeline of their lives and all of the fun they had growing up year after year together.

When it came to the time to throw up their caps, the class song, “We All Roll Along” by The Maine played through the speakers. The class of 2013 was a joy to have at Richland and they were always a spirited and lively bunch, but even more than that, they were great role models for the underclassmen and always took great pride in helping others.

Their class motto was a quote from Mac Miller, “People change and things go wrong, but just remember life goes on”. Their class flower was the daisy and their class colors were lime green and turquoise. The seniors had a long and busy year with the help of their three class sponsors, Mrs. Lisa Taylor, Mrs. Samantha Jones, and Mr. Matt Cline.

The class had multiple successful years at Richland High School and ended with a successful graduation. The students will go on to do many great things and will continue to learn, grow, and thrive wherever they choose to go for the next chapter of their life.

Congratulations, Class of 2013!