Tri-Lakes Education Briefs

College of the Ozarks

College of the Ozarks Concert Band to present free concert May 2

The College of the Ozarks Concert Band will present a concert on Friday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m. in Jones Auditorium on the C of O campus. Admission is free and open to the public. “Utilizing a wide range of musical selections, the College of the Ozarks Concert Band will conclude the academic year with a performance of exciting and powerful music,” said Dr. Kevin Powers, director. “Highlights include the great march “Colossus of Columbia,” concertos for saxophone and euphonium played by two very talented student members of the band, and music from the Western movie, “Silverado.” We will also be playing a medley of musicals from the great Rodgers and Hammerstein. Come and enjoy a fun and meaningful evening of music with the C of O Concert Band.”

Hollister Schools

Hollister Boys Golf Team achieves remarkable success

Left to right: Johnson, Donohew, Hasler, Thomas, Retasket (Photo submitted)

The Hollister Boys Golf Team has been on an impressive run, securing notable finishes in two key tournaments. On April 17, the team tied for second place at the Aurora Varsity Tournament with a team-best score of 327. This strong performance was followed by a record-breaking finish at the Forsyth Tournament on April 21, where the team earned second place and set a new school record with a score of 321 at Holiday Hills Golf Course.

Throughout these two tournaments, several members of the team set personal tournament bests, demonstrating their growth and dedication. Wyatt Retasket, Jayden Thomas, Quaid Hasler, Layton Donohew and Connor Johnson all achieved their personal bests, contributing to the team’s success.

Hollister JROTC Color Guard places second at Western Regional Drill Championship

The Hollister High School ARMY JROTC Color Guard earned an impressive second place finish in the Open Color Guard Competition at the 2025 Rocky Mountain Western Classic Drill Meet and Color Guard on April 12 in Denver, Colorado.

Left to right: Cadets Helman, Cohen, Torres and Gomez (Photo submitted)

The Hollister team is composed of four cadets: Cadet Captain Ashanty Torres (Color Guard Commander), Cadet Major Sadie Gomez, Cadet Second Lieutenant Grace Cohen, and Cadet Command Sergeant Major Mary Helman.

The Hollister High School JROTC program is under the direction of Col. Brian Bart and 1SG Yale Barkefelt, who serves as the Color Guard Instructor.

Hollister City Administrator recognized by school district

The Hollister R-V School District is proud to announce Hollister City Administrator, Mr. Rick Ziegenfuss, as the recipient of the Board of Education’s Community Spotlight Award for April. This honor reflects his enduring commitment to making Hollister a better place to live, work and raise a family.

Sometimes people think you have to go somewhere else and do something different to make an impact. Rick Ziegenfuss has not had to go anywhere else to make a lasting impact on this world.

Ziegenfuss with Hollister BOE President, Andy Penrod (Photo submitted)

According to Dr. Brian Wilson, Superintendent of the Hollister R-V School District, the Hollister School District, the City of Hollister and the entire community have benefited because of the efforts of Rick Ziegenfuss. “Rick didn’t take any shortcuts to get us from where we were to where we are today, Wilson says, “We have all benefited from his hard work, his effort and the love he has consistently shown for this community.”

The Hollister R-V School District extends its heartfelt appreciation to Mr. Ziegenfuss for his extraordinary service and positive impact on the Hollister community and wishes him the best in his upcoming retirement.

Reeds Spring Schools

Hirschi sets school record in 1600-meter run

RSHS junior Max Hirschi ran 1600 meters in 4:23 at the Christian County Relays on April 18. That’s a new school record! Also at that meet, the boys 4x100 throwers relay placed first. For the girls, Emmarae Thompson placed third in the 100-meter hurdles and Allie Johnson was third in high jump.

Blood Drive at Reeds Spring High School

Blood drive, May 6, from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. in the RSHS Auxiliary Gym. Park in front of the high school and check in at the office. Make an appointment at www.rs-wolves.com

Table Rock Career Center

Career Center student wins state championship

Table Rock Career Center student Avery Sadler won first place in Nurse Assisting at the SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference.

Sadler, Parrish (Photo submitted)

Nine TRCC students competed. Here are the other results.

ShawnPaul Lautenschlager – second in Marine Technology; Corbin Connors – third in Marine Technology; Gracee Parrish - third in Nurse Assisting; Vincent Estes – fourth in IT Services; Lucia Esqueda – fifth in Culinary Arts; Lewis Louviere – seventh in Basic Healthcare; Libby Louviere –eighth in Early Childhood Ed; Logan Forbes – seventh in Marine Technology.

TRCC serves 11 schools in Stone, Taney, and Christian counties, preparing the next generation of skilled professionals.

Culinary program selected for Kids Feeding Kids Program

Table Rock Career Center’s Culinary Arts instructor, Jennifer Noriega, has been selected as one of five inaugural fellows in the Kids Feeding Kids Fellowship Program. This national initiative supports high school teachers who help students develop culinary skills while addressing food insecurity in their communities.

As part of this program, Mrs. Noriega’s program will receive funding, mentorship and professional development to expand food education, sustainability and community service. Funding comes in part from the 15 and the Mahomes Foundation, established by Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Mrs. Noriega’s class will cook and package meals for families in need. These projects will provide students with technical skills and a deeper understanding of community service.