Tri-Lakes Education News
- Submitted to Branson Globe
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
BRANSON SCHOOLS
Spring Signing Day at Branson High School
Branson High School saw six seniors sign to various colleges and universities to continue their athletic journey at the collegiate level. Congratulations to each of these Pirate athletes!
· Abigail Burdick: Evangel University, Track
· Savanah Engel: College of the Ozarks, Cheer
· Elle Johnson: Arizona Christian University, Stunt
· Hunter Reynolds: Simpson College, Football / Track
· Juan Rivera: Friends University, Football
· Kale Zeller: North Arkansas, Golf
Branson School Board election results announced
At the recent Branson School Board meeting, Lane McConnell was honored for her six years of dedicated service on the Branson Public Schools Board of Education. Sonja Myer and Dustin Price were reelected to the board, and newly elected member Richard Marks was sworn in. Each will serve three-year terms.
Reorganization of the Board included the following: Sonja Myer, president; Dustin Price, vice president; Dr. Jack Harris, treasurer; and Shelley Sloan, Board secretary.
COLLEGE OF THE OZARKS
College of the Ozarks Dairy Manager Ryan Bilyeu receives Honorary State FFA Degree
The Missouri FFA Association has named Ryan Bilyeu, general farm manager and dairy manager at College of the Ozarks, as a recipient of the Honorary State FFA Degree at the 98th Missouri FFA Convention.
Bilyeu plays a vital role in supporting agricultural education through his work at the College. He organizes workshops for FFA students, provides cattle for Dairy Judging Career Development Events (CDE), and has served as both a CDE official and reasons judge.
The Missouri FFA Association awards the Honorary State FFA Degree to individuals who demonstrate outstanding support and dedication to FFA and agricultural education. Eligible recipients include farmers, educators, administrators, business professionals and others who contribute to advancing the mission of the organization and enriching the experiences of its members.
The Missouri FFA serves more than 27,000 student members across 369 chapters statewide. The National FFA Organization includes more than 1,042,245 members representing 9,407 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
FFA seeks to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.
College of the Ozarks to hold commencement ceremonies, hosts other services
College of the Ozarks hosted multiple upcoming ceremonies in honor of 353 graduating seniors: 83 Bachelor of Arts, 248 Bachelor of Science, and 22 Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The top five majors of the graduating class are nursing, psychology, criminal justice, elementary education and business administration/conservation & wildlife management. Additional ceremonies were held for nursing and military science students.
A Baccalaureate Service was held on April 27 in Williams Memorial Chapel.
The Commencement Ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 9, at 10 a.m. in The Howell W. Keeter Athletic Complex on the College campus. During the commencement, a military ceremony will be held to honor the officer candidates who will be commissioned as second lieutenants into the Missouri Army National Guard.
The Commencement Ceremony
Dr. Brad Johnson, president of College of the Ozarks, expressed the importance of celebrating graduation and preparing students for a Christ-centered life: “We are proud of our graduates — their academic, work and personal accomplishments are notable. But, their perseverance, compassion and the observable deepening of their faith truly makes them distinguished.”
Carrie Sheffield, bestselling author, broadcaster and musician, will speak at Commencement at 10 a.m. in The Howell W. Keeter Athletic Complex. Carrie Sheffield is a writer, government official and musician based in Arlington, Virginia, and author of the bestselling book “Motorhome Prophecies: A Journey of Healing and Forgiveness.” She serves as board vice chair of the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation and previously held leadership roles at America First Policy Institute. Sheffield is known for her message of resilience, drawing from her personal journey of overcoming hardship and finding faith.
The Bobcat GOLD Commissioning Ceremony
Every year during Commencement, officer candidates are commissioned as part of the ceremony. This year, the following will be commissioned into the U.S. Army.
Officer Candidate John Vollmann, business administration major, will be commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Missouri Army National Guard.
Upon commissioning, Vollmann will branch in the Engineer Corps with the 635th Forward Engineer Support Team in Mexico, Missouri. Vollmann will attend the Engineer Corps Basic Officer Leadership Course at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, following graduation.
Officer Candidate Blake Wheeler, history major, will be commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Missouri Army National Guard. Upon commissioning, Wheeler will branch as a Logistics officer with the 835th Quartermaster Company in Warrensburg, Missouri. Wheeler will attend the Logistics Branch Basic Officer Leadership Course at Fort Lee, Virginia, following graduation.
REEDS SPRING SCHOOLS
Reeds Spring Primary School April Learners of the Month
Reeds Spring Middle School recognizes H.O.W.L. Students
Reeds Spring Middle School recently recognized students who displayed Habits of Work and Learning (H.O.W.L.). One of those habits is Perseverance.
TABLE ROCK CAREER CENTER
Table Rock Career Center students shine at state competitions
Table Rock Career Center is earning a reputation for producing students who are workforce-ready. These students are proving themselves at statewide competitions.
Kaden Colman and David Scott placed third at the Show-Me Science Fair. They were invited to compete in Missouri’s first-ever statewide science fair. At the SkillsUSA State Competition, Natylei Fish placed third in Basic Healthcare Skills, and Colin Hejlek placed third in Marine Service Technology.
Table Rock Career Center Professionals of the Month
Four students enrolled in the Auto Technology program are the Table Rock Career Center Professionals of the Month. Congratulations to Branson High School junior Carson Nokes, Spokane junior Jeremy White, Crane senior Gavin Kram and Reeds Spring senior David Head.
STONE AND TANEY COUNTY SCHOOLS
A ‘Night in the Arts’ leads to better days for schools
Fourteen school districts in Stone and Taney counties will soon have some additional money to better serve students. The fundraiser, A Night in the Arts, was held on April 19 at Yakov’s Theatre in Branson.
The event included a silent auction of student artworks, a live auction of donated prizes, vocal performances by high school choirs and a candlelight symphony performed by members of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. An Outstanding Educator Award was also presented to Beth Funcannon of Crane Schools.
“A Night in the Arts was everything we hoped for our inaugural event,” said Katie Adams of the Hollister Schol Foundation. “Fourteen public schools across Stone and Taney County showcased their talents, celebrating the arts while raising funds for over 14,000 students and staff. It was wonderful to see the incredible talent of our local youth and provide them with an opportunity to share it with the community.”
Every district contributed student art, and every piece was purchased during the silent auction. Additionally, students from Table Rock Career Center prepared hors d’oeuvres and helped with traffic control. The proceeds will be distributed fairly among all of the districts. Here is a list of the school districts that will receive funding: Blue Eye, Bradleyville, Branson, Crane, Forsyth, Galena, Hollister, Hurley, Kirbyville, Mark Twain, Reeds Spring, Shell Knob, Spokane, and Taneyville