Each month during the school year, the Pattonville Board of Education honors students, staff and volunteers who have gained recognition outside of the district or who’ve made a special contribution to Pattonville. Learn more about students and staff who were recognized in December.

Bridgeway Elementary School

Excellence in Teaching

Bridgeway Elementary School administrative intern Leslie Jones was selected as a recipient of the 2022 Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award. The annual program recognizes St. Louis area instructors, selected by their schools’ administrators, for their accomplishments and dedication to their students and the teaching profession. This spring, Pattonville School District named Leslie, who was then a first grade teacher at Bridgeway, its Teacher of the Year.

Rose Acres Elementary School

Young Writers

Six students from Rose Acres Elementary School were selected to have their short stories published in the St. Louis Writers Guild’s Young Writers Awards anthology. Fourth grader Levi Dukes received third place for his story. Students named as finalists were fourth graders Pearl Kreiger, Andrew Meyer-Tuter and John Quinn and fifth graders Donald McCullough and Samy Nekka. Their teachers are Robin Chang and Nicole Youngquist.

Rose Acres Elementary School students, from left, Levi Dukes, Samy Nekka and Donald McCullough had short stories they wrote published in the St. Louis Writers Guild’s Young Writers Awards anthology.

Pattonville High School

Journalism honors

Students in Pattonville High School’s publications program attended the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention in St. Louis where they competed in the JEA National Student Media Contests (NSMC). Out of more than 1,000 competitors, judges handed out just 168 Excellent ratings. Senior Matthew Jacobi earned an Excellent rating in the News Editing/Headline/Current Events category. Matthew completed a two-hour test that assessed copy-editing skills and knowledge of current events, politics and newsworthy people. He had to write headlines for two stories and was not allowed use of any spell-checking aid, an Associated Press (AP) Stylebook, dictionary or thesaurus.

In addition, two Pattonville senior journalism students wrote stories that were selected for the special Old Newsboys Day edition newspaper. Old Newsboys Day is an annual fundraiser held on the Thursday before Thanksgiving where volunteers sell the special edition newspaper on street corners. Ava Hooper Bearskin wrote an article titled “Guiding Grieving Families” about infant loss resources and Rebecca Simpkins wrote about LOGOS, a success school, in her article “Finding Hope, Healing and a Promising Future.” The journalism students are advised by English and journalism teacher Travis Armknecht.

100 Neediest Cases artwork

Two students from Pattonville High School submitted artwork to the 100 Neediest Cases art contest sponsored by the United Way and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Art by junior Kristen Bowers was selected among the top 40 entries and will appear in the print and online editions of St. Louis Post-Dispatch through the holiday season. Junior Loralai Ruzzo also had artwork selected for the program. Both students will have their work on display at the Missouri History Museum from Dec. 12 to Jan. 9. The art students are in Beth Kathriner’s Drawing 2 class.

Boys soccer conference champions

The Pattonville High School boys soccer team was conference champions. Students earned individual all-conference recognition as well. Students named all-conference first team were seniors Kyle Kaemmerer, Christopher Magana Toledo and Jadon Trice. Senior Max McFarland was named all-conference second team. Senior Beckett Grabner was named conference goal keeper of the year. Students named academic all-conference were Charlie Burns, Jack Flores, Joshua Gallardo Aguilar, Grabner, Brandon Hurtado, Mark Kendrick, John Kiso, Tyler Manker, Paul Palermo, AJ Swartwout and Isaiah White. Additional members of the conference championship soccer team were Nehemiah Arefaine, Nick Drayton, Emilio Garcia Torres, Benny Kibombi, Alex Knight and Jeffrey McKinney. The soccer team was coached by Marcus Christian with the assistance of Tom Iffrig.

Shown are members of the conference championship soccer team. They include, from left, front row AJ Swartwout, Beckett Grabner, Brandon Hurtado and coach Tom Iffrig and, back row, Joshua Gallardo Aguilar, Benny Kibombi and Max McFarland.

Girls volleyball conference champions

The Pattonville High School volleyball team was named conference champions and set a record for most wins in a season at the high school. Additionally, many players were recognized with individual honors. Students named academic all-state include freshman Jenna Cochran, sophomore Reagan Nelson, junior Kylie Surratt and senior Sarah Pieper, who was also named all-region Best and “Brightest first team. Nelson was also named All-Metro second team. Players named all-district first team were Nelson, senior Paige Rowland and Surratt and those named all-district second team were Cochran and Pieper. Members of the team also received all-conference honors. Nelson and Surrat were selected as conference co-players of the year. Rowland was named all-conference first team. Players named all-conference second team were Cochran, sophomore Faith Cunningham and Pieper. Senior Athena Housley received the all-conference sportsmanship award. Players named academic all-conference were Cochran, Housley, Nelson, Pieper, Rowland and Surrat. Additional members of the conference championship team are Jordyn Courson, Shea Duncan, Larissa Harned, Jasmine Harris, Tamia Lewis, Isabella Stark, Kiley Wallace and Alaja Worsham. The volleyball team was coached by Jenell Franken with the assistance of Allie McNamara.

Members of the conference championship volleyball team include, from left, Jenna Cochran, Larissa Harned and Kiley Wallace.

Boys swimming honors

Members of the boys swimming and diving team qualified for multiple events at the state competition. The 200 yard medley relay team of freshman Ethan Arana, sophomores Ian Artelt and Adam Reddy and junior Jack Pfister placed 23rd. The 200 yard freestyle relay team placed 29th and included Arana, junior Kaden Camenzind, Pfister and Reddy. Finally, the 400 yard freestyle relay team of Camenzing, Pfister, Reddy and junior Brennan Shipman placed 30th. The swim team was coached by Anna Braswell with the assistance of Tom Crockett.

Shown are, from left, swimmers Ethan Arana, Ian Artelt, Adam Reddy and Jack Pfister.

Cross country honors

Junior Luke Stevenson placed eighth overall at state and was the top runner from the St. Louis area. His time set a new record in the 3.1 mile race and was the best finish at state from a Pattonville athlete since 1968. He was also named all-metro first team and all-conference first team. Additionally, sophomore Simon Muthemba and senior Rebecca Simpkins also qualified for state and recorded their best times of the season at the state race. These students were coached by Matt McClelllan and Margaret Hall with the assistance of Kathleen Gengler and Caleb Stroop.

Sophomore Simon Muthemba qualified for state in cross country and recorded his best times of the season at the race.

Field hockey honors

Seven students at Pattonville High School earned all-conference recognition in field hockey. Senior Ka' Nia Barton was named all-conference first team and sophomore Helena Christmann was named all-conference second team. Six additional students were named academic all-conference. They are Amelia Baugher, Christmann, Peyton Gregory, Makenzie Heinz, Ana Mendiola, Lauren Pinedo. The field hockey team was coached by Jessica Hale with the assistance of MaryClare Stoker.

Ka'Nia Barton, left, and Helena Christmann earned all-conference honors in field hockey.

Football honors

Students from Pattonville High School were named all-conference in football. Students named all-conference first team were seniors Tory Allen as defensive back and August Heiligenstein for offensive line and defensive line and juniors Terrell Porter Jr. as linebacker and DeAndre Rush Jr. as wide receiver. Students named all-conference second team were junior Michael Allen as running back; senior Bryon McNair as quarterback; sophomore Bryan Orta as linebacker; senior Tony Porter Jr. as linebacker; Rush Jr. as offense kick returner and freshman Xavier Stepney for defensive line. Students named all-conference honorable mention include Michael Allen as linebacker; senior Jason Boyd as defensive end; sophomore Clinton Griffin III as linebacker; junior Lawrence Jackson as running back; senior Mike Montoya Jr. as wide receiver; senior Vintez Moss as wide receiver and kick returner; Orta as punter and kicker; Rush Jr. as defensive back; senior Dylan Stewart as wide receiver; and senior DaVeon Washington for offensive line. Students named academic all-conference are McNair, Montoya Jr. and Stewart. Orta also received the all-conference sportsmanship award as linebacker. The football team was coached by Steve Smith with the assistance of Corey Lewis, Travis Harris and Bernard Quinn.

Football players, from left, Lawrence Jackson, Byron McNair, Dylan Stewart and Xavier Stepney earned all-conference honors.

Girls golf honors

Five students from Pattonville High School earned all-conference honors in golf. Sophomores Mackenzie Cain and Zelletta Wyatt were named all-conference first team. Junior Tehya Cox Potter was named all-conference second team. Juniors Jennean Barghouty and Cameryn Neumann were named all-conference honorable mention. The golf team was coached by David Gross with the assistance of Scott Hutson.

Golfers named to all-conference teams are Mackenzie Cain, left, and Tehya Cox Potter.

Softball honors

Students from Pattonville High School received a variety of honors for softball. Students selected to all-region teams are sophomore Sarah Rizzello for first team as a utility player and senior Allison Schrumpf for second team as an infielder. Softball players were also named to all-district teams. Those named all-district first team are senior Karmen Daniels as an outfielder, Rizello and Schrumpf. All-district second team players are senior Madison Leckrone as an infielder, senior Sam Newton as a catcher and junior Alli Pearia as an infielder. Players were also named to all-conference teams. Those selected all-conference first team are senior Sam Heine as catcher, Rizzello and Schrumpf. Players named all-conference second team are Daniels, Leckrone, Newtown as an infielder and Pearia. Players named academic all-conference are Alivia Ball, Sophia Kelly, Leckrone, Cassie Medley O'Brien, Kenzie Newell and Schrumpf. Daniels also received the all-conference sportsmanship award. The softball team was coached by Danelle Emerick with the assistance of Victor Fink.

Softball players who earned honors are Alivia Ball, left, and Sophia Kelly.

Tennis honors

Junior Norina Shao was named all-conference first team for singles and doubles. Senior Emma Artelt was named all-conference first team for doubles. Senior Tara Wang received the all-conference sportsmanship award. They were coached by Jeff Grass with the assistance of Emily McDaniel.

Tennis players Norina Shao, left, and Emma Artelt earned all-conference honors.