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 March.
Districtwide
MLK Essay-Poster Contest
Students from Rose Acres Elementary School and Remington Traditional School participated in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay-Poster Contest sponsored by the Missouri National Education Association (MNEA). The theme for this year’s contest was “Fulfilling Dr. King’s Dream: Reading to Lead and Transform.” Four students placed in the state competition after winning at the district level. From Rose Acres, the following students earned recognition. Second grader Maxwell Schneider placed third in the Grades 2-3 category. In the fourth and fifth grade category, fifth graders William Purnell placed second and Donald McCullough placed third. They are taught by Program for Exceptionally Gifted Students (PEGS) teacher Robin Chang. At Remington, eighth grader Lakshita Raja placed second in the Grades 6-8 category. She is taught by Students in Gifted-Minded Activities (SIGMA) teacher Dodie Logue.
Shown are the students who earned recognition through the MLK Essay-Poster Contest. They are, from left, front row, Maxwell Schneider and Lakshita Raja and, back row, William Purnell and Donald McCullough and Rose Acres Elementary School teacher Robin Chang.
Pattonville High School
St. Louis City SC Player
Pattonville High School senior Miguel Perez signed a three-year Major League Soccer (MLS) Homegrown contract to play on the St. Louis City SC team as a midfielder. An MLS Homegrown contract allows teams to sign local players from their own development academies directly to their rosters if they are with the team’s youth academy for at least a year and meet all of the training and retention requirements. To date, Miguel has played in all three of the team’s games, including the St. Louis home opener on March 4. City SC is only the second expansion team in MLS history to start 3-0. Another record, Miguel is the first St. Louisan to play for the team and, as of Saturday’s game, he’s now the first St. Louisian to start for it. So far he’s played a total of 99 minutes.
Miguel Perez signed a homegrown contract to play MLS soccer with City SC.
National Youth Leadership Forum
Pattonville High School junior Sai Dorasani participated in the National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF) is an organization that offers career exploration programs for students. She attended an eight day engineering program hosted at Rice University in Houston, Texas, during the summer of 2022. At the program, participants learned from industry experts, experienced site visits and simulations and worked on a Capstone Impact Challenge.
Sai Dorasani participated in the National Youth Leadership Forum.
Project Pave
Freshman Sophia Luraschi was selected to represent the I-270 Project Pave program at Governor Mike Parson’s State of the State Address to the Missouri General Assembly in Jefferson City on Jan. 18. Luraschi was recognized during the speech and was able to visit the governor’s office where she met Gov. Parson, first lady Teresa Parson, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and several directors from the Missouri Department of Transportation. MoDOT and its contracting team leaders created Project Pave as a program that mentors and supports students attending St. Louis County high schools near the I-270 North project and aims to support students with an interest in highway design, engineering and construction careers.
Eagle Scout honor
High school senior Benjamin Wallace received his Eagle Scout rank. His Eagle Scout project was to create a raised wooden garden bed for the Mound Ridge Retreat Center. Wallace was responsible for the planning, design, supply procurement and building of the garden bed.
Benjamin Wallace earned his Eagle Scout rank.
UMSL Bridge Summer Program
The University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) Bridge Program offers students enrichment opportunities in math, communication skills, career research, personal and professional development and other activities that support planning for college. Five students from Pattonville High School were among those selected to participate in the 2022 Bridge Program Summer Academy where they attended classes and workshops on UMSL’s campus, concluding with a recognition ceremony. The following students completed the program: sophomores Jabari Coleman, Demetrius Johnson, Daniel Rose and Brianna Washington and junior Jerl Huling Jr.
Students who graduated from the UMSL Bridge Program include Jerl Huling Jr., left, and Daniel Rose.
Youth Advisory Board
Students from Pattonville High School were accepted to Missouri State Sen. Brian Williams’ Youth Advisory Board. The group consists of two monthly meetings with Sen. Williams where students from across the St. Louis region meet to discuss relevant issues. The students also work on a long-term project focused on food insecurity and create and grow partnerships in the St. Louis region to address the issue. On March 27, the students will visit the state capitol to watch an in-person legislative session. The students accepted to the Youth Advisory Board are: sophomore Carlos Sandoval Pina, juniors Cyan Kelley and Nia Warren and senior Matthew Kliethermes.
Youth Advisory Board participants include Cyan Kelley, left, and Carlos Sandoval Pina.
District
NSPRA 35 Under 35
The National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) recognized 35 school public relations professionals across the nation for their impact in school districts or education-related employers. Pattonville’s chief communications officer, Kelly Gordon, APR, was selected as a member of NSPRA’s 2022-2023 35 Under 35 class.
