Students, staff recognized at the Jan. 9 board meeting

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 this month.

Bridgeway Elementary School

T-shirt designer

Parkwood Elementary School fourth grader Brian Padilla Jimenez was selected as the winner of the Maryland Heights T-Shirt Design Contest for the premier collection of the Maryland Heights Swag Shop. The contest allowed all Maryland Heights residents to submit a design to be featured on T-shirts in the new shop collection, which is set to open this month. Padilla was also featured in the December-January issue of the Maryland Heights Life magazine.

Rose Acres Elementary School

Published authors

Students from Rose Acres Elementary School were selected to have their short stories published in the St. Louis Writers Guild: Young Writers Awards Collection anthology. In this annual contest, student authors from fourth through 12th grades are selected to have their stories published in an anthology that is available for purchase on Amazon. Students are invited to an awards ceremony and story-reading celebration on Jan. 13. Three students received honors for their story. Avery Dye received first place, Sean Hendrick received third place and Vivien Hescock received honorable mention. Eighth students from PEGS had their short stories selected for publication. They are: Kolton Carolson, Levi Dukes, Dawanzelle Hopson, Pearl Krieger, who had two short stories published in the anthology, Aaron Voss and Evelyn Yakel. These students are taught by Allison Bennett, Robin Chang, Gina McKelly and Nicole Youngquist.

A group of students and one teacher are shown standing next to each other at a recognition program.

Students from Rose Acres who had artwork selected for publication are, from left, front row, DJ Hopson, Vivien Hescock and Aaron Voss; second row, Avery Dye and Sean Hendrick; and, third row, Levi Dukes, Kolton Carlson and Robin Chang.

Willow Brook Elementary School

Fundraising honors

Willow Brook Elementary School fourth grader Gracie Smith was recognized as a Top 10 fundraiser of candies and nuts in the fall for the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri’s Project Thank You. Girl Scouts ask customers to purchase boxes for donation and, for every $5 donation, Project Thank You provides a box of Girl Scout cookies or candy or nut item to be distributed by USO of Missouri and Operation Food Search. Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri established this Treats and Reads and Cookie service project as a way to treat others in our community with kindness, caring and appreciation. As a top fundraiser, Smith joined a group at Lambert Airport on Dec. 18 that greeted and handed out candy and treats to soldiers traveling home from the Fort Leonard Wood military installation. Smith was interviewed by Fox 2 News about her experience greeting the soldiers and was featured in the special segment on their broadcast that day.

A young girl wearing a Girls Scouts shirt is shown at a recognition program.

Gracie Smith was a top fund raiser as part of the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri’s Project Thank You.

Pattonville High School

Orchestra honors

Students from Pattonville High School orchestra were selected to honor orchestra. Norina Shao was selected to the Missouri All-State Orchestra for violin. Students selected to the St. Louis All-Suburban Honors Orchestra were Sydney Hoynacki for bass, Harrison Killion for violin and Logan Monroe and William Truong for viola. The orchestra is directed by Paul Rueschhoff.

A group of students and one teacher are shown standing next to each other at a recognition program.

Members of the orchestra include, from left, front row, Norina Shao, Sydney Hoynacki, William Truong and teacher Paul Rueschhoff and, back row, Harrison Killion and Logan Monroe.

Cheer honors

The varsity cheer team competed at the state competition and placed fourth overall. In addition, two students on the team earned individual honors and were named to the all-state cheer team for jumps: Riesen Riley, who was tied for best jumps on the all-state team, and Chelsea Tate. Students who were part of the varsity cheer team that placed fourth at state were: Kenya Butler, Jaciess Clinton, Sarah Flippin, Danya Green, Gail Griffin, Journi Guthrie, Alyssa Hamilton, Akira Kendrick, Clare Ridings, Tristyn Russell, Kayleigh Schumer, Gabriella Serra and Imari Young. The cheer team is coached by Kalli Hunt.

Three female students are shown standing next to each other at a recognition program.

Members of the cheerleading team that placed at state include, from left, Akira Kendrick, Chelsea Tate and Riesen Riley.

Districtwide

Publication feature

Holman Middle School sixth grader Amelia MacLean and Parkwood Elementary School art teacher Janel MacLean were featured in The Interview Issue of Bee Culture, the magazine of American beekeeping. In this issue, Amelia shared her interest in honeybees, how she started keeping bees with her family and a recipe for her honey butter.

An adult and student are shown standing next to each other at a recognition program..

Teacher Janel MacLean, left, and sixth grader Amelia MacLean were featured in Bee Culture magazine.