Students participating in the Junior High Solo Festival, from left to right, were: front row – Levi Lucas, Kennedi Seiter, Amelia Mason, Audrey Dougherty, Eliza Mason, and Sophia Storm; and back row – Logan Kish, Wyatt Huntley, Izac Hurst, Cooper Daugherty, Desmond Chaney, Brandon Athen, Lily Wilroy, and Mya Welch.

 

Students receiving art awards, from left to right, were: Sara Newbanks, Anden Cohn, Thomas Spencer,  Hadleigh Jones, Keira Roup, Chaney Vogler, and Cali Driskell.

 

Students receiving drama awards, from left to right, were: front row – Cali Driskell, Sara Newbanks, Hadleigh Jones, Anneliese Clauson, Audrey Dougherty, and Taylor Pruett; and back row – Tarver Muntz, Thomas Spencer, Spencer Newbanks, Lily Wilroy, Derek Dush, Bannack Skillen, Andrea Dush, and Trulin Pankau.

 

Students receiving recognition for participation in band, from left to right, were: front row – Kinleigh Daugherty, Makaila Pruett, Hadleigh Jones (choir), Claire Miller, Audrey Dougherty, Sophia Storm, and Arianna Shimmel; middle row – Alisha Lomax, Anneliese Clauson, Kylie Beasing, Sara Newbanks, Alley Sharpless, and Lilly Pankau; and back row – Anden Cohn, Jaymes Herron, Ryan Lucas, Abby Minino, Brentyn Herron, Izac Hurst, Desmond Chaney, Lily Wilroy, and Mya Welch.

 

Logan Kish, right, was recognized for being seventh chair in the Junior High All-District Band. Cooper Daugherty, left, accompanied Logan and Mrs. Palmer.

 

The 2023-24 Auxiliary, from left to right, will include: front row – Logan Kish, Kinleigh Daugherty, Makaila Pruett, Audrey Dougherty, and Sophia Storm; and back row – Stephen Spencer, Lily Wilroy, Alley Sharpless, Lilly Pankau, Claire Miller, Arianna Shimmel, and Mya Welch.

 

Alisha Lomax, left, will be the 2023-2024 Drum Major. Anneliese Clauson, right, was the 2022-23 Drum Major. (Ken Miller photos)

The eighth annual Fine Arts Banquet was held May 9, 2023, at Rock Port High School. Mrs. Abby Palmer, Band and Choir Director, welcomed everyone and recognized students for their hard work throughout the year.

Mrs. Palmer began by recognizing Drum Major Anneliese Clauson. She also announced that Alisha Lomax would be the 2023-2024 Drum Major.

High school band letters were presented to the following: Kinleigh Daugherty (Auxiliary 1 only), first year; Lilly Pankau (+Auxiliary 2), Arianna Shimmel (+Auxiliary 2), Makaila Pruett (Auxiliary 2 only), Ryan Lucas, Jaymes Herron, and Anden Cohn, second year; and Abby Minino and Alisha Lomax, third year; and Kylie Beasing (+Auxiliary 3), Anneliese Clauson, and Sara Newbanks +Auxiliary 2), fourth year.

Mrs. Palmer gave special recognition to Brentyn Herron. He was in VoTech and couldn’t letter because he was not in band class the second semester. Brentyn still took a solo to district festival, played in County Band Day, filled in at the last minute at the large ensemble festival (sight-reading the music), and spent many of his eighth period hours practicing his music to be able to perform with the high school band at the spring concert.

Mrs. Palmer also recognized the eighth graders who are a part of the high school band class. They also cannot letter until next year, but deserve to be recognized for stepping up to the plate. They are: Sophia Storm, Claire Miller, Izac Hurst, Alley Sharpless, Audrey Dougherty, Gabe Gebhards, Desmond Chaney, Lily Wilroy, and Mya Welch.

This past spring the 8th-12th grade students performed at State Large Ensemble Festival and received an outstanding rating.

Brentyn Herron, Trulin Pankau, and Ryan Lucas were recognized for being Marching Band football players.

The following students received high school choir letters: Kinleigh Daugherty and Sara Newbanks, first year; Arianna Shimmel and Hadleigh Jones, second year.

Students recognized for high school district solo/small ensemble performances were: Anneliese Clauson, outstanding flute solo; Arianna Shimmel, outstanding vocal solo; Hadleigh Jones, outstanding vocal solo; Kylie Beasing, outstanding clarinet solo; Ryan Lucas, outstanding trumpet solo; Sara Newbanks, outstanding bass clarinet solo; Jaymes Herron, outstanding tenor sax solo; and Brentyn Herron, developing tuba solo.

Four-State Honor Band and Choir recognition went to Anneliese Clauson, Kylie Beasing, and Sara Newbanks, band; and Arianna Shimmel, Makaila Pruett, Hadleigh Jones, and Kinleigh Daugherty, choir.

Sara Newbanks, Hadleigh Jones, Arianna Shimmel, Taylor Pruett, and Kinleigh Daugherty were part of the Missouri Western State University High School Honor Choir.

Mrs. Palmer also gave special recognition to Bannack Skillen, Tarver Muntz, Logan Lomax, Thomas Spencer, Andrea Dush, Dereck Dush, Lily Wilroy for joining high school choir the last weeks of school. She said, “Their voices added so very much to our choir and I appreciate them so much!”

Logan Kish was recognized for being seventh chair in the Junior High All-District Band.

Students participating in the Junior High Solo Festival were: Levi Lucas, baritone; Eliza Mason and Izac Hurst, timpani; Amelia Mason,tambourine; Aidan Smyser and Kennedi Seiter, snare; Stella VanGundy, bass drum; Sophie Storm, mallets; Brandon Athen and Wyatt Huntley, trumpet; Logan Kish, flute; Logan Kish, Cooper Daugherty, and Audrey Dougherty, vocal; Cooper Daugherty, alto sax; Audrey Dougherty, clarinet; Jessa Geib, Lily Wilroy, and Mya Welch, flute; and Desmond Chaney, bari sax.

Students participating in the Junior High NWMCDA Honor Choir were: Lily Wilroy, Audrey Dougherty, Claire Miller, Morgan Garst, Brylea Shrader, Dayton Hays, Gabe Gebhards, and Braxton Melton-Davis.

Outstanding musicians were recognized: Dayton Hays and Morgan Garst, junior high choir, first semester; Cooper Daugherty and Braylyn Wood, junior high choir, second semester; and Stephen Spencer, junior high band.

Mrs. Palmer announced the 2023 auxiliary unit for next fall will be: twirlers – Claire Miller (feature), Logan Kish (indoor), and Audrey Dougherty (indoor); and flags – Kinleigh Daugherty, Makaila Pruett, Arianna Shimmel, Lilly Pankau, Alley Sharpless, Lily Wilroy (indoor), Mya Welch (indoor), Stephen Spencer (indoor), and Sophie Storm (indoor).

Mrs. Palmer closed with special thanks to Todd Herron and Jeremy Palmer.

Ms. Kerri Rodriguez presented drama awards for acting in “Murder by Ten,” to the following: Annelise Clauson as Peppy Sparks, Cali Driskell as Mrs. Priggish, Sara Newbanks as Dr. Nostrum, Tarver Muntz as Mr. Roper, Logan Lomax as Mr. Drudge, Spencer Newbanks as Mrs. Drudge, Dylan Kemerling as Judge Slayer, Stevie Pritt as General Blitz, Bannack Skillen as Mark Centrum, Hadleigh Jones as Lovely N. Kind, Derek Dush as The Voice, Audrey Dougherty as Detective Hound, Morgan Garst as Detective Clothes, and Thomas Spencer as Detective Foot. Drama awards for Crew in “Murder by Ten” were given to the following: Andrea Dush, stage manager; Lily Wilroy, sound; Derek Dush, stagehand; Annelise Clauson,  Andrea Dush, Jordan Jackson, Micah Makings, Zoey Hurst, Trulin Pankau, Taylor Pruett, and Derek Dush, set construction; and Taylor Pruett, makeup.

Mrs. Amy Skillen presented Scholar Bowl awards to the following: Dereck Dush, Logan Lomax, Tarver Muntz, and Spencer Newbanks, certificates of participation; Malachi Skillen, second year letter; Anneliese Clauson, Carter Gebhards, Sara Newbanks, and Bannack Skillen, third year letter; Bannack Skillen, All-Conference; and Bannack Skillen, All-District. The team finished the season as conference champions, conference tournament champions, and placed second in the district tournament.

Bannack Skillen was named to the All-Conference First Team (based on individual points scored in conference competitions).

Bannack Skillen and Malachi Skillen were named All-District (based on individual points scored morning of the district tournament).

Mass Media awards were presented by Mrs. Skillen to the following: Morgan Cofer, Blue Jay Yearbook Editor; Mikayla Makings, Co-Editor; Kylie Jo Nuckolls, Co-Editor, second place photography scavenger hunt (tie), third most pictures used in yearbook; Chaney Vogler, Photography Editor; Jaysa  Welch, Photography Editor, second most pictures used in yearbook; Rylee Jenkins, Blue Jay Corner Editor; Bannack Skillen, web page photo updates, most pictures used in yearbook; Carter Gebhards, social events planner, second place photography scavenger hunt (tie); Jenasey Mace, Business & Social Media Manager; Avery Meyerkorth, Blue Jay Corner Editor, photography scavenger hunt winner; Norah Watkins, Mass Media Staff, fourth most pictures used in yearbook; Malachi Skillen – Mass Media Staff, fifth most pictures used in yearbook; Dylan Kemerling, Mass Media Staff; Bayleigh Cooper, Mass Media Staff; Cali Driskell, Mass Media Staff; Jacoby Driskell, Mass Media Staff; QJ Jackson, Mass Media Staff; Ella Meyerkorth, Mass Media Staff; Keira Roup, Mass Media Staff; and Emma Teten, volunteer photographer.

Receiving Mass Media Supporter Certificates of Appreciation (pictures were used in the yearbook) were: Jennifer Blakeman, Crystal Goins, Stacy Hughes, W.C. Farmer, Stacy Hughes, Kenneth Miller, Donnie Parsons, Stephanie Parsons, and Payten Shrader

Jennifer Rueckert presented the following students art awards: Anden Cohn, 3-D; Hadleigh Jones, painting; Keira Roup, abstract painting; Chaney Vogler, collage; Sara Newbanks, fibers; Thomas Spencer, presentation; Jacoby Driskell, figure drawing; Justice Braniff, independent study and mentor; and Cali Driskell, portrait drawing and placing in exhibit.