Timberland's Wise Receives State Academic Honor

Timberland High School senior Jacob Wise has been selected for the 2013 Missouri Scholars 100, a statewide program that honors 100 of Missouri’s top academic students in the graduating class of 2013. Timberland senior Clarissa Mate received an Honorable Mention.  

Missouri Scholars 100 is a program sponsored by the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals. Schools across Missouri are invited to nominate candidates for this state-wide recognition. The selection is based primarily on a formula using the student's grade point average and ACT or SAT score. Each student nominated had to first meet the criteria of an "Academic Decathlon", which included ten events, designed to test the academic strength of the student.

To meet the decathlon requirements, the student must have had a minimum GPA of 3.750, a minimum ACT score of 29 or a minimum SAT score of 1,900, be ranked in the upper ten percent of the class, and have taken upper level courses in mathematics, science, English, and a foreign language. The student must also have excellent attendance, be an exemplary school citizen, and be involved in school activities.

Wise has a 4.34 GPA and scored a 34 on the ACT. He has also scored a perfect 5 on multiple AP tests in calculus, physics and statistics. Wise was named a National Merit Scholarship Finalist this year and has been taking classes at the Missouri Academy, which is housed on the campus of Northwest Missouri State University, for the past two years. 

He will graduate in May with both his high school degree from Timberland and an Associate of Science Degree from Northwest. While at Timberland, Wise was inducted into the National Honor Society, tutored in connection with Missouri’s A+ Program, and was a member of both the Math Team and the Scholar Bowl Team. Wise will be honored at a luncheon at the Holiday Inn Executive Center in Columbia, MO on April 28, 2013.

From the Wentzville School District. 

DECA Students Excel at State Competition and Advance to Internationals

Dozens of Holt and Timberland High School marketing students joined 1,700 of their Missouri counterparts for the 65^th Missouri DECA State Career Development Conference at the Lodge of Four Seasons at the Lake of the Ozarks on March 17-19. During the statewide conference, DECA members were evaluated by more than 100 business and industry professionals who served as competitive event judges. 

Students competed as individuals or in teams in a variety of categories, and were asked to solve realistic workplace problems through one-on-one interaction with an executive or community member. Twenty-five WSD students qualified for the DECA International Career Development Conference/Competition in Anaheim, California on April 24-28. 

The winners from Holt were Courtney Jones, Ally Berry, Karlie Cavanaugh, Paige David, Sarah Wright, Olivia Bogolin, Abi Corbett, Alyssa Huffman, Josh Gilmore, Max Scholle, Brian Birza, David Jack and Nathan Hinds. 

The Timberland winners were Roshan Poptani, Sean McGuire, Mady Young, Kristen Kaestner, Jordan Brown, Morgann Mueller, Taylor Wenger, Bre Eckert, Shae Strom, Matt Thies, Aaron Owens and Kelsie Eckert.

The theme of this year’s conference, "SHINE!" focused on professional development, leadership, dressing for success, and community service.

Missouri students also raised funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association as part of DECA’s international civic consciousness project. 

DECA is an international association of high school students studying marketing, management and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality, and marketing sales and service. For more information, visit www.deca.org.

From the Wentzville School District

Timberland HS Journalists Bring Home Top Honors

The Timberland High School Publications Department brought home multiple awards from this year’s Sponsors of School Publications of Greater St. Louis Conference and Competition. The overall 2011-12 Yearbook was rated excellent and the overall 2012-13 newspaper received an Honorable Mention. This year’s SSP convention featured numerous guest presenters from a variety of media outlets including the St. Louis Post Dispatch, KMOV-TV and School Tube. Workshops gave students the opportunity to move outside the classroom and interact with industry professionals in subjects such as column writing, iPhoneography, embracing multimedia, and increasing editorial leadership skills.

“The conference was beneficial, because it taught me a lot I didn’t know and showed me a new way to think about journalism,” said sophomore Savannah Summerlin. For many, the highlight of the conference was hearing keynote speaker Mary Beth Tinker discuss the Tinker vs. Des Moines Supreme Court case, which dealt with the issue of censorship in schools. “It was awesome listening to someone who recognized a problem with society and stood up for what they believed in,” said senior Madyson Young. “It was very inspiring, listening to her talk about the struggles and setbacks that she overcame and how she is still reaping the benefits of attaining that goal.”

Students from around Missouri and western Illinois also submitted pieces in a variety of categories to be judged. As the panel reviewed the pieces, they also provide written critiques and constructive criticism. Timberland journalists won the following awards:

Yearbook

•           Becca Wilson - Best in Show - People Design

•           Becca Wilson - Best in Show - Student Life Design

•           Emily Baltz - Superior - Sports Design

•           Reagan Snavely - Superior - Student Life Design

•           Becca Wilson and Megan Podhorsky - Excellent - Student Life Design 

•           Reagan Snavely - Excellent People Class Design

•           Becca Wilson - Honorable Mention - Sports Photography

•           Hannah Roeper and Becca Wilson - Honorable Mention - Sports 

               Design

•           Reagan Snavely - Honorable Mention - Sports Design

•           Staff - Honorable Mention- Overall Theme Development

Newspaper

•           Sarah Reed - Superior - Front Page Design

•           Kristen Kaestner, Maddie Nowling and Mady Young - Excellent - 

               Double Truck  Design

•           Chance Koch - Honorable Mention - Info Graphic

•           Lauren Wortman - Honorable Mention - Sports News

“I’m so proud of all my students have accomplished,” adviser and journalism teacher Ida Hoffmann said. “It’s important for students to see their hard work recognized amongst their peers.” Timberland High School produces a 250 page fall distribution book and eight monthly issues of the Wolf’s Howl Newspaper. The content is created entirely by students, with the exception of the people photos. For more information on the Sponsors of School Publications of Greater St. Louis, please visit www.ssp-stl.org.

From the Wentzville School District

Holt Band presents "An Evening with the Boston Brass"

The Wentzville Holt High School Band will present:

“An Evening with the Boston Brass” 

on Monday, April 8^th at 7:00 p.m. the in C.H. Jones Auditorium.  Advance tickets are $8.00 for adults and $4.00 for non-band member students.  Tickets will be $10.00 and $5.00 at the door.  All band members from Wentzville Middle School and Holt High School will be admitted free.

For 26 years, Boston Brass has set out to establish a one-of-a-kind musical experience. From exciting classical arrangements, to burning jazz standards, and the best of the original brass quintet repertoire, Boston Brass treats audiences to a unique brand of entertainment, which captivates all ages. The ensemble's lively repartee, touched with humor and personality, attempts to bridge the ocean of classical formality to delight audiences in an evening of great music and boisterous fun. The philosophy of Boston Brass is to provide audiences with a wide selection of musical styles in unique arrangements, provided in a friendly and fun atmosphere.

The concert is being sponsored by the Wentzville Holt Band Program and the Wentzville Holt Band Boosters with help from area music stores and the Jupiter Band Instrument Company. For advance ticket information please contact Jim Cunningham at jimcunningham@wentzville.k12.mo.us or call 636-327-3876 ext. 26289.

From the Wentzville School District

Timberland's Hunter Stahl commits to Westminster College

Timberland High School senior Hunter Stahl has committed to play football for the Blue Jays of Westminster College in Fulton, MO. 

With his father Mike by his side, Stahl signed his National Letter of Intent at Timberland High School. 

“I really like the campus,” said Stahl. “It’s a great location and it has a good football program.” 

Stahl has been a four year honor roll student and named to the GAC All-Academic Team. He holds a 3.0 GPA and was a member of the Wolves Track Team for three years as well. Stahl is active in his church youth group and volunteers at youth football camps. 

He plans to study sports management at Westminster. 

From the Wentzville School District

Senator Rupp visits Heritage Elementary

Missouri State Senator Scott Rupp spoke to students at Heritage Intermediate on Nov. 30 about the important functions of state government. 

The Senator divided the 172 fourth graders into two groups, one representing the Missouri Senate and the other the Missouri House of Representatives. Senator Rupp asked the students for ideas that they thought would make a good law. Students responded with items that included a law mandating ice cream at school, not having to make up snow days and one that would make the school day shorter. Additionally, a suggestion was made that a mandatory six-hour recess would make a great law, and quite a few students agreed. 

One of those in agreement was 10-year old Abi Jessen, who, when recognized by the President of the Senate, said “Mr. President, we should have six hours of recess because it would give us more energy to learn.” 

Another student and member of the Senate, Olivia Harmann, argued against the bill saying “I think it’s a bad idea to have a six-hour recess because we wouldn’t be spending that time learning.” 

The bill ultimately passed a voice vote in both the House and Senate, but Governor (and fourth grade teacher) Brandis Genebacher quickly vetoed the legislation. “We have too much important learning to do.” The veto was overridden in the Senate, but lost by one vote in the House, so there would be no change in recess on this day. 

“This is a fun exercise that shows students what we actually do in the Capitol,” said Senator Rupp. “They learn how we make laws, why we make them, and how difficult the process can be sometimes. But in the end they have a much better idea of how government works on a daily basis. This is one of the most fun things I get to do as a Senator.” 

From the Wentzville School District

Holocaust survivor shares story with students

On Thursday, November 29th, Holocaust survivor Ben Fainer shared his moving story with eighth grade students from Wentzville Middle School. In communication arts class these students are reading "Night" by Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel, based upon his story of survival while in the concentration camps. WMS teachers Marcus Hirsch and Scott Kiehl arranged for Mr Fainer to visit with the students and share his own story.

"My message is my experience," said Mr. Fainer with a shrug. "I had the greatest mother in the world, and she was taken away from me when I was 9 1/2 years old by the Nazis, and she perished in Auschwitz. So I remind these children that they should listen to their mother."

Born Bendet Fajner in Poland in 1930, Mr. Fainer was separated from his mother and his siblings and sent to the Buchenwald concentration camp by the Nazis in 1939. He still bears the tattoo ID number 178873 on his left forearm. "To survive the camps you had to be able to walk and to work in the factory. If you couldn't do either, you would soon be dead."

After more than six years spent in several different camps, he was finally liberated by the U.S.Army's 26th Infantry Division in April of 1945. After the war, he lived in Ireland and Canada before settling in St. Louis. "The children in America, what they have is greater than any other children anywhere in the world. They have the world on a string."

"I have done a lot of research on the Holocaust, but this was the first time I had heard a survivor speak," said eighth grader Amy Smith. "It was really eye opening, and I thought he was very strong to talk about it after all he has been through, I was impressed. It's something my kids won't be able to experience, so I was very lucky today."

As students lined up to hug Mr. Fainer and have their picture taken with him after the assembly, student Hunter Mize said he had been moved by his presentation. "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to listen to someone who survived, and is brave enough to tell us about his experiences. I think everyone should know what happened in WWII, how these people suffered, because what Hitler did was so evil and filled with such hatred. People need to know what the Jewish people went through in the Holocaust, so nothing like this could ever happen again."

From the Wentzville School District