The Poplar Bluff School District qualified nationally in a total of 16 competitions at the recent state Beta conventions in which 113 R-I students participated in.
Piper Duncan of Poplar Bluff High School placed first in Division II Onsite Drawing; Kylie Darnell placed second in Division II Digital Art; Dean Hester placed third in Ninth Grade Math; and Adeeti Mishra placed fifth in Twelve Grade Math during the Missouri Senior Beta Convention held last month in Springfield.
In addition, Emma Papanicolaou earned a Golden Ticket during the Solo Talent dance routine, further qualifying to perform as part of the opening ceremony of the National Beta Convention slated for July in Nashville. For the first time, PBHS also had a student run as a candidate for vice president of the student organization, according to co-sponsor Stephanie Kuper. “While we didn’t win, I am incredibly proud of the candidate, Nya Cram, and all the students who participated in the campaign skit,” Kuper said.
During the Junior Beta Convention, hosted prior at the Convention Center, the Poplar Bluff Middle School team of Camden Donnell, Bridget Popp, Clint Wallace and Addy Yarbro placed first in Elementary Quiz Bowl – Oral, as well as second in Written; Mason Howell of Lake Road placed second in Elementary Speech; Jackson Kennedy of Junior High placed second in Seventh Grade Science; Tenley Moss placed second in Elementary Performing Arts – Solo; Christian Acevedo of Middle School placed third in Fifth Grade Science; Alex Gholson of Lake Road placed fourth in Sixth Grade Math; Connor Haywood of Middle School placed fourth in Sixth Grade Science; Nakayla Randolph of Lake Road placed fourth in Elementary Creative Writing; Ella Rushin of Middle School placed fourth in Elementary Black & White Photography; Emmalynn Dennis of Middle School placed fifth in Elementary Painting; and Molly Murphy of Middle School placed fifth in Elementary Drawing.
Each of the top five students, along with only a handful of Golden Ticket winners, are eligible to compete on the national stage this summer. Lake Road co-sponsor Kasi Aldridge noted that the elementary school Quiz Bowl team placed among the top eight, and she is “incredibly proud” of their “flexibility” in navigating the hybrid event of both virtual and in-person competition, considering it was just their second convention.
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Cutline: Poplar Bluff Middle School students (left to right) Camden Donnell, Addy Yarbro, Bridget Popp and Clint Wallace placed first in the Elementary Quiz Bowl – Oral competition during the 19th annual Junior Beta Convention held in December in Springfield.