Education & Youth
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Marching Eagles Clinch Championship at Golden Regiment Invitational
by Sally Whitaker The Grain Valley Marching Eagles (GVME) competed in the Golden Regiment Invitational Marching Band Competition on Saturday, September 29, at Blue Springs High School. They received First Place for Class 2A in preliminary competition along with Outstanding Drum Majors (Karley Drabik and Skylar Schmidt), Outstanding Soloist English Horn (Alex Griffitt), Outstanding Music Performance, Outstanding Visual Performance, and Outstanding Visual Effect. The Marching Eagles competed in the Finals along with 11 other high schools from 3 different states, Class 2A, 3A and 4A. They won Best Visual
Performance, Best General Effect and were the First Place Grand Champions. The band will next travel to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma to compete in the 2018 Broken Arrow Invitational on October 6th. Thirty bands typically perform in preliminary competition with twelve bands advancing to the evening finals. The Band Parents Association (GVBPA), an active group of volunteers who support GVME through fundraising and a host of volunteer efforts, is currently raising funds to replace an aging equipment trailer. For more information on the GVBPA and to make a donation to support the Marching Eagles, visit www.gvbpa.net.
Photo credit: Kathy Romo
Local Educators, Police Detective to Be Honored at Boy Scout Dinner The Boys Scouts of America’s local district, serving eastern Jackson County will present the 2018 Ambassador of Scouting Award and the Elbert K. Fretwell Awards during a recognition dinner on Thursday, October 18, 2018 at Ophelia’s on the square in Independence. The Ambassador of Scouting Award is presented annually to a local individual outside of Scouting who demonstrates the values important in Scouting in their actions. This year’s Ambassador of Scouting recipient is Keegan Hughes, of the Blue Springs Police Department. He is currently a detective assigned to general investigations. Since 2013, Keegan has covered over 900 miles in endurance events where he has worn his full police uniform honoring fallen first responders and raising money for charity. The Elbert K Fretwell Outstanding Educator awards are being presented
for the first time. The nominees from each of the school districts that the Blue Elk District serves in recognition of persons in education have demonstrated the Scouting values in their work with youth. The Blue Elk District serves youth in the Blue Springs, Fort Osage, Grain Valley, Independence and Oak Grove school districts. This year’s Elbert K Fretwell Outstanding Educator awards are: John Frentrop of the Blue Springs School District, Don Long of the Fort Osage School District, Chad Lograsso of the Grain Valley School District, Jason Grubb of the Independence School District, and Laura Oyler of the Oak Grove School District. Dinner tickets are available at: AmbassadorAwardDinner2018.Kintera. org or contact Chris Bradshaw at 816838-2183.
Missouri State University Summer 2018 Dean’s List Each semester, students at Missouri State University who attain academic excellence are named to the dean’s list. For undergraduate students, criteria include enrollment in at least six credit hours during the summer semester and at least a 3.50 grade
point average (on a 4.00 scale). The following students from Grain Valley made the Summer 2018 Missouri State University Dean's List: Morgan Kilburn Madison Packer Tori Squiers
