THE BUZZ
Student Spotlight:
NORTH MIDDLE CHEER MAKES HISTORY A state title has never been won by a middle school cheer team in Henderson, until recently, when North Middle School’s cheer team brought home its first state title in the Game Day Division at KAPOS. The team consist of 24 girls, who won KAPOS regionals, which then qualified them to go to state in Lexington, KY. Then they traveled to Orlando to compete in the UCA Nationals, where they placed third in the nation for their game day routine. The girls competed against 21 great teams across the nation. Their traditional routine, which is a 2 minute 30 second routine, was full of stunting, jumps, a floor cheer, dance, and a pyramid. They placed 7th in the nation. This is the first time North Middle School has made it to the finals level in the traditional routine division. Coach Mallory Williams said, “With this year being the first year without my mom (our assistant coach), who passed away in July, it’s been a different season. I feel that my girls could speak the same way. We miss her saying, “Single file.” I just miss the energy and encouragement she brought to practices, not just for the girls, but also for myself. Coach Williams is very proud of her team and their accomplishments this year, and she knows her mother would be, too!
HNS 6th grader Jax Benton and 7th grader Jace Benton are no strangers to the soccer field. The Bentons started soccer at a very early age. From 3-6 years of age, they competed at the YMCA. By the time they were 6 and 7, they were fully immersed in local travel clubs, Henderson SC, WKSA, and daily training. From there, they transferred to a Paducah club and played in St. Louis, MO with the top teams in the country. Both boys were selected to the KY Olympic Development Program (ODP), a small group of the top players in the state of KY. This group trains and plays tournaments against other ODP state teams. ODP led to a transfer to the #1 club in the state, Javanon SC in Louisville, KY.
DAVE PELZER PRESENTS “THE REAL HEROES” On Thursday, February 13 at 6pm, Dave Pelzer, who is New York Times #1 Best Selling Author of the book “A Child Called It,” visited the Preston Arts Center to share his presentation called “The Real Heroes.” This presentation “pays homage to the countless individuals who work in the trenches to protect children and gives a sense of hope to all.” The event was free and open to the public, with a total of 800 individuals in attendance. To better serve the children here in our community, a $5 donation was collected for local agencies. This event was sponsored by Project Aware, Thelma B. Johnson Early Learning Center and Henderson County Schools.
They have both won the KY State Championships within their respective age groups. Jace’s group went on to participate in the Region II Championship in Saginaw, MI. Jax has played for the Nashville Major League Soccer Academy (MLS) as one of 12 players selected from 250 of the top prospects over a six week selection process. Jax presented Nashville MLS with pride as they participated in the Atlanta, GA Adidas Generations Cup. This is the most prestigious soccer event in the country. It includes the top major league academy teams and players in the USA. Both Bentons aspire playing for Nashville MLS Academy and one day playing for a Nashville SC Major League team. On top of their busy soccer schedule, both boys maintain honor roll status and participate in other extracurricular activities. Holy Name is very proud of the Bentons and their outstanding accomplishments.
FARMER APPRECIATION PANCAKE BREAKFAST Henderson County FFA members showed up bright and early on February 26 at the Henderson Archery Center to cook pancakes for the local agriculture community. This FFA Pancake breakfast has become a Henderson County tradition each year during National FFA week as a way to show appreciation for the hard work of area farmers. There are around 200 farmers and agri-business people who attend the free breakfast each year to network and recall memories of the past. The event was sponsored by Farm Bureau and will occur again next year on February, 24, 2021. The Henderson County FFA chapter is a young agricultural organization that currently has over 80 members and strives to promote premier leadership, personal growth and career success.
Cairo’s Academic Team recently took first place in the District Governor’s Cup held at A.B. Chandler on February 7. The students placed first in each and every competition: Future Problem Solving, Quick Recall, Composition and in all areas of Written Assessment. Fifth grade team member, Jack Dalton, was recognized as earning one of the top scores (35 out of 36) in the state on the Math Written Assessment. He is the only student in our Region to receive this honor. Cairo’s Academic Team went on to compete in the Regional Governor’s Cup at Livermore Elementary on February 29.
April // May 2020 . HENDERSON FAMILY
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