Alma Class of 2020

Airedales Adapt to Achieve

Just off Interstate 40, Interstate 49 and Highway 71 is Alma. It is a small town located at a crossroads.

Alma NJROTC 2019-2020 Color Guard.

It has that small, hometown feel. With a population of

around 5,800, it is the kind of place you want to live.

At the heart of the town is the school. Alma School

District has a little over 3,000 students. Most of these

students who start as kindergarteners will stay with

Alma schools all 13 years until they graduate as seniors.

This is probably because students have the unwavering

support of their community, their school, and their

parents. Alma School District has had our fair share of hard times this year, but by looking at the Class of 2020, you would never know it.

Back in the summer, over the long weekend following Classrooms were able to be repaired in time and the Airedales were off and running for the new school year. There was still ongoing construction in the arena, but everyone just made it work.

the Fourth of July, staff found a waterfall in the school’s landmark Charles B. Dyer Arena. The installation of a new water meter resulted in a flooded arena. Water poured down the bleachers, flooding the arena floor and classrooms located on the lower levels. It was devastating. Summer and fall sports were shuffled and rescheduled to accommodate the loss of the arena. As with most small towns, fall and Friday night lights are a long-standing tradition. Alma football has a long history of being one of the best in the state. The 2019 season was off to a less than stellar start, they were 0 and 5. Then, on October 11th, the Airedales pulled off a stunning 29 to 28 win over a strong Morrilton team, in the final moments of the game. That

game created momentum for Airedale football and the rest of the school delivered. For the second year in a row, Alma NJROTC was named Overall Champions at the Beebe Invitational Drill Meet. Alma dance was out competing too, bringing home a State Runner Up title, earning them a spot at the UDA National Dance Competition. Football finished strong, making it to the quarterfinals of state playoff action.

After Christmas break, the Airedales seemed to hit their stride again. Alma rolled into basketball season, thankful to have Charles B. Dyer Arena repaired to host games. Lady Airedale basketball was on track to make another state playoff appearance and Airedale basketball was also fighting for a spot. Alma cheer had won the AAA State Runner-Up title and was moving on to Nationals. Airedale theatre and the PAC Mules brought home multiple awards from the annual Arkansas Thespian Festival. Alma cheer finished in the top five at nationals. Dance placed in the top 15 of the nation with their hip-hop routine. The Pride of Alma saw five members selected for All-State band. Choir had 27 students selected for All-State choir. The Alma Technology Student Association was awarded the best overall high school chapter of Arkansas. At the end of February, the Airedales and the Class of 2020 were feeling it all come together, they were blazing through the year, making memories and leaving their mark.

March came roaring in. Students and staff were anticipating spring break, making plans for some much-needed downtime. Seniors were making plans too, prom dresses, and the senior cookout; they were relishing the time they had left. Then, Alma was dealt another tragic blow.

Beloved history teacher, coach, and long-time announcer who was known as “The Voice of the Airedales” passed away after a hard-fought battle with cancer. The students, school, and the community

London Blackwell, five-time State History Day finalist and three-time National History Day competitor. This year she received the first annual Toney McMurray Spirit of History Day Award.

took time to grieve the loss of Coach Toney McMurray and celebrate his life and legacy. What came next was completely uncharted territory. A pandemic swept the nation. March 16th concluded the last day of on-site instruction. Students struggled to grasp all the changes that were rapidly happening. The students went from onsite learning to AMI and distance learning. Then another heartbreaking loss, Mr. David Williams, a longtime science teacher for Alma High School suddenly passed away. He was loved by his students, he had a knack for building relationships with them, including those hard to reach students. Loss was the new normal. Prom was postponed, graduation was postponed. Senior athletes would not play another game as an Airedale. There would be no dance show, no on-site cheer tryouts, no auditions for the upcoming musical, and no Honors Banquet.

Out of significant loss came great understanding. The school and community came together to support the Class of 2020. Be the Light was the first of many events designed to support our seniors. On April 20th, at 8:20 p.m., for 20 minutes, Airedales lit up the sky. Airedale Football Stadium and the Airedale baseball and softball fields lit up the stadium lights and played music. In true Airedale fashion, the community came out to support our seniors with a parade of students, parents, teachers, administrators, and former Airedales, who drove the short, slow drive between the fields and around the arena. There was a steady stream of cars for blocks, some with signs, honking horns and shouting their support for the Class of 2020. Then came the virtual recognition.

The school took to social media to highlight all of their accomplishments. A virtual scholarship award ceremony and a virtual graduation recognition were aired. The graduating Class of Alma High School is 234 of the brightest, sharpest, and wittiest young minds. Out of those graduates, there are ten valedictorians, thirteen with High Honors, fourteen with Honors, nine Governor’s Scholars, and fifteen with scores of 30 or more on the ACT. There are student athletes who have earned All-Conference, All-State and All-Star honors,

Sarah Patton and Carlie Westra were selected for the 2020 All-Star cheer team.

many of our performing arts students are All-Region and All-State members. The Class of 2020 is full of young people heading off in different directions. Our seniors will disperse all over the state and country to attend universities this fall. This year’s graduating class has received over 4.5 million dollars in scholarship awards, to be used over the next four years. We have students with career plans that range from artists to linemen and welders, to chemists and teachers. This class has embraced what it means to adapt and overcome. To our Class of 2020, we are behind you. We are one town, one school, and there is #Only1Airedale.