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alma class of 2020
Airedales Adapt to Achieve
J
Alma NJROTC 2019-2020 Color Guard. ust off Interstate 40, Interstate 49 and Highway 71 is Alma. It is a small town located at a crossroads.
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
Classrooms were able to be repaired in time and the
2020, you would never know it.
Airedales were off and running for the new school year. There was still ongoing construction in the arena, but
Back in the summer, over the long weekend following
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
As with most small towns, fall and Friday night lights
new water meter resulted in a flooded arena. Water
are a long-standing tradition. Alma football has a long
poured down the bleachers, flooding the arena floor
history of being one of the best in the state. The 2019
and classrooms located on the lower levels. It was
season was off to a less than stellar start, they were 0
devastating. Summer and fall sports were shuffled and
and 5. Then, on October 11th, the Airedales pulled off a
rescheduled to accommodate the loss of the arena.
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. Gabe Jensen celebrates a winning play.
Alex Neihouse, 1st Chair Tenor Saxophone for All-State Band.
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Football finished strong, making it to the quarterfinals of state playoff action.
alma class of 2020 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
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.
had 27 students selected for All-State choir. The Alma Technology Student Association was awarded the best
took time to grieve the loss of Coach Toney McMurray
overall high school chapter of Arkansas. At the end of
and celebrate his life and legacy. What came next was
February, the Airedales and the Class of 2020 were
completely uncharted territory. A pandemic swept the
feeling it all come together, they were blazing through
nation. March 16th concluded the last day of on-site
the year, making memories and leaving their mark.
instruction. Students struggled to grasp all the changes that were rapidly happening. The students went from
March came roaring in. Students and staff were
onsite learning to AMI and distance learning. Then
anticipating spring break, making plans for some
another heartbreaking loss, Mr. David Williams, a long-
much-needed downtime. Seniors were making plans
time science teacher for Alma High School suddenly
too, prom dresses, and the senior cookout; they were
passed away. He was loved by his students, he had a
relishing the time they had left. Then, Alma was dealt
knack for building relationships with them, including
another tragic blow.
those hard to reach students. Loss was the new normal. Prom was postponed, graduation was postponed. long-time
Senior athletes would not play another game as an
announcer who was known as “The Voice of the
Airedale. There would be no dance show, no on-site
Airedales� passed away after a hard-fought battle
cheer tryouts, no auditions for the upcoming musical,
with cancer. The students, school, and the community
and no Honors Banquet.
Beloved
history
teacher,
coach,
and
Alma Dance Team put the most boys on the competition floor at one time in UDA history, including seniors Logan, Caedmon, Dax, and Karsten.
Molly Reeves has won the U of A Soybean Challenge for 3 years with guidance from teacher, David Williams.
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alma class of 2020 Out of significant loss came great understanding. Sarah Patton and Carlie Westra were selected for the 2020 All-Star cheer team.
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
many of our performing arts students are All-Region
Class of 2020. Then came the virtual recognition.
and All-State members. The Class of 2020 is full of young people heading off in different directions. Our
The school took to social media to highlight all of
seniors will disperse all over the state and country to
their accomplishments. A virtual scholarship award
attend universities this fall. This year’s graduating class
ceremony and a virtual graduation recognition were
has received over 4.5 million dollars in scholarship
aired. The graduating Class of Alma High School is 234
awards, to be used over the next four years. We have
of the brightest, sharpest, and wittiest young minds.
students with career plans that range from artists
Out of those graduates, there are ten valedictorians,
to linemen and welders, to chemists and teachers.
thirteen with High Honors, fourteen with Honors, nine
This class has embraced what it means to adapt and
Governor’s Scholars, and fifteen with scores of 30 or
overcome. To our Class of 2020, we are behind you. We
more on the ACT. There are student athletes who have
are one town, one school, and there is #Only1Airedale.
earned All-Conference, All-State and All-Star honors,
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