Students honored by Bell Co. School Board

Published 2:37 pm Monday, September 23, 2024

Students from Bell County High School as well as Yellow Creek, Lone Jack and Bell Central school centers were recognized for placing in recent regional, state and national competitions during last week’s Bell County School board meeting.

“Our favorite thing to do at a board meeting is to recognize our students, coaches and teachers for all of their successes,” Superintendent Tom Gambrel said. “Our students can go anywhere and compete with anybody. We’re very proud of our students and I’m happy that our teachers and staff give them the opportunity to go to these competitions.”

Those recognized from BCHS included 2024 Governor’s Scholars Jared Knuckles and Kylee Greer-Gann. Baleigh Thacker and Lacey Sexton earned Silver in Promote and Publicize at the 2024 Level 3 FCCLA National Competition. Payton Elliott earned Silver Level in Apparel and Accessories Design at the 2024 DECA National Competition.

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BCHS students placing at the 2024 National BETA Convention included Landon Eldridge, first place in Hand Drawn Anime; Ava Harris, second place in Fiber Arts; and Braydin Hickey, ninth place in Recyclable Art.

Lone Jack students Reagan Day, Audrianna Partin and Bella Grubbs were recognized for having the Outstanding Documentary at the 2024 National History Day National Competition.

Bell Central had the following students to place as the National History Day State Competition: Lea Yeary, Amelia Ridings and Madi Green, first place-Junior Group Exhibit (advanced to Nationals); Kharis Johnson, third place in Junior Individual Exhibit (Alternate for Nationals); Emily Langford, Eliyah Burchfield and Sophie Frazier, third place.

Yellow Creek’s Deacon Barnes placed first in the Elementary Individual Exhibit and was the winner of the Outstanding Early American History Award at the National History Day State Competition.

Yellow Creek’s Elementary Robotics Team of Ian Lewis, Declan Jones, Abraham Martin, Meredith Warren and Deacon Barnes were regional winners in the virtual category and placed third at the Robo Challenge Xtreme State Tournament. The Middle Grades Robotics Team of Haylie Phipps, Andrew Hoskins, Allison Osborne, Kinley Turner, Jonah Slusher and Josh Prater were regional winners in the virtual category at the Robo Challenge Xtreme Regional Tournament.

Yellow Creek students who placed at the Elementary Beta Club National Competition included: Kenna Money, fifth place in Creative Writing; Tanner Thomas, Claire Ellison and Kayleigh Napier, sixth place in Reimagine, Recreate, Recycle; Meredith Warren and Emmalyn Raines, seventh place in Convention Invention; and Tanner Thomas, Kenna Money, Meredith Warren and Kayleigh Napier placed ninth in Robotics.
Yellow Creek’s Junior Beta Club Robotics team of Gracie Barton, Andrew Hoskins, Jalyn Slusher, Jonah Slusher, Kinley Turner and Madelyn Warren placed third at the 2023 National Beta Convention.

At the 2024 Junior Beta State Competition, Yellow Creek’s Andrew Hoskins, Haylie Phipps, Jalyn Slusher, Jonah Slusher, Kinley Turner and Madelyn Warren placed first in Robotics; Kinley Turner placed fourth in Creative Writing and Jalyn Slusher placed fifth in Performing Arts Solo, Duo, Trio Variety Act.
Yellow Creek students placing at the 2024 Junior Beta National Competition included: Andrew Hoskins, Allison Osborne, Jalyn Slusher, Jonah Slusher, Kinley Turner and Madelyn Warren, fifth place in Robotics; and Kinley Turner, sixth place in Creative Writing.