Elementary students in Neosho got a unique science lesson Wednesday when a Kansas City University professor taught them a lesson on DNA with strawberries rather than textbooks. Dr. Joseph Williams, an instructor and researcher at Kansas City University, visited RISE Elementary School to provide students with a hands-on approach to understanding the complex topic of DNA.
https://www.koamnewsnow.com/news/from-strawberries-to-science-neosho-students-extract-dna/article_8c9b61e9-75c2-4e54-8ddb-1ca7c268f4d5.html?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR7NGJhbzrB30hAgcYpkdnaMxfXPX1TSYPN0IdcFE5BtgL4bzVaYDVRfwrI3_A_aem_ANS31hMOS-b9y7NPaIvYFg
MAP testing season is here, and students at Springfield Public Schools are gearing up to show what they know! Testing begins soon and runs through May 10, covering English, Math, Science, and Social Studies. To help students feel confident and energized, some schools are hosting pep rallies—including a special surprise visit at Wilson’s Creek Intermediate School from none other than KC Wolf, the Kansas City Chiefs mascot!
https://www.ky3.com/2025/04/18/kc-wolf-visits-springfield-help-students-get-excited-upcoming-map-testing/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR4kaASTgFsZx1SDa__pD-RVYjEZH00rp2FjMShSe5oNIbzIoefJejp48w3C7Q_aem_ctingZBotat8ulygklFqYQ#tz7nn5xpw09ii8tx04xwpfeumfjzkwwuh
Mexico High School senior Andrew Peuster joined the academic bowl team just last year, and now he’s the NAQT Individual National Champion, the first-ever Missourian to earn that title! Andrew stunned the competition in Chicago, edging out the final round by just 5 points—and finishing 70 points ahead overall. With a team ranked #4 nationally, Mexico’s academic bowl program continues to rise.
https://www.komu.com/mexico-high-school-student-wins-individual-national-championship-in-quiz-bowl/article_3db53e7c-27f9-428e-a113-1e4482a4fe75.html?utm_source=SocialNewsDesk&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=SND_facebook&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR6yAf0kq5agRXLCA2DXkGYFtB7zZP79oBKIlmE1lw2Iht6v-1wo5zDeLrylwg_aem_-mUA-tSipuTddG2Wf7ldvg
Student Voice. Real Impact.
Kirkwood High School junior Nora Schroeder didn’t just complete a class project—she created change. Nora’s powerful six-minute documentary, “Radioactive Waste Crisis: A Hidden Hazard,” earned 2nd place in the C-SPAN StudentCam competition—selected from over 1,700 entries nationwide!
https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/special-reports/radioactive/kirkwood-student-documentary-radioactive-waste-crisis-st-louis/63-bd236d8d-6884-41c4-9931-376aef1c5f5d?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_KSDK_News&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR6fELfL2Ek6QMy0t5dom4xCSiyv7lKKKPIc8YwYqdz2rWKk3a2HrNmYlwtG5g_aem_zihdBI7rYXXDnTfPWARomg#zaf4tjzv5qrilpopm4xoagu68wbc3lxp
Fifth through 12th graders from around the Kansas City metro came together recently to show off their problem-solving skills and creativity at the fifth Kansas City Invention Convention. Around 450 regional students gathered at UMKC's Swinney Recreation Center with their inventions, ready to compete after months of hard work.
https://www.kmbc.com/article/kansas-city-students-share-inventions-at-convention/64446986?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR6BWBUW-1csk5GVlRAAhwvpLLefmHbDS46yqbWMBdL5znjmqkIIo-KQ5NTDoA_aem_4TAyFkR_ZXh9YhfRnXZhRw
Hundreds of kids in Grandview got new running shoes on Friday. Three hundred and sixty students gathered at Belvidere Elementary School for the “Day of Dreams” event, with organizers hoping to empower kids to reach their goals by providing resources, mentorship, and community support. The event ended with each kid in attendance getting a new pair of athletic shoes.
https://www.kctv5.com/2025/04/04/hundreds-kids-get-news-shoes-day-dreams-event/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR4Xcr6uexTyIXusQn2pbgX6tNirXkyTcmg3Zx1qLXno-iKVLMRtvDE4LVPOhw_aem_QPkNeXlW2ZoJ9pbXODBFuA#ziepug1iekajhqawsogdhbgcislnx4vg
Teams of students from St. Louis area schools recently took part in Envirothon, which is an annual tradition that puts teams of high schoolers into a hands-on competition alongside career natural resource workers. This regional competition is designed to make students think critically about natural resources and sustainability.
https://www.firstalert4.com/2025/04/03/st-louis-students-put-soil-wildlife-knowledge-test-envirothon-outside-pacific/
A Columbia youth robotics team qualified for an international competition after winning a prestigious award at a regional competition in Minneapolis on Sunday. Twenty-nine high school students in Columbia make up Army Ants, a robotics club that creates large robots for competition and serves the community through youth workshops.
https://www.komu.com/news/columbia-robotics-team-earns-prestigious-honor-in-latest-competition/article_275735fb-4236-53d6-9dd4-620ba2113590.html?utm_source=SocialNewsDesk&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=SND_facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawJZIOVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHc8Nq8GAK6rEheQezSHG4-lk8b_sZpv3HLmnVyrfavrpEJRvZ0NTDxYU5g_aem_GyJtIR7xmn9w8-rnddsweQ
On Monday, more than 3,000 KC area students met Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes at the T-Mobile Center. It was for the 15 and Mahomies Foundation partnership with Lead to Read KC. For the last five years, they’ve run a campaign to promote reading as a regular habit. To make the event, kids had to read for 15 minutes daily.
https://www.kctv5.com/2025/03/31/patrick-mahomes-meets-thousands-kc-kids-promote-reading/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR28wWPOsqIH6C2JLRVzEuKu_BN_9ZefmpVq7-q7vO3y9gCRZzUf_v4ivPo_aem_PdhA3TAk6Yv8InHV49sFfQ#kkyjz2qz36ctju36s82qm14sjf8d8xf
Cardinals Care has funded a new bookmobile that's operated by the library system and helps students unlock the world of reading. The mobile library gives students access to a wide variety of materials to get them excited about reading. And it’s not just the books that are a hit; students are thrilled to climb aboard and explore the space.
https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/cardinals-themed-bookmobile-students-excited-read/63-2a6e28e4-3ba0-49bf-af9d-d605d4ae5579?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3BKZDJnDk4btrgNE3x6_r4vcWfQO8Ec7G_ZEYOr2RnVBe0242jefYLjgM_aem_2LgCrec5tFpNxlwTqJ08-w#5si76adhpatcjk4ajhkuamxnch5bk1lq
Meet Sam Finkel, the 11-year-old musical prodigy who began humming tunes before he could even speak! Now a fifth grader at Columbia's Grant Elementary, Sam has composed over 30 original pieces — including prize-winning works performed by live ensembles. He practices violin, volunteers as a violin coach for refugee students, and still finds time for disc golf, chess, and video games. Check out his story to learn how he’s turning his creative spark into symphonic success, and follow his journey as he takes composing to the next level!
https://www.columbiamissourian.com/special_section/comokids/sam-finkel-an-11-year-old-composer-with-stellar-musical-talent/article_942421c2-eed8-11ef-a3b1-6bbfd3304f80.html?utm_source=SocialNewsDesk&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=SND_scheduled_post&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0NH7d6FmBlmLPsXIEwskIr1XvPWUhCZyKCVw-nkMP1zKLHP5uWhUOEkac_aem_5bTJmc74r6chksIh67i-IQ
The next generation of scientists shared their research at Missouri Southern recently. Students from across southwest Missouri showcased their individual and team projects at the 36th Annual Regional Science Fair. Projects covered a range of disciplines, from biology, math, and physics, to social science and psychology.
https://www.fourstateshomepage.com/news/young-scientists-showcase-projects-at-missouri-southern-science-fair/
During the March 14 tornadoes, Bakersfield’s Pride Park was destroyed, leaving the school’s baseball and softball teams without a home field. But what happened next shows the heart of our local schools and businesses: they didn’t hesitate to help. Several rival schools stepped up in big ways — holding fundraisers, volunteering time, and helping with clean-up efforts to begin restoring Pride Park.
https://www.ozarkradionews.com/local-news/dose-of-goodness-from-rival-teams-to-togetherness-the-beautiful-support-behind-bakersfields-rebuild?fbclid=IwY2xjawJPsvxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHZswv8wz2wIERpTH3b9vAT0LP5x9n6yZjODpVujDtGHLobicRbx-gcQgGQ_aem_gqjQBrG1G46rTx_dbov3zw
In just his second year as an educator, Excelsior Springs Middle School, eighth-grade social studies teacher Andrew “Andy” Morris has been recognized as the 2025 Middle School Teacher of the Year by the Missouri Council for Social Studies. The award recognizes educators who foster critical thinking, civic engagement, and meaningful exploration of history and government among students.
https://excelsiorcitizen.com/esms-teacher-andy-morris-earns-state-recognition-for-civic-education/
After an EF-2 tornado tore through the city, cleanup efforts continued in Rolla. When Rolla Public School canceled classes for the week after the devastating storm, some students rallied together to help their community.
https://abc17news.com/news/phelps/2025/03/18/rolla-students-rally-to-help-community-after-devastating-tornado/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3JxkBBBdv9X3oFzIhEaRnM2epVRwYeAgXI5mf_uc4owRnFIhpHc_rk6NA_aem_qREw1wqHtOlkJYncvWFVxQ
It's a normal home going up like what you'd see at a construction site anywhere in Kansas City, but this one is going up right on the campus of Raymore-Peculiar High School. And the ones building it are students that go to the school. The two-bedroom 1,800-square-foot home will be used as a learning center for students with special needs so they can learn how to live on their own after high school.
https://www.kmbc.com/article/ray-pec-high-school-building-learning-house-students-with-special-needs/64223589?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot&fbclid=IwY2xjawJHqptleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHQDnbV_Esu9EEX7gqxSvToGvSvuSWj_qv71l0Nr9Sfa9x2m9Eoc4yAoStw_aem_fYAstd9RnvSSsbBvqiQmGA
Alton students will soon get the chance to study the science of soccer. Thirty students at Alton Middle School will be the first participants in Cougar KickBots. Students will receive on-field soccer instruction led by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s soccer players and explore basic physics concepts by working with Lego robotics kits.
https://www.stlpr.org/education/2025-03-17/what-might-robots-have-to-do-with-soccer-alton-students-are-about-to-find-out?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0eKMVWYEOb3fIGvxpAnxHOdPkURHk7m2gi656EBRqfrjYsiRpYzYXzitQ_aem_qbM7mRN6B-dmtX_3RUIupA
Maryville High School Robotics Club members are heading to the VEX World Championship in Dallas in May. The team will be up against 800 teams from around the world.
https://www.maryvilleforum.com/news/schools/hounds-headed-to-world-championship/article_415d1904-ffc1-11ef-b430-07bff46c991a.html?utm_campaign=blox&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2d8hXZEb27Yg1T3Q5ovigPIOtGZk1O2knbWXeoAsAZYxs6zINvIQMeRvk_aem_ZtopheKHOTglPFrFsF4Njg#m89l129438qrmkq2f3r
Three Columbia students took top honors at an area concerto competition recently, earning the right to perform alongside artists from the Odyssey Chamber Music Series next month. The competition is designed "to identify outstanding pre-collegiate students to provide them with an opportunity to perform in a formal event with an orchestra,".
https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/entertainment/music/2025/03/12/columbia-public-schools-students-win-concerto-competition/82238172007/
As part of a weeklong celebration of agriculture, members of the Buchanan County Farm Bureau made their way to St. Joseph area elementary schools on Friday morning. City of St. Joseph Mayor John Josendale recently signed a proclamation declaring the week of March 2 through March 8 as "Missouri Farm Bureau Celebrate Agriculture Week." Area farmers spent the week giving back to local schools and charities, as well as engaging with the community.
https://www.newspressnow.com/news/local_news/agriculture/buchanan-county-farm-bureau-teaches-area-elementary-schools/article_5cf7f9d2-fb6f-11ef-8f05-fb8df4c485d3.html?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot&https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fnewspressnow%2F&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR25wzP8KFE2nsnO8DuZQgA6kXWaF6eofuq3KKc0l7Lt_I8c0rXhnxzrH20_aem__igSY29_nv9OO7BGLzhMNw
