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Twenty-seven students from Houston High School competed in the Interscholastic Contest at the Missouri State University-West Plains campus on Friday, April 5, 2013. The Interscholastic Contest is an academic competition between the best and brightest students in the south-central Missouri and north-central Arkansas region. Nearly five-hundred students from twenty-plus high schools compete each year in sixteen subject areas. Students individually compete for medals (first, second and third place), while school teams compete in four different divisions according to enrollment. School teams also compete in an overall competition, irrespective of school size.

Six students earned medals in their respective subject areas: Barry Schock placed second in Computer Technology, Dusti Turner placed third in Literature, Ryan McGrath placed second in European History, Caroline Dunn placed third in Biology, Timothy Schmutzler placed second in Geography, and Sam Garrett placed second in Algebra. Timothy Schmutzler and Barry Schock also placed third overall in their subject areas.

FFA Teams Advance to State

The Agronomy and Dairy Cattle teams move on to State FFA competition. Agronomy placed 4th at districts. Wes Monks was 5th high individual, Kaytlyn Huff 13th high individual, and Rae Kirkwood 17th high individual. Dairy Cattle team placed 6th, consisting of Darin Archuleta, Adale Bradshaw, and Jon Bradshaw. Darin placed 3rd high individually.

Zoology Goes to the Zoo

Students from Mrs. Randi Wilson's Zoology class who had a grade of B or better for both semesters of the class took a behind-the-scenes tour of the penguin house and visited exhibits throughout St. Louis Zoo on April 2. Students visited the food preparation room, saw eggs and feathers of different species of penguin, and got to pet one of two penguins brought out to visit the group.

It Will Happen

Thanks to the dedication of Superintendent Scott Dill and Houston School District Patrons the bond issue passed with a 72% "Yes" vote (as reported by Houston Herald Newspaper).

The future of the Houston R-I School District looks bright. Buildings will have roofs replaced, Heitt Gymnasium will have air conditionaing, the Library and Media center will be in the new construction, the cafeteria will be expanded, all students will have access to the upper floors of the middle and high schools via an elevator, a centralized secure entrance, and the list goes on.

Superintendent Dill shared this thought, "This is 100% a team win for our school district. WE made this happen. The excitement in the air is palpable. Latch onto it and let it infuse you with hope and confidence in the future of our school and our community."

High School Choirs Reach Their State and Districts Goals

Both the Concert Choir and Women's Choir received the top state honors at the State Music Festival in West Plains last Monday. At the District Small Ensemble and Solo Event held in West Plains on Tuesday, 33 students competed to medal and advance to State. Houston will be taking 28 of those students to state competition.

Students who qualified for State with "1" District Medals:

Mixed Double Quartet:

Back Row: Trevor Motzkus, Caleb Adkison, Taylor Bryson, Tayler Ward

Front Row: Elisa Williamson, Bailey Barton, Caroline Dunn, Maya Brown

Boys Double Quartet: Back Row: Stuart Lybyer, Caleb Adkison, Keegan Spurlin. Middle Row: Taylor Bryson, Noah Moseley. Front Row: Trevor Motzkus, Tayler Ward, Kyler Stark

Girls Sextet: Back Row: Natasha Smith, Caroline Dunn, Nikki Pinkston. Front Row: Liz Harris, Caiti Ross, Jennifer Thomas

Mixed Double Quartet: Back Row: Stuart Lybyer, Kyler Stark, Mariah Clifton, Keegan Spurlin. Front Row: Dakota Hugenot, Liz Harris, Dusti Turner, Adriana Pena

Girls Trio: Bailey Barton, Maya Brown, Elisa Williamson

Girls Double Quartet: Back Row: Jennifer Thomas, Reanna Craig, Kaylea Preheim. Front Row: Nikki Pinkston, Kathy Powell, Kelli Albrecht, Hailey Dodson. Not Pictured: Caiti Ross

Misc. Ensemble: Back Row: Krista Scott, Reanna Craig, Kaylea Preheim. Front Row: Rae Kirkwood, Kathy Powell, Kelli Albrecht, Hailey Dodson

Piano Solo: Elisa Williamson; Elisa is a piano student of Sharon Horbyk.

Vocal solos that qualified for State: Maya Brown, Caiti Ross, Elisa Williamson and Taylor Bryson

These high school choir students earned a "II" medal however do not qualify for State

Misc. Ensemble: Back Row: Alisha Fletcher, Haley Kelley, Mariah Clifton. Front Row: Emilee Reese, Dakota Hugenot, Dusti Turner, Adriana Pena

Vocal Solos "2" medals in Concert Choir: Back Row: Stuart Lybyer, Haley Kelley, Caroline Dunn. Middle Row: Brandi Robbins, Bailey Barton. Front Row: Liz Harris, Adriana Pena

Vocal Solos "2" medals in Women's Choir: Nikki Pinkston, Kathy Powell, Leanna Schafer, Reanna Craig

The medal total is 53 individual "1" medals and 18 individual "2" medals. High school choir student, Elisa Williamson, advance to state in all 4 of her events. Three students, Taylor Bryson, Caiti Ross and Maya Brown, advance to state in all 3 of their events. Three Middle School students will also be heading to state. In choir competitions, it is permissible to add Middle School students if needed as long as the ensemble is primarily High School students. We did not have enough tenors to adequately balance the basses so Tayler Ward, Trevor Motzkus and Noah Moseley stepped in to create the balance we needed. State Music Festival is April 26-27 in Columbia.

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