School is out, awards are in

Kindergarten graduates let the show begin at the Spring Awards Assembly with a rambunctious circus routine that included acrobatics, jumping rope and trick ring toss. After the entertainment, the students donned glittering top hats that slid almost to their eyes and received their diplomas. Students shared their favorite circus acts (acrobats, trapeze artists) and an alluring destination (China, Las Vegas).

The Class of 2030 finished off their celebration with a line dance party to Taoi Cruz's "Dynamite" before tossing their sparkling hats into the air. One was even caught.

Over 80 community members joined Ekalaka school faculty and students in the school gym to celebrate the kids moving on from kindergarten and sixth grade, individual award winners and Mrs. Janz, who is retiring after 20 years with the school.

The PUPS Awards are handed out to the most Positive, Upstanding, Polite Student of each grade, for each quarter. Kindergarten third-quarter winner was Kaden Loudermilk, 4th-quarter was Cortland O'Connor. First-grade awards went to Oakley Spring and Quinton Kalstrom. Second-grade winners were Cordelia Cofer and Selby Mulder. Sadie Poppema and Rylan Carroll represented third grade and Chace Loehding and Ella Strangford won in fourth-grade. Tegan Diede and Preston Jensen were the fifth-grade PUPS, and Jennie Schmid and Ryker Carroll were given the award for sixth grade.

Many students received awards for stringing together a month or more of perfect attendance, but third-grader Rylan Carroll took home the Superintendent's Award for not missing a single day all school year. This is Rylan's second consecutive year of perfection.

Ekalaka's schools are stocked with scholars. The accolades kept coming as students who made third-quarter honor rolls were asked to stay in front of the audience to receive fourth-quarter honors, too. But only fourth-grader Corlan Laughery made the A honor roll all four quarters this year. She was presented with a special necklace to remember her achievement.

The six-graders, moving to the adjacent Carter County High School next year, were serenaded by Susan Tooke and the audience with "The Goodbye Song," a Spring Assembly tradition. Tooke worked the crowd, pointing and coaxing, making sure everyone was singing along.

Sixth-grade teacher Valerie O'Connell read the students a poem before Superintendent Daniel Schrock announced the sixth-graders' names, shook their hands and gave them a diploma.

The Class of 2024 presented a slideshow incorporating photos of themselves from infants to the current school year. The photos ranged from silly to serious, family events to sporting and band events. At the end of each sixth-grader's segment, their favorite quote was displayed. A schoolwide year in review slideshow followed.

Teachers and community members took the microphone to announce further accomplishments and give out prizes.

Coach Kayla Olsen said the students are always stronger when they return from summer break. She is proud of the kids for playing, swimming and working outside while school is out.

Kindergarten through sixth grade raised $2,538 for Jump Rope for Heart, a fundraising event sponsored by the American Heart Association and the Society of Health and Physical Educators. Student Bentley Jardee raised the most of any individual student with over $510.

VFW Auxiliary Post 7855, represented by Jeanette Adams, Marjorie Poffenberger and Linda Kerr, awarded the winners of a countywide coloring contest designed "to remind kids how great America is." Winners produced bright, Crayola American flags - all well within the lines.

Ekalaka Masonic Lodge 120 donated a Kindle E-reader to one student in each grade. Names were drawn from a repurposed coffee can, and Pat Strickland, Worshipful Master of the lodge, presented the e-readers to the excited winners. "One of the strong emphasises of Masonry is education," Strickland told the Eagle.

As all school years are, the ending was bittersweet.

Retiring teacher Mrs. Janz was thanked for her 20-years of service and presented an engraved clock, a school tradition for retiring teachers, reading "Thank you for your many years of service at Ekalaka Public Schools."

Janz received her teaching degree from Texas Tech University before moving to Baker and teaching first and fourth grades, junior high and running the library in Ekalaka's schools. Laughing, she told the Eagle, "The kids are well behaved, mostly."

Janz plans to spend the summer gardening and spending time with her grandchildren. Beyond those things, "I'm going to do whatever I want to," she said.