Springfield Public Schools News Release

News From Springfield Public Schools

Communications Department

1359 E. St. Louis Street

Springfield, MO  65802

417-523-INFO 

=====================================================================================   

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  March 23, 2017

========================================================================================  

  • SPS middle schoolers to compete in Battle of the Books March 24
  • Jarrett Middle School wins Dannon Yogurt Recipe Contest
  • Central student artwork on display at The Creamery
  • SPS buses make the grade
SPS middle schoolers to compete in Battle of the Books March 24
Teams of students from all nine SPS middle schools and Springfield Scholars at Central High School will compete at the Second Annual Middle School Battle of the Books from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, March 24, at Carver Middle School. The competition is designed to promote a love of reading in SPS middle schoolers, said Christina Wilkins, library media specialist at Pipkin Middle School.
 
"Battle of the Books encourages students to read a variety of books and remember information about the plots, characters and settings of the books," said Wilkins. "It is a fun, academic-based competition that has been very successful in school districts throughout the state in encouraging students to read."
 
All grade 6-8 students were given the opportunity to read the selections of this year's Truman Award Nominees, an honor to exceptional young adult literature. Each middle school encouraged students to read and review the titles, with book discussions and site competitions in place to encourage mastery of the titles. Students competed in site competitions to demonstrate the depth of their knowledge. Winning teams from each school will compete at the districtwide half-day elimination tournament on Friday, March 24.
 
Winners and participants will be awarded medals for their effort, and the winning team will receive a traveling trophy that will be displayed prominently at the winning school. 
 
"Last year's event was a great success, and this is just the second year for this competition," said Wilkins. "We hope that this event will foster future participation not only with Springfield middle schools but also the surrounding middle schools."

Jarrett Middle School wins Dannon Yogurt Recipe Contest
A team of students at Jarrett Middle School submitted a recipe and won the Dannon Yogurt Recipe Contest.
 
Dannon Food Service, Fuel Up to Play 60 and National Dairy Council named seven teams from six school districts the winners of the Dannon Yogurt Recipe Contest, a special pilot contest for K-12 schools. Students from seven select school districts nationwide were invited to compete by creating an original recipe containing yogurt. The contest encouraged students to show their creativity and pride in scratch cooking, while building confidence in and awareness of nutrition and recipe execution. 
 
"The Dannon Yogurt Recipe Contest was a great opportunity to show K-12 food service professionals how fun and easy it can be to incorporate our products into their menus," said Mike Miles, Vice President of Sales of Dannon Foodservice. "Dannon yogurt is a versatile, quality ingredient that offers important nutritients for students, and it lends itself to many easy-to-prep formats kids can embrace. It's important for us as a foodservice partner to support the school districts and their operators, and to provide exciting, educational experiences, for their students." 
 
Winners of the contest received a Dannon and Fuel Up to Play 60 branded foodservice equipment valued at $4,000. Dannon also selected six runners-up nationwide, including teams from Hickory Hills Elementary School and Pershing Middle School. 

Central student artwork on display at The Creamery
The Springfield Regional Arts Council (SRAC) will host the 10th annual exhibition of senior student work from Central High School's International Baccalaureate Programme at The Creamery Arts Center (411 N. Sherman Parkway) during the month of April. The show will open with a free, public reception on Friday, April 7, from 5-8 p.m. Preview student art on display. 
 
The Creamery exhibition will showcase the students from Central High's IB visual arts, film, music and theatre departments. The reception will feature live performances throughout the night by the different performing arts departments and an art exhibit curated by and with the work of 14 visual art students. Artwork, including photography and paintings, will be on display until Friday, April 28. Viewing hours are Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Creamery show is part of a multi-venue exhibition working in collaboration with Missouri State University's Brick City Gallery. The two venues highlight the art work of K-12 students from Springfield Public Schools: Central, Pipkin, Field, Boyd, and Rountree, which all participate in the International Baccalaureate Programme. The theme for the third annual K-12 2017 show is "MERAKI (v.) the soul, love, or creativity put into something; the essence of yourself that is put into your work."

The celebration will again honor students from all five IB schools. Artists ranging in grade levels from kindergarten to 12th grade from Boyd, Field, Pipkin, Central and Rountree will be collaboratively exhibited. Brick City Gallery will be opening to show work from schools Field, Boyd, Pipkin and Rountree from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, April 7.
 
    
 
 
# ##