MSU grads
Several local students were graduated from Missouri State University in Joplin, Mo., during fall commencement exercises Dec. 11 at the John Q. Hammons Arena. conferred 1,321 degrees to students during its fall commencement ceremonies Dec. 11.
They include Joshua Mollenkamp of Bella Vista,Jeffrey Jones and Anthony Lee of Bentonville,Nicholas Conyac of Farmington and Matthew Dupree of Van Buren.
DAR winners announced
The members of the Abendschone chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution named their Good Citizens award winners in a ceremony Feb. 11 in the community room of Eureka Christian Health Outreach in Eureka Springs. Naomi Floyd, a student at Eurekea Springs High School won the grand prize. Joel Brown of Berryville High School and Lupita Perez-Lopez of Green Forest High School also were recognized.
The DAR Good Citizens program and scholarship contest rewards qualities of good citizenship in high school seniors. Faculty at each school chose three seniors who have demonstrated good citizenship, then the senior class chooses one of those students to represent the school. Winners receive a DAR Good Citizen pin, certificate and wallet recognition card and are eligible to enter the DAR Good Citizens scholarship contest on the state level.
Southern Arkansas University
Philip Loyd of Fort Smith, a junior at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, attended the eighth annual Southwest Athletic Trainers Association’s competency workshop and District VI Quiz Bowl in San Marcos, Texas. The focus of the workshop was to prepare athletic training students for the board of certification exam. Loyd participated in domain testing, numerous laboratory activities and hands-on activities in joint mobility, and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching and strengthening.
Several local students participated in the recent production of Out of Order at Southern Arkansas University. Mikayla McCoy, a freshman musical theater major from Rogers, designed hair and makeup; Darby Taylor, a junior musical theater major from Barling, worked the light board and was the calling stage manager for the show; Mercy Fuentes, a senior theater major from Van Buren, designed the costumes and worked as a carpenter for the show.
University of Arkansas at Fort Smith
Eighteen University of Arkansas at Fort Smith students will vie for the title of Miss UAFS at the university’s scholarship pageant to be held at 7 p.m. March 12 at the Arc-Best Performing Arts Center, 55 S. 7th St.
The Miss UAFS pageant is a preliminary to the Miss Arkansas and Miss America scholarship programs. Stacey Jones, associate vice chancellor for campus and community events, directs the Miss UAFS pageant and is a producer for the Miss Arkansas pageant.
Local contestants are:
Payton Allen of Alma, daughter of Mike Allen and Nikki White of Alma; Katie Brown of Alma, daughter of Damon and Leigh Brown of Alma; Harmony Chapin of Fort Smith, daughter of Thomas and Sherry Chapin of Mena; Kaylin Cripps of Gentry, daughter of Eldon and Kaye Cripps of Gentry; Heather Deere of Muldrow, Okla., daughter of David and Mary Carr of Muldrow; Kriston Dorsey of Fort Smith, daughter of Donald and Melissa Dorsey of Fort Smith; Frances Hernandez of Van Buren, daughter of Julio and Cecilia Hernandez of Van Buren; Yabria Horton of Cameron, Okla., daughter of Roni and Connie Robinson of Cameron; Makayla Jackson of Muldrow, daughter of Christopher and Cyndi Jackson of Muldrow; Sheilah McKesson of Fort Smith, daughter of Larry McKesson of Fort Smith and Mary Rivet of Birmingham, Ala.; Brooklyn Morton of Pocola, daughter of William and Dyana Morton of Pocola, Quynh Phoenix Nguyen of Fort Smith, daughter of Nhieu Van Nguyen and Tuyet Phuong Thi Le of Fort Smith; Macy Null of Cameron, daughter of Scott and Chrissy Harper of Cameron, Okla. and Mark Null of Van Buren; Darby Rohrer of Greenwood, daughter of Dennis and Christi Rohrer of Greenwood; Brooke Slaton of Charleston, daughter of Brent Randolph of Charleston; Kasey Smith of Pea Ridge, daughter of Ken and Jani Smith of Pea Ridge; Kalyn Tounzen of Van Buren, daughter of Mike and Jeri Tounzen; Holleigh Willis of Fort Smith, daughter of Chris and Angela Willis of Greenwood.
The contestants will be joined on stage by 19 girls participating in this year’s Princess Program, a non-competitive program allowing girls ages 5-10 to participate in pageant-related events.
Princesses this year are: Emberlin Grace Caldwell, daughter of C.R. and Laura Caldwell, of Alma; Brinnley Adams, daughter of James and Anna Nelson, of Barling; Ember Raii Mitchell, daughter of Zachary Clain and Brandi Mitchell, of Cameron; Hannah Ramsey, daughter of Loyd and Holly Bates and Brandon Ramsey, of Greenwood; Allison Nicole Grimm, daughter of Kristen Grimm, of Muldrow; Kennedy Lynnee Tedford, daughter of Justin and Brittany West and Cory and Kari Tedford, of Ozark; Jaysa Jolynn Ireland Flanary, daughter of Jason and Brandy Flanary, of Ozark; Bella Grace Graham, daughter of Jose and Heather Chavez, of Poteau, Okla; Haleigh Jade Boyd, daughter of Michael and Rhonda Boyd, of Van Buren; Hadleigh Marie Miller, daughter of Michael and Mandy Miller and William and Dawna Dunn, of Van Buren; Rebecca Lee, daughter of Trina Lee, of Fayetteville;
And from Fort Smith, Mackenzy Jadyn Biggs, daughter of Chris and Kristel Knubley; Elizabeth Lee Morrow, daughter of David and LaRanda Morrow; Ember Mae Nolen, daughter of Samantha and Clay Fisher and Jeremy Nolen; Everly Grace Pollard, daughter of Al and Kristi Pollard; Stella LouAnn Rorabaugh, daughter of Robert and Michelle Rorabaugh; Anna Kate Serna, daughter of Edward and Lauren Serna; Rachel Erica Stubblefield, daughter of Russel and Ellen Stubblefield; Jaclynn Thompson, daughter of Chris and Harlene Thompson.
Tickets are $10.
Information: uafs.universitytickets.com, (479) 788-7300.
Arkansas State band
The concert band and symphonic winds at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro played in concert Feb. 25 at the school. Allen Deaver of Fort Smith played trombone with the concert band. Katie Gramlich of Fort Smith played the trombone, and Abby Lovell of Springdale played the flute, with symphonic winds.
Arkansas State theater
Morgan Carvell of Bentonville, a senior theater major, plays Elain in the production of The Miss Firecracker Contest at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.
Simpson University
Vanessa Yang of Centerton graduated magna cum laude Jan. 23 from Simpson University in Redding, Calif., with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
Fayetteville thespians
Fayetteville High School Thespian Troupe 717 attended the state festival Feb. 11-13 in Russellville. The local troupe presented Down Came The Rain, directed by Warren Rosenaur, with Jonah Greene and Landon Calhoun in lead roles. The performance earned a superior rating by all judges and a special all-state cast award to Jonah Greene for his performance.
FHS seniors auditioned and earned scholarships from all over the country. At the end of the festival, which included 40 troupes, Fayetteville showcased thee of the 14 events in the areas of group acting, theater marketing and play writing. Lucy Rossie, vice president of the FHS troupe, was elected to be one of four student officers for next year’s festival — the first time a FHS student has been chosen.
Group and individual rankings included:
Group superior ratings — Landon Calhoun and Jonah Greene, one act; Jonah Greene, Megan Stratton, Maylee Loften and Toni Pirani, group acting (showcased); Pierce Aplanalp, Landon Calhoun, Victoria Cooper, Ethan Dilday, Mary Larkin Furlow, Lucy Rossi, Ellison Smith, Yanda Vestewig and Hannah Villines, group musical.
Individual superior ratings — Jonah Greene and Pierce Aplanalp, solo acting; Caroline Wetsell, Landon Calhoun and Hannah Villines, solo musical; E.J. Ogbeide and Maylee Loften, Erin Hamaker and Emma Mylius, duet acting; Minh Cao, theater marketing (showcased).
Individual excellent ratings: Megan Stratton, solo acting; Jefferson Brown and Samantha Soard, duet acting; Mary Larkin Furlow and Lucy Rossi, Ethan Dilday and Ellison Smith, duet musical; Sam Murphey, stage management; Landon Calhoun, honor thespian award.
Northwest Arkansas Community College
Elizabeth Smith of Fayetteville was named the Golden Eagle Award recipient for February at Northwest Arkansas Community College. All Eagle award winners maintain a 3.0 grade-point average and demonstrate social awareness, personal development, show involvement in varied co-curricular and community activities, and display a commitment to education.
Kurtis Cecil, a biology faculty member, nominated Smith, saying she is “very committed to her education, and very selfless in her desire to improve and conserve the natural environment. She recently became a new mother as well, so she is balancing motherhood and school while achieving great grades.”
As part of her coursework, Smith works with the Bobwhite quail habitat at Pea Ridge National Military Park. To prepare for this role, she helped trap and radio collar quail before the semester started. She also volunteers at environmental clean-up events hosted by the Beaver Watershed Alliance and is actively involved in her church community at University Baptist Church in Fayetteville.
Smith receives a certificate of recognition and a $100 check from the NWACC Foundation. She also becomes eligible for the college’s Distinguished Golden Eagle Award, an annual honor.