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Poplar Bluff High School senior Ben Soeter is the first student in three years to read 100 novels and earn a $1,000 scholarship via the Designing Women Foundation’s Charlie Classics reading program. The 17-year-old has placed first in his class each year for reading the most teacher-approved literary works, resultantly winning thousands in bank cards in addition to the scholarship. When Soeter was a freshman, he generously donated $500 back to the PBHS library so the school can replace some of its titles in the Charlie Classics collection. At the time, he declared that it was a goal of his to complete the challenge. Reflecting on all the books, Soeter said: “It changed the way I think, broadening my outlook

The Mules Booster Club has named baseball pitcher Kameron Misner and soccer goalie Shelby Sievers the Poplar Bluff High School athletes of the month for April. Shelby, a freshman, has a 72 save percentage having racked up 125 saves for the month of April alone, with three shut outs. On top of being a soccer star, she is a straight A student. Kameron, a junior, had a record of 4-0 as of Friday, May 1, with 25 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.200 in 23.1 innings pitched. As a batter, he had a .357 average, with 22 RBIs, nine singles, four doubles, four triples and three home runs, with an on-base percentage of .419 in 18 games.

A total of 22 members of Poplar Bluff Schools’ staff, faculty and administration were honored during a retirement reception on Thursday, April 30, in the Administrative Building. Administrators reflected on the careers of the employees and presented them each a plaque as a small token of appreciation for their years of dedicated service to public education. Families, friends, co-workers and school board members were in attendance.

Poplar Bluff High School senior Zain Siddiqui was awarded the $1,000 Michael D. Laseter Memorial Scholarship, which is limited to a senior planning to major in the medical field. Siddiqui, 18, has been accepted into the pre-med program at Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Laseter was a physician specializing in internal medicine at Kneibert Clinic for over 20 years. After retiring from medicine in 1994, he taught physiology at PBHS on a voluntary basis for five years. Since 2008, the memorial scholarship in his name has been awarded to a student each year.

Poplar Bluff Junior High School participated in the Missouri Council of Teachers of Mathematics middle school math contest on Saturday, April 11, in Jackson, competing in the spring, target and team events. The students who competed were the top scorers on a voluntary placement test. Student Brett Keele qualified to go on to states, placing fifth overall in the eighth grade category as well as the spring event, and was the top scorer for PBJHS. The state competition will take place Saturday, April 25, at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. R-I special education teacher Chris Dell, and math instructors Rebecca Tuley and Chris Wheat accompanied the students during the trip.