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You've got eMule!
Vol. 11 No. 18
Welcome back to The eMule! Here is the latest news from Poplar Bluff Schools to help start your week on the right hoof.
| MMA fighter kicks off Black History Month celebration at PBJHS |  | |
Poplar Bluff native TeeJay “Bad Newz” Britton discussed his professional career as a mixed martial artist to the Junior High student body, kicking off a Black History Month series celebrating African American alumni making an impact beyond Missouri.
“If I can do it, I promise you, you can,” Britton told the seventh graders during the split assemblies held Wednesday, Feb. 15. Prior, he mentioned that he has “been one of these kids in this gym.”
While his mother was paralyzed from the waist down and his father struggled with addiction, he revealed, Britton was taught never to feel sorry for himself. “My mom would say, ‘What are you gonna do to change [your circumstances]?’”
A graduate of the PBHS Class of 2000, Britton maintains a winning featherweight record in MMA, according to Sherdog, including a victory in Bellator, the second largest promotion under UFC. Britton, now 40, says he has one more bout on his contract, along with two boxing matches, and hopes to have his next nationally televised fight in June, according to his agent.
He has won multiple championship belts, perhaps most notably under the Cage of Honor banner. At 6-foot-4, he maintains a height and reach advantage over many in the 145-pound weight division, and entered his martial arts career as a multi-sport athlete, having played professional basketball overseas, and was an All-American track and field runner.
“One thing that changed my life is being consistent,” Britton said to the audience. He can remember listening to a military spokesman back when he was in Junior High, and the most important piece of advice he received was simply to make his bed each morning. When Britton later contemplated the message, he realized its significance was that “no matter how your day’s going, when you come home, your bed’s gonna be made.”
He lost his first televised fight despite having a smooth weight cut and a training camp without injuries, Britton recalled. But instead of making excuses, he said he got back into “grind mode” and won his next match. “Everything can go right and you can still come out short, but how you respond to adversity is everything,” he said.
Before arriving at Junior High, Britton shared, he worked out at 5 a.m. and plans to return to the gym afterward, and practices multiple disciplines each day. “Motivation is gonna go away and leave, but successful people are consistent,” he explained. “…You can do anything you set your mind to, plus hard work.”
Britton said he writes down his goals, for example, adding to the dozen countries he has already visited, but most importantly, he asks himself what he is doing to ensure he achieves them. He said he tries to better himself daily which in turn helps influence those around him, including his five children he is raising with wife Britney.
Britton advised the students that who they choose to surround themselves with is essential, and he had to change his mentality growing up. “Success breeds success,” stated Britton, who earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. “Respect will take you farther than anything.”
During a question and answer portion, Britton was asked about famous athletes he has met while practicing with the Houston Rockets or serving as an alternative on The Ultimate Fighter. Out of anyone, his favorite to watch, he responded, was his sister Tenisha Miller, a six-time state champion in Mules Track and Field.
Credited for arranging the visit, Junior High science teacher Solely Dugas is Britton’s niece. Junior High Principal Candace Warren also served as his English teacher. His appearance, which included talks with the multicultural world class and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, was followed on Friday, Feb. 24, by returning keynote speaker and PBHS alumnus Cortez Higgs, founder of The Catalyst Effect, an intercity youth development program.
Above: Motivational speaker TeeJay “Bad Newz” Britton visits his former Junior High School to discuss with students his experiences as a professional mixed martial artist.
Below: Standing beside a collection of championship belts and his very own bobblehead, TeeJay Britton reconnects with his former English teacher, Junior High Principal Candace Warren, during a hometown visit.
|  | Community responds to inaugural ‘Cupid Shuffle’ at O’Neal |  | |
A total of 16 booths were set up with goodies to distribute to all elementary students during O’Neal’s inaugural ‘Cupid Shuffle’ in celebration of Valentine’s Day.
“It’s a way for every kid to have a positive, non-competitive experience on Valentine’s Day,” said organizer Ashley Robertson, O’Neal librarian. “Local businesses have a chance to promote their business and put a smile on kids’ faces, and they end up feeling good as well.”
Third grade teacher Allison Bell explained how she was initially looking for a way to get the public involved with the elementary while not "splitting the community support" during other established traditions such as Jingle Jog at Oak Grove or similar trunk or treat events around Halloween.
“We have such a great community, as far as people wanting to give back to the kids,” Bell said. She noted that Robertson “took the idea and ran with it” once the librarian began reaching out to partners including churches, businesses, organizations and parents to book the booth space.
In attendance, Nikki Mouser, family director for Kids Side, pointed out how the West Side Church of God is represented on the O’Neal Bright Future Site Council and she has multiple children from the school who attend their church, which is “right around the corner.” Mouser said: “It’s just a fun day going out and about, and doing.”
Andrew Jefferson, park ranger with Wappapello Lake, who has a grandchild at O’Neal, said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is getting back into promoting water safety at events, following a disruption in public outreach during the pandemic. Three Rivers College Coordinator of Admissions & Recruitment Heather King commented how she would not pass up an opportunity to plant the seeds early for higher education.
"Our kids need to be exposed to more than just the core subjects," said Robertson, who hopes to continue to expand the tradition going forward. “That’s what helps make well-rounded children.”
Above: Second grader Hattie Ligons came dressed for the occasion during O’Neal’s Valentine’s Day celebration held earlier this month.
Below: D Shaun Bryant of O’Neal Elementary is accompanied by Assistant Special Education Director Dr. Jamie Busch during the inaugural Cupid Shuffle.
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|  | One-third of juniors recognized for excelling on multi-aptitude test |  | |
A total of 95 students, or just over one-third of participating juniors, recently scored 50 or higher on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test at Poplar Bluff High School.
The ASVAB provides students two years of free access to a career exploration website to learn requirements for entry points into different occupations and how to develop effective strategies for meeting career goals, according to Tamara Day, Counseling Department chairperson.
While there is no obligation, the Department of Defense-sponsored test is designed to predict future academic and occupational success in the military. Scores of 50 or above open up opportunities for enlistment incentives, student loan repayment options and may activate the GI Bill Kicker program, according to Staff Sgt. Kristina McGuire of the Missouri Army National Guard.
There were 28 students who were recognized for scoring 80 or above on the test out of 99 percentiles, which does not further increase perks, but is “impressive” nonetheless, McGuire continued. Most military branches require a minimum score of 31, she noted.
The ASVAB is offered to all PBHS juniors annually, according to Day. The multiple-aptitude test includes language arts and mathematics components, and can serve as a predictor for the district-paid ACT college entrance exam. So far 195 upperclassmen are signed up to take the standardized test, scheduled for national test day in April.
Above: Pictured with recruiters Staff Sgt. Kristina McGuire and Sgt. 1st Class Caleb Parkin, students who scored 80 or above were (in alphabetical order, not the order in which they appear) Selena Anthony, Xavior Armstrong, Hayden Baker, Lauren Rae Bourd, Sabrina Breckenridge, Cody Dearborn, Emma DeGaris, Jack Ernest, Kameron Glick, Rachel Hamann, Cooper Jackson, Brandon Johnson, Sebastien Kaup, Alex Keown, Clayton Medina, William Melton, Elijah Moore, Aiden Nguyen, Macey Odom, Pamela Richards, Cameron Settle, Addison Shell, Zora Shoemaker, Terry Smith, Nicholas Spain, Zoey Wawak, Jacob Webster and Brennen White.
Below: Students who scored 50 or above were (alphabetical) Matthew Anderson, Jaron Aquino, Lillith Beedle, Ryan Black, Kaylee Brown, Juliana Buckelew, Gabriel Burke, Chloe Cambron, Isaac Cato, Katy Cram, Logan Crowley, Bayli Czerwonka, Logan Davis, Cori Duncan, Emily Elliott, Abigail Gardner, Peter Glaves, Kaylee Gloyd, Kolby Greenwall, Brayan Grimaldo, Logan Hale, Shaylin Hampton, Jasmeka Harley, Kimber Hicks, Parker Hicks, Kadin Hillis, LeAra Hopson, Laynie Jones, Ava Kingree, Kelsey Kramer, Sophia Leach, Kaine Lewis, Jonathan Lyscas, William Martin, Ashlyn McIntyre, Wyatt Meurlott-Luebben, Skyla Miller, Lillian Mills, Brooke Montgomery, Jackson Moore, Alexander Moylan, Mason Murphy Foster, Grace Neighbors, Abigail Newcomb, Colten Palma, Alec Papanicolaou, Madeline Payne, Ian Pierce, Samuel Ray, Lily Reasons, Ashtyn Reese, Alejandro Rivetti, Blaise Rowland, Keona Sample, Laine Schalk, Noah Shirrell, Dustin Sinclair, Cameron Sisk, Angelo Sorrentino, Infinity Starkey, Rebecca Stevens, Carson Todd, Courtney Ward, Heaven Werkmeister, Bailey Williams, Spencer Wilson and Kennedy Zgaynor.
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BOE Appreciation
March is school board recognition month through the Missouri School Boards’ Association. Special thanks to Dr. Cynthia Brown, Ken Davis, Tim Gaebler, Roger Hanner, Jerrod Murphy, Dr. Mike Price and John Scott for your dedicated, voluntary service to our school system.
Spring Break
Spring Break runs from Monday to Friday, March 13-17. School resumes for students on Monday, March 20. Please enjoy!
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On Tuesday, Feb. 14, WSILTV reported about the second Area Career Center construction fund grant our Technical Career Center has secured.
Fox23 also reported about the $154K grant TCC Director Charles Kinsey wrote for a campus-wide HVAC overhaul; and the Middle School’s Wipebook grant via our Foundation.
On Wednesday, Feb. 15, the DAR reported about the TCC’s latest in a string of federal and state grants over the past year.
On Thursday, Feb. 16, KWOC reported about the Middle School Math Department’s ‘thinking classrooms.’
On Saturday, Feb. 25, the DAR also reported about the Middle School’s $2K Foundation grant; and published its annual Top 10 student supplement.
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