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You've got eMule!
Vol. 14 No. 16
Welcome back to The eMule! Below is the latest news from the Poplar Bluff R-I School District.
In case you missed it, our Early Childhood and Kindergarten Center students had the opportunity to join together and celebrate the final stretch of the school year with a concert by The Kinders, a returning favorite! Click here to view the photos, and be sure to hit Like and Share!
| Throwback teacher to reintroduce dedicated sewing class at PBHS | |
A Poplar Bluff educator has built a legacy around reintroducing the practical arts she can recall learning back when she was a student in the district.
Candace Hovis, who teaches Family and Consumer Sciences, will lead a new sewing elective at PBHS next school year. She previously initiated the construction of a chicken coop at Lake Road Elementary a decade ago, when she taught in the lower grade span.
“Some of my most meaningful memories as a student in Poplar Bluff Schools came from hands-on, practical learning experiences, whether it was visiting the chickens hatching in elementary school or sewing a complete outfit in Junior High,” Hovis remembered. “I even still have the quilt I made in High School.”
Last year, the Board of Education approved a 50/50 matching grant request for 15 heavy-duty sewing machines under the federal Perkins Act, available annually to career and technical education programs.
To further help get the class started, substitute teacher Donna Woods orchestrated the donation of a lifetime’s worth of fabric, buttons, zippers and bindings in memory of her friend, Leta Banther, who lost her battle with cancer in November.
According to Woods, the late Banther sewed over 100 quilts for Sleep in Heavenly Peace and would have "loved to donate to the kids." The sub has worked with Banther’s surviving husband, James, to go through her friend’s “own little private Hobby Lobby” over the past several weeks.
Woods additionally collaborated with Agee Church to purchase four shelving units and 30 totes for Hovis’ classroom space. While having attended school in St. Louis, Woods also can recollect learning to sew, beginning with a pillowcase, then a coat hanger and lastly pajama pants.
“In my era, everyone took shop and woodworking, and physical skilled classes more than bookwork,” Woods shared. “What’s good or bad; I don’t know.”
Hovis initially incorporated a sewing lesson into the end of her senior survival elective this year. For the 2026/27 school year, she has received administrative approval to teach a semester-long dedicated sewing class that will follow colleague Julie Littles’ fashion design and merchandising prerequisite.
“I enjoyed these classes as a student here 20 years ago, and they left a lasting impact on me,” said Hovis, noting that she has had the unique experience of teaching some of her former elementary students as seniors now. "Being able to reconnect with them and provide these experiences at a different stage in their lives makes this work even more rewarding."
Above: FACS instructor Candace Hovis (forefront) stands beside a donation of shelving units and materials arranged by substitute teacher Donna Woods (back) for the new sewing elective to be offered at PBHS next year.
| PBHS JROTC academic team to vie in National Championship | |
The Pvt. Billie G. Kanell JROTC Battalion has qualified to vie in the 2026 Leadership & Academic Bowl Championship for the first time in the 29-year history of the Poplar Bluff High School program.
The academic team—comprised of Ayema Ahsan, Levi Ferguson, Jackson Kennedy and Hattie Scobey, with Victoria Pennell serving as alternate—will compete alongside approximately 100 high schools across the country and beyond in June at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
“The cadets deserve all the credit for this accomplishment; they are some of the brightest students in Poplar Bluff High School,” said JROTC instructor Command Sgt. Maj. Marc Roderick, who further commended Gail Karlish, Academic Team adviser. “The foundation she laid for the cadets during their daily practice empowered them to succeed. I just had to point them at the target and keep them moving forward.”
The academic portion of the online competition tested cadets on core subjects including math, science and language arts as well as knowledge outside the classroom including current events, financial literacy and critical thinking under time pressure, according to the press release from the College Options Foundation, the long-time event organizer.
The release goes on to characterize the JLAB Championship as one of the most prestigious competitions exclusively for JROTC cadets, gathering the nation's most driven student leaders. Eligibility reflects months of preparation, discipline, teamwork and the kind of leadership development the program aims to cultivate.
“The cadets have set a remarkable standard for excellence at Poplar Bluff High School,” said PBHS Principal Dr. Valerie Ivy, noting that qualifying in their division was a long-sought goal. “To see our cadets emerge from a global field of over 5,000 teams to secure one of the few spots at the national championship in Washington, D.C., is an incredible honor for not only PBHS but for our entire community.”
Following the semi-final round, when the PBHS JROTC challenges 31 other U.S. Army-sponsored programs, the top team will vie against the first-place winners of the Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy in the joint service finale. For over two decades, the COF has supported the academic growth of JROTC cadets through such competitions, college-readiness resources, exam-preparation tools and admissions guidance.
Above: (From left) Command Sgt. Maj. Marc Roderick, Ayema Ahsan, Levi Ferguson, Hattie Scobey, Jackson Kennedy and Dr. Valerie Ivy pose in the JROTC wing of PBHS. Not present for the photo was Victoria Pennell, who is also Washington-bound.
| TCC student creates first-place brand design for SkillsUSA Missouri | |
A Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center senior made history by winning the secondary brand design for the first time in the decade-long SkillsUSA Missouri contest, while several schoolmates took home medals.
The first-place T-shirt design of computer graphic arts design student Amelia Hampton was chosen by membership, upon being advanced by the executive council, to be worn for the Leadership & Skills Conference held Thursday through Saturday, April 9-11, at the State Technical College of Missouri in Linn.
Hailing from TCC’s service area of Van Buren, Amelia created her design to highlight the outdoors Missouri has to offer, while the post-secondary brand design winner from Cape Girardeau centered on the Gateway Arch. The graphics were limited to four colors, plus the shirt itself.
“Amelia, having grown up on the edge of the Ozarks, knows how beautiful Missouri is and wanted to put the spotlight on that,” explained Alex Nicolini, TCC graphic arts instructor. “Missouri is home to some of the most beautiful nature in the world,” he said, elaborating: “from flatland wetlands to hill country full of caves and waterfalls” along with “some of the most gorgeous rivers in our area which Amelia grew up around.”
While the graphic arts space is being saturated by artificial intelligence instantaneously producing images that follow standard design principles, Nicolini exphasized that large language models are still trained on references to art "made by a human." He continued: “Being a designer that is able to create something new and fresh to the eyes will remain in demand for a long, long time.”
Amelia's original work, which uses the water texture and color to incorporate the year subtly, will also be featured on the high school trading pin at the national conference in June in Atlanta.
Also qualifying for SkillsUSA Nationals are Nicholas Batrano and Cody Grobe, who earned gold in robotics & automation technology, and Abby Alexander, earning gold in esthetics. Meanwhile Avery Bohrer won a silver medal in cosmetology technology information, along with a bronze in nail care. Also winning bronze medals were Mason Magill in automotive refinishing technology, Andrew Mahurin in culinary arts and Kaden McCain in screen printing technology.
Above: TCC student Milly Hampton is pictured wearing her first-place SkillsUSA T-shirt, alongside instructor Alex Nicolini and TCC Director Dr. Leigh Ann Cornman.
| March Athletes of the Month named | |
The Mules Booster Club has named Lynn Cotrell and Rion Tenchavez of Poplar Bluff High School the Athletes of the Month for March, presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.
Rion, a junior baseball player, pitches and rotates between third base and shortstop for the team, leading in multiple areas on both the mound and at the plate. His batting average currently is .481 with an on-base percentage of .583. As a pitcher, he is 3-0 with an ERA of .636, having struck out 13 batters while only walking five.
“Rion is an excellent student and player for Poplar Bluff High School, and is very worthy of this honor,” stated John David Pattillo, his coach.
Lynn, a sophomore track runner, won Notre Dame’s Frozen Invite as well as the Poplar Bluff Open, breaking her own pole vault record of 11-3, which is also a stadium record. Both student-athletes are in the top 15 of their class academically.
“Lynn is a competitor! She is fierce and focused,” said Elizabeth Lewis, her coach. “Her type of athleticism is unique and doesn’t come around often. She has qualified for state at two different sports.”
Above: Lynn Cotrell and Rion Tenchavez are named Athletes of the Month by Brian Taylor, Booster Club president, on Wednesday, April 22, at PBHS.
| Video Premiere: Alternative Paths to Teaching Career | |  | |
Mules Café
The final day of the Mules Café for the school year is Thursday, April 30, from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Culinary Arts Center on the Technical Career Center campus, located at 3203 Oak Grove Road. Call 573-785-5768 to place a carry-out order. Click here to view the menu.
Shoe Drive
The Mules Baseball program is hosting a shoe drive through Thursday, April 30, to raise money for students through Funds2Orgs. Gently used shoes—anything from boots to flip flops—are being accepted during the school day in the box under the portico to the left of the front entrance at Junior High, located at 550 N. Westwood Blvd. Shoes may also be dropped off during Mules Baseball games, as well as at partnering business sites throughout town. The goal is to collect between 2,500 and 5,000 pounds, according to organizer Allison Bell, Junior High social studies teacher. The shoes donated will be shipped to developing countries, and kept out of landfills.
Prom
PBHS Prom will take place from 7-11 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at the Black River Coliseum. Grand March begins at 7 p.m. with a cost of $2 for spectators. Doors open to the public at 6. Click here for details!
Foundation Golf
The Poplar Bluff School Foundation’s 26th annual Golf Tournament will be held on Friday, May 8, at Ozark Ridge Golf Course, with tee time beginning at noon following lunch. All proceeds from the golf classic go toward innovative teacher grants outside of the classroom budget, and a student scholarship for a PBHS graduate entering the field of education. To enter a team in the four-person scramble, sponsor a hole or donate a raffle prize, please call 573-785-7751, ext. 5.
Graduation
The commencement ceremony for the PBHS Class of 2026 will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 21, in the Black River Coliseum.
ECH Screening
The final screenings for 2026/27 enrollment at the Poplar Bluff Early Childhood Center will take place on Thursday, May 14 and May 28. To schedule an appointment, call 573-785-6803. Please have child’s social security number handy. To attend, child(ren) must be between 3-4 years old on July 31.
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On Thursday, April 16, KBSI Fox23 reported about PBHS junior Addison Hutson winning an essay contest sponsored by Ozark Border Electric Cooperative.
KWOC also reported about Addison Hutson’s all-expense-paid trip to D.C.
On Friday, April 17, the DAR began its Teacher of the Year series featuring Laura Powell of Mark Twain; reported about the Drama Club’s performance of “12 Incompetent Jurors;” and recognized our February Athletes of the Month.
On Sunday, April 19, the DAR announced Jake Nickelson as our new Mules Athletic Director.
On Monday, April 20, the DAR picked up its TOY series featuring Jeanna Tipton of our Early Childhood Center; and recognized PBHS alumna Lily Johnson for being named Student Employee of the Year at the University of Central Missouri.
KWOC also profiled our incoming athletic director.
On Wednesday, April 22, KWOC helped promote our shoe drive and the PBHS production of “12 Incompetent Jurors.”
The DAR continued its TOY series featuring Cody Tyler of the Kindergarten Center.
On Friday, April 24, the DAR reported about the Chamber’s annual TOY recognition event.
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