It was a week full of activity at Arnett, as staff and students seemed to be moving in all directions to keep up with a packed schedule of events.
The school proudly hosted the Arnett Junior High Softball Festival, welcoming teams from around the area. Athletes competed hard on the field while visitors enjoyed the concession stand throughout the day. A special thank you goes out to Great Plains for lending their grill, helping make the event a success. It’s always encouraging to see the community step in and support the school whenever there is a need.
Paige Dearing, Kristi Haney and Kaleb McDonald prepared and cooked the food in the concessions stand.
On the baseball field, the Junior High boys claimed the championship title at the Shattuck Tournament with an exciting 7–6 victory over Shattuck. The game came down to the final moments when Adrian Gutierrez stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the 5th inning with bases loaded and one out. After being hit by a pitch, he brought in the winning run, securing the championship for the Wildcats.
Back Row L-R: Coach Bill Burcham, Easton Royal, Adante Smith, Levi Cutsinger, Josh Campbell, Andrew Cutsinger, Levi Starkey, Coach Ross Royal. Front Row L-R: Lukas Smith, Crew Watson, Adrian Gutierrez, Landon McCartor, Landon Stanley
The Arnett Speech and Debate team also had a strong showing at their regional tournament, earning placements in five events and advancing to the State Tournament in April. Earning top honors were Eli Coykendall and John Campbell with 1st place in Public Forum Debate, and Toy Stewart with 1st place in Prose. Additional placings included Brooklyn Vincent (3rd in Prose), Jasmine Smith (4th in Prose), Breclyn Suthers (4th in POI). Notably, every team member reached finals in at least one event. Congratulations also go to Randy Burton, a finalist in Duet Dramatic with Breclyn Suthers; Troy Burton, a finalist in Humorous Interpretation; and Melissa Sovic, a finalist in Duet Dramatic with Jasmine Smith.
L-R: Melissa Sovic, Jasmine Smith, Brooklyn Vincent, Whitley (Toy) Stewart, Breclyn Suthers, Troy Burton, Randy Burton
Academic teams were also on the move this week. The 5th and 6th grade Academic Team traveled to Dale on Saturday to compete in the State Academic Meet. Qualifying for state is a significant achievement, and the team was celebrated with a district send-off on Friday afternoon.
Back Row L-R: Ellie Royal, Kashyn Miller, Kreed Dunham, Kale Dunham, Ryder Williams, Nikki Clark. Front Row L-R: Carley Nickel, Dylan Watson, Grant Tune, Hudson Wadsworth
In addition, Julia Cabrera earned 3rd place in her category at the State Science Fair and received a Psychological Association Award, an impressive accomplishment that reflects her hard work and dedication.
We are incredibly proud of our students. They are consistently encouraged to work hard and strive for excellence—qualities that will serve them well throughout their lives.
Looking ahead, there are several important dates to mark on the calendar. The Beta Club will host a blood drive on April 1. Community members are encouraged to donate and can sign up in advance using the link below, though walk-ins are also welcome:
https://www.yourbloodinstitute.org/.../drive_schedule/672025
April 1 will also be Pre-K Preview Day. Families are invited to bring their 4-year-olds to meet Mrs. Reed and get a glimpse of what’s ahead.
As always, there is plenty happening at Arnett, and the Wildcat community continues to stay active, involved, and supportive.