MSBSD Students and staff recognized for achievements

Before the Matanuska Susitna Borough School District (MSBSD) School Board members got underway with agenda items during the regularly scheduled Wednesday school board meeting, Dr. Randy Trani took time to recognize students and staff in their accomplishments in academics, athletics, and education and support.

“This is one of my favorite school board meetings of the year,” he said of the annual recognition of student and staff.

Among the honorees were the Advanced Placement Scholars. There were too many to be named individually, but Dr. Trani noted that Mat-Su Middle College Colony High School had 15 AP Scholars, 4 AP Scholars with Honors, and 3 AP Capstone Diplomas. Over at Wasilla High School, there were 4 AP Scholars, 1 AP Scholar with Honors, and 2 AP Scholars with Distinction.

“This program has expanded so much in the last 3 years,” Dr. Trani said about the number of recipients.

Other honorees included 5 students who were named National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalists, including Mason Anderson, Jayna Ekelmann, Paul Ludwig, and Oliver Rose from Career and Technical High School, and Josie Peace from Mat-Su Middle College.

“Part of what’s cool is that we get to see all ages of students. That’s why I like this,” Dr. Trani said before recognizing the elementary and middle school students who represented the Mat-Su Borough during the Alaska State Spelling Bee; the elementary, middle, and high school teams and individuals who placed in the Mat-Su Borough Chess Tournament; the District Battle of the Books, which did see a 2-way tie at the 3rd-4th grade level between Shaw Elementary and Cottonwood Elementary, and both teams represented MSBSD at the state competition.

The recognitions kept coming with recognitions going out to the elementary students and team winners of the District Math Derby, High School ASAA World Language Declamation 1st Place winners, with categories of poetry, dialogue and impromptu languages, and the languages ranged from Russian to French, Japanese to Spanish; the Elementary District Science Olympiad 1st Place winners, that saw 30 students in 16 categories ranging from aerodynamics to tennis ball catapult.

Athletes were also recognized, including, with a podium sweep at the ASAA, Colony High School Boys Cross Country team Matthew Rongitsch, Zac Cheyette, and Tobias Buchanan.

ASAA State Diving Champions Ally Hrncir of Palmer High and Deshawn Campbell of Wasilla High, and State Swimming Champ in the 100-yard Breaststroke, Alexandria Anderson from Colony High.

Division I and II ASAA Boys Wrestling Champions in weight classes from 109 to 160 with wrestlers coming from Wasilla, Palmer, Redington, and Colony High Schools, with Division II 1st Place Overall Team, Redington Sr Jr/Sr High. And in the Girls Individual Wrestling, Mya Campbell, Redington Sr Jr/Sr High, was recognized.

Of course, none of the academic and athletic recognitions would be possible without the dedicated educators throughout the MSBSD, and some of whom were recognized, including Karen Bloxsom, Wasilla High School Assistant Principal, who was named Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals Assistant Principal of the Year, Jennifer Schmidt-Hutchins, Fronteras Spanish Immersion School who was honored as Region 8 Principal of the Year.

Ashley Kelly, Colony High School, was named Teacher of the Year by the Alaska Association for Career and Technical Education, while Vanessa Powell, Colony Middle School, and Shelli Franckowiak, Fronteras Spanish were named Alaska Art Educators of the Year.

Rebecca Giedosh-Ruge, Culinary Educator at Career & Technical High School, was named Alaska ProStart Educator of Excellence, and over at Houston High, Jane Henry-Johnson was named Region 3 Music Director of the Year.

Support staff were also recognized, including Melissa Zeltwanger, Tanaina Elementary, who was named School Staff of the Year by the Alaska Association of School Librarians.

Wendy Degraffenried, Mat-Su Central School was honored as School Nurse of the Year by the National Board of Certified School Nursing.

“Congratulations to everyone for their hard work.”

For a complete list of those who were recognized, click here, and for photos, visit the Matanuska Susitna Borough School District Facebook page.