An estimated 1,500 free meals were served during the annual Thanksgiving Dinner for the community-hosted by Chartwells School Dining Services-on Monday, Nov. 18, at the Student Center.

The JROTC, StuCo, and the high school band and choir volunteered to help out as well as provide entertainment. Art students made placemats for each table. The event generated $300 plus three bags of clothing for the Haven House.

[Above]: School Board Vice President Gary Simmons, who volunteered, serves Superintendent Chris Hon and his wife Barbie, A+ coordinator and vocational resource educator. Sidenote: It happened to be Chris' birthday.

[Below]: Jack Wesemann, 5, of the Kindergarten Center is excited about his meal, particularly the dessert.

Click here to view the rest of the photos!

The winners were announced from the recent Junior High Science Fair, which is an annual competition among seventh graders designed to test their understanding of the scientific method.

The winners-as determined by eighth grade science teachers-are as follows (name/placement/project title): physical science - Jillian Page, first place (first place overall), "Spatter Matters;" Skyler Zitnak, second place (third place overall), "Cheating in Baseball;" and Sophia Rowland, third place, "Get Well." Behavioral/consumer science: Brianna Hatley, first place (second place overall), "Bird Eating Preferences;" Jerrica Starnes, second place, "The Effect of Music on Shopping;" and Taylor Gowen, third place, "Moths."

All six students will go on to compete in February in the Regional Science Fair at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau.

[Above]: Shelby Jefferson, pictured with her older brother Adam - a former Science Fair winner, displays her project entitled "Light Dimmer Switch," which was one of 24 honorable mentions.

[Below]: Jack Harrison, pictured with his parents Brian and Jennifer Rosener, stands in front of his project: "Electric Food?"

Thanks to the digital transformation, Junior High music students were able to fully realize vocal music teacher Gary Garner's vision during Music Technology Day on Thursday, Nov. 14, at Three Rivers College's Tinnin Center.

Students were able to perform the tips of the clinicians in real time on their MacBook Airs, as professional trombonist Cody Henry of St. Louis gave a presentation on iLift, an Apple app for slowing music down to imitate jazz language; PBHS senior Kaycee Kimbrow presented on Notepad, which is a powerful music writing tool now featured on all band students' laptops; Three Rivers adjunct guitar instructor Jay Shephard discussed the usefulness of Garage Band for musicians; and Garner himself talked about scoring music for films using the new track function in Garage Band.

Music Technology Day began as the brainchild of Garner 19 years ago with an Atari computer, one technology clinician who was also a jazz musician, and a single jazz band. The event has evolved to serve all PBJHS band students, two high school jazz bands and the Three Rivers College jazz band, plus four clinicians.

Earlier this month, students in Keri Jameson's science class at the 5th & 6th Grade Center completed a project that required knowledge of simple machines and the scientific method, creating a working catapult that launches marshmallows.

[Above, from left]: Kiertsten Davis, Collin Scobey and Natalie Clark assembled a catapult that launched a marshmallow the furthest: 288 inches. The lowest distance was nine inches, to put it in perspective.

[Below]: Teacher Keri Jameson was impressed by the students' enthusiasm and abilities to think critically, she said. Here their teamwork is depicted.