The Jr. Ladycats had a great first day at Morrilton Team Camp!
An extensive paving project began on Monday at Bob Carver Bearcat Stadium. BCBS will remain closed to the public until the project is completed.
Mena teachers enjoyed the recent workshop in DeQueen featuring Teacher/Comedian Gerry Brooks. Including Mena High School teachers Cindy Standridge, Bernice Philpot & Melissa Puckett.
https://www.youtube.com/c/GerryBrooks
The History of Mena Public Schools Part 3:
In September 1907, Louise Durham became principal of Southside School. The school population had continued to increase and Mrs. Mershon’s primary enrollment of 113 was exceeded by Miss Durham’s room enrollment of 125. Some years later, when Mrs. Mershon and Miss Durham were reflecting back on their years of heavy enrollment they asked, “How did we ever manage it?” One replied in the familiar saying of a Polk County pioneer, “If en we hatter… we hatter.” Fortunately the pupils seemed most eager to learn and there were very few distractions to interfere with the school life. The home, the school, and the church were the three institutions that most influenced a child’s life. Besides a place of learning, the school was also a place for satisfying their cravings for social life and recreation. The Southside School had a baseball team of which it was justly proud. The team sometimes played inter-school games with the fifth and sixth grades of Central School, the Lutheran School, and St. Joseph’s Academy. Usually the Southside team was the winning team. County school fairs were popular from 1907 until 1920. By 1908 there were 1200 school children in the three wards and it became necessary to plan for a separate building for high school students. In 1908 Mena graduated four students, all female. In 1909 the first unit of the high school building had been erected. It was built on the corner of Magnolia Avenue and Eleventh Street at a cost of $12,000. The superintendent was W. T. Adams. It was during this school year that the school paper, “The High School Yell” made its first appearance. Dorothy Shaver was editor-in-chief. The “Yell” was published for a number of years and often contained articles and poems of real merit and special interest to the student body. The class of 1909 was also all young ladies. The ten graduating members of the class received their diplomas at the Opera House. An admission of .25 cents was charged to attend the graduation exercises in order to help pay for class expenses. The first football game was played in 1912. In the game the Bearcats played DeQueen. DeQueen won by a score of 20-6. There were only thirteen boys on the Mena squad. Additionally, only two boys had ever even seen a game. One eyewitness said, “The small squad made up for lack of knowledge by rough play.” The high school did not have electric lights until the class of 1914 had lights installed as their graduation gift back to the school.
Check out Part 4 next Wednesday.
The Sr. Ladycats are headed home after three days at the Harding Team Camp.
The Mena Jr. Girls wrapped up the Harding Team Camp on Tuesday. Coach Goss said, "I saw tons of improvement and I'm very proud of their effort these 3 days."
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MENA GOLF,BASEBALL, SOFTBALL & TRACK ON THE MOVE FOR 22-24 CYCLE.
Conference alignments have been approved by the Arkansas Activities Association board of directors for tennis, golf, baseball, softball, track & field and soccer for the 2022-24 competition cycle.
Baseball, softball, soccer and track & field conferences are tentative as spring sports have until Dec. 1 to declare.
It was announced previously that Mena basketball would be moving to the 4A-4 as well & Mena football will be moving to the 4A-7....
Schedules for 2022-2023 are available on the website
https://www.menaschools.org/o/athletics/athletics
There has been a change in the schedule for the Tabletop Gaming Summer Camp sessions at Mena High School. This camp will only meet June 27th through June 30th from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at Mena High School. The June 20th-23rd dates have been cancelled. If you have questions please email deedra.hooker@menaschools.org.
GETTING CLOSER EVERY DAY !!!
As of Monday morning the new turf project appears to be on schedule. Remember a paving project will follow & Bob Carver Bearcat Stadium will be open to the public at the conclusion of both projects. We will keep you posted on the progress..
The Arkansas Youth Fishing Federation has named Austin Rose and Jarrett Burger as the 2021-22 High School Anglers of the Year.
This is two years in a row that Austin and Jarrett have taken the top honor.
They will be competing in the High School National Championship on Lake Pickwick in Alabama June 22 - 25. Thanks to all the sponsors and all those that have supported and encouraged these young men.
The Mena Jr. and Sr. Girls are at the Harding Basketball Team Camp this week !!!
Friday is day two of the Whitt & Watkins Basketball Academy at the Union Bank Center !
Rich Mountain seems to be smiling about the sunny skies in this picture from the Mena Schools Weather Camera on Thursday. We're sure the crew working on the turf at Bob Carver Bearcat Stadium are pleased as well... Remember that BCBS remains closed to the public for the next several weeks.
Follow the link to the weather cam 24 hours a day.
https://www.weatherbug.com/weather-camera/?cam=MNHCK
The Whitt & Watkins Basketball Academy began on Thursday at the Union Bank Center. The morning session is for 1st-8th grades & the afternoon session is for 9th-12th grades. It continues on Friday & Saturday. GO BEARCATS !!!
Mena Ladycat KENSEY ROSSON has been named to the SBLive All-State Softball Team. Rosson will be a Jr. in 2022/2023 & had .618 batting average with 1 homerun last season.
Read the article at the link below
https://news.scorebooklive.com/arkansas/2022/06/09/sblive-arkansas-all-state-softball-teams-benton-pitcher-allyssa-houston-is-player-of-the-year?fs=e&s=cl&fbclid=IwAR1U4mFVz0FCbqbnqhEA3hLWKnX6NSRItUHhZrQD0JJek6jPxw8Qov9_TDk
The Senior High Bearcats went to Ouachita Baptist University today for a team camp! Great reps , great work and should have some great film to learn off of! Go Bearcats and thanks to OBU for hosting and feeding our boys!
Mena leaders are attending training with the DeQueen Mena Education Service Cooperative at Degray State Park this week. Administrators from schools across the DMESC area are attending.
Mena teachers are already learning new skills to help with engaging lessons. Tuesday at HHE they were participating in Summer PD learning how to use new technology… BenQ interactive panels have been installed & will help teachers interact with students.
Cox & Fletcher headed to Orlando for Special Olympic USA Games. Check them out on the cover of the Polk County Pulse this week !!!
https://mypulsenews.com/polk-county-pulse-june-8-2022/?fbclid=IwAR2ltZl1HnWqD42YTcCiCEWt8y1Uh4vbKPvcB7v5HNIKEWTE-h7lM-jnEGQ
