Nearly 300 Missouri high school and college students joined more than 6,000 students from around the country in Louisville, Kentucky, June 25-30 for the SkillsUSA 54th annual National Leadership and Skills Conference, the world’s largest showcase of skilled trades. The students competed against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in fields such as electronics, computer-aided drafting, precision machining, medical assistance and culinary arts.

Missouri educators Christina Hwande and Tamara Stine were each awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) by the White House and National Science Foundation earlier this week. They are among more than 140 individuals who received recognition this year.

Two new State Board of Education members, Carol Hallquist and Peter Herschend, were sworn in Thursday as the board held its first meeting in six months. Five previous meetings were cancelled due to a lack of a quorum. 

The board approved multiple recommendations and received status updates from staff members of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on Thursday. 

Missouri Governor Mike Parson appointed two members to the State Board of Education on Tuesday, as Carol Hallquist and Peter Herschend were named the fourth and fifth members of the eight-person board.

The pilot year for Missouri’s Seal of Biliteracy (Missouri Seal) has been successful, with 163 Missouri Seals awarded to graduating seniors who have demonstrated proficiency in English and any of the world’s languages, including sign language. Here is the breakdown of Missouri Seals earned during the 2017-18 school year:

The 2018 Green Ribbon Schools program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, announced that four Missouri schools were selected for their innovative efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, improve health and wellness, and ensure effective sustainability education.

Two Missouri high school students were chosen as members of the 54^th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars, as announced by the office of U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Michelle Li (Ballwin; Marquette High School, Chesterfield) and Alexander W. Donovan (Chesterfield; Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School, St. Louis) were named as Missouri’s U.S. Presidential Scholars, joining 161 combined representatives from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and U.S. families living abroad.

Nine Missourians were honored as winners of the 2018 Missouri Breaking Traditions awards at a ceremony in Jefferson City on Monday, April 23. The Breaking Traditions awards honor students, educators and employers for their achievements related to nontraditional careers.

The 2018 awards and recipients are as follows:

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has named this year’s Missouri Gold Star Schools. The program recognizes schools that perform at high academic levels or that perform at high levels while serving a significant proportion of disadvantaged students.

There are eight winning schools:

More than 8,000 FFA students and guests from across the state will converge in Columbia on April 19-20 for the 90^th annual Missouri FFA Convention. The event plans to honor fellow members for outstanding achievements, conduct association business, elect new officers and participate in leadership workshops.