

Additionally, AVID students from both the middle school and high school participated, further enhancing their exposure to postsecondary and career opportunities.










Brig. Gen. Sean Crockett, the Deputy Commander U.S. Army Cadet Command, visited the Waynesville Tiger Battalion on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, at the Waynesville Career Center.
Crockett toured the facilities, spoke to the battalion and received a "State of the Battalion" briefing from the Tiger Battalion commanders and staff. He also recognized four outstanding cadets: LET 1 Jessie Lopez, LET 2 Nicholas Vaughn, LET 3 Sarah Ketchum and LET 4 Addison Bowling.
Lopez was recognized for “facing every challenge with a positive outlook and a desire to improve, making every task, no matter how difficult, a valuable learning experience for herself and those around her.”
Vaughn was recognized for being “the definition of a steady performer. He will take any task assigned to him and complete it on time, to standard and with limited supervision. He always maintains a positive attitude and is respectful to his peers.”
Ketchum was recognized for “epitomizing what a Cadet Leader looks like. She is a scholar, athlete and leader. She is a varsity basketball player, and is the 6th hour class leader because of her demonstrated leadership ability and potential.”
In addition to being the cadet captain and public affairs officer, Bowling was recognized for being a member of the Drill Team and Raider Team. “She has done an amazing job taking photos of all of our events, and telling our battalion story; far ahead of any of her predecessors. She is in the WCC nursing program and is currently applying for the Army ROTC nursing scholarship.”


































The Drive4 UR Community event will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at Ed Morse Ford in St. Robert to support Snack in a Pack. SIAP will receive $30 per each test drive (1 per household) for up to 200 test drives. A pre- and post-survey must be completed in order for SIAP to receive a $30 donation for driving.
PreRegistration is strongly encouraged for the text drives by scanning the QR code or going to https://d4urc.com/W64XR. (It will state Ed Morse Ford East.)
Snack in a Pack provides meals on weekends and holidays for Waynesville R-VI students who might otherwise go hungry.
To test drive a vehicle, an individual must be at least 18 years of age and a licensed driver.

VOICES to perform tonight during Showcase Waynesville Schools
The VOICES Choir, an honor choir for students in grades 4-6, rehearsed on Wednesday in preparation for their performance tonight (Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025) at Showcase Waynesville Schools at Waynesville High School.
The VOICES Choir is under the direction of Vanessa Mason and assistant directors Laura Taylor, Beth Gibson, Amanda Johnson-Gonzalez, Lisa Martin and Terri Heiby.
Showcase Waynesville Schools is hosted by the Waynesville R-VI School District Foundation and is free and open to the public.
* Showcase schedule at a glance *
- 5 to 6 p.m. WHS 1st Floor
Guests will view student artwork and students will demonstrate their artistic and robotic skills on the first floor fine arts wing of WHS.
- 6 to 7 p.m. WHS Auditorium
Waynesville R-VI students will perform dance, musical and choral numbers in the WHS Auditorium.
- 7:15 p.m. WHS Bronze Tiger
Close friends, family members and community leaders are invited to stay for the formal Induction ceremony into the Wall of Leaders – Janice Roam Dye and the late Dr. Ogden DeWitt as Lifetime Achievement - Alumni and the late Sadie Navarre as Outstanding Educational Professional. Wall of Leaders inductees.

















The Waynesville Raider Team traveled to Camp Arrowhead (Marshfield) on Sept. 27, 2025, to compete in the Ozark High School Raider Meet. This was also the 3rd ROTC Brigade qualifier for Army Raider Nationals.
In a field of more than 30 teams, Waynesville’s Mixed Team finished 5th overall, finishing 3rd on the Gauntlet. They were also 5th on the Physical Team, 6th on the Cross Country Litter Rescue, 7th on the 1 Rope Bridge and 11th on the 5k Run.
Next up is the Waynesville/Fort Leonard Wood Raider Meet, on Oct. 4, 2025, hosted by the 31st Engineer Battalion, 1st Engineer Brigade.










Xin Chen, a 2022 Waynesville High School graduate, has been awarded a rootEd Alliance Transfer Scholarship of up to $12,000 per year, renewable for up to five years. This scholarship—worth as much as $60,000 per student—will support Chen as she pursues a bachelor’s degree in nursing at Missouri State University.
“We are thrilled that Xin Chen is being recognized for her hard work and commitment to her education,” said Superintendent Hilary Bales. “The selection process was particularly competitive this year, which makes her accomplishment especially noteworthy.”
rootEd scholarships are exclusively available to students from high schools, such as WHS, that partner with rootEd.
“These rootEd scholarships recognize both the hard work these students have already demonstrated and the tremendous potential they hold for the future,” said Noa Meyer, Chair of rootEd Alliance. “Congratulations to Xin Chen - rootEd is honored to be in your corner as you take this next step.”
About rootEd
rootEd Alliance, a national nonprofit, partners with rural high schools across Missouri to ensure every student graduates with a plan for what’s next – whether college, career training, military service or entering the workforce. Since launching in Missouri in 2018, rootEd advisors have supported more than 54,000 students across the state in defining and pursuing their goals. Now, thanks to a significant increase in state funding through Missouri’s fiscal 2026 budget, signed in July 2025, rootEd is serving 174 schools statewide and reaching approximately half of all rural high schools in Missouri with a dedicated college and career advisor.

Showcase Waynesville Schools to be held THURSDAY;
3 to be inducted into Wall of Leaders
The Waynesville R-VI School District Foundation will host Showcase Waynesville Schools from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, at Waynesville High School. Following the performances, three individuals will be inducted into the Wall of Leaders.
“We invite everyone – from family members to the community—to come see our student’s artistic talents and to watch the performances on stage,” said Foundation President Cheryl Vernon.
From 5 to 6 p.m. student art pieces will be on display, along with art and robotics demonstrations. At 6 p.m. students will take the stage for dance, instrumental and choral performances.
During the performances, the three individuals who will later be inducted into the Wall of Leaders will be introduced via video. The formal induction ceremony of Janice Roam Dye and the late Dr. Ogden DeWitt as Lifetime Achievement – Alumni, and the late Sadie Navarre as Outstanding Educational Professional will begin at 7:15 p.m. in front of the Wall of Leaders, which is located directly behind the bronze tiger statue.
This year’s Showcase Waynesville Schools is free and open to the public.
* Schedule at a glance *
- 5 to 6 p.m. WHS 1st Floor
Guests will view student artwork and students will demonstrate their artistic and robotic skills on the first floor fine arts wing of WHS.
- 6 to 7 p.m. WHS Auditorium
Waynesville R-VI students will perform dance, musical and choral numbers in the WHS Auditorium. Wall of Leaders inductees will be introduced via video.
- 7:15 p.m. WHS Bronze Tiger
Close friends, family members and community leaders are invited to stay for the formal Induction ceremony into the Wall of Leaders – Janice Roam Dye and the late Dr. Ogden DeWitt as Lifetime Achievement - Alumni and the late Sadie Navarre as Outstanding Educational Professional




WCC Teaching Pathways students had the opportunity to read to Waynesville R-VI preschoolers for Love of Reading Week Sept. 22-26, 2025. Before going out to classrooms, the Waynesville Career Center students researched early childhood learning standards and created a lesson plan for their read-aloud. They also had to come up with a fun activity for students to participate in after their story. WCC students enjoyed reading to the preschoolers.
WCC Teaching Pathways students are interested in pursuing a career in education after they graduate from high school and this course provides them with some real-world, hands-on teaching experiences.







