Sixteen of the 17 finalists whose essays qualified them for the Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce Civics Bee on April 29, 2025, were Waynesville Middle School students.
The top three winners from the live civics competition were:
1st place: Brandon Bullard from Waynesville Middle School (Trophy and $500 cash award)
2nd place: Charlie Fan from Ladue Middle School (Trophy and $250 cash award)
3rd place: Grant Good from Waynesville Middle School (Trophy and $125 cash award).
These three are now eligible to compete in the state competition.
A portion of the news release issued by the Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce is below:
Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber Hosts National Civics Bee® for Pulaski County Middle Schoolers
The Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce proudly hosted the 2025 National Civics Bee® in Pulaski County, Missouri, on April 29, 2025. This initiative, presented in partnership with The Civic Trust® of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, encourages young Americans to engage in civics and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
Seventeen local finalists advanced from the first-round civics essay competition to participate in the live event, which featured two rounds of civics questions followed by a Q&A round.
A distinguished panel of judges, Judge Kevin Hillman, Luge Hardmon, and COL James Scott evaluated the participants on their understanding of civic principles, the clarity and effectiveness of their responses, and their use of examples, evidence, and primary sources to support their answers. The judges were impressed by how well-prepared the finalists were, their thoughtful choice of topics, and their ability to confidently answer challenging questions.
The event was held at the Parker Educational Center in Waynesville, with David Lowe as the emcee. The top three finalists of the local competition were as follows: Brandon Bullard from Waynesville Middle School (1st place), Charlie Fan from Ladue Middle School (2nd place), and Grant Good from Waynesville Middle School (3rd place).
“This competition offers a wonderful opportunity for our middle school students to explore issues that matter to their communities, helping them understand the importance of civic engagement and responsible citizenship,” said Cecilia Murray, Executive Director of the Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce. “We are proud to support young people as they discover their voices, build leadership skills, and take meaningful steps toward shaping a brighter future for us all.”
Brandon Bullard, the first-place winner, shared, “My experience with the National Civics Bee was informative and brought insight into how my community functions. It also encouraged me to become involved with my community and educate myself on civics topics.”
Brandon received $500 for placing first, the second-place winner received $250, and the third-place winner received $125 in cash prizes.
All three finalists will advance to the state competition, hosted by the University of Missouri’s Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy on Aug. 6 in Columbia. They will compete for additional prizes and the chance to represent Missouri at the National Championship in Washington, D.C., this fall 2025. National prizes include a $100,000 529 college savings plan for first place, $25,000 for second place, and $15,000 for third place.
The Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce congratulates all participants and encourages Pulaski County students to apply for next year’s competition.
For more information about the National Civics Bee, visit: https://civics.uschamberfoundation.org/
About National Civics Bee®
The National Civics Bee a program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s The Civic Trust, is an annual nonpartisan competition aimed at improving civics education and literacy among middle school students, their families, and communities. The National Civics Bee helps elevate civics as a national priority through a network of state and local chambers across the country. The National Civics Bee is made possible through the generous support of its founding partner, the Daniels Fund, Citizen Travelers, and other funders. #wayschools
The Waynesville Middle School bands presented their concert to a standing room only audience on April 28, 2025. #wayschools
The Waynesville Middle School choirs held their Spring Concert on April 28, 2025, in the Waynesville High School Auditorium. #wayschools
From our Athletic Office:
Waynesville 6th-8th Grade Soccer Camp
Who: Currently enrolled (24-25) 6th-8th grade boys & girls
Location: Waynesville MS
Dates: May 12-15 & May 19-22
Time: 3:00 PM-5:00 PM
REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE ON May 8, 2025 @ 3:00 PM
For more information you can email Eric Thornburg ethornburg@waynesville.k12.mo.us or Jessica Babb @ jbabb@waynesville.k12.mo.us.
Register Here: https://forms.gle/RAjLPL9QjgzvDohD8
Lady Tiger Softball falls to Nixa in game two, concluding their season. We are proud of the girls for all of
their growth this spring! 🥎
Lady Tiger Softball falls in a nail biter to Neosho in the 1st round of the COC Tournament. They will play again at 3.
An ambulance was dispatched to Waynesville High School at approximately 8:30 p.m. this evening (Tuesday, April 29, 2025) to the Waynesville Middle School track meet to treat an individual student with a medical condition.
The individual's parents have been notified and will determine what, if any, further medical treatment is necessary.
Waynesville R-VI will host a Kindergarten Kickoff at 5:30 p.m. on May 2, 2025, at the Parker Educational Center. This is for parents of students who will be going into kindergarten this fall. Future kindergartners are welcome to attend as well. Please see the flyer for more details or call 573-842-2092.
#wayschools
WMS Softball finished out the Conway Tournament with a 16-12 win over Licking. Go Tigers!
Congrats to the WMS Baseball Tigers on their 3rd place finish at the Conway Tournament!
Courtney Long, executive director of secondary instruction, recognized Waynesville Middle School Student Council for receiving the Gold Award from the Missouri Association of Student Councils. This award recognizes councils for their involvement at the local level, the South Central District Student Council and state level.
Dunning to head Waynesville Middle School; Palmer to be WMS assistant principal
Brent Dunning, the assistant principal of Waynesville Middle School, will become the head principal of Waynesville Middle School, effective July 1, 2025. He will fill the vacancy created by Brian Vernon who will become head principal of Waynesville High School.
April Palmer, the interim principal at Fort Irwin Middle School in Fort Irwin, Calif., will become an assistant principal at WMS to fill the vacancy created by Dunning moving to head principal.
“I am looking forward to continuing to develop positive and collaborative relationships that lead to increased student achievement,” Dunning said. “Middle school is such a critical time in a student’s life, and I’m committed to creating a safe, supportive and engaging environment where every student can thrive—both academically and personally.”
Dunning has served as the assistant principal at WMS since 2024, and prior to that was an assistant principal at Parkview High School. He is a former special education teacher and coach. Dunning holds a bachelor’s in communications from Missouri State, a master’s in special education from Drury, a master’s in educational administration from Missouri State and is pursuing a doctorate degree from Liberty University.
Prior to serving as the interim principal at Fort Irwin Middle School, Palmer served as a special education RSP teacher/admin designee. She also has served as a 6th-8th grade special education teacher and an elementary teacher. Palmer earned her bachelor’s degree in human development/English and a master’s in teaching curriculum at Azusa Pacific University and a master’s in educational leadership at Western Governors University.
“I am passionate about fostering academic excellence, building strong relationships with students, staff, and families and driving continuous improvement within the school
community,” Palmer said. “I am passionate about inspiring students and educators to reach their fullest potential while promoting a culture of respect, innovation and lifelong learning.”
🎶🎺 Middle School Band Shines in Strafford! 🎺🎶
On April 16th & 17th, our middle school band students traveled to Strafford, MO to perform their prepared pieces for a panel of judges—and they did an amazing job!
Each group received top marks and helpful feedback from experienced professionals. We’re so proud of their hard work and dedication! Check out their incredible results:
WMS Beginning Band: GOLD
Tiger Pride Advanced Band: GOLD
Tiger Winds and Percussion: GOLD
Want to hear these awesome performances in person? Come to our Spring Band & Choir Concert on April 28th at the middle school!
Choir starts at 6:00 PM
Band takes the stage around 7:00 PM
Come out and support these talented young musicians!
Here is the WMS Athletic schedule for the week. Go Tigers!!
There will be no school in the Waynesville R-VI School District on Friday, April 18, 2025. All offices will be closed on April 18 as well.
Gomez shares online dangers & tips for parents to help protect their children
Officer David Gomez – a nationally renowned speaker – shared information about how easy it is for adult predators and/or people who want to cause harm to become “friends” with students on social media, citing incidents from his undercover experiences. He also spoke of the dangers of those “relationships” during his public presentation on April 14, 2025, at Waynesville High School.
Gomez also shared startling details about the nicotine content and progression of the vape industry over the past decade. He shared that because of their candy-like flavorings, people are deceived about the harmful effects of vaping. “Even when students want to stop, they often need help because of the levels of nicotine they have been inhaling,” Gomez said.
Also during his discussion about drugs, Gomez showed the slang words and emojis that drug dealers use to communicate both the kind and the quantity they have available frequently on social media.
In addition to speaking with the public, Gomez spoke with middle and high school students earlier in the day about how to protect themselves online, the dangers of vaping and how to ask for help for themselves and for friends in need.
Gomez promotes updates on new trends predators use on social media and drug trends on his own social media. His Facebook page is @deputygomez and both his Instagram and Youtube accounts are @officergomez. Videos of some of his previous presentations are available online.
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What can parents do?
During his presentation, Gomez recommended these best practices:
1) No wifi devices in bedrooms, including cell phones and Chromebooks. (He recommends buying your child a separate alarm clock.)
2) Cell phone checks (parents should check to see what’s on their child’s cell phone.)
3) No private messaging of random adults
4) Set a screen time and stick to it
5) Fewer than 200 friends on any given app
Waynesville R-VI will host a Kindergarten Kickoff at 5:30 p.m. on May 2, 2025, at the Parker Educational Center. This is for parents of students who will be going into kindergarten this fall. Future kindergartners are welcome to attend as well. Please see the flyer for more details.
#wayschools
National Speaker David Gomez spoke with Waynesville Middle School students this morning about how to protect themselves online, the dangers of vaping and how to ask for help.
He will be speaking to parents and the community at 6 p.m. tonight (April 14), about how to protect children from becoming victims online and provide info about the “normalization” of drug use on social media. This event is free and open to the public at Waynesville High School Auditorium. #wayschools
To show support for military children, please wear purple on April 15 for Purple Up Day.
