REPUBLICAN-TI I MEES North Central Missouri College Foundation Announces Honorees for the Distinguished Alumni Class of 2022

North Central Missouri College Foundation has announced the Distinguished Alumni Class for 2022.

Dr. Jennifer (Collier) Blacksmith, Jackie (Persell) Soptic, and Barbara (Higdon) Spencer will be recognized during the Pirates Ball on Saturday, March 25, 2023, at the Ketcham Community Center on the campus of North Central Missouri College. The Pirates Ball is to honor distinguished alumni, Voyage Fund donors and all NCMC family and friends. The event is a fundraiser for the Voyage Fund, an annual giving campaign to raise unrestricted funds to help meet the unmet needs of the College.

Dr. Jennifer (Collier) Blacksmith

The North Central Missouri College Lady Pirates signed Jennifer Collier, a Novelty, MO native and then senior from Knox County High School, to play basketball in 2002. Highlights of Jennifer’s two-year athletic career at NCMC include winning the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Region 16 championship, and the NJCAA ranking her eighth in field goal percentage at 64.33. When asked to share a favorite memory during her time at NCMC Jennifer said, “My best memories were with the basketball team, especially when we won the Division II Region 16 Championship game! Coach Mothersbaugh had a certain way of coaching that brought the best out in each of us.” In addition to her athletic achievements, Jennifer excelled academically, earning an associate’s degree after which she transferred to the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. While attending UCM, Jennifer’s

Briefs

passion for working with children and families led her to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice, and a master’s degree in Psychology. She fulfilled her higher educational goals and earned a doctorate in School Psychology from the University of Missouri in 2014.

After returning to Missouri in 2017, Dr. Blacksmith has served as the Director of Behavioral Health with the Northeast Missouri Health Council. In addition to her leadership role as a director, she provides counseling services, psychological testing, and professional development to schools, and works closely with the University of Missouri through their Missouri Strong Kids ECHO outreach program as a mental health expert.

Dr. Blacksmith’s successful career in psychology could have taken her anywhere but she chose to return to

R-6 Hires Preschool Teacher

During a closed session held Thursday, February 23, 2023, the Pleasant View R-6 school board unanimously agreed to hire Abby Richman as a preschool teacher for the 2023-2024 school year.

School Board Candidate Forum

The Trenton Teachers Association will hold its Annual Meet the School Board Candidate Forum on Monday, March 20 at 6 p.m. at the Trenton High School Performing Arts Center. Mindy Walker, Member Service Coordinator for the Northwest Region of the Missouri State Teachers Association, will serve as moderator.

Each candidate will be given time to address the audience, after which time the moderator will ask each candidate a series of questions. Candidates for Trenton R-9 school board include Joshua Shuler, Ronda Lickteig, Robin Chambers and incumbents Jason Hostetler, Brandon Gibler and Andy Burress.

The public is invited to submit questions that may be used during the forum. Deadline for questions to be submitted is March 14. They may be emailed to Trenton Teachers Association President Anna Muselman at amuselman@trentonr9.k12.mo.us.