Kewanee High School students had some impressive accomplishments in extracurricular activities this spring, and at Monday’s meeting, the Kewanee School Board honored them.
The board passed resolutions saluting:
— The group interpretation team, which placed first in sectional competition and qualified for the state contest. It was the 18th straight year that a KHS group interpretation team went to state, the longest such streak in any activity in school history.
The group interpretation team attended the meeting wearing pink “Barbie” shirts, calling attention to the piece they performed in competition.
— Cooper Bates was honored for his “fine performance and sportsmanship.” Bates won five firsts in original comedy, was a regional and sectional champion and qualified for state competition.
— Braden Clark, who wrapped up his senior year by becoming the second-leading scorer in school history in basketball. Clark was named to several all-state teams and participated in postseason all-star games.
— Alex Duarte and Jamal Lasenby, KHS wrestlers who qualified for the state tournament in Champaign. Duarte placed fifth in the state, wrestling at 215 pounds.
— Charley Eads, who notched his 200th win as KHS wrestling coach this season.
Also Monday, KHS Spanish teacher Hannah Safiran told the board about an exchange program with students from Costa Rica.
Safarin said a group of students from the Central American nation will come to Kewanee in mid-January and spend a couple of weeks here, living with host families and attending classes at Kewanee High.
Then, Kewanee students will travel to Costa Rica to visit a school and explore that country.
Safiran said 10 KHS students have already expressed interest in taking part, and half a dozen host families have been lined up.
The board also accepted the low bid of $67,800 from a Park Ridge, Ill. contractor that will remove floor tile that contains asbestos from Irving School and replace it with new tile. The work is to start July 15 and take two weeks.
And the board approved Supt. Dr. Chris Sullens’s recommendation to accept the bid of Community State Bank to finance school bus purchases at 4.3 percent interest. Sullens said Kewanee’s two other banks also bid on the financing.
The board also hired people to numerous positions, including naming Dayton Ince to succeed Matt Clark as boys basketball coach at KHS.
Board action also including hiring a large number of staffers to work in the upcoming summer school.
