Prattville & Autauga County Student Spotlights (Oct21)

PJ, the mascot for Prattville Junior High School, is doing an amazing job this year. He fires up the fans and hugs the children. We are grateful to our players, our sports medicine team, cheerleaders, the majorettes and flag line, coaches, announcers and to our awesome band for a great football experience in “Cat Country.”

Students at Billingsley School celebrated International Dot Day September 15. This global celebration, named after Peter Reynolds’s book, The Dot, is meant to encourage curiosity, creativity and bravery. Billingsley students made their mark through various activities that focused on STEM, creativity and social emotional learning.

Prattville Christian Academy senior Maddie Jeffery was named a National Merit Semifinalist in the 67th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. She is one of only 16,000 students nationwide and PCA’s first semifinalist in the school’s 24-year history. As a National Merit Semifinalist, Jeffery will compete for approximately 7,500 scholarships worth more than $30 million in the spring semester.
On campus, Jeffery is active in PCA’s National Honor Society, Journalism Club, Mu Alpha Theta, Cross Country, Engineering Academy, several honors classes, and a dual enrollment course. Even when she’s not in class at PCA, she is taking online courses through Brigham Young University’s independent study program to diversify her course load.
From the group of Semifinalists, about 15,000 are expected to advance to the Finalist level, and will be notified in February 2022. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from the group of Finalists and announced in April-July.

Prattville High School Principal Daniel Faris recognized Haley Roberts as a 2022 National Merit Commended Student. Commended students do not continue as candidates for National Merit Scholarships, though some students do become candidates for special scholarships sponsored by corporations and businesses.

Fifth-grade students at Pine Level Elementary have been able to attend the STARBASE program at Maxwell Air Force Base this year. The program engages students in hands-on activities throughout their time on base. Participating in STEM activities allows the students the opportunity to learn basic programming skills, measurements, Newton’s laws of physics and more.

Prattville Primary has been focusing on the importance of being at school ALL DAY, EVERY DAY. Mrs. McNider challenged each homeroom to have no unexcused check-ins for the whole week. Eleven classrooms met the goal and were rewarded with popsicles.

Prattville Intermediate School held its first Spirit Day/Free Friday event of the 2021-2022 school year. It was amazingly fun and a huge success.

Prattville High School senior Taylor Gloystein is a Semifinalist in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program and has an opportunity to continue in the National Merit Scholarship competition. In February, some 15,000 Semifinalists are notified that they have advanced to Finalist standing. Beginning in March and continuing to mid-June, NMSC notifies approximately 7,500 Finalists that they have been selected to receive a Merit Scholarship award.

Second-grade students at Prattville Primary School attended water safety classes at the Prattville YMCA. Students learned basic water safety during the course. They also had fun swimming and using a rowboat.

Teachers at Pine Level Elementary are using an art kit this year to help them add the “A” to STEM…making it STEAM. A second-grade Pine Level student is shown with a creative rocket he engineered through a STEAM challenge where the students had to use Science Technology Engineering Art and Math to build and explain their rockets.

Bananas are the new apples for teachers. We are grateful for community members who go the extra mile and work to encourage Prattville Junior High staff members. Little things go a long way in helping students receive a great education.

Pre-K students at Pine Level Elementary School in Ms. Allen’s and Mrs. Mills’ classrooms enjoy participating in Baby Doll Circle Time as part of their daily routine. During this special time, students are learning how to make connections in a fun way by recreating familiar playful interactions. Baby Doll Circle Time helps students develop healthy blueprints for self-regulation, relationships and sense of self. This fun and giggle-inducing time utilizes attachment, attunement and social play to wire the brain for optimal development.

Pine Level Elementary second-graders enjoyed a field trip to the local YMCA where they learned water safety skills. The Prattville YMCA, the State of Alabama Marine Police and the Autauga County Board of Education have partnered together to provide a week-long water safety class to every second-grader in Autauga County. These children learn the basics of being safe in and around the water through classroom instruction and in water activities.Thank you to the Prattville YMCA and TEAM for helping our students know how to be safe.

Prattville Christian Academy senior and current SGA president Jace Johnson represented PCA at the summer 2021 session of the American Legion Auxiliary Alabama Boys State. Students are chosen to attend based on demonstration of leadership, hard work, strong morals and motivation in school and community activities.
Students at Boys State learn the importance of leadership and character by participating in a mock government, where they campaign for different roles and join groups to develop their own politically-related interests. Johnson ran for his city’s District Judge and was elected by his peers. Shortly after, he was nominated to run for the higher position of County Circuit Judge, and his campaign proved to be successful once again when he won this election. His duties as his county’s judge included participating in mock trials and learning the roles within the courtroom.
While at Boys State, Johnson had the opportunity to meet a variety of leaders essential to Alabama’s government. Some of these leaders included Governor Kay Ivey and State Representative Chris England.
Senior PCA journalism student Jaycie Black contributed this article.