School News

Dual valedictorians lead largest graduating class in decades

06/01/2022

A total of 371 students graduated from Poplar Bluff High School on Thursday, May 26, at the Black River Coliseum – the biggest cohort since 1980, and the sixth largest class in history.

Maj. Gregory Crites helps perform the passing of the colors from cadet Ltc. Dustin Ramsey to Aaliyah Shephard.

JROTC promotes incoming battalion commander

06/01/2022

Dozens of outstanding cadets and the companies they represent were honored during the annual awards and Change of Command ceremony of the JROTC on Thursday, May 19, at Poplar Bluff High School.

Multiple students land jobs during hiring event

05/17/2022

Dexter Bar-B-Que settled in at the second ‘hiring event’ at Poplar Bluff High School with plans of spending the morning recruiting. The restaurant wound up filling its opening within the first 10 minutes, then was able to pack up and call it a day.

$Charlee Deaton, Macey Odom, Christian Redding and Emmelien Pendley.$

Students place during Math Field Day return

05/17/2022

A total of eight Poplar Bluff High School Math Club students competed with half of the members earning top placement during the 43rd annual Math Field Day held last month at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau.

Jerrica Fox, Salah McCormack, Olivia Kirkman and Emily Lovette.

American Red Cross awards PBHS $3,000 in scholarships

05/04/2022

The American Red Cross has awarded a total of $3,000 to three Poplar Bluff High School students for volunteering to collect 340 units of blood this school year, potentially helping to save over 1,000 lives.

(Back row, from left) Physical education teacher Joan Lack, Dominique Baucom, Karson Busse, Hayden Downs, Hunter Lawson, Christopher Chapman, Trevor Collins, Emily Faith, Charles Harris and coach Kayla Keith; (front row, left to right) Jason Bell, Skylar Elledge, Nicole Weatherford, Reba Mace, Haley James, D’Angelo Keel and Maison Dennis.

Student-led effort to hold letter banquet for Special Olympics athletes

05/03/2022

For the first time, Poplar Bluff High School hosted an athletic letter banquet for the families of students who participated in the recent Special Olympics Missouri (SOMO) spring games.

Student-led group volunteers to remove invasive trees from campus

04/05/2022

A voluntary group of students and district personnel has begun to remove hundreds of non-native, invasive pear trees from the Poplar Bluff High School campus.

StuCo members display their statewide award.

StuCo earns School of Character award via Special Olympics

04/05/2022

Poplar Bluff High School Student Council was the only recipient in the state to earn the Award of Merit in the Special Olympics Missouri School of Character program for working to create an environment of inclusion.

Iron Mules vie in Bi-State Championship

03/29/2022

The Poplar Bluff High School Iron Mules vied in the FIRST Tech Challenge State Championship for Missouri and Kansas robotics teams earlier this month at the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla.

PBHS Beta Club rallies together to win $6K

03/08/2022

The Poplar Bluff High School Beta Club has earned $6,000 for collecting the most bottle caps during the annual Dr. Pepper Pigskin Points contest.

Students in Audrey Harris’ American sign language class at PBHS reinforce their skills during a vocabulary exercise.

New sign language course makes impact beyond classroom

02/15/2022

A student-led American sign language club generated enough interest at Poplar Bluff High School to establish a new foreign language class this school year. Now a movement is happening in the community.

Renovations underway at Kay Porter Theater

02/01/2022

Work is underway for the Kay Porter Theater to receive a complete overhaul of its control booth with use of original funds bequeathed by the campus building’s namesake.

The Mules Competitive Cheerleading Team pose with coach Kimberly Smith (back left) and assistant Brianna Jones.

PBHS Cheerleaders honored by board for state championship

01/26/2022

The Mules Competitive Cheerleading Team was recognized during the Board of Education meeting on Thursday, Jan. 20, in the Administrative Building for bringing home the state championship.

R-I earns top placement at Junior, Senior Beta Convention

01/11/2022

The Poplar Bluff School District qualified nationally in a total of 16 competitions at the recent state Beta conventions in which 113 R-I students participated in.

Bralin Duckett, Emma Harris, Emma Tinsley and Christian Redding.

PBHS students to sing with All-State Choir, compete in Sight-Singing Bee

12/07/2021

Four Poplar Bluff High School choral students have been selected for the All-State Choir, one of whom has further qualified to compete statewide in the Sight-Singing Bee.

College Fair returns to campus after going virtual

10/27/2021

Fifty universities, technical trade schools and branches of the military were represented during the return of the College Fair on Tuesday, Oct. 19, at Poplar Bluff High School.

Kathy Miller’s robotics class break off into groups and unbox robotics kits.

Robotics class receives financial backing from out-of-state group

09/21/2021

A Georgia-based philanthropy group has donated more than $5,000 to a popular elective class at Poplar Bluff High School to purchase several robotics kits so more students can practice engineering.

Dr. Scott Dill, Mackinley Cox, Linda Surber, Hannah Tuttle, Nikki Davis and Ammalein Pendley.

Designing Women Foundation awards $11.5K to Poplar Bluff

09/14/2021

The Designing Women Foundation honored its scholarship recipients and Charlie Classics Reading Contest winners during a reception held last month at the Bloodworth House, awarding $11,500 to students of Poplar Bluff Schools over the course of two years.

Resilient Class of 2021 graduates PBHS

05/27/2021

A total of 299 students graduated from the Poplar Bluff High School Class of 2021 on Thursday, May 20, at the Black River Coliseum, earning a total of $2.6 million and counting in individual scholarships, A+ funding and other grants.

Dustin Ramsey promoted to JROTC battalion commander

05/18/2021

The Pvt. Billie Gene Kanell JROTC Battalion held its annual Change of Command Ceremony on Thursday, May 13, at Poplar Bluff High School, marking the completion of “another productive year,” according to Command Sgt. Maj. Marc Roderick, Army instructor.

Wanda Dicken, Layton Sanders and Stephen Winters.

Layton Sanders earns Dicken Memorial Scholarship

05/05/2021

Poplar Bluff High School senior Layton Sanders has been selected to receive the $500 Kyle Curtis Dicken Memorial Scholarship.

Jennie Randolph, Isabella Sifford, Jordyn Shearrer, Lauren Dickerson and Maria Polasek.

$3,000 awarded in Red Cross scholarships

04/27/2021

The American Red Cross has awarded four $750 scholarships to Poplar Bluff High School students who completed successful applications reflecting on their efforts in helping to host blood drives.

Two Poplar Bluff sophomores named Missouri Scholars

04/13/2021

Poplar Bluff High School had both of its allotted student nominees accepted into the 2021 Missouri Scholars Academy—a rarity—according to counselor Dr. Regina Williams.

PBHS sophomore accepted into Agribusiness Academy

04/13/2021

A Poplar Bluff sophomore has been chosen alongside only 30 high school students across the state to participate in the 2021 Missouri Agribusiness Academy this summer.

PBHS Class of 1992 donates in memory of classmate

04/13/2021

The Poplar Bluff High School library added over 75 books to its collection with a $1,200 donation from the Class of 1992 in memory of alumna Misty Ziegler.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Lesli Brown and the Robotics Club.

PBHS Iron Mules win Connect Award for outreach

03/09/2021

The Iron Mules earned the Connect Award during the FIRST Southeast Missouri Regional Competition on Saturday, March 6, held virtually at Poplar Bluff High School.

Student leads Black History Month celebration

02/09/2021

A Poplar Bluff High School sophomore has taken the initiative to produce a series of short videos celebrating Black History Month that are being shown during advisory class throughout February.

Students in Pam Davis’ business management elective make hot chocolate bombs during second hour every day.

PBHS students raise $1,000 for Project Christmas Promise

12/15/2020

A class at Poplar Bluff High School has raised a projected $1,000 for Project Christmas Promise through a student-led enterprise that has quickly gained popularity across campus.

Students play a video game navigating SARAH through a simulated disaster on Tuesday, Nov. 24, in the JROTC wing.

U.S. Army STEM trailer visits PBHS

12/08/2020

Poplar Bluff High School students recently learned about STEM opportunities available through the U.S. Army during a special visit from the Mobile Exhibit Company.

Pink-Out Day celebrates 10th anniversary, $200K raised

10/13/2020

Pink-Out Day, which started at Poplar Bluff Schools and soon expanded city-wide, has reportedly raised over $200,000 for the United Cancer Assistance Network over the past decade.

Cerda, Spence awarded $10K rootEd scholarships

10/06/2020

A pair of Poplar Bluff High School graduates of the Class of 2020 were recently awarded the rootEd Undergraduate Scholarships, valued at $10,000 per year, renewable up to 10 semesters toward a bachelor’s degree.

Mike Owen, Chris Wheat, and Anne and John Moyer.

MRTF awards Poplar Bluff teachers $1,000 in grants

09/15/2020

The Missouri Retired Teachers Foundation recently financed two grants valued at $500 apiece for Poplar Bluff educators.

Poplar Bluff JROTC named Honor Unit with Distinction

02/11/2020

The Poplar Bluff High School JROTC has been accredited as an Honor Unit with Distinction for scoring a near flawless 98.5 percent on a recent program evaluation.

Gov. Mike Parson visits Poplar Bluff FFA booth.

Mrs. Clark named Outstanding Woman in Ag

02/04/2020

Poplar Bluff High School agriculture teacher Kathryn Clark received the Outstanding Woman in Ag award on Friday, Jan. 31, during the third annual farmer appreciation luncheon, sponsored by the University of Missouri Extension and the Chamber of Commerce, prior to the Ag Expo at the Black River Coliseum.

JROTC student earns first-round Army scholarship

01/14/2020

A cadet from the JROTC program at Poplar Bluff High School has been selected in the very first round to receive a four-year U.S. Army scholarship.

The PBHS Concert Choir sing Christmas carols for the Lion’s Club.

Lion’s Club donates $500 to All-State Choir students

01/03/2020

The Lion’s Club decided to sponsor Poplar Bluff High School’s upcoming All-State Choir performance, after being impressed during a Christmas caroling at the organization’s weekly luncheon.

Gateway 2 Jobs program representatives are pictured with the 2019 graduates.

Grad Center students earn G2J certificates

10/29/2019

A total of 13 students from the Graduation Center earned certificates to include on their resumes through Gateway 2 Jobs on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce.

AmeriCorps hosts 16th annual Career Fair

10/17/2019

A total of 381 Poplar Bluff High School sophomores participated in the 16th annual Career Fair on Thursday, Oct. 10, at Three Rivers College.

Mark Murphy, Kaylee Merrick, Eugene Barnes and Tyrus Merrick

Green Bay Packers feature PBHS student’s artwork

08/27/2019

The artwork of a Poplar Bluff High School senior is being displayed for a year at the Green Bay Packers stadium, and the Art Department has been awarded $5,000 as the result of a recent national contest.

(Left to right) Dr. Scott Dill, Anne Moyer, Pam Davis, John Moyer, James Barnhill and Jan Duffy.

MRTF awards $500 grant to PBHS teacher

08/27/2019

Poplar Bluff High School business education teacher Pamela Davis was awarded a $500 grant from the Missouri Retired Teachers Foundation on Wednesday, Aug. 14, so students can create interactive folders detailing concepts learned in personal finance class.

RISE Transition Center set to open with dedicated at-risk staff

08/12/2019

The new RISE Transition Center will open during the 2019/20 school year as a pilot program for the planned alternative school to help address behavioral issues that students, grades 7-12, are struggling with in the regular education setting.

Jeff Baldwin, co-owner of Baldwin Automotive Group, hands two sets of Ford Escape keys to PBHS educators (front row, from left) Mitch Davis, Charley Harper and Mike Sowatzke.

Baldwin supports PBHS Driver’s Ed program

06/10/2019

Baldwin Automotive Group has loaned a pair of 2018 Ford Escapes for students to use in the Driver’s Education program available at Poplar Bluff High School.

Surrounded by family and colleagues, Gretchen Pendley receives a prestigious award.

PBHS teacher earns statewide biology award

06/07/2019

Poplar Bluff educator Gretchen Pendley has won the 2019 outstanding biology teacher award for the state of Missouri through the National Association of Biology Teachers.

Incoming PBHS junior to participate in 2019 MSA

05/29/2019

Poplar Bluff High School is sending a student to the exclusive Missouri Scholars Academy for the second year in a row.

Drew Metz reunites with his military sister, Alyson.

Commencement held for PBHS Class of 2019

05/29/2019

A total of 321 students graduated from the Poplar Bluff High School Class of 2019 on Thursday, May 23, at the Black River Coliseum, earning nearly $2.1 million in scholarships and grants, staff reported.

Elizabeth Shirrell’s mother Amy joins Maj. Gregory Crites in the Change of Command ceremony.

Change of Command 2019

05/14/2019

Poplar Bluff High School junior Elizabeth Shirrell has been named commander of the Pvt. Billie Kanell JROTC Battalion for the upcoming school year.