Apr 10, 2008

Ava High School Principal David Rickner introduced Students of the Month for the month of April at Tuesday’s monthly luncheon meeting of the Ava Area Chamber of Commerce. This month’s honored students are Keisha Thompson and Chris Ramsey. Following are the biographies prepared by the students and read by Mr. Rickner at the meeting. The students were also presented savings bonds by Diane Shay of Great Southern Bank. Keisha Thompson is the daughter of Tim and Wendy Thompson. She grew up in Gainesville and has attended Ava Schools the last four years. While in Ava she has participated in band, track, cross country, French Club, Art Club and Anchor Club. Last year she received an Academic Letter and has 56 mentoring hours through the A+ Program. Next year her plans are to attend Ozark Technical College and become a chef. Chris Ramsey has attended Ava Schools since kindergarten. In his freshman year he joined the FFA. The next year he qualified for the National Honor Society and this year he started in the Destination Imagination Club, which is the school’s gifted program. His hobbies are making objects out of wood, making wire figures, working on vehicles, and working on electrical components. His future plans after high school are to go into the Army for six years. After the Army he plans on going to college to become a mechanical engineer. He also wants to start his own business. Tuesday’s luncheon was hosted by White River Valley Electric Cooperative. Cindy Rains, coordinator of the Operation Round-Up Program, accompanied by Jeff Pardeck, presented the program which included a video on energy conservation. Rains said Operation Round-Up has provided $2.3 million in assistance to the five-county area served by White River Electric, including $735,000 in scholarships and $80,000 in classroom assistance. She said $1.1 million has been given in assistance to individuals and community programs.