Volleyball players received kudos for good sportsmanship at school board meeting

Several students were recognized at the Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) Board of Trustees meeting Monday night for their sportsmanship during games by the Wyoming High School Athletic Association (WHSAA).

CCSD2 Superintendent Darrin Jennings told the school board of trustees he received the letters from the WHSAA and believed they should be recognized publicly.

Josie Little, who attends Saratoga Middle High School (SMHS), was recognized by a referee during the Farson-Eden volleyball game for “always being a positive influence on the floor. She was constantly praising and cheering her teammates.”

The whole SMHS volleyball team was recognized at the Cokeville game for “displaying appreciation to the refs during and after the matches. They were kind to each other and trying to lift each other up during the matches. The coaches were kind and very encouraging to the players.”

Isabela Vaipuna, a Hanna-Elk Mountain-Medicine Bow (HEM) volleyball player, was recognized by the referees during the Southeast game for “encouraging her teammates in a positive manner, and not getting angry or down on anyone or her self when things did not turn out the way she planned.”

Samantha Anderson, an Encampment K-12 volleyball player, was recognized for “encouraging fellow teammates” during the Little Snake River Valley game.

The WHSAA promotes good sportsmanship from players and audiences alike.

Jennings praised the school board of trustees for a strong board governance of always putting kids first, which was recognized during the accreditation process. He said the process takes a lot of hours and he was appreciative of the cooperation from the CCSD2 staff and board members.

Board member Paul Clark commended HEM for the juniors required to take Post Secondary Readiness testing. College, Career or Military Readiness in students increased from 46% to 100%. Wyoming placed first in the 14 states which requires juniors to take such tests.

Six businesses were recognized for their donations to CCSD2. Valley Foods donated $1,417.50 for pink uniforms for the SMHS varsity volleyball team. Dario Soto Living Trust donated $2,000 to the Elk Mountain Activities account and $2,000 to the Medicine Bow Activities account.

The Tulsa Community Foundation (Williams) donated $2,000 to Saratoga Elementary School for Literacy night meals and games, while HF Sinclair donated $8,500 to District Elementary Book Clubs. Jennings said the money will be divided between Saratoga and Encampment as HEM donated their share back to the district. HEM was awarded a grant application from the CCSD2 Recreation Board for the same purpose.

Platte Valley Kiwanis donated $750 to Saratoga Elementary School (SES) Blessings in a Bag Program, while Bridge Street Bargains donated $1,000 to SES for the same program.

Jennings informed the board that the enrollment for CCSD2 is at 574 students.

Administrators introduced new programs to the board and the Saratoga Sun will have in depth reports on those programs in future editions.

The next meeting of the Carbon County School District No. 2 Board of Trustees is November 18 at 4 p.m. at the Encampment K-12 School.