One-act play recognized by school board

McCOOK, Neb. — By request of a McCook School board member, the McCook High Schools’ one-act play team was recognized by the board at the regular meeting Monday night.

The team, under the direction of drama teacher Amanda Davidson, recently competed in district competition in Lincoln, placing fourth and competing against Class A teams.

The play centered around a concentration camp during Nazi Germany and students Monday night told of how the play challenged their acting skills and gave them a new view of the Holocaust. It’s one thing to read about it, one student said, and quite another to put yourself in the shoes of guards and inmates.

Board member Loretta Hauxwell told the board how the team researched everything they could in preparing for the play, including such things as hairstyles. The play was chosen only two weeks before competition, one cast member said.

Positive comments by the board at the end of the meeting Monday night included:

* Student council representative JoAnn Neel: cited school guidance counselors who get involved with students and help with scholarships.

* Board secretary Loretta Hauxwell: the high ACT scores from juniors last year in English were very complimentary to McCook Public Schools English teachers. According to information compiled by Jeff Gross, MHS principal, juniors last year at MHS scored the highest in English in the ACT test compared to other Class B schools in the western part of the state.

* Board member Brad Hays: thanked Rick Haney, McCook schools business manager who is resigning, for his skills in the budget process and also for making sure students on Haney’s golf team “stay on top their academics.”

* Board member Brian Esch: thanked Haney and Kate Repass for their leadership in the district. Also spoke of the inspiring speakers he heard at a recent school board convention and how people can impact others. Alluding to the one-act play, Esch said that “there are some things kids are doing can’t be measured by the ACT.”

* Board president Tom Bredvick: recognized the donations to the McCook tennis team and high school math club by McCook Sertoma and how it never fails to surprise him “how quickly people will step in and help with the kids.”

* Superintendent Grand Norgaard: thanked the one-act play members and instructor, Amanda Davidson; he also thanked English/language arts teachers at McCook Schools for “making wise decisions and guiding students to do well.” Norgaard recognized the community support for the FFA labor auction last week that was well attended by the public.