The Mustang Messenger

Our calendar is full and one of the big events of the year is right around the corner – Prom 2026! The date for prom is April 25th. We have a number of things scheduled for the day that involve our students - so a lot of picture taking opportunities. At 3:15 pm the students can visit the nursing home. We know the residents really enjoy the opportunity to see our students dressed up for the big occasion! At 3:45 pm the Pre-Prom starts for our students and their dates. The seniors will be meeting at the Roepke house and the juniors will meet at the Schmidt house. This time is for Pre-Prom pictures with the seniors scheduled for 4:00 pm and the juniors at 4:45 pm. At 5:50 pm the students and their dates will arrive at the high school with the Red-Carpet event starting at 6:00 pm. The attendees will meet in the library where they will be announced in the Commons and enter the gym for the banquet. The banquet will start at 7:00 pm and the dance will start at 8:00 pm and run until 11:00 pm. And finally, the After-Prom Party will run from 12:00 am to 3:00 am. Students should arrive to the After-Prom Party between 11:30 pm and 12:00 am when the doors will be closed! During this portion of the night they will have food, drinks and snacks, entertainment and the prize giveaway for the Juniors and Seniors. Just a reminder – that parents will be called if a student leaves the After-Prom Party early and they will not be eligible for the prize giveaway!

Congratulations are in order for the following students who have been named to the Twin Valley League All-Academic Team for 2025-2026. In order to qualify for this award a student must be a junior or senior, must have a cumulative GPA of 3.7 or better and must have participated in at least three KSHSAA activities during the school year. Senior award winners include Brady DeWalt, Carter Germann, Kinsley Gillig, Josie Parker, Kadence Pierson, Krista Porter, Lawson Stryker, Violet Slifer, Ava Smith and Mia Vermetten. Junior award recipients are Tessa Bigham, Dino Conti, Shaylee Ekstrum, Lindsay Gray, Paige Miller, Everson Parker, Callie Schmidt, Isabella Smith, Avery Stevenson, Abigail Thorn and Charlie Warders. These students will receive a TVL All-Academic medal and certificate for their efforts!

Congratulations go out to Klara McIntyre who set a new 100-meter dash record for Valley Heights at the Nemaha Central meet this week! Klara clocked a time of 12.38 which eclipses the old record set in 2017 by Kayla Smith of 12.4!

The Valley Heights Rotary organization helped us celebrate the Class of 2026 with their annual banquet and program on April 15th! The students, members and guests were provided a catered meal and our speaker for the evening was Mrs. Paula Landoll-Smith. Her speech was centered around what the students should focus in on as they take on their next chapter in life. The students ended the evening by sharing their future plans after graduation. We would like to thank the Rotary members for hosting this event. It is very much appreciated!

Graduation for the Class of 2026 is right around the corner! After prom, this becomes the next big event on our calendar. The seniors' last day will be May 12th. They will spend a ½ day in class turning in their materials and then use the rest of the day visiting the Blue Rapids and Waterville Elementary schools for the traditional walk-throughs! We will then rehearse for the actual ceremony and then the students will be released. We do have Senior Awards Night on the 12th where we hand out scholarships, honor cords and other honors the seniors have earned.

Don’t forget – our spring athletic banquet night is this Sunday, April 19th, starting at 6:00 pm!

Let’s go Mustangs!!

Mr. Savage

Students in Forensic Science class had to analyze a pickle crime scene and then perform 'autopsies' on the pickles to try to determine what happened.

Valley Heights band and choir traveled to Concordia on Wednesday for State Large Group. The choir received a 2 rating, and the band received a 3 rating. Way to go Mustangs!

Valley Heights golf battled the wind yesterday at the Frankfort Invitational. Brady DeWalt secured 10th place. Brycen Claeys and Brady Anderson both competed in their first varsity tournament.

On Thursday the JV Golf team enjoyed a beautiful afternoon of golf at Cedar Hills Golf Course. Lili Slifer and Riley Cook both scored significantly better than at their first JV tournaments this year! Scores are posted here: https://ks.prep.golf/tournaments/results/1810

At our final regular season meet, Forensics broke 100% of our events. This small but mighty group showed up and showed out at Wakefield for a fantastic final showing. Here are how the students did individually: Carter - 1st Solo Acting Serious and 2nd Prose Abigail - 2nd Solo Acting Serious and 4th Poetry Guen - 5th Poetry Bryce - 3rd Solo Acting Humorous and 7th Prose Abigail and Guen - 1st Duet

Valley Heights competed extremely well at Regional Music Solos and Ensembles in Concordia. Juliet Busey, Elsee Martin, and Osric Nemechek received twos on their instrumental solos. Carter Germann received a 1 on his vocal solo and qualified for state. Thank you to Mrs. Oatney for playing for us! Way to go Mustangs!

Six seniors were recognized last night at the Topeka Community Foundation Banquet for receiving the Ross Fritz Scholarship. L-R: Lawson Stryker, Kadence Pierson, Kinsley Gillig, Mia Vermetten, Krista Porter, Chad Bargdill

With a blazing 🔥 12.38 Klara McIntyre sets the new 100m record at VH!

And another McIntyre in the record books! Chance McIntyre wins the 200M hurdles at the Marysville Invitational and breaks the Valley Heights school record running a blistering time of 29.18!

Yearbooks are on sale for $50!

Talk to Miss Jones (ajones@valleyheights.org) or a member

of the Journalism staff to purchase yours today.

Ashton Brian Crook is a senior at Valley Heights High School. Ashton was born on April 21, 2008 to Jason and Libby Crook. Ashton was raised in Blue Rapids, Kansas with his older brother Torrence, younger brother Julian, and younger sister Izzy. Mr. Schreiner had the biggest impact on Ashton's life; he loved his classes and thought he was a good guy. George Elliot once said “It is never too late to be what you might have been.” This quote means a lot to Ashton because he likes how it says you can be whoever you want to be, and he truly believes that. Ashton loves to hang out with his friends on the weekends and make YouTube videos.

An interesting fact about Ashton's favorite song is SINS by Red Leather. In his four years of high school Ashton has looked up to Mr. Erhlich who is his senior mentor. Ashton has been involved in Art for 3 years. After high school, Ashton plans to attend college and work a successful job, along with maintaining a steady job in the next 10 years.

Friday, August 21, 2026 5pm- 7pm will be the Annual Mustang Spirit Night at VHS. An indoor/outdoor event for the whole family! The Pep rally will begin at 7pm in the gym and it will be a great time to present the new Gymnasium Updates to our VH family and the Community!

Check out Ms. Jayne's latest newsletter at https://app.smore.com/n/nxuj6

Ms. Jayne's schedule each day will begin at the VH Jr/Sr High to meet student needs there before the bell rings. The rest of the week will primarily be:

• Monday at Blue Rapids
• Tuesday at Waterville (third Tuesday is Harvesters)
• Wednesday at VH and out and about in our community
• Thursday AM in Waterville/PM in Blue Rapids
• Friday at VH

Meet the Family Advocate, Jayne Whitson by appointment. She is available to help students and families succeed with resources, referrals and donated items to help during a family trauma, crisis or setback.

The best way to reach the family advocate is via cell, 612-202-7366.

Blue Rapids, KS 66411

785-363-2508

Principal-Mike Savage

Athletic Director-Jordan Broxterman

1. Come to the HS office between 8am and 4pm

2. E-mail Mr. Savage msavage@valleyheights.org

3. Call the office (785)363-2508

Email: vhhs@valleyheights.org
Website: valleyheights.org
Phone: (785)363-2508
Facebook: facebook.com/vhusd498
Twitter: @usd498