A Message from
Superintendent
John R. Williamson

Dear Model Families,

For those who follow Punxsutawney Phil's predictions, you are likely excited he announced there is hope for an early Spring! We've successfully made it to the Term 3 Midterm this week, and Spring Break is just around the corner.

This time of year is what I like to call the Third-Quarter Slump, so it becomes crucial for our families and students to stay engaged as Winter winds down. To counter this slump, we invite you to participate in upcoming district and regional athletic tournaments, as well as the musical and other events throughout the month. Your support makes a significant impact on our school community!

Over 200 parents have already responded to our parent survey, so thank you! For those who haven't submitted the survey, it is open until Monday, February 5. All parents/guardians logged in Infinite Campus were emailed the survey last Friday, January 26. If you did not receive an email with the survey and are a legal parent/guardian, email Rachel.Cornelius@eku.edu. I look forward to reading your responses as Model Laboratory Schools are always seeking ways to improve.

As we begin to look ahead to the 2024-2025 school year, the Counseling Office has begun scheduling meetings for Secondary students. Any parent who wants to be a part of their child's academic planning and scheduling for any grade can contact the Counseling Office. Additionally, if you have any questions or concerns about your child's academic planning, please contact the Counseling Office at ModelCounseling@eku.edu or 859-622-8421.

Thank you for choosing Model for your child's education.

Sincerely,

Model Laboratory School Theatre Presents The Wizard of Oz

This year, Model Laboratory School Theatre is presenting a spectacular show on the big stage at the EKU Center for the Arts. You won't want to miss The Wizard of Oz! Gathered on one stage are students in grades 3-12 for a production Model has never seen before. Tickets are on sale now! Visit the EKU Center for the Arts website or purchase directly at bit.ly/modeltheatreoz.

Mock Trial Qualifies for State Tournament

Congratulations to the Mock Trial team for advancing to the State Tournament! At the Regional Tournament, the Blue Team placed fourth, and the Red Team received an Open Bid to compete on the state level. The team also went home with four individual awards: Kylie Pirtle ('24) and Jiwoo Kim ('27), Top Attorney; Sasha Yow ('25) and Chris Gachagua ('28), Top Witness.

Additionally, Mock Trial competed at the UK Wildcat Mock Trial Invitational on January 13, 2024, and placed third out of 22 teams, while Lucy Taliaferro was awarded Top Witness.

Mock Trial competes at the State Tournament in Covington, Ky. March 1-3, 2024. 

Middle and High School Academic Teams Excel at District

On Saturday, January 20, the Middle School Academic Team hosted the 47th District Governor’s Cup Academic Team and was named the Overall District Champions. The team won first place in Quick Recall and Future Problem Solving, along with several individual awards.

Congratulations to the following students on their individual test performances:
Ethan Little ('28) – 2nd Place, Math & Science
Mark Edwards ('28) – 4th Place, Science & Social Studies
Caleb Crispin ('29) – 2nd Place, Social Studies & Language Arts
Bea McCoy ('29) – 2nd Place, Arts & Humanities; 3rd Place, Language Arts
Avnita Sherigar ('29) – 5th Place, Arts & Humanities

Students Showcase Etiquette Skills in "The Gauntlet" Competition

"The Gauntlet" is a competition that tests essential skills of professional conduct, including etiquette, discipline, respect, and other soft skills. During the second round of "The Gauntlet," students were tested on their communication and soft skills by being placed in a brunch setting. Students advanced to this round from a group of 200 fifth through eighth graders because of their impressive manners and speaking skills. Now, the students were expected to engage in conversation while allowing others at their table to join in and maintain small talk until time ended all while eating a meal.

As one of the judges, Eastern Kentucky University Board Regent, Mike Eaves encouraged the students, “If something is making you feel uncomfortable or nervous about doing it, then you should definitely do it because you will learn something from it.” We are very proud of all the students who participated and showed young leadership and distinction!

Congratulations to the top ten students on advancing to round 3: 

Two Model Orchestra Members Selected to All-State

Congratulations to the following students for their selection to the KMEA All-State Symphony Orchestra for the 2024 KMEA Conference:

• Amelia Lanier ('24), cellist for the Symphony Orchestra
• Hagen Bramlage ('24), violist for the Commonwealth Orchestra

Model Inducts Three into the Athletic Hall of Fame

We present to you the Class of 2024 inductees into the Model Laboratory School Athletic Hall of Fame: Coach Steve Savage, Scotty Savage (’02), and Kerry Fraas Lindauer (’92).

The inductees remembered what it meant to be a part of the Model Family as they went down down memory lane with their friends, former teammates and players, and families before being presented with their banners. It was an honor to welcome back these Model Patriot legends and trailblazers. 

Read the press release here.
Watch the inductees' interviews here.

Model Senior Wins Scholarship at Distinguished Young Women of Kentucky 

In the fall, Kylie Pirtle ('24) competed and was named the Distinguished Young Woman of Madison County for 2024. This January, Kylie competed at the Distinguished Young Women of Kentucky competition, which was held at the Singletary Center in Lexington, Ky.

Kylie ultimately finished third amongst the top representatives across the entire Commonwealth, with contestants spanning from thirty-two counties throughout Kentucky. She also received the First Place Interview and First Place Talent Award earning $4,000 in cash scholarships. 

Summer 2025 Europe Trip

Exciting news – more seats are open on the Summer 2025 trip to Berlin, Prague, Krakow, and Budapest! 
 
In case you missed the first informational meeting, attend the next meeting to learn about the itinerary, activities, academic opportunities, and the cost of the trip. 

• Date: February 6
• Time: 6:30 PM
• Location: Model Lab Library
• Register for the meeting here: https://bit.ly/3Hsg3Sy
• Contact: Rodney.Rhodus@eku.edu