Entertainment, honor, and awards made up Kennedy’s annual academic assembly that took place today. The assembly is a chance for students and staff to celebrate the achievements of the many academic teams and organizations that Kennedy has to offer. The teams and organizations recognized at the assembly are listed below.

Academic Teams: Academic Decathalon, Brain Bee, Debate Team, Japan Bowl, Math Team, Robotics Team, Science Bowl, Speech Team

Academic Organizations: Electric Car Leaders, Torch Editorial Board, Profile Editorial Board, Plain Brown Wrapper Staff, Quill & Scroll: Profile & Torch, State and National Journalism Honorees, Network Managers, National Honors Society Officers, Science Nationals Honors Society Officers, Student Government Officers, Student Government Members, Youth Leadership for Five Seasons, Langford Team

Other groups that were honored at the assembly included National Merits Scholars, PTA Reflections recipients, Opus Choir and All State Musicians. Larger groups also received academic recognition in bulletins at the assembly.

“We support and are very aware of the arts and sports. I also think academics is a branch that students are dedicated to and spend a lot of time participating in. Parents and teachers are also supporting of their students in those activities, too. Academics are deserving for recognition,” Journalism adviser and teacher Stacy Haynes-Moore said. “It’s great to see so many new faces up there, as well as those students leaders crossing the stage.”

Haynes-Moore helped present awards to students who were receiving honors for school journalism. Students Torch, Quill and Scroll, web editor board and senior editorial board were recognized. “Then we had many students who were in class through this year and last who were represented because we earned the Gallup Award,” Haynes-Moore said. “We are only one of 26 high schools receive that award, so we are pretty proud of that. It’s a national honor.”

Along with hearing about all of the academic activities that were being honored, students and staff got to enjoy entertainment throughout the assembly from the symphonic orchestra, Moonlight Express jazz choir, the jazz band, and the improv team.

Jamie Milota, so., was able to both perform with the orchestra and be recognized at the assembly for being a part of the speech team. “It gives me a chance to showcase our talent at school,” Milota said. “I like to preform with my orchestra because it’s fun.”

Another student who was also honored at the academic assembly for being a part of the speech team was Sydney Rieckhoff, jr. “I liked the entertainment the assembly provided; especially the improv team,” Rieckhoff said, “What I like about the assembly is that it honors things other than sports and it gives people who might not be recognized for other things, a chance to feel proud for what they have accomplished.”