Doniphan West USD 111

HS Girls WR 3-2-1A STATE at Hays, Day 1, 2/28 Layla Kuhnert, 2-1, Qualified for Day 2 #MustangPride

Doniphan West Weekly Activities Schedule for March 3rd. https://tinyurl.com/D-WestActivitesScheduleMar3

Doniphan West Freshman Finds Inspiration in “Healing Through Colors” By Rick Reigert DONIPHAN, Kan. — In the bustling art room at Doniphan West High School, freshman Aliza Tracy can often be found surrounded by paint tubes, sketchbooks, and half-finished projects. The talented young artist, known among her peers for her dedication and creativity, recently showcased her passion for art on a larger stage by entering the Kansas Art Education Association (KAEA) contest. This year’s contest theme—“Healing Through Colors”—challenged participants to design a flag illustrating the power of color to bring comfort, hope, and renewal. With three categories (Elementary, Junior High, and High School), the competition aims to highlight the best-emerging artists across Kansas. This year competing against Kansas High School Students, Aliza Trac\y won first place in the High School division Multiple Projects, One Vision Aliza, no stranger to juggling several artistic endeavors at once, began sketching ideas for her contest entry during her free periods and after school. “I love how color can instantly change your mood,” Aliza said. “It can evoke strong emotions and lift your spirits. My goal was to capture that feeling in my flag design.” Even before the contest, Aliza’s teachers and classmates often praised her ability to bring fresh perspectives to common assignments. Whether it’s painting vibrant portraits or experimenting with different media, Aliza consistently explores how art can tell stories and spark conversation. A Flag with a Purpose For the KAEA flag design, Aliza drew inspiration from the concept of unity and personal growth. Her design features overlapping shapes in an array of vibrant hues—each shade representing a different aspect of healing, from emotional well-being to physical health. “I wanted to illustrate how different experiences can blend and create something uplifting,” she explained. Aliza’s art teacher, Mr. Reigert, commended his student’s creativity: “Aliza’s work showcases a remarkable depth of understanding for someone her age. She’s not afraid to take risks and experiment, which is exactly the spirit we encourage in our art department.” About the KAEA Contest The Kansas Art Education Association organizes annual contests to motivate students across the state to explore and develop their artistic talents. With the theme “Healing Through Colors,” this year’s challenge acknowledges the role creative expression can play in promoting mental, emotional, and physical well-being. The competition is divided into three categories—Elementary, Junior High, and High School—to ensure a broad celebration of Kansas’ young artists. About Doniphan West High School Located in Doniphan, Kansas, Doniphan West High School is dedicated to fostering academic excellence and personal growth. With a strong emphasis on the arts, the school encourages students to explore their creativity and develop their unique talents. Recently Aliza has worked to enter the N.W. Missouri Art Exhibition at the Albrecht Kemper Art Museum in St.Joseph, Missouri, featuring the top High School work in the Kansas-Missouri Region.It will be on display this upcoming March For more information on Aliza’s artwork or the Kansas Art Education Association contest, please contact Doniphan West High School’s art department at Rick Reigert - rreigert@usd111.org

Click the link below to purchase Doniphan West High School Track & Field apparel! The team store will remain open until March 14th. https://hiawathashirtshack.com/collections/d-west-track-field

Kindergarten Knox Yurth-Knox is a great student who tries to always do what is asked of him. He comes in ready to work hard and get things done. 1st Grade Levi Peters-Levi is a great student who always tries hard. He shows up ready to learn and work hard. 2nd Grade Kennidee Lambert-Kennidee is a great student who always tries her hardest. She comes to class ready to work with a smile on her face. 3rd Grade Alexis Powell-Alexis is a great student who works hard, does what is asked of her, and is always willing to help others! 4th Grade Eliza Johnson-Eliza does a great student who always does a great job in class! She comes ready to work each day and always treats others with kindness and respect! 5th Grade Karly Miner-Karly is a hard worker and a willing helper. She always has her work finished on time and has a great work ethic. 5th Grade Band Henley Fuhrman-Henley is a hardworking student. She tries her bes,t everyday, and is dedicated to learning her instrument. She is always willing to listen, ask questions, and get extra help when needed. 6th Grade Music Grayson Lee-Grayson is a great student! She is always prepared for class and her work is finished on time! 6th Grade Band Cutler Jeschke-Cutler has been doing a great job at improving on the saxophone. During band, he listens and does what he is asked to do and consistently comes in early to make sure all of his stuff is ready for class before it begins. Junior High Band Julian Trembath-Julian is a good, hard-working student. He works very hard to get his work done and has shown a great amount of improvement and has a positive mindset. Londynn Kleinschmit-Londynn works really hard and does a great job on her parts. She is always trying to improve and help her peers. She is a dedicated student. 7/12 Choir Annakris Zeit-Annakris is new to Choir this semester. She works really hard to learn her parts and catch up on many of the songs. She is quick to learn her parts and is becoming a strong leader in her section. Even when she thinks she may not be able to hit the right notes, she still gives it her best shot and continues to try until she gets it. HS Band Katie Johnson-Katie is a hard-working student who always does her best. Each day, she does what is asked of her and does a great job playing the trumpet. She consistently works on her parts, shows up to class and performances on time, and leads her section.

HS Boys BB at Sub-state Quarterfinals at Rossville, 2/27 32-52 Congratulations on hard-fought season! #MustangPride

KAY project #2 for "Thriving Youth: Nurturing Minds and Bodies", members shared their reason for not vaping. Vapes contain nicotine that affects brain development in teens. It is highly addictive and vape use can lead to lung damage and worsening mental health.

KAY partnered with "Thriving Youth: Nurturing Minds and Bodies” to inspire students to live healthier lives, both mentally and physically. Members participated in a teamwork challenge, chalked the walk, and posted 988 magnets on lockers to raise awareness about mental health.

Schedule Update: (game added) HS Baseball vs. Pleasant Ridge , 3/20

Meet Superintendent Candidate Duane Ford

📢 Fundraiser Alert! 📢 Our Business Professionals of America students are raising money for National Competitions in Orlando, FL! The proceeds from this fundraiser will help cover their lodging, registration, and flights. We’re selling delicious, fresh, personal-sized bundt cakes (approx. 4" diameter)—perfect for charcuterie boards, Easter desserts, or even a midnight snack! 🍰 These cakes are freezable, sharable, and absolutely delicious! We will pick up on April 1st for deliveries—just in time for spring celebrations! 🌷 Contact Mrs. Leatherman or a BPA student if you would like to order! 2 for $15.00 💙

Kindergarten Court is in Session! Our kindergarteners had a fantastic morning stepping into the courtroom for The Case of the Slimy, Smelly Birthday Cake! A huge thank you to Judge Kelly and the Doniphan County Courthouse for giving our students a hands-on lesson about the justice system. They had a blast learning about courtroom roles and procedures—but the mystery remains… Who really put worms on County Attorney Baskins’ birthday cake? We may never know!

On Monday JH & HS students learned about safe driving practices through the ThinkFast Interactive - SAFE Teen Driver Safety presentation. Teams competed for a spot in the final round by answering trivia and safe driving questions or by competing in other contests. Thank you to the Kansas Traffic Safety Resource Office and the SAFE (Seatbelts Are For Everyone) program as well as the Kansas Department of Transportation for providing this program. Congratulations to Andi & Courtney as the winning team!

STATE WRESTLING SEND-OFF, 2/27 Will will have a send-off for Layla Kuhnert for state wrestling at 12:45p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27 at the high school. Please join us !

Meet Superintendent Candidate Dr. Collins

Doniphan West High School’s Business Professionals of America (BPA) members earned top honors at the Kansas State Leadership Conference, held February 20-22 in Wichita. Six students competed in various business, computer, and interview events, with several advancing to the National Leadership Conference in Orlando, May 7-11. National Qualifiers: Judd Prawl: 1st Place – Advanced Spreadsheet 1st Place - Integrated Office Applications Brooklyn Denton: 2nd Place - Intermediate Word Kamryn McCauley 2nd Place - Advanced Interview 4th Place - Parliamentary Procedure Concepts (Open Contest) Judd Prawl also earned the prestigious Statesman Torch Award, which honors excellence in leadership, service, knowledge, and citizenship across seven categories. Additional participants at the State Leadership Conference included Brooklynn Drake, Levi Garrison, and Jaelynn Clary. Business Professionals of America (BPA) is a national organization that helps students develop leadership, business, and professional skills through hands-on competitions and real-world experiences that complement classroom learning. “This is an incredible achievement for our students,” said Mrs. Jodi Leatherman, Doniphan West BPA advisor. “I’m proud of their hard work and excited to support our national qualifiers as they prepare for Orlando.”

The candidate's bio has been posted on the district website and Facebook. A reminder that USD 111 patrons are invited to meet the first superintendent candidate today! Board of Education

Meet Superintendent Candidate Heather Ball

Doniphan West Weekly Activities Schedule for February 24th. https://tinyurl.com/D-WestWeeklyActivitiesFeb24

HS BB vs. Washington Co., 2/21 Girls JV: 23-16 Varsity: 52-47 Boys JV: 19-52 Varsity: 49-37 #MustangPride