Belgrade, Caledonia & Valley R-6 Schools Distinguished Alumni Spotlight Awards 2020 / 2021 Recipients Recognized Saturday, May 1st

The Valley School Alumni were pleased to be able to get together to celebrate their Annual Reunion on Saturday, May 1st, 2021 at the Valley High School gym.

The event had good attendance with around 140 guest for the morning coffee and catered lunch.

Among the activities, the Valley Alumni Spotlight awards were given, recognizing both last year (2020) and this year’s winners.

The Spotlight Awards are done by nomination through a form in ‘The I-J’ offered for mailing and social media as well. The winners recognized included:

2020 Award Recipients

Patricia E. (Miller) Yount

Class of 1965

Patricia E. (Miller) Yount graduated from Valley R-6 High School in May of 1965; after graduation she was employed by Bell Telephone as a switchboard operator where she worked crazy hours, she may work 3-4 hours, off several hours and then return for 3-4 hours on the same day. Just before she quit she was trained for a new system but never worked in that area. She married Gary Yount of Belgrade, on December, 2 1966 and set up housekeeping in Belgrade and she went to work for the Belgrade State Bank as a Teller. She worked in positions in bookkeeping, teller and loans for 13 years. During those 13 years, Gary and she had two sons, Greg and Ryan. On January 1, 1980, Gary and Pat purchased the grocery store in Belgrade, formerly Woods Market and named it Yount's Grocery. With the help of their parents, Winfred & Nora Miller and Ava Yount along with many good employees, Pat ran the grocery store and Gary continued to work as General Foreman at Pea Ridge Iron Ore Company. They sold the store in 1986 to Bill and Brenda Blair.

For two or three years, Pat drove the local school bus and transported the kindergartener bus (shortbus!) because at that time Kindergarten children went half day. She started attending Mineral Area College (MAC) for some basic courses, thought about working for a teaching degree but her heart wasn't in it and instead applied for the RN Program and was accepted and graduated in 1991. She worked as an RN in Medical-Surgical and ICU at Parkland Health Center until she was offered a job at Health Department in Potosi, where she worked in home health & public health until she was accepted at University Missouri of Saint Louis for certification of women's health NP. Since she had an Associate Degree with her certification she wanted a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing. Since Mineral Area College offers a four year degree in nursing through Central Methodist College that was her next step.

After acquiring her bachelor's in nursing, she had a great opportunity to get her Master of Science in Nursing for Family Health online at MAC. Her career spanned more than 25 years as a Women's Health & Family Nurse Practitioner and she was able to work and serve people in her local counties; St. Francis, Iron, and Madison. Her last employer was Great Mines Health Center and she retired in March, 2019 to garden and farm with her, husband and sons on their farm in Belgrade.

Pat notes that as she writes her biography, she thinks of all the people that helped her achieve being a nurse. “Of course, my Parents and my Husband, Sons and so many more. One never achieves without the help of many. The Valley R-6 School District has produced many fine graduates and I am privileged to be chosen as a member of the Valley R-6 Board,” said Pat.

Rev. Donald E. Jarvis

Class of 1954

Donald E. Jarvis graduated Class Valedictorian from the second graduating class of the newly formed Valley R-6 School District in 1954. Upon graduation, Don entered Southern Methodist University (Dallas, Texas) and graduated in 1958; he transferred to Drew University – Theological School (Madison, New Jersey) and graduated Cum Laude with his Bachelor’s of Divinity degree. Don entered the Methodist ministry and served various Methodist churches across Missouri. He served the Missouri United Methodist Conference as a District Superintendent.

Don married the former Miss Wilma Ann (Turner). Wilma graduated in the Class of 1953 as one of their top honor students (now known by the term as Valedictorian) and they have two children. He has one brother, Mr. Stanley Jarvis, Jr. of Belgrade and was the youngest son to the late Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Jarvis.

2021 Award Recipients

Rebecca (Wood) Jenkins

Class 1968

Rebecca (Wood) Jenkins graduated from Valley R-6 in May of 1968. She married former Valley R-6 alumni Jimmy Dale Jenkins (Class 1965) and had two daughters Sandy and Mandi, both girls were graduates of Valley R-6.

While raising her family, Becky started classes at Mineral Area College and in 1981 received an Associate of Arts degree; in 1983 she transferred her credits and started courses at Southeast Missouri State University (Cape Girardeau, MO) and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree emphasized in Education. In 1988, she received a Master of Arts degree from Webster University in Teaching.

In 2004, she obtained a certificate of Specialist in Education Administration from Southeast Missouri State University.

Becky retired in 2009 after 25 years in education; she taught 19 years in Kindergarten and served as a parent educator in the Parents as Teacher Program and six years as an Elementary Principal (K-6 grades). During her tenure as Elementary Principal, Becky created and started the annual Veterans breakfast and student program that continues today. The program started as a short presentation, and then led to a breakfast and musical program for each class to honor and celebrate the Veterans.

Becky enjoys her retirement time with her husband and family.

She commented, “I am here to thank you all. To thank you for this recognition; to thank you for being an important part of my life. I wish to thank you for the many memories, but most of all I’m grateful for the opportunities the district provided me and the privilege of working with many children in the Valley district.”

Becky says she’s grateful too for the opportunities of a small school and is very happy to be living here in her community. She is the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Harrel & Mary (Mayno) Wood of Belgrade.

Selma J. (Mason) Akers

Class 1954

Selma (Mason) Akers graduated Salutatorian with the Class of 1954, the first class to graduate from the newly built gymnasium on the Valley campus; the school building/classrooms were still under construction. She represented the Belgrade half of what was then the Belgrade-Caledonia school consolidation. She didn’t go to school at Valley High, but the gym was completed in time for the 1954 joint commencement ceremony. Upon graduation, she received a $25.00 scholarship to Flat River Junior College (now known as Mineral Area College, Park Hills, MO) (tuition for one semester, renewable); as she can remember this and one to the Valedictorian (Don Jarvis) were the only awards given.

After graduation and college, she went right into the workforce for the next 54 years. Selma went to work at Belgrade State Bank and retired from the bank after 25 ½ years of service, she later worked for Turner Chevrolet-Cadillac for 8 years, and the Washington County Health Department for 19 ½ years. During these years she also acquired her real estate license.

Selma has lived on the same street in Belgrade, that she walked to school (1/4 mile) from grades 1-12. She and her husband Jack now own her parents farm and Jack still farms it. She has been active in her church, Belgrade United Methodist holding different offices, being pianist for over 50 years, and is still their pianist.

She married Jack Akers, who was also in the Class of 1954 and they have been married 66 years. They have two daughters, Karen Harbison ( husband Gary), and Cindy Akers, both of Belgrade; four grandchildren, Jamey Ruess, Philip Ruess, Keith Harbison and Erin (Harbison) Williams; three great grandchildren, Hayden Ray Todd, Charlie Rae Harbison, and Mason Ward Williams.

Selma says “we are very fortunate to have our small school and I am very proud of what has been accomplished here. Thank you very much for this honor”.