Canadian High School junior Karson Thompson was elected as the 2022-23 Top O’ Texas District president following a speech presented during Monday night’s annual District banquet at Fort Elliott. Several other CHS students were recognized during the banquet for excellence in competitive speaking events. Among them was Finn Neumeier, who placed first and will advance to the area competition in prepared public speaking (junior). Chloe Westbrook placed second in ag policy and will also advance to area. Other students also performed well in their fields, including Tatum Oatman in ag technology and Trevor Powell in prepared public speaking (junior), both finishing in third place; and Kendall Hill, who placed fifth in animal science. The Canadian FFA also received the third-place LDE Sweepstakes Award, which is based on the cumulative number of points earned at the District and Area levels of LDEs. Other students attending were Yessi Juarez, Cooper Oles, Finn Neumeier, Delaney Huntress, David Sanchez, Kinley Long, Macie Hansen, Liam Wallace, Aubrie Poe, Landon Risley, Maranna Hernandez, and Teagan Ash. They are all the students of CHS ag teacher Brandon Meier.

The Texas Crown Performance Hall was filled Sunday afternoon for a Christmas concert featuring 32 talented students of music teachers Betty Bynum, Dana Cook, and Virginia Gerhardt, as well as voice teacher Alexandra Phoenix.

Kelsy Haley’s fourth- and fifth-grade UIL oral readers presented the Rotary’s program last week. Rotarians had the pleasure of listening to each one of these talented students perform their oral-reading stories. They were all very animated and quite funny with their performance. Among the students presenting were fifth-graders Lucas LeFever, Blaze Mills, and Emma Peterson; and fourth-graders Paris Lee, Chloe Ray, Elodie Dial, and Eliza Cooper. The students competed in Bushland on Friday, Dec. 2. Heather Saenz is the coach for oral reading. Principal Jeff Quisenberry also accompanied the students to Rotary.

THE FRUIT LADY HAS my number. One of the things I like in Mexico— and other countries we have visited in the past—is buying fruits and vegetables from a stand, run by a family.