Liberty Bell Jr.-Sr. High recently received the Washington Achievement Award from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education, the agencies announced.

The award is based on a school’s performance as measured by the Washington Achievement Index, a barometer for how well schools are performing.The index uses state assessments from the past three years to recognize schools that have averaged in the top 5 percent statewide.

Schools can excel in seven different categories to receive the award. Liberty Bell earned recognition in two categories: overall excellence and high graduation rates.

Four schools in North Central Washington won the award for overall excellence: Liberty Bell, Osborne Elementary in Leavenworth, Ephrata Middle School and Wilson Creek School.

“This is fantastic news,” said Mary Anne Quigley, board chair. “It comes from the dedicated care of all faculty, staff and administration, including coaches and extra-curricular contributors. How exciting!”

Liberty Bell High’s wrestling team finished second out of 12 schools in the district wrestling tournament at Lake Roosevelt last Saturday. The top 6 in each weight category will move on to the regional tournament in Kittitas this weekend. Here are the results from the district tournament:

Trent Skelton

first – 106 lbs

Taylor Woodruff

third – 106 lbs

Justin McMillan

first – 126 lbs

Emmett Fink

third – 132 lbs

Jonathan McMillan

third – 152 lbs

Gunnar Doggett

first – 160 lbs

Shane Coleman

second – 170 lbs

Buck Prib

second – 182 lbs

Colt Jack

sixth – 220 pounds

Liberty Bell students will present National History Day projects on Friday February 3, starting at 1:15 pm at the high school. Projects include speeches, documentaries, papers, display boards and websites related to history. This year’s theme is: Revolution, Reaction and Reform in History. Successful students will advance to compete in regional and state tournaments.

For more information, go to http://www.nhd.org/

By Mike Maltais, Methow Valley News

Liberty Bell High School’s four Knowledge Bowl teams placed in the top half of the 18 teams from seven schools that took part in last Monday’s (Jan. 23) competition held at LBHS.

Coach Leverett Hubbard said he was well pleased with the performance of his thinkers who finished second, fifth, eighth and ninth against teams from Omak, Okanogan, Tonasket, Brewster, Chelan and Pateros.

Leading the field for the Mountain Lions with 52 points was Liberty Bell Three comprised of Duncan Hanron, Willy Duguay, Kathleen Chavey-Reynaud and Tyler David.

Liberty Bell Two with Rachel Layne, Nick Saunders, Johnnie Duguay and captain Tim Lewis placed fifth with 46 points.

Eighth place with 36 points went to Liberty Bell Four made up of first-timers Riley Calvert, Jacqueline O’Keefe and captain Jackson Lone.

Liberty Bell One with seniors Larkin Hubrig, Kameron Smith and Nathan David and junior Tommy Zbyszewski scored 35 points to take ninth place.

Photo by Mike Maltais: Kathleen Chavey-Reynaud confers with Duncan Hanron and Tyler David during the first round of Knowledge Bowl competition held at Liberty Bell High School last Monday.

Thursday is an early release day for schools because of semester grades.

Liberty Bell wrestlers will enjoy “senior night” Tuesday January 24, 7 pm, in the high school gym in a meet against Oroville. The team has worked hard to achieve wins this year and several wrestlers are expected to qualify for the state tournament in Tacoma next month. Come support the team Tuesday night in the gym.

Liberty Bell High School presents Neil Simon’s “Fools” at the Merc Playhouse this weekend. Shows are at 7 pm on Friday and Saturday and 3 pm on Sunday.

Leon Tolchinsky is ecstatic. He’s landed a terrific teaching job in an idyllic Russian hamlet. When he arrives he finds people sweeping dust from the stoops back into their houses and people milking upside down to get more cream. The town has been cursed with chronic stupidity for 200 years and Leon’s job is to break the curse. No one tells him that if he stays over 24 hours and fails to break the curse, he too becomes stupid. But, he has fallen in love with a girl so stupid that she has only recently learned how to sit down.

Liberty Bell basketball swings into action this weekend against Bridgeport. Friday’s game starts  at at 6 pm with JV and varsity.

The LBHS wrestling team travels to Kittitas. The team then wrestles at home on Tuesday night — senior night — at 7 pm.

Liberty Bell jazz band performs a winter concert at the high school next Thursday, January 12, at 7 pm. The concert will serve as a warm-up for the Lionel Hampton festival in Idaho next month. Come support the students!

The Methow Valley School District family extends the warmest Thanksgiving greetings to our families and community. Enjoy the holiday. We appreciate your partnership and support in educating the valley’s children.