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Rock Hills Elementary completed 20 miles to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Rock Hills! They got to celebrate with an icicle and 20 activities!

Jewell County Community Development assisted with organizing a career fair for Rock Hills Junior/Senior High School on November 5th.  Thank you to all the presenters, we couldn't do this without you! The students were able to choose 5 of the following categories to visit with: Colleges/Armed Forces, Ag, Construction, Welding, Marketing/Digital Media, Cosmetology & Massage Therapy, Education, Entrepreneurship, Finance & Banking, Health Care, Law Enforcement, Real Estate, Aviation, HVAC/Plumbing, and Remote Working. Students were awarded "Grizzly Bucks" for participating and asking questions to the panelists and then they could use them at the end to buy prizes.

The Rock Hills Elementary School is beginning a November Food Drive to benefit the local food pantry.

“We have traditionally held a food drive in November each year,” said RHES principal, Lacey Keller. “This year we have set a goal of filling 20 boxes with donated food during this drive.”  

The staff chose the goal of 20 boxes because this year, Rock Hills commemorates the 20th year anniversary of a merger to one county wide school district.  Different events are planned in the district to help mark this occasion.  

During the first nine weeks, Mrs. Duffy organized a walking campaign of 20 miles.  Students and staff could walk, take their picture in a Grizzly shirt and be included in the count toward 20 miles.  

“We don’t want to forget our history, and to include several events around the theme of ‘20 years’ is one tool to help students know our past,” added Keller.

RHES also plans to show students 20 items that were common 20 years ago, but are not as common today.  The grand finale will be the creation of a time capsule that can be opened in the future.  

“For now, we want to do a strong community service activity of generating 20 boxes of food.  Our delivery date to Helping Hands Food Pantry will be on Friday, November 21,” concluded Keller.  

The school will collect donations until the time of delivery.  May all have a Happy Thanksgiving!

The Rock Hills FFA Chapter recently returned from an unforgettable week at the 98th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana! Students spent the week connecting with FFA members from across the nation, exploring agricultural careers, and growing as leaders. It was a week filled with learning, laughter, and lasting memories that showcased true FFA spirit and Grizzly pride.

Monday, October 27 – Hitting the Road

The adventure began as Rock Hills FFA members departed Jewell County, heading east toward Indiana. After a full day of travel, the group stopped in Decatur, Illinois, and enjoyed supper at Texas Roadhouse.
A BIG thank you to Grizzly Pride for sponsoring the meal and supporting the chapter’s journey to the National Convention!

Tuesday, October 28 – Farm Tours and Arrival in Indy

The group stopped at Fair Oaks Farms in Indiana for an agricultural tour, joining other FFA chapters from across the country. Members explored the farm’s 80-cow milking carousel, learned about robotic dairy technology, and toured the hog barn.
They then arrived in Indianapolis, settled into their Vrbo house for the week, and enjoyed dinner at BRU Burger Bar — ready for the excitement ahead!

Wednesday, October 29 – Opening Day at Convention

The first full day of the National FFA Convention was full of energy and inspiration! Members explored the Expo and shopping mall, connected with colleges and industry professionals, and attended a variety of leadership workshops.
A major highlight was the Opening Session, featuring keynote speaker A’ric Jackson, who encouraged students to empower themselves so they can empower others. He reminded everyone that “haters” are simply those who Have Attitude Towards Everyone Reaching Success — a message that stuck with everyone!
After a long day, the group enjoyed pizza and a movie night to relax and recharge.

Thursday, October 30 – Leadership, Laughter, and a Rodeo

Day two was packed with activities! Members spent time at the Expo, engaging with colleges, agricultural companies, and hands-on exhibits, and attending workshops focused on leadership and career skills.
During the Second General Session, students heard from National Officer Caroline Groth during her retiring address, saw Agriscience Fair and CDE awards, and listened to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins speak about the future of agriculture.
The session’s hosts kept things lively with a “Dynamic Duos” theme — featuring PB&J, Harry and Ron, Goose and Maverick, and even Jason and Travis Kelce!
That evening, members attended the Three Hills Rodeo at the Indiana State Fairgrounds’ Corteva Coliseum. The rodeo featured exciting roughstock events, top riders, and plenty of laughs thanks to rodeo clown John Harrison.

Friday, October 31 – Inspiration and Halloween Fun

Friday began bright and early with the Fourth General Session, featuring the National FFA Band performing medleys from Wicked and Jersey Boys. Members also heard an inspiring retiring address from Luke Jennings and a powerful message from keynote speaker Coach Kiah, who encouraged everyone to pursue their passions and lead with confidence.
After one last trip through the Expo and a final workshop, the group spent a relaxing afternoon back at their Vrbo house.
That evening, the crew celebrated Halloween with a trip to Hanna Haunted Acres, complete with haunted houses, a corn maze, and a hayride — a spooky and fun finale to their week in Indianapolis!

Saturday, November 1 – Home Sweet Kansas

The last day of the trip was quiet as everyone caught up on sleep and snapped fun photos of their friends napping on the ride home. Spirits were high as the group crossed the Kansas state line, excited to be back in the beautiful Sunflower State (and ready for their own beds!).
A HUGE thank you goes out to Tonia Underwood for stepping up as the second suburban driver and helping manage the group throughout the week. She even made breakfast every morning, which was greatly appreciated by all!

A Week to Remember

The Rock Hills FFA Chapter’s trip to the 2025 National FFA Convention & Expo was an incredible experience filled with growth, teamwork, and fun. Students returned home proud to have represented Rock Hills and Kansas FFA on the national stage — carrying home memories and lessons that will last a lifetime.

The Rock Hills Cross Country team capped off an incredible season with an outstanding performance at the 2025 KSHSAA Cross Country Championship. The athletes gave it their all on the course, demonstrating determination, teamwork, and school pride.

Leading the way for the Grizzlies was Justin Luong, who earned a well-deserved spot on the championship podium with his 10th-place finish and a career personal record (PR). His strong showing exemplified the hard work and dedication the team has put in all season long.

The rest of the Rock Hills team also had an exceptional day, with many runners achieving personal bests. Their collective effort helped secure an impressive 9th-place team finish in the state — a remarkable accomplishment at such a competitive event.  Congratulations to the entire Rock Hills Cross Country team on an outstanding season and a memorable performance at the state level!

On Thursday, October 23, RHES hosted its first family engagement night of the year, "Classroom Showcase". Students were taught a new math game with a deck of cards. At the end of the night, all students went home with their own deck of cards and a booklet with many other math games.  Participants were able to put in an estimate in their classroom jar. Pictured below are the winners of the Estimation Jars:  Kylie Wirth, Meredith Ryan, Waylon Pierce, Tinsley Moser, Lakin Mizner, Berklie Humphries, Wyatt Walker, Sebastian Fettig, Hazel Jeffery, and Rhett Waugh.

Congratulations to all the Rock Hills Grizzly Runners on a great day at Regionals. It was a cool and rainy day on a slick and muddy course. (Perfect Cross Country) These runners did a fantastic job with several PR's set. This was the last race of the season for the girls and they should know how proud we are of them for how far they came! The boys will continue on as Justin qualified individually and the team qualified on the team side. We unfortunately did not get pics of the alternates but they should know we are extremely proud of them for their season. It takes a team to make this work! Now we prepare for Wamego!! We are proud of all the Grizzlies!!

The 2nd grade classes took a field trip to Prairie Loft Center in Hastings, NE on October 10th. They learned about the different parts of the pollination process - including various methods of seed dispersal, what kinds of animals disperse seeds, and then went on a hike to find some native pollinators. They also enjoyed the playground area, toy farm animals, and the outdoor mud kitchen (with REAL mud!) 

Rock Hills Elementary students learned important lessons about fire safety on October 9th as members of the Mankato Volunteer Fire Department visited the school to give presentations as part of National Fire Prevention Week.

One of the highlights of the visit came when students got the exciting opportunity to ride in a fire truck around the school grounds. Smiles and laughter filled the air as the sirens sounded and lights flashed, giving students a memorable firsthand experience.

Rock Hills Elementary and USD 107 extend their gratitude to the firefighters for their service and for helping students learn life-saving safety tips — and have a little fun along the way!

The Rock Hills High School volleyball team captured the Regional Championship, defeating Clifton-Clyde and Rural Vista in straight sets.

With the victories, the Grizzlies improved to an outstanding 37-1 record on the season and advance to sub-state competition.

Great Job Grizzlies!