Eighth grader receives Donna Pfautsch HATS Scholarship
The Donna Pfautsch HATS Scholarship is presented annually to an eighth-grader who demonstrates academic excellence, diverse interests and a love of learning. An endowment established by the Pfautsch family funds the scholarship, and selected students receive the scholarship funding upon graduation from Harrisonville High School.
Harrisonville Elementary receives district grant
A Foundation-funded district grant presented this spring was a slam dunk in building excitement for reading at Harrisonville Elementary School. Students took part in the March Madness Reading Challenge, which involved reading new literature, selecting their favorites and observing the “winning” books advance on a large-scale bracket for all to see in the main hallway.
The grant funded multiple copies of books by four authors. First-graders read books by Mo Willems; second-graders enjoyed Kevin Henkes’ & Dr. Seuss’ books; and third-graders read books by Patricia Palacco. Teachers and students read books in class, and students voted on their favorite book during each stage of “bracket play.”
“The students loved the idea of being able to vote for their favorite books and follow along as we moved from the sweet 16 to the elite 8 and the final 4. Students who love the sport of basketball were able to tie their love of the March Madness tournament into a love of reading. I could tell each day that students were excited to listen to the next book and be able to compare it to the past book for their vote. Students were invested in this tournament style of reading,” said third-grade teacher Taylor Brown.
And the commitment to reading went beyond the challenge as students’ motivation to read increased.
“Some students have even been bringing books in from home to read at recess. Yes, you read that right. They wanted to read even at recess or after work is done! The love of reading has really grown!” said first-grade teacher Morgan Cooper.
The challenge helped build relationships in classrooms as well.
“Teachers talked about how much they loved how the books brought up different topics they could dive deeper into with their students. The books allowed for natural discussion to occur, which was great!” said Mrs. Brown.
The challenge even inspired at least one future teacher.
Third-grader Hailey Brown said, "I liked reading a new book every day, and when I become a teacher, I want to pick an author and do this same activity."
HES principal Tricia Falke felt the entire initiative had a positive impact.
“We all thought it would be fun to display a love for reading school-wide by posting the bracket on the giant bulletin board in the front hallway. Kids stopped by often to look at which books made it to the next round. Our librarian, Mrs. Lalman, has also seen an increase in students checking out books from the authors that were chosen!”
The books became part of teachers’ classroom libraries, which provide students the opportunity to continue enjoying the new titles and enable future students to read the books as well.
Three inducted into Wall of Fame
The Harrisonville Public School Foundation inducted three Harrisonville High School graduates into the HHS Distinguished Alumni Wall of Fame on Feb. 2. Harold Huff, class of 1969; Ivan “Butch” Beeman, class of 1974; and Vanessa (Zaroor) Hargrave, class of 2001, were honored during a public reception and ceremony at the Wildcat basketball games.
Harold Huff
Harold Huff was the honor graduate for the Harrisonville High School class of 1969. He went on to establish a career in food science research and innovate plant-based protein products.
During high school, Huff was active in FFA. He served as chapter and district president, was a state qualifier and earned the State Farmer Degree. He was senior class president, the school newspaper editor and a member of the student council. He was also involved in track and choir.
Following high school graduation, Huff earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanized agriculture with an emphasis in waste management from the University of Missouri.
After working as a USDA researcher, he returned to the University of Missouri to work for 27 years; he served as a senior research specialist in agricultural engineering. Harold co-authored more than 70 journal articles. In the 1980s, Harold and faculty member Fu-hung Hsieh in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources started experimenting with extrusion processing methods for grains and oilseeds. They ultimately developed and patented a soy protein-based chicken alternative.
After fine-tuning the taste and texture, their “chicken-free strips” were made from soy powder, carrot fiber, gluten-free flour and other ingredients. Using their process, they produced the same amount of protein in an hour that would originate from 50-100 chickens.
On Oct. 22, 2010, MU and Savage River Inc. agreed to a royalty-based licensing arrangement that would lead to selling the plant protein alternative under the brand Beyond Meat/Chicken. In 2019, Beyond Meat partnered with KFC for a plant-based chicken nugget.
Mr. Huff was also very involved in Boy Scouts; he first served as a Cub Scouts den leader and later as Boy Scouts troop scoutmaster. After all three of his sons reached Eagle Scout, he continued to be involved as a district commissioner.
Huff passed away on Aug. 7, 2022. He was married to Monica, and they had three sons, who are married, and four grandchildren.
Ivan “Butch” Beeman
Since moving to Harrisonville in 1969, Ivan “Butch” Beeman has been an active and respected community member. In high school, he lettered in basketball and received all-conference honors his senior year. He also lettered in tennis and was active “backstage” in both his junior and senior plays. He graduated from HHS in 1974 and continued his education at Southwest Missouri State University, which is now Missouri State University. After earning his bachelor’s degree in accounting, he returned to Harrisonville where he joined the accounting firm of Sellberg & Troutt, which would become Troutt, Beeman & Co. He became managing partner of the company in 1996.
Butch was introduced to accounting by his high school teacher, Mrs. Donna Schmoll. He was looking for an “easy class his senior year” and always liked math, so he signed up for accounting. Mrs. Schmoll absolutely made accounting “come alive.” Butch won first place in Accounting I in district competition. Mrs. Schmoll remained a close friend and client until her passing.
Throughout his career, Butch has been active in advancing the accounting profession. He has served in multiple capacities with the Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants, including as chair of the board of directors, and he held positions on the governing council of the American Institute of Public Accountants and advisory boards for the University of Central Missouri School of Accountancy.
Within the Harrisonville community, Butch has been an active member in the Harrisonville Chamber of Commerce and Harrisonville Kiwanis Club; he served as president of both organizations. He volunteers on the Cass Regional Medical Center Foundation Board, where he served as president. At the Harrisonville First Christian Church, he is a member, elder and past chairman. Butch was a founding member of the Harrisonville Public School Foundation. Additionally, he has coached countless little league baseball and basketball teams, and his firm has consistently supported local teams. Some of his fondest memories are of coaching his sons throughout their youth baseball and basketball years.
He served on the Harrisonville Schools Board of Education for nine years including two years as president. During his time on the board, the district successfully passed a $5.7 million bond issue that enabled the construction of two new schools, Harrisonville Elementary School and Harrisonville Middle School, and renovation of Central Elementary School, which is now Harrisonville Early Childhood Center.
Butch also has served the community at large as a member of the United Missouri Bank Advisory Board - Southern District and Children’s Mercy Hospital Planned Giving Council.
Butch is married to Delores, who is also an HHS graduate. They have two sons, Christopher and Jonathan, who are both HHS graduates; a daughter-in-law, Amy; and three grandchildren, Olivia, Henry and Thomas.
Vanessa (Zaroor) Hargrave
Vanessa (Zaroor) Hargrave is a selfless volunteer who has given back to the Harrisonville community through her involvement in numerous organizations and charitable causes. She graduated from HHS in 2001. While in high school, Vanessa participated in academic and athletic activities including National Honor Society, student council, DECA where she was a national qualifier, track, basketball and choir. During the summer, Vanessa was heavily involved with Harrisonville’s Aquacats swim team, which she began coaching at 16, and worked as a lifeguard in Harrisonville from 1997 to 2001.
After high school graduation, Vanessa enrolled in UMKC’s Bloch School of Business to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business administration. During her time at UMKC, Vanessa helped restart the Bloch School Student Organization, was a member of Delta Sigma Pi and studied international business at Euromed Marseille. She graduated cum laude in 2005. Outside of school, Vanessa worked at Coffelt Land Title from 2001-04. Then, she joined her family’s company, PressurePro, in Harrisonville.
Vanessa has served on numerous boards including Harrisonville’s Enhanced Enterprise Zone, the Cass Community Health Foundation and the Jerry Tabb Memorial Scholarship. She currently serves on the Harrisonville Park Board, Bright Futures Advisory Board and the Phillip Zaroor Entrepreneurial Scholarship Committee.
In 2020, she volunteered as part of the All I+N for Our Students committee to support the Harrisonville School District’s bond and levy election. She was the committee’s creative lead. Vanessa managed social media efforts; designed logos, posters and yard signs; and helped share personal stories of the ballot issues’ potential impact for staff and students. Through the committee’s work, the bond and levy measures passed.
Out of all of her community work, she feels most proud of what the community has achieved with Just4Me. Started in 2011, Just4Me helps bridge the gap of food insecurity and available assistance during the summer when school is not in session. In 12 years, Just4Me has distributed approximately 225,000 meals to children. Vanessa leads the efforts from fundraising to food distribution.
Vanessa has received numerous awards for her volunteer efforts including the Elks Distinguished Citizenship Award, the Buck O’Neil Legacy Seat, the Bright Futures Advocate of the Year and the Missouri Municipal League’s Civic Leadership Award.
She is the director of marketing and chief operating officer for PressurePro, a world leader in tire performance management. She is married to Jon, and they have a son, Hudson.
Opportunities to support, leave your mark at CCC
The Cass Career Center (CCC) is planning a new addition, which will benefit the entire community.
The CCC Pavilion Project will be a 60- by 100-foot covered outdoor classroom and event area on the north side of the school’s property. With seating capacity for more than 300 people, the outdoor space will offer a range of configuration options to suit the needs of CCC programs and the community — from live instructional events such as student organization and fundraising activities to community events such as farmers markets, concerts, reunions and outdoor movie nights. The pavilion will also include a storage shed to protect the equipment of various CCC programs and free up indoor classroom space.
The CCC was awarded a Missouri Area Career Center Opportunity Grant in November 2022. It must raise $300,000 in matching funds to support the pavilion project, so it has launched a two-part fundraising effort.
1. The Cass Career Center Brick Program offers an opportunity to leave a lasting mark at the school and support the pavilion project. Through this program, individual supporters, families, local businesses or organizations may purchase a personalized brick for $100. The bricks will form the path from the current school to the new pavilion.
To purchase a brick, go to https://ccc.brickprogram.com/.
2. A sponsorship program enables donors to give larger amounts to support the pavilion project. Five sponsorship levels are available: $1,000 (Friend), $2,500 (Supporter), $5,000 (Partner), $10,000 (Advocate) and $20,000+ (Benefactor). Each level provides varying recognition opportunities such as ribbon-cutting naming rights, permanent signage on the pavilion and logo on the CCC website.
All sponsorship-level donations can be made to the Harrisonville Public School Foundation, a 501(c)(3). All contributions are tax-deductible. Checks may be mailed to 503 S. Lexington, Harrisonville, MO 64701. Please include CCC Pavilion Project in the memo line.
For questions about the pavilion project, please contact CCC director Anne Hickman at anne.hickman@harrisonvilleschools.org or (816) 380-3253.
About Us
Email: jill.filer@harrisonvilleschools.org
Website: www.harrisonvilleschools.org/foundation
Location: 503 South Lexington Street, Harrisonville, MO, USA
Phone: 8163802727
Facebook: facebook.com/HarrisonvillePublicSchoolFoundation