A group of McCracken culinary students recently attended a food vendor expo, where they sampled breakfast, snack, and lunch options that meet federal school nutrition guidelines.
From ramen to barbecue to breakfast egg rolls, students tasted a variety of potential menu items and shared their feedback—helping make school meals both nutritious and something students can actually get excited about!

We’re wrapping up our August Academy Students of the Month by celebrating the outstanding students from The Academy of Technology, Business, and Hospitality!
Congratulations to our August honorees:
⭐ 10th Grade: Violet Bergman & Micah Shirley
⭐ 11th Grade: Chloe Dalton & Desmond Hill
⭐ 12th Grade: Izzy Bonnell & Sam Lynn
We’re proud to recognize these Mustangs for the hard work, leadership, positive attitude, and commitment they bring to their Academy and our school community.
Congratulations, Mustangs!



These Mustangs were recognized for their hard work, leadership, positive attitude, and the way they represented their academy during the first month of school.
Congratulations to our August honorees:
10th Grade: Lucy Farmery & Collin Mitchell
11th Grade: Taylor Partin & Griffin Strout
12th Grade: Charlee Taylor & Jewelious Farmer
We are proud to celebrate these students as part of this new Academies of McCracken County tradition!



Next up, we’re celebrating our outstanding students from the Academy of Agriculture, Engineering, and Skilled Trades!
These Mustangs were recognized for their hard work, leadership, positive attitude, and commitment to making their academy stronger.
Congratulations to our honorees!
10th Grade: Chloe Beavers & Chayton Dwyer
11th Grade: Anna Hammonds & Holden Hagan
12th Grade: Amelia Hutchison & Chris Luciano
We are proud to celebrate these students and all they bring to The Academies of McCracken County!
Strong Schools. Strong Community. Strong Future.



We know it’s almost the end of September, but we couldn’t let the month get away without recognizing the students who kicked off this brand-new tradition as our Academy Students of the Month!
We’re starting with our Freshman Academy and celebrating students who stood out during the first month of school for their hard work, positive attitude, leadership, and Mustang spirit.
Congratulations to our August honorees!
Pinnacle: Januari Burnett, Chance Bryant
Summitt: Sarah Marcum, Alex Petersen
Zenith: Charley Saladino, Quincy Newbern



Spanish 1 students have been learning the Spanish alphabet. After practicing the letters and their pronunciation, they took it to the next level by spelling the letters in human form!
It’s a fun, hands-on way to reinforce pronunciation, letter recognition, and teamwork while bringing Spanish to life in the classroom.
¡Buen trabajo, Mustangs!





McCracken Seniors: Sam Dobson, Zek Dossett, and Jake Thaggard.
These students were selected by MCHS faculty and have the opportunity to attend the Rotary Club of Paducah meetings during their designated month. This recognition celebrates students who demonstrate strong character, leadership, service, and a commitment to excellence both in and out of the classroom.
Congratulations, Mustangs! We are proud of you and the way you represent MCHS!

Last week, our Mustangs spent time learning what it means to be an informed and engaged citizen.
During Senior HERD, students received important information about voter registration, Selective Service, jury duty, and income taxes. Our 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students learned more about the required high school civics exam. Students also took part in a special Constitution Day activity on Thursday, September 17.
Thanks to Senior Grant Seaton, who organized a Voter Registration Drive, students who will be 18 by Kentucky’s November 3 General Election also had the opportunity to register to vote.
A big thank you to Mr. Drake Williams and our Social Studies Department for helping students better understand the responsibilities, opportunities, and importance of being engaged citizens!



9/21 - 9/26

Congrats to Sophomore Callie Jett, Golden Ticket Winner of the Week!
Golden Tickets are given by MCHS faculty and staff to recognize students for making positive choices and representing our Mustang expectations.
🍕 A special thank you to Marco’s Pizza for generously providing gift certificates for our winners!

King Luke Whiteside and Queen Lilly Hamilton
Homecoming Court
Seniors:
Lilly Hamilton, Janaye Reed, Bailey Riley, Sophie Riley, Ella Shelbourne
Jay Martin, Garrett Miller, Martin Thomas, Luke Whiteside, Brock Wilson
Juniors:
Calleigh Eidson, Nora Henderson, Katelyn Waggoner
Sebastian Hernandez, Wilton Houser, Omarii Thomas
Sophomores:
Emma Cranor, Hailey Johnson, Ava Rhodes
Bryan Chaires, Watson Crabtree, Cole Presswood
Freshmen:
Jordyn Conn, Lilly Hayden, Payton McKinnon
Cole Adams, Bronx McDermott, Loye Wood



The new welding program at McCracken County High School is off to a great start! With 14 welding bays, students are gaining valuable hands-on experience while preparing for high-demand careers.
Last week, welding teacher Mr. Tucker and his classes welcomed Fabian Villota and Buz Smith from General Matter to discuss careers in welding and the qualities the company will seek in future employees.
Mr. Villota shared his journey from military service to his current role with General Matter and emphasized the importance of developing good habits now to achieve future success. Students learned about background checks, security clearances, and the technical and soft skills needed in the workplace.
They also had the opportunity to ask questions about General Matter, other industries coming to Paducah, the economic impact these companies will have on our region, and the growing demand for skilled welders.
Thank you to Mr. Villota, Mr. Smith, and General Matter for connecting classroom learning with real-world career opportunities!












Each year, students are assigned a different local nonprofit or community project where they can lend a helping hand. This year, our students spent the day at Noble Park, where they cleaned, sanded, scraped, and painted the park pavilions.
Experiences like this give students an important lesson beyond the classroom—the value of serving others and giving back to the community we call home.
We are proud of our Mustangs for rolling up their sleeves and making a difference!






Last week during HERD time, each Freshman Academy Team attended Freshman Connection!
More than 20 clubs and organizations were on hand, with student representatives sharing what their groups are all about and helping our freshmen discover the many ways they can get involved at MCHS.
From finding a new interest to meeting new people, everyone has a place to connect, get involved, and make the most of their high school experience!










Over the past few weeks, our students have had the opportunity to hear from representatives from Lipscomb University and Centre College about campus life, academic programs, scholarships, and the admissions process.
And the college conversations continue this week! Western Kentucky University will be visiting MCHS to talk with students about all things college and admissions.
We’re excited to give our Mustangs opportunities to explore their options, ask questions, and start planning for what comes next!


Congrats to Sophomore Zoe Montplaisir, Golden Ticket Winner of the Week!
Golden Tickets are given by MCHS faculty and staff to recognize students for making positive choices and representing our Mustang expectations.
🍕 A special thank you to Marco’s Pizza for generously providing gift certificates for our winners!

We loved welcoming former Mustang and Media Arts student Chandler Newsome (Class of 2023) back to MCHS!
Chandler spoke with our Media Arts students about his experience working in the film industry, where he has already earned multiple production credits and is building a bright future working in the electrical department as a gaffer and grip.
He gave students a behind-the-scenes look at what his job entails on set, shared advice on breaking into the industry, and talked about the hard work and persistence it takes to keep landing jobs and building a career.
There’s nothing better than seeing a former Mustang return to share real-world experience with the next generation. We’re proud of you, Chandler, and can’t wait to see where your career takes you!


Students recently worked on poaching eggs while putting their creativity to the test with plating and garnishing. The lesson even brought Academy of Technology, Business, and Hospitality Principal Mrs. Mandy Irvan into the kitchen, where one of our students stepped up to coach her through the process!
It was a great example of students building skills, sharing what they know, and gaining confidence through hands-on experience.
And yes — Mrs. Irvan’s finished plate definitely looked egg-cellent!







A big shoutout to the McCracken County Boys Golf Team for qualifying for the Boys All-State Tournament! The team of Peyton Courtney, Jack Farmery, Brently Gregory, Evan Hack, and Cooper Webb earned an impressive 640 points out of a possible 700 to qualify! Even more impressive — this marks the FOURTH consecutive year the Mustangs have qualified for the All-State Tournament!
Good luck this weekend, Mustangs!

