Kahri Dixon Among MRH Students Recognized at Meeting

Numerous Maplewood Richmond Heights students and an outgoing Board of Education member received recognition Thursday during a board meeting.

Here's a who's who:

• Anne, Juan, Luke, Olivia, Zach and Sophia Arias were named the MRH Family of the Year. The family was praised for its active involvement in the district on all levels.
• was honored with the Rosemary Zander Award from the Special School District of St. Louis County. Dixon, who is deaf, started a club to teach his fellow students sign language and was praised for seeing his deafness not as a handicap, but as a part of his identity.
• Students Lucy Miller, Lexi Ramsey, Jade Stemmler and Anna Wermuth were recognized for earning distinction in the American Legion Poppy Poster Contest.
• Trumpeter and ninth-grader Thomas Baron was honored for his numerous accomplishments as a musician. Baron has performed at the highest level at state competitions and was one of four area students selected to play at Powell Hall with internationally renowned trumpet player Gabrielle Cassone.
• Outgoing board member Ben Stotler received praise for his tenure on the board. Mitten described Stotler, who served from 2007-11, as someone who "bleeds MRH blue." "It is indicative of his attitude and his passion for this district," Mitten said.