Lakota’s state of schools event back live, popular with public

LIBERTY TWP. - An annual and popular event at Lakota Schools returned earlier this week as hundreds of school residents attended the district’s “State of the Schools” gathering at its Liberty Twp. high school.

The event showcases the 17,000-student Lakota school system’s 24 school buildings and this year district officials had many students front and center as they presented learning projects at various exhibition tables throughout the main hall of Lakota East High School.

Lakota Superintendent Matt Miller described the open-to-the-public event as “the perfect opportunity for everyone to get a peek into all 24 of Lakota’s schools.”

It’s the first live State of the Schools since last year’s was limited to an online-viewing event due to COVID-19 safety precautions.

“It was great to be back in person,” said Betsy Fuller, spokeswoman for Lakota Schools, who added this year’s event was also live-streamed for those who chose to or could not attend in person.

Miller, whose district is the most populous in Butler County and ninth largest in Ohio, said “being able to invite our community into our schools for this event was energizing.”

Dozens of student representatives from the schools helped to add to that energy.

Fuller noted some of the many student exhibits included Liberty Early Childhood School second graders who spoke to event visitors about learning leadership skills through community service and demonstrations from Union Elementary’s Culinary Center.

Other exhibits included Endeavor Elementary students explaining their school’s creation of a student-run video studio that produces the school’s morning announcements to a student-created hover board from Liberty Junior School.

Lakota school parent Ryan Buckingham was impressed by his tour of the event.

“It was really amazing to watch. What a compelling and inspiring display of our district’s resources, excellence, diversity and empathy, as well as the myriad opportunities Lakota offers our students and community,” said Buckingham.

Miller said: “It was great to see families and community members engaged with our students as they showed off learning experiences from their schools.”

“It’s always an honor to share the stage with our students and staff during State of the Schools. They tell our story best – and it’s a great one.”

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