Ritenour School District News
Missouri Governor Speaks at Ritenour High School
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Ritenour High School (RHS) was the site of a special military awards program on Saturday, Jan. 23. Ritenour Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Compton and RHS Principal Dr. Anthony Robinson were invited to be special guests at the ceremony, which featured speech by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon.
More than 200 members of the Missouri Air National Guard's 131st Bomb Wing and their families were given "Hometown Heroes" awards during the event for being deployed on missions for 30 or more days.
Distinguished guests who presided over the ceremony included Gov. Nixon; Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Stephen Danner, Mo. National Guard adjutant general; Brig. Gen. Stephen Cotter, Mo. National Guard chief of staff; Brig. Gen. John Owen, Mo. Joint Staff director; Col. Robert Leeker, 131st Bomb Wing commander; Command Chief Master Sgt. Bill Phillips, Mo. State command chief; Chief Master Sgt. Lisa Kessinger, former 131st BW command chief; as well as representatives of U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill and Congressman Lacy Clay; State Senator Rita Heard Days; State Representative Michael Corcoran; and local representatives.
The RHS site was chosen by the Missouri Air National Guard because of its size and the proximity to Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. The ceremony was the first of its kind for the 131st Bomb Wing.