Senior Receives State Honors

Nora McDaniels, class of 2023, wears many hats in the CSI/Law Enforcement program. She serves as the sergeant for her class, led a team of three to the State SkillsUSA Crime Scene Investigation contest and earned a spot in a competitive paid internship with the Blue Springs Police Department. She’ll be tackling a dual degree in Criminal Justice and Special Education at the University of Central Missouri in the fall. Her numerous achievements, strong academics and good citizenship led to her being selected as the Missouri Breaking Traditions State Award Secondary Female Winner.

Nora’s instructor, Detective Jodi Grooms, shares that “this award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional courage and resilience in breaking down barriers and challenging long-standing traditions in order to enter a non-traditional field.” Grooms adds that it’s not just Nora’s leadership, knowledge or community service that made her stand out. “She has been instrumental in shaping my first year as an instructor. She has challenged me daily to improve my strategies and techniques. Her accomplishments are a testament to the fact that, with hard work and determination, anything is possible.”

Receiving an award of this caliber might be the penultimate experience of a student’s senior year. But Nora isn’t stopping there. After being recognized by the state and graduating, she’ll continue on to her next challenge: competing at the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference in Atlanta, Georgia in June, where she’ll compete in Customer Service.