News

FIRST Robotics Team 1939 made an exciting run toward the title at the Central Missouri Regional March 5-8.

Graphic novelist John Gallagher, creator of the “Max Meow: Cat Crusader” series, explained his craft and entertained students in the Lower School Media Center on Wednesday, March 12.

For the fifth year in a row, Barstow Sources of Strength ran a successful “Change for Change” drive, collecting spare change and donating it to their nonprofit of choice.

Family and friends cheered for four seniors who signed letters of intent to continue their athletic careers in college on Thursday, March 13.

The Barstow School College Counseling and English Departments are offering a college essay writing workshop for rising seniors this summer.

The upper school play “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (High School Edition)” opened on Thursday, March 6, and continues Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m.

Robotics team FRC1939, otherwise known as the Kuhknights, is competing in the FIRST Robotics Central Missouri Regional in Sedalia this weekend, with events on Friday, March 7 and Saturday, March 8. The Kuhknights are one of 36 participating teams from high schools around the midwest.

Middle and upper school debate teams were recognized with awards at competitions on Saturday, March 1.

Middle School Science Bowl participated in the DOE (Department of Energy) National Science Bowl regional competition at UMKC on Friday, Feb. 28.

Hundreds of students and families showed off their work and experimented with science, technology, engineering, arts and math at Lower School STEAM Night  on Thursday, Feb. 27.

The Lower School Media Center was filled with excited students, parents and faculty this week during the book fair, themed “Reading is my superpower.” The book fair was hosted by Rainy Day Books, an independent bookstore in Fairway, Kansas.

As part of their study of Kansas City, first graders built parade floats to depict Kansas City landmarks.

Sanjana Akkulugari, junior, has earned the Congressional Award Gold Medal.

Thirty-one middle school students challenged themselves by participating in the American Mathematics Competition (AMC) in January.

The upper school student body enjoyed a trip to the Kansas City Repertory Theatre on Wednesday, Feb. 26, for a performance of “Broke-ology,” a play by award-winning playwright and screenwriter Nathan Louis Jackson.

The spring sports season begins next week with two new upper school head coaches joining the Barstow athletic staff. Mark Pfau will lead the boys tennis team and Jeremy Spears will coach track and field.

A new mural has been installed in the upper school area.

Barstow’s inaugural chess team competed in the 2025 Groundhog Youth Chess Tournament, hosted by the Kansas City Chess Club, on Saturday, Feb. 15.

Haley Hannah ’06 has come a long way from her role as Head Ladybug in a first grade concert at Barstow.

Congratulations to early childhood and lower school students who created the winning bookmarks for the Rainy Day Book Fair.

Zahra Khumri, grade 8, won first place for her grade level in the 2024 Daughters of the American Revolution American History Essay Contest. Her essay will be submitted for judging at the state level.

The Dan & Cassidy Towriss IDEA Space KC, powered by The Barstow School, will be part of a city-wide celebration of STEAM learning again this spring. 

Two grade 6 writers won first place chapter honors in the 2024 Daughters of the American Revolution essay contest.

What makes each of us unique? Lower school students learned that it’s okay to “Just Ask,” during a pair of field trips to the Coterie Theatre this week.

The Barstow School is offering an exclusive project-based artificial intelligence program at the Dan & Cassidy Towriss IDEA Space this summer, developed and taught by Stanford and MIT graduates.

Chinese language students in grades 4-12 decorated lanterns to welcome the Year of the Snake and to celebrate Lunar New Year this month.

Middle States Association (MSA-CESS) has awarded The Barstow School with its first Responsible AI in Learning endorsement. The School is one of 31 global insitutions—and the only one in Kansas or Missouri—to earn the distinction. Read our press release.

The middle school math club competed in the MATHCOUNTS regional competition the weekend of Feb. 2-3, with an impressive showing. One team finished in third place and six students qualified for the  State Championship in Columbia in March.

Junior Darin Goodman participated in the Kansas City Music Teachers' Association Junior Concerto Competition on Sunday, Feb. 2. He won first place in the senior division, which includes musicians in grades 9-12.

In an era dominated by smartphones, Barstow’s upper school has taken on an ambitious challenge: Phone-Free February. The challenge was created following discussions among grade level coordinators to encourage students to step away from their screens during school hours and experience the benefits of a phone-free environment.

Barstow students are reimagining the future of one of Kansas City’s most beloved cultural institutions. Under the guidance of their teachers and with the support of IDEA Space, students in grades 1-5 have embarked on an ambitious project to design an expansion for the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

Girls tennis team was honored at the Win for KC Women's Sports Awards ceremony on Tuesday, Feb. 4.

Barstow is one of 31 schools globally, and the only school in Kansas City, to receive the Responsible AI in Learning, or RAIL, endorsement from Middle State Association. RAIL is the only AI education endorsement available for K-12 schools in the world.

Fifth grade authors are working with first grade buddies to build and animate characters and scenes as part of their children's book project.

Nominees for the 2025 homecoming king and queen have been announced. Students will receive an email in the upcoming weeks with instructions to vote. This year's royalty will be announced at halftime during the homecoming basketball game on Feb. 14.

In 2003, Birju Solanki graduated from Barstow with direct admission to the six year medical program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. But six years later, his work had taken a different path.

The Knights girls tennis team won the Class 2 State Championship on Nov. 1, besting Ladue Horton Watkins in a down-to-the-wire final, 5-4. The team reached the title match after defeating powerhouse MICDS (St. Louis) 5-4. 

The Dan & Cassidy Towriss IDEA Space KC came alive with creativity, collaboration, and purpose this month, as we kicked off the EcoSpark Waste Reduction Challenge. This exciting initiative brought metro middle school students and teachers together to tackle a pressing environmental issue: reducing food waste in school communities.

Varsity, novice and middle school debate teams competed in recent tournaments, winning multiple awards.

Three families surprised Dan McNickle with an enduring memorial to his late mother on the Barstow campus.

Students, parents, faculty and staff met during the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday to work together on service projects benefitting Kansas City area nonprofits.

Third graders shared presentations about individuals who have made a difference in the community and the world on Friday, Jan. 24.

Acclaimed children’s author and speaker Gita Varadarajan visited the Barstow campus on Friday, Jan. 17.

Seniors Shayan Ahmed and Moira Fink, along with junior Carlos Salazar, have earned the Congressional Gold Award, recognizing initiative, service and leadership.

The BTVN studio has a new piece of equipment. Working with her dad, junior Giselle Potts built a new sports broadcasting table for the studio.

The Robotics team is preparing for competitions in March and April, bringing a specific emphasis on teamwork and inclusivity to 2025.

The Barstow School welcomes acclaimed children's author Gita Varadarajan to campus on Friday, Jan. 17.  

The latest mural to brighten Barstow’s interior spaces was added to the Middle School Commons during winter break.