The Macks Creek Alumni Association hosted the 68th Annual Banquet this past Saturday in the "old gym" at Macks Creek School. This year’s banquet featured special recognition and honor of the 1976 graduates. The graduates of the Class of 2026 were recognized along with the classes of 2016 (10th year), 2006 (20th), 2001 (25th), 1996 (30th), 1986 (40th), 1966 (60th) and 1956 (70th) were also celebrated. In addition to a variety of other traditional festivities, the Alumni honored Teachers of the Year and inducted a new member into the Hall of Fame. Mrs. Kelsey Rooffener was selected as Elementary Teacher of the Year and Ms. Becky Salter was selected as the High School Teacher of the Year. Lastly, Ms. Edna (Green) Preciado was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The Class of 2006, who had the most alumni in attendance, enjoyed celebrating their 20th reunion. From top left to right: Darwin Campbell, Chris Breshears, Zach Taylor and Amanda (Parrack) Smith. From bottom left to right: Cassandra (Garrett) Breshears, Megan Heberer and Brittany (Davenport) Corneal
Kelsey Rooffener received her award from the Alumni Association President, Kristy Eidson while the Award Committee Chairman, Craig Parrack read her biography.
Elementary Teacher-of-the-Year - Mrs. Kelsey Rooffener
Mrs. Kelsey Rooffener is a third-generation teacher at Macks Creek Elementary, where she specializes in 4th-grade ELA and social studies. With over seven years of experience, she is passionate about encouraging creativity in her students. Originally from Eldon, MO, and the daughter of Scott and Michelle Robinett, she graduated Cum Laude from Central Methodist University with a degree in elementary education and certification in visual arts. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys gardening, painting, reading, and learning new 'homesteading' skills, and she treasures time spent with her husband, Jim.
Craig Parrack presents Becky Salter with her award.
High School Teacher-of-the-Year - Ms. Becky Salter
Ms. Becky Salter began her teaching career at Climax Springs School, where she served as preschool teacher from 2002 to 2006. While there she also coached both softball and baseball, often sharing the sideline with Craig Parrack. She recalls Coach Parrack’s good-natured humor on bus trips, when he would jokingly point out the nicest house along the route and claim it belonged to the opposing team’s coach.
Coach Salter stepped away from the classroom to work for the State of Missouri as a Children’s Division foster care case manager, supporting vulnerable children and families. She then served as the Army School Liaison at Fort Leonard Wood from 2012 to 2013, assisting military families with access to educational services for children stationed around the world.
In 2013, Coach Salter stepped back into education as the homeless coordinator with Camdenton Schools. In that role her primary responsibility was ensuring students identified under the McKinney-Vento Act received equal access to educational opportunities. Her work also included a range of family interventions designed to help families move out of homelessness.
In 2023 Coach Salter joined Macks Creek as our preschool teacher and quickly reengaged in athletics, stepping in as softball coach and as middle school track coach. During the spring of 2024 she added PE and Health endorsements to her credentials. She now teaches K–6 physical education and middle/high school health, serves as the high school head track coach, and is slated to return as softball coach for the 2026 season.
“Coach Salter brings a unique perspective and love for the students to Macks Creek,” commented Secondary Principal Jason Trusty. He further shared “each day she greets them with a smile and is always willing to do anything she can to help them be successful. We are truly blessed to have her as a member of our school community.”
Macks Creek Alumni Teachers of the Year, Kelsey Rooffener and Becky Salter were both recognized at this year’s banquet.
Billy Creach inducts Edna (Green) Preciado into the Macks Creek Alumni Hall of Fame.
68th Hall-of-Fame Inductee - Mrs. Edna (Green) Preciado
Mrs. Edna May (Green) Preciado was inducted into the Macks Creek hall of fame this year. Edna, from the Class of 1956, celebrated her 70th year since she graduated Macks Creek School! Edna was born in March of 1938 to Wilmer and Eda (Park) Green in Macks Creek. When Wilmer and Eda welcomed Edna to the family she was the youngest of 10 children which included 5 boys and 5 girls. Edna doesn’t remember her Dad as he passed away when she was two years old. She was quick to point out “with 5 older brothers, I felt like I had 5 fathers!”.
Edna, who is in the front left, is pictured here with her 4 sisters (Hilda, Mary, Joan and Jean) and 5 brothers (Bill, George, Earl, John and Murel) at a family reunion in Macks Creek in the late 1960’s.
Edna is extremely proud of her brothers who all served our country during World War II. With all 5 of her boys deployed, her Mom set up a “prayer tree” in the back yard. She and her sisters remember the hours their Mom spent on her knees beneath that tree spent praying to the Lord to protect all of her sons. The Lord answered Eda Mae’s prayers as all 5 of her boys returned home at the end of the war including one who survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Edna has a hand-written letter in which her brother shared a little bit about this horrific day when he returned fire and did everything he could to defend his ship and brothers-in-arms.
The Green brothers (Bill, George, Earl, John and Murel) all proudly served our Country in World War II.
Edna attended all 12 years at Macks Creek and fondly remembers her schooling. She loved basketball and still holds the Lady Pirates record for the most points scored in a single game. Nicknamed the “Green Hornet” by her classmates, she scored 56 points in one game! Long time Macks Creek basketball fan, Mr. Billy Creach shared “Edna was the best girls high school basketball player I have ever seen!”.
Edna was so talented she was recruited by the trailblazing exhibition basketball team, the All American Red Heads that played as many as 200 games a year all over the United States from 1936 to 1986. According to the Basketball Hall of Fame, while they competed with intensity during the opening half, the team captivated spectators throughout the final period with acrobatic maneuvers, clever stunts, and swift passing reminiscent of the Harlem Globetrotters. Edna declined their offer because one of the team’s many rules required all players to dye their hair bright red and wear makeup during games. Edna was a proud brunette and shared “there wasn’t any way I was going to dye my hair bright red!”. Edna also related that in her day, “the district’s school buses didn’t deliver many students directly to their homes”. She was certain she stayed in such good shape for basketball because “I walked two miles to catch the bus each morning and two miles to get back home each afternoon for twelve years!”.
After school, Edna wanted a change of scenery and decided to move to California to live with her sister Hilda. It was in California that Edna took the first steps in what would become a career in manufacturing. She spent 5 years working for the Illinois Glass Company as a quality inspector for all of their glass products. She spent twenty-five years in California where she married Troy Richardson and had three sons, Randy, Gary and Corey. After a divorce, she relocated to Claremore, Oklahoma. It was at this time she returned to her manufacturing roots working for a few different companies including HydroHoist, where she was a fabricator before being promoted safety coordinator and trainer. She also worked for a company building circuit boards for asphalt batch mixers. It was while working in Claremore that she met and married the love of her life, Charles Praciado. Charles and Edna, who had occasionally seen each other around town, decided to meet for dinner one day. After hitting it off at dinner they dated for a few months and were married in 1982, currently celebrating 44 years together and counting.
Congratulations Edna, on being the 62nd MCHS graduate to be inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame!
Edna took a photo with the Alumni Award Chairman, Craig Parrack after the ceremony.
Members of the 50-Year Class of 1976 shared news about their lives since graduation. Clockwise from top left: Gary Cyrus, Kenny Campbell, Dale Routh and Kathy (Parrack) Mankey.
The Campbell Family had three generations attend this year's Alumni Banquet representing the most recent graduating class, the 20-year class and the 50-year class! From left to right, Kassidy (Class of 2026), Darwin (Class of 2006) and Kenny (Class of 1976).
Everyone had a blast at this year’s banquet!
Banquet attendees shared a lot of memories from their school days and enjoyed sharing about their lives since graduation.
From left to right, the Alumni Association Leadership: Craig Parrack, Kristy Eidson, Mildred Webster and Jill Hostetler.
The Alumni are grateful to everyone who was able to attend this year’s banquet to make it a tremendous success! The leadership team would also like to thank Shelly Parrack for her work decorating again this year. Alumni Association President, Ms. Kristy Eidson wishes to remind all Pirates who have been “out-to-sea” for a long time to take time to return to “port” every once in a while. All alumni are invited to mark their calendars for next year’s banquet which will be June 26, 2027.
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