Bob Efken, an English Language Arts teacher and the coach of the Scholar Bowl team at Bayless High School, was recently recognized for his efforts. He was named the 2024-2025 Coach of the Year by the Missouri Academic Coaches Association.

MACA is an organization for Scholar Bowl coaches in the state, and it distributes yearly awards for excellence in coaching and team success.

“Efken always gets us on the right track by using what he learned from other coaches and applying them to our practice,” senior Elemedin Karamovic said in a news release. “One of the reasons he is the best coach is because he can adapt to the situation at hand and he always finds a way to win smarter and stronger than previous tournaments.”

This past spring, the Bayless Scholar Bowl team attended its first-ever Missouri State High School Activities Association championship. The Scholar Bowl program at the high school is a newer addition to the district’s activities.

​​”Over the past five years, Mr. Efken has built the scholar bowl program from the ground up and found quick success,” Principal Eric Lawrence said in a news release. “His dedication to the program is evident in the hours he devotes to helping our students grow both academically and personally. His level of care and commitment to excellence ensures every competitor is well-prepared and confident entering into every competition.” 

Lawrence added, “In addition to the team’s success, BHS has been able to host postseason tournaments and our own regular season competition (one of the largest in the state) with Mr. Efken’s guidance and organization.”