The David Cook Files

Long before David Cook was wowing judges on ‘American Idol’ the Blue Springs native was making a name for himself in Eastern Jackson County.

Through, school plays, baseball, music and sixth grade journalism, Cook has graced the pages of The Examiner at many times.

Here are some stories featuring the local star:

•  June 30, 1994 – Cook received an honorable mention for poetry writing in the Community Association for the Arts Creative Writing/Photography competition.

• Jan. 25, 1995 – A science fair a Georgeff-Baker Middle School landed Cook a Blue Ribbon for his project Amazing Airplanes with classmate Andy Donner.

• May 2, 1995 – Taking to the stage in “Coming of Age,” Cook was one of eight sixth graders cast in the production at Georgeff-Baker Middle School.

• May 4, 1995 – Cook and nine fellow sixth graders at Georgeff-Baker spent a day at the Blue Springs Examiner to watch the newspaper production process. Cook wrote a story that appeared in the paper following his visit.

• Dec. 29, 1999 – Blue Springs South High School debate and forensics students consistently perform well, and in 1999, Cook offered praise for then coach Georgia Brady. He said, “Mrs. Brady would give her right arm and leg to see one of her students succeed.”

•  Feb. 10, 2000 – Cook’s stage experience grew with his role as Riff in the Blue Springs South High School production of “West Side Story.”

• Feb. 17, 2000 – Cook and his forensics teammates were named the suburban conference champions.

• June 8, 2000 – “American Idol” wasn’t Cook’s first experience in making it to a national competition. In 2000, Cook won a bid to Portland Ore., for the National Debate and Forensics Tournament.

• Feb. 16, 2001 – Another school year, many more times to shine as Cook took to the stage yet again for the South production of “Singin’ in the Rain.” Cook, who played Cosmo Brown, was said to have stolen the show – according to one Examiner reader who wrote in about the production in a Letter to the Editor.

• May 8, 2001 – Cook also performed well on the baseball field. Cook, who pitched for the Jaguars, helped his team to a 7-6 win over Lee’s Summit.

• June 21, 2001 – In a return trip to the national forensics tournament, Cook placed in to top 30 in duo interpretation. Cook said following the tournament, “We did well, our school did well, but nationals is finished. I don’t get to do this with these guys anymore. Four years of work and competition is done.”

• June 16, 2001 – Cook received an honorable mention nod as an Examiner All-Area Baseball player.

• July 12, 2001 – Cook and his teammates delivered a win in the first game for 13th Annual American Legion Wood Bat Invitational. On July 16, 2001, it was his last baseball game in American Legion baseball, and Cook was hit in the back of the head while batting. He suffered a concussion, but was said to be OK the next day.

• January 2003 – Cook’s band Axium begins making a name for itself, and he took some time to talk about their goals in The X.

• January 2004 – Axium, with Cook as lead vocals, was named the best band by readers of The X.

• June 2004 – In The X, Cook and Axium discussed their struggles in getting signed.

– Stephanie Boothe