Students Earn National Achievement Scholarships

Five students from Fayette County High, Sandy Creek High, Starr’s Mill High, and Whitewater High are among 700 nationwide receiving National Achievement Scholarships through the 2011 National Achievement Scholarship Program, a competition for African American high school students.

Onyekwere Eke and Linsey Jackson, both from Fayette County High; Camara Carter, Sandy Creek High; Elana Burton, Starr’s Mill High; and Kevone Hospedales, Whitewater High, are all recipients of a $2,500, single payment scholarship. The students plan to use their scholarship to fund their education in the following areas: Onyekwere plans to major in computer science, Linsey’s probable major is chemical engineering, Camara is looking into veterinary medicine, Elana is leaning toward international business, and Kevone is planning a career in software engineering.

More than 160,000 students entered the 2011 National Achievement Program by requesting consideration when they took the 2009 Preliminary SAT/National Merit
Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) as high school juniors. In September 2010, approximately 1,600 of the highest scorers were named semifinalists on a regional basis. To continue in the competition, semifinalists had to fulfill requirements for finalist standing, which included having a record of consistently high academic performance, being endorsed and recommended by an official of their high school, earning SAT scores that confirm the PSAT/NMSQT performance and submitting an essay about personal interests, attainments and goals.

Approximately 1,300 semifinalists advanced to the finalist level. Achievement Scholar awardees are the finalist candidates judged to have the strongest record of accomplishments and greatest potential for college academic success.

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Georgia Recognizes 13 Fayette Schools for High Academic Performance

Nearly 50 percent of Fayette’s public schools have been recognized by the state for promoting excellence in student achievement.

Out of the county’s 28 schools, nine elementary, one middle and three high schools received award designations of platinum, gold, silver or bronze based on their performance on state curriculum exams and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status.

The state awards were given in two categories: greatest gain, for schools that showed the greatest improvement in scores on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) or the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT), and highest performance, for schools that demonstrated the highest achievement on the CRCT or GHSGT.

All awards received by Fayette County Public Schools were in the highest performance category. These awards make up three percent of the 345 awards given statewide, and are part of the release of the state’s annual K-12 Public Schools Report Card.

Platinum award: Peachtree City Elementary, Peeples Elementary, and Starr’s Mill High. These schools made AYP for three consecutive years with a minimum of 35 percent of students exceeding standards, and 98 percent or more meeting and exceeding standards.

Gold award: Braelinn Elementary, Crabapple Lane Elementary, Kedron Elementary, McIntosh High, and Tyrone Elementary. These schools made AYP for two consecutive years with a minimum of 30 percent of students exceeding standards, and 97 percent or more meeting and exceeding standards.

Silver award: Huddleston Elementary. This school made AYP for two consecutive years with a minimum of 25 of students exceeding standards, and 96 percent or more meeting and exceeding standards.

Bronze award winners: Cleveland Elementary, Rising Starr Middle, Spring Hill Elementary, and Whitewater High. These schools made AYP with a minimum of 20 percent of students exceeding standards, and 95 percent or more meeting and exceeding standards.

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Semifinalists in National Achievement Scholarship Program More than Triple in Fayette County

The number of Fayette County semifinalists in the 2011 National Achievement Scholarship Program has increased 150 percent over last year. A total of seven students have been named to the list compared to two in 2010.

Onyekwere Eke and Linsey Jackson, both of Fayette County High; Seyi Amosu and Elana Burton, both of Starr’s Mill High; Kevone Hospedales, Whitewater High; and Camara Carter and Alaisha Wellons, both of Sandy Creek High, were selected from more than 160,000 students from all parts of the U.S. who requested consideration in the program when they took the 2009 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) as high school juniors.

These students are among the 1,600 Black American high school seniors nationwide who were selected as semifinalists in the 47th annual scholarship program.

To advance to the finalist level, semifinalists must present a record of high academic performance throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the school principal, earn SAT scores that confirm the PSAT/NMSQT performance, and write an essay. The semifinalist and a school official must also complete a scholarship application in which they provide information about the student’s participation in school, and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities and educational goals.

Approximately 1,300 semifinalists are expected to advance to the finalist level in the 2011 program. Every finalist will compete for one of 700 one-time National Achievement $2,500 scholarships as well as 100 Achievement Scholarship awards underwritten by corporate and business sponsors for those who meet criteria set by the grantor.

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Fayette County School Gets Excellence Award for Second Time

A Fayette County school has just received its second Georgia School of Excellence designation, bringing the county’s total awards to 22.

Whitewater Middle has been named a 2009 Georgia School of Excellence in Student Achievement by the Georgia Department of Education. The school is among 27 statewide to receive the recognition.

The award is given in two categories: greatest improvement and highest achievement. Whitewater Middle received the award in the highest achievement category, designating it as being among the top 10 percent of highest achieving schools in the state as measured by assessments in reading and mathematics. Only 13 schools were honored at this level.

Whitewater Middle was named a Georgia School of Excellence for the first time in 1997. Schools can receive the honor more than once if they have not been named a Georgia School of Excellence in the past five years.

Each year the Georgia Department of Education identifies schools from each Congressional District as Georgia Schools of Excellence in Student Achievement. One public school from each Congressional District is chosen in the greatest improvement and highest achievement categories.

The 2009 winners will be honored at a banquet on February 5 at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park.

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Fayette Students Named Semifinalists in National Achievement Scholarship Program

Two local students are among the 1,600 semifinalists nationwide vying for scholarships in the 2010 National Achievement Scholarship Program, a competition for African American high school students.

Helen Agha of Fayette County High and Ifeanyi Awachie of Sandy Creek High were selected as semifinalists from more than 160,000 students from all parts of the U.S. who requested consideration in the program when they took the 2008 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) as high school juniors.

To advance to the finalist level, semifinalists must present a record of high academic performance throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the school principal, earn SAT scores that confirm the PSAT/NMSQT performance and write a self-descriptive essay. The semifinalist and a school official must also complete a scholarship application in which they provide information about the student’s participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities and educational goals.

Approximately 1,300 semifinalists are expected to fulfill additional requirements and advance to the finalist level in the 2010 competition. Finalists will compete for one of 700 one-time National Achievement $2,500 scholarships as well as 100 Achievement Scholarship awards for those who meet criteria set by the grantor.

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Fayette County School System PR Department Wins Top Award

The Public Relations Department of the Fayette County Public School System has received one of the highest national awards in recognition of outstanding public relations practices.

The National School Public Relations Association has awarded the department its 2009 Golden Achievement Award. Fayette’s public relations department was one of only 30 nationwide to receive the honor.

Judges carefully sought outstanding achievement in the four steps of a public relations program to determine the award winners. The steps include: 1) analysis of the need; 2) planning to meet the need; 3) execution and communication of the program; and 4) formal evaluation. A public relations program must meet all four in order to win.

“This is truly an honor. This award signifies that we have one of the top public relations programs in the nation. This is the highest honor awarded to date to the public relations department,” says Public Information Specialist Melinda Berry-Dreisbach.

The public relations department has received both national and state awards for its communication materials since the office opened in 2001. All totaled, the department has been awarded 56 national and state honors.

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Fayette County Schools Earn Achievement Awards

Fayette’s elementary, middle and high schools have collectively received 30 awards from the Georgia Department of Education in recognition of their academic achievement.

The inaugural Superintendent’s Distinguished Achievement Awards honor schools that had the highest achievement and greatest improvement on state curriculum tests: the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT), the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT) and the End-of-Course Test (EOCT).

All of Fayette’s awards were given in the “achievement” category. The top 10 schools in the state with the highest percentage of students scoring in the “exceeds” category in each honored subject area and grade level received achievement awards. The honored subjects and grade levels include Grades 1-8 Reading CRCT; Grades 2 and 6 English Language Arts CRCT; Grade 9 Literature EOCT; American Literature EOCT; English Language Arts and Reading GHSGT; Grades 1-8 Mathematics CRCT; Algebra I EOCT; Geometry EOCT; Mathematics GHSGT; Grades 4 and 8 Social Studies CRCT; U.S. History EOCT; Economics EOCT; Social Studies GHSGT; Grades 5-8 Science CRCT; Physical Science EOCT and Biology EOCT.

A total of six elementary and middle schools received achievement awards for performance on the CRCT:
Braelinn Elementary – Grade 2 Reading and Grade 2 Mathematics
Huddleston Elementary – Grade 2 English Language Arts and Grade 2 Mathematics
Kedron Elementary – Grade 2 Mathematics, Grade 3 Mathematics, Grade 4 Reading, Grade 4 Mathematics, Grade 4 Social Studies, Grade 5 Mathematics and Grade 5 Science
Peeples Elementary – Grade 4 Mathematics
Bennett’s Mill Middle – Grade 6 Science and Grade 7 Science
Rising Starr Middle – Grade 6 Reading, Grade 6 Mathematics, Grade 6 Science and Grade 7 Mathematics

Both McIntosh and Starr’s Mill high schools received achievement awards for performance on the EOCT:
McIntosh – Algebra I, Geometry, American Literature, Biology, Physical Science and Economics
Starr’s Mill – Physical Science and Economics

Again, both McIntosh and Starr’s Mill earned achievement awards for the GHSGT:

McIntosh – English Language Arts/Reading, Mathematics and Social Studies
Starr’s Mill – Mathematics
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