Students Earn College-Sponsored National Merit Scholarships

Georgia Tech and Emory College, the undergraduate division of Emory University, has awarded National Merit Scholarships to three students who will begin studying at their institutions in the fall.

Justin Buchanan, Starr’s Mill High, has received a scholarship from Georgia Tech where he will major in mechanical/electrical engineering; Graham Bloomsmith, Starr’s Mill High, and Erika Burgess, McIntosh High, both received scholarships from Emory. Graham plans to major in economics; Erika is planning to study forensic pathology.

The college-sponsored scholarships provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship. These three students are among 2,900 graduating seniors nationwide who were awarded scholarships in the first announcement of winners. Another group of winners will be announced in July, bringing the total number of college-sponsored scholarship recipients to approximately 4,800.

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Fayette’s Graduates Perform Best at College Level

Fayette County produces the state’s top academic talent for Georgia’s public colleges and universities, according to a report released by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.

The report tracks the cumulative college grade point average (GPA) by graduating high school of first-time freshmen that entered one of the state’s institutions in the fall of 2009. Both private and public high schools throughout Georgia are included.

McIntosh High and Starr’s Mill High are in the top 1 percent with their graduates posting average GPAs of 2.96 and 2.92, respectively, after finishing their first college semester. Schools that finished ahead of McIntosh and Starr’s Mill had fewer first-time freshmen enrolled in a state institution, 1-98, in comparison to McIntosh with 186 and Starr’s Mill with 274.

Fayette’s three other high schools also placed high on the list. Sandy Creek’s graduates posted a GPA of 2.67, placing the school in the top 12 percent in the state. Whitewater and Fayette County, with GPAs of 2.59 and 2.57, respectively, placed in the top 13 percent.

McIntosh Principal Lisa Fine is proud that graduates from her school have the highest GPA in the state compared to other public and private high schools with comparable enrollments. She credits the success to her team of teachers who prepare students to meet the demands of today’s society.

“McIntosh High School students and teachers strive for excellence in all of our endeavors. Teachers provide a rigorous curriculum that prepares students for post-secondary success and lifelong learning. In addition to teaching academic content, teachers focus on creating well-rounded students who are critical thinkers, good communicators, and visionary--equipping students for success in the real world,” says Fine.

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Four Students Are Georgia Scholars

Graduating seniors selected as Georgia Scholars embody traits of all-around excellence: high academic achievement, involvement in school activities, and participation in community service.

Four Fayette seniors have been named 2011 Georgia Scholars by the Georgia Department of Education. They are Bernadette Green, Jessica Heimann, and Lori Schachle, all from Whitewater High; and Thomas Marion, Starr’s Mill High.

Some of the requirements for Georgia Scholar consideration are a score of 1360 on the SAT or 31 on the ACT, at least a 3.75 GPA, participation in a minimum of three different interscholastic events, holding at least two different leadership positions in school-sponsored activities, and assuming a leadership role in a minimum of two different youth activities outside of school.

Local school system Georgia Scholar Program Coordinators nominate students for the recognition.

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Starr's Mill Student Excels at Social Studies, Earns Spot in Coveted Program

Social studies can be a difficult subject for most people. In fact, an article published last month in Newsweek, “How Dumb Are We,” reveals the results of 1,000 Americans who were given the U.S. Citizenship Test; 38 percent failed.

Starr’s Mill High student Julia Borjeson would have no problems acing the test considering that she conquered three selection processes to become a 2011 Governor’s Honors Finalist in social studies. She is one of only three students in Fayette to earn a finalist slot in the subject.

The Governor’s Honors Program provides intellectually gifted and artistically talented high school students challenging and enriching educational opportunities not usually available during the regular school year. Activities give participants opportunities to acquire the skills, knowledge and attitudes to become independent, life-long learners.

The selection process is lengthy and begins in the fall when teachers from each high school nominate students for outstanding performance in particular areas of study. The nominated students advance to county-level interviews where semifinalists are selected. The semifinalists go through a final round of interviews at the state level, which determines those who will be chosen for the program.

Fayette County has a total of 19 students who were selected for the 2011 Governor’s Honors Program in the areas of social studies, biology, communicative arts, German, mathematics, music, Spanish, technology, and theatre.


Photo Source:  FCBOE
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Fayette’s STARS Are Announced

The Fayette County Public School System congratulates the following high school seniors and their selected teachers for being named to the 2011 STAR (Student Teacher Achievement Recognition) program.

Fayette County High, Mary Grace Ernst (student), Jan Daniel (teacher); McIntosh High, Brahma Natarajan (student and regional winner), Mary Wilde (retired J.C. Booth Middle science teacher); Sandy Creek High, Poonim Daya (student), Monica Dorner (teacher); Starr’s Mill High, Justin Buchanan (student), Dr. Stephen Clark (teacher); and Whitewater High, Kaitlyn Chapman (student), Cathy Nix (teacher).

The STAR program honors Georgia's outstanding high school seniors and the teachers who have been most instrumental in their academic development. During the past 53 years, the STAR Program has honored more than 22,000 high school seniors.

The Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) Foundation, Inc. was selected in 1994 by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce to coordinate the state STAR program in association with the Chamber and the Georgia Department of Education.

All STAR students and their teachers will be honored at the PAGE STAR Banquet on April 18 in Atlanta.

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All of Fayette’s High Schools Make State’s AP Honor List

All five of Fayette’s public high schools made Georgia’s 2011 list of AP (Advanced Placement) Honor Schools, with the majority earning recognition in multiple categories based on the results of AP exams.

AP classes offer rigorous college-level learning options to students in high school. Students who receive a 3, 4 or 5 on AP exams may receive college credit. AP classes and exams are administered by the College Board, which also administers the SAT.

Both Fayette County and Sandy Creek High schools placed in the AP Access and Support Schools category: schools with 30 percent of AP test takers that are African-American or Hispanic, and at least 30 percent of all AP exams scoring 3 or higher.

Starr’s Mill High is listed as an AP Merit School: schools with at least 20 percent of students taking AP exams, and at least half of the AP exams scoring a 3 or higher.

McIntosh High, Sandy Creek High, Starr’s Mill High and Whitewater High schools made the list for AP STEM Schools: schools with students testing in at least two AP math courses and two AP science courses (AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Physics B, AP Physics C, AP Computer Science).

McIntosh High, Sandy Creek High, Starr’s Mill High and Whitewater High schools also are listed in the AP STEM Achievement Schools category: schools with students testing in at least two AP math courses and two AP science courses, and at least 40 percent of the exam scores on AP math and AP science exams scoring a 3 or higher.

More than 350 high schools throughout the state were named AP Honor Schools.

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SMHS Panthers High 5 Sports Team of the Week

The Starr’s Mill High Panthers football team will appear live on Good Day Atlanta as the High 5 Sports Team of the Week.

The team will appear in three segments during the live broadcast from the school on November 11. Appearances are scheduled for 7:20 a.m., 7:50 a.m. and 8:40 a.m. The school will celebrate with a pep rally before the first live event.

The Panthers were chosen as the Team of the Week by receiving the most votes from an online poll that included four other teams. Starr’s Mill received more than 44,000 votes. The other teams were the Kell Longhorns, Clarke Central Gladiators, Alpharetta Raiders and ELCA Chargers. Voting started last Saturday and ended Tuesday, November 9.

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Starr’s Mill High says: ‘Run and Tell That!’

Starr’s Mill students Stephanie Tobacco, Dillon Roseen, Amy Docalavich and Eddie Harris at rehearsal for their upcoming production of “Hairspray.”

What gives a girl power and punch? Is it charm? Is it poise? If you ask the cast of Starr’s Mill High School’s 2010 musical production, they’ll tell you, without a doubt, it’s “Hairspray”!

A diverse cast of more than 40 students, under the direction of David Spearman, SMHS’s longtime theatre teacher, will be singing and dancing their way through “Hairspray,” the award-winning Broadway musical comedy on Nov. 11, 13 and 14 at Duke Auditorium. Starr’s Mill has gained a reputation for producing professional caliber musicals, year after year, and this is one you definitely won’t want to miss!

Spearman, who is in his 10th year at Starr’s Mill, said he thought “Hairspray” would be the ideal musical to follow last fall’s “Guys and Dolls,” “Grease” (Spring 2009) and “Damn Yankees!” (Spring 2008).

“There is an abundance of talent here at Starr’s Mill,” Spearman said. “I thought ‘Hairspray’ would be the perfect outlet for all of our students, as it would provide the opportunity for our diverse student body to get involved and shine.”

With music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Scott Wittman, “Hairspray” the musical is based on the 1988 John Waters film of the same name. It tells the story of Tracy Turnblad, a pleasantly plump teenager in 1960s Baltimore whose one dream is to dance on “The Corny Collins Show,” a local television dance program. With spunk and determination, Tracy wins a role on the show and becomes a celebrity overnight, all the while trying to win the affections of teenage heartthrob Link Larkin. All is not smooth sailing, however. When Tracy realizes black teens are not allowed on the show, she leads her friends and family on a march against the TV station that lands them in jail.

Starr’s Mill students prepared songs and monologues during the summer, and auditions took place the first week of school. The students have been rehearsing every day since, as well as on weekends. All told, by the time the curtain opens on the first performance, the students and their teachers—director Spearman, along with choreography director Courtney Savage, music director Christy Todd and orchestra director Dr. John Odom—will have spent more than 150 hours in rehearsal.

In addition to the student cast, professional actress Kayce Grogan-Wallace, 30, will join the students to reprise her role as Motormouth Maybelle, who she portrayed in Atlanta Lyric Theatre’s production of “Hairspray” this summer at The Strand Theatre in Marietta. Fans of both the Broadway musical and the movie will no doubt be dancing in their seats as the cast performs more than a dozen songs from the award-winning score, including “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” “The Nicest Kids in Town,” “It Takes Two,” “Run and Tell That” and “Welcome to the Sixties.”

“Hairspray” performances at Starr’s Mill are scheduled for 7 p.m. on Nov. 11 and 13, and 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 14 at Duke Auditorium, 193 Panther Path, Fayetteville. Tickets cost $10 for students and $12 for adults.

On Oct. 26, SMHS “Hairspray” cast members will be on hand for a fundraising night at Chick-fil-A in Wilshire Pavilion on Highway 74 South. Purchases made between 5 – 7 p.m. will directly benefit the musical, helping to offset production costs. Everyone is invited to attend.

For more information, contact the school at 770.486.2710.

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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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Students Flush with Success at Future Fayette 2030 Contest

Photo: (L-R) Casey Slaggert, Kevin Thomas and Carol Thomas stand next to their winning entry, “Dr. John,” as they show off their netbooks.

Starr’s Mill High’s “Dr. John” is giving Japan’s fancy medical toilet a run for its money.

In an adapted version of what the Japanese have created, three futuristic thinking students have envisioned a toilet that will not only analyze a person’s urine, blood pressure, temperature, and weight, but also send the data directly to a physician who can authorize immediate in-home treatment to cure illness, all while the patient sits on the toilet.

Starr’s Mill students Kevin Thomas, Carol Thomas and Casey Slaggert are the three inventors of “Dr. John,” and the winners of the Future Fayette 2030 Contest sponsored by the Rotary Club of Peachtree City in conjunction with the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce Community Expo. The winning team was announced at the expo held at New Hope Baptist Church September 14. Team members received a net book and $500 was given to their school.

The goal of the competition was to get high school students thinking about products and services that would be included in “smart communities.” These students believe that in-home health monitoring systems are the wave of the future, and will be the key to living longer by detecting and curing diseases and illnesses before they become life threatening.

The mockup of the toilet the students created for the competition features a hypothetical patient, Jack, whose medical toilet detected the on start of lung cancer. With a simple injection of nano-bots, the cancerous cells are destroyed and he is cured.

In case you are interested, the students predict that life expectancy could go upwards to 150 years old for most people, thanks to forward thinkers like them who are working on technology that will keep the community healthier, safer and happier.

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Nine Fayette County Semifinalists Named in Scholarship Program

A total of nine seniors from McIntosh, Sandy Creek and Starr’s Mill high schools are among the 400 statewide selected as semifinalists in the 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Nationally, they make up the approximately 16,000 semifinalists who are competing in the 56th annual scholarship program. The 2011 semifinalists are (McIntosh High) Erika Burgess, Mary Cook, Matthew Dawson, Kathleen Newman, Robert Worley, Shiyi Zhang; (Sandy Creek) Poonim Daya; (Starr’s Mill High) Graham Bloomsmith, Justin Buchanan.

These academically talented high school seniors have the opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,400 Merit Scholarship awards worth more than $36 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements and advance to the finalist level of the competition. About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to become finalists, and approximately half of the finalists will be selected as Merit Scholarship winners.

About 1.5 million juniors in nearly 22,000 U.S. high schools entered the 2011 National Merit Program by taking the 2009 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of semifinalists, which represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. The number of semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.

To become a finalist, a semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the school principal and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier qualifying test performance. The semifinalist and a school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, which includes the student’s essay and information about the semifinalist’s participation and leadership in school and community activities.

Merit scholarship winners of 2011 will be announced April-July.

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Fayette County SAT Performance in Top 25 Percent of State

2010 SAT scores of Georgia high schools released Monday by The College Board show that all five of Fayette County high schools finished in the top 25 percent.

Both McIntosh and Starr’s Mill finished in the top 5 percent with average scores of 1624 and 1617, respectively. Whitewater, with an average score of 1518, posted in the top 14 percent; Fayette County, with an average score of 1491, ranked in the top 16 percent; and Sandy Creek, with an average score of 1436, finished in the top 24 percent.

Out of the 438 high schools on the list, McIntosh had the 23rd highest average score followed by Starr’s Mill at 25; Whitewater, 60; Fayette County High, 69; and Sandy Creek, 104.

It is important to note that many of the schools on the list had under 100 students tested compared to Fayette with between 192 and 329 test takers at each school.

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Fayette County SAT Participation Increases, Scores Top State and Nation

With a gain in the number of students taking the test, Fayette County's 2010 high school graduates topped the average scores of both the state and nation on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), according to results released today by the College Board.

Fayette’s students posted an overall average score of 1547 – 94 points above that of the state and 38 points over the national average.

The breakdown of Fayette’s scores is as follows: 520 critical reading, 524 mathematics and 503 writing. Fayette outscored both the state and the nation in all test sections. The county’s score is 32 points above the state and 19 points above the nation in critical reading, 34 above the state and 8 above the nation in mathematics and 28 above the state and 11 above the nation in writing.

Nearly 3 percent more graduates took the test in 2010; participation totaled 1,358. The number of test takers has steadily declined since 2008. Participation went from 1,480 (the highest in the last five years) in 2007 to 1,394 in 2008; a 5.8 percent decrease. The decline continued in 2009 with 1,320 high school graduates tested, a 5.3 percent decrease.

Both McIntosh and Starr’s Mill High had the highest average scores in the county with 1624 and 1617, respectively. Fayette County High had the highest average score increase with 1491, a 39-point jump from 2009. Whitewater High also saw an increase with a score of 1518, up 17 points from 2009. Sandy Creek High posted an average score of 1436.

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UGA announces 2010 Charter Scholarship recipients

Editor's Notes:  Super kudos to the following Fayette County graduates who received this honor from UGA!

Laura Eckhardt / Peachtree City / Starr’s Mill High School
Sadie Mason / Peachtree City / McIntosh High School
Elliott Tanner / Peachtree City / Starr’s Mill High School
Matthew Winn / Peachtree City / McIntosh High School

University of Georgia incoming freshmen have been selected to receive the Charter Scholarship for the 2010-2011 academic year.

The Charter Scholarship, named to reflect the university’s distinction as the nation’s first state-chartered public university, recognizes first-year students with stellar academic records, leadership and community involvement, and a respect for and commitment to intellectual, social and cultural diversity. The Charter Scholarship is funded by the University of Georgia Foundation.

In-state students receive $1,000 per year in addition to the HOPE Scholarship. Out-of-state recipients are given full or partial non-resident tuition differential waivers with their $1,000 annual scholarships.

The average SAT score of this year’s Charter Scholars exceeded 1400 and their average high school GPA exceeded 4.0.Usually the top six to eight percent of incoming freshmen are recognized as Charter Scholars.

The award is renewable for an additional three years if the recipients maintain certain academic standards.

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Georgia Scholars Announced for Fayette County

Some of Fayette County graduating seniors are among a select few in the state who will have a special seal on their diplomas when they graduate.

Five students have been named 2010 Georgia Scholars by the Georgia Department of Education. Students receiving the designation are Laura Eckhardt, Morgan Myers and Audrey Shlapak, all of Starr’s Mill High, and Christopher Murray and Shelby Threlkeld, both of Whitewater High.

A Georgia Scholar is a graduating high school senior who exhibits excellence in all phases of school life, community activities, and in the home. To be considered for the honor, a student must have a high scholastic ability, carry an exemplary course load in the four years of high school, perform excellently in all courses, successfully participate in interscholastic events of the school or community, assume an active role in extracurricular activities sponsored by the school, and exhibit good citizenship.

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High School Musicals Up for Nominations

Three high school musical performances are vying for nominations for the 2010 Shuler Hensley Award for Excellence in High School Musical Theatre.

Among the 40 metro-Atlanta contenders are McIntosh High for “HONK, The Musical;” Sandy Creek High for “Les Miserables;” and Starr’s Mill High for “Guys and Dolls.”

Nomination announcements will be made March 30 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre at 5 p.m. for the following 15 categories: overall production, choreography, costume design, stage crew and technical execution, ensemble/chorus, featured performer, leading actor/actress, lighting design, musical direction, orchestra/musical accompaniment, scenic design, supporting actor/actress.

A panel of judges attended performances during the September 2009-March 2010 season. The awards program is sponsored by the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Foundation and is fashioned after Broadway’s “Tony Awards.”

Winners from this year’s nominees will be announced on April 13 at a “Tony Award” style ceremony at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. The ceremony will also feature numbers from the nominated shows.

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Starr's Mill Students Shine at Regional STAR Events Competition

FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) members at Starr’s Mill High showcased their skills at the regional STAR (Students Taking Action with Recognition) Events competition with 24 of them advancing to the state contest.

STAR Events are competitive events in which members are recognized for proficiency and achievement in chapter and individual projects, leadership skills and career preparation. Each event is designed to help members develop specific lifetime skills in character development, creative and critical thinking, interpersonal communication, practical knowledge and career preparation.

All totaled, the students brought home eight gold and 16 silver awards from eight different events. Winners include: Tiana Morris, silver, Career Investigation; Katie Walker, Jon Reives and Jeremy Holzschuh, silver, Chapter Service Project Manual; Hanna Weaver, Tara Powell and Layne Hatcher, gold, Chapter Showcase Display; Chelcee Putters and Katelynn Pappas, gold, Chapter Showcase Manual; Abbey Miller, Callie Hughes and Ariel Luke, silver, Environmental Ambassadors; Madison Houck and Amanda Rubenstein, silver, Focus on Children; Kaitlin Arnold, Kelley Peterson and Jules Shipe, gold, Focus on Children; Rebekah Livingston, Cassidy Sparkman, Rachel Edison, Beth Dixon and Izi Wagner, silver, Illustrated Talk; Brittany Bomba and Mandie Pfannenstiel, silver, Life Event Planning.

The state competition will take place March 18-20 at the Classic Center in Athens.

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Fayette County Student Awarded Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarship

Jessica Craddock of Fayetteville was the only Starr’s Mill High School and Fayette County student to be awarded a Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarship as announced by the University of Georgia last week.

A total of twelve University of Georgia first-year students have been awarded Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarships for the 2009-2010 academic year. Three returning UGA students also received the award.

This scholarship, funded by the Coca-Cola Foundation since 2007, supports academically outstanding students who are the first in their families to attend college. Recipients must demonstrate financial need to be eligible.

Recipients receive $5,000 per year in addition to the state-supported HOPE Scholarship.

The Coca-Cola award is renewable for another three years of undergraduate study if recipients maintain certain academic credentials.

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Two Fayette County Grads Earn Prestigious Scholarship

The high academic achievements of two recent Fayette County high school graduates have garnered them a federally funded scholarship that has been awarded to approximately 27,000 students nationwide.

Taylor Lee of Whitewater High School and Ryan O’Shaughnessey of Starr’s Mill High School are recipients of the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship. Each student will receive a $1,500 award for four years to help cover tuition costs at the college or university of their choice.

The program, which is federally funded and state-administered, is designed to recognize exceptionally able high school seniors who show promise of continued excellence in postsecondary education. High school graduates who have been accepted for enrollment at institutions of higher learning, have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and show promise of continued academic excellence are eligible to apply for the scholarship in states in which they are residents. The U.S. Department of Education provides grant funds to states on a formula basis. The award is not based on the applicant’s financial need.

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Fayette County Spanish Student Wins Scholarship

Fluency in Spanish pays off for one high school student.

Heather Tucker, a ninth grade Spanish II student at Starr’s Mill High School in Fayette County, has been awarded the Lazera Herrera Spanish Immersion Camp Award for 2009 by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP).

Heather attended the weekend-long Immersion Camp in March where she was required to speak only in Spanish for the entire duration of the camp. While there, she participated in various language workshops and speaking competitions, as well as social events including sports, arts and crafts and dancing. Only 100 high school students statewide who are enrolled in Level II Spanish or higher are admitted. The camp was held March 27-29, 2009.

As the winner of the Immersion Camp Award, Heather received an $85 scholarship to reimburse her for the full cost of the camp.

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