Fayette County Students Selected for Governor’s Honors

A total of 18 students from the Fayette County’s high schools have been selected to attend this summer’s Governor’s Honors Program.

Judges selected the participants based on interviews and auditions of all statewide nominees. The following students were selected: (Fayette County High) Franklin Lowe, social studies. (McIntosh High) Logan Austin, communicative arts; Nicholas Chang, mathematics; Bridget Hempel, German; Jessica Morris, communicative arts; Ji-Soo Shin, mathematics; Ellen Smith, biology; and Courtney Stone, music/voice. (Starr’s Mill High) Robert Bacon, German; Katherine Fitzgerald, Spanish; Anthony Giertych, technology; Shane Mudrinich, music/voice; Chris Pham, Spanish; Haley Strauss, music/woodwinds; and Chase Thomaston, theatre. (Whitewater High) Roger Jewell, music/brass; Amy Melton, music/brass; and Sagar Pattani, social studies.

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 those for state consideration are selected.

-----
Community News You Can Use
Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG @FayetteFP

Athletes Showcase Skills at Special Olympics

Ben Tyrell triumphantly holds up the Olympic torch, signaling the opening of the games.


Fayette County special athletes demonstrated their skills and sportsmanship at the annual Fayette County Special Olympic Games held Friday at Starr’s Mill High.

Over 230 Olympians from the county’s public schools and the Joseph Sams School converged on the field of the Starr’s Mill High stadium to participate in various sporting events.

Former student Lani Demello and Deputy Superintendent Fred Oliver served as grand marshals of the Parade of Athletes. Starr’s Mill High Olympian Ben Tyrell formally opened the games with the symbolic lighting of the Olympic flame. Fellow Olympian Ike Kamulu sang the Star Spangled Banner.

As athletes arrived, the high school’s cheerleaders and drum team greeted them with fanfare. Throughout the day the Olympians enjoyed snacks and entertainment in the Olympic Village that was operated by the National Honor Society and Beta Club.

More than 300 volunteers from the Starr’s Mill High PALS Club, an extracurricular social organization whose members help students acclimate to the school, were on hand to assist athletes and operate the different stations around the field. Various clubs and classes gathered in the stands throughout the day to cheer on the athletes.

Photo Source:  Fayette County Board of Education

------
Community News You Can Use
Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG @FayetteFP

Fayette Dominates Regional Math Competition

With nine placements up for grabs, Fayette’s math students seized six of them in the 2011 High School Math Contest sponsored by Griffin RESA.

Sandy Creek, Fayette County, McIntosh, Starr’s Mill and Whitewater high schools all secured wins in the regional competition that featured over 14 schools from Butts, Fayette, Henry, Lamar, Newton, Pike, Spalding, and Upson counties.

Sandy Creek and Fayette County High took second and third place, respectively, in Division I (smaller schools); McIntosh High took first place in Division II (larger schools); Starr’s Mill and Whitewater High tied for second.

Overall individual winners from the competition were Yuta Inaba of McIntosh High who took first place, and Ji-Shoo Shin, also of McIntosh, who placed third.

-----
Community News You Can Use
Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG @FayetteFP

Ike is the “Star” of Starr’s Mill

Ike Kamalu wraps up singing the National Anthem on day two of the Fayette County Special Olympics Basketball Tournament. The gym broke out in applause and cheers immediately following the performance, making Ike feel like a rock star.

After an awe-inspiring performance of the National Anthem at last week’s Fayette County Special Olympics Basketball Tournament, one student has claimed star status at Starr’s Mill High.

Ikenna Kamalu, who goes by Ike, is an 11th grader who has a passion for music. He uses singing as a form of expression and communication, according to his choral teacher Christy Todd, who collaborated with the Starr’s Mill Exceptional Children’s Department last year to start a music therapy class for students enrolled in the Community Based Vocational Instructional (CBVI) program.

“He can be having a hard day but the second he starts singing along to Rick Astley or Michael Jackson, his favorite artists, his demeanor immediately changes. Ike always smiles when he sings,” said Todd.

Ike is now taking his love for music to a new level as he learns how to sing and read music as part of the music therapy class that meets weekly. So impressed by his musical abilities, his teachers approached him in September about singing the National Anthem solo.

He was excited to show his pride about living in America; Ike is originally from Nigeria. He wanted to make his new country and school proud, so he practiced performing the anthem in music class, on the bus, and in elective classes. Concerned that not everyone would stand during the National Anthem, he even rehearsed asking people to stand and show respect for their country.

“We are proud to see Ike sharing his talents with classmates and teachers. His performance was awe-inspiring,” said Courtney Savage, a teacher in the Exceptional Children’s Services Department at Starr’s Mill.

Ike performed during the Opening Ceremonies of the Special Olympics Basketball Tournament held at Starr’s Mill High on October 21 and 22. After his performances, he said, “I liked singing the National Anthem. Everyone cheered and I felt like a rock star.”

Ike is an inspiration to his classmates and entire student body. The day he sang the National Anthem for the Special Olympics, he also sang it during the school’s morning announcements. His performance was embraced with cheers from his schoolmates.

“It was amazing because in the halls you could hear the classes cheering for Ike after he finished singing. Ike has shown the students of Starr’s Mill that with practice and hard work you can do any thing,” said Todd.

Ike’s singing of the National Anthem was his debut, but his performances are far from over. On December 7 he will perform again, along with his music therapy class, at the school’s annual Christmas Concert at 7 pm in the Duke Auditorium at Starr’s Mill High.

-----
Community News You Can Use
Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Twitter: @FayetteFP

Melvin Named Georgia Economics Teacher of the Year

Michael Melvin of Starr’s Mill High with (R) Principal Audrey Toney and Fayette County Public Schools Social Studies Coordinator Cathy Geis.

Two years in a row, the Georgia Council on Economic Education has selected a Fayette County teacher as the Georgia Economics Teacher of the Year.

Michael Melvin of Starr’s Mill High has received the 2010 award. He helped coach the 2009 Starr’s Mill Economics Challenge team to a third place finish at the national competition, a first in the Fayette County Public School System’s history.

Nominees for the award must be teachers in either public or independent schools in Georgia who are either teaching a course in economics or integrating economics into their courses at any grade level, K-12. Teachers must demonstrate knowledge of economics appropriate to the grade level or courses being taught, an ability and willingness to use a variety of appropriate methods and resources in teaching economics, and enthusiasm and creativity in teaching economics.

Last year’s winner was Shelby Garner of Spring Hill Elementary. Since 1998, a total of six Fayette County teachers have received the prestigious award.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter:  @GAFrontPage

Fayette Student Selected as Promising Scholar

Only 15 students in the entire state, including senior Elliott Tanner of Starr’s Mill High, can lay claim to being a 2010 Promising Scholar, according to the University of Georgia.

The university’s Honors Program’s Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (CURO) sent invitations to Georgia’s most academically outstanding high school seniors for a two-day campus visit. The visit included roundtable and panel discussions about academic and research expectations and attendance to the CURO symposium where more than 200 UGA undergraduates presented their research projects.

Promising Scholars include students who excel in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as the arts, humanities and social sciences. Tanner says the experience has opened his eyes to the importance of research.

“I did not realize how important research is to the college experience until I saw it in action at the CURO symposium. Not only does research allow you to focus on something about which you have a strong interest, but also it allows you to see what working in a particular field really entails,” he explains.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter:  @GAFrontPage

Fayette Students Receive $2,500 Merit Scholarships

Graduating seniors at Fayette County High and Starr’s Mill High are among the 2,500 students nationwide receiving National Merit Scholarships.

Kathryn McCord (Starr’s Mill), Sonika Reddy (Fayette County), and Jessica Lambing (Starr’s Mill) will each receive a $2,500 Merit Scholarship to help offset college expenses. Kathryn plans to major in biology; Sonika is planning a career in medicine, and Jessica has set her sights on secondary education. Sonika is also the salutatorian for Fayette County High.

National Merit Scholarship winners in each state are judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college studies. A committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors selected the winners.

Applicants were evaluated on their academic record, including difficulty of subjects studied and grades earned; scores from two standardized tests; contributions and leadership in school and community activities; an essay describing interests and goals; and the recommendation written by a high school official.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter:  @GAFrontPage

FSCA Names Counselors of the Year, Installs Officers

Fayette County school counselors celebrated their craft and honored their colleagues during the 10th annual Fayette School Counselors Association (FSCA) Installation of Officers and Awards Ceremony.
Each year the association seeks nominations from members, teachers and administrators for those who are always going above and beyond the call of duty to help students excel at each academic level. One counselor of the year is selected from the elementary, middle and high school level. The 2010 counselors of the year are (elementary) Maria Sherrod, Fayetteville Intermediate; (middle) Natalie Grubbs, Whitewater Middle, and (high) Dr. Sue Hutton, Starr’s Mill High.

In addition to naming counselors of the year, the organization recognizes a non-counselor who has worked hard during the year to advance counseling programs and services at an individual school or system wide. This year’s advocate of the year award was presented to Kim Bryan, a social worker at Sandy Creek High. This marks the second time Bryan has received the advocacy award; it was first presented to her in 2006.

During the ceremony, the association also installed its 2010-2011 officers: Kaye Eubanks (Open Campus) president; LeeAnn Belknap (Bennett’s Mill Middle) president elect; Linda Williams (Brooks Elementary) past president; Kelly Hubbard (Robert J. Burch Elementary) secretary; Tama Matthews (Flat Rock Middle) treasurer; Heather Sherwood (North Fayette Elementary) elementary school vice president; Kristin Cristelli (J.C. Booth Middle) middle school vice president and Sandy Perrin (McIntosh High) high school vice president.

School counselors at all levels provide valuable services to students and their families as well as faculty and staff. On a daily basis they are involved in character education, violence prevention, career planning and much more.

Counselors are professional educators who understand and respond to the challenges presented by today’s diverse population. They don’t work in isolation; rather they are integral to the total educational program. They provide proactive leadership that engages all stakeholders in the delivery of programs and services to help students achieve school success.

Professional school counselors align with the school’s mission to support the academic achievement of all students as they prepare for the ever-changing world of the 21st century. This mission is accomplished through the design, development, implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive, developmental and systematic school counseling program.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter:  @GAFrontPage

Fayette County Schools Earn Achievement Awards

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

The second annual 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), the End-of-Course Test (EOCT) and state Writing Tests.

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; 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; Biology EOCT; Science GHSGT; Grade 5 Writing Test; Georgia High School Writing Test.

A total of three elementary and middle schools received achievement awards for performance on the CRCT:
Kedron Elementary – Grade 3 Reading and Grade 4 Mathematics
Peeples Elementary – Grade 2 Reading and Grade 3 Reading
Rising Starr Middle –Grade 6 Mathematics and Grade 8 Reading

In addition, Rising Starr Middle also received an achievement award in Grade 8 Writing.

Two high schools received achievement awards for performance on the EOCT:
McIntosh – U.S. History and Economics
Starr’s Mill – Economics

-----
Community News You Can Use
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Number of Fayette County Scholarship Semifinalists Almost Double

The number of semifinalists for the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Program has nearly doubled from last year.

A total of 13 seniors from Fayette County, McIntosh, Starr’s Mill and Whitewater high schools are among the approximately 16,000 semifinalists nationwide competing in the 55th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Last year seven Fayette students were semifinalists.
The 2010 semifinalists are (Fayette County High) Sonika Reddy; (McIntosh High) Lauren Anderson, Christopher Hrvoj, Nicholas Marette, Timothy Morris, Martine van Voorthuysen, Matthew Winn, Shawn Yavari; (Starr’s Mill High) George Hagler, Jessica Lambing, Kathryn McCord, Elliot Tanner; (Whitewater High) Patrick Loeffler.

These scholastically talented high school seniors have the opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,200 Merit Scholarship awards worth $35 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.

More than 1.5 million juniors in nearly 22,000 U.S. high schools entered the 2010 National Merit Program by taking the 2008 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 self-descriptive essay and information about the semifinalist’s participation and leadership in school and community activities.

Merit scholarship winners of 2010 will be announced April-July.

-----
Community News You Can Use
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Fayette County SAT Scores Rise, Tops State and Nation

Fayette County's 2009 high school graduates topped the average scores of last year’s graduating seniors, resulting in an increase for the second consecutive year on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), according to results released today by the College Board. The county’s increase comes as both state and national averages decrease.

Fayette County students posted an overall average score of 1555 – 4 points above last year’s average, 95 points above that of the state and 46 points over the national average. While Fayette’s average score increased, the state’s score fell 6 points from last year and the national average dipped two points.

“We are very pleased with how our students performed on the SAT and are proud of the hard work that they and their teachers, administrators and parents put into raising our overall average for the second year in a row. Once again Fayette’s score is above both the state and national average. While Fayette’s scores are high, there is room for improvement. We will continue to work toward raising our scores by researching methodologies and measures that will help all of our students perform at their personal best,” says Superintendent John DeCotis.

The breakdown of Fayette’s scores is as follows: 519 critical reading, 529 mathematics and 507 writing. Fayette outscored both the state and the nation in all test sections. The county’s score is 29 points above the state and 18 points above the nation in critical reading, 38 above the state and 14 above the nation in mathematics and 28 above the state and 14 above the nation in writing.

A total of 1,320 high school graduates took the SAT in Fayette. Both McIntosh and Starr’s Mill High tied for 16th place in the state with the highest scores.

-----
Community News You Can Use
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.artsacrossgeorgia.com
Arts Across Georgia

Two Fayette County Schools Ranked Best in Nation by Newsweek Magazine

Two Fayette County high schools have earned spots on the prestigious “Top of the Class” list published by Newsweek magazine.

Starr’s Mill and McIntosh High earned rankings on the list that features the top 1,500 public high schools in the nation. Schools making the list are among the top six percent of all public high schools in the U.S.

Both schools have been included on previous “Top of the Class” lists. Starr’s Mill made the list in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2008. McIntosh has made the list every year since 2006.

Georgia’s U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson recognized this achievement in a congratulatory letter to Superintendent John DeCotis.

“To place among the top six percent of public schools in the United States is a testament to the dedication and hard work put forth by you and the others who made this honor possible,” Isakson stated.

Schools on the list are ranked according to the number of Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by all students at the school in 2008 divided by the number of graduating seniors.

-----
Community News You Can Use
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Starr's Mill HS Economics Team Places Third at Nationals

The finale of the Starr’s Mill High economics team ride to the National Economic Challenge Championship Finals in New York City ended with a third place finish at their first national competition.

Team members Keegan Christensen, Joseph Morrow, Ben Payne and Kendall Reeves squared off against three other high school teams from Minnesota, Indiana and Hawaii. The team competed in the David Ricardo division for students enrolled in single semester general economics classes. Economics teacher Mark DeCourcy coached the team.

Over 8,000 high school students in 34 teams competed this spring to advance to the championship series. Starr’s Mill’s road to the finals began when they won the state competition in March and then took the championship at the regional level in April.

The National Economics Challenge is an academic tournament that tests high school students both individually and as teams on their economic knowledge and problem solving skills. It is a competition demanding both critical thinking and teamwork. The challenge was established in 2000 with the support of the Goldman Sachs Foundation in a signature partnership with the Council for Economic Education. It is the only national economics competition for high school students.

Prizes are awarded to first and second place winners at the national and regional level. As the regional champions, each team member and DeCourcy received a $1,000 U.S. Savings Bond. Additionally, as the state winners, Georgia House Representative John Yates drafted HR 1049 to honor the school, its team and DeCourcy for their achievement.

-----
Community News You Can Use
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.artsacrossgeorgia.com
Arts Across Georgia
Follow on Facebook

Starr's Mill HS Economics Team Advances to Nationals

From state champions, to regional winners and now on to the national championships, economic students at Starr’s Mill High are on a roll.

The team of students emerged as the winners of the southern regional 2009 Council on Economic Education/Goldman Sachs Foundation National Economics Challenge held at the Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta on April 27. The Starr’s Mill team was one of 16 from across the 11-state Southeast region that competed in the tournament.

Team members include Keegan Christensen, Joseph Morrow, Ben Payne and Kendall Reeves. Led by economics teacher Mark DeCourcy, the team will travel, all expenses paid, to the National Economics Challenge Championship Finals in New York City May 16-18. They will join students from other parts of the United States to celebrate their regional winnings as well as compete in the semi-finals with the top two teams facing off at the final competition on May 18 before a live audience at Scholastic Auditorium.

The National Economics Challenge is an academic tournament that tests high school students both individually and as teams on their economic knowledge and problem solving skills. It is a competition demanding both critical thinking and teamwork.

Winners of the national championship and their teachers each receive $3,000 U.S. Savings Bonds with the runner-up teams and their teachers receiving $1,500 U.S. Savings Bonds.

An estimated 4,000 high school students in about 1,000 teams from 38 states around the country competed in the National Economics Challenge Championship Finals last year.

-----
Community News You Can Use
Follow on Twitter @GAFrontPage
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.artsacrossgeorgia.com
Arts Across Georgia

Fayette County Students Selected to Governor’s Honors

A total of 20 students from Fayette County's five high schools are finalists for the 2009 Governor’s Honors Program. The six-week summer study program in Valdosta provides intellectually gifted and artistically talented high school students challenging and enriching educational opportunities not usually available during the regular school year. Activities are designed to provide each participant with 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 the finalists for state consideration are selected.

County finalists interview with state officials to determine who will participate in the summer study program. Thousands of students from around the state compete for the coveted spots each year.

The following students have been selected to participate in the 2009 program:

Fayette County High – Navroz Tharani and Iesha White.

McIntosh High – Donald Flemming, John O’Leary and Matthew Niebes.

Sandy Creek High – Ifeanyi Awachie, Camara Carter, Aamir Lalani, Sarah Preston and Jaemin Sung.

Starr’s Mill High – Jordan Avery, Lydia Hanie, Jessica Rexrode, Travis Richardson, Ashley Tracy and Matthew Waples.

Whitewater High – Victoria Gerrard, Alec Hawthorne, Jessica Heimann and Hannah Sultan.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage

PALS Program Participates in Transition Fair

Starr’s Mill High student Rachael Booker (center) helps PALS co-sponsors Cindy Hartpence (left) and Shannon Ggaliano explain the program to interested parents and students attending the Transition Fair at McIntosh High.

The PALS (Peers are Linking Students) program at Starr’s Mill High was just one of the potential resources available for families of children with special needs to learn about at the recent annual Building Alliances Transition Fair sponsored by Exceptional OPS and the Fayette County School System’s Exceptional Children’s Department.

PALS is a national club aimed at fostering friendships between special needs and regular education students. The focus of the club is to allow students of all ability levels to experience the benefits of friendship, dedication and responsibility. Social interaction among students is fostered through one-on-one group activities such as bowling, eating out, skating and attending chapter meetings. Club activities are held both during and after school.

Starr’s Mill was the first high school in Fayette County and Georgia to start a PALS program in 2006. Since then, other high schools in the county have followed suit.

The Transition Fair was a great opportunity for one-stop information and resource shopping for families of students with disabilities.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page