Greenbriar Elementary Students – Mrs. Robbins Class – 1st Place Award Winners for Yellow Pages and Recycling Coalition
Bishop Bambo, Alyson Barnes, Donovan Beckett, Amara Berger, Jonas Bunch, Devin Butler, Sasha Coles, Paulina Cruz, Julissa Deralus, Jennifer Diego, Fatime Dujour, Daniel Fernandez, Evan Hamiter, Bryson Hobbs, Amari Ivy, Rashod Jackson, Dylan Matthews, Vanessa Perez, Angel Ponce, Moriah Smith, Terrell Thomas, Ashley Toto, Jayveon Woods
Greenbriar has once again received the 1st place award for Yellow Pages and Recycling Coalition. Mrs. Robbins and her students were recognized at the City County Council Meeting on February 24th. Four students delivered speeches to the City County Council. Greenbriar has won first place for four years, and second place once in the five years they have been involved. This is first place amongst all 8 participating states.
Eastwood Middle School State Spanish Contest Winners
Eastwood took 1st Place in the State Spanish Contest Saturday, March 1st. Congratulations to these Eastwood students on a job well done.
Individual student awards included:
• Vocabulary: Philip Bishara 1st, Quinten Howard 2nd
• Time and Numbers: Ciara Haskins 2nd, Adam Hilt 4th
• Spelling: William Blakely 3rd, Shaunyae Sowell 4th, Skylar Hinton 5th
• Dance team 2nd place: Skylar Hinton,Gemi Beard, Macey Warner, Jessica Sutton,
Amyah Bynum, Kierra Poindexter, Grace Nelson, Rya Clark
• Toro Trivia 1st place: Jasmine Love, Sam Downton, Chris Robinson, Cooper Biggs,
Hettie Egan
• Vocal Music Individual: Jazmin Weaver 1st
• Vocal Music Group 1st place: Sam Lewis, Amaya Rangel, Grace Nelson
• Non-Native Recitation: Belle Ridder 3rd
• Culture: Jasmine Love 1st, Max Moreno 2nd, Emma Feeney 4th
• Impromptu Speaking: Sam Lewis 1st
• Grammar: Philip Bishara 1st, Max Burgan 2nd
• Scrambled Sentences: William Blakely 3rd, Max Burgan 4th • Pinata: Philip Bishara 5th
Eastwood Middle School – Marion County Academic Pursuit Champions
Sydney Brinkley, Bronwyn Doebbeling, Samantha Downtown, Terome Fordham, Evan Foulks, David Geeganage, Grace Geeganage, Zac Hsu, Lucas Johnson, Gabe Leffler, Hannah Plunkett, Mitchell Remington, Alek Shabhaz, Collin Stonebraker, Joe Tankersly
The Eastwood 7th Grade Academic Pursuit Team finished in first place out of 21 teams entered in the Marion County Academic Pursuit Tourney. The team made up an eight point deficit in the final quarter of the championship match to come away with the victory.
Mason Garard – North Central High School Student – WiFi on School Buses
Mason is a leader. In the history of the WTS Foundation, no project director has worked as tirelessly as Mason Garard. With the sign off from Mr. Branigan, the “ WiFi on School Busses Pilot” began in January 2013 with the award of only $500 from the Foundation. The pilot covers four activity busses with wireless access. Mason single-handedly solicited the remaining $5500 and his interest in this project led him to speak with leaders at the Statehouse and in the Department of Education. His research on the future of this type of connectivity for students was extensive and his passion for providing the opportunity for North Central students is unparalleled.
Kristen Poindexter – 2014 National Shell Science Teaching Award Winner
On Friday, February 28th Kindergarten Teacher, Kristen Poindexter was announced as the 2014 Shell Science Teaching Award Winner. The Shell Science Teaching Award recognizes one outstanding classroom science teacher (K-12) who has had a positive impact on his or her students, school and community through exemplary classroom science teaching. As the Shell Science Teaching Award recipient, Mrs. Poindexter will receive a $10,000 prize and an all-expense paid trip to attend the National Conference on Science Education in Boston April 3-6 where she will be honored for her achievement at a special banquet and ceremony. This is the first time an elementary teacher has won this prestigious award.
Eastwood and Westlane Middle Schools – SCHOOLS TO WATCH
“Schools to Watch” is an initiative launched by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform in 1999. The National Forum is an alliance of more than 60 educators, researchers, and officers of national associations and foundations dedicated to improving schools for young adolescents across the country. Schools to Watch are: academically excellent – these schools challenge all students to use their minds well
developmentally responsive – these schools are sensitive to the unique developmental challenges of early adolescence
socially equitable – these schools are democratic and fair, providing every student with high-quality teachers, resources, and supports.
To achieve this level of performance, high-performing schools establish norms, structures, and organizational arrangements to support and sustain their trajectory toward excellence. They have a sense of purpose that drives every facet of practice and decision-making.
North Central High School One of Six Schools to Win First Amendment Press Freedom Award
Students: Trevor Shirley, Max Freeman, Danny Kleschick and Teacher: Tom Gayda
The Journalism Education Association, National Scholastic Press Association and Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society announced the winners of the 2014 First Amendment Press Freedom Award.
The award recognizes high schools that actively support, teach and protect First Amendment rights and responsibilities of students and teachers, with an emphasis on student-run media where students make all final decisions of content.
As in previous years, schools competed for the title by first answering questionnaires submitted by an adviser and at least one editor; those who advanced to the next level were asked to provide responses from the principal and all publications advisers and student editors, indicating their support of the First Amendment. In addition, semifinalists submitted samples of their printed policies.
