Hall County and Gainesville City Schools students participated at the Georgia Thespian Conference in Columbus Feb. 10-12.
Gainesville High School student Taylor Hall received the Gerald Ray Home Scholarship, the highest scholarship of $2,500, as well as the Georgia Student Achievement Award. Caleb Barfield from Johnson High School won a $2,000 scholarship.
Gainesville High School drama teacher Pam Ware was presented a special award from the Colorado Thespians for valuable service as an individual events adjudicator for the past decade.
The West Hall High School drama teacher was named "2011 Outstanding Theater Educator" for the state at the conference. She was nominated by West Hall drama student Malcolm Moon.
Their group individual event "Come On Everybody" from "All Shook Up" with soloist Joel May and a group of 14 students ranked straight superiors as did a joint duet musical individual event "Shut Up and Dance" from "My Favorite Year" with Gainesville High Thespian Troupe 2445 co-president Taylor Hall and North Hall student Katherine Foote.
The duet musical consisting of Hayden Couch and Isaac Hopkins "Let Yourself Go" from "All Shook Up" ranked excellent in all categories as did Taylor Hall's solo musical "It Hurts Me," from "All Shook Up." Katie Rooks entered her stage management portfolio for "The 25th Annual Putnamcounty Spelling Bee" and received excellent ratings.
Isaac Hopkins' original play "The Goatman Cometh" was one of two plays in the state selected to work with Los Angeles playwright Stephen Gregg in a staged reading and received valuable comments of praise from those present in that event.
The following area residents were named to the president's list for fall semester 2010 from Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville:.
Kari Goodbar, Westley Kaye and Lindsey Lee, all of Buford;
Natalie Compton, Sarah Goff and Avery Piperato, all of Flowery Branch;
Madeline Kearns of Gainesville.
The following local students were named to the dean's list for 2010 fall semester at Georgia College in Milledgeville:
Maci Foster of Alto;
Nathan Carranza, Colleen Foy and Rachel Oliver, all of Buford;
Audrey Gailey of Clermont;
Danielle Bechtold, Elizabeth Foltz, Charles Kinamon and Alexandria Wright, all of Flowery Branch;
Charleston Troutman, Mary Coker, Lieren Forbes, Timothy McDonald, Rebekah Ryan, Matthew Ulm, Jordan Vaughan and Lauren Pavao, all of Gainesville;
Kayla Turner and Stephanie Vincent of Hoschton;
Michael Christopher and Jessica Johnson of Jefferson;
Kent Miller of Murrayville.
The following students were named to the honor list of Oxford College, the two-year liberal arts division of Emory University located in Oxford, Georgia, for the 2010 fall semester. Students must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or higher to be named to the honor list.
Elisa Jones and Courtney Caroti of Gainesville;
Adam Morrow of Cleveland.
The following students were named to the dean's list of Emory College, the undergraduate, liberal arts college of Emory University in Atlanta for the 2010 fall semester. Students must be in the top 20 percent of Emory College or have approximately a 3.86 grade-point average or higher to be named to the dean's list:
Ehiole Akhirome, Kristin Morgan and Sul Lee, all of Buford;
Michael Hatch and Lisa Sutton of Gainesville.
The following students received a degree from Emory University in Atlanta:
Aashka Patel, Karen Shore and Kelly Chase, all of Gainesville.
The following area student was named to the dean's list at Presbyterian College for maintaining at least a 3.5 grade-point average for the fall 2010 semester:
McKenzie Rose Jackson of Flowery Branch
Students from North Gwinnett High School's Culinary Arts Class catered the breakfast at the February meeting of the Buford Lanier Woman's Club. The arraignments were organized by BLWC member Mary Beem and NGHS teacher Donna Kurdelmeier.
The students will plan and prepare breakfasts for the regular monthly meetings through the end of the school year.
The Buford Lanier Woman's Club is affiliated with the Georgia Federation of Women's Clubs and the General Federation of Women's Clubs. The club, the second one in Gwinnett, was organized in 1923 with 67 members. The purpose of the Buford Lanier Woman's Club is to foster mutual counsel and helpfulness within the community and to unite the influence of women in promoting education, civic, social and moral advancement and to support the Tallulah Falls School.
Four Gainesville High School students went to Camp Rock Eagle in Eatonton for a French Immersion Camp. Once there, the students spoke only in French from 6 p.m. Friday until 11 a.m. Sunday. They participated in workshops of art, music, theater, sports, cuisine and folk dancing. There are three level-two students McKinney Pierce, Lindsey Watts, John Stenzel, and one level-four student, Victor Covarrubias. They were accompanied by their instructor Marsha Friedman.
Kaplan University held the graduation of its winter 2011 class during a live ceremony on Feb. 5 in Miami. Bill Richardson, former governor of New Mexico, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, U.S. Energy Secretary and multiple Nobel Peace Prize nominee, served as the commencement speaker.
The following local students were awarded degrees:
Michael Warnke, Norma Dederle and Mandy Brown, all of Buford;
Marvin Trammell of Cleveland;
Rachel M. Stacey and Ronald Diaz of Gainesville;
Terrance Hicks of Jefferson;
Brian McMahan of Oakwood.
Kathleen Buffington of Pendergrass has been awarded the Presidential Scholarship at Elmira College in New York.
Elmira College awards in excess of $14.5 million in Honor Scholarships each year and are renewable based on full-time status and continuous enrollment for three additional years with the appropriate grade-point average.
The Grady Young Foundation's 2011 Scholarship Gala is set for Saturday, March 19, at the Georgia Mountains Center, Gainesville, Georgia. The formal gala will begin at 6 p.m.
The Scholarship Gala is the foundation's foremost fundraiser for scholarship funds. The foundation is seeking support for this significant endeavor on behalf of the deserving high school students who will be attending college this fall.
The Grady Young Foundation continues to honor the life and legacy of the late Grady Young, a lifelong committed resident of Gainesville-Hall County. The Grady Young Foundation will commemorate this legacy during the Eighth annual Grady Young Foundation Memorial Weekend, March 18-20.
Events for the weekend include: Memorial Scholarship Golf Tournament, Gospel Extravaganza featuring The Savannah State University Wesleyan Gospel Choir, along with other church and community choirs, Father-Son Fellowship Brunch, 2011 Scholarship Gala and a closing weekend worship service.
All proceeds will assist in providing educational scholarships and needed resources for community projects.
Sponsorship can be made at the following levels: Title sponsor, $5,000; major sponsor, $2,500; sustaining sponsor, $1,000; corporate sponsor, $500; or friend, $250. Individual tickets for the gala will be $50.
GYF scholarship applications for both Book, Memorial, and Incentive scholarships are now available at each of the city and county high schools, and online at www.gradyyoungfounda tion.org, for submission by high school seniors. Deadline for submission is Tuesday for all scholarship applications.