Johnson High School rising senior Mimi Sam placed nationally at the 2011 FBLA National Leadership Conference held in Orlando, Fla. National Leadership Conference was the final competition for the year with members from all over the U.S. coming together to compete for the top ten places in each event. Sam placed third in the nation in Word Processing II. Along with the honor, she won $300 in cash prizes.

Emma Fockele, a third-grader at Enota Multiple Intelligences Academy, won first place for her "Woodsy Owl Poster" in a contest sponsored by the Garden Club of Georgia. Her poster then won first place for Deep South Region and National Garden Clubs. The Seedlings at Enota are sponsored by Crabapple Garden Club.

Cliff Orr, 1996 graduate of Gainesville High School, recently graduated from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., receiving an M.B.A., with distinction, with majors in analytical finance and accounting.

He is the son of Lyn and Wyc Orr of Gainesville.

Joshua Dove of Flowery Branch, was among the 193 students who graduated from Reinhardt University in the spring semester of 2011.

Local residents have been named to the dean's list at the Savannah College of Art and Design for spring quarter 2011. Full-time undergraduate students who earn a grade point average of 3.5 or above for the quarter receive recognition on the dean's list.

Buford: Josef Bell, Susan Kang;

Cleveland: James McInvale;

Flowery Branch: Eric Beatty, Maggie Brannon, Anna-Sophie Keller;

Jefferson: Sarah Beggs, Aaron Edwards;

Gainesville: Alexandra Clotfelter, Christopher Folea, Jessi Queen, Zachary Burke.

Among the 307 students receiving degrees from Piedmont College at the recent summer commencement ceremonies were three Hall County residents.

Gina Sartain Neill of Gainesville ;

Devin Caleb Pass of Gainesville;

Judith Amanda Housley of Murrayville.