North Hall High School's Speech and Debate Team recently participated along with 11 other high school teams in a tournament at Sequoia High School in Canton. Sophomore Rachel Glazer placed first in Dramatic Interpretation. Glazer and senior Eli LoCicero placed second in Duo Interpretation. Sophomore Luke Tucker, competing in his first tournament, placed third in Humorous Interpretation. Senior Rob Brooksher was awarded the third-place speaker's trophy for Student Congress. The team's sponsor is Steven Wang.

Members of East Hall High School's Future Business Leaders of America chapter recently attended Summer Leadership Officer Training at Madison County High School. Student officers Tatiana Madera, Peter Truong, Bernie Flores, Brittany Ward and Vivi Carrillo received leadership training for the year through activities such as team skiing and a concentration game.

Jerica Hughey, a graduate of Gainesville High School, received the Katharine M. Mayer Technician Award from the Santa Fe Opera in Santa Fe, N.M. Hughey recently finished an apprenticeship with the opera company and graduated from the University of Evansville in Indiana.

McEver Elementary School second-grader Ximina Villa Fuerte was one of three winners in the Happy Birthday Art Contest. The top three were chosen out of 21,000 participants, and the prize includes a chance to meet former President Jimmy Carter and to participate in a recent parade in Plains.