Independence Alumna Ceramics Artist, Heather Knight, Connects with Ceramics Students Recently, IHS ceramics students gathered around a large new Recordex screen to say good morning to Asheville, North Carolina ceramics artist, Heather Knight. A few weeks prior, Independence High School art teacher, Mr. J. Chase Campbell, had taught his ceramics class about Knights work, which he had seen while visiting Ashevilles Woolworth Walk artist market. When he asked the students if he should contact the internationally known artist to request an artist talk, they said, Why not? The worst she could say is no. She said yes. The students loved the fact that Knight graduated from IHS. Junior, Lazalde, said, What she shared about finding her purpose meant so much more because she once sat where we now sit. Knight described how she started her business and how she kept up with the growing demands of her collectors and buyers, which currently includes 40 art galleries. She answered questions about the creative process and the techniques she employs to make her unique, nature-inspired, porcelain clay sculptures. You can learn more about Heather Knight by visiting the website: ElementClayStudio.com/
2 Centennial HS Students Win Recognition for Fundraising Efforts Raising $26,722 in just six weeks, Olivia McDonnold and Mira Shah, seniors at Centennial High School, won top three recognition at the 2016 Georgia Student of the Year Awards Gala, sponsored by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. McDonnold and Shah were two of only 15 students/teams accepted into the fundraising campaign. The Student of the Year campaign is an opportunity for local area high school students who are enthusiastic about volunteerism, philanthropy, community outreach and developing leadership skills to participate in the fight against blood cancers. Each team that raised the $10,000 minimum received a $1,000 scholarship.
Taylor Road MS Wins First Place in Reading Bowl Taylor Road Middle School won first place in the regional Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl, the unique reading competition that tests students knowledge on selected books. Students Ravi Andhavarapu, Won-Seok Jung, Hyoungjin Kim, Abigail Lee, Yeseo Lee, Shruti Nemal, Ramya Ramaswamy, Haeyn Seo, Jonah Turner and Rhea Yendamuri received first place honors in the Fulton County competition before moving on to the regional contest. In a competition similar to an academic bowl, students were quizzed on their knowledge of 20 books that were selected from the Georgia Childrens Book Awards. Players were selected at the school-level based on their performance on a test about the books. The top 10 students were chosen to represent the school. The team was coached by teachers Anne Alarcon and Lindsay Resnick.
Johns Creek HS Student Serves in U.S. Senate Youth Program Meredith McCain, a senior and student council representative at Johns Creek High School, is one of two students from Georgia who recently served in the United States Senate Youth Program. McCain received an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., during March 5-12, where she attended meetings and briefings with the president, U.S. senators, U.S. House representatives, congressional staff, a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, leaders of cabinet agencies, an ambassador to the United States and senior members of the national media. She also toured many of the national monuments and several museums. The William Randolph Hearst Foundation paid for all expenses for the trip and theyve also made available a $5,000 scholarship for each delegate, which can be used within the next four years.
Independence High School Receives SHAPE Grant Independence High School has received a $5,000 SHAPE (Society of Health and Physical Educators) Grant provided through the Georgia Department of Public Health. The funds from the grant will be used to enhance the schools physical activity and nutrition efforts in order to improve outcome measures associated with the Georgia School Health and Physical Education Act and the nutrition guidelines outlined in the USDAs Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. $3,000 of the grant must focus on activities associated with nutrition and $2,000 must be dedicated to physical fitness.
Milton HS Student Wins $20,000.00 Scholarship Agni Kumar from Milton High School has been awarded a $20,000 scholarship through the H&R Block Budget Challenge, an interactive, real-life simulation, personal financial education program that rewards students for mastering real-world budgeting and personal finance decision-making. She is one of 66 winners nationwide. Now in its second year, the program works by replicating an adults financial life, requiring students to pay virtual bills, save for retirement, and repay student loans. Students from across the nation who participate in this virtual program are also competing for $3 million in college scholarships and classroom grants.
Cambridge HSs Award-Winning Womens Choral Ensemble The womens choral ensemble, Chanson, from Cambridge High School recently traveled to Georgia Southern University to participate in the Southern Invitational Choral Competition and Festival. Only 10 choirs were invited to compete in the inaugural year of this statewide competition. At the end of the festival, the Cambridge ensemble was presented with the award for Best Treble Choir and the overall Grand Prize Best Choir award. Each choir performed their best repertoire for a panel of three judges, each an experienced choral teacher and director.
New Agriscience & Veterinary Education Center Opens at Cambridge HS During a unique ceremony that featured real goats, chickens, rabbits and life-sized horse mannequins, a ribbon-cutting was held for Fulton County Schools newest career and technical education facility, the Agriscience & Veterinary Education program at Cambridge High School. The 7,000-square-foot facility includes classroom space, an animal science laboratory, a barn with stables and demonstration areas. During the first year, students will take courses in Basic Agricultural Science, and in subsequent years, the program will expand to include Animal Science Technology, Biotechnology and other related Veterinary Science courses. Students completing the Veterinary Science career pathway will have the credentials needed to become certified as a veterinary assistant. The facility not only will house classroom instruction, but also will have supervised agricultural experiences through hands-on care of animals, demonstrations and competition through career development events.
9 Fulton County High Schools Receive SADD Chapter Grants Fulton County School District is pleased to announce that it has received a Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) grant from the Georgia Office of Highway Safety to fund SADD chapter activities at nine high schools. The grant will enhance SADD chapters throughout the district with the idea that student input into the solution will help alleviate the problem of teen driver fatalities in Georgia. Drivers ages 15-19 have a higher rate of crashes, injuries and fatalities than adult and elderly drivers, with car crashes remaining the number one cause of death for teens. In 2012, there were an estimated 156 crash-related deaths of drivers ages 15-20. That number represents 13 percent of all traffic fatalities in Georgia and an overall decrease from 17 percent in 2007. The grant allows the District to receive up to $45,000 to fund SADD activities, including grants of $2,500 each to Alpharetta High School, Centennial High School, Chattahoochee High School, Creekside High School, Independence High School, Langston Hughes High School, McClarin High School, Northview High School and Roswell High School. SADD chapters are designed to address drinking and driving among teens in Fulton County high schools. The grant funds will help schools establish or maintain a SADD chapter, complete a minimum of two safety belt checks, host ghost-out, crash car event, or safe prom and graduation activities, provide leadership training to SADD chapter members and support drug prevention activities.
River Trail MSs Pie Wars Raise $1500 for Relay for Life Pie Wars, a student led initiative at River Trail Middle School, raised over $1500 for Relay for Life. Students and staff donated money all week. Six teachers and two assistant principals agreed to take a pie in the face if they raised the most money. The winner received the lesser amount of money and pied the opposing grade level teacher.