Local Theatre Director Inducted into Georgia Thespians Hall of Fame Gerald Parker, theatre director at Sequoyah High School (SHS), was inducted into the Georgia Thespian Hall of Fame during the Georgia Thespian Festival, held recently in Columbus. Parker began his teaching career at SHS in 1990. He was chosen as head of the schools Theatre Department in 2006; appointed chair of the Fine Arts Department in 2010; and named Teacher of the Year by his peers in 2012. In his seven years as theatre director, Parker has brought many awards to the program, including One-Act Play competition honors and recognition through the Schuler Hensley for Excellence in High School Musical Theatre. Parker has taken the Sequoyah Theatre program to newer and exciting opportunities. He has expanded the program and continues to look for creative adventures for his students, said Janice Lewis, who served as the schools theater director prior to Parker.
Carmel Elementary Counselor Wins District Honor Elizabeth Liz Ray, counselor at Carmel Elementary School, has been selected Cherokee County School Districts (CCSD) 2014 Counselor of the Year. She will be recognized by CCSD Superintendent Frank Petruzielo and the CCSD Board at the CCSD School Board meeting on April 17, and will compete for the Georgia Counselor of the Year honor to be presented this summer. Ray joined CCSD in 2002 as a fifth-grade teacher at Carmel Elementary and transitioned to her current role as counselor in 2007. Colleagues and parents alike praise Ray for the support shes shown them and for how shes changed their hearts through her selfless approach to serving students. She has taken food, household items, bedding and coats to our students when they were needed. She mentions these trips to no one, said teacher Denise Karel, who learned of this type of assistance after Ray helped one of her own students. It is truly a blessing to have Liz Ray at Carmel.
Boston ES Collects Jeans for Teens Boston Elementary Schools (BES) fifth-grade Legacy program participated recently in a Jeans for Teens community outreach event, sponsored by Northside Hospital-Cherokee. Students collected new or gently used jeans to benefit 10 charities for homeless families in Georgia. BES students brought in 350 pairs of jeans for this special event.
Sequoyah High Students Win in Art, Writing Competitions Six students at Sequoyah High School were selected as winners in regional art and creative writing awards at the National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Competition. Students in grades 7-12 compete in 28 categories for a chance to earn scholarships and to be published. Judges look for art and writing with originality, technical skills, and the emergence of personal voice or vision. Sequoyah students winning at the competition were: Caitlyn Shirley, Honorable Mention, Poetry; Ashley Hendel, Silver Key, Flash Fiction; Lilian Brown, Silver Key, Short Story, and Silver Key, Flash Poetry; Journey Newton, Gold Key-Art, the highest recognition awarded at the state level and qualifying her for national competition; Kyle Renner, Silver Key, Poetry, and Honorable Mention, Science Fiction/Fantasy; and Ansley Petherick, Honorable Mention, Art. In addition, Journey Newtons ceramic piece, Octopus Vessel, will be entered into competition at the national level in New York.