Good News from the Sequoyah Zone

Check out the latest good news from schools in the Sequoyah Innovation Zone…

Sequoyah High School
A Sequoyah High School student has advanced to the National PTA Reflections arts competition, with three more joining her in placing at the State level.

Ansley Petherick placed first at the State level for Visual Art, and advanced to the National competition to be held in Cincinnati later this year; Augustina Horlava placed second at the State level for Visual Arts; Nico Masters placed third at the State level for Photography; and Savannah Hunter placed first at the State level for Special Artists.

The Reflections program offers students in preschool through Grade 12 the opportunity to create and submit artwork in one or more of six areas: Dance Choreography, Film/Video Production, Literature, Musical Composition, Photography and Visual Arts. 

These students were recognized as Georgia PTA Reflections winners at the State awards ceremony held on Sunday, March 24, 2013 at the Woodruff Arts Center.

The Sequoyah High School Air Force Junior ROTC earned an overall unit assessment score of “Exceeds Standards” – the highest rating attainable during their unit evaluation. 

Unit members who participated in the evaluation include: Jordan Allen, Brandon Biro, Jamie Boatright, Carson Caglioni, Jared Carrio, Parker Cazier, Cailee Colegrove, Andrew Coleman, Emily Davis, Jamie Davis, Morgan Dilbeck, Nhi Dinh, Nicolas Gentile, Cody Gentry, Arianna Hassanali, Joanna Hernandez, Raymond Hernandez, Grayson Hooper, Savannah Hunter, Sukie Jules, Karl Karch, Hannah Kasper, Victoria Kerchof, Amanda Kinder, Nicolas Leslie, Melissa Masocol, Daniel Mendrala, Nicole Miller, Courtney Millican, Rachael Moncada, Linda Morales, Avery Nolan, Kylie Nowokunski, Andrew Oroz, Emily Powell, Jamie Samuels, Christine Shearer, Levi Sierra, Emily Stump, Travis Theiss, Christopher Thomas, Elizabeth Vickery, Mathew Violet, Sydney Webb, Amy Weghorst, Keyarra White and Derek Willingham.

The program is led by Lt. Col. (Ret.) Chuck Slater and Chief Master Sgt. (Ret.) John Futral.

Principal Elliott Berman said the instructors “have created a dynamic and supportive learning environment coupled with an excellent community outreach.”

“The instructors continue to provide outstanding leadership in administering the cadet-centered citizenship program.  The Sequoyah High School cadets have performed exceptionally well and take pride in leading and accomplishing their annual unit goals,” he said.  “The Sequoyah High School AFJROTC citizenship program is making a positive impact on the cadets, the school, and surrounding community.”

Dean Rusk Middle School
Dean Rusk Middle School eighth-grader Liv Alverez earned first place in the Cherokee County Middle School Art Show at the Cherokee Arts Center.  Her winning painting, acrylic and watercolors on canvas, is titled “Tear Drop.”

Dean Rusk MS eighth-grader Ceci Webb won second place in the Cherokee Education Association’s Annual Spelling Bee.  Each Cherokee County School District elementary, intermediate and middle school sent its school-level winner to the county Spelling Bee in hopes of taking home the title and a chance to advance to the regional competition.  Students in Grades 4-8 are eligible for the competition.  The first-, second- and third-place County winners advanced to the regional District Spelling Bee.

Holly Springs Elementary School
Cherokee County School District School Nutrition employee Wendy Morrow of Holly Springs ES is a contender in the Georgia School Nutrition Association’s statewide Culinary Contest.  She won first-place honors at the Seventh District School Nutrition Association Culinary Contest in the Red/Orange Side Dish category.  The State competition was held at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Tucker; the winners will be announced at the Georgia School Nutrition Association’s State Conference in Savannah in April.

Indian Knoll Elementary School
Indian Knoll Elementary School student Natalie Rhines placed second in Photography in the Georgia PTA Reflections contest.  The Reflections program offers students in preschool through Grade 12 the opportunity to create and submit artwork in one or more of six areas: Dance Choreography, Film/Video Production, Literature, Musical Composition, Photography and Visual Arts.  She was recognized as a Georgia PTA Reflections winner at the State awards ceremony held on Sunday, March 24, 2013 at the Woodruff Arts Center.

Five Indian Knoll Elementary School students earned third-place awards at the Cherokee County Elementary Science Olympiad competition.  They are: Katie Brown and Savannah Wendel, third place, Straw Tower; Garrett Haley and Jackson Gunnell, third place, Rock Hound; and Desmond Leake, third place, Disease Detectives.  Forty teams including more than 700 students competed at this year’s event.  The school’s Science Olympiad sponsors are Machael Westbrook and Barbara Haley.

Indian Knoll Elementary School recently recognized its Star Writers of the Month for February.  They are: Brock Freeman, Haley Burgess, Kayla Evans, Anna Barber, Katelyn Studer, Jason Ousley, Etanne Michelle and April Harrison.  Students in each homeroom are assigned a writing topic monthly.  Teachers use a rubric to select the best writing sample of the month per homeroom.   There is one winner selected from each grade level each month.  Winners are rewarded with a Smoothie King party with an administrator. 

Mountain Road Elementary School
A Mountain Road Elementary School team placed first at the Cherokee County Elementary Science Olympiad.  The Olympiad was held at Creekview High School on Saturday, March 23, 2013, and is sponsored by Cobb EMC.

More than 700 elementary students from 38 teams participated in the events, which require knowledge of science facts, concepts, processes, skills and applications.  The 18 events and activities selected were chosen for their strong relationship to existing elementary science curriculum.  More than 100 awards were presented to individual students. 

The winning teams plan to participate at the Georgia Elementary Science Olympiad at Kennesaw State University on Saturday, May 18, 2013.

Mountain Road Elementary student Jordan Sosnovsky placed third in the State level PTA Reflections fine arts competition.  The Reflections program offers students in preschool through Grade 12 the opportunity to create and submit artwork in one or more of six areas: Dance Choreography, Film/Video Production, Literature, Musical Composition, Photography and Visual Arts.  She was recognized as a Georgia PTA Reflections winner at the State awards ceremony held on Sunday, March 24, 2013 at the Woodruff Arts Center.

Mountain Road Elementary has won the countywide contest to name the new Cherokee County Aquatic Center’s outdoor leisure pool and choose its mascot.

Cherokee County School District elementary and middle schools were invited last fall to participate in the “Take the Plunge” contest sponsored by the Cherokee Recreation and Parks Agency.

Mountain Road Elementary’s Student Council submitted the winning name for the pool, The Oasis, and proposal for its mascot, Paradise the Pelican.  The name and mascot have been approved by the Agency’s Advisory Board and the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners.

Student Council members are: President Taylor Thomason, Vice President Colton Gray, Treasurer Joseph Trlica, Secretary Rachel Jones and Abbas Al-Seidi, Caroline Bagwell, Lettie Barber, Alphonso Bradham, Davis Burdette, Hannah Cordell, Mattie Flower, Bradley Gordon, Dylan Graff, Ava Guerrero, Arianna Kent, Nicholas Lee, Nick Levantis, Joshua Mesi, Dax Norsorthy, Skylar Pearce, Mitchell Perales, Cassie Ratner, McKenzie Reynolds, Joshua Sanchez, Matthew Velez and Rachel Verner. 

The Center’s director, Kim Baker, recently visited the school to present each member of the Student Council with a free three-month pass to the Center as a reward for their efforts.

Cherokee County School District School Nutrition employee Tonya Cannon of Mountain Road ES is finalist in the Georgia School Nutrition Association’s statewide Culinary Contest.  She won first-place honors at the Seventh District School Nutrition Association Culinary Contest in the Meatless/Vegetarian Entrée category.  The State competition was held at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Tucker; the winners will be announced at the Georgia School Nutrition Association’s State Conference in Savannah in April.