Students and staff at J.V. Washam Elementary School wore purple Friday, March 6, to honor Violet Washam (J.V. Washam Elementary photo)

On Friday, March 6, students and staff at J.V. Washam Elementary School in Cornelius celebrated Violet Washam Day. The family of Washam’s husband John owned the property that Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools purchased to build J.V. Washam, and she played an active role in the school after it opened.

After the construction of the school, she would regularly volunteer at the school before she passed away in 2011. In addition to naming the school’s library the Violet Washam Learning & Media Center, staff and students continue to honor her by wearing purple on her birthday, March 6.

PHOTOS OF THE DAY

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We’re looking for photos that capture the people and places that make Cornelius what it is. It could be a pretty picture from an event, a youth sports team photo, a pet, a quirky wildlife photo or an oddity. Send ‘em to us (editor@corneliusnews.net) and we’ll consider them for publication.

Requirements: Send us whatever you have – color or black-and-white JPGs preferred. If you have the ability to do so, we ask that you resize photos to not more than 600 pixels wide. That box on the front page of the site is exactly 595 pixels by 270 pixels, if you’re able to crop yourself. But you needn’t be limited to that size.

Wondering if you have something worthy? Call (704-896-0569) or email at the address above. And thanks for joining us!

Runners were doused with colorful powder during the Boosterthon color run at J.V. Washam (Jonathan Cox/CorneliusNews.net)

The athletic field behind J.V. Washam Elementary School looked like the aftermath of a Indian Holi festival Wednesday afternoon, with pastel-colored powder hanging in the air as students sprinted around a makeshift track and Calvin Harris played on the loudspeakers. It was the sixth annual Boosterthon fundraiser hosted by the school, a combination fundraiser, pep rally, and educational program that teaches students character traits while raising money for the school.

J.V. Washam students participated in a series of fun runs Wednesday morning as part of the school’s biggest fundraising push of the year. The runs were the culmination of a week of programming that taught students about community engagement through pep rallies, class “huddles,” and events in the school gym. This is the sixth year that the elementary school has partnered with Boosterthon, which provides some of the equipment and helps organize the event.

This year, the organizers hope to raise roughly $35,000. Last year they raised $50,000, which the Parent Teacher Organization decided to allocate to help pay for classroom equipment. There was no contribution required for students to participate in the run, and the event had no official sponsors.

Christen Vesely has chaired the Boosterthon fundraising committee for three years. She said the school sees the annual event as more than just a fundraiser.

“It’s more a program than a fundraiser,” she said. “We try to spend more time on students and building a positive atmosphere than on fundraisers.”

JV WASHAM BOOSTERTHON GALLERY

Click any image to launch a slide show

Cornelius-Lemley firefighters were called to Thunderbird Preparatory Academy on Wednesday morning after child crawled into a drain pipe during recess. Meanwhile, the fire department responded to a total of 54 calls over the past week, including seven vehicle accidents, one pedestrian struck by a vehicle, two possible structure fires, and 11 fire alarms. Read on for more information about these and others, along with a tally of this week’s medical calls:

CHILD CRAWLS INTO PIPE AT CHARTER SCHOOL

A first-grade boy at Thunderbird Preparatory Academy went missing during recess Wednesday morning and crawled into a pipe at the charter school’s campus off NC 115. Teachers located him after a brief search, called 911, and firefighters recovered the child.

In a text message to a parent, one teacher said: “[The student] was missing for a few minutes while we were searching the woods, playground, and school for him. When he found him in the drain we called 911.”

Cornelius-Lemley firefighters arrived on the scene shortly after receiving the call at 11:27am, and soon learned that the child had crawled down the pipe, into the enclosure under a manhole.

“We figured out he was where the manhole cover was,” a fire department spokesperson said. “[The boy] was just fine. We opened up the manhole cover, he smiled up at us, we asked if he was okay, he said “yes.” We lowered a little ladder and he climbed out.”

In a message to parents, school officials said the child was recovered “within minutes” of going missing. Some parents disagreed with the school’s account, saying it took as long as 30 minutes to find the child. One parent told CorneliusNews.net that some classes were combined so teachers could help with the search.

The child was safely returned to his parents, and did not need medical treatment, the school’s operations director Daniel Schmidt said. In a message sent to parents, Managing Director Patty Moreira said the pipe opening would be covered. After the incident, several parents came to the school to pick up their children early, citing concerns about their safety.

FIRE CALLS

FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 7:58pm, 910 Lakeview Ave., Davidson – Firefighters from Cornelius and Davidson responded to a possible structure fire. Cornelius units initially stood by the hydrant to provide water if needed, but were called in to search the attic for any signs of smoke or fire. Investigation found no fire, and Cornelius units were soon cleared by Davidson command.

SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 11:55pm, 8225 Camberly Road – Firefighters responded to a single-vehicle accident and found the driver sitting on the side of the road, uninjured.

SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 11:05pm, 21126 Catawba Ave. – A skateboarder was struck by a vehicle while crossing the intersection. Firefighters and MEDIC treated him at the scene, and he was transported to Presbyterian Hospital (See related information in our Police Blotter, March 18, 2015, “Man stabbed on S. Ferry, skateboarder hit by car”)

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 12:32pm, 20805 Torrence Chapel Rd. – Firefighters assisted Cornelius Police with rescuing a baby trapped inside a locked vehicle. Upon arrival, the car was quickly opened and the baby was freed from the vehicle.

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 5:59pm, I 77 northbound at Mile 28 – Firefighters responded to reports of a rear end collision on I-77. There was significant damage to the vehicles, but no one was injured.

MEDICAL CALLS

Cornelius firefighters responded to 29 medical calls this week. Due to privacy laws, no addresses or other information can be provided.

Chest Pain – 5
Citizen Assist – 4
Falls w Injury – 3
Assault – 3
Unconscious Patient – 2
Seizures – 2
Pedestrian Struck – 2
Abdominal Pain – 2
Breathing Problems – 2
Sick Person – 2
Traumatic Injuries – 1
Psychiatric Patient – 1

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The NC 115 Thunderbird Prep building where classes are currently held.

By JONATHAN COX and DAVID BORAKS
CorneliusNews.net/DavidsonNews.net

What’s going on at Thunderbird Preparatory Academy?

The Cornelius charter school was founded in 2014, offering a leadership-based school program and promoting plans for a permanent campus in Huntersville. It was one of a long list of startups around the region after legislators eliminated a 100-school cap on new charters in 2011.

But at least some of Thunderbird’s plans are unraveling, leading parents and teachers to raise concerns about the school’s future.

Thunderbird announced last week it had severed ties with Banyan Partners, a consultant that provides startup services and support to charter and private schools. In a separate announcement, Banyan confirmed the split. But it’s not clear who initiated the breakup and neither party will say why.

Thunderbird’s board of directors informed parents of the change during a Q&A on Thursday, March 12. A March 16 article about the change on CorneliusNews.net  prompted an outcry from some parents and teachers, who said they are concerned about the news and a long list of other issues (see box), and in some cases, about the school’s future.

Teachers have raised concerns about a lack of supplies and difficulty communicating with the school’s board. Parents, meanwhile, have complained to state charter school regulators about a variety of issues, from questions about the school’s finances to safety and security to supposed shortcomings in the school’s services for children with special needs.

School leaders have responded by saying either that the problems don’t exist, or that they are part of the normal growing pains of a new school.

But some parents have had enough: “If the school continues on the course it’s on, I’ll take [my son] out,” said Ashley Caban, mother of a first grader.

The state Office of Charter Schools is looking into the parents’ complaints, and a state official visited the school this week. But in response to a question, a spokeswoman stopped short of calling it a formal investigation. Deanna Townsend-Smith, an Education Consultant with the charter school office, said in an email:

You requested to know if the state department has launched a formal investigation against Thunderbird. Our office continues to perform its due diligence with making proper inquiries regarding complaints to the appropriate individuals at the school. We also perform regular site visits to ensure the school is in compliance regarding governance, finances, and academics. Attached is the phone log requested regarding the complaints from parents. Let me know if there are additional questions or concerns. Thanks.

The troubles come at a critical time for Thunderbird. As the school plans for next year, it has asked parents to submit forms by Wednesday, March 25, indicating whether their children will be returning.   Some say the answer will be no.

BIG PLANS TO MEET CHARTER DEMAND

Thunderbird’s board chair Michael Babbitt told CorneliusNews.net in late 2013 that school planned to offer “a classical liberal arts education focusing on leadership and talent development.” The school planned to use principles from the Covey Leadership training program, “the seven habits of highly effective people,” Babbitt said.

That excited many parents, some of whom were on waiting lists for other popular charter schools in the Lake Norman area.

“On paper, for a parent it was like hitting the lottery,” one parent said this week. “[The school] had features that made it a huge draw.”

But before it even opened, Thunderbird already faced hurdles. The temporary campus, a former church and Montessori school on NC 115 on the Cornelius-Huntersville line, was not ready for the first day, so classes opened in September at several temporary sites.

The school on NC 115 finally opened in November. Meanwhile, enrollment did not meet projections in the school’s charter application.  Plans called for 488 students in the first year. In November, the school reported 366 students. [Enrollment helps determine how much state money a charter school gets.]

Later in the fall, Thunderbird’s relationship with Banyan soured, for reasons that neither will discuss.  The school had previously announced plans to build a permanent facility on a 77-acre site across from Metrolina Greenhouses on Huntersville-Concord Road, but Banyan held the contract for the property. When Banyan and the school parted ways in early March, Thunderbird was forced to start looking for a new site.

The school announced last week it had formed a construction committee – comprised mainly of parents – to find a new permanent site.

Reasons for the break-up are unclear, and neither Thunderbird not Banyan will comment, but lower-than-expected enrollment, financial troubles, and disagreement over Banyan’s role at the school may have caused the split, one parent told CorneliusNews.net.

Parent Cliff Kinchen said a board member explained one of the reasons for the split at a March 5 meeting. “He said Banyan had wanted more control over the school,” Kinchen said. “The board wasn’t willing to give control, so Banyan suspended services.”

Board vice-chair and spokesman Peter Mojica  said Kinchen’s explanation for the reasons for the split was “completely inaccurate. Banyan and Thunderbird did not split because they wanted more operational control. If you have a contract for services, it would specify everything beforehand. It would be impossible for services partner to come back and say, ‘Hey, we want to do more.'”

SECURITY CONCERNS

Before the breakup with Banyan, parents already were calling in complaints to the state Department of Public Instruction’s Office of Charter Schools. A phone log of the complaints to the DPI, obtained by CorneliusNews.net through a Freedom of Information request, contains several references to a perceived lack of security at Thunderbird Preparatory Academy.

Several parents cited a Feb. 23 incident as an example.  When a Huntersville Police SWAT team responded to a residence in the Caldwell Station neighborhood about one-quarter mile from the school, the school did not go into lockdown, and parents said they were not informed that the incident had taken place. [The incident involved a psychiatric patient, and was unrelated to the school.]

Managing Director Patty Moreira said the school followed policy in deciding not to go into lockdown.

“A police officer in consultation with his department determined that the school was safe and no lockdown was necessary,” she said.

Capt. Scott Sharp of the Huntersville Police Department said there was “absolutely zero reason for a lockdown. The incident took place at least a quarter mile away, and the subject was absolutely contained.”

But some parents and teachers say the event exposed gaps in the school’s security policy. They said that had the situation escalated, there was no lockdown procedure to protect their children. “We had not had any lockdown practices at all until after the SWAT incident,” said a teacher who asked to remain anonymous. Moreira disagreed, saying, “We have had a lockdown procedure in place since opening day.”

Mojica explained why lockdown drills didn’t take place. “The school didn’t have a card reader and key-card access day one. You can’t do lockdown drills without keycard access.”

Lockdown is not the only concern. One teacher said the school’s front doors remained unlocked for the first four months of school, until a security card system was installed. And phones in one of the buildings were out of order for most of the year, making communication between buildings difficult in the event of an emergency.

These perceived security risks have created a crisis of confidence among some parents, which  surfaced again this week.

When a child crawled into a drain during recess Wednesday and went missing for roughly 30 minutes, some parents were so concerned about safety that they picked their children up early (See related story, March 18, 2015, “Child rescued from drain pipe at Thunderbird Prep”).

The lack of security has become a disturbing trend at Thunderbird, one teacher said. “All year long, there have been glaring issues in terms of safety.”

GRIEVANCES UNHEARD?

In an email to parents, one teacher said, “It is very hard to teach in an environment like this. I am truly saddened by what this school has become. It certainly is not the Leadership School we had all envisioned.”

Teachers have cited several issues that make it hard to work at Thunderbird: a lack of communication with the school board, lack of supplies, and a fear that complaining publicly will bring retaliation.

“The board has ignored several requests to speak to the teachers,” one parent complained in a phone call to the state Department of Public Instruction. When a teacher asked the board to meet with teachers regarding funding for the special needs program, the board declined.

Teachers did not have a formal grievance policy until Wednesday, March 11. When a teacher was fired earlier this month, others said it might have been retribution for criticizing the administration.

“She was fired for speaking up and voicing her opinions,” said another teacher who asked to remain anonymous. “She spoke the truth about teachers being unhappy, and then she was fired…the teacher morale is horrible here.”

“Board can’t comment on personnel issues,” Mojica said. “But everything the school has done has been in accordance with every law that guides us in the state of NC.”

Some parents say there’s a lack of accountability to parents, even though the school’s bylaws require it. “The board and Patty have never acted as though they are accountable to the parents,” she said.

She said when parents asked at the March 12 Q&A what the school would do if parents began pulling their children out, officials simply said they had a long waiting list.

“You can’t tout that you are a school that relies on parent involvement, and even try to seem honorable in putting something like that accountability statement on your website, then at the first test of it remind those parents they’re disposable,” the parent said.

CONCERNS ABOUT STAFFING, ATTENDANCE

Along with low morale, several teachers have raised concerns about a lack of funds and staff for the school’s special needs program, or EC, for “exceptional children.” Director Andrea Lockard, resigned on Feb. 17. Though a letter from the school to parents said Angela Sanderline would be hired as a replacement, teachers said she did not start until this week, Monday, March 16. Some parents complained that the school went a month without a certified special needs teacher.

But board spokesman Mojica said that’s not an issue.  “Do you know how hard it is to pick up an EC teacher in the middle of the year? From the board’s perspective, the fact that our managing director was able to bring in another very qualified AC teacher in the middle of the year, that’s phenomenal. Whenever you lose a key staff member in the middle of the year, it’s a challenge.”

Some parents and teachers also have raised questions about supposed mismanagement of funds relating to the EC program. Lockard applied for and won a $44,691.04 grant for the school’s special needs program, “but the money did not go to the EC [Extraordinary Children] department,” one teacher said.  “The EC room was totally unequipped.”

“There was not even a trash can in the room,” another teacher said.

School managing director Moreira disagreed, saying that the funds will be used for EC equipment. “All monies are accounted for and all EC monies are strictly used for EC,” she said.

“Misplacing funds is almost impossible,” added Mojica. “Whenever there’s a change in school’s operation, the school has to inform the state. When the school split with Banyan, it voluntarile asked the state to perform a complete audit including the EC funds. The state will be coming in to check the books.” The timing of the audit isn’t known.

Meanwhile, several teachers and parents have said the school’s attendance policy is rarely enforced.

When one parent asked the school secretary for an attendance record after her daughter missed several days of class, the secretary said, “Attendance is something we’re trying to get caught up with.” Teachers have added that no one takes attendance.

“Attendance records are being fudged,” parent Cliff Kinchen told state officials in a phone call.

KEEPING THE SCHOOL AFLOAT

Among the 10 or so parents and teachers interviewed for this article, all agreed that – despite their concerns – they believe in the mission of Thunderbird Preparatory Academy and want to see it succeed. [But most did not want to give their names, out of fear of retaliation against their children or families.]

“We love the school,” Kinchen said, “but we have issues we need to address.”

THUNDERBIRD’S RESPONSES

Below is an email from Patty Moreira, received in response to questions from CorneliusNews.net:

Jonathan, Most of your questions have already been asked by parents and answered thoroughly by the TPA Board or the school house. I do suggest that if anyone has further questions, that they address them directly with the school. I just saw that you had a few more questions so I’ll answer one last set for you:

Q. When was the grievance policy implemented? Teachers said there was no grievance policy until last Wednesday.

Teachers have had a teacher handbook in place since the start of the school year that outlines many processes. The TPA Board creates policies regularly. The TPA Board created a grievance policy and put it in effect Wednesday, March 11th to further support the school at large.

Q. Parents said you had a police officer accompany you to the meeting last Thursday – are you concerned for your safety in any way?

A police officer was present for the community meeting last Thursday which is a common practice for any school system when you have large gatherings. I feel completely safe at our school-site.

Q. Parents said the phones in the back building at TPA have not been operational all year. Is that correct?

Thursday at the Community Meeting it was reported for the first time that the phones in the back building did not work so they were fixed the following day.

Q. I interviewed parents who said the school didn’t go into lockdown when a Huntersville police SWAT team responded to a Will Knox Road home on Feb. 23 – is that correct? Why didn’t the school go into lockdown?

On the day you are referring to, a police officer in consultation with his department determined that the school was safe and no lockdown was necessary.

Q. You said there isn’t a lawsuit from the board against Banyan – has Banyan filed a suit against the board?

I have no knowledge of any lawsuit from the Board of Directors towards any service providers. I have no knowledge of any lawsuit towards the Board of Directors. I don’t believe there are any lawsuit.

RELATED COVERAGE

March 18, “Child rescued from drain pipe at Thunderbird Prep”

March 16, “Thunderbird breaks ties with partner, calls off plans for Huntersville-Concord Rd. site”

Holly Keller’s class at JV Washam made posters supporting the idea of putting a woman on the $20 bill. (David Boraks/CorneliusNews.net)

By DAVID BORAKS
CorneliusNews.net

Why aren’t there women on our nation’s paper currency? Holly Keller’s first-grade class at J.V. Washam Elementary School learned about that issue last week and immediately joined a nationwide campaign called Women on 20s which is pushing to change the situation.

The class made posters about the campaign. The initiative has its own website (womenon20s.org) and got a nod the other day from President Barack Obama (see the video on its website). The students appeared with their posters on the J.V. Washam morning news program.

Kaylyn Smith represented the class on the school TV news, making an argument about fairness. “Now only boys can be on a bill, so we thought it would be fair to have a woman on a $20 bill too,” she told CorneliusNews.net.

The posters had titles including “A Woman’s Place Is on the Money” and “Vote for Women on $20 Bill.” Some had images of a $20 bill with heads of potential women substitutes for Andrew Jackson, including Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth. Some of the posters gave Andrew Jackson a makeover, with long hair and lipstick.

Keller said her class every Friday has a “Fun Fact” during its morning meeting. The class had stumbled across a Time for Kids article about the Women on 20s campaign. “The kids thought it was important for other people to know about it,” she said.

The Women on 20s campaign has proposed 15 candidates in a first round of public voting through its website. They were chosen from among 30 by a panel of women’s historians and academicians. Three finalists will be chosen and put to a final vote.

The organization says on its website: “It’s our mission to make sure that when the new face of U.S. money is chosen, it is decided by We the People in a widely publicized online referendum from a slate of candidates who embody the values, ambitions and ethics upon which this country was founded.”

RELATED LINKS

Womenon20s.org, official website of the campaign

March 20, 2015, NPR.org, “It’s All About The Benjamins And Jacksons — But What About The Women?”

March 21, 2015, NYTimes.com, Gail Collins commentary, “A Woman’s Place Is on the $20″

Kaylyn Smith’s poster gave Andrew Jackson a makeover. (David Boraks/CorneliusNews.net)

By DAVID BORAKS
CorneliusNews.net/DavidsonNews.net

HUNTERSVILLE – A new leadership-focused private school is forming in Huntersville, with plans to offer classes in grades K-12 within two years. Legacy Leadership Academy said in an announcement Friday it has begun taking applications for the 2015-2016 school year, when it plans to open at a still-to-be-announced location with grades K-5.

Parent information sessions are planned over the next couple of weeks, beginning Tuesday, March 24, at 6:30pm at Meadowlake Church in Huntersville. Other sessions are planned Wednesday at Dellwood Center in Huntersville, Thursday at Peninsula Yacht Club in Cornelius, and March 30 at Discovery Village Academy in Cornelius.

The school said its program will focus on “servant leadership principles” and the Covey Leadership development program. Legacy also will use the E.D. Hirsch Core Knowledge Curriculum developed at the University of Virginia.

Officials are not saying yet where the school will be located, but an announcement is expected April 3. Legacy’s founders are Banyan Partners, whose leader Rick Walker helped found Lake Norman Charter School, and a board that includes financial and business experts, education consultants, and educators. Until a recent split, Banyan was a consultant to the board of Thunderbird Preparatory Academy, a startup leadership training charter school on NC 115 in Cornelius.

Besides the parent information sessions, the school also is beginning to recruit teachers for the new school.

Jennifer Elliott, who until three weeks ago was director of before/after school enrichment programs at Thunderbird Prep, has been hired as the schools’ student director. She said the school expects to open next school year with 172 students or more in grades K-5. She said she was not sure how big the full K-12 school ultimately would be.

“Banyan is in the business of starting schools, and mostly they’ve focused on charter schools,” she said. “They’ve been thinking about private schools for a while, and they found a couple of people to partner with.”

The school will have a “learning by trust” element and expects to make a series of announcements over the net few weeks, including its location, which is to be unveiled on April 3.

The school expects annual tuition to be about $7,400.

More information about the school, including details on the upcoming information sessions, is at LegacyLKN.org

LEGACY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY ANNOUNCEMENT

The following press release was issued by Banyan Strategies on Friday, March 20, 2015:  

CORNELIUS, NORTH CAROLINA – The Board of Trustees of Legacy Leadership Academy, a Cornelius, North Carolina based group of servant leadership school advocates, announces the formation of a new, independent private K-12 school that will serve the Lake Norman area. Legacy Leadership Academy will be founded on Servant Leadership principles guided by proven Gallup Strengths-based talent development and Covey leadership development best practices. The Legacy school will utilize the high academic performance focused E.D. Hirsch Core Knowledge curriculum, as developed at the University of Virginia. Legacy Leadership Academy will open enrollment for its inaugural 2015-2016 school year for K-5 students on March 20, 2015. A middle school will be added for students in grades 6-8 in the second academic year of 2016-2017 and a high school for grade  9-12 will be ready for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Legacy Leadership Academy is currently seeking highly motivated, heartfelt teachers and
administrators for immediate hiring over the next 30 days.

Legacy Leadership Academy will announce its facility plans and location on April 3, 2015 via
social and media channels. Parent meeting times and locations have been scheduled to share the vision for Legacy Leadership Academy and to answer questions from parents and
community members. The dates, times and places for these meetings can be found on the
school’s website. For more information on Legacy Leadership Academy, Legacy academic and development plans as well as Legacy cost-efficient tuition structure, please visit us at:
www.LegacyLKN.org

In order to assure a strong start to a high academic performance school, the Legacy Board of
Trustees has retained the strategic support services of Banyan Strategics, a Cornelius, North
Carolina based school support services organization. Banyan Strategics provides and models best practices of Servant Leadership through proven Gallup and Covey based talent and leadership development for its K-12 client schools. As a Support Services Organization to K-12 chartered and independent schools, Banyan Strategics provides comprehensive leadership and organizational development, planning, start-up, financial, organizational, technology, and facility services that compliment the academic focus of charter and independent school leadership teams and their boards.

Banyan Strategics, through its core partners, has been serving charter and independent schools since 1996. Rick Walker, as one of three primary individuals who conceptualized the founding of Lake Norman Charter School in 1996, served as Founding Chairman of Lake Norman Charter School from 1996 through 2000. Mr. Walker now leads Banyan Strategics in a mentor role within the Banyan Strategics family.

Banyan Strategics, through its core belief in developing the talents, gifts and unmet potential of K-12 students, has been able to strategically coach high academic outcomes within its client schools through its proven strengths-based, talent development approach to hiring, coaching and unleashing the potential of great, heartfelt teachers. Strengths-based, talent development based leadership focuses on finding, developing and bringing out the best in each student, teacher, principal and board member within each holistic school community. Banyan Strategics provides proven, teacher-centric organizational models to its client schools where the schools maintain all direct leadership and management roles for their own respective success. Banyan Strategics, through its principals’ close association with Gallup Consulting for over 10 years and Stephen Covey for over 40 years makes Banyan Strategics uniquely qualified and seasoned in best organizational practices within education as well as broader organizational segments. (visit www.BanyanStrategics.com for more information regarding the driving values and principles of Banyan Strategics.)

The Legacy Leadership Academy and Banyan Strategics are mutually driven by the holistic
success of the students, parents, teachers and the overall school community in reaching their full potential. The prior successes of Banyan Strategics in developing servant leadership oriented schools since 1996 have been complimented with proven research based Gallup and Covey best practices that most fully facilitate proven talent and leadership development. The Legacy Board of Trustees and Banyan Strategics mutually embrace the Stephen Covey premise that great education is a heartfelt journey where life is best lived in crescendo. Covey  various observations about personal crescendo as the constant upward spiral of aspiration, inspiration, diligence, confidence and trust in making life truly worthwhile. The Legacy Board of Trustees, in concert with Banyan Strategics, affirms its primary focus will be developing a heartfelt Crescendo Community. Life is Best Lived in Community Crescendo.

Legacy Leadership Academy, a new private school forming in Huntersville, has hired Ashley Kopp, the former assistant principal of Thunderbird Preparatory Academy as its Managing and Academic Director.

The startup school, which is recruiting students now for a planned fall 2015 opening, also named Jennifer Elliott as its Student Director and Curriculum Coordinator.

Ashley Kopp

The proposed private school’s Board of Trustees said in a press release: “Their prior proven success as servant-leaders, and developing teachers and students, has prepared them for their respective roles in leading and modeling servant leadership. Their demonstrated commitment to Great Teaching by Great Hearts will assure high academic performance within the servant-leadership culture of Legacy Leadership Academy.”

Legacy’s founders are Banyan Partners, whose leader Rick Walker helped found Lake Norman Charter School, and a board that includes financial and business experts, education consultants, and educators. Until a recent split, Banyan was a consultant to the board of Thunderbird Preparatory Academy on NC 115 in Cornelius.

Legacy Leadership Academy announced last week that it plans to open next fall with a curriculum based on “Servant Leadership principles guided by proven Gallup Strengths-based talent development and Covey leadership development best practices.”

Jennifer Elliott

Kopp resigned earlier this month from Thunderbird. Her hiring is the latest twist in the story of the split between Thunderbird and Banyan. Legacy’s plan to focus on leadership also will put it in competition with Thunderbird, which also targets families interested in leadership training.

Legacy expects to open at a yet-to-be-announced location this fall, with grades K-5. It plans to add middle school (grades 6-8) in its second year, in 2016-2017, and then high school (9-12) in 2017-2018.

The school plans parent information sessions on March 30, April 1 and April 2 in Cornelius and Huntersville.

RELATED COVERAGE AND LINKS

Legacy Leadership Academy website, with information about upcoming information sessions, http://legacylkn.org/

March 24, 2015, “New private school Legacy Leadership Academy forming.”

March 16, 2015, “Thunderbird breaks ties with partner, calls off plans for Huntersville-Concord Rd. site”

HUNTERSVILLE – Barnette Elementary School on Beatties Ford Road was on lockdown for about a half hour Tuesday morning after school officials received a threatening phone call.

Huntersville police said someone at the school called police around 11am to report that someone had called the school, threatening violence.

The school began a lockdown, and Huntersville Police responded, checking every room of the school without incident. The lockdown was lifted after about 30 minutes. The Huntersville Police Criminal Investigation Division is investigating.

Anyone with information concerning this crime, or anyone requesting more information, should contact Lt. Dempski at 704-464-5400.

Startup private school Legacy Leadership Academy said Thursday it will open in temporary quarters this fall on the grounds of Christian Montessori of Lake Norman on Stumptown Road in Huntersville. The school’s board also announced it plans a permanent campus on 77 acres off Huntersville-Concord Road, near Metrolina Greenhouses.

The new school site is the same one where Thunderbird Preparatory Academy charter school had previously planned to build its permanent campus. Thunderbird, which opened last fall, remains at a temporary site on NC 115 at the Cornelius-Huntersville line.

Legacy also had announced last week that it had hired the former assistant principal from Thunderbird as its director.

Legacy’s founders are Banyan Strategics, the same school management firm that had been helping Thunderbird Academy, until a split this winter. Banyan’s leader Rick Walker helped found Lake Norman Charter School. Its board includes financial and business experts, education consultants, and educators.

The school’s board also said Thursday that it has no plans to convert to a charter school in the future. Banyan Partners also is involved in a startup charter school, Legacy of Charlotte. The group said that schoolw would be renamed and would be separate from the Huntersville school. “Legacy Leadership Academy and the pending Legacy Charter will be sister schools operating in a collaborative manner with their own respective strengths and attributes,” the group said.

Legacy Leadership Academy is in the midst of parent information sessions as it forms classes for a planned Fall 2015 start.

RELATED COVERAGE AND LINKS

March 30, 2015, “”

March 24, 2015, “New private school Legacy Leadership Academy forming”

http://legacylkn.org/

LEGACY ANNOUNCEMENT

Here’s the announcement from the Legacy Leadership Academy/Banyan Strategics on Thursday, April 2, 2015:

It is with great excitement that the Board of Trustees for the Legacy Leadership Academy of Lake Norman announces that the home for their inaugural year will be on the property of the Christian Montessori of Lake Norman.

Legacy Leadership Academy will occupy refinished instructional buildings at the front of the wooded 20-acre property located at 14101 Stumptown Road, Huntersville, NC. The overall campus has beautiful, mature trees, open fields, and a playground.

Simultaneously, while the students and families are learning and growing at the site on Stumptown Road, construction will be underway for a state of the art facility. This facility will be located on 77 acres of land off of Huntersville-Concord Road and across from Metrolina Greenhouses.

The campus will be developed in phases, first completing the elementary and junior high facilities and then moving on to construct the high school facility. The first facility will feature a domed common area with a performance stage, flanked on one side by the elementary school and on the other by the junior high. This expansive common space will serve as a gathering place for community functions, school performances, athletic events, and once the high school is complete, can be up-fitted into a fine arts center. The high school will be built the following year with classroom wings flanking its domed athletic arena.

Legacy Leadership Academy has been founded on Servant Leadership principles guided by proven Gallup Strengths-based talent development and Covey leadership development best practices. Legacy Leadership Academy will utilize the high academic performance focused E.D. Hirsch Core Knowledge curriculum. Legacy Leadership Academy has already begun to accept applications for their inaugural year, 2015-2016. Legacy Leadership Academy will add its middle school for students in grades 6-8 in its second academic year of 2016-2017. Legacy Leadership Academy high school for grades 9-12 will be ready for the 2017-2018 academic year.

For clarification, Legacy Leadership Academy will be the flagship Banyan school for all of Banyan Charter and Private Schools. Legacy Leadership Academy will not be converted into a charter school in the future. Banyan is involved with a pending charter, Legacy of Charlotte. That charter will be renamed and will have distinct operations and location from Legacy Leadership Academy. Legacy Leadership Academy and the pending Legacy Charter will be sister schools operating in a collaborative manner with their own respective strengths and attributes.

Parent meeting times and locations have been scheduled to share the vision for Legacy Leadership Academy and to answer questions from parents and community members. The dates, times and places for these meetings can be found on the school’s website. For more information on Legacy Leadership Academy, Legacy academic and development plans as well as Legacy cost-efficient tuition structure, please visit us at www.legacylkn.org.

The LLA Board of Trustees is comprised of 3 Banyan Strategics principals, Rick Walker, Sharon Garner and Bob O’Connell.

One group worked on a St. Ayles skiff, a Scottish racing boat. (David Boraks/CorneliusNews.net)

By DAVID BORAKS
CorneliusNews.net

DAVIDSON – A group of Community School of Davidson High School students spent this week building a 22-foot St. Ayles skiff, a traditional Scottish racing boat. Elsewhere in the school on Armour Street in Davidson, other groups learned ping pong, painted murals, and recorded a CD of their own songs. Still others were off campus, working at a horse farm or participating in their own version of “The Amazing Race” in downtown Charlotte.

It was the third year “Intersession” at CSD, a week of fun just before spring break. Organizers said it gives kids a chance to do activities that are way beyond the daily grind of reading, writing and arithmetic.

“It’s a break in classes where students dive into some active learning,” said Jessica Smith, a CSD school counselor who helped plan the week of activities.

Other classes included an overnight campout in the woods for first-time campers, cooking with local foods, a criminal justice session with visits to a courthouse and with crime scene investigation experts. One group spent several days working on service projects at Oakdale Elementary School in Charlotte. Another spent the three days reading.

Meanwhile, other students used the week for internships and job shadowing to explore their career options, for focused study, or to visit colleges and universities as they make decisions bout the next chapter of their lives.

Jake Batchelor took the ping pong class. He wasn’t very good at it, but after some intense training with teacher Seth Kindig, he said, “I’ve already beaten my brother, who previously destroyed me.”

The boatbuilders included seniors who conceived the construction of the skiff as a year-long project. Wood Arts Teacher Jim Dumser said a St. Ayles skiff is a four-person racing boat with coxswain. Students this week helped move the project toward completion by painting the boat and constructing oars. ‘

“We hope to have it finished by the end of May and get it in the water,” Dumser said.

GALLERY

Click any image to launch a slide show.

By JONATHAN COX
CorneliusNews.net/DavidsonNews.net

Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools detectives say an unidentified 13-year-old middle school student has been charged with sharing nude photos of girls from area schools in a Dropbox folder this winter. A CMS detective said the unidentified student has been arrested, and the case has been turned over to the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s office for prosecution.

The folder contained 75 photos – all self-taken – of female students from area high and middle schools, including W.A. Hough High School in Cornelius and other area schools.  Some girls in the pictures were as young as 14.

The District Attorney’s office and Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools officials referred questions to CMS detective Kenny Lynch, who led the investigation. He confirmed the arrest, but provided few details.

The case has ignited a debate about student sexting, and prompted forums in Cornelius and Davidson to help educate parents about how to prevent their children from sending compromising photos.

Neither the district attorney’s office nor CMS would say where the suspect goes to school, though in a February press conference, Lynch said the suspect “is a student, though not necessarily within CMS.”

RELATED COVERAGE AND LINKS

Feb 23, 2015, “Sexting & photo sharing: How did we get here? What can we do?”

Feb. 11, 2015, “CMS police seek charges after student shares nude photos of girls”

Lynn Rhymer

Updated 7:30pm
North Mecklenburg High School Principal Lynne Rhymer said Tuesday she is leaving the school to become an assistant superintendent at Cabarrus County Schools. Rhymer started at North Meck last summer.

Rhymer said she has accepted a job as an assistant superintendent of school operations with Cabarrus County. She hasn’t set a date yet for her departure.

“I’ll be working with the district to make sure the transition is smooth,” Rhymer said in an interview Tuesday evening.

She acknowledged that her mid-year departure was not ideal, but said the opportunity arose quickly. Cabarrus superintendent Barry Shepherd announced his retirement in early March, and the district hired from within.  Assistant superintendent Chris Lowder was named interim superintendent, creating the vacancy.

Rhymer’s appointment was approved in a closed session of the Cabarrus County school board Monday night.

“The timing is not good,” Rhymer said. “Sometimes those things happen.”

Rhymer previously was principal at Central Cabarrus High School in Concord from 2011-2014.

Earlier Tuesday, a Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools spokesman and officials in CMS’s North Learning Community Office had no further information. District 1 school board member Rhonda Lennon said Rhymer is returning to Cabbarus County.

Here’s the message Rhymer delivered to families Tuesday morning, via telephone and email:

North Meck Family,

I came to North with big ideas and such excitement. I certainly was not let down. What an incredible school and community! I have been so fortunate to have had the opportunity to be a part of such a special place.

This message is to inform you that I have an opportunity to be the Assistant Superintendent of School operations in another district. I have accepted that position and will be working with the district in the coming days to discuss the official transition date.

I have learned so much from CMS and have been blessed to have had this opportunity to lead North Meck this year.

Please know that CMS is committed to educating every child, every day for a better tomorrow and will make appropriate selections in leadership to continue the incredible things we have going on at North Meck!

Thank you for your support and commitment to our school!

Lynn Rhymer, Principal of North Meck High

RELATED COVERAGE

June 11, 2014, “Lynn Rhymer tapped as North Meck HS principal”

Cannon students joined the school’s JDRF One Walk Friday, April 10, at the school track.

CONCORD – Cannon School students raised more than $30,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation by participating in the JDRF Walk for a Cure on Friday, April 10, at the school. Students, parents, faculty, and staff members participated in events such as penny wars and spirit days over a two-week period leading up to the walk.

School Nurse Brenda Newman organized the inaugural event, and was pleased with its success. “Our Cannon School students, faculty, staff, and families did an amazing job raising money for this important cause. I’m blown away by their efforts, and it especially resonates since we have seven children here who have type 1 diabetes. The money raised will help them find a cure sooner, rather than later!”

Cannon’s walk isn’t the only one this spring benefiting diabetes research. JDRF One Walks are scheduled around the region, including a Charlotte walk this Saturday, April 18, at 8:30am at Carowinds, and a Kannapolis One Walk on Saturday, April 25, at 9:30am at the Kannapolis Intimidators stadium.

A Davidson Elementary School team, the BEAM Team (for team members Benny, Ella, Addi and Michael) had raised nearly $8,000 for the Kannapolis walk as of Monday. That makes them the top team at the Kannapolis walk so far.

Watch the BEAM Team’s cute video message for Golden State Warriors and former Davidson College  basketball star Steph Curry, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKrxZonGxQ8

JDRF ONE WALK

Here’s an explanation of the One Walk events from JDRF: 

JDRF One Walk has a single goal: creating a world without type 1 diabetes (T1D).  Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s pancreas loses the ability to produce insulin—a hormone essential to turning food into energy. It strikes both children and adults suddenly and is unrelated to diet and lifestyle. It requires constant carbohydrate counting, blood-glucose testing and lifelong dependence on injected insulin.

With T1D there are no days off, and there is no cure. That’s why JDRF holds more than 200 Walks across the country every year to raise money for JDRF—the only global organization with a strategic research plan to end T1D.

Each year, JDRF Walks bring together more than 900,000 people who raise more than $68 million for critical T1D research. This success is only possible because of the support, commitment and strength of our community. Please register today.

4th grade teacher Stephan Bill goes airborne for a layup (Jonathan Cox/DavidsonNews.net)

Spectators and players traded places in Hough High School’s gym Thursday evening, as teachers from Davidson and J.V. Washam elementary schools faced off in their annual charity basketball game. All the seats in the arena were full, and a crowd of students and parents gathered in the end zone to sent up an earsplitting cheer for the Davidson Elementary Tigers and the J.V. Washam Hawks. The event has raised more than $40,000 in recent years for the Ada Jenkins Center’s Learn Works after-school tutoring program.

Davidson got a 10-point lead early in the game but J.V. Washam closed the gap to six points in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Davidson’s Tigers were able to widen their lead before the final buzzer, winning 38 to 25.

Her team may have won, but first grade teacher Lyndsay O’Brien, who has played on the Davidson team for seven years, said the points don’t really matter. “It’s an opportunity to have a lot of fun for a great cause,” she said, “and it provides resources to the after-school program at Ada Jenkins.”

Ada Jenkins’ after school program Learn Works connects children with tutors and mentors who help them with their homework, as well as providing classes about life skills using the “Leader in Me” curriculum. The majority of the students in Ada Jenkins’ tutoring program come from Davidson Elementary, J.V. Washam Elementary, and Cornelius Elementary. Funds from events like this basketball game help pay the bills for equipment and staff.

Davidson Elementary Principal Kimberly Greene said the Learn Works program is invaluable, especially for low-income families who can’t afford private tutors. “They provide access to computers and help with homework,” she said.

J.V. Washam Principal Paula Rao agreed. “They’re an incredible partner of ours,” she said. “They support some of most fragile students and families in their moment of need, and we want to be there for them.”

Over the past 11 years, the fundraising game has raised a total of more than $40,000 for Ada Jenkins, through ticket sales, concession sales, and donations.

Said Ada Jenkins executive director Georgia Krueger: “It’s such a wonderful annual event. So many of the people in that arena are part of the Learn Works program, since so many of the children go to JV Washam and Davidson Elementary. It’s a way for parents to benefit their kids while having fun and engaging with the community.”

The annual basketball games have also had the side effect of stoking a friendly basketball rivalry between Washam and Davidson.

“Yeah, it’s a bit of a rivalry now for me and Dana Jarrett [principal of Davidson Elementary],” Rao said, with a laugh.

Boys charge away from the start of the Lake Norman Christian Storm Marathon Tuesday. (David Boraks/CorneliusNews.net)

DAVIDSON - Anisia Tellefsen braved 26.2 miles in cold, rainy weather to complete Monday’s Boston Marathon.  In a fundraiser inspired by her run, students at Lake Norman Christian School ran a 2.6-mile mini-marathon Tuesday morning to raise money for programs at the school on South Street in Davidson.

The 2015 LKNC Storm Marathon had been scheduled Monday, but it was postponed to Tuesday because of the rain. That meant Tellefsen could lead the run she helped organize.

“I got to be here, which makes it even better,” Tellefsen said.

Tellefsen, who is Lake Norman Christian’s cross country coach, ran 3 hours 53 minutes and 34 seconds in Boston on Monday. The foul weather was a challenge, she said, but her time was good enough to qualify  to run again next year.

On Tuesday, her 6-year-old first grader, Lauren, was among the dozens of elementary school students who charged away from the start of Tuesday’s run around the school. Students who ran 13 laps completed the full 2.6 miles.

But it wasn’t just about the running. Individual students solicited pledges and donations from family and friends totaling nearly $15,000, which will go to projects, equipment and supplies and on teachers’ wish lists.

Lake Norman Christian is a private K-12 school that opened in 2008. Info: http://www.lakenormanchristian.org/

(David Boraks/CorneliusNews.net)

These girls waited for the start. (David Boraks/CorneliusNews.net)

Anisia Tellefsen instructed runners before the start. (David Boraks/CorneliusNews.net)

(David Boraks/CorneliusNews.net)

Tilly Boraks of Davidson, an 8th grader at Bailey Middle School, accepted a first place award at the North Carolina PTA Reflections award ceremony Saturday at NC State University’s McKimmon Center. Tilly took first place in the film category for “H8ter Blockers.” Pictured are Donald Dunn, left, the North Carolina PTA president, mom Shelley Rigger, Tilly, and Otha Thornton, national president of the PTA.

RALEIGH - Young Rothkos, Coppolas, and Roths have been competing in the Reflections national art competition, organized by the US Parent Teacher Association, and the winners of the state-level competition were announced April 18 at NC State University.  Several Lake Norman area students brought home awards for their entries in six categories – choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography, and visual arts – on the theme “The world would be a better place if …”

Tilly Boraks, an eighth grader at Bailey Middle School, took first place in the film production category, with her film “H8ter Blockers.” Brandi Alden of Bailey Middle School won second place in dance choreography. Madison Hopkins of J.M. Alexander Middle School took second place in literature.  Sophie Lonergan, of Huntersville Elementary, won third place in Visual Arts for K-2.

Judges picked winners based on “interpretation, artistic merit, and mastery of medium.” First-place winners  in North Carolina advance to the PTA’s national competition, where winners will be announced May 1.

You can view the Reflections celebration at the NC State website. See a list of winners below.

Special Artist Winners

Outstanding Interpretation
Marquise McCutcheon, Ashley High School, Wilmington

Awards of Merit
Kylee Bowman, T.S. Cooper Elementary School, Sunbury
Logan Coleman, Southwest Guilford Elementary, High Point
Terrell Covington, Independence High School, Charlotte
Amanda Morgan, North Rowan Middle School, Spencer
Madeline Thompson, Farmington Woods Elem. School, Cary

Dance Choreography Winners

Primary (K-2nd grade)
1st Place: Ciera Roseboro, Edwin A. Anderson Elementary School, Wilmington
2nd Place: Destiny Ballard, Pleasant Garden Elem. School, Pleasant Garden
3rd Place: Lohitha Sai Vaddem, Alston Ridge Elementary, Cary

Intermediate (3rd-5th grade)
1st Place: Emma Grace Simons, New Town Elementary School, Waxhaw
2nd Place: Chloe Webster, Walkertown Elementary School, Walkertown
3rd Place: Caroline Etheridge, Altamahaw Ossipee Elem. School, Elon

Middle
1st Place: Alexandria York, Southeast Guilford Middle School, Greensboro
2nd Place: Brandi Alden, Bailey Middle School, Cornelius
3rd Place: Nicolette Gialenios, Martin Middle School, Raleigh

Senior
1st Place: Alexandra Jones, Northern Guilford High School, Greensboro
2nd Place: Darby Adams, South Mecklenburg High School, Charlotte
3rd Place: Jenny Liu, East Chapel Hill High School, Chapel Hill

Film Production Winners

Primary (K-2nd grade)
1st Place: Fareed Selim, Green Elementary School, Raleigh
2nd Place: Anirudh Sengupta, Polo Ridge Elementary, Charlotte
3rd Place: Hanna Thigpen, Morehead Elementary School, Greensboro

Intermediate (3rd-5th grade)
1st Place: Claire Campbell, John Van Lindley Elem. School, Greensboro
2nd Place: Chelsea Chhabra, Mallard Creek Elem. School, Charlotte
3rd Place: Cameron Joslin, Alston Ridge Elementary, Cary

Lindsay Greene takes a selfie in this still from Tilly Boraks’s short film “H8TER BLOCKERS,” which won first place in North Carolina for middle school film. Click the photo to watch the video.

Middle
1st Place: Tilly Boraks, Bailey Middle School, Cornelius
2nd Place: Jackson Robins, West Lake Middle School, Apex

Senior
1st Place: Abigail Whitaker, Panther Creek High, Cary
2nd Place: Cameron Brosnan, Lucy Ragsdale High School, Jamestown

Literature Winners

Primary (K-2nd grade)
1st Place: Yao Wang, McKee Road Elementary School, Charlotte
2nd Place: Meghan Lanzi, John J. Blair Elem. School, Wilmington
3rd Place: Sophia Stevens, Peeler Open Elementary School, Greensboro

Intermediate (3rd-5th grade)
1st Place: Dylan Kuntz, Rea View Elementary School, Waxhaw
2nd Place: Tucker Samuelian, Ashley Elementary School, Fayetteville
3rd Place: Lily Brigman, Hillandale Elementary School, Durham

Middle
1st Place: Tai Nelson, East Cary Middle School, Cary
2nd Place: Madison Hopkins, J.M. Alexander Middle School, Huntersville
3rd Place: Alexis Haig, Jay M. Robinson Middle School, Charlotte

Senior
1st Place: Jonathan Bethel, R. J. Reynolds High School, Winston-Salem
2nd Place: Madison Howell, East Forsyth Senior High, Kernersville
3rd Place: Melainey Unger, Middle Creek High School, Apex

Music Composition Winners

Primary (K-2nd grade)
1st Place: Nikhil Patel, Barringer Academic Center, Charlotte
2nd Place: Lincoln Staheli, Holly Grove Elementary School, Holly Springs
3rd Place: Isobel Shiffler, Brooks Global Studies Magnet, Greensboro

Intermediate (3rd-5th grade)
1st Place: Mayah Ding, Brunson Elementary School, Winston-Salem
2nd Place: Taegan Anderson, Providence Spring Elem. School, Charlotte
3rd Place: Upasana Lamsal, Ballantyne Elementary, Charlotte

Middle
1st Place: Maylin Napier, John M. Morehead Stem Academy School, Charlotte
2nd Place: Chester Tyson, Myrtle Grove Middle School, Wilmington
3rd Place: Cameron Woody, The Academy at Lincoln, Greensboro

Senior
1st Place: Abigail Carr, Middle Creek High School, Apex
2nd Place: John Davis, Emsley Laney High School, Wilmington
3rd Place: Michael Snyder, Lucy Ragsdale High School, Jamestown

Photography Winners

Primary (K-2nd grade)
1st Place: Maggie Shannon, Sharon Elementary School, Charlotte
2nd Place: Bailey Moss, Morgan Elementary , Clemmons
3rd Place: Luke Van Winkle, Northern Elementary School, Greensboro

Intermediate (3rd-5th grade)
1st Place: Thomas Stafford, Jesse Wharton Elem. School, Greensboro
2nd Place: Kylie Nerell, New Town Elementary School, Waxhaw
3rd Place: Ava Jessup, Middle Creek Elementary School, Apex

Middle
1st Place: Maia Porzio, Myrtle Grove Middle School, Wilmington
2nd Place: Jack Miller, Jay M. Robinson Middle School, Charlotte
3rd Place: Anna Pritchard, Northview Middle School, Hickory

Senior
1st Place: Helen McGinnis, South Mecklenburg High School, Charlotte
2nd Place: Emma Thomas, Emsley Laney High School, Wilmington
3rd Place: Victoria Chan, Holly Springs High, Holly Springs

Visual Arts Winners

Primary (K-2nd grade)
1st Place: Ian Rinker, Polo Ridge Elementary, Charlotte
2nd Place: Marley Paschall, E. K. Powe Elem. School, Durham
3rd Place: Sophie Lonergan, Huntersville Elem. School, Huntersville

Intermediate (3rd-5th grade)
1st Place: Hawon Nam, Weatherstone Elementary School, Cary
2nd Place: Athaliah Arnolda, Vienna Elementary School, Pfafftown
3rd Place: Olivia Yang, Barringer Academic Center, Charlotte

Middle
1st Place: Elizabeth Yates, Myrtle Grove Middle School, Wilmington
2nd Place: Sreya Halder, The Academy at Lincoln, Greensboro
3rd Place: Makenzie Blake, Carmel Middle School, Charlotte

Senior
1st Place: Matthew Bullard, Reagan High School, Pfafftown
2nd Place: Alana Hyman, Reagan High School, Pfafftown
3rd Place: Jordan Baratta, Holly Springs High, Holly Springs

RELATED COVERAGE 

Jan. 14, 2015, “PTA Reflections winners offer ideas for a better world.”

Want to work in local public schools? Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will hold a career fair for licensed/certified positions including teachers, media specialists and counselors on Saturday, April 25, in Charlotte. Meanwhile, the annual Beginners Day for incoming kindergartners at Cornelius Elementary School will be May 4.

CMS JOB FAIR

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools job fair runs from 9am to 2pm at The Park Expo & Conference Center, 800 Briar Creek Road, Charlotte.

Schools will interview and select candidates at the fair. For more information about employment opportunities at CMS, visit http://www.cms.k12.nc.us/Jobs/Pages/default.aspx

BEGINNERS DAY AT CORNELIUS ELEMENTARY

Cornelius Elementary School will host its annual Beginners’ Day to welcome incoming kindergarteners, on Monday, May 4, at 8:45am in the media center at the school, 21126 Catawba Ave.

Because of morning car pool and bus traffic, parents and beginners are asked not to arrive before 8:45. Parking will be available in the parking lot behind the school, with entrance from the back doors. Staff will be there to direct you.

Registration is from 8:45 to 9:15, and a presentation will begin promptly at 9:15, running until 10:45. School tours will take place after the presentation.

More information, call the school at 980-343-3905.

Bailey Middle School has announced this year’s 3rd quarter A and A/B honor roll. See the list below:

8TH GRADE A HONOR ROLL

Anderson, Jordan Elizabeth
Arias, Alexander
Avva, Vishnu Dhiren
Batty, Anna Catherine
Beiler, Dylan Joseph
Breit, Gabrielle Ann
Brown, Parker Lillian
Burk, Zachary Allen
Cardwell, Brooke Elizabeth
Carlet, Jenna Caroline
Carr, Sophia Kelly
Chatham, Kristia Folger
Cimaglio, Ty Jeffrey
Claunch, Carissa
Colven, Richard Andrew
Craig, Samuel Charles
Cronkhite, Dawson Eric
Crum, Emily Ann
Cruz-Solano, Victoria O
Cunningham, Anne Erickson
D’Ovidio, Martina Angela
Dameron, Austin Edward
Dangelewicz, Maxwell William
Dehn, Jacob Alexander
Drew, Ashley Breeann
Emerson, Kayla Michellie
Evans, Johanna Elizabeth
Ferreiro, Avery Palmer
Ferrell, Faith Alexandra
Figard, Jessica Morgan
Foster, Emily Yuki
Frye, Courtney Lynn
Fulkerson, Sara Mackenzie
Goff, Danielle Rose
Greene, Lindsay Gray
Groseclose, Zachary Michael
Heiser, Jakob Edward
Helms, Sydney Leigh
Jawale, Shveta Nitin
Johnson, Kylie Gabrielle
Joyner, Olivia Jean
Keene, Grant Thomas
Lassell, Marissa Theresa
Li, Rocco Shen
Lowrance, Ella Grace
Madigan, Kyle Joseph
Mangiapane, Alexander Anthony
Manohar, Shreya
Martin, McKenzie Elizabeth
Martin, Owen Thomas
Matsukura Bernardino, Lara
McDonald, Ryan Teal
McDonnell, Alexis Sierra
McMurry, Hannah Caroline
Merk, Amber Elizabeth
Mitchell, Anna Christine
Mitchell, Emma Taylor
Mohr, John David
Montague, Ivy Rebecca
Monzavifar, Isabelle Lisa
Mossinghoff, Alexandra Marie
Myers, Payton Ingrid
Ng, Anthony Ka-Ming
Noonan, Mia Angelina
Owens, Mia Lauren
Patterson, Isabella Linnea
Paul, Genevieve
Pearson, Lindsay Alyssa
Peeler, Grayson Aaron
Powell, Paige Cleo
Price, Kasey Morgan
Price, Kayla Marie
Rink, Jonathan Andrew
Rynne, Madison Elizabeth
Satchwill, Jay Moses
Schuette, Nicholas Randall
Schwab, Addison Gail
Shanafelt, Chase Lawrence
Simmons, Anna Grace
Stuart, Liam Louis
Stull, Stephanie Erin
Talip, Marian F
Thompson, Mikaila Glen
Tilley, Taylor Lynn
Tipps, Melia Irene
Valencia Cervantes, Aily
Van Epps, Julia Chenoa
Van Every, Stella Marie
Washington, Bianca Caitlyn
Wiles, Anna Elizabeth
Wilson, Ana Greer
Wissman, Madison Marie
Woolley, Abigail Ruth
Wordsworth, Allison Michelle
Wunder, Christopher Andrew

7TH GRADE A HONOR ROLL

Ahearn, Liam Brian
Alberdi, Sebastian Nikolai
Alexander, Madalyn Grace
Anderson, Benjamin Thomas
Anderson, Dorothy Georgia
Bard, Jason Owen Dylan
Benazzouz, Kenza
Bezek, Riley Ann
Bourdon, Andrea Celine
Bright, Albert
Cabuco, Jasmin Alexis
Carnahan, Maria Nicole
Carroll, Mary
Colven, Alexandra Davan
Cronan, Conor Fitzgerald
Esposito, Morgan
Eyler, Caleb Seth
Fegley, Veronica Marie Richards
Ficara, Grace Madeline
Fulton, Ella Marie
Graham, Johnathan Marshall
Guerry, Alana Ruth
Haponik, Caitlyn Ann
Hatley, Grant Mitchell
Hausler, Claudine Ellen
Helein, Cameron Dean
Hoppe, Kailey Grace
Jackson, Allison Parker
King, Cameron Lee
Leeman, Julia Michelle
Leeman, Sophia Marie
Loreto, Juan David
Mabry, Edward Rhett
Mahoney, Erica Rose
Markovics, Sydney Nolan
Massengill, Riley Elizabeth
Matthews, Hailey Savannah
Maye, Beau Sockwell
McCune, Tyler Thomas
McHugh, Meghan C
McRee, Lily Grace
Miller, Gabriel Alexander
Mills, Josah Claire
Motley, Paiton Braxton
Nicodeme, Leila J
Olson, Lyndis Elizabeth
Payne, Rees Wilson
Peeler, Blake Ashlyn
Pennella, Nicholas Anthony
Poe, Abigail Lee
Price, Kristin Hope
Qiu, Jenny
Rainey, Sloane Elizabeth
Ramanata, Emily Grace
Reeves, Katherine Brittain
Riemer, Sydney Marie
Rink, Sydney Ellyn
Rippner, Lily Ann
Roper, Kaitlyn Louise
Rush, Riley Catherine
Shubert, Ryan Thomas
Smith, Andrew William
Sutton, Morgan Liles
Uglehus, Hannah Marie
Underwood, Parker John
Vance, Sydney Megan
Weber, Kelly Grace
Wells, Alec Edward
Wendt, Christopher Riley
Wentz, Lauren Elizabeth
Williams, Christopher Stephen

6TH GRADE A HONOR ROLL

Acton Yanez, Amelie Gabrielle Cristina
Alicandri, Mia Lyn
Allred, Warner Lewis
Anselmo, Emilee April
Asken, William Xavier
Avva, Meera Anjali
Baker, Ethan Dale
Bane, Madeleine Ryan
Batty, Erin Marie
Baumstark, Logan Conrad
Benazzouz, Kira
Benedict, Sarah Lynn
Blackwell, Kylie Morgan
Bledsoe, Laura Claire
Boatsman, Eva Grace
Bodhale, Ayush Rohit
Boozer, Alexander
Bouhussein, Jenna Elizabeth
Bowles, Blake Mitchell
Brezeault, Alexa Raeven
Butler, Karson Savannah
Carmichael, Merritt Holland
Chamberlain, Charles Raymond
Chason, Carolyn Patteson
Chason, Casey Franklin
Combs, Mary Elizabeth
Cornett, Abigail Elizabeth
Crawford, Chloe Virginia
Cusick, Jack Christopher
Cusick, Patrick James
Dangelewicz, Ethan Charles
Daya, Jaiden Rajesh
Denchfield, Ashley Kate
Dixon, Allie Kathryn
Dorney, Luke Jordan
Dyer, Savannah Rhay
Earhart, Emily Grace
Ellenburg, Tyler Thomas
Ennis, Jackson Tyler
Evans, Aiden Michael
Fitzgibbons, Scott Harrison
Fragale, Gavin Angelo
Frederick, Leyton Thomas
Frye, Thomas Joseph
Gibson, Layne Elizabeth
Graham, Samuel Burke
Green, Alexander Elias
Green, Ryleigh Madison
Greene, Riley Gumm
Griffin, Jonathan Finn
Gundlach, Dorothea Young
Hanley, Amaya Armant
Hauser, Anastasia Myria
Hayes, Erin
Hefner, Claire Olivia
Heiser, Nikolaus Marshall
Hirsch, Meghan Riley
Holder, Erin Elizabeth
Hudson, Ann Michael Marie
Husakiwsky, Luke Mason
Ingram, Samantha Lark
James, Henry David
Jewell, Elijah Henry
Johnson, Caden Matthew
Kaufman-Bell, David Michael
Kirby, Thomas Graham
Kniple, Carter Howell
Krebs, Evan Alexander
Kufner, Alexander Jack
Laken, Samuel Richard
Lamb, Holland Marie
Linkner, Jacob Collin
Madigan, Jacy Lauren
Mangiapane, Ryan William
Maye, Drake Lee
McCroskey, Jayden Ryan
McDonald, Lydia Grace
McDowell, Reilly Price
McLennan, Sydney Lea
Mechling, Chloe Elizabeth
Mihailovic, Tara
Minarik, Sydney Christine
Miyares, Madelyn Norrell
Mok, Ayana EstherMarie
Mull, Brody Jay
Mushyakov, Joseph
Navola, Josephine Marie
Noonan, Emma Victoria
Nuijens, Catherine Faith
Olivares, Karen Alexandra
Osteen, Luke Emilton
Pegram, Samia Jane
Perry, Taylor Marie
Phillips, Alyssa Paige
Phocas, Caroline Mangan
Poole, Camden McKenna
Poulton, Sophie Jean
Ray, Kylie
Reinhart, Tess Marie
Riehl, Calen James
Rojas, Melanie
Rooney, Sofia Elena
Rouse, Jack Douglas
Sanders, Justin Jarrett
Scavo, Kyle Thomas
Schmidt, Dakota Hunter
Schmitt, Kylie Kay
Seeber, Jacob Buckley
Sell, Madelyn Julia
Shanafelt, Olivia Joan
Shelton, Colby James
Shivakumar, Dheepikha
Siggins, Paige Frances
Sparks, Kylie Gabrielle
Stanula, Richard John
Steger, Paige Elizabeth
Stenger, Peter Anthony
Stone, Hailey Gaudoin
Swartz, Caroline Elizabeth
Szluk, Bridget Elizabeth Te
Tay, Matthew Jiaxiang
Topp, Ryan Joseph
Tsui, Morgan Ashley
Varga, Beau Michael
Wachter, Mia Renee
Welch, Justin Alec
Whiteside, Alexandra Marie
Whittington, Mason Calvert
Wood, Caroline Callan

8TH GRADE A/B HONOR ROLL

Adams, Lydia Olympia
Agudelo-Florez, Tatiana
Amberge, Alyssa Lynn
Arceneaux, Ella Grace
Bailey, Mary Kaitlynn
Baker, Christopher Burgess
Ballance, Breanna Marie
Ballew, Colin David
Banez, Matthew Cooper
Barnes, Jada Nicole
Boraks, Mathilde Elizabeth Ri
Borkowski, Zachary John
Boyer, Allison Adele
Bragg, Liliana Grace
Brownell, Kyle Francis
Buker, Robert Hutchinson
Burger, Kendall Leigh
Butler, Thomas Cley
Cabrejos, Fabritzzio Antonio
Camelio, Kristen Sierra
Carlen, Klarissa Irene
Carpenter, Jonathan Weaver
Carper, Rachel Marie
Chason, Charles Clay
Chiasera, Taylor Rey
Clark, Ahna
Clary, Addison Nell
Cloninger, Reagan Elise
Coreas, Jossue Jeremias
Coupal, Kevin Thomas
Cowie, Ryan Ford
Cramblette, Cassidee Marie
D’Avignon, Carly Anne
Dahlem, Jill Elizabeth
Davison, Ryder Devin
Dean, Harrison Stephen
DeMarcus, Spencer Cole
Deneroy, Noelle
DePaolis, Malena Marie
DeWolfe, Emily Michelle
Dietrich, Samantha Lee
Dyer, Sabrina Grace
Edwards, Sarah Ross
Ellenburg, Jackson Robert
Engel, John James
Evans, Kennedy Grace
Faraj, Daniel Wail
Fellinger, John Patrick
Fernald, Taylor Nicole
Galloway, Brody William
Gardner, Jordan Reid
Garrison, Andrew Thomas
Garza Ramos, Nereida
Gay, Lauren Lindsay
Gibson, Anna Grace
Gijon, Elizabeth
Golino, Isabella Nicole
Gomez, Tatiana Isabel
Graves, Evan Randall
Greenawalt, Allison Marie
Greene, Clayton Alan
Griffin, Ella Marie
Groulx, Nolan Matthew
Hall, Asia Jaylie
Hallman, Colby Brent
Hankins, Kate Marcella
Hanse, Emma Faith
Hansen, Jolee
Hayes, Kelly
Hennessey, Kelly Ann
Higdon, Nathaniel Carter
Hoehaver, Morgan Rileigh
Holjak, Grace A
Imes, Alexis Sara Elizabeth
Ingraham, Jackson Taylor
Jackson, David Tyrone
Jansen, Nathalie Maria
Jimenez Bautista, Joselinn
Karriker, Anabella Rose
King, Ethan Kennedy
Klein, John Maxwell
Klusty, Jacqueline Kay
Klusty, Madeline Ann
Lamb, Jackson Augustus
Lambert, Barrett Taylor
Lane, Jadon Ray
Lasure, Julia Jordan
Lewis, Camden James
Lewis, Gavin James
Lifsey, Anna Elizabeth
Link, Charlotte Louise
Mahon, Jocelin McKenna
Marshall, Wesley Robert
McCann, Olivia H
McDonough, Natalie Jeanne
McGahan, Cadhan Michael
McGinnis, Holden Roark
McHenry, Jennifer Louise
McKelvey, Megan Eileen
Meaney, Molly Rose
Meeks, Brandon William
Miller, Shannon Mildred
Mitchell, James Grady
Mojica, Madison Alexis
Moore, Kathryn Elizabeth
Moran, Conor John
Moreno Loreto, Jorge Alejandro
Murphy, Ethan Eldon
Myers, Hannah Marie
Nadeau, Claire
Nestor, Sydney Jo
Newsome, Brooke Ashleigh
Noriega, Lyndsay O’Neal
Noyes, Christopher Blake
O’Donnell, Riley Tess
Opie, John
Padilla Bonelli, Isabel Annette
Patel, Jhanvi Udit
Pathak, Anarghya
Pattie, Alexis
Paynter, Ryan Neville
Peadon, Isabella Mary
Peeler, Jazlyn Riley
Peterson, Maria Lou
Phillips, Hayden Chase
Powell, Reilly Wilson
Pressley, Jordyn Taylor
Pruss, Ellen
Rainey, Ford
Reeves, Savannah Noel
Rhodes, Megan Michelle
Rice, Chloe Elizabeth
Riehl, Paige Caroline
Rock, Breanna Noell
Ross, Kayla Gabriella
Salber, Benjamin Jeffrey
Samuelson, Olivia Grace
Sayers, Cameron Justin
Scarfpin, Remini Rae
Schriefer, Sarah Marie
Schutte, Victoria Lauren
Sherwood, Hannah Grace
Shreves, MaKayla Aelizabeth Star
Shuford, Asheleigh Maudae
Simmons, Taylor Grace
Sincock, Richard Andrew
Sittler, Rachel Emily
Skinner, Meghan Burke
Sliney, Timothy Nathan
Smith, Larry Marcel Alexander
Smithwick, Ava Wright
Snyder, Preston Thomas
Srisaguan, Lauren Mali
Stalun, Kincade Garett
Standish, Richard Shea
Steele, Seth Landis
Stevens, Alyssa Marie
Stewart, Autumn Brin
Stewart, Lexi Logan
Story, John Leon
Stuart, Graham Tyler
Swanner, Sam Lawrence
Thorsheim, Jacob Loken
Tian, Jiawen
Tinkler, Laura Ellen
Tischer, Katherine Leth
Treon, Madilyn Isabelle
Umstead, Jordyn
Van Rossen, Blake Daniel
Vance, Mallory Noelle
Wade, Mary Margaret
Wallace, Christina Bess
Ward, Elizabeth Rose
Webster, Grace Mary Elizabeth
Welborn, Logan Dean Nguyen
Whisenant, Mary Grace
Williams, Login Marie
Williams, Sarah Leslie
Wilson, Jameka Monet
Wilson, Jazlyn Monet
Wolfram, Riley Margaret
Woolever, Raine Michael
Wooley, Kayla Mae
Yang, William Hotaek
Zimmerman, Isabella Brooke
Zuniga, Angelo Sanjiv
Zuraf, Rene’ Julie
Abedi, Elizabeth Maral

7TH GRADE A/B HONOR ROLL

Ackerman, Austin Spencer
Adams, Nicholas Alexander
Alberdi, Penelope Natassja
Alexander, Anne Meredith
Alpizar Gaspar, Jairo
Alvarez, Michelle Marie
Anderson, Elaina Kristine
Ayers, Makayla Leigh
Baer, Ryan Christopher
Baker, Willa Katherine An
Barefoot, Owen Daniel
Barnes, Simone Marie
Barozzino, Noah David
Barrington, Marah Dey
Bell, Katie Lynn
Bell, Nia Joi
Benjamin, Hunter Eric
Berlinski, Jacob
Bishop, Jolie Alexandra
Bissette, Jackson Taylor
Bjork, Jackson Lewis
Bonnes, Madison Marie
Borland, Samantha
Boyd, Kasey
Brickers, Hunter Andreas
Brown, Charles Keegan
Butcher, Jeffrey Elwood
Butterfield, Avery Leigh
Calder, Loren Nicole
Canady, Morgan Nicole
Carpenter, Peyton Cook
Cassarino, Nicholas Manuel
Castoral, Eleanor Grace
Coleman, Matthew James
Conrad, William Jackson
Coulson, Kylie Marie
Cronan, Caitlin McLean
Cruz-Solano, Gabriella O
Cummings, Meredith Brooke
Davis, Mitchell Ethan
Doo, Angel Chia Fung
Duquesne, Bryce Robert
Durkee, Tyler Rae
Efaw, Isabella Connor
Eisen, Samantha Charlene
Foreman, Luke Ryan
Fournet, Trevor William
Fox, Grace Nicole
Fread, Kate Elizabeth
Galloway, Bella Grace
Gardner, Blaire Marie
Gentry, Gambill Colvard
Gerardi, Robert Vito
Gimbel, Matthew Dean
Gordon, Preston Scott
Graham, Timothy Hugh
Haas, Alexander Thomas
Harvey, Brandon Stephen
Healey, Samuel Patrick
Heareth, Ryan Richard
Hertel, Cecelia Tess
Hettiarachchi, Lara Evelyn Upaksha
Hill, Delaney Alexandra
Hogeboom, Payton Emily
Jeffrey, Adam Scott
Johnson, Christopher Neil
Kankipati, Mugdhameghana Nityanand
Kaspersen, Tyler Christopher
Kelly, Anna Katherine
Klemp, Caroline Elizabeth
Koran, Katlyn Rose
Krajnik, Stella Victoria
Kyei-Fordjour, Kwesi
Laminack, Austin Christopher
Law, Christopher Jerel
Lilly, Mackenzie Alexandra
Lopes, Sofia
Lorenz, Steven David
Lowe, Kenneth Robert
Mack, Terrah Elaine
Mann, Meghan Lucille
Maple, Wesley Patrick
Martin, Haley Caroline
Marts, Skylar Mackenzie
Mason, Christopher Paul
McCahill, Nikole
McCloskey, Robert Reece
McGoldrick, Daniel Robert
McSwain, Colby Thomas
Meintzer, Emily Kathleen
Menkhaus, Hannah Kaisa
Merrigan, Michael Sean
Michelone, Juliana Rose
Miller, Parker Ryan
Mitchiner, Matthew Dylan
Modrow, Kate Elizabeth
Monteith, Breckyn Jolene
Monteleone, Lindsey Rose
Moore, Faith LeeAnn
Mroz, Anna Katherine
Mullis, Karlie Marie
Murphy, Brendan Joseph
Noble, Dillon Christopher
Nunley, Laura Jane
O’Farrell, Abbie Elizabeth
O’Gara, Keilyn Jade
Orbe, Trystan Decha
Page, Carson Reilly
Paras, Azriela F
Parker, James Cameron
Pazos, Andres E
Perez, Christopher Joseph
Plattner, Jacob Thomas
Precht, Kayla Marie
Ready, Robert Henry
Reeder, Hanna Lynn
Regan, Zachary John
Reppe, Michael Tyler
Revels, Kamryn Belle
Rodriguez, Ashley Brittany
Ruggiero, Francesca Genevieve
Rynne, Molly Paige
Rynne, Sean Patrick
Sabido, Justin Isaac
Savino, Eric Michael
Seidman, Joshua Micah
Shryock IV, John Edward
Siggins, Kyle Davis
Simma, Alexandria Elizabeth
Simmel, Amy Helen
Simples, James Edward
Sims, Alanna Jessica
Smith, Dylan Robert
Smith, Keeley Grace
Snead, Eliza Nicole
Stanley, John Alan
Stevens, Charisma Lindsey
Stevens, Leah Danielle
Strother, Dylan Mitchell
Stuart, Elle Makenna
Sturtz, Ava Grace
Taylor, Tiana Isabella
Trainum, Benjamin Thomas
Varga, Jordan Michelle
Watson, Brooke Mandi
Westervelt, Isabella Rose
Whitaker, Charles Thomas
Wissell, Lea Grace

6TH GRADE A/B HONOR ROLL

Aguilar, Dylan Matthew
Alfino, Bryce Jackson Baker
Allegrati, Brett Dominic
Anderson, Emma Caroline
Ayers, Casey Justin
Baldwin, Jaelynn Isaiah
Bartlett, Mason Riley
Beresnoy, Dylan Jeremy
Blanco Rios, Brenda Geraldine
Bolick, Caden Beck
Bolton, Eleanor Lindsay
Borland, Alexandra Nicole
Bourdon, Maria Carmen
Bowen, Nathan Michael
Brammer, Benjamin David
Broadway, Sydney Lauren
Browning, Hannah Paige
Buchan, Andra Kay
Buckhalton, Matthew Alexander
Burge, Ty Austin
Burns, Mason Henry
Burr, Benjamin Garrett
Busse, Carter Robert
Butcher, Andrew Allen
Cabuco, Hunter Raylee
Carpinelli, Deanna Lynn
Cashion, Emerson Folger
Castoria, Dylan Joseph
Chuilli, Annabelle Jean
Clapp, Parker Elias
Colbert, Nathan Ryan
Collier, Audrey Elise
Colon, Brianna Nicole
Contes, Evan
Corcione, Rachael Gianna
Cordova-Flores, Joselyn
Cox, Robert Danny
Crawford, Max Preston
Davy, Aidan Christopher
Daya, Daren Rajesh
Dempski, Joseph Andrew
Dennehy, Sabrina Jeanne
Dennis, Susanna Isabelle
Denny, Jackson Hunter
Densmore, Ryan Thomas
Despenas, Maxium Avery
Dibenedictis, Drew Mario
Dixon, Caleb Alexander
Dodd, Paloma Isabel
Doyle, Keara G
Dunker, Lucy Lane
Endrws, Sarah
Evans, Lauren Jean
Feira, Andrew Paul
Fisher, Cheylan Jean
Folk, Olivia Catherine
Ford, Zariah Adia
Forney, Isaiah Hakeem
Frahm, Gabriel James
Fuerst, Joshua Cullen
Fuller, Mackenzie
Funderburk, William Michael
Gais, Grant Charleston
Garcia, Fernando Ismael
Gardner, Anna Kathryn
Garris, Elizabeth Jane
Gay, Christopher Ryan
Goff, Korina Marie
Gorman, Benjamin Rivers
Grady, Jessica Sky
Hajrullahu, Blinera
Hardy, Jakobi Amiri
Harrington, Katherine Lynn
Hauser, Ella Victoria
Herbster, Callihan Riley
Hession, Madeleine Maire
Higdon, Benjamin Lowell
Hilliard, Mariama Michele
Hollen, Caleb Wilson
Hopkins, Peyton Alexis
Huertas, Cameron Elias
Hull, Dillon Reeves
Illingworth, Jacob Timothy
Ingraham, Caroline Elizabeth
Jacobson, Hunter Lee
Jenkins, Riley Scott
Johnstone, Gavin Brevard
Kastel, William Lee
Keene, Paige Charlotte
Kemp, Keiara Jordyn
Kern, Briana Elizabeth
Kimbrell, Garrett Wade
Kinney, James Cole
Kleckner, Richard Chase
Kmieciak, Jackson Lee
Lauder, Jillian Beth
Lemke, Madison Irene
Lewis, Sydney Brooke
Liles, Hayley Alexis
Logan, Alexis Jean
Lopez-Quinones, Isabella Caridad
MacDonald, William Stanley
Maglietto, Thomas Joseph
Major, Jordan Mary
Mallozzi, Brianna Elizabeth
Markle, Carlee Kay
McCune, Peyton Elizabeth
McElroy, Savannah Belle
McMillen, Bryce Gray
McNeilis, Alexis Rae
Merson, Adeline Elisabeth
Misch, Abigail Grace
Montgomery, Paige Madison
Moody, Janyia DeAsia
Moody, Miles Campbell
Napoli-Roose, Brandon Xsavior
Nguyen, Ngan Kim
Nieves, Kayleah Marie
Notte, Matisse Suter
O’Donnell, Sullivan Patrick
Oltremari, Emma Reece
Orbe, Isabella
Owens, Savannah Rose
Pallo, Grant Emery
Patterson, Rebecca Coral
Patterson, Todd Andrew
Pearce, Aryana Lexi
Pennington, Alivia Rose
Perkins, Colin Michael
Pomeranz, Nir
Quattlebaum, Addisyn Marie
Ramirez, Giselle Yamilet
Regan, Ethan William
Rice, Anna Christel
Ridenour, Matthew McCain
Robinette, Magdalene Grace
Robinson, Nathan Gage
Rouleau, Hunter Michael
Schoolfield, Andrew Garrett
Schroeder, Anna Ruth
Shaw, Austin Dean
Shryock, Nicholas Payne
Sielaff, Yzabella Kai
Smith, Evan Timothy
Smith, Madison Lynn
Stadler, Benjamin Alexander
Staton, Alexander Francis
Sullivan, Kailee Shea
Sutton, Emma Grace
Sutton, Grant Martin
Taboada, Mia Angelina
Taylor, Gabriel Francis
Taylor, Hannah Lee
Tischer, Michael James Leth
Tiwari, Shia Andrea Nikol
Tonyan, Caitlyn Marie
Trimble, Alec James
Turner, Jayden Michael
Underwood, Emily Noelle
Vernile, Hannah Rae
Wade, Jake Anderson
Wagenknecht, Ryder Paul
Walker, Caleb Gregory
Walker, Hadley Shea
Warren, Shelby Caroline
Weil, Sasha Elizabeth
Whitaker, Gabriel Paul
White, Lacey Nicole
Wigren, Sarah Ruo Xia
Wilkins, Taylor Marie
Williams, Madison Godoy
Wilson, Samuel Towle
Wonzer, Victoria Alexandra
Wood, Carson Alan
Wood, John Dalton
Wunder, Matthew Jonathan
Yang, Serina
Yingst, Abigail Lily

From top left, clockwise: Zander Milburn, Chase Buback, Emmy Belloni, Jackie Jewel.

What do Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, Rachel Carson, and the Wright brothers have in common? They were all chosen as topics by Woodlawn School students who will compete in the National History Day competition at College Park, Maryland June 14-18.

Seventh grader Jackie Jewel won first place for her paper “Yuri Gagarin: A Leader in Space Flight.” Eighth grader Emmy Belloni took home second place for a website about Rachel Carson. Ninth graders Chase Bubak and Zander Milburn, meanwhile, took home the second place prize for their website about the Wright Brothers.

Middle and high school students from across the country submitted papers, documentaries, websites, and other exhibits as part of this year’s National History Day competition, which had the theme “Leadership and Legacy in History.” The four Woodlawn students’ performance in the state-wide competition means that they are advancing to the national-level competition.

Woodlawn students are regulars in the state-level National History Day competitions, and in 2014 Jake Johnson and Quinn Schneider also advanced to the national finals (May 2, 2014, “Woodlawn students excel with National History Day projects”)

For more information about the National History Day competition, go to www.nhd.org.

Cornelius Elementary School has announced its “A” and “A/B” honor rolls for the third quarter, for students in third to fifth grades.