Randolph recognizes student endeavors

May 20--ASHEBORO -- A standing room only crowd of students, staff and family members filled the Central Services board room Monday evening for the recognition of many Randolph County School System students for their accomplishments.

The recognitions came at the start of the Randolph County Board of Education regular meeting and lasted for 45 minutes of the hour-long open session. They included 11 STAR3 students, the last group of a total of 93 honored during the 2013-14 school year, plus Junior Federal Duck Stamp art competition and Career and Technical Education student organization state winners and the top Battle of the Books teams.

Several Seagrove and Southmont elementary students won state awards in the Junior Federal Duck Stamp Art Competition. Kaylee Maness of Seagrove was a third-place winner.

Honorable mention awards went to Seagrove Elementary students Julie Johnston, Haley Lawson, Keziah McKee and Rylie Welch and Southmont Elementary students Kaitlyn Gainey, Aby Jaimes, Brittany Locklear, Aranya Mahueang and Kearns Trotter. Their art teacher is Mary Ellen Robinson, whose students take part in the annual competitions.

Also, Madison Burton of Providence Grove High School won an honorable mention.

At Monday's meeting, the students were presented with certificates of appreciation and their original artwork. All students recognized received certificates from board members and had their picture taken.

The Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest integrates art and science to teach environmental science and habitat conservation through art. The first-place national winning design is used to create a Federal Junior Duck Stamp each year. Proceeds from the sale of Junior Duck Stamps, which cost $5 and are available at the post office, support conservation education by providing awards and scholarships for the students, teachers and schools participating in the program.

Four high school students were honored for winning state awards which entitle them to participate in national competition.

Three won top awards in the the Future Business Leaders of America competition and will take part in the national event June 29-July 2 in Nashville, Tenn.Deniz Agar of Trinity won first place in Networking Concepts. Two Providence Grove students won second in their divisions, Cole Bohnsack, Business Math, and Sayge Cullop, Insurance & Risk Management.

Jordan Perry of Southwestern Randolph won first in the Tools Identification division of the state SkillsUSA competition and will participate in the national event June 23-27 in Kansas City.

The winners of the Elementary and Middle School Battles of the Books were honored.

Southmont Elementary's team won the Elementary School Battle of the Books in which 14 county elementary schools competed. Team members included Caitlyn Currigan, Hunter Epps, Jared Hardison, Caleb Hurley, Kara Jones, Lillie Justice, Emily Maerz, Joseph Phetmixay, Kristen Phillips, Caitlin Ward and Annie York. The team was coached by Kalie Berry-Wilson and Brittany Packer.

All seven county middle schools participated in the middle school event won by Southeastern Randolph Middle. Team members included Nina Brown, Bradley Cox, Daisy Cuna, Brooklyn Langley, Chloe Monninger, Sean Sasser, Sharon Scott and Ashley Shackelford. Coaches were Scarlet Auman and Doris Burrow.

Randolph County Farm Bureau representatives were honored for the board's donation of a copy of "The Beeman" to all 17 county elementary schools as part of its agriculture education mission. The book introduces students to honeybees and pollinators.

Donna Callahan was announced as the school system's Outstanding Secondary Mathematics Teacher for 2014. She teaches sixth-grade math at Braxton Craven School.

Prior to the regular meeting, the Central Services board room was also filled to capacity, with a smaller standing room only crowd, for the recognition of 2014 Distinguished Educators and Outstanding Employees from each of the school district's 31 schools and Special Honors for systemwide awards.

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