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Good News from the Etowah Zone!

Check out the latest good news from schools in the Etowah Innovation Zone (Etowah High, E.T. Booth Middle and Bascomb, Boston, Clark Creek STEM and Oak Grove Fine Arts Elementary Schools)…

Check out the latest good news from schools in the Etowah Innovation Zone (Etowah High, E.T. Booth Middle and Bascomb, Boston, Clark Creek STEM and Oak Grove Fine Arts Elementary Schools)…

 

Etowah High School

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Three Etowah High School students have earned National Merit Scholarships Corporation Corporate-Sponsored Merit Scholarships: Miranda Dominick -- Lockheed Martin Corporation Foundation Scholarship; Patricia Gerth -- Macy’s Inc. Scholarship; and Matthew Kern -- OMNOVA Solutions Foundation, Inc. Scholarship.

 

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The NMSC Corporate-Sponsored Merit Scholarships are supported by about 240 corporations, company foundations and businesses, and by NMSC's own funds.  Sponsors may offer renewable awards that cover as long as four years of undergraduate study or one-time scholarships that provide a single payment upon enrollment.   

 

Committees of NMSC professional staff choose winners by reviewing each eligible candidate’s: academic record, essay, demonstrated leadership in school and community activities, and a high school official's recommendation.  Students become eligible for NMSC scholarships by taking the PSAT; of the 1.5 million students who take the test, some 50,000 with the highest scores qualify for possible recognition in the National Merit Scholarship Program… 15,000 are named semi-finalists and 8,000 are named finalists and earn a Merit Scholarship, which include Corporate-Sponsored, College-Sponsored or National Merit $2,500 Scholarships.

 

An Etowah High School teacher and one of her students have won top awards from the Hispanic Heritage Foundation.

 

Claudia Larrotta in a ceremony on Dec. 9 at Georgia Tech was presented the Hispanic Heritage Innovative Educator Award by the Foundation and the Association of Latino Administrators & Superintendents. 

 

The award, sponsored by Qlovi, honors an educator who has made an impact in his or her community.

 

“More than a personal achievement, this award is certainly a recognition to Etowah High School staff for all the hard work and dedication to the education of the young leaders of today,” Ms. Larrotta said.

Ms. Larrotta was nominated by student, David Morrison, who was selected by the Hispanic Heritage Foundation as one of its Atlanta Regional Hispanic Heritage Youth Award winners.

 

David was honored at the same ceremony as the Gold winner in the Engineering & Mathematics division sponsored by ExxonMobil.

 

Fifteen high school seniors from metro Atlanta were honored in various divisions for their leadership in the classroom and community.  Each student received a grant for either their education, or to fund an idea or community project to encourage “actionable leadership.”  The winning students were selected from thousands of applicants; the average GPA for the winners is nearly a 4.0.

 

Etowah High School this holiday season continued its annual “Shop with an Eagle” program.  The program, which now raises more than $17,000 a year, allows students to take 40 elementary school students from the Etowah Innovation Zone shopping for presents for themselves and their families.  Each child also is provided with bags of canned food for their family.

 

The Etowah High School marching band was featured in the 2013 Children's Christmas Parade in Atlanta on Dec. 7, 2013.  The Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta event was televised live.  The Etowah Eagle Band is directed by Michael K. Foxworth Sr. and is raising funds through the Etowah High School Foundation for new uniforms for 2014.

 

E.T. Booth Middle School

Eagle Mountain recently celebrated the newest addition to its campus with a dedication ceremony for the new/replacement E.T. Booth Middle School.

 

The festivities included remarks by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank R. Petruzielo, School Board Chair Janet Read and Principal Dawn Weinbaum and a presentation by PTA Co-Presidents Kellie Bonniwell and Lil Hoepfinger.  The school’s chorus and band performed, and students Nick Slacanin and Abigale Montgomery spoke.   

 

“As you all know, E.T. Booth Middle School was in great need of replacement due to its size and age,” Dr. Petruzielo told the audience of students, parents and staff.  “We deeply appreciate the support of the entire community in seeing the dream of opening a true middle school on Eagle Mountain – one that is able to accommodate students in grades 6-8 -- become reality!”

 

This new state-of-the-art school not only provides adequate space, a more efficient design and additional technology, but the grades 6-8 configuration also enables sixth-graders to access more advanced core classes and a wider variety of electives through “Connections” classes that expose them to various possible career paths.

 

In addition to Board Chair Janet Read, Vice Chair Robert Wofford and Board Members Patsy Jordan, Rick Steiner and Rob Usher attended the ceremony.

 

“We are very proud of E.T. Booth Middle School and all of its terrific Falcons who are already soaring to the highest levels of teaching and learning!” Dr. Petruzielo said.

 

Bascomb Elementary School

Bascomb Elementary School has collected donations this holiday season for the Cherokee County Animal Shelter and hat, gloves and jackets in addition to its Giving Tree that provides gifts for less fortunate families.

 

Students donated blankets, towels, liquid soap, hand sanitizer and food and toys for the dogs and cats at the Animal Shelter.

 

“The students at Bascomb responded in a big way for the need of supplies,” Principal Ruth Flowers said.  “The Cherokee County Animal Shelter was extremely appreciative of the efforts of Bascomb Elementary.” 

 

Boston Elementary School

Boston Elementary School students spread goodwill this holiday season by distributing gifts of blankets, hats, gloves, scarves and holiday cards to needy elderly neighbors and by caroling at local nursing homes.  

 

Boston Elementary School Chorus members felt like super stars after performing with hundreds of other fourth- and fifth-graders from around the state.  Eighty-nine schools sent their top six singers to rehearse and perform together at the Georgia Music Educators Association’s 30th Statewide Elementary Honor Chorus recently held in Jonesboro.  The six singers selected from Boston Elementary’s 65-member chorus to represent the school were: Mackenzie Martin, Grace Brauchler, Alyssa Nicholson, Maya Gibbons, Sameer Mohammed and Klivert Many.

 

Clark Creek Elementary School STEM Academy

Clark Creek Elementary School STEM Academy students this holiday season collected toys for the U.S. Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots drive, and the Student Council sold snowman ornaments to raise money to assist students in need.

 

Noted national education expert Dr. Carol Ann Tomlinson visited Clark Creek ES STEM Academy on Tuesday to work with teachers and support staff on differentiated instruction techniques.  She shared her expertise and encouraged CCES teachers to utilize expanded flexibility in differentiated instructional approaches that support the needs of all learners. 

 

“Dr. Tomlinson provides teachers with relevant and meaningful examples of differentiation at various levels that promote high student engagement and achievement by all students,” Principal Dr. Jennifer Scrivner said.  “Her expertise and knowledge enables teachers to recognize there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to teaching making differentiation of the curriculum  a logical response to the needs of any learner.”

 

Clark Creek Elementary School STEM Academy’s three robotics teams all won trophies at a recent FIRST LEGO League competition held at Mill Creek Middle School against a field of 20 teams.  FIRST LEGO League is a robotics program for 9 to 14 year olds that’s designed to excite them about science and technology and teach them employment and life skills.

 

The Righteous Robots won the Presentation Trophy for their presentation and invention to help New Zealand survive a tsunami; the team is: Micah Brooks, Mikayla Kaufmann, Drew Logan, Kendrick Milam, Sarah Oburu, Anthony Pedraza, Eden Price, Sylvia Rickett, Nicole Rivera and Amelia Ryan and Coaches Elaine Hansard and Kim Harrison

 

The BrickMasters won the Research Trophy for their research and invention to help Rochester, NY survive a blizzard; the team is: Aidan Cumby, Emily Faulkner, Amelia Ganues, Hamza Khan, Ashley Lago, Zack Laur, Korbin Roberson, Noah Sherman, Deven Spencer and Owen Tarpley and Coaches Teresa Bailey and Debbie O’Brien.

 

The RoboHawks did the best by placing third overall in the competition (Robotics, Core Values, Robot Design and Project) and will compete at a Super Regional Competition on Jan. 11; the team is: Bobby Ashley, Kiera Bass, Basia Coleman, Liam Cruttenden, Ramon Mandujana, Colin Pentecost, Alex Smith, Sophia Stewart, Daniel Varnell and Kain Watson and Coaches Cindy Reeves and Nina Eidson.

 

Oak Grove Elementary School Fine Arts Academy

Kim Fisher, PTA President for Oak Grove Elementary School Fine Arts Academy and a member of its School Council, has been named a Georgia Parent Leadership Award winner.

 

She is one of only six recipients of this statewide award and will be recognized during the 2014 Georgia Family Engagement Conference that will be held Jan. 9-11, 2014 at the Classic Center in Athens.

 

The annual award, which is presented by the Georgia Department of Education and Georgia PTA, recognize parents for their outstanding leadership in creating a foundation of support for student achievement and success. The GaDOE and GA PTA created the award to recognize parents across Georgia who use their skills and talents to strengthen schools and positively impact the lives of children.  The award also hopes to inspire all parents to use their unique talents, no matter how big or small, to lead the way in building positive outcomes for all children.

 

Recipients are nominated by school principals and/or other school personnel.

 

Oak Grove Elementary School Fine Arts Academy this holiday season has assisted more than 60 families through its charitable program in conjunction with local partners.

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