Wheeler High School senior Darpan Patel was recently highlighted on ajc.com’s ‘Get Schooled’ blog. Patel is a student at Wheeler’s magnet program, the Center for Advanced Studies in Science, Mathematics, and Technology and is active in many extracurricular activities at the school.

Patel is one of only three regional finalists from Georgia in the 2009 Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology. The competition recognizes remarkable talent early on, fostering individual growth for high school students who are willing to challenge themselves through science research. Through this competition, students have an opportunity to achieve national recognition for science research projects that they complete in high school.

Fifty-nine students from nine Cobb high schools were among the semifinalists for the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Program. The number of semifinalists named in each state is in proportion to its percentage of the national total of high school graduating seniors and is based on performance on the 2008 Preliminary SAT. The number of semifinalists named in each state is in proportion to its percentage of the national total of high school graduating seniors and is based on performance on the 2008 Preliminary SAT. Cobb’s representatives are:

Campbell High School
Nisha R. Bhat
Kirill P. Makarenko
Tanmayi S. Pai
Nuwan D. Perera

Harrison High School
Brian M. Chandler
Caitlin E. Dunnington

Kell High School
Timothy R. Kimbrough
Elena S. Salerno

Kennesaw Mountain High School
Christopher E. Ammerman
David E. Carroll
John B. Clay
Anna E. Willis

Lassiter High School
Kevin D. Ankerholz
Kathryn V. Crane
Emily K. Kehner
Michael C. Wilson

North Cobb High School
Jesse P. Riggs

Pope High School
Ally M. Hangartner
Pierce D. Owen
Andrew S. Payson

Sprayberry High School
Beryl G. Fulmer

Walton High School
Brian T. Blass
Zachary K. Chartash
Catherine H. Cheng
Andrew R. Dalton
Daniel P. Fitzgerald
Jason M. Gerson
Eric A. Graves
Ethan M. Guthman
Jamie Lee
Supum Lee
Dylan S. McClelland
Kayhan A. Nejad
Abhijeeth Ramesh
Courtney B. Sanford
Bailey S. Seitter
Akanksha Sharma
Rebecca L. Siegelman
Taylor L. Sorrel
Andrew S. Taylor
John E. Taylor
Lawton Ross Willingham

Wheeler High School
Brian M. Boda
Holly L. Brackin
Andrew R. Brock
Adam J. Cross
Jennifer Y. Dou
Andrew S. Gaynor
Abigail U. Halim
Aaron J. Kauffman
Christopher M. Leinweber
Noah M. Levine
Mengjie Liu
Jason R. McElrath
Darpan N. Patel
Jeffrey A. Seiden
Faaiqa A. Shaw
Pranay K. Udutha
Maychee M. Zah

Floyd Middle School’s students, staff, and community celebrated two years of academic success with a pep rally Oct. 16! Board of Education member Holli Cash and Area Assistant Superintendent Ed Thayer praised students for their past success and encouraged their continued effort. South Cobb High School Principal Ashley Hosey and the SCHS senior class and student council presidents spoke to the Floyd student body about continuing what they’ve started as they move closer to high school. The Osborne Cardinal drumline, directed by Michael Reid, gave an outstanding performance that brought students to their feet!

After the pep rally, students were provided with treats, courtesy of the PTSA and Publix. Floyd has good reason to celebrate the success and continued growth at the school, a result of the hard work and dedication of the entire community.

Principal David Chiprany and several Wheeler faculty members enjoyed the student achievement celebration cookout Oct. 2.

Wheeler High School celebrated outstanding student achievement at a faculty cookout October 2. SAT scores jumped 66 points from the year prior; Juniors met AYP and raised the bar with percentage of students passing at 96.7 percent in English, 89.9 percent in Math, 94 percent in Science, and 95 percent in Social Studies. AP Test statistics were also impressive with 304 more AP tests taken than the year prior, not to mention an increase of passing students by 5.7 percent.

Alexander Higgins, a rising Junior at Walton High School has known since he was a small child that he had a love for graphic arts, but he was not sure how to fully express that passion until he took Mr. Dan Campagna’s Graphic Arts class. It was there that he realized, upon the encouragement of Mr. Campagna, that he could excel at Screen Printing Technology. Alexander was very nervous to compete at the SkillsUSA Georgia State Leadership and Skills Conference and he had a hard time adjusting to equipment that was different than what he had been trained on. At the conclusion of his competition, Alexander thought he had placed fourth. “There was one guy I knew I was better than, but other than that I just tried my best.”

His best paid off, as he won first place on the state level in Screen Printing Technology and received a travel sponsorship to attend the National Leadership and Skills Conference. Had it not been for the travel sponsorship Alex is not sure that he would have been able to attend, “Maybe if I had worked everyday, I could have made it here without a travel sponsorship, but then I would not have been able to practice.”

The Screen Printing Technology competition is made up of several stations from quality control check and fast print quality to the proper demonstration of tightening a screen. Alexander wanted to be ready for all possibilities, so he visited several local print shops to train on different equipment. Alexander also interns at Planet Studio, where his understanding of graphic arts has grown.
Alexander has taken an active role in his local SkillsUSA chapter and serves as the Parliamentarian. He also loves the thought of being a part of something so big, and that is recognized on a national level. SkillsUSA has helped Alexander expand his love for graphic arts, but has also given him confidence and business skills necessary for today’s workforce. Mr. Campagna has seen a change in Alex, “He tends to be a quiet, reserved young man with awesome potential.

SkillsUSA has allowed him to work around lots of other students in a competitive environment.” Alexander was rewarded for his hard work and determination receiving a gold medallion at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference.

Submitted by Dan Campagna, SkillsUSA adviser and Graphic Arts teacher at Walton High School.

A pair of Walton High School students performed well at the recent SkillsUSA Championships event at the Georgia International Convention Center. Sophomore Alexander Higgins placed 1st in the Screen Printing Technology event, earning him a trip to Kansas City in June to compete in the national championships. Junior Brooke Weikle place 2nd in the Promotional Powerpoint Championship.

Walton’s SkillsUSA students are advised by Daniel Campagna.

A partnership of students, teachers and industry representatives, SkillsUSA is the largest technology-oriented student organization in the nation. The group works to ensure America has a skilled work force by preparing students for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations, including healthcare.

Annie Wang, senior at Walton High School, was named 2009 Georgia STAR Student by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators Foundation during the STAR awards banquet April 22. Miss Wang selected her AP US History teacher Jennifer Snoddy to be her STAR Teacher.

Miss Wang was chosen for the honor from 467 STAR students throughout the state. She received a $5,000 scholarship from AT&T, which she will use while attending Yale University this fall. Ms. Snoddy received a $2,500 award from the Frances Wood Wilson Foundation.

For more information, visit the PAGE Foundation Web site.

William T. Boyd IV, senior at Sprayberry High School has earned the meritorious Eagle Scout rank, the highest award bestowed by the Boy Scouts of America. A member of Boy Scout Troop 008, chartered by Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church, Boyd has enjoyed the best of what Scouting has to offer young men. William joined scouting as a first grade Tiger at Addison Elementary School. He has already earned a total of 43 merit badges, exceeding the 21 merit badges required for the Eagle rank.

During the spring of 2008, William completed his Eagle Scout Service Project by constructing rain barrels & stands for Addison Elementary School to help curb erosion problems & provide water sources for on-going outdoor beautification projects at the school. He was able to demonstrate service & leadership garnering money, supplies, expertise and labor to execute the project. This service project not only helps protect the ground cover & physical building at Addison, it benefits the East Cobb community that uses the property near the school, in addition to the students & staff that use the water sources for their educational projects.

William is the son of Tara and Bill Boyd of Marietta.

Several Cobb students showed off their oratory skills in the Theodore Roosevelt Speech Contest Feb. 16. Held at the Cobb Board of Commissioners office in Marietta, the competition required students to recite their speeches in front of a panel of local judges including Judge Adele Grubbs, Commissioner Sam Olens, Marietta Daily Journal publisher Otis Brumby and Don Johnson of State Farm insurance.

The contest winners are:

Annie Wang, Walton High School – $5,000 scholarship
Beth Boyd, Teacher

Matt Walsh, Lassiter High School – $1,000 scholarship
Kathy Nelsen, Teacher

Jordan Kazlow, Marietta High School – $500 scholarship
Scott Pritchard, Teacher

The winners are pictured above with TRA local program coordinator Harry Lembeck and Howard Erhlich, TRA Speech Contest Coordinator.

The Osborne High School JROTC Leadership Academic Team recently won first place in the 2009 Army JROTC Leadership Academic Bowl. The cadets competed against teams from Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Osborne’s team won an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC where they will attend a leadership symposium with 51 other JROTC teams from across the globe.

Congratulations to cadets Amy Castro, Jordan Robertson, Jacob Furman, Tiare Castillo, Rosa Arriaga and Sabino Rico for their performance at the Academic Bowl!