The Chattanooga Valley students who organized
the fundraising effort are, bottom row from left, Ben
Lamontagne, Sam Dickson, Maggie Dickson and
Katey Llewellyn; top row from left, Ria Cox, Madison Burnham, Eli Delaney and Treasure Shaker.Students raise money for water
Fourth-grade students at Chattanooga Valley Elementary School recently raised $350 help residents of Third World countries get access to clean water.
Teacher LaTrease Williams was discussing the water resources with her class, explaining how many people in the world can't just turn on a faucet and get safe water. Students immediately began asking questions about how they could help.
A group of students created posters to build awareness of the need for clean water around the world. They organized a bake sale and transformed large water jugs into donation stations at the school and at various businesses in the community. In the end, they raised enough money help about 900 people obtain access to clean water.
One student, Ria Cox, teared up when asked why she wanted to help. "I wanted to help people," she said. "I don't like when people die, it makes me sad. It is always good to help people."
GPS students earn honors
Mary Chandler Gwin
Ayushi SinhaThe National Dance Education Organization named Girls Preparatory School senior Mary Chandler Gwin one of three national winners of the 2014 NDEO Artistic Merit, Leadership and Academic Achievement Award. She was chosen by a committee of judges from the National Honor Society for Dance Arts.
At GPS, she is president of Terpsichord contemporary dance company, class salutatorian, president of the National Honor Society and president of the Junior Engineering Technical Honor Society. She was a member of the GPS Honor Council and May Court. She will attend Yale University.
As Terpsichord president, she won first place for student choreography at the 2013 Tennessee Dance festival sponsored by the Tennessee Association of Dance.
GPS sophomore Ayushi Sinha was one of 25 silver medalists in the environmental category at the International Sustainable World Energy Engineering Environment Project (ISWEEP) in Houston, Texas. Her project researched the effect of the surface on zebra mussel attachment.
She ranked in the top 20 percent of the 385 projects from 44 states and 66 countries. She became eligible to attend the ISWEEP competition after winning first place in environmental science at the Regional Science and Engineering Fair held in March at UTC.
Since the regional fair, she was chosen a Tennessee Stockholm Junior Water Prize state winner and was invited to attend the national Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition in June in Virginia.
Area students inducted into Phi Kappa Phi
Seven area collegians were inducted into Phi Kappa Phi honor society at Tennessee Technological University. It is the nation's oldest collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.
The honorees are William Nicholas and Devon Vaughn, both of Cleveland, Tenn.; Jennifer Hudson of Dunlap, Tenn.; Michelle Edwards and Austin Rodrigues, both of Rockwood, Tenn.; Lynsey Million of Decatur, Tenn.; and Timothy Garner of Sewanee, Tenn.
Wacker presents two scholarships
Two $1,000 Wacker Science Award scholarships were presented to graduating high school seniors Savannah Craig of Walker Valley High School and Collin Gwaltney of Bradley Central High School.
"We selected Savannah Craig and Collin Gwaltney for this award because they recognize how science can improve the lives of others," said Konrad Bachhuber, vice president and site manager at Wacker Polysilicon North America. "They share an enthusiasm and excitement for all that is possible with a career in science, and will use that enthusiasm to help make the world a better place."
In addition to the scholarship, both students were awarded a plaque and copy of the 100th anniversary edition of the "CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics" by William M. Haynes. Both students will be eligible for an internship at Wacker Polysilicon North America during their junior or senior years at college as well.
Craig plans to study medicine at Middle Tennessee State University; Gwaltney plans to study mechanical engineering at Tennessee Technological University.
McCallie's West named Presidential Scholar
Thomas West IV of Lookout Mountain, Tenn., a McCallie School student, is one of 141 students in the nation to be named a 2014 U.S. Presidential Scholar. Presidential Scholars will be honored for their accomplishments in Washington D.C., from June 22-25.
The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars selects scholars annually based on their academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership and demonstrated commitment to high ideals. Scholars include one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and from U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 at-large and 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts.
Every Presidential Scholar is offered the opportunity to name his or her most influential teacher. Each distinguished teacher is honored with a personal letter from the Secretary of Education. West chose Chester LeSourd of McCallie as his most influential teacher.