Good News
Feb. 16, 2007 |
WCPSS STUDENTS CREATE WETLANDS POSTERS
More than 500 Wake County Public School System fifth graders created colorful posters explaining how wetlands filter our drinking water, grow our food, and protect us from floods.
 From left to right: Madeline Geratz of Hunter ES, Paige Trexler of Green Hope ES, Paschal Ammons of Wendell ES, Christina Moore and #1 District winner Ria Ray of Green Hope ES, Rachel Cockrell of Wendell ES, Alec Carbone of Green Hope ES, Jonathan Wooten, Ryan Eckard and Patch Kenny of Hunter ES. |
Ria Ray from Tiffany Abdullah’s class at Green Hope Elementary in Cary is the overall district poster winner. Ria’s poster featured a Carolina Bay—a type of wetland found in North Carolina’s Coastal Plain. She explained how this ecosystem cleans water, controls flooding, and provides critical habitat for over 60% of threatened plant species. Ria offered many ideas on how people can conserve wetlands such as buying $15 duck stamps at their local post office to purchase and restore wetlands.
In addition to winning the District title, Ria was awarded a $50 cash prize and her poster will represent Wake County in regional competition with 10 other counties in April 2007.
The other Top Ten Conservation Poster Winners include Green Hope Elementary students Alec Carbon of Suzanne D’Amico’s class; Christina Moore of Sabrina Poche’s class; and Paige Trexler of Patti Shears’ class; Hunter Elementary students Ryan Eckard of Carol Swink’s class; Madeline Geratz of Carol Swink’s class; Patch Kenny of Carol Swink’s class; and Jonathan Wooten of Judy Gilbreath’s class; and Wendell Elementary students Paschal Ammons and Rachel Cockrell of Stephanie Reid’s class.
Each of the "Top Ten" student artists received a blue ribbon, a framed certificate and an invitation to the District's 41st Annual Conservation Awards Banquet.
They learned that North Carolina has lost a major portion of its wetlands and that efforts are underway to protect remaining wetlands, restore degraded wetlands, and construct new wetlands to treat stormwater runoff. Wetlands are now seen as crucial components of comprehensive watershed management plans because they function to filter and store a clean water supply for the future. Wetlands also serve as economic powerhouses that nurture food and fisheries industries, as well as outdoor recreation and North Carolina tourism.
2007 GIFTS OF GOLD WINNING ARTISTS NAMED
Winners were selected by a panel of judges for the 14th annual Gifts of Gold art show. Ninety Wake County students from 70 schools showcased their artistic abilities in the competition, which serves as the visual arts component of Pieces of Gold, the annual performing arts extravaganza produced by Wake Education Partnership and the Wake County Public School System.
Wake County art teachers were each encouraged to submit one piece of 2-D or 3-D student art to be honored in the showcase, which will be featured in the lobby of the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium on March 6-7.
Close up by Sanderson High student Erin Choplin was named Best in Show. Choplin is a student of Jeannette Stevenson. This is her winning work to the right.
The North Carolina Symphony Award went to Josh Doby of Southeast Raleigh High. Doby will have the opportunity to design the cover for the N.C. Symphony school materials for the upcoming season.
In elementary schools, first place went to Kristy Steward of Farmington Woods Elementary. Logan Michalak of Northwoods was second and Sarah Hall of Vandora Springs was third.
In middle schools, first place went to Jenna Pilato of Martin. Rebecca Blakeslee of Daniels was second and Rachel Odette of Zebulon was third.
In high schools, Wesley Owens of Green Hope was first. Kristen Yakamavich of Millbrook was second and Amanda Weih of Southeast Raleigh was third.
Images of the winning artwork and a complete list of student participants can be found at WakeEdPartnership.org.
Pieces of Gold is an annual arts extravaganza produced by the Wake Education Partnership and Wake County Public Schools every year in order to emphasize the importance of art in education as well as to challenge students and educators in creative thinking as they prepare a performance which both entertains and supports their curriculum. The show features more than 800 students representing 31 groups from 30 Wake County public schools.
Pieces of Gold will be held at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday, March 7, at 7 p.m. Tickets are available from the box office at the Progress Energy Center or through Ticketmaster. For more information about Gifts of Gold and Pieces of Gold, please visit WakeEdPartnership.org.
CONN STUDENT RECOGNIZED IN ART COMPETITION
Conn Elementary third-grader Makeda Smallwood won third place in the youth 12-and-under category of the National Arts Program City and County Employees Art Exhibition. The National Arts Program is an initiative to encourage the arts among employees of municipalities, counties and commercial organizations and their families. Annual art competitions are held in 39 states. Eleanor Jordan, with the Wake County Arts Council, presented Makeda with a $25 check at the Feb. 5 meeting of the Wake County Board of Commissioners. Her winning art work was called "Me and My Friends at the Mall."
HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS WIN STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Four teams at three WCPSS high schools have earned state championships during the winter sports season.
WCPSS Athletic Director Bobby Guthrie congratulated coach Jerry Winterton and the Cary High wrestling team for winning the 4A State NCHSAA Dual Team Wrestling Championship. Guthrie said the team was dominating.
Guthrie congratulated Vickie Peoples and the Enloe High boys swimming team on winning the 4A State NCHSAA Boys' Swimming Championship for the ninth year in a row. This year, the Enloe High girls team was second in the state swimming championships.
Guthrie congratulated Eddie Harden, Liz Gary, and the Southeast Raleigh High Girls and Boys Indoor Track Teams for winning the 4A State NCHSAA Indoor Championships for boys and girls. The girls won for the second year in a row.
MIDDLE CREEK STUDENTS CONDUCT POLL OF FAVORITE CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Teachers at Middle Creek Elementary conducted a poll to boost student interest in reading. Teachers helped the students select a number of people who were asked to name their favorite children’s book. The school heard from a wide variety of people. Vice President Dick Cheney wrote the students to say his favorite is Johnny Tremain. State Education Superintendent June Atkinson’s favorite is The Secret Garden. Ernie McAlister, Mayor of Cary, said his favorite was The Giving Tree. Elizabeth Gardner, WRAL meteorologist, said she liked The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Staff and students created a display of their poll results to encourage reading. The Cat in the Hat and Charlotte’s Web were the top two books identified as favorites in the poll. Middle Creek Elementary students also participated in a ‘Coins for Katrina’ fundraiser. The school collected more than $1,000 to buy new books for Jackson Elementary, a Mississippi school flooded during Katrina.