About The Eatonton messenger. (Eatonton, Ga.) 18??-current | View Entire Issue (June 12, 2025)
» Your hometown newspaper since 1861 The Eatonton Alessenger THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 2025 | C3 Anahi Barranco Irem Erturk Jewell Morrison Maria Marquez Mary McCommons of P.E.O. Lake Oconee Chapter AP awards scholarships The P.E.O. Sisterhood is a nonprofit organiza tion that has helped more than 125,000 women pursue educational goals by providing more than $435 million in educational assistance, making a difference in women's lives. P.E.O. is an International Sisterhood of women who are purposeful and passionate about cele brating, supporting and motivating women. The mission is to help women around the world advance through education. The Lake Oconee Chapter AP began in Milledgeville and grew as the lake area grew and now has a membership of 65 women. In 2018, the AP Chapter established a local scholarship in addi tion to participating in the other six scholarship programs sponsored by P.E.O. International. This year, Chapter AP awarded the following scholarships. Jewell Morrison received the prestigious national P.E.O. STAR Scholarship for the 2025-26 academic year. Jewell is the Lake Oconee Academy salutatorian for the Class of 2025. She plans to attend Georgia Tech as a Gold Scholar with a major in computer science. She is a capstone scholar and has received the PAGE Star Student Award, the Interna tional Skills Diploma Seal, the Biliteracy Seal, and is a National Merit Commended Scholar and a Georgia Scholar. In addition to all of her academic awards, Jewell has been LOA’s drum major and plays baritone saxophone in several of the school’s bands. Jewell also competed on the LOA literary team this year, which won the Region 8A Division II Literary meet and the runner-up trophy for the state. At region, Jewell received first place in girls vocal solo and was part of the first-place girls vocal trio. Jewell is a worship OPIOID/OVERDOSE TOWN HALL THE BELL MEETING Join us for an in-depth panel discussion on the overdose epidemic in our community. Fentanyl and other harmful substances in our illicit drug supply are causing sharp increases in overdoses. Hear what we are doing to address the crisis and keep our community safe and informed. This event is free and open to the public. Tuesday June 17th 6-7:30 p.m. Putnam County Courthouse 100 S. Jefferson Ave. Eatonton CA 31024 director at a local church, selecting, leading and performing hymns for radio and in person for services. In addition, she also works part-time at a local restaurant. Regina Espin is awarded the prestigious P.E.O. Georgia STATE Scholarship for her outstanding performance throughout high school. She is a 2025 graduate of Putnam County High School, planning to attend the University of Georgia to pursue a degree in chemistry to advance onward to pharmacy school. After earning her PharmD, Regina plans to engage in neurophar macology research and hopes to work at the CDC in research. Regina was awarded the PAGE STAR Student award for her achievement on the SAT exam (highest in class) and class rank at PCHS (top 10%). During her time at PCHS, she served as captain of the girls soccer and volleyball teams. “Through sports, I learned the importance of compromise and working as a team,” she said in her application essay. “It made me realize the impact of leadership on others.” The local AP Chapter P.E.O. has also awarded six scholarships this 2025-26 academic year to outstanding scholars. Thea Smith is a 2025 graduate of LOA. She plans to attend Ole Miss and pursue a degree in political science, progressing on to law school. During her time at LOA she was captain of the competitive cheer team, as well as captain of sideline cheer. As a member of the 2022 and 2023 ladies golf teams, she received the title of state champion. Thea was active during her time at LOA serving as class secretary and vice president of the student government. Thea was an active board member of the Farmers and Merchants Bank Junior Board. As a volunteer, Thea used her talent at both ATLAS and Boys and Girls Club to teach younger children cheer. Mary Claire McCom mons is a 2025 graduate of LOA. She plans to attend the University of Georgia to pursue a degree in art as she seeks becoming a medical illus trator. During all four years of high school, Mary Claire participated in the varsity tennis, softball and basketball teams. In girls tennis, she led the team to region and state championships. She competed this spring as a girls’ doubles tennis player in the Final Four at state, she also led the LOA softball team as captain in both junior and senior year, helping the team get a region championship title in 2025. She was selected as All-Region player of the year in 2024 and All-State Honorable Mention twice. She was also the captain of the girls basketball team her senior year. In the art field, she was a Gover nor’s Honors Program semifinalist. Mary Claire was also recognized with an Honorable Mention in the Congressional Art Competition, and her artwork was published in the State Farm Bureau Calendar as the winner of their competition. At the Georgia State Fair, her artwork was judged Best in Show with two first-place awards and multiple second- and third-place awards. She founded the National Arts Society at LOA during her time there. Mary Claire volunteers as a coach with Special Olympics. She also assisted with the USTA adaptive tennis program for students with special needs and was a leadership ambassador for the Chick-fil-A Impact Project in both junior and senior year. Maria Marquez is a 2025 graduate of LOA. She plans to attend Georgia Tech and major in international affairs D-B-H-D-D For more info: 478-259-7566 Regina Espin Thea Smith Wilson Faith with a minor in public affairs. Maria has been active in student govern ment and has led and organized activities for Hispanic Heritage month. Throughout high school, she has assisted teachers by translating for non-En- glish speaking parents at school meetings. During her time at LOA, she competed on the soccer team, served as secretary of the Spanish Club, was active with Youth Leader ship Greene, and was the manager of the LOA cross country team. Irem Erturk is a 2025 graduate of LOA. She will attend Georgia Tech’s Honors College with a major in computational media. Irem uses art and creativity to offset the stress from academia. She uses that creativity and her love of art in her community service, having taught a water- color workshop at The Glen and volunteering with After School Art, where she helps elemen tary students. Irem was secretary of LOA's National Art Society and is a Junior Board member at Farmers and Merchants Bank, where she has learned about 706-923-1910 120 WALMART DRIVE EATONTON, GA APPLY AT AMICICAREERS.COM PIZZA • WINGS • FRIENDS LAKE OCONEE fiscal literacy. Faith Wilson is a 2025 graduate of Greene County High School. She will be attending Kennesaw State Univer sity with a double major in nursing and psychology. She plans to be a pediatric nurse and eventually a youth coun selor. She devotes many hours to her church, spending 20 hours a month in the church nursery. Along with her family, she helps feed the homeless through a soup kitchen. Faith has also started a community breast cancer awareness program and suicide prevention project at her high school. At GCHS, she was vice president of Beta Club and DECA and was a member of the Academic Bowl team. Faith wants to have a positive influence on the world and hopes that this effort will have a domino effect. Ana Barranco is a 2024 graduate of PCHS where she received the Georgia Certificate of Merit. She is currently enrolled at the University of North Georgia-Dahlonega. She is an accounting major with a 4.0 college GPA. She plans to complete her master’s in accounting and become a CPA. This is her second year being awarded the P.E.O. AP Scholarship. During her past year at UNG, she has become a member of the Latin Association Student Organization, UNG Nighthawk Enter tainment, Christ Place College, Beta Alpha Psi, and participates with the Feed the Funnel 9/11 remembrance. The Program for Continuing Education (PCE) is intended for women who have had their education inter rupted and want to continue their educa tion to improve their marketable skills for employment. The money is a grant-in-aid for education expenses. This year’s candidate for PCE is April Lyttle, who is working toward a prac tical nursing diploma at Central Georgia Tech nical College. April will graduate this year and will be eligible to take her state licensure boards to become a licensed practical nurse. She will continue her career at St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital in Greensboro. — Contributed
