Newspaper Page Text
Page 2B
May 11, 2022
ARfeporter
Monroe County Middle School's 8th grade Rising Stars
Monroe County celebrates its middle school Rising Stars
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
Forsyth Monroe County
Chamber of Commerce
Foundation recognized
Monroe County Schools’
outstanding graduates of
the future with its annual
Rising Star celebration on
Thursday, May 5. Students
in 6th, 7th and 8th grade
who earned all As during
the four 9-week grading
periods of the 2021-22
school year were treated
to a luncheon, a certificate
of achievement and a gift
courtesy of a sponsor.
An Awards Ceremony
was held at Monroe
County Fine Arts Center
where family and friends
were able to watch students
walk across the stage to
receive their certificates in
honor of their academic
achievement. The Rising
Star Student recognition
began over 10 years ago
and has continued with the
goal of fostering academic
excellence. Along with
the Chamber Founda
tion, Oglethorpe Power
Company is the primary
sponsor in association with
Central Georgia EMC and
Southern Rivers Energy.
Numerous businesses and
individuals also contribute
to the Rising Star recogni
tion.
Featured speaker at
the program is the Mary
Persons STAR student, the
individual in the graduat
ing class who scores the
highest on SAT college
boards while also having a
grade point average in the
top 10 percent of the class
and have no disciplinary
infractions. Usually that
person was a Rising Star a
few years earlier.
This year Mary Persons
had two students tie for
the STAR student honor,
and both Marlee Coffman
and Maradeth Leverett
spoke to the Middle School
students. Coffman urged
them to look beyond the
days when they wonder
why they keep trying and
the times they question
whether they need the
knowledge they are acquir
ing in school. She said they
are creating the building
blocks for the rest of their
lives and the motivation for
careers in school and far
beyond.
Leverett told the students
that while scholarship is
very important, they
should also keep in
mind that balance in
life is essential. She
cited her participa
tion in cross country,
FFA, Beta Club and
competitive horse
back riding.
“Take your pas
sion and follow it
to become more
well-rounded,” said
Leverett.
Additional framed
certificates were
presented to the Top
Scholars, 8th grad
Monroe County Middle School s 7th grade Rising Stars
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Monroe County Middle School s 6th grade Rising Stars
Monroe County Middle School s 8th grade Rising Stars who maintained an A average from 6th through 8th grade.
ers who maintained an A
average throughout middle
school.
Chamber president/CEO
Rebecca Stone, Oglethorpe
Power community relations
manager Sydne Smith,
Rev. Billy Beard of Monroe
County Ministerial Associ
ation and Monroe County
Middle School principal
Dr. Efrem Yarber delivered
encouraging remarks to the
Rising Stars.
Stone asked the students
to write personal thank-
you notes to the the spon
sor listed by their name.
“Please continue that
success,” said Stone. “Have
an incredible future full of
opportunities.”
6th grade: Lucas Aleixo,
Joseph Allen, Savannah
Banks, Carson Barnett, Cy
Bevill, Caroline Brooks,
Ciraia Butler, Connor Carr,
Cayla Corley, Olivia Crews,
Ryder Garza, Robert Groe-
bner, Nathan Harmsen,
Amelia Hulsey, Ella Kem
per, Joriya Knight, Brett
Little, Kennedy Lumley,
Ridge Lumley, Will Meeks,
Tybee Ann Morgan, Aedan
Mulvihill, James Pippin,
Caroline Rusgrove, Dakota
Sanders, Sara Saunders,
Charles Tanner, Lucy Tan
ner, Greyson Trevitt, Taylor
Walker
7th grade: Hess Balltzgli-
er, Anna Barrett, Taylor
Bass-Gainey, Grayson
Bellwin, Marlee Berlin,
Ryan Bertram, Alaina
Brown, Griffin Chapman,
Cameron Crank, Carli
Davis, Sadie Dutton, Grey
Emerson, Gavin Gaylord,
Carolyn Goode, Bradley
Hendricks, Mariah Hoover,
Howard Johnson, Emma
Kimbell, Addison Lynch,
Michael Malcom, Ethan
Mason, Samuel Mitchell,
Cory Mixon, Benjamin
Morris, Lawson Pace, Liam
Parks, Reagan Peacock,
Rowdy Rice, Rachel Sos-
ebee, Emerson Stapleton,
Alexis Stillwell, Elbe Taylor,
Camden Walker, Evelyn
Watson, Miller Whit
field, Alyssa Wright, Luke
Wright, Isabella Zellner.
8th grade: Griffin Adams,
Abigail Beasley, Elizabeth
Bentzel, Matthew Biers,
Jacey Broughton, Sophie
Brown, Blair Burnett,
Marissa Clements, Ethan
Cochran, Lily Colley, Addi
son Devers, Hunter Dorn,
Larkin Fletcher, Lydia Geer,
Hannah Goodwin, Reagan
Grant, Nathaniel Groeper,
Jayla Hampton, Samuel
Harrell, Noemie Harri
son, Reid Hilton, Mason
Holloway, Jennifer Irish,
Cole Johnson, Antonio
Jones, Carla Locus, Emma
Martin, Kolbi McBrayer,
Kamijah McCord, Isaac
McKallip, Amelia Mead
ows, Lara Noguera, Shriyan
Patel, Roxanna Perez,
Haven Ragan, John Rainey,
Carlie Rawlins, Wil
liam Ross, Kellen Ruzzo,
Sheldyn Scoggins, Zoey
Shannon, Autumn Smith,
Sydney Stankowitz, Cullin
Tallent, Olivia Tanner,
Madison Walker, Jasmine
Walton, Logan Watson,
Cole Winget, Olivia Wood-
geard, Connor Yates
Top Scholars: Griffin Ad
ams, Matthew Biers, Jacey
Broughton, Blair Burnett,
Ethan Cochran, Addison
Devers, Hannah Goodwin,
Nathaniel Groeper, Reid
Hilton, Cole Johnson, An
tonio Jones, Kolbi McBray
er, Isaac McKallip, Shriyan
Patel, Haven Ragan, Carlie
Rawlins, Sheldyn Scoggins,
Cole Winget.
DAY OF PRAYER
Continued from Page 1 B
them. He asked Him to guard them from
impatience and anger.
Rev. Clarence Thrower led prayer for peace
in Ukraine and in the world. He prayed for
“our brothers and sisters in Ukraine who are
scattered like sheep without a shepherd.” He
prayed that leadership would come together
to stop what is happening.
“This is your world and we thank you for
creation,” said Thrower. “We understand
you’re in control. We don’t know what to
do but pray for our brothers and sisters. We
know you hear our prayers.”
Rod Callahan, who served as a military
chaplain and was in the military for 27 years,
led prayer for those in the military. He prayed
for guidance for leaders and for peace for
those serving in the military and their fami
lies.
Rev. Marilyn Tucker-Marek led prayer for
media and for business. She offer prayer for
all those who create media, whether it is in
online, print, film or another forms. She in
cluded media intended to inform and media
intended to entertain. She asked God to help
those who create media to do so with integ
rity, truthfulness, honesty, humor, passion
and grace. She asked that businesses, whether
farming, manufacturing, retail, services or
others, work with the same virtues and with
the intention to make a better community
and world.
Praying for education, Rev. Angela Johnson
said that education starts at home. She asked
that God lead all educators to a closer walk
with Him, from those at home to the school
superintendent, principals and teachers.
Rev. Billy Beard said that every great move
ment begins with someone on their knees
praying. He prayed for churches, asking that
preachers speak God’s word with boldness,
not watering it down. He prayed for the
people of the church as they minister to the
world and prayed that pastors be protected
from evil influences.
Rev. Brian Moore prayed for the family, an
institution that even predates the church. “No
wonder Satan has so many attacks aimed at
the family’ said Moore, and noted attacks on
marriage and traditional roles in the home.
He prayed for protection of Christian homes.
Moore concluded by leading the Lord’s
Prayer. Harris thanked Phillip Bunn for
providing the sound system on the square
that successfully carried over traffic noise. He
thanked the ministers who led prayers and
the people who joined the National Day of
Prayer because they believe in the power of
prayer.