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6A THURSDAY, JULY 6, 2006 '.... £* ?' f * / / - ? submitted Warner Robins High School junior Ryan Prior recently earned Boy Scouting’s highest award, the rank of Eagle Scout. Prior earns Eagle Scout Special to the HHJ Ryan Prior, a rising junior honor student at Warner Robins High School, received Boy Scouting’s highest award, the rank of Eagle Scout, in a ceremony at Christ United Methodist Church June 11. The son of Mary and Tom Prior of Warner Robins, he is a member of Troop 550 sponsored by Christ United Methodist Church. Prior joined Cub Scouts in 1996 while living in O’Fallon, 111., and in 2001 moved on to Boy Scouts in Northern Virginia. Later in 2001, when his family moved to Warner Robins, he joined Troop 550. In addition to earning 28 merit badges and serving as senior patrol leader in his troop, Prior, according to a release, “demonstrated his leadership skills by planning and executing a challenging service project.” He led 30 fellow scouts and friends in improving a On-line SAT prep class is back Program open to public, private as well as home school students Special to the HHJ State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox announced this past Thursday that Georgia stu dents will once again have access to a free On-line SAT Preparation Course. The course is open to all Georgia high school stu dents, including all public school students in grades 9-12. This coming school year, students enrolled in home school programs and accredited private schools located in Georgia can also use the course for free. “I’m thrilled that we are able to offer this class to all of our students,” Cox said. “This is one way we are using technology to make sure Georgia students have access to the tools of success.” This is the second year the legislature has funded statewide access to the on line SAT Preparation class created by the College Board - the company that administers the SAT. Last year, the course was avail able to all public high school students. OBITS From page 3A an avid golfer. He was a member of River of Light Church of God. The char acter of the life he lived might be summed up in a few words: he was a lov ing husband, father, son and friend to many. He was a sin courtyard at Bonaire Middle School. “They removed debris, repainted benches, installed landscape timbers and plant ed trees and shrubs,” the release read. “Community support was vital to Ryan’s service project. “The Civitans ‘donated over $l5O, Warner Robins Supply contributed over SSO worth of materials and Tom Williams from the Bonaire Ace Hardware Nursery imparted vital planning advice and delivered all the plants at a discount.” Active in Troop 550 for more than four years, Prior attended summer camp each year and demonstrated the depth of his character to the adult leaders of the troop by living by the Scout Oath and Law. His family has also been involved with scouting for a long time. His grandfather Ammons was a Boy Scout in the 1930 s and both of his mom’s brothers were The decision to expand the program came after Cox heard from the par ents of private school and home school students who wanted to give their chil dren access to this useful resource.* “These parents know the impact a program like this can have,” Cox said. “I’m pleased that we can give private and home schooled students access to the SAT Prep course at no additional cost to the taxpayers.” “I want to thank Governor (Sonny) Perdue and the state legislature for their continued sup port of this important pro gram,” she said. “I also want to thank the College Board for their flexibility in allowing us to expand this program to include all Georgia high school stu dents.” The Official SAT Prep Course On-line features: ■ 18 interactive lessons ■ Six full-length, official SAT practice tests, plus diagnostic pretests; ■ Over 600 practice cere, honest man and will be missed by many. His father, Reverend Guy Jones and one brother, Edsel Jones, both preceded him in death. Survivors include his wife of 30 years, Kathy Beckmann Jones, his chil dren, Adrianne and Ryan Jones, all of Warner Robins; mother, Eunice Autry Jones, Cleveland; siblings, Helen Jones, Winter Park, Fla.; Nella Jones, Cleveland; Boy Scouts in the 19605. His mom was a Girl Scout and earned the rank of First Class, the highest rank at that time. His father is an Eagle Scout, his father’s three brothers are Eagle Scouts, and his brother Jason is an Eagle Scout. His grandfa ther Prior was a Scout leader for more than 15 years and in 1973 received the Silver Beaver Award, the highest recognition presented to an adult scout leader by a BSA Council. Ryan is a two-year letter man on the WRHS Cross Country Team and earned All-Region Sophomore Team honors in 2005. His coach also identified him as the Most Improved Runner for the 2005 sea son. He is also secretary of the Beta Club and a member of the varsity soccer team. Student Council, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Junior Civitans and Math Club. questions ■ Explanations of answers to all questions ■ Automated essay scor ing ■ Personalized score reports for students ACCESSING THE PROGRAM Public School Students Students in public schools will receive a pass code from their guidance counselor or principal’s office at the beginning of the next school year. Students who have a passcode from the 2005- 2006 school year can still access the On-line SAT Preparation Course during the summer at www.saton linecourseschool.com. Private and Home School students . Students from home schools and accredited pri vate schools will be able to request access to the On-line SAT Preparation Course beginning in mid- July. Access should be avail able sometime in August. More information will soon be made available on the www.gadoe.org website. Myra Adams, Mableton; Sharon Jones, Betty Jones, both of Atlanta; Hallie Newton, Marietta; Guy Jones, Jr., Austell; Phillip Jones, Warner Robins; Steve Jones, Bonaire; and a host of loving nieces, nephews and in-laws. Go to www.mccullough fh.com to sign the Online Registry for the family. McCullough Funeral Home has charge of arrangements. LOCAL KIDNEY From cage IA _ person’s creatinine would be around .8 or .9. Gabriel was born March 2001, three months prema ture at 1 pound 14 ounces, but he was a fighter. Drvden said. He only stayed on a ventilator for six hours and remained in the hospital for six weeks. In November 2001, Dryden began dialysis. She continues in her fifth year to go for four hours three days a week having her blood cleansed and excess fluids removed. The pro cedure, she said, drains her emotionally and physically. She must take anti-anxi ety medicine every time she goes for her dialysis due to restless leg syndrome which in turn causes her to go into fight or flight when she can’t move. The medicine lets her sleep through most of the four hour procedure. The grueling dialysis schedule makes it impossi ble for her to work, and she is disabled because of her End Stage Renal Disease. Her kidney function is now reduced to 10 percent or less of normal function. The size of her kidneys have shrunk from that of a fist to the size of half a thumb. She is currently talk ing with staff at Emory Healthcare and is in the first stages of getting on the waiting list for a kid ney transplant. Kidney transplants require a 100 percent match. According to Emory offi cals, donors are selected by blood and tissue type and the patient’s length of time on the waiting list, forcing Dryden to play the wait ing game. Emory works with the United Network DRIVE From page 1A beautiful as ever to him and the two have been together ever since. Harte has made a com mitment to Dryden and Gabe and has rearranged his priorities in the hopes of becoming a family man. Due to his job, Harte is out of town most days, but every Thursday he has flowers delivered to Dryden during her dialy sis. Harte has become a part of her and Gabe’s life. He has joined the church and supports Dryden in her life struggle to be healthy. FUNDS From page 1A adopted by local govern ments; provides compre hensive planning, techni *cal and research assistance to local governments; and serves as the lead agency for the state’s solid waste reduction efforts. For more information, visit the DCA website at: http://www.dca.state. ga.us. Prime Rib Seasoned to Perfection oreen derbv Saw * 1-75 Exit 136 * 987-8877 35615 Goodwill NEEDS your Donations! | Donation Locations * 2209 Moody Road • 115 Margie Drive ■ 1355 Sam Nunn Blvd. . * Galleria Mall - 2922 Watson Blvd. When you donate your clothing and household items to Goodwill Industries, the merchandise will be processed by trainees and resold at Goodwill stores to fund job training and placement services for people with barriers to employment. All donations to Goodwill Industries arc tax-deductible. www.goodwiHworks.org Huildinx lives, families, and communities-one job at a time! for Organ Sharing and Life Link of Georgia to find matching donors. With the cost of a trans plant ranging from $25,000 to $150,000, she is also working with Access to Care, an organization that will match up to SIO,OOO to help her pay for the proce dure. In addition, she is col lecting cans and pop tops for funding and receives Medicare and Medicaid, both of which will cease after the transplant. Her financial worries, however, will not cease after a transplant. Dryden said she will be forced to take anti-rejection drugs her whole life, which can range in cost from S7OO to $2,000 per month. Her father, Tony Smith and his wife, Jan, live in Midville. Smith is a min ister and is stepping in to assist Dry den in her fund raising efforts. He has hosted a luncheon at his church to raise funds for his daughter and has plans for future efforts. Today, the miracle child, Gabriel - who kept her alive by bringing her medi cal problem to the attention of Dryden and her doctor is 5 and will begin kin dergarten at Matt Arthur Elementary School in the fall. When asked if “Gabe” knows about and under stands what is going on, she says, “Oh yes. He knows what dialysis is. He's never known me (as being) well.” “That’s why I most look forward to the transplant,” she said. “So that I will be able to do things with him.” Currently Dryden is lim ited in things she can do. She can’t travel because she cannot be away from her doctor and dialysis treat ments. But, she said she stays We Have It ALL @ hhjnews.com Check Us Out Today! Meet Marsha Priest Buzzell ~ - 1 Member of the Sun Mark Community Brink , ... jm Advisory Boa'd. and Director of Warner k W Robins Convention and Visitors Bureau , 44/ feel so good about Sun Mark. As a customer I've experienced a different level of service there. You are treated like a person; they know you and call you by name 9 f Bankers Who Work For You. Sun Mark » COMMUNITY BANK Warner Robins 250 S Houston Lake Rd . 953-1155 Bonaire 749 Highway 96. 988-0117 THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL as active as possible. She has been a member of the Bonaire United Methodist Church for about three years. She sings in the choir and joins another church member in cook ing for the congregation’s weekly “Wednesday Night Qut” supper. “If it had not been for this church,” she said. “I don’t know' where I would be.” Dryden’s mother, Kati Brannen, with whom she lives along with her step dad Thomas Brannen and son Gabe, said that times w'ere tough when Dryden first moved back home after she and her husband split. “She didn’t want to take care of herself,” her mother said. “1 told her 1 was going to call her ex-husband and tell him to come get their son. I didn't want to watch her kill herself.” Today, Dryden is taking care of herself and things are much better. She looks at the whole situation as a blessing and “life lessons learned and retained.” She said she has met many “wonderful” people through her church that support her and her family. She and her mom have a mantra that they often say: “Faith makes it possible, not easy.” says Brannen. Dryden added: “The dif ference between success and failure is trading what you want for what you want right now.” “We have to look at each other and say that some times," said her mother. To this day, Dryden keeps Gabe s liny hospital anklet on her key ring as a remind er of how lucky and blessed she is. As Dryden awaits her transplant, she remains optimistic with the support of her family, friends, and extended church family.