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“Good Things Happening Around the Manatee County School District”
STORY IDEAS--PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES
Contact: Michael Barber, Press Relations (941) 708-8770, ext. 2283
Bradenton, FL - May 1, 2008
LAKEWOOD RANCH SENIOR NAMED NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP WINNER
Jennifer K. Wedebrock, a senior at Lakewood Ranch High, has been named a National Merit $2,500 Scholarship Winner, according to a release from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. This year´s competition for National Merit Scholarships began in October 2006 when more than 1.4 million juniors in over 21,000 high schools took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Last fall, approximately 16,000 students were named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists. The list of semifinalists was reduced to 15,000 finalists; of those, some 2,500 distinguished seniors were awarded the $2,500 scholarships. For more information, contact Lakewood Ranch High Principal Mike Wilder at 727-6100.
MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS EXCITED TO MEET AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR
Award-winning author Will Hobbs will make visits to Nolan and King Middle Schools during the week of May 5-9, 2008. Known for his exciting outdoor adventure stories for young adults, seven of Mr. Hobbs´ novels have been named “Best Books for Young Adults“ by the American Library Association and two of his titles, Far North and Downriver were named to the ALA´s list of the 100 Best Young Adult Books of the Twentieth Century. Mr. Hobbs will visit Nolan Middle on Monday and Tuesday May 5-6. He´ll visit King Middle on Thursday and Friday May 8-9. For more information, contact Nolan Middle Media Specialist Kathleen Alley at 751-8200.
SOUTHEAST DRAMA CLUB GARNERS AWARD FROM ASOLO THEATRE GUILD
The Southeast High School Drama Club was awarded the Asolo Guilder Award for “Best Production” this school year. The Asolo Theatre Guild visits and views all of the high school productions in Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte counties. The Guild selected Southeast´s production of Nickel and Dimed over other high school productions throughout the tri-county area. This year´s guild award makes for the fourth time in the last five years that the Southeast Drama Club has received this honor. For more information, contact Southeast Drama Teacher Jason Schiessl at 741-3366.
DUETTE ELEMENTARY INVITES STUDENT GUESTS TO FLORIDA CRACKER DAY
On May 9, 2008, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., approximately 115 students from Rowlett Elementary and a few students from Braden River High School will venture out to Duette Elementary for Florida Cracker Day. The event culminates Duette Elementary´s reading of A Land Remembered, written by Patrick Smith. Some of the activities and attractions planned for Florida Cracker Day include a Brahma Bull, a wild pig, roping, saddles, a chickee and a fossil dig. For more information, contact Duette Elementary Teacher Donna King at 721-6674.
SUGG MIDDLE REACHING OUT TO COMMUNITY WITH READ TO FEED PROGRAM
Read to Feed is a month-long project at Sugg Middle School where students and staff are working to donate 1 million grains of rice to a local food bank. The school hopes to amass that amount of rice with the help of local business sponsors and by going to freerice.com, a website where practicing vocabulary skills helps raise the rice count. The school is keeping track of its progress with a thermometer posted on the wall near the school´s media center. For more information, contact Sugg Media Specialist Sheila Walker at 741-3157, ext. 2050.