NEWBERRY COUNTY — The Senior Beta Clubs from Newberry High, Mid-Carolina High and Whitmire Community schools were recognized by the Newberry County School Board following the State Beta Convention.
“We are proud of all our district students and the hard work they put into their individual and group projects. Several of these winners will be competing at the National Senior Beta Club Convention in Nashville, Tennessee this summer,” said Dr. Carson Ware, chief human resources officer for the district.
First up Newberry High School Beta Club, sponsored by Taylor Harmon, Christian Holden, Leslie McDuffie and Hal Mooneyham. Their club brought home the following awards:
• First place — Fiber Art Division I – Jackie Hernandez-Vega.
• First place — Poetry Division II – Lilliana Rojas-Alderete.
• First place — Spanish 11th Grade – Lilliana Rojas-Alderete.
• Second place — Agriscience Ninth Grade – Bryce Satterwhite.
• Second place — Mixed Media Division II – Bailey Corbett.
• Second place — Science 10th Grade – Jeremy Glasgow.
• Third place — Black and White Photography Division II – Shyanne Powell.
• Third place — Social Studies 11th Grade – Bailey Corbett.
• Third place — Spanish Ninth Grade – Jackie Hernandez-Vega.
“Also, a special thanks to Mr. C.C. Cromer and Brian Redd for chaperoning the trip,” Ware said.
The Mid-Carolina High School Beta Club is sponsored by Nicole Frick, Tabitha Harmon, Valerie Haltiwanger, Karen Barnes, Kindred Durant, Kennedy Knecht and Tiffani Lyles. Their club brought home the following awards:
• First place — Recyclable Art Division II – Ashlyn Kinard.
• First place — Sculpture, Division I – John Berry.
• First place — 3D Design – Hannah Perkins, Jose Sosa, Iysis Stribble-Eigner, Ella Morales, Georgia Wilbanks, Kendellin Haltiwanger.
• First place — Portfolio – Emma Wicker, Ashlyn Kinard, Erica Davis, Emily Davis, Kynley Mack, Julianne Wicker, Emma Bundrick, Dakota Perry, Bethany Day.
• Second place — Agriscience 10th Grade – Anna Grace Morris.
• Second place — Language Arts Ninth Grade – Kynley Mack.
• Third Place — Club Trading Pin – Kendellin Haltiwanger, Kylie Ringer, Sarah Hicks, Emma Bundrick, Serenity Richburg, Luis DeLa Rosa Campos, Lily Gulledge, Ben Boyd, Nolan Palmore, Ella Morales, Callie Wilbanks, Madelyn Coker, Wesley Fowler, Georgia Wilbanks.
• Third place — Jewelry, Division I – Emily Covington.
• Third place — Quiz Bowl Oral – Jack Gantt, Mckenzee Chadwick, Kendellin Haltiwanger, Iysis Stribble-Eigner.
• Premier Performers – Kynley Mack, Julianne Wicker, Hannah Quattlebaum.
“Premier performers are handpicked students that have been identified to have extreme talent. These students are invited to attend National Convention and perform at the opening ceremony in front of the entire convention. These three girls left such an impression with their solo, duo, trio act that they are going to nationals,” Ware said.
The Whitmire Community School Beta Club, sponsored by LaVerne Brock, Susie Brown, Bethany Crumpton, Gwen Clark, Eddie Bledsoe and Tangnakika Bennett, brought back the following awards:
• Second Place — Division I Woodworking – Makenna Moss-Jenkins.
• Second Place — Division I Apparel Design – Emma Moore.
• Third Place — Campaign Skit – Addie Green, Blake Stribble, Raegan Green, Cason English, Daniel Clark, Olivia Martin, and Wyatt Harsha.
“Senior Beta State Secretary Amelia Bruyere, Amelia is also eligible to run for National Beta Secretary,” Ware said.
Also recognized during the meeting was the All-State Band from MCHS. Teagan Rauch was seated as the second chair clarinet in the Clinic All-State Band.
Two wrestlers were also recognized.
“We are also pleased to recognize our state champion wrestlers,” Ware said.
Ian Pullen, from MCHS, won the 220-pound weight class individual state wrestling tournament and Cameron Grier, from NHS, won the 195-pound weight class individual state wrestling tournament.
“Both of these state champions are coached by Carlos Hernandez,” Ware said.
Students were not the only ones recognized during the night.
Caitlin Hart was recognized for being selected to serve as South Carolina’s head athletic trainer for the annual end-of-the-year all-star basketball game between the best men’s and women’s players from North and South Carolina. This is her second selection to the game.
Deedee Westwood, principal of Mid-Carolina Middle School, was recognized for representing the Newberry County Literacy Association at the annual Palmetto State Literacy Association’s reading conference as the Distinguished Literacy Administrator. Westwood attended the annual conference in Hilton Head on February 25.
“She was named a finalist for the state Distinguished Literacy Administrator Award. Mrs. Westwood believes that literacy is everyone’s business. Congratulations Mrs. Westwood on your achievement and your dedication to literacy,” Ware said.
Lastly, Board Member Jody Hamm was recognized for being a recipient of Level Six, The South Carolina School Board Association’s highest level of recognition in the Boardmanship Institute. This level acknowledges the many hours of training that board members receive to gain the knowledge and skills to assist them as leaders in making decisions for the benefit of children in public schools.