CCSD Recognizes 134 Students as Superintendent’s 2013 Key Scholars
The Cherokee County School District annually recognizes outstanding high school juniors as Superintendent’s Key Scholars, and 134 students earned his honor for the 2012-13 School Year – a 9-percent increase from last school year.
Each of these outstanding students has scored at the 90th percentile or above on the Grade 11 PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
During the Eighth Annual Superintendent’s Key Scholar Recognition Ceremony held recently at Sequoyah High School, they received a School District Certificate of Achievement and a letter jacket patch that reads “Superintendent’s Key Scholar.” Each student will also be honored at their school’s year-end awards ceremony as a Superintendent’s Key Scholar.
“Our Key Scholars represent the top 10% of all students in the Nation who took the PSAT exam in October, and that’s a major accomplishment for which each of them and their families should be very proud,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo said. “As academic leaders, these outstanding students have the potential to continue distinguishing themselves as high school seniors and in their college pursuits and chosen careers.”
The Key Scholar Program is a districtwide academic recognition plan that begins in elementary schools with students qualifying for the nationally recognized Duke University Talent Identification Program (or TIP).
Over the last five years, more than 1,200 Cherokee County School District students in Grades 4 or 5 qualified for the Duke TIP program by achieving exceptional scores on either the Cognitive Abilities Test or the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills.
Each student receiving this recognition received a Certificate of Achievement at his/her school’s year-end awards ceremony; and the Cherokee County School District has received special recognition from Duke University for having the largest number of students identified in the State of Georgia.
At the middle school level, the Key Scholars Program also includes Duke’s TIP, through which eligible students have the opportunity to get a head start on SAT and ACT testing… which usually does not begin until high school. Seventh-grade students participate in this nationally standardized testing, with many receiving State Recognition; and they are also recognized at a School Board meeting and at a special Duke University ceremony in Atlanta.
For high school students, the Key Scholar Program focuses on the Preliminary SAT (or PSAT). Freshmen scoring at the 80th percentile or above on the PSAT receive a Certificate of Achievement at their school’s year-end awards ceremonies. Sophomores scoring at the 85th percentile or above on the PSAT receive a Certificate of Achievement at their school’s year-end awards ceremonies.
The top award in the Key Scholar Program goes to seniors who qualify as National Merit Scholars. Over the past eight years, these academically outstanding students have led their classes as they marched across the stage at graduation wearing a special gold medallion.
Please see the list below for the names of recipients from each high school.
Cherokee High School
Brandon Best
Victoria Caudill
Olivia Cotone
Trevor Coward
Nicholas Fuchs
Cody Grant
John Hultquist
Abigail Lennox
Adaiah Ludy
Erica Lundak
Gabriela Medina
Olivia Nechvatal
Rachel Nipp
Aaron Powell
Alec Riggins
Emmanuel Scott
Nick Seyler
Samuel Smith
Jacob Storey
Rachel Whitman
Creekview High School
Kristin Andreassen
Caroline Barfield
Haley Brooks
Catherine Cahoy
Katelyn Creger
Melissa DeFrank
Lori Estes
Daniel Griffin
Tyler Harris
Christopher Hough
Riley Jenkins
Caitlyn McCord
Cara Perrin
Corbin Ray
Bradley Reeves
Bobby Roberts
Zane Sisco
Taylor Smith
Trace Sosebee
Landon Yarborough
Etowah High School
Drucilla Alfieri
Christian Bricka
Zachary Broach
Genelia Carson-Brandt
Jorge Clark
Miranda Dominick
Kelly Elson
Connor Goldman
Ross Gudger
Katherine Hildebrandt
Davis Hinchey
Alexander C. Johnson
Alexander M. Johnson
Matthew Kern
Madeline Lazar
Jenna Lea
Mason Littlejohn
Yuhgene Liu
Chelsea Morgan
David Morrison
Alyssa Parbhoo
Mackenzie Ray
Jessica Resnick
Nolan Rinderknecht
Taylor Ryals
Taylor Sasapan
Savannah Smith
Megan Spriggs
Daniel Stevenson
Susanna Stutler
Jonathan Van Linden
Sarah Veith
Emma Vivlamore
Taylor Weiss
Jaclyn Widi
Ciera Wood
River Ridge High School
Emma Burke
Ansley Capps
Spencer Frost
Matthew Hamill
Alexander Herdt
Christina Hollander
Jesse Kasing
Marcus Lynch
Nicholas Mezzacapo
Zoe Moore
Laura Nastrom
Matthew Polley
Madison Puhy
Omari Reeves-Miller
Edward Rose
Sequoyah High School
Logan Adams
Michael Ajose
Sydney Anderson
Nicholas Barnes
Eric Byrd
Christopher Costa
Alexander Keller
Taylor Kuter
Brad LeSelva
Chloe Laveing
Aidan Lawson
Rachel Rogers
Jacob Smith
Rachel Weaver
Sydney Webb
Spencer Weber
Woodstock High School
Madison Adams
Finley Anderson
Katherine Arp
Gabrielle Burseth
Cynthia Chac
Kenneth Chamberlin
Megan Chester
Garrison Fox
Laura Crawford
Andrew Favre
Hunter Forbes
Silas Fradley
Briana Francois
Kelsi Jamieson
Samuel Mixon
Kaitlin Neese
Michael Palazesi
Jourdan Ramirez-Pharr
Jessica Riley
Emily Shuman
Rachel Steppe
Rani Tilva
Ashton Tongco
Ivan Vizcaya-Eternod
Christine Yurkevitch
Rachel Zinney