Excellence conceptBerry College receives Tree Campus USA recognition
For the third consecutive year, Berry College has earned the Tree Campus USA recognition.
“Students are eager to volunteer in their communities and become better stewards of the environment,” said Matt Harris, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Participating in Tree Campus USA sets a fine example for other colleges and universities while helping to create a healthier planet for us all.”
Tree Campus USA is a national program launched by the Arbor Day Foundation and Toyota that honors universities around the world for promoting and engaging students and staff in conservation to sustain healthy community forests.
Berry College met the five core standards for sustainable campus forestry: establishment of a tree advisory committee, evidence of a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and the sponsorship of student service-learning projects.
Sinha, Durham win awards at science symposium
Ayushi Sinha, a senior at Girls Preparatory School, won first place in the Tennessee Junior Science and Humanities Symposium at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
At the two-day symposium, high school students presented research to a panel of university professors who judged their written and oral presentations. The symposium is sponsored by the U.S. Departments of the Army, Navy and Air Force and is administered by the Academy of Applied Science in cooperation with the university.
Sinha researched zebra mussels, an invasive species introduced into the Great Lakes that’s spreading throughout the U.S. The mussels have no natural predators and will colonize on pipes, growing in number until they block them. Sinha designed, coded and printed pipes in 3-D with different internal textures to see if there was a physical way to prevent their attachment to pipes.
The first-place award was a $2,000 tuition scholarship to the school of Sinha’s choice, and her project advances to the national symposium in Dayton, Ohio, in April.
Additionally, Tracie Durham, GPS Science Department chairman, was presented the Award of Science Teaching Excellence, sponsored by the Academy of Applied Science.
EPB announces Black History Month Poetry Contest winners
Eight Hamilton County students in first- through 12th grades have been named winners in the EPB Black History Month Poetry Contest.
Students in public and private schools as well as home-schooled students were invited to compose poetry that celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1866. A panel of judges reviewed entries from 362 students. Each winner received a $100 prize, as did their teacher.
* Grades 1-3: Ella Nottis, Allen Elementary; and Maximo Gonzales Easter, Battle Academy.
* Grades 4-5: Sofia Skrypkar and Jack Matheny, both Snow Hill Elementary.
* Grades 6-8: Letajah Jennings, Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy; TaNiya Crowder, Brown Middle School.
* Grades 9-12: Macksim Mikhaylishin, Ooltewah High; Sawyer Lyons, McCallie School.
– Compiled by staff writer Susan Pierce