Columbia County newsmakers

Local women shine in college competition

Lakeside High School graduates April Payne and Melissa Cook were members of a five-person University of Georgia team that placed second in the Public Relations Students Society of America's Bateman Case Study Competition.

The University of Georgia team finished second in the competition involving 45 universities.

Payne and Cook are 1998 graduates of Lakeside.

Cook, the daughter of Bob and Joyce Cook, graduated magna cum laude this spring from the university. She will begin classes at the university law school in the fall.

Payne, the daughter of Bill and Joy Payne, graduated cum laude this spring. She plans to work in New York City.

Deans' List

The following Augusta State University students from the Columbia County area were named to the spring 2002 Deans' List:

College of Arts and Sciences: Jacquelyn Allen, Stacey Altman, Sheryl Ard, Jason Bailey, Christine Baker, Nikki Baugh, Jonathan Bullard, Steven Bullard, Kerri-Lynn Calvo, Lisa Chambers, Wesley Cliett, Anthony Collins, Laura Collins, Madelyn Cook, Angela Davis, Rachel Foster, Jesse French, Jennifer Grant, Philippe Hall, Brad Harden, Maliha Hassan, Priscilla Howard, Thomas Huff, Jessica Hyder, Sara Kauffman, Rebecca Key, Yusra Khan, Susan Kreitlow, Armando Leduc-Cruz, Chris Mezzetti, Derrick Minton, Joan Moore, Amy Newman, Cheryl Newman, Brandi Newsome, Joshua Newsome, Michael Nowill, Candace Pabon, Allison Popplewell, Mi Powell, Jennifer Prozonic, Courtney Robertson, Richard Rogers, Louis Santagata, Glen Selby, Christine Shaffer, Ashley Sherer, Christina Sosa, Ashley Story, Rachel Stubblefield, Jasmine Turjanica, Sharron Walls, Katie West, and Jeanette Wiggleton. College of Business Administration: Sara Bennett, Braden Difranco, Toni Favro, Michael Fowler, Joanna Gentile, Heather Icenhour, Heather Macdonald, Douglas Paitsell, April Paschal, Lindsey Settles, and Scott Tam.

College of Education: Anna Ackerman, Amy Bush, April Crump, Cori Daniels, Bruce Kaplan, Brandy Kirkland, Cheryl Loungeway, Ronda Masters, Marsha McCarty, Elizabeth O'Neill, Michelle Newsome, Joan Page, Eileen Palgut, Kimberly Rackley, Vivian Rodgers, Heather Rosier, Sarah Wilson, and Nancy Wolf.

In order to be named to the Deans' List, students must take at least nine credits and achieve a 3.66 grade point average for the semester on a 4.0 scale.

Lakeside Grad Earns Degree

Noelle Janine Maniez of Evans has received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from the University of Georgia in Athens. Her grade point average is 3.2. She is a 1997 graduate of Lakeside High School. Noelle is engaged to W. Jay Fielding, Jr. of Atlanta. No date has been set for the wedding.

SPAGE scholarship

Evans resident Danielle Nicole Callan is the recipient of a Student Professional Association of Georgia Educators Undergraduate (SPAGE) Scholarship, awarded each year through the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) Foundation.

The $1,000 scholarship goes to an outstanding SPAGE member in a teacher education program who will soon be entering Georgia's classrooms. Recipients agree to teach in Georgia for three years. Callan is a Music Education major and attends Georgia Southern University in Statesboro.

CLAE award winner

Augusta Prep Sophomore Patrick Johnson will attend the Carleton College Liberal Arts Experience (CLAE), a summer program designed for the 'best and brightest' college-bound African-American students. Patrick is one of only 50 high school students selected from hundreds of applications from across the country to receive this opportunity.

Outstanding student

Dayna M. Principe achieved the highest honors possible at Harlem Middle School. She achieved the following: High Honor Roll Highest Overall Average for the school, Highest Overall Average for the Sixth Grade, Highest Math Average on Team, Highest Overall Average on Team, Highest Social Studies Average on Team and Outstanding News Team Member. She was also recognized as the top soprano for the Harlem Middle School Chorus and selected to represent the school School during a Statewide Chorus Competition in Atlanta.

Evans High grad earns award

Mary Michele Tomasello McQuagge, a 1996 graduate of Evans High School, was awarded the Presidential Scholar Award at the University of Florida Atlantic for her 4.0 average for the spring semester.

She is a senior, majoring in elementary education.

She is the daughter of Michael and Barbara Tomasello of Evans.

Martinez student wins Georgia Tech scholarship

Benjamin Steele Roth, a 2002 graduate of Lakeside High School, has won Georgia Tech's top merit award for incoming freshmen, the President's Scholarship.

He earned the scholarship for his leadership in extracurricular activities, academic achievements and communications skills.

While at Lakeside, Roth was vice president of the National Honor Society, co-captain of the science team, and captain of the cross country team. He placed first in cell biology in the state Science Olympiad and earned his Eagle Scout rank. He is also scheduled to receive the Secretary of State's Excellence in Citizenship award in Atlanta later this month.

He is the son of Glenn and Sherry Roth of Martinez.

Marine completes basic training

Marine Corps Pfc. Jonathan A. Kaylor, son of Patricia a Wylie of Thomson and Ralph Kaylor of Martinez, recently completed basic training in Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C.

He is a 2001 graduate of Camden Military Academy.

Marine promoted to lance corporal after basic training

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Thomas A. Silas, son of Vivian L. and Willie A. Silas of Evans, was promoted recently to lance corporal after completing basic training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C.

Harlem Marine participates in exercise

Marine Corps Cpl. John D. Pruitt, son of Cindy A. and Dwayne D. Pruitt of Harlem, recently participated in exercise Sea Soldier '02 while assigned to the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

The unit took part in the 12-day live-fire training exercise with soldiers from the Western Frontier Regiment of the Royal Army of Oman.

The exercise took place about two weeks after the unit completed offensive raids against Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

Pruitt is a 1995 graduate of Harlem High School. He joined the Marine Corps in January 1999.