Columbia County newsmakers
Watson-Brown scholarship recipients
The Watson-Brown Foundation in Thomson, a group focused on education, awarded 354 scholarships to students attending 83 colleges or universities from Georgia and South Carolina at a recent ceremony at Thomson First Methodist Church's Family Life Center.
The late Walter J. Brown started the foundation for the purpose of providing college scholarships to students who are academically strong, but may be financially unable to afford college.
Martinez and Evans students awarded scholarships are: John Allen Beckman, Sean Herbert Coleman, Aaron Taylor Cook, Creswell Curtis, April Li Daniels, Manprett K. Dhillon, Brandon D. Elijah, Mareasa M. Fortunato, Austin Funderburg, Christopher Golden, Anna C. Harris, Christy D. Hill, Bradley Hobson, James Hobson, Joshua M. Inouye, Daniel P. Jordan, Aasif A. Kazi, Carrie E. Keel, Erin L. Keel, Hye W. Kim, Su W. Kim, Rebecca A. Koger, Melissa McBride, Lindsay L. Moore, Kelly L. Newman, David T. Nguyen, Nathaniel P. O'Rourke, Sean J. O'Rourke, Robert B. Pace, Jamie B. Rogers, Adam R. Roper, Margaret Rountree, Eric A. Scukanec, Jignesh J. Shah, Ashley E. Sisco, Michael B. Smith, Twila Thompson and Andrea S. Wagner.
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Kennesaw Dean's List
John Brejda (center), a parishioner at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church in Augusta, recently attained the rank of Eagle Scout in Boy Scout Troop 2, sponsored by St. Teresa's. For his community-service project to achieve Eagle ranking, John landscaped the sign in front of the church. He recruited the labor, solicited the donations, designed the landscaping and supervised the project. John is pictured at the church after his Eagle Scout ceremony with the Rev. Thomas Peyton, St. Teresa's pastor, and Jimmy O'Hara, scoutmaster of Troop 2. John also had the opportunity to visit U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood at his Washington office before his Eagle ceremony.
Special
Sunny Danielle Price has been named to the Dean's List at Kennesaw State University this past spring term. She is in the Bagwell College of Education program. She is the daughter of Alan and Georgianna Simonson of Grovetown.
Baylor honor student
Alvaro Ortiz of Evans was named to Baylor University Dean's Academic Honor List for the 2003 spring semester. To be named to the Dean's List, a student must be an undergraduate with a minimum grade-point average of 3.7.
UGA scholarships
The following area students have accepted the University of Georgia Charter Scholarship for fall semester 2003:
Molly McFerran of Martinez is a 2003 graduate of Lakeside High School. Molly's intended UGA major is international business. She is the daughter of Daniel and Deborah McFerran.
Kelly Newman of Martinez is a 2003 graduate of Lakeside High School. Kelly's intended UGA major is accounting. Kelly is the daughter of Mike and Julie Newman.
Tiffany Umlauf of Grovetown is a 2003 graduate of Harlem High School. Tiffany's intended UGA major is pre-veterinary medicine. Tiffany is the daughter of Paul and Denise Umlauf.
Nichole Rosamilia of Martinez is a 2003 graduate of Evans High School. Nichole is the daughter of Michelle Rosamilia.
Christopher Holland of Evans is a 2003 graduate of Evans High School. Christopher's intended UGA major is cellular biology. He is the son of Glenn and Jaci Holland.
The Charter Scholarship recognizes incoming freshmen who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in academics and extracurricular activities.
Piedmont Dean's List
Michael Adam Dye of Harlem has been named to the Dean's List at Piedmont College after completing the recent summer semester with grade-point average greater than 3.5.
Piedmont is a coeducational, liberal arts college with an enrollment of about 2,100 students. Founded in 1897, the main campus is in Demorest, Ga., and the college has an off-campus center in Athens. Piedmont offers undergraduate degrees in 25 areas, and graduate degrees in education and business.
Air traffic grad
Air Force Airman 1st Class Amanda R. Taylor has graduated from the air traffic control operations apprentice course at Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, Miss.
Taylor learned about aircraft recognition and performance, navigational aids, and procedures to regulate air traffic and airport traffic control. Taylor is the daughter of Jon Raymond Taylor of Evans, and granddaughter of Katherine Culbertson of Phillipsburg, Kan.
Air Force grad
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Cassandra M. Kaigler has graduated from the Air Force Noncommissioned Officer Academy at Tyndall Air Force Base, Panama City, Fla. Kaigler was taught advanced military leadership management theories and responsibilities, oral and written communications skills, and physical fitness fundamentals. The noncommissioned officer performed as a supervisor to learn behavior concepts, problem solving, and counseling techniques relative to the Air Force mission and organization. The sergeant learned to orient new service members in the principles, practices and tools necessary to function in the Air Force.
Kaigler is a military training manager assigned to the 338th Training Squadron at Fort Gordon, Augusta, Ga. She is the daughter of Wilber L. Kaigler of Macon, Ga., and Inell Conrad of Grovetown. The technical sergeant received an associate degree in 1995 from Troy State University, Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Basic graduation
Air Force Airman 1st Class Nicholas R. Caballero, son of Myra Caballero of Blue Court in Martinez, graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. During the six weeks of training, the airman studied the Air Force mission, organization and military customs and courtesies; performed drill and ceremony marches; and received physical training, rifle marksmanship, field training exercises, and special training in human relations.
In addition, Caballeri, a 2002 Evans High School graduate, earned credits toward an Associate degree through the Community College of the Air Force by completing basic training.
Ranger school grad
Army 2nd Lt. Kevin J. Toth has graduated from the U.S. Army Ranger School at Fort Benning, Columbus, Ga., with authorization to wear the distinctive Ranger Tab.
During the 61-day course, Toth proved that he could successfully accomplish all required tasks during the three phases of training, which is designed to assess and develop military skills, physical and mental endurance, stamina, and confidence of the soldier to successfully accomplish small unit combat missions. The training is tough, rugged, strenuous, and realistic, and is conducted in three terrains, wooded, mountainous, and jungle-swamp. Soldiers are trained to withstand the stresses of combat and overcome all obstacles to accomplish the mission under any circumstance or situation. The Ranger is trained to properly sustain himself and his subordinates, and maintain equipment under difficult field conditions during simulated combat operations; develop combat functional skills for planning and conducting ground, airmobile, airborne, and waterborne patrolling and survival operations.
Toth is an infantry officer assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 11th Infantry Division. He is the son of Jennifer Hitt of Grovetown, and John Toth of Middleburg Heights, Ohio, and a 1998 Evans High School graduate.
Moody posting
Air Force Staff Sgt. Talise J. Gary has arrived for duty at Moody Air Force Base, Valdosta, Ga. The newly promoted sergeant is a military personnel flight customer service supervisor assigned to the 347th Mission Support Squadron.
She is the daughter of Johnnetta McLean of Charleston, S.C. Her mother-in-law, Carolyn Conner, resides in Harlem. Gary is a 1998 graduate of Garrett Academy of Technologies, North Charleston, S.C.