Published: July 17, 2008 10:25 am            

Familiar Faces

CHS varsity cheerleaders earn awards

The Corsicana High School varsity cheerleaders recently returned from a National Cheerleader Association (NCA) summer camp. The camp was held at Emerald Beach in Corpus Christi and attracted over 175 cheerleaders from the surrounding states. The squad is made up of captain Ashley Gegenheimer, senior lieutenant Chelsea David-Nickolay, Mandie Newsome, Britnie Starkey, Courtney Wigley, junior lieutenant Lane Watkins, Lauren Tidwell, Katy Rogers, Jill Edling, Amy Bruckner, Ashley Tekell, Tauren Kitchen and Michael Williams.

The NCA selects award winners at each of the 1,000 camps it administers around the world each summer. Founded in 1948 by L.R. Herkimer, NCA has been conducting camps for 60 years and holds events annually for 150,000 cheerleaders and dancers around the world.

The CHS varsity cheerleaders received eight superior (blue) ribbons for their performances during daily evaluations. These evaluations measure precision, execution of skills, and overall performance of cheers and chants learned while at camp. The squad also earned a bid to NCA’s Senior and Junior High School National Championship in December. This competition brings in over 20,000 of the nation’s cheerleaders.

In addition the squad received an award for technical excellence. This was awarded for displaying superior skills in jumps. The S.P.O.T. Award was also given to the squad for using safety while stunting, spotting and displaying proper stunt techniques. This award recognizes the squad for making safety a top priority.

As part of the four-day curriculum, NCA selects individuals as All American nominees who display strength in one of the following categories: motions, jumps, stunts, tumbling, dance, or leadership. Every member of the 2008-2009 CHS varsity cheer squad was named as an All American nominee.

Three cheerleaders (Amy Bruckner, Chelsea David-Nickolay and Mandie Newsome) and both CHS Tiger mascots (Michael Williams and Tauren Kitchen) were named as All American team members. This is the most prestigious award in cheerleading today.

Along with being named as All American mascots, Michael Williams and Tauren Kitchen were given an award for best skit. Tauren Kitchen also was awarded most spirited mascot.



Smith named to honor roll

Casie Breann Smith of Purdon was named to the dean’s honor roll at Oklahoma Baptist University for the spring 2008 semester. OBU’s dean’s honor roll recognizes students who achieved a grade point average between 3.4 and 3.69 on a 4.0 scale for course work during the semester.



Students receive degrees/named to honor list

Tarleton State University’s 2008 spring commencement was held May 9-10. The following students received degrees: Amber Nicole Barron of Corsicana, Bachelor of Science in communications; Timothy Lee Green, Bachelor of Science in management; Dwayne June Cleaves of Fairfield, Bachelor of Business Administration in interdisciplinary business; and Andrea Rene Harris of Hubbard, Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science in business occupations.

Named to the distinguished students list for the spring 2008 semester was Amy Goodwin of Corsicana. Distinguished students include freshmen and sophomore students who have a minimum 3.25 GPR and no grade lower than a C, and juniors and seniors who have a minimum 3.5 GPR with no grade lower than a C, and must be in good standing with the university.



Jones selected to participate in

program

Lucy Jones of Corsicana was selected to participate in the annual reading and scoring of the College Board’s AP Examinations in June in Spanish language.

Each year the AP Program, sponsored by the College Board, gives more than one million capable high school students an opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses and examinations and, based on their exam performance, to receive credit and/or advanced placement when they enter college.

Approximately 2.8 million examinations in 22 disciplines were evaluated by over 10,000 readers from universities and high schools. Representing many of the finest academic institutions in the world, these men and women are some of the best high school and college educators in the United States, Canada and abroad.

The AP Reading is a unique forum in which academic dialogue between secondary school and college educators is fostered and strongly encouraged. “The reading draws upon the talents of some of the finest teachers and professors that the world has to offer,” said Trevor Packer, executive director of the Advanced Placement Program at the College Board. “It fosters professionalism, allows for the exchange of ideas, and strengthens the commitment to students and to teaching. We are very grateful for the contributions of talented educators like Lucy Jones.”



Military news

Army Pfc. Blake A. Swadley, whose wife Blanche is the daughter of Harriett Roop of Corsicana, recently arrived back at Fort Hood from Iraq after serving a 15-month deployment. Swadley is a member of the Army’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, based at Fort Hood. He served as a wheeled vehicle mechanic during the deployment. Swadley has been in the Army for just over one year. Swadley trained at Fort Jackson, S.C., for seven months and within a month of arriving at his first duty station of Fort Hood, he was on his way to Iraq.

        

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