Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 15, 1993 TAG: 9306150039
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: JOANNE ANDERSON
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
\ TEN PULASKI COUNTY TEACHERS have just completed a yearlong project learning how to use the technology.
Participants were Sheila Spangler, Riverlawn Elementary; Dave Graham, Dublin Middle School; Margaret Spradlin, Claremont Elementary; Connie Leathers, Pulaski Middle School; Jim Harvey, Newbern Elementary School; Linda Hill, Draper Elementary; Sherry Vaughn, Dublin Elementary; Nancy Morgan, Northwood Elementary; Barbara Layman, Pulaski County High School; and Dianne Graham, Critzer Elementary.
The program was funded by an Appalachian Educational Laboratory Grant and conducted as a partnership with Radford University.
The teachers learned how to access library catalogs, electronic publications and many on-line resources.
They now can develop on-line projects, assess the effectiveness of computer activities, and prepare instructional units to train other teachers, as well as communicate with schools across the state and around the world.
On another high-tech note, JOHN WENRICH of Dublin Middle School received an honorable mention in the International Society for Technology in Education's Telecomputing Activity Plan Contest.
He was recognized for his entry, "Dear Tele," a program allowing middle-school students to share their feelings and opinions with other middle-schoolers via Internet.
\ CATHERINE NEY, a second-grade teacher at Margaret Beeks Elementary School, has received a 1993 Teacher Workshop Award from the National Science Teachers Association.
She receives a two-week, all-expense-paid trip to Langley Research Center in Hampton to learn about the latest aerospace projects and meet nationally acclaimed scientists and engineers.
The workshops are designed to help develop new teaching strategies and enrich current classroom activities.
Other teachers recognized for outstanding achievements include:
\ DEE DAVISSON of Shawsville High and Middle School, who has received the Sigma Xi Outstanding Science or Math Teaching Award for 1993.
\ KAREN FINCH, the forensic coach at Blacksburg High School, honored for leading her team to a Group AA state championship this year.
\ ROCHELLE IRELAND, selected as the 1992-93 New River Council Reading Teacher of the Year.
A NONCREDIT RECERTIFICATION CLASS for elementary and secondary teachers will be held June 28-30 at Blacksburg Middle School, Room 200.
The course, EDCA 142-70, will include more than 70 activities that integrate listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.
The class will meet from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and costs $55.
Call 674-3607 for more information.
\ KEVIN J. BENNETT of Christiansburg High School has been awarded a National Merit Scholarship to Virginia Tech.
To receive this scholarship, Bennett demonstrated superior academic standards, was endorsed and recommended by the high school principal, took a second academic test and provided information about activities, interests and goals.
Winners are chosen from approximately 14,000 finalists, which represent less than one-half of 1 percent of all graduating seniors.
The Christiansburg-Blacksburg Rotary Club presented ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS to high school juniors in Montgomery County who were in the top 5 percent of their classes academically.
Recipients are:
\ Christiansburg High School: Jared Espley, Jeremy Cosgriff, Aaron Payne, Jodi Vaughan, Andrew Kopp, Mark Ross, Tate Nunley, Lori Wilson, Rebecca Wright and Crystal Clay.
\ Auburn High School: Michael Altizer, Celia Eicheldinger, Kelly McPeak and Michael Stiles.
\ Blacksburg High School: Chris Tyson, Jonathan Tze, Zachary Warren, Adam Jortner, Abigail Murrmann, Amy Mathena, Koren Donahue, Christie Fraraccio, Heather Notter, Samuel Nokuri, Heather Boardman and Xiao-Wei Wang.
\ Shawsville High School: Amy Simpkins, Laura Neily and Emily Garlick.
A FINE-ARTS AWARDS BANQUET was held by the Christiansburg-Blacksburg Rotary Club to honor students for excellence in the arts.
Visual-arts awards were given to Nicole Jane Shires of Blacksburg High School, Jill Johnson of Christiansburg High, Lisa Michelle Duncan of Shawsville High and Baldwin North of Auburn High.
Awards in vocal music went to Brandy Lee Hawley of Auburn High School, Kari Flora of Christiansburg High and Joi Marie Jaasma of Blacksburg High.
Instrumental-music award-recipients were Donella Sampson of Auburn High School, Karen Marie Hendricks of Blacksburg High, Erin Elizabeth Bower of Christiansburg High and Rebecca Farkas of Blacksburg High.
\ AMY SIMPKINS, a junior at Shawsville High School, has been selected to participate in Virginia's 1993 Summer Residential Governor's School for the academically gifted.
She will attend the science, math and technology school at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg from June 27 until July 24.
Simpkins is the daughter of Nelson and Deborah Simpkins of Christiansburg.
MICHAEL J. LOWE JR. of Shawsville Middle School has been named a national award winner in mathematics by the U.S. Achievement Academy.
The sixth-grader is the son of Mike and Betty Lowe.
\ JESSE GILLESPIE, an eighth-grader at Dalton Intermediate School, is a national winner in the Promising Young Writers Program sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of English.
There were approximately 2,000 entrants in this year's contest, and Gillespie was one of 11 winners from Virginia.
Thirty juniors were inducted into the Blacksburg High School NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY.
Each student has maintained a 3.5 or above grade-point average and has met the leadership, character and service requirements.
The new members are Heather Boardman, Jason Boyle, Tristan Carolan, Krisha Chachra, Michael Donahue, Jason Flick, Christie Fraraccio, Rebecca Hansen, Margo Hasselman, Kara Hohenshil, Sandra Horan, Adam Jortner, Warren Lee, Amy Mathena, Geoff Murphy, Abigail Murrmann, Heather Notter, Michael Ogburn, Cara Patterson, Emily Reisinger, Amy Santos, Zoe Skinner, Heather Stockburger, Amy Tomchin, Jacqueline Tront, Chris Tyson, Jonathan Tze, Sarah Vogler, Xaio-Wei Wang and Zach Warren.
Joanne Anderson is filling in for Melissa DeVaughn, who is hiking the Appalachian Trail. If you have an interesting news item from your school, write to the New River Current in care of Class Notes, Roanoke Times & World-News' New River Valley Bureau, P.O. Box 540, Christiansburg, Va. 24073.
by CNB