ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, January 2, 1996 TAG: 9601020149
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: Class Notes
SOURCE: HALE SHEIKERTZ
Four area high school students were winners of the 1995 Career Fair Essay awards. New River Valley students who participated at the November Career Fair were asked to write about their dream career, why they had chosen that goal and how they hoped to achieve it.
The essay contest was sponsored by the Joint Committee on Education of the Greater Blacksburg and Christiansburg-Montgomery chambers of commerce. The committee received 16 essays from Narrows, Giles, Radford and Christiansburg High Schools.
One winner was selected from each school and received a $50 cash prize. An overall winner was selected, and that student's school received a check for $100.
Mark Tong from Radford High School was the overall winner. Tong's essay, "My Dream Career," was about his future goal as the founder and chief executive officer of SCI Inc., "a well-managed technology firm whose main goal is to improve the quality of life for the people on earth."
Other winners include:
Kara Hunt from Giles County High School, whose goal is to become an occupational therapist;
Traci Barr from Christiansburg High School, whose wants to teach;
Kristan Conley from Narrows High School, who plans to pursue a degree in criminal justice.
Crystal Raymond, a senior at Pulaski County High School, has been selected as a member of the Virginia Honors Choir. In November, Raymond participated in the 50th anniversary concert at the Virginia Music Educators Association convention at The Homestead in Hot Springs.
Raymond also attended the Virginia Governor's School of Performing and Visual Arts at the University of Richmond during the summer. She was a member of the Virginia All-State Choir her junior year.
Raymond is the daughter of Steve and Debbie Raymond.
Throughout the school year, the Christiansburg High School's Teens Need Teens group works with the Christiansburg Police Department. The group's December project was to donate money to the Terry Griffith Memorial Scholarship Fund.
TNT member April Orange presented a $50 donation to Chief Ron Lemons, Sgt. Gary Brumfield and Officer Donnie Cromer Dec. 19. Other members in attendance were Jennifer Beller, Karen Cox, Janice McGuire, David Sowers, Jennifer Clark, Eric Beasley, Sarah Waters and sponsor Regina Meredith.
In addition, TNT member Erin Calvert and teacher Debbie Sherman-Lee recently graduated from the first-ever Citizen Police Academy. The program allowed participants to learn about the many phases of police work. The graduates were presented with a certificate and a coffee mug.
Teacher Award
A Pulaski County High School teacher has been elected vice president of the National Vocational Agricultural Teachers' Association.
Mike Cox of Allisonia will serve a three-year term and will represent teachers from the 13 Eastern states. He also will serve as a member of the board of directors.
Cox has taught agriculture at Pulaski for 18 years and has served as department chairman of the three-teacher, 300-student program for 13 of those years. He is a member of the board of directors of the Pulaski County Farm Bureau, the New River Valley Fair and Southwest Virginia Agricultural Association. Cox received both his bachelor's and master's degrees from Virginia Tech.
Announcements
The Christiansburg High School After Prom Celebration meets Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. The meeting will be in the girls' health room. Those interested in volunteering for the committee are welcome to attend. For more information, call 382-3283 or 381-0059.
The Blacksburg High School After Prom Committee will have its monthly planning meeting Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. in the teachers' lounge. For more information, call 951-8683 or 552-7881.
LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (heqadshots) Raymond, Cox.by CNB