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Top of the class

Achievers

By Times Staff Writer
Published March 23, 2005

Pasadena Fundamental girl's dental poster wins

Lauren Bond, a first-grader at Pasadena Fundamental School, won first place in her grade level at the Florida Dental Association's 15th annual Children's Dental Health Month poster contest.

Lauren was among 14,000 elementary school students from 70 schools who participated in the contest and was one of six first-place winners in kindergarten through fifth grade to receive grade-level recognition.

Each statewide grade-level winner received a plaque. Their teachers received a $350 grant to purchase school supplies.

This year, children created posters with the theme "A Healthy Smile Is Always in Style." Posters featured the importance of brushing and flossing to maintain a healthy smile. The contest celebrates National Children's Dental Health Month, held each February.

Students go to Orlando for Mathcounts contest

Two Pinellas schools competed March 10 and 11 at the 2005 Florida Mathcounts competition in Orlando.

The Bay Point Middle School team of Preet Patel, Dylan Sprague, Jimmy Kline, Niraj Singh and Eli Marger, coached by Bennie Smith, finished eighth overall and won first place in ciphering in Heat 2.

The Safety Harbor Middle School team of Philip Bauer, Ambika Anand, Andrew Smith and Gautam Balagopala was coached by Thomas Heerschap and Ken Kline. Philip finished third in individual competition and will advance to the nationals representing Florida.

The schools were among 45 that competed from throughout Florida in two written individual problem-solving rounds, a team-written round and a ciphering round. They were sponsored by the Florida Engineering Society.

Gibbs High Girl Scout earns her Gold Award

Diana Christine Hunter, a Senior Girl Scout in Troop 555, has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a girl can earn in Girl Scouting.

Hunter, 16, completed a project called Music for Minors, which she presented during First Night activities in St. Petersburg on New Year's Eve. She recruited several student instrumentalists from her school and assistants from her troop and family who used musical instruments in a "learn, hear, touch and play" venue for children and adults.

Hunter is the daughter of Karen and John Linkogle of St. Petersburg and Wayne Hunter Jr. of Clearwater. She is a vocal major in the Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs High School.

Debaters plan Wisconsin trip for national tourney

A group of students on the Lakewood High School debate team are the sole Pinellas County representatives in a national forensics competition that will be held May 27-29 in Milwaukee.

Qualifiers who will compete in the National Catholic Forensic League championship tournament are Michael Flegiel, extemporaneous; the team of John Correa and Rachel Martinez, policy debate; and the team of Erik Johanson and Rob Meister, duo.

First alternates if a qualifier cannot attend are the team of Danielle Shepardson and Tom Barrett, policy; and the team of Jacob Barrens and Caitie Crafa, duo.

Second alternates are Ted Riquelme in the Lincoln Douglas event; and the team of Lauren Jensen and Jerry Gray, policy.

[Last modified March 23, 2005, 00:55:18]