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Top of the class

Achievers

By Times Staff Writer
Published June 1, 2005

Nine Pinellas students who have won national Scholastic Art and Writing awards from the country's largest and longest running recognition program for the visual arts and writing will be honored Thursday at an awards ceremony at Carnegie Hall.

Jennifer Bacher, Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs High, will receive a silver award for an untitled print. Patrick Blackburn, Palm Harbor University High, will receive a silver award for his art portfolio and a silver award for a drawing titled Lantern Robot.

James Hendrix, Seminole High, will receive a silver award for a drawing titled Yoshi's Home. > James Rideout, Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs High, will receive an American Visions Award for an untitled drawing.

Jonathan Herron, East Lake High, will receive an American Voices Award and a gold award for humor writing for a piece titled Madness . . . To Go. > Jocelyn Howard, Bay Point Middle School, will receive a gold award for science fiction-fantasy writing for her work, titled Dinosaurs in Central Park.

Montana Kroll, Southside Fundamental Middle School, will receive a gold award for her short story titled I Am My Own Hero. > Kelly Marton, Bay Point Middle School, will receive a silver ward for her personal essay-memoir titled The Place I Call Home.

Adam Montgomery, East Lake High, will receive a gold award for his dramatic script titled Suttee.

More than 200 regional winners were selected from 630 entries in this year's Scholastic Art and Writing competition. More than 50 of them were forwarded for national competition, where they were eligible for prizes ranging from $100 in cash to $5,000 scholarships.

Five Pinellas students have won National Merit $2,500 scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. They are among 2,500 high school seniors chosen for the scholarships from more than 15,000 outstanding students who reached the finalist level in the 2005 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Hayley L. Dirscherl and Ryan T. Mortensen-Reed of Clearwater and Kimberly A. Beers of Dunedin graduated in May from the International Baccalaureate program at Palm Harbor University High School. Caitlin E. Carey of Palm Harbor graduated from East Lake High School. James T. Stenard of St. Petersburg graduated from the International Baccalaureate program at St. Petersburg High.

Kathryn Gandeza, daughter of Teresa and Michael Gandeza of St. Petersburg, has been named an All-American Scholar by the United States Achievement Academy. The award is offered to students with a 3.3 or higher grade point average who have been recommended by a teacher, counselor or other qualified sponsor.

Gandeza is a 2005 graduate and valedictorian from St. Petersburg High School, where she was student body president and a member of the National Honor Society. She will attend Florida State University to major in psychology and nutrition.

Sherri Ann Tribou, daughter of Jacquelyn and Thomas Tribou of St. Petersburg, has been named a United States National Award Winner in history and government by the United States Achievement Academy. One of her teachers at Dixie Hollins High School nominated her for the award, which is presented to fewer than 10 percent of American high school students.

Janean Bush is this year's recipient of a Civitan Club of St. Petersburg scholarship. The $1,000 scholarship is awarded annually to a St. Petersburg High School senior who is a member of Junior Civitan, has demonstrated school and community service, and is planning to pursue a four-year degree.

Bush has volunteered more than 150 service hours with Junior Civitan in projects such as the Pinellas County Special Olympics. She will attend Florida State University to major in hospitality and nutritional science.

The Civitan Club of St. Petersburg has awarded two graduating seniors with its Civitan Club Challenge Award. The $1,000 scholarship is awarded to a physically, visually or orthopedically impaired student who has demonstrated leadership and service to school and community.

Patrick Goergen, a May graduate of the Center for Advanced Technologies at Lakewood High, was a member of the National Honor Society. He won a national Student Television Award of Excellence for his work as a producer on Fox Thirteen Magazine and has attained the rank of Eagle Scout.

He will attend the University of Central Florida to major in engineering and communication.

Christopher Otto, who graduated from Lakewood High School, was student government president and a Florida Blood Drive coordinator. He will attend St. Petersburg College to major in business.

[Last modified June 1, 2005, 00:38:18]