Teacher honored

By Times staff writer

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 16, 2000

Linda J. Wallenhorst, a teacherat Carwise Middle School, received a plaque for the honor of Teacher of the Year for the Pinellas County School District. She has been teaching gifted students at Carwise Middle School since 1994, and previously taught at Largo Middle School. In 1989, as an exchange teacher, she taught English to junior high school students in Nagano, Japan.

Awards and honors

Mike Byrne, a graduate of Seminole Senior High School, received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. He was nominated by U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young and was offered appointments to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn. and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Byrne, Seminole High salutatorian, has been active in varsity swimming and track and field at Seminole High. He was a nominee for Academic All American. He was president of the National Honor Society, vice president of the National Math Honor Society and a member of the National Spanish Honor Society. He was a student council class officer his junior and senior years and served on the Pinellas County Students Rights and Responsibilities Board. He also has written for and edited the school newspaper and literary magazine. His parents are Patrick and Joan Byrne of Seminole.

Kevin Meigs, of Oldsmar, was named the All American Scholar by the United States Achievement Academy. The honor offers recognition to superior students. A student at Westgate Christian School, Meigs has also received the Principal's Award for outstanding academic achievement and the Scholar Award for maintaining a high grade point average while playing both soccer and baseball. His parents are Barbara and Michael Meigs.

Kristin Michelle Brown received a first place award of $500 as one of 16 students between the ages of 14 and 21 who competed in ballet to represent the Clearwater-Tampa Bay Chapter of National Society of Arts and Letters. She was honored recently by the NSAL at its annual meeting held at the Safety Harbor Spa and she will compete for the $10,000 prize at their national meeting. A second place award of $300 went to Lauren Birnbaum, and a third place award of $100 went to Shanna Leigh Crossman.

Kristen Winquist , a graduate of Countryside High School, received a $1,000 scholarship from the Suncoast Dixieland Jazz Society. The society's program is designed to enhance jazz as an American art form in local schools and colleges by providing scholarships to worthy young musicians.

Kimberley Thornton and Dana Hicks, seniors at Palm Harbor University High School, attended the 24th annual World Affairs Seminar at the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater. They were selected and sponsored by the Palm Harbor Rotary Club for their community service involvement through Palm Harbor University High's Interact Club. During the seminar they discussed the effects of political, economical and environmental globalization.

Graduations

Michael S. Mac Laverty graduated with honors from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He was director of design on the publications committee of the Business Administration College Council, the information systems chair and Webmaster of Alpha kappa Psi, national professional business fraternity. His parents are Bruce and Paula Mac Laverty of Palm Harbor.

Natasha Malinda White graduated with a master's degree in theological studies from Vanderbilt Divinity School at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. She is a graduate of Dunedin High School and the University of Miami. White, a student soloist, sang at the baccalaureate service for the divinity school. In September, she will begin a yearlong position as resident chaplain of the Veterans Administration Hospital in Seattle. Her parents are Larry and Yvonne White of Dunedin.

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