• Woodward Academy senior Oscar Dow received the 2015 American Association of Teachers of French (AATF) Outstanding Senior in French Award. This award is given annually to a graduating senior who has demonstrated excellence in the study of French as well as exceptional commitment to the French language and the many cultures where it is spoken. Recipients must have completed at least three years of French study at the time of graduation and be non-native speakers of French.
• Eighteen seventh-graders from The Epstein School scored high enough on the ACT to receive state level recognition or be eligible to participate in Duke University's Center for Summer Studies or Academy for Summer Studies. The students recognized in Duke's Talent Identification Program, which covers 6,000 junior high and middle schools in a 16-state region and identifies academically talented seventh-graders based on standardized test scores, are: Grand recognition: Yaron Bernstein, Galya Fischer, and Brandon Sherman; state recognition/summer studies eligibility: Elaine Berger, Samantha Berke, Tal Brill, Chloe Capes, Hannah Feldstein, Asher Fitterman, Samantha Hertz, Carly Judenberg, Sylvia Kershteyn, Marin Londe, Avi Pearlman, Josh Peljovich, Micayla Pollak, Zoe Rosenberg, and Jay Satisky.
• The first chess tournament in Fayette County drew 46 players from kindergartners to adults, and helped the Inman Elementary chess club raise funds to buy game equipment. Inman student Bryce Bennett won first place in the beginner bracket and Sawyer Banks won first place in the intermediate bracket. The tournament brought in almost $400 for Inman's chess club. A surprise donation of $500 from the Fayette County Civitans will also be used to purchase chess game clocks, which typically cost upwards of $50 each. Inman teacher and chess club sponsor Charlie Harper said, "It was a fantastic event, and inquiries have been made about when we will have the next one." He expects to host the second Fayette County Chess Tournament at Inman Elementary sometime around late September or early October.
• More than two dozen Gwinnett County Public Schools seniors will have their entire college career paid in full after being named QuestBridge National College Match recipients. QuestBridge is a nonprofit organization that links high-achieving, low-income students to some of the nation's most selective colleges. The recipients are part of a group of only 440 students nationwide honored this year. The Gwinnett QuestBridge Scholars and the colleges they plan to attend are: Archer High, Tahnee Muller, University of Chicago; Brittany Osaseri, Washington & Lee; Brianna Osaseri, Washington & Lee; Michelle Samson, Oberlin; and Krystal Castanada, Emory. Berkmar High, Sally Tran, Duke University; Karen Nguyen, Emory; Ugushi Ogonor, University of Chicago; Christy Enriquez, Davidson; Caterine Guevara, Colorado College; Brian Hernandez, Emory; Dulce Medina, Emory, and Gerson Salmeron Rubio, Tufts. Brookwood High, Sofia Ali, Stanford. Collins Hill High, Andres Parra, Carleton College; Nathaniel Forrester, Rice University, and Amethyst King, Columbia University. Duluth High, Sarah Sanneh, Princeton. GSMST, Samuel Zinga, Emory; Marcia Saetang, Wesleyan University, and Aaron Wubshet, MIT. Parkview High, Ivan Duong, Dartmouth; Shehan Parmer, University of Southern California; Ima Christian, Stanford University; Elshaddai Girma, Emory; Alexzandra Kellogg, UGA, and Brendan J. Taliaferro, University of Pennsylvania. Peachtree Ridge High, Jasmine Kamruddin, Stanford University. North Gwinnett High, Anna Truong, Rice University. Shiloh High, Bradford Grant, Davidson College.
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