From Whitefield Academy: Whitefield Academy has named its 2012 valedictorian and salutatorians. Matt Owens, son of Bryan and Sharon Owens, has been named Whitefield Academy's 2012 Valedictorian. With a cumulative average of 99.5, Matt has demonstrated the epitome of academic excellence. Earlier this year, Matt was also named Whitefield's STAR student, having the highest SAT score at Whitefield (on a single date). In addition, he is the recipient of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Cup, which is awarded to the senior who has achieved all-around excellence and leadership in academics, …

Whitefield Academy celebrated its third State Championship title in varsity boys basketball on March 16. The festivities began in front  of the Whitefield Stadium with the basketball team traveling around campus in Whitefield buses while teachers, classmates, and friends and family cheered them on! Got photos you want to share with your neighbors here on South Cobb Patch? Upload them to the neighborhood gallery, which can be found under the tab "Pic  & Clips" and then shoot Editor Kiri Walton an email at southcobb@patch.com so they can be featured on the site!

Pebblebrook High student Akayla Hill was recently named one of the state's top five winners in Congressman David Scott (GA-13)'s 10 annual Congressional High School Art Competition, which awards more than $25,000 in scholarships for the top winners of his tenth annual.  “This year’s exhibit was extraordinary.  I am so proud of the students who participated and showcased their stunning artwork,” said Scott.  “Our art competition presents an opportunity for our students to have their art professionally displayed and to earn scholarships.  I am honored to recognize our top winners for their …

Three of the seven Cobb County high school seniors to be awarded 2012 Gates Milennium scholarships are from South Cobb High School. South Cobb High seniors Chinonso Ogojiaku, Amber Hubert and Uduak Obot were named Gates Scholars. Gates Finalists were Kia Jones and Derek Koger. The Gates Scholarship is one of the most competitive in the nation, and offers recipients full tuition, room and board to any college or university for only 1,000 students in the entire nation. The students can choose to earn up to a doctorate degree, free of charge. Principal Ashley Hosey was excited when he received …

This week, South Cobb Patch recognizes a Whiz Ensemble. The prestigious Cobb County Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts school at Pebblebrook High has a long history of award-winning ensembles, actors and actresses, choreographers and overall productions. At the Tuesday night Tony Awards-style cermony at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, CCEPA took home three Shuler Hensley Georgia High School Music Theatre Awards on Tuesday night: chorus ensemble, choreography and music direction for its recent production of Hairspray. CCEPA was nominated for 10 of the 15 award categories. The…

The Cobb County Center for Excellence in the Peforming Arts at Pebblebrook has certainly become one of the leading performing arts high schools in the nation and is known for churning out Broadway stars. It comes as no surprise that the school’s recent production of Hairspray was nominated in 11 of the 15 categories of the Shuler Hensley Awards - The Georgia High School Musical Theater Awards. The Shuler Hensley Awards honor musical theatre excellence at the high school level.  The program is an initiative of the ArtsBridge education program of the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre …

Woodward Academy sixth grader Katie McRury, of Mableton, recently qualified as one of the top 100 students in the state of Georgia for the National Geographic Bee. Katie will represent Woodward at the state-level competition on Friday. Each year, thousands of schools in the United States participate in the National Geographic Bee using materials prepared by the National Geographic Society. The contest is designed to encourage teachers to include geography in their classrooms, spark student interest in the subject, and increase public awareness about geography. Schools with students in grades …

Woodward Academy sophomore Christopher Kennedy, of Mableton, is one of five national winners in the VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates) Poetry contest. His poem, “Mystery Train” will be published in the VOYA periodical. Christopher also received a cash prize. VOYA magazine is the leading library journal dedicated to the needs of young adult librarians, the advocacy of young adults and the promotion of young adult literature and reading. For more information on Woodward Academy, visit www.woodward.edu. Nominate a South Cobb Patch's Whiz Kid of the Week.

Back in June, Zach Timson was our featured Whiz Kid of the week after being selected to appear in the Cobb County Center’s for Excellence in the Performing Arts’ spring performances of “Ragtime.” Timson told South Cobb Patch then that he wanted to be a Broadway actor, and now his dreams are coming true. The 11-year-old leaves Thursday to rehearse for a month for his new role as in Disney’s national Broadway tour of “Mary Poppins.” Zach will play Michael Banks, the young boy of the Banks family. Zach told South Cobb Patch he had the chance to meet the director of the tour and the president of …

Cooper Middle School art teacher Amelia Johnson nominated this week's Whiz Kid, 13-year-old Logan Groover. He's a seventh grader at Cooper Middle School and is quite skilled in the arts. Whether he's holding a paintbrush or a violin bow, he's creating masterpieces and delighting the senses. There is no doubt that Logan has a great creative future ahead of him, and that's why he is this week's South Cobb Patch Whiz Kid! Youth’s Accomplishment:  Logan won first place in the Cooper Middle School Reflections Visual Art Contest.  His artwork, celebrating diversity and the legacy of the civil …

Madison Barnett, an eighth grader at Whitefield Academy, is already showing signs of being the next Tiger Woods (only in terms of golf) on the green. The Barnetts signed their daughter up for a local golf program two years ago after hearing that many women’s athletic scholarships go to waste. Madison, 13, competed on her All Star team at the Junior League Golf World Series at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth against teams from Dallas, TX, San Diego, Tampa and elsewhere. Not only was Madison one of the only girls on her roster, she was one of the only African-Americans in the competition. After …

Every Wednesday, South Cobb Patch features a Whiz Kid, a young person who has accomplished something great or is doing something incredible in our community. However, this week, we salute not a Whiz Kid, but a Whiz Principal. Kym Eisgruber, principal of Mableton Elementary, allowed students and community members to duct tape her to a wall as a fundraiser at the school’s annual fall festival, which was held on Friday evening. Lookin’ good in that leopard duct tape, Mrs. Eisgruber!   Nominate your Whiz Kid for our weekly feature. Click here to learn how!

Pebblebrook High School recently won the 2011 Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Award for region 4-AAAAA from the Georgia High School Association and Georgia Electric Membership Corporation. Schools that exhibit exemplary sportsmanship during competitive events receive the award. Dr. Ralph Swearngin, GHSA executive director, said the GHSA hopes that by emphasizing good sportsmanship at its athletic events, progress can be made in reversing the trend of uncivilized behavior. The Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship award was introduced in 2006, and it reinforces the GHSA philosophy, “Students, …

This week’s Whiz Kid is Avery Showell, a 12-year-old seventh grader at Garrett Middle School. Avery is an honor roll student, who was recognized by the Georgia Youth Football Association as the No. 1 sixth grade player in the state last year for his season with the South Cobb Ravens in the Metro Atlanta Youth Football league. Vaughn Showell, his father and the person who nominated him, said MAYFL is “the SEC of youth football.” Additionally, Avery was a running back for Team Georgia when they played the top sixth graders from Florida in the first annual Futures All-Star game in June. During …

Cameron Thornton, a senior at Whitefield Academy, is breaking records and going places in his usual fashion, fast. He finished the 800 meter semi-final race (heat two) in 1:49:64 at the recent IAAF World Youth Championships in Lille, France in July. He placed third in his heat and his time was 9th in the world–yes, in the world– in the semi-finals. However, Cameron did not advance to the finals since the two winners of three heats and the two fastest runners were the only ones to advance. He was chosen for the team after an excellent 800-meter race at the World Youth Track and Field trials in…

The South Cobb Rotary Club awarded its annual Kennesaw State University Arts Scholarship to Munroe d'Antignac. The $1,500 check was presented by Club President Wayne Blackstone at the Aug. 4 noon meeting. The scholarship was established to support a deserving visual arts student in 1985. Each week the club has a 50-50 card draw to fund the award; however, the running joke is that the treasurer never pays the winner. The selection criteria for the award include that the student must be a freshman or sophomore majoring in art or art education with a 3.5 minimum GPA in art. They must reside in …

Name: Zach Timson School: Tritt Elementary Accomplishments: Scored a role in the Cobb County Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts’ recent production of “Ragtime” at the Earl Strand Theatre Keys to Awesomeness: “I love being another character,” Zach said. “I want to be a Broadway actor.” Getting his feet wet at age 10 with teens who are headed for some of the top acting schools shows that this young thespian is on the right track. He recently had a chance to meet the director of the U.S. tour of “Mary Poppins,” and he was involved in the Junior Theatre Festival held at the Cobb …

To kick off today's annual Mableton Community Day festivities, approximately 150 people from all over the Metro Atlanta area came out to run in the inaugural Mableton Day 5K Race. Mableton's own Jo O'Brien, won first place in the female, ages 14 to 19 division. She finished in 31 minutes and 42 seconds. The 17-year-old Harrison High School junior runs track and field as well as cross-country for her school team, and it appears she's a natural. "This year's my first year. It's my favorite sport that I've ever done. When I switched schools, I started it," Jo said. "I run with my friends."

Pebblebrook High’s Kelsey Brodeur was nominated for the Featured Performer category of the Shuler Hensley Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theatre. She is up against five other students from Metro Atlanta high schools. Out of 41 Metro Atlanta high schools, Brodeur is the only student nominated for this category from Cobb County. Her performance in January’s “How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying” as Smitty landed her the nomination. More than 30 Atlanta-based arts professionals evaluated the high school productions. The winners will be announced at a Tony Awards-style …

Outstanding young artists were presented awards by the Red Cockerill Gallery in Austell on March 19. Ansley McKensie and Adelaide McKenzie from Mableton took top honors of first place in their division at the reception Saturday. Fourth-grader Ansley's "Fawn in the Woods" and 5-year-old Adelaide's "Statue of Liberty in a Snow Storm" were outstanding works. The winners received art supplies and framing. They have been studying art at the Red Cockerill Gallery for a little over a year. For more information about classes, contact AnnCockerill@bellsouth.net, or call 770-944-3160.