PROVO
Three students at Meridian School have won awards in writing contests. Meridian is a private, college preparatory school with a liberal arts emphasis.
Grace Humiston, 15, is one of 200 national gold medal winners in the Scholastics Arts and Writing Contest for a play she wrote as part of Meridian's Extreme Theatre exercise. Her play, "Feathers," centers on a nursing home resident, Mrs. Seiko, who doesn't speak, but insists on constantly wearing an old feathered boa given to her by her late husband. The nursing home workers learn lessons from Mrs. Seiko as they interact with her.
More than 250,000 students all from around the country and a few international students entered the contest, said Kris Crowther, public relations director.
Kellie Higgins, 18, won first place in the first-ever Youth Playwriting Competition sponsored by the Utah Shakespearean Festival. Her play, "Tokyo Story," was also written as a part of Meridian's Extreme Theatre exercise.
"The play is about baseball, theatre and love, an unlikely, but award-winning combination," Crowther said.
For her senior project, Higgins created a Shakespeare Christmas tree she donated to the Festival of Trees in Salt Lake City. Her tree featured ornaments that represent each of Shakespeare's plays, including a Trojan horse from "Troiles and Cressida," a tombstone from "Merry Wives of Windsor," and an eyeball from "King Lear."
Meridian English teacher Justin Kennington bought the tree for $400. The money went to Primary Children's Medical Center.
Ai Yasafuku, a recent Meridian graduate, has her work included "The Best Teen Writing of 2005," a publication from The Scholastic Writings Awards of 2005, a national program of recognizing graduating high school seniors. The work was released recently by the National Council of Teachers of English. The anthology showcases 51 examples of writers age 12-18 from across the country.
SPANISH FORK
Spanish Fork High School student Michelle Boyack was recently selected 5A First Place Outstanding Adviser by the Utah Classic Drill Competition. She also received the distinguished award 4A Outstanding Dill Adviser from the Utah Dance and Drill Association in 2001-2002.
SPRINGVILLE
Former U.S. Sen. Jake Garn narrated videos shot during his experiences in space to Westside Elementary first grade students recently. He told the students about zero gravity and other experiments in which he participated. Some scientists said that a yo-yo would not work in space Garn proved that a yo-yo not only works in zero gravity, it works better. He told students that applying themselves in school and learning as much as they can is the key to accomplishing their goals.
Westside Elementary's business sponsor, Nestle USA, gave each student an opportunity to select from among a variety of books through a book distribution called "Reading Is Fundamental." Teachers planned several activities to distribute the books under the theme, "Get Curious About Books."
Westside Elementary first-grade teachers recently sponsored a math night for students and their parents. They organized a variety of activities designed to show how math concepts can be reinforced at home. During the evening, families rotated through the different math stations in each classroom. The stations had make-and-take dice games, addition games, and a game for telling time.
PAYSON
Park View Elementary second graders made ornaments to decorate Christmas trees outside Mountain View Hospital. Students used popsicle sticks, buttons, glitter and glue to make the paper ornaments. "I feel happy to . . . help the people who are sick so they can feel better," said student Chanler Reno.