BEST & BRIGHTEST 2
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HONORED oday, The Augusta Chronicle recognizes 21 outstanding members of the Class of 2013: the winners of the 11th annual Best & Brightest awards. Letters were sent to guidance counselors across the area inviting them to nominate students, and nomination information was published in the newspaper throughout March. The newspaper received 88 nominations; the finalists are profiled in this section. Being named among the top seniors does not require the designation of valedictorian or salutatorian. In addition to academic performance, students were selected for their character, community service, leadership and extracurricular activities. Finalists were hon-
ored May 16 at the Best & Brightest Banquet at The Marbury Center. Three judges interviewed the finalists May 9 and selected the top five students. Judges scored each student on volunteer work, academic achievements, leadership and a five-minute interview. Daniel K.L. Pippen, from North Augusta High School, was named the Best & Brightest for 2013 and received $1,000. Runners-up Emily Behren Bass, Lincoln County High School; Adrian Lee Coleman, South Aiken High School; Megan N. Murphy, Grovetown High School; and Adam Rutkowski, Briarwood Academy, received $200 each. – From staff reports
THE JUDGES
LAST YEAR’S WINNER
T
Gordon Nail Jr.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Hendrix
Johnson
Sweeney
The Augusta Chronicle thanks the community members who interviewed the finalists for our Best & Brightest awards. M Andrew Hendrix has been the director of admissions at the University of South Carolina Aiken since 2001. He has been a judge for Best & Brightest since 2004. M Ellis M. Johnson retired as an education consultant for Richmond County schools and as the director of counseling services for Aiken Technical College. He has been a judge for Best & Brightest since it began in 2003. M Katherine Sweeney has been with Augusta State University, now Georgia Regents University, since 1990. She serves as the registrar and director of admissions. She has been a judge for Best & Brightest since it began in 2003.
Gordon Nail Jr., the 2012 Best & Brightest award winner, graduated from Swainsboro High School and now attends Georgia Tech, where he is majoring in industrial engineering. Nail, 19, is also pursuing a minor in psychology and a prelaw certification. At Georgia Tech, he is involved in the freshman activities board and is a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. This summer, Nail will work as an intern with the Merrill & Stone law firm in Swainsboro. His goal after graduation is to become a patent law attorney.
ABOUT THE SECTION Compiled by Public Service Editor Mike Wynn. Reach him at (706) 823-3218 or mike.wynn@augustachronicle.com. ON THE COVER: Illustration by Staff Photographer Jon-Michael Sullivan
OTHER NOMINEES AIKEN COUNTY M Glenn Barnes, North Augusta High School M Sawyer Berry, Aiken High School M John Boone, Aiken High School M Eric Collins, North Augusta High School M Kelsey Cox, North Augusta High School M Kendall Evans, Silver Bluff High School M Aarial Farmer, Aiken High School M Laini Frye, Silver Bluff High School M Arielle Houston, North Augusta High School M Christopher Jacobsen, Silver Bluff High School M Ashton Norris, North Augusta High School M Dylan Onderdonk, Aiken High School M Jacob Przywara, South Aiken High School M Bailie Sparks, North Augusta High School M Amanda Yaun, Aiken High School M Ashton Young, North Augusta High School COLUMBIA COUNTY M Mary Clarie Birdsong, The McFarland School M Emma Blume, Lakeside High School M Ann Brewton, Augusta Preparatory Day School M Eric Brown, Augusta Preparatory Day School M Nkechi Erondu, Greenbrier High School M Terrance Glenn III, Grovetown High School M Benjamin Guthrie, Augusta Preparatory Day School M Sherilyn Harper, Grovetown High School M Mclain Lambert, Greenbrier High School M Luke Otstot, Greenbrier High School M Jennifer Purucker, Greenbrier High School M Elijah Scott, Lakeside High School RICHMOND COUNTY M Barry Bowdre, Academy of Richmond County M Maci Brinson, Academy of Richmond County M Steven Cauthron, Hephzibah Comprehensive High School M Maredie Goodson, John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School M Aaliyah Heggs, T. W. Josey High School M Pawel Kraj, Aquinas High School M Andrea Lambert, Butler High School
Fatima Lee, Westside High School Wesley Maddox, Westminster Schools of Augusta M Sarai, Neloms, John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School M Meiji Nguyen, John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School M Adrian Obleton, John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School M Caroline Powell, Westminster Schools of Augusta M Khiara Reed, Cross Creek High School M Kaitlyn Shinault, A.R. Johnson Health Science & Engineering Magnet School M Emily Smith, Aquinas High School M Rebecca Smith, Academy of Richmond County M Christina Thomas, Westside High School M Zadarian Thomas, Butler High School M Baotram Van, John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School M Sassett West, John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School M Damian White, Lucy C. Laney Comprehensive High School M Tyler Woei-A-Sack, Westside High School M Heather Yontz, Lucy C. Laney Comprehensive High School OTHER GEORGIA COUNTIES M Whitney Dixon, Edmund Burke Academy M Seth Evans, Thomas Jefferson Academy M Lauren Fleming, Jefferson County High School M Jasmine Gause, Jefferson County High School M Tyjah Hill, Warren County High School M Shantavious McIendon, Taliaferro County School M Matthew Miller, Jefferson County High School M Aquala Pritchard, Warren County High School M Kailie Sanders, Jefferson County High School M George Shepherd, Home school, Burke County OTHER SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTIES M Brandy Bonczek, Strom Thurmond High School M Bryce Burton, Williston-Elko High School M Shelby Collier, Strom Thurmond High School M Celie Garrick, Williston-Elko High School M Daniel Wooten, Francis Hugh Wardlaw Academy M M