Schools & Sports
School and Sports News Walton Bus Driver Wins Consecutive Roadeo Michael Graham, who drives a bus for Walton High School, has won the Cobb County Bus Driving Competition for the second year in a row. Considering that there are about 800 bus drivers in Cobb County alone, this is quite a feat. Four out of the top ten drivers are East Cobb bus drivers. Michael Graham from Walton won first; Penny Padget, who drives for Pope High School, came in second; Jeannie Wheeler, who drives for Wheeler High School, came in fifth, and Sharon Mann, who drives for Walton, came in ninth place. Michael and Penny will move on to compete on the state level. Michael said, “I am proud that of some of the best schools in the county, we also have some of the best drivers.” Congratulations and good luck at the next level. Bus Drivers that all placed in the top ten at the Cobb County Bus Driving Competition known as the Roadeo (left to right) Jeannie Wheeler, Michael Graham, Penny Padget and Sharon Mann.
Mackenzie Kruse Wins Scholarship Mackenzie Kruse received the PTSA Raider Pride Scholarship Award of $1,000 to use towards her college education at Walton High School’s 2012 Honors Night. To be eligible for this scholarship, the recipient must have been awarded the Raider Pride Award sometime during their high school career. The Raider Pride Award is given to a student who consistently shows exceptional character traits, including honesty, integrity and kindness. Mackenzie is the daughter of Christi and Stephen Kruse.
Outdoor Pools Now Open! The outdoor pools opened on Tuesday, May 29. Cobb County has two outdoor pools: Powder Springs pool and Sewell Park pool. The Powder Springs pool is located at 3899 Brownsville Road in Powder Springs and the Sewell Park pool is located at 2055 Lower Roswell Road in Marietta. Pool hours are 1 – 5 p.m., Tuesday– Saturday. The pools are closed on Sundays and Mondays. Beginning July 8, Sewell Park pool will be open 1 - 5 p.m. on Sundays. For more information regarding the pools, visit http://prca. cobbcountyga.gov/Aquatics-OutdoorPools.htm.
Lisa Wang Named 2012 Georgia STAR Student Walton High School senior Lisa Wang and her AP Biology teacher Dr. Tina Link were chosen as 2012 Georgia STAR Student and Teacher by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators at a recent ceremony. Lisa was one of 21 high-performing students from across the region selected as finalists for the honor. Lisa is among just ten in that group to score a perfect 2400 on the SAT. She received a $5,000 scholarship from AT&T Georgia. Lisa’s parents Larry Wang and Lily Liu attended the ceremony with their daughter. Lisa said that they were all surprised when her name was called. She will be attending Harvard University in the fall. Each STAR student selects a teacher that has made the greatest impact on his/her education. Lisa chose Dr. Link because she said that she helped her see the purpose of science and that it was not just memorizing facts. Jake Albert, another Walton High School senior, was among the 21 finalists, and he was one of the others to score a perfect 2400 on the SAT. 54
Around WALTON | June 2012
Lisa Wang, 2012 STAR Student from Walton High School and her STAR Teacher Dr. Tina Link