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Congratulations
THSC CONGRATULATIONS!
We hope that everyone is enjoying the new format
for the “Congratulations!” column. After much discussion over the
past few years, the editorial board made the decision to post
these encouraging accounts of home school student successes on the
website. It keeps us from the limited schedule of only having new
information in a quarterly publication; in addition, we can update
information as it becomes available rather than filing and
retrieving on the schedule of the magazine. We are not limited by
available pages in the magazine. After this big introduction about
the positives, we will make every effort to live up to the claims.
We are pleased to share the accomplishments and appreciate the
submissions!
Information on recommending a student
for the Congratulations!
column
Congratulations!
archives
Texas Piano player Kyle Orth is a Division Winner
In the MTNA Senior Piano Competition.

Richardson, Texas (January 14, 2008) – Kyle Orth, a Texas native,
will travel to Denver, Colorado, in March to compete as a National
Finalist in the MTNA Senior Piano Competition.
Orth,
the son of Erik and Brenda Orth, earned this opportunity after
winning the South Central Division of the Senior Piano
Competition. A home school junior, Orth has been studying piano
for nine years and is a student of Marcy McDonald.
Orth
has soloed with the Plano Symphony Orchestra, the Richardson
Symphony Orchestra, and the Lewisville Lake Symphony. His upcoming
2008-2009 season includes performance engagements with the Fort
Worth Symphony Orchestra, the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra,
and the Irving Symphony Orchestra. A winner of top prizes in
numerous state, national, and international piano competitions,
Orth also enjoys reading, music composition, and English country
dancing. Furthermore, he is active in the Messianic community. For
more information on Orth’s achievements, you can visit his Web
site at
www.kyleorth.com.
The
MTNA Senior Piano Competition will take place on Sunday, March 30,
during the 2008 MTNA National Conference. The National Winner of
this competition receives a cash prize and will perform in a
Winners Concert during the conference.
The
three-tiered MTNA Competitions begin at the state level. Winners
of each State Competition advance to the Division Competition.
Division winners then proceed to the National Competition Finals.
To
receive more information about the MTNA National Competitions,
please contact MTNA national headquarters at (888) 512-5278,
mtnanet@mtna.org or visit the
website at
www.mtna.org.
Music
Teachers National Association is a nonprofit organization
comprised of 24,000 independent and collegiate music teachers
committed to advancing the value of music study and music making
to society and to supporting the professionalism of music
teachers. Founded in 1876, Music Teachers National Association is
the oldest professional music teachers’ association in the United
States.
South
Plains Home Schooler Wins 4-H Gold Star Award
Outstanding
4-H'ers from across the South Plains were honored November 19,
2007, at the 50th Annual South Plains District 4-H Gold
Star Banquet.
Dr. Norm
Hopper of Texas Tech University gave the principal address for the
banquet. Also, United States Representative Randy Neugebauer
addressed the Gold Star recipients. Parents, government and
community leaders, extension faculty, educators, electric
cooperative officials, and others were on hand to watch the youth
receive their awards from Jett Major, District Extension
Administrator; Wendy Scott, Extension Program Specialist;
Elizabeth Cox, representative for U.S. Senator John Cornyn; and
Debbie Hansard, representative for State Senator Robert Duncan.
One of the
recipients of the Gold Star Award, Trevor Gicklhorn, is a
home schooled student from Wilson, in Lynn County. Trevor, the son
of Lester and Sheri Gicklhorn, is a 16-year-old junior at South
Plains Home School Academy. He has been an active Lucky Leaf 4-H
Club member for eight years and has served as president, 1st and
2nd vice presidents, and district council delegate. Also active in
his community, Trevor made and delivered holiday cards and gifts
to Lynnwood Assisted Living residents, collected and presented
'goodie bags' to University Medical Center pediatric patients,
collected and donated baby and personal items for residents of My
Father's House, and currently delivers meals for the Meal on
Wheels program. At club and district events, he taught programs on
fire safety, emergency preparedness, and Internet safety. With
this background, it is easy to see why his safety record book
placed first at state competition.
When asked
about 4-H and the Gold Star award, Trevor replied, "I was born
into a very active 4-H family. 4-H has helped me become a
responsible and community-minded person. I am grateful for the
friendships I have made and to my family, agents, and other
leaders who have helped guide me along the way. Receiving the Gold
Star will allow me to follow in the footsteps of my three older
siblings who have all been former Gold Star recipients. This award
has long been my goal and it is also a tremendous blessing and
honor."
Highland Dance Winners
September 2007
Brother
and sister, Charis and Luke McNamara of Brownfield,
each won honors at the
Longs Peak Scottish/Irish Festival in Estes Park, Colorado, on
September 8, 2007, for Highland Scottish dancing competition.
Each section
competes in three Highland dances. For each dance there are three
places; gold, silver, and bronze. The competitions are danced in
kilts, as shown in the picture.
Charis McNamara
achieved first place (gold) in two dances (Highland Fling and
Seann Triubhas) and won the aggregate trophy for her section in
Scottish Highland dancing.
Luke McNamara
received a silver medal for the Sword dance.
The
McNamaras, whose mother, Irene, is their instructor, participate
in 2-3 competitions a year. In order to enter a competition,
students should be under the instruction of a properly certified
BATD (British Association of the Teachers of Dance) teacher.
National History Day Home School Siblings
September 2007
Siblings,
Cody and Jessalyn Welch (8th and 6th
grades, respectively) of College Station won 1st place
in the National History Day competition, in Washington, D.C.,
after placing in the state competition. They were participants in
the category, “Junior Group Exhibit” with the title “If the Berlin
Wall Could Talk - Voices of Tragedy and Triumph.” They won 2nd
place at the Texas State History Day, and advanced to win 1st
place at the Nationals. The duo won medals at regional,
state, and
national levels.
The national competition also awarded $1000 to the 1st
place winner.
National History Day is a yearlong education program that culminates in an annual
history fair for students in grades six through twelve. It
provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate their interest
in, and knowledge of, history through creative and original
papers, performances, documentaries, individual interpretive web
sites, or three-dimensional exhibits by following criterion. A
rulebook can be downloaded from the National History Day Web site.
Contact State Representative for National History Day, and you
can contact
Teresa Acosta for details about participation for Texas
students.
Congratulations, Speech and Debate
National Champions!
June 2007
The
National Christian Forensics and Communications Association (NCFCA)
championship was held in Belton, Texas, June 11-16, on the
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor campus. More than 500 students,
representing 35 states, participated in the competitions.
Fifty-eight Texans delivered 72 speeches, four in the
Lincoln-Douglas Values debate, and 21 in the Team Policy Debate.
Congratulations
to these Texas orators:
Apologetics
20th - Alan
Carrillo
15th - Toni
Maisano
Dramatic
Interpretation
16th - Jacob
Aschmutat
13th - Zack
Reynolds
9th - Andrew
Robyler
Duo
Interpretation
13th - Zack
Reynolds & Stephanie Semora
6th - Jenna
Keefe & John-Phillip Rosenberger, Jr.
1st - Alan
Carrillo & Adam Hardy
Expository
Speaking
12th - Bronte
Smith
11th - Paul
Hastings
3rd - Brady
Clayton
1st - Katie
Riley
Humorous
Interpretation
14th - Andrew
Robyler
12th - Michelle
Carrillo
3rd - Adam
Hardy
Impromptu
6th - Alan
Carrillo
Open Interp
23rd - Timothy
Hardy
16th - Michelle
Carrillo
14th - Marshall
Sherman
6th - Brady
Clayton
2nd - Sarah
Gervais
Original
Oratory
9th - Andrew
Robyler
2nd - Alan
Carrillo
Thematic
11th - Timothy
Hardy
Lincoln
Douglas Value Debate:
13th - Andrew
Robyler
7th - Benjamin
Butler
Team Policy
Debate
31st - Paul
Schlaudraff/Cody Stevens
15th - Alicia
Chandler/Brandon Smith
14th - Ann
Marie Craig/Kaila Ray
12th - Josh
Renfro/Joseph Strack
5th - Alan
Carrillo/Samantha Nasser
IE Sweeps
19. Brady
Clayton
17. Andew
Robyler
7. Adam Hardy
1. Alan
Carrillo
Special
congratulations go to Alan Carrillo, who competed as an Ironman, qualifying in debate and five individual events (IE), the maximum
number for any competitor.
2007-2008
Debate Resolutions have been announced. Go to the
NCFCA site for that information, as well as to see a complete list of
national winners and to learn more about speech and debate
programs.
SATCH Mavericks
Softball Team: State Home School Champs
Coach Oscar Zertuche,
SATCH Mavericks
June 5, 2007
On
Saturday, May 5, the
Sports
Association of Texas for Christian Homeschoolers (SATCH) Mavericks
traveled to San Antonio to play in the inauguralTexas Homeschool State
softball tournament. In pool play, the Family Educators Alliance of South
Texas (FEAST) Patriots beat the Mavericks to put them in the loser’s
bracket. In the end the SATCH Mavericks played FEAST Patriots for the
championship. After two and a half innings of no-hit ball and very strong
defense played by both teams, FEAST got their first and only hit. The rest
of the game belonged to the Mavericks.
The Mavericks won the game
11-0 and are now 2007 Texas Homeschool State Softball
Champions. The winning pitcher was Morgan Atkinson and the pitcher for
the Patriots was Tara Hubbard. Ashley McPhail was SATCH MVP for the state
tournament, and Morgan Atkinson was SATCH MVP for the season.
The Mavericks finished at
22-6 for the season. The Mavericks also participated in two TAPP 5A
tournaments, winning second place in the Northland Christian tournament,
and finishing a strong sixth in the ”gold” bracket at the Second Baptist
tournament. At both tournaments all the Mavericks’ coaches heard from the
opposing losing team was, “I can’t believe you’re a home school team,” and
“Here’s my phone number; get with me next year to schedule games with us.”
SATCH was formed in 2002
to provide amateur competitive sports for homeschooled children, ages 8 to
18. SATCH’s mission is to compete in amateur sports at the highest level
and be a witness for our Lord Jesus Christ. The SATCH softball program
began in 2006 and finished with a respectable 14-6 record. At the end of
the season, the Mavericks had many offers from schools to schedule games
for the 2007 season. The strong showing in both 2007 tournaments has again
opened many more doors, allowing SATCH to schedule stronger competition
for 2008.
The SATCH Mavericks
softball team is coached by head coach Oscar Zertuche and assistants David
Bloodworth, Brian Lang, and Ronnie Martin. Players’ names, in alphabetical
order, are: Morgan Atkinson, Allysa Bloodworth , Ariel Clark, Tiffany
Cozart, Shara Flowers, Amy Hutchinson, Priscilla Jeffreys, Jerica Lang,
Hillary Martin, Ashley Mcphail, Francie McReynolds, Amy Shenk, Rachel
Whitten, Amy Wojhan, and Nancy Zertuche.
Kenai Walker Awarded
Top PSIA Scholarship
by Pat
Walters
May 29, 2007
Kenai Walker, eighth grade
student from Walker Home School in Tyler, a member of Tyler Area
Christian Home Educators (TACHE), was recently awarded the top
2007 Private Schools Interscholastic Association (PSIA)
scholarship, in the amount of $1,000. In Kenai’s seven years as a
participant in PSIA, he has earned 11 state gold medals in
mathematics, number sense and in maps, graphs and charts. In
addition, he has medaled in seven other events at the state level
of competition and advanced to state competition in four other
events.
Kenai excels not only in PSIA academic activities but also in a
wide variety of other academic endeavors. He received the Duke
University TIP Talent Search Award in both 2003 and 2006. He
received state and national recognition for his ACT scores in the
Duke TIP contest He was a state qualifier for the National
Geographic Geography Bee in 2007. In the East Texas State Fair
Academic Rodeo, he was the second place individual high scorer in
2002 and the first place individual high scorer in 2003. In 2004,
Kenai won the top science fair award for Stepping Stone School, in
Tyler.
Kenai not only excels academically but also in may other areas of
his active life. In his AWANA Bible Memory Club, he earned the
Timothy Award in 2006. In music, at the University of Texas’s
Tyler Piano Skills Festival, he won the 2005 and 2006 Outstanding
Musician Medals, the Whitlock Award, and the Shelly David Piano
Studio Haydn Award.
His Club (Select) Soccer awards include the Arlington Premier
Invitational League second place Division II award in both 2005
and 2006 and the Classic League second place Division III award in
2007.
In addition to the many activities in which Kenai has excelled, he
also takes a little time to fish. He won the First Youth Record in
the state of Texas in 2003. He holds the Junior Angler Record for
Saltwater Gaff-topsail Catfish, Gulf Kingfish and Atlantic Cutlass
fish. He holds the state record for Saltwater Atlantic Cutlass
fish and for Private Water Threadfin Shad. He holds 21 youth and
12 all-age water body records for public and private waters.
Kenai works at his church as a Sunday School helper for the 3- and
4-year-old department; he helps with home school fishing events at
a local nature center; and he is a volunteer for PATH, a local
agency helping the poor in the community.
Kenai’s honorarium PSIA scholarship may be used for any aspect of
his high school needs, inclusive of tuition, fees, supplies,
clothing, and/or transportation.
PSIA awards six scholarships each year to eighth-grade, Texas
privately schooled students whose applications are judged by an
impartial panel that considers scholarship, leadership, and
service foremost in their ranking of the nominees. The
organization offers 67 grade-level contests in essentially all
subject areas-with the exception of foreign language- including
math, science, writing, speaking, listening, language arts, social
studies, art, and music memory programs, all of which are covered
in these 20 grade level events. Find out more at
www.psiaacademics.org.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
If you have a
home schooled student whose accomplishments you would like to see
spotlighted in this column, complete and email a Congratulations Form (Word doc
or
PDF).
We prefer to receive information and photos by email but can work
with the completed form sent by U.S. mail to Congratulations @
THSC, PO Box 6747, Lubbock,
TX 79493. If you want your photo back, please enclose SASE.
View Archived Congratulations
Pages:
December 2006
November 2005
April 2005
January 2004
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