Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
The many achievements of Green Bank Elementary-Middle School students were celebrated last Friday at the school’s annual Achievement Breakfast.
Green Bank resident and school volunteer Bob Sheets spoke about a new – and annual – writing contest established specifically for students at GBEMS.
Sheets explained that author Stephen Kurczy, who wrote “The Quiet Zone: Unraveling the Mystery of a Town Suspended in Silence,” wanted to sponsor a writing contest in which the students are prompted to write about what they thought when they first realized they lived in the National Radio Quiet Zone.
Kurczy, Sheets and English/language arts teacher Erin Baldwin judged the essays and Sheets said they were really well written and made it difficult to pick the top three.
“They were crafted well,” he said. “They said some interesting and fun things. When it came down to the winner, we were able to make that decision quite unanimously. When it came down to second and third, it was a difficult choice because we had two finely crafted pieces.”
In the end, Kurczy said there would be a tie for second place – with each student receiving $250 – for their work. Those essays were written by Allyson Taylor and Duncan Sizemore.
The first place essay was written by Nadiya Kerr and she was awarded $1,000 from Kurczy.
Nadiya Kerr was also recognized by the Seneca Woodlands Woman’s Club for her social studies fair project about CJ Walker. Club member Mali Minter explained that the club selects a student who does a project about a woman or women’s issues and presents a monetary prize to them. Kerr also received a framed photo of herself with her project at the county fair.
GBEMS principal Shana Alderman recognized students who were named Academic Achievers for the 2022-2023 school year.
To be named an Academic Achiever, students in third through eighth grade must have a 3.5 gpa and no Ds or Fs on their report card.
Third grade – Abigail Arbogast, Madalynn Brock, Rufus Morgan, Braxton Pugh, Brayden Ray, Briley Reed, Natalie Sisler and Jenifer Taylor.
Fourth grade – Halayna Blechl, Liz Dickenson, Madelyn Rittenhouse, Lucas Sutton and Boone Tallman.
Fifth grade – Clarissa Barb, Marcus Bauserman, Karliana Boyd, Gemma Brewer, Ava Edwards, Reed Garber, Eva Hyrtsanenko, Ethan Jones, Skylar McLean, James Monico, Alivia Morgan, Bayla Plaugher, Noah Sharp, Palmer Simmons, Brayden Smith, Liam Sutton, Kendall Taylor and Aiden Wimer.
Sixth grade – Naiven Brown, Peyton Friel, Norah Evans, Payden Kerr, Dorothy Murray, Makayla Plaugher, James Smith and Trey Sattler.
Seventh grade – Johnna Bennett, Julia Dennison, Faith Dilley, Nadiya Kerr, Mazie Monico, Duncan Sizemore, Tristan Sizemore, Coleton Taylor and Keiara Vandevender.
Eighth grade – Thomas Arbogast, Nathanael Barkley, Morgan Beverage, Claire Buzzard, Zoe Good, Charleigh Halterman, Kaylee Hershman, Diana Hrytsanenko, Haley Moore, Baylee Nelson, Sierra Nelson, Katelyn Stull, Allyson Taylor and Griffin Taylor.
Students were also recognized for their achievements in county, region and state competitions.
Math Field Day, county – Allyson Taylor, first place; Charleigh Halterman, first alternate; and Tristan Sizemore, second alternate.
Young Writers Contest, county – Madelyn Rittenhouse, first place; Thomas Arbogast, first place; Nadiya Kerr, second place; and Trey Sattler, honorable mention.
Literature Fair, county – first place: Harlow Brown; Alivia Morgan and Colton Propst; Madelyn Rittenhouse; Jenifer Taylor; Marcus Bauserman; Skylar McLean and Karliana Boyd; Trey Sattler; Griffin Taylor; Haiven Brown; Austin Price; and Allyson Taylor.
Literature Fair, region – Skylar McLean and Karliana Boyd, first place.
Science Fair, county – first place: Moriah Thompson; Madelyn Rittenhouse; Jennifer Taylor, Cora Baldwin and Aaliyah Lawson; Thomas Arbogast, Morgan Beverage and Steven Queen. Second place: Charleigh Halterman, Baylee Nelson and Sierra Nelson. Third place: Karliana Boyd, Kendall Taylor and Ivy Moore; Noah Sharp; Saige Arbogast, Jacob Clemmer and Nathanael Barkley.
Science Fair, region – first place: Madelyn Rittenhouse; and Thomas Arbogast, Morgan Beverage and Steven Queen. Second place, Moriah Thompson.
Science Fair, state – first place: Madelyn Rittenhouse. Third place, Thomas Arbogast, Morgan Beverage and Steven Queen.
Social Studies Fair, county – first place: Noah Foe Peyton Friel, Nadiya Kerr, Bayloee Nelson, Sierra Nelson, Trey Sattler, Coleton Taylor and Keiara Vandevender. Second place: Cora Baldwin, Tanner Baldwin, Clarissa Barb, Ariana Cassell, Jase Bryant, Grace Faubert, Ryan Kloeker, Mazie Monico, Torrie Price and Tristan Sizemore.
Social Studies Fair, region – first place: Nadiya Kerr and Trey Sattler. Second place: Coleton Taylor and Keiara Vandevender.
Social Studies Fair, state – honorable mention: Nadiya Kerr.
Spelling Bee, county – second place, Nadiya Kerr.
Golden Horseshoe – Thomas Arbogast and Baylee Nelson.
Guidance counselor Ira Brown recognized members of both the girls and boys basketball teams for not only winning the county tournament, but also winning the academic trophy which is also presented at the tournament.
Girls – Charleigh Halterman, Baylee Nelson, Sierra Nelson, Mazie Monico and Allyson Taylor. Brown said Taylor is the fourth GBEMS girl to be selected for the All-Star Team all three years of her middle school career.
Boys – Thomas Arbogast, Morgan Beverage, Griffin Taylor, Trey Sattler and James Smith.
GBEMS also recognized the school’s Teacher of the Year Leah Shinaberry and its Service Personnel of the Year, Silas Sattler.
The school also thanked the many volunteers and businesses who have given their time and shared their skills with the students this past year – Whitney Beverage, Lori Warner, Cristina Young, Nancy Egan, Valerie Monico, Emily McLaughlin, Diane Hoover, Deborah Johnson, Amy Henry-Morgan, Jane Coleman, Rudy Marrujo, Jessica Thompson, Marty Bloss, Becky Peteete, Melissa Nelson, Amy Lovell, Chad Baldwin, Chasity Taylor, Rachael Taylor, Laura Solliday, Susan Ray, Lauren Bennett, Melia Thompson, Pat Browning, Caleb and Holly Arbogast, Kelly Andrews-Meck, Brandy Wayne, Angela Olivera, Sarah Damery, Howard and Nancy Burnette, Green Bank Observatory, Mitchell Chevrolet, Southern States, Allegheny Disposal, Susan Herold, Judy Fence Craft, Elkins Building Supply, Lesa McCarty, Mike Garber, Moore’s Ready Mix, Chris Taylor, George Murphy, Kay Blackshire, Kendra Taylor, Brittany Propst, Cory Rexrode and Bob Sheets.
