(Front row, L-R): Kayla Smith, Macee Palmer, Mackenzie Pickle, Luv Patel, Summer Murkerson; (back row): Becky Laguardia, Lisa Hayes, Jolene Burke, Terri Johnson The first place winners of the Miller County Young Georgia Authors Writing Competition and their teachers were recognized and awarded an achievement pin Monday, May 3, 2010, at the regular monthly Miller County Board of Education Meeting held at City Hall.

Students, their teachers, and parents were commended for their efforts and good work. First place winning entries were forwarded to the Georgia Department of Education for state and regional competition. The results of the state competition should be announced in June.

Dawn Shepard and Leigh Ann Walton, who were instrumental in organizing the competition, presented the awards. Each selection being judged was identified with a code, assuring an unbiased competition. Former teachers, Debra Phillips, Joyce Arline, and Becky Braswell judged the entries for grades K-12. The selections varied from poetry to narratives to short stories. Copies of the selections will be placed in the school library for everyone to enjoy.

(L-R) Leigh Ann Walton, Christina Gibson, Sabrina Grande, KaCee Holt Certificates of Achievement will be awarded to first through third place winners at each school’s Honors Program later this month, but the first place winners also received an achievement pin. These pins were provided by the local Alpha Omicron chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an honor society that promotes professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education.

The winners were as follows:
Kindergarten – Summer Murkerson,
“I Am a Dolphin”
Teacher – Jolene Burke
First – Luv Patel, “Super Man”
Teacher – Lisa Hayes
Second – Mackenzie Pickle, “The
Angel”
Teacher – Becky Laguardia
Third – Macee Palmer, “Brownies”
Teacher – Becky Laguardia
Fourth – Kayla Smith, “Home Sweet
Home”
Teacher – Becky Laguardia
Fifth – Bailey Wiggins, “The Cat
Detective”
Teacher – Becky Laguardia
Ninth – Amber Lovering, “If You Only
Have One Minute” (Not Pictured)
Teacher – Christy Whitaker (Not
Pictured)
10th – Sabrina Jean Granade, “Waiting
to Be Found”
Teacher – Kacee Holt
11th - Christina K. Gibson, “Giving
Honor and Glory to God
Teacher – Leigh Ann Walton
12th – Kelsey Grimes, “The Descent”

Teacher – Leigh Ann Walton