DENTON ISD

Students place in Duke Talent Search

Denton middle school students recently participated in the 2009 Duke University Seventh-Grade Talent Search.

The search identifies academically talented seventh-graders based on standardized test scores achieved while attending elementary or middle school. Candidates are identified and invited to complete the SAT or ACT.

The following students received state recognition in the competition:

• Calhoun Middle School students Garrett Reaves and George Roberson;

• Strickland Middle School students Jared Allen, Steven Carrizal, Sarah Clark and Sneha Paswan;

• McMath Middle School students Omar Akram, Pierson Beckman, Natalia Ceniceros, Seth Cope, Truett Ide, Dennis Lang III and Esther Weaver;

• Crownover Middle School students Peyton Draper, Bradford Grems, Margaret Moran, Michaela Thompson, Katherine Wayles and Breanna Welty;

• Navo Middle School students Sheilla Hernandez and Aaron Lawrence; and

• Harpool Middle School students Stephen Everett, Madison Franklin, Rebecca Gates, Joshua Jordan, David Quintanilla and Haley Tucker.

The following students also competed in the Talent Search:

• Calhoun — Maryann Denison, Alex Elizalde, Trinity Garner, Catherine Hassell, Kirsten Holmes, Kaylee Lamb, Kelly Smith and Daniela Villarreal;

• Strickland — Matthew Britt, Noah Brooks, Payton Bryce, John Carmona, Micah Clark, Jackson Currin, Isaiah Daniels, Bryan Guerrero, Benjamin Massey, Emily Morrison, Krystin Rodriguez, Samuel Sandel, Amanda Schwark, Olivia Thomas, Emily Tilton, Erica Yarbrough and Brian Zellmer;

• McMath — Yasmeen Alshara, Jacob Audirsch, Juan Borda, Brianna Broussard, Regina Chavez, Zachary Farmer, Kevin Fleck, Macy Horn, Lane Koroly, Benjamin Naugle, Annabel Ryu and Neel Shroff;

• Crownover — Blake Battles, Peyton Bucklew, Andrew Caudill, Rhejanne Durrant, Daniel Faubion, Thomas Gray, Gabriela Hernandez, Conner Hinchey, Logan Lockhart, Madeline Mayer, Colton Moats, Kayla Mullin, Ryan Prieur, Brianna Richardson and Tiffany Walker;

• Navo — David Bielefeld, Sean Burrows, Alexander Cramer, Julian Creel, Rachel Crescenzo, Katelyn Finn, Colin Hartman, John McDonald, Daniel McSheehy, Joseph Parlett, Garrett Phillips, Shelby Smith, Alexander Stuchell, Lanie Tunnell Wilson and Miguel Vega; and

• Harpool — Genesis Berrueco, Kendall Bose, Connor Bourgeois, Savannah Bradley, Peter Brown, Chelsea Brown, Bryan Caples, Marvin Estes, Allison Flack, Jerod Fritsch, Tyler Gardner, John Gilbert, Timol Liggins, Benjamin Manly, Rachel Mercer, Jimmy Nguyen, Anthony Pascullo, Victoria Ragsdale, Eric Reyes, Lindsey Roberts, Evan Trabosh and Garrett Underwood.

The goal of the Talent Search is to assist youths with excellent math or verbal aptitude. Students also are provided with information about their abilities and introduced to a network of services and programs.

Schools announce UIL state award winners

Denton, Guyer and Ryan high schools recently captured top state awards in the University Interscholastic League State Academic Meet at the University of Texas in Austin.

From Denton High, Trevor Davila won first place in computer science and second-place in number sense. Barry Wagner is the computer science coach and Carol Hyatt is the Denton High UIL coordinator.

Guyer student Nick Stevens earned third place in Lincoln-Douglas debate and third-place in persuasive speaking. Beth Varadi is the Lincoln-Douglas debate coach and Karen Gossett coaches persuasive speaking.

Guyer’s One-Act Play also earned second place in the state. Lauren Lucas received honorable mention All-Star Cast, Garrett Hutchinson-Lester received All-Star Cast, and Zach Gamet won Best Actor and the Samuel French Award. Phyllis Tucker is Guyer’s UIL coordinator.

From Ryan High, Kate McPherson placed seventh in literary criticism. The literary criticism team of McPherson, Nathaniel Miles, Kathryn Hokamp and Jamie Anderson received third place. Sandra Ogenche placed sixth in current issues and events. Shawn Zeigler is the literary criticism coach and Cindy Hess is the current issues and events coach. Karen Guenther is Ryan High’s UIL coordinator.