'Leader Launch' Complements Student Character Lessons

Two LCS Seniors Named ‘Commended Students’ by
National Merit Scholarship Program
Secondary Principal Wayne Shimko of Lakeland
Christian School announced that Garrett Dodd and
Michelle Jackson have been named Commended
Students in the 2011 National Merit Scholarship
Program. A Letter of Commendation from the school
and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation
(NMSC), which conducts the program, was presented
by Mr. Shimko to these scholastically talented seniors.
About 34,000 Commended Students throughout
the nation are being recognized for their exceptional
academic promise. Although they will not continue in
the 2011 competition for National Merit Scholarships,
Commended Students placed among the top five
percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered
the 2011 competition by taking the 2009 Preliminary
SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test
(PSAT/NMSQT ® ).
“Recognition of high-achieving students is essential
to advancing educational excellence in our nation,”
commented a spokesperson for NMSC. “As demonstrated by
their outstanding performance in our highly competitive
program, the young men and women named Commended
Students represent some of the most academically talented
students in our country. We sincerely hope this recognition
will enhance their educational opportunities and
encourage them in their pursuit of academic success.”
Garrett Dodd
Michelle Jackson
Tew Wins Boys State
Scholarship
Lakeland Christian School senior
Andrew Tew was recently awarded
the Lance Cpl. Andrew J. Aviles 2+2
Scholarship. As one of the five winners
selected, Tew received the cost of tuition
and a stipend to attend
two years of college at
Andrew Tew
Tallahassee Community
College and two years at
Florida State University.
This scholarship is
available to participants
of the Florida American
Legion Boys State Program.
The scholarship is named for Lance
Corporal Andrew Julian Aviles. After
receiving a full scholarship to Florida
State University, Aviles decided to join
the Marine Corp Reserves thinking that
he would finish boot camp before he
started school. Instead, he was activated
immediately and sent to Iraq with the 4th
Marine Assault Amphibian Battalion. He
was killed on April 7, 2003.
Fourteen Students Earn AP Scholar Awards
Fourteen students at Lakeland Christian School have earned AP Scholar
Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on AP Exams.
The College Board’s Advance Placement Program ® (AP ® ) provides willing
and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level
courses while still in high school and to earn college credit, advanced
placement or both for successful performance on the AP Exams. About 18
percent of the more than 1.8 million students worldwide who took AP Exams
performed at a sufficiently high level to also earn an AP Scholar Award.
Four students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by
earning an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken and scores of
3 or higher on five or more of these exams. These students are Steven Firmin,
Muriel Holmquist, Briana McLeish and Bo Thornton.
Three students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning
an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken and scores of 3 or
higher on four or more of these exams. These students are Stephanie Baker,
Garrett Dodd and Charles Heisler.
Seven students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or
more AP Exams with scores of 3 or higher. The AP Scholars are Autumn Barker,
Gaines Griffin, Justin Middleton, Julia Saley, Emily Tan, Whitney Turbeville and
Lauren Wasilewski.
Of this year’s award recipients at LCS, four were juniors at the time of
the test: Stephanie Baker, Garrett Dodd, Justin Middleton and Emily Tan.
These students have another year in which to complete college-level work and
possibly earn a higher-level AP Scholar Award.
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