LAKE OCONEE ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE TROUPE BRINGS HOME 2020 GHSA ONE-ACT PLAY STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE

Greensboro, Ga. (November 4, 2019) – The Lake Oconee Academy (LOA) high school theatre troupe qualified for the GHSA State One-Act Play Competition for the second year in a row. On November 2, 2019, the troupe took their musical Quilters to compete against seven other schools for the state championship title: Irwin County, Echols County, Seminole County, Furlow Charter School, ACE Charter School, Rainey-McCullers School of Performing Arts, and Georgia Military College Prep. For the first time in LOA’s history, the troupe captured the state championship trophy with its riveting portrayal of the lives of pioneer women in the American West.

All three judges ranked the production in 1st place, giving scores of 97, 97, and 100. One judge left the troupe a heartfelt comment on his score sheet. He stated, “My grandmother was a big quilter and I miss her every day. Thank you for sparking the thousands of memories I had of her.”

In addition to winning the championship, “All-Star Cast Awards” were given to Rylie McDonald (junior) and Elisa Garcia-Carreras (freshman). The “Best Actress” award for the entire competition went to senior Helen Garcia-Carreras for her portrayal of Sarah McKendree Bonner, a pioneer woman who endures the harsh realities and abiding rewards of life on the frontier.

Following their state win, the troupe was invited to perform at the 2020 Georgia Thespian Conference (ThesCon) which takes place in Columbus, GA in February. To prepare for their trip to ThesCon, they will hold one last community performance of Quilters at Lake Oconee Academy on Tuesday, February 4, at 7:00 p.m. Discounted tickets will be available at the door for $5.

The cast, crew, and directors are listed below:

Cast: Natalie Ansley, Hannah Bell, Shelby Davis, Elisa Garcia-Carreras, Helen Garcia-Carreras, Gabby Gruszynski, Lauren Harris, Rylie McDonald, Amelia Moon, and Ashley Moss

Crew: Elizabeth Brosman, Belle Cawley, Elisha Copeland, Brenes Evans, Lillian Garcia-Carreras, Evan Gibson, Isabelle Hodges, Sarah Grace Ingle, and Lucas Minton

Director, Choreographer: Lora Garcia-Carreras

Assistant Director, Vocals: Kelly Ingle Accompanist, Vocals: Amy Reber

Theatre Tech: Kimberly Fleming

Lighting Consult: Vickie Spivey

Photo: The LOA theatre troupe captured the GHSA One-Act Play state championship title with its performance of Quilters. Cast members pictured are (front row, left to right) Gabby Gruszynski, Elisa Garcia-Carreras, Shelby Davis, Amelia Moon, (back row, left to right) Helen Garcia-Carreras, Rylie McDonald, Ashley Moss, Hannah Bell, Natalie Ansley, Lauren Harris.

LAKE OCONEE ACADEMY OFFICIALLY OPENS NEW HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS

Greensboro, Ga. (October 22, 2019) – Lake Oconee Academy (LOA) officially opened the new high school campus expansion on the afternoon of Friday, October 18, 2019, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the annual Titan Bash festivities.

Students, families, faculty, and community guests gathered to celebrate the completion of the new 17-classroom academic building, the Titan Center, which includes a gymnasium, cafeteria and weight room, and the baseball field. The 2017 Capital Campaign on behalf of the Lake Oconee Academy Foundation was instrumental in providing additional funds to further enhance the features of the new buildings which house over 250 high school students. Parents and community members were given guided tours of the buildings and baseball field by LOA Student Government Association senior class members.

The evening concluded with the Titan Bash which was hosted by LOA Parent Teacher Committee volunteers. The Titan Bash is a night of fun and fellowship for the Titan family that includes face painting, carnival games, bounce houses, dance party, and a cook-out dinner.

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Photo: Dr. Jody Worth, LOA Upper School Director, cuts the ribbon to mark the official opening of the new high school campus with the assistance of LOA Student Government Association senior representatives (left to right) Anna Claire Hong, Mahnoor Sultan, Elizabeth Holt, Daryn Minster and Helen Garcia-Carreras. Other school representatives included (back row left to right) LOA CEO Dr. Tucker, Athletic Director Chris Ingle, LOA Board of Governors Chairman Mark Lipscomb, and LOA Foundation Chairman Tommy Jeffords.

LAKE OCONEE ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL BOOK STUDY LEADS TO CHARITABLE DONATION TO AFRICAN ORPHANAGE

Greensboro, Ga. (September 9, 2019) – The Lake Oconee Academy sixth through eighth grade middle school students took their summer reading assignment and turned it into a team fundraising effort to support Jonathan’s House, an African orphanage, school and medical center, in the Central African Republic. On Tuesday, August 27, 2019, the students and faculty presented a check for almost $10,000 via video conference to the children and the orphanage director.

After receiving a book recommendation from an 8th grade student, the middle school teachers selected I Will Always Write Back for the summer reading assignment. The autobiography is about pen pals—one from Africa and one from America—that change each other’s lives. Caitlin, the 12-year-old American girl, sends Martin, a 14-year-old-boy from Zimbabwe, the $20 she earned babysitting after he finally admits to her that he cannot afford to keep writing letters – paper is too expensive and his last note to her is written on a discarded ice cream wrapper. Caitlin’s gift allows Martin to return to school. He eventually comes to the United States to attend college through the tireless efforts of Caitlin’s family.

Inspired by the true story of the pen pals, LOA students connected with Jonathan’s House to support children in the war-torn country to attend school. The average yearly cost for a child at Jonathan’s House to attend school is $34. With that information, the LOA middle school students went to work over the summer—they washed cars, took babysitting jobs, mowed lawns, walked dogs, held bake sales, sold lemonade, and grew and sold fresh produce.  

“The students far exceeded my expectations,” said LOA middle school teacher Dr. Beverly Montgomery. “The lengths each went to give to those less fortunate than themselves is a testament to the spirit of giving. We were hoping to raise about $2,000—just enough money to buy each of the 450 students at Jonathan’s House their own school books. With a donation this size, they will be able to provide much more support for these children.” 

LOA students were thrilled to connect with the orphanage on a video conference to present a check and meet each other “in person.” The children at Jonathan’s House sang “Amazing Grace” for the LOA students and teachers which was a beautiful finish to a very meaningful and impactful summer assignment. 

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Photo 1: LOA students speak to the children at Jonathan’s House, an orphanage in Africa.

Photo 2: LOA students prepare to present the check for their donation to Jonathan’s House.

Photo 3: The 2019 LOA Middle School students and faculty.

LAKE OCONEE ACADEMY ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF SPELLING BEE

Greensboro, Ga. (January 31, 2019) – Lake Oconee Academy recently held its annual Spelling Bee competition for first through eighth grade students. Students competed in three categories:  first-third grade; fourth-fifth grade; and sixth-eighth grade. The competition was intense, with spellers spelling such difficult words as aphorism, proboscis and exordium.

The winner in the first-third grade competition was Leighton Seybt, with Beckett Christensen as runner-up.  Emilia Viscarra was announced the winner of the fourth and fifth grade competition with Kensley Windham as runner-up. Keerti Ahluwalia came out on top as the winner of the middle grades competition, with Jewell Morrison as runner-up.

Winners in the fourth-eighth grade groups advanced to the Greene County School District competition on February 5, 2019, at the Lake Oconee Academy auditorium. Congratulations to all the winners and participants in this year’s spelling bee!

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Photo: Top row (L to R): Jewell Morrison-6th-8th runner-up; Keerti Ahluwalia-6th-8th winner; Emilia Viscarra- 4th-5th grade winner.

Bottom row (L to R): Beckett Christensen- 1st-3rd runner-up; Leighton Seybt- 1st-3rd winner; and Kensley Windham-4th-5th runner-up.

LAKE OCONEE ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL ROBOTICS TEAM COMPETES FOR FIRST TIME

LAKE OCONEE ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL ROBOTICS TEAM COMPETES FOR FIRST TIME

Team Takes First Place in Robot Design

Greensboro, Ga. (January 8, 2019) – Lake Oconee Academy entered its first-ever middle school robotics team, the Iron Titans, to compete in the FIRST Lego League regional robotics competition on Saturday, December 15, 2018. Students traveled to Middle Georgia State University in Macon to compete against eleven other teams from middle Georgia.

The robotics competition includes four categories: Robot Design, Robot Performance, Core Values, and a comprehensive Project. The Iron Titans were awarded first place in Robot Design and third place in the comprehensive Project.

“Robotics allows students to solve complex problems and learn new technology,” said LOA teacher Eric Harper. “The students don't always see eye-to-eye so there is the opportunity to learn conflict resolution and develop leadership skills. At tournaments, the students get to showcase their work, interact in a positive way with other teams and judges, and compete with robots. It is truly a unique and invaluable experience.”

The team will advance to the Middle Georgia Super Regional in Warner Robins on January 26, 2019. The Iron Titans are directed by LOA teachers Eric Harper and Xeuchao Jiang, and the team is sponsored by Novelis.

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Photo: LOA’s Iron Titans middle school robotics team took first place in Robot Design at the FIRST Lego League competition. Team members are (left to right): John Paul Turiano, Will Moore, Jason Beall, Chase Carter, Mason Honea, Lauren Glass, Summer Abramson, and Camden Cronic.

LAKE OCONEE ACADEMY STUDENTS COMPETE IN SPANISH POETRY DECLAMATION AT CLEMSON UNIVERSITY

For Immediate Release

Contact: Kerry Minster

706.454.1562

kerry.minster@lakeoconeeacademy.org

Greensboro, Ga. (November 8, 2018) –  Lake Oconee Academy (LOA) students in grades 7-12 in Spanish Level 1 through AP® participated in the 46th annual Clemson University Poetry Declamation Contest in Clemson, South Carolina, on October 27, 2018.

Clemson University hosts schools across several states competing in American Sign Language, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Latin, and Italian. Students recite from memory two poems being judged on accuracy, intonation, pronunciation, and presentation. Of the eighteen students representing LOA, seventh grader Remi Baker won third place for Spanish I, and in the highest category of Spanish IV/AP, junior Azariah Chester finished in third place and junior Mahnoor Sultan finished in first place.

"The Clemson Poetry Declamation continues to help me grow in more ways than one,” said Sultan. “This year was such an amazing experience for me not just language-wise but also with culture. To see people from different backgrounds compete and join together is astounding. I look forward to next year!"

While at Clemson University, LOA students had the opportunity to tour the campus and learn more about the dual language undergraduate programs Clemson has to offer. 

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Photo: Mahnoor Sultan, Remi Baker and Azariah Chester (left to right) had outstanding performances at the Clemson University Poetry Declamation Contest for Spanish.

LAKE OCONEE ACADEMY’S AZARIAH CHESTER NAMED TO GEORGIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD

Greensboro, Ga. (October 31, 2018) – Lake Oconee Academy student Azariah Chester was named one of five high school students across Georgia to serve on the Georgia Scholastic Press Association Student Advisory Board (GSPA). The GSPA at the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism was organized in 1928 to promote the understanding and practice of journalism. The organization encompasses all forms of scholastic media including broadcast, literary magazine, newsmagazine, newspaper and yearbook.

Other board members include Cassidy Hettescheimer, Mill Creek High School; Avery Householder, Calvary Day School; Isabelle Manders, Marietta High School; and Paul Nickles, Thomson High School.

“I am excited to be a part of GSPA because of my interest in journalism and technology, especially broadcasting,” said Chester, a junior at LOA. “I felt this program would help me increase my experience and knowledge. My role in the GSPA as a Student Advisor is to assist in helping with the Fall and Spring conferences, attend virtual conferences monthly, and to serve as a general ambassador for the GSPA.”

“Azariah is such an important part of our LOATV crew,” said Mrs. Lindsey Chamberlain, Audio Video Technology and Film instructor. “She brings organization, creativity and leadership as one of the producers of LOA’s student news show, The Current. We are so proud to see her represent LOATV and the rest of the Lake Oconee Academy family on the GSPA Student Advisory Board.”

Lake Oconee Academy is a member of the GSPA. Eight LOA students attended the Fall Conference on Monday, October 22, 2018, at the University of Georgia Tate Student Center with over 900 students from across Georgia. Students attended workshops on a variety of topics including effective social media strategies, interview skills, and photojournalism.

LAKE OCONEE ACADEMY ADVANCED PLACEMENT® STUDENTS OUTSCORE STATE, NATIONAL AND GLOBAL MEANS IN 2018

For Immediate Release
Contact: Kerry Minster
706.454.1562
kerry.minster@lakeoconeeacademy.org

LAKE OCONEE ACADEMY ADVANCED PLACEMENT® STUDENTS OUTSCORE STATE, NATIONAL AND GLOBAL MEANS IN 2018

Greensboro, Ga. (August 13, 2018) – The Advanced Placement® (AP®) program at Lake Oconee Academy allows students to challenge themselves with rigorous AP coursework, and students are meeting the challenge. LOA’s 2017-18 AP exam scores once again top the state, national and global mean scores.

The AP program is administered by the College Board and offers college-level coursework to high school students. Colleges and universities will often grant course credit and advanced placement for qualifying scores on exams. AP exams are scored on a scale from 1 to 5: 5 - extremely well qualified; 4 – well qualified; 3 – qualified; 2 – possibly qualified; 1 – no recommendation.

The 2017-18 mean scores for students taking AP exams for courses offered at LOA compared to students taking those same exams at the state, national and global level are:

LOA	Georgia	National	Global
3.28	2.91	2.87	2.89

In 2017-18, LOA administered 155 AP exams to 91 students, with 79.1% of students scoring a 3 or higher. Of the 79.1% who scored a 3 or higher, 39.7 % scored a 4 or 5.

Below is a table showing four years of data at the school, state and global levels. The table illustrates the percentage of total LOA students who scored a 3 or higher on AP exams for courses offered at LOA compared to students taking those same exams at the state and global level.

Year	LOA	Georgia	Global
2015	81%	57.2%	60.7%
2016	74.4%	58.1%	60.3%
2017	74%	58.9%	60.3%
2018	79.1%	61.2%	61.3%

LOA is pleased to have 30 students who were named AP Scholars for 2017-18. The AP Scholar Awards recognize high school students who have demonstrated college-level achievement through AP courses and exams. Among those 30 students, 17 students earned the AP Scholar award that is granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams. The AP Scholar with Honor, for students who received an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four more of these exams, was awarded to four students. Finally, the AP Scholar with Distinction, granted to students who received 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, was achieved by nine LOA students.

A LOA graduate was also named an AP National Scholar, LOA’s first student to receive that designation. This student earned 46 college credit hours while still in high school.

In addition, LOA was named an AP Honor School for 2018. Based on 2017 AP courses and exams, LOA earned the Honor School designation in the following categories: AP Challenge School, AP Merit School and AP Humanities School.

“AP courses offer students opportunities to prepare skill sets that are essential for success in post-secondary options,” said Dr. Hester Vasconcelos, AP coordinator at LOA. “AP teachers employ strategies that challenge students to develop habits of mind for critical thinking and problem solving. Students learn to dig deeper and provide meaningful answers to complex questions. Taking risks, accepting the challenge, and developing perseverance are patterns prominent in AP courses. Teachers prepare to teach AP courses through extensive professional development to help all students achieve success at extraordinarily high levels.”

During the 2017-2018 school year, LOA offered 17 AP courses: Biology, Chemistry, Calculus AB, Computer Science Principles, Microeconomics, English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, US Government and Politics, Human Geography, Spanish Language and Culture, Spanish Literature and Culture, Studio Art 2D, Studio Art Drawing, US History, Capstone Seminar, Physics 1: Algebra -Based, and Physics C: Mechanics.

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