Georgia Highlands College distributed awards to its most distinguished students Thursday evening at the Honors Assembly, a dinner and awards ceremony, at the Clarence Brown Center in Cartersville. In all, 141 students from all instructional sites were honored.

The academic awards:

Educational Foundation of the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants’ Certificate of Excellence in the Study of Principles of Accounting: Katie S. Jennings (Buchanan)

The recipient must have the highest combined grade point average in second-year accounting courses achieved by a student who is planning to major accounting.

Business Merit Award: Jessica Rampley (Ball Ground)

The award recognizes a student’s achievement in business by having the highest average in the required business courses. The student must have completed at least five of the six required classes.



Excellence in Journalism: Kaitlyn Hyde (Ball Ground) Students must have served and held leadership positions on the student newspaper staff for one year or longer, demonstrating exceptional journalistic achievement.



Excellence in Biological Sciences: David L. Jarrett (Rome) The award recognizes a student who plans to pursue a career in biology and who demonstrates academic excellence in multiple biological science courses with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher.



Excellence in Health Sciences: Anna Lynne Harris (Bremen) For recognition of a student who is pursuing a career in allied health and demonstrates academic excellence in multiple biological science courses and who possesses a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher.



CRC Press Chemistry Achievement Award: Samuel Luke Thompson (Summerville) Recognizes an outstanding student who demonstrates academic excellence in multiple chemical science courses and possess a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Superior Achievement in Physics Award: Ronald Dustin Del Rosario (Powder Springs) Awarded to a student who is interested in learning how the fundamental principles of the universe work and trying to apply them to real life via the existing laws of physics.

Jim McKeel Human Service Achievement Award: Megan Gafnea (Rome) Awards a student who has demonstrated commitment to the field of human services active in volunteer experiences and possesses a genuine concern for the community.

Warren Akin IV Award for Excellence in English Studies: Christopher McAbee (Cartersville) and

John Ross Rogers (Cedartown) For a student with demonstrated excellence in writing ability and a personal interest in literature who maintains a 3.0 GPA. The recipient is selected by the English faculty.

Dr. Melvin Perry AAUP Outstanding Future Educator Award: Hannah Smith (Rome) and Madison

White (Hiram) Honors an outstanding future educator with a 3.0 GPA on a career track in education who demonstrates an aptitude for commitment to excellence in teaching.

Outstanding Spanish Student and Club President: Victoria A. Kikulis (Acworth)

Recognizes high academic achievement, strong leadership and dedication to GHC.

Outstanding Spanish Honor Student: Kristen R. Bennett (Woodstock) Honors outstanding work and achievement from an honor student in Spanish 2002.

Mathematics Award: Kenneth Winston Kingery (Kennesaw) Presented to the student with the highest class average in calculus.

Excellence in Bedside Care: Barrie Shirley (Marietta), Richard Eberhart (Rome), Robin House (Armuchee) For excellence in bed care as identified by GHC nursing faculty.

Redmond Regional Medical Center Outstanding Nursing Student Award: Amanda Bohannon (Rome)

For competent clinical performance and outstanding academic achievement.

Amedysis Home Health Care Agency Outstanding Nursing Student in Geriatrics Award: Trina Davidson (Rome) For a student who demonstrates the ability to work with aged patients and their families.

Outstanding Academic Achievement in Nursing Award: Ashley Granger (Marietta), Robin House

(Armuchee) For the highest cumulative graduating GPA by a GHC nursing student.

Floyd Medical Center Nancy Gunther Award for Outstanding Nursing Student: Christina Martin

(Rockmart) For outstanding clinical performance and dedication to the nursing profession.

Dr. Philip Dillard Achievement Award: Haley Mullen (Silver Creek) For a student or faculty member who enhances disability awareness within the GHC community and is involved in campus activities and volunteer services.

Foundation Achievement Trophy: Jesse Beard (Cedartown) A special, one-time recognition for the founder of GHC’s Gaming Club, one of the institution’s largest clubs with members at all instructional sites.

Cornerstone Award: William Gourdine (Douglasville) Recognizes a student officer for leadership skills and demonstration of the positive influence games can have in the community.

GHAME Student Achievement Award: Joshua Brown (Rome) and Isaac Watters (Cartersville) Recognizes a returning student in the Georgia Highlands African-American and Minority Male Excellence program for demonstrating leadership, academic excellence and dedication to the success of his fellow members.

Old Red Kimono Creative Writing Awards: Felicia Scott (Powder Springs), third place; John Ross Rogers (Cedartown), second place; Abigail Sosebee (Kingston), first place. For students whose original work, published in the Old Red Kimono, was judged to be of special merit.

Old Red Kimono Creative Art Awards: Amera Samha (Rome), third place; Amanda Torres,

(Atlanta), second place; Rebecca Layson (Calhoun), first place.

For students who original work, published in the Old Red Kimono, was judged to be of special merit.

FLASH in the Highlands Student Playwriting Finalists: Nancy Coleman (Villa Rica) and Rachel C. Buckley (Woodstock) Chosen by students and faculty to honor exemplary original flash drama and contributions to the

Rome creative and cultural enrichment of the college. Honors Diploma: Abigail Sosebee (Kingston) Given to students who have fulfilled all the requirements of the honors program, including community service, honors coursework and research projects outside the classroom. This year is the first for this

award.

Honors Certificate: Liv Hood (Cartersville) and Brandy Riekert (Calhoun)

Given to honors program students how have fulfilled most of the requirements of the program. This year is the first for this award.

Georgia General Assembly Board of Regents Academic Recognition Award: Abraham Ortiz

(Kennesaw) For a Georgia resident student attending a University System of Georgia institution who has demonstrated outstanding academic and scholastic achievement.

All-USA Academic Team: Matthew Kendall (Dallas), Galen Maret (Marietta), Samuel Luke

Thompson (Summerville) and Robert Warden (Cartersville Sponsored by USA Today, Phi theta Kappa and the American Association of Community Colleges, the All-USA Academic Team competition honors excellent students for academic achievement and campus involvement.

Georgia Highlands College Steve Burns Service Award: Christie Boyd (Rome) For the student who has demonstrated a commitment and passion for serving others and has contributed to the wellbeing of the community.

Georgia Highlands College Spirit Award: William Gourdine (Douglasville) For the student who best demonstrates dedication to campus life, activity in school and community

projects and school spirit to fellow students.

Georgia Highlands College Leadership Award: Abraham Ortiz (Kennesaw) For the student who best demonstrates the qualities of a positive leader, shows exemplary leadership on campus and in community activities and maintains high academic standards.

The last three GHC awards of the night were a surprise to the recipients, and represent the most coveted honors because they are voted on by students, faculty and staff.

A group of students received honors for completing the Emerging Leaders program during spring semester. They included:



Lina Alcaraz, Douglasville

Jessyca Arndt, White

Amelia Bagwell, Cartersville

Kristen Bennett, Woodstock

Kiana Boyer, Douglasville

Kanneya Brown, Cartersville

Zachary Bulford, Douglasville

Erica Chineth, Marietta

Sherida Clincy, Marietta

Starsha Curry, Union City

Kayla Farabaugh, Canton

Demetria Gainor, Cartersville

Walter Galvan, Douglasville

Joshua Geer, Cartersville

William Gourdine, Douglasville

Kim Guyton, Douglasville

Anna Lynne Harris, Bremen

Ariel Henderson, Cartersville

Cateria Hobbs, Austell

Evan Hoggs, Douglasville

The following students were named to “Who’s Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges:”

Lina Alcaraz, Douglasville

Brandon Allen, Douglasville

Rachelle Allison Allen, Kingston

Jessyca Arndt, White

Amelia Bagwell, Cartersville

Erin Baker, Marietta

Christopher Bates, Powder Springs

Jesse Beard, Cedartown

Kristen Bennett, Woodstock

Christie Boyd, Rome

Dexter Hudson, Cartersville

Rachael King, Cartersville

Dru Lomeli, Rome

Matthew Mason, Dallas

Rhett Norris, Rockmart

Chelsea Orzechowski, Villa Rica

Soletia Owens, Cartersville

Kishan Patel, Rome

Clint Richards, Cartersville

Bradley Six, Marietta

Hannah Smith, Rome

Riley Solomon, Silver Creek

Donnette Tennial, Dallas

Juliet Thomas, Kennesaw

Samuel Luke Thompson, Summerville

Robert Warden, Cartersville

Isaac Watters, Cartersville

Edwin Whitworth, Dallas

Chelsea Worthy, Carrollton

Kristi McCarley, Cartersville

Daryl McCloud, Marietta

Christopher McClure, Taylorsville

Betsy McElhannon, Buchanan

Jordan McFather, Rome

Tara Menard, Dallas

Elizabeth Merna, Acworth

Anthony Minaya, Villa Rica

Chukunyere Nlewedim, Marietta

Rhett Norris, Rockmart

Joshua Brown, Rome

Kanneya Brown, Cartersville

Courtney Self Carter, Kennesaw

Maximus Ceaser, Cartersville

Linda Chuong, Rome

Donnetta Creamer, Cedartown

Jennifer Davenport, Ellijay

Ashley Dennard, Kennesaw

Lauren Desilva, Rockmart

Anthony Donaldson, Rome

Ann Dorsainvil, Acworth

Stephen Early, Rome

Mark Ewings, Acworth

Andrea Fillmore, Rome

Danielle Fluck, Douglasville

Joshua Geer, Cartersville

Ginger Green, Cave Spring

Kimberly Guyton, Douglasville

Scotty Hale, Atlanta

Cynthia Harrington, Kennesaw

Anna Lynne Harris, Bremen

Nevin Hillegass, Canton

Peter C. Holmes, Mableton

Liv Hood, Cartersville

Alicia Houston, Carrollton

Dexter Hudson, Cartersville

Amber Hulsey, Cedartown

Kaitlyn Hyde, Ball Ground

Chidozie Ikwuezunma, Cartersville

Robenson Joseph, Dallas

Kirsten Kapustay, Rome

Shannon Keeler, Powder Springs

Kylie Lee, Bremen

Islam Leung, Rome

Jeremy Linville, Cartersville

Drusila Lomeli, Rome

Chukwuemeka Nwokike, Marietta

Patricia Ogle, Acworth

Adebola Ojosipe, Powder Springs

Abraham Ortiz, Kennesaw

Caleb Parris, Cave Spring

Annay Perez, Cedartown

Ashley Perry, Adairsville

Lora Perry, Coosa

Megan Perry, Coosa

Elisheva Ray, Mableton

Heather Redding, Cartersville

Brandy Riekert, Calhoun

Wynema Rodgers, Villa Rica

John Ross Rogers, Cedartown

Alberto Romero, Canton

Amera Samha, Rome

Barrie Shirley, Marietta

Bradley Six, Marietta

Joseph Slay, Dallas

Tatiana Smithson, Cartersville

Davina Snowball, Lyerly

Abigail Sosebee, Kingston

Alicia Speece, Dallas

Keitravis Squire, Marietta

Bryan Sunrich, Rome

Samuel Luke Thompson, Summerville

Andrew Torres, Woodstock

Christopher Tranter, Kennesaw

Brandon Treglown, Silver Creek

Chukwuma Ugwu, Marietta

Vincent Waithe, Douglasville

Ervin Watkins, Rome

Isaac Watters, Cartersville

Kendall Weatherman, Cedartown

Sarah Willingham, Summerville