Ortega student crowned Mr. St. Johns
St. Johns Country Day School junior Jess Wilsensky held off 10 other handsome and talented young men to win the coveted “Mr. St. Johns” title at a late February event held in the school’s Performing Arts Center. Event chair and Ortega resident Caroline Robbins and co-chair, Ellen Crist, chose “Mr. St. Johns Hits the Beach” for this year’s theme. The guys entertained the audience competing in casual wear, lip sync and formal wear. Luke Dill was the first runner-up, Garrett Hays was the second runner-up, Cole Ferguson was the third runner-up and Drew Petty was the fourth runner-up. Other contestants included Ryan Lindholm, John Stribling, Joe Capps, Madison Duff, Collin Hudson, Trey Teahan. The Mr. St. Johns contest is sponsored by the Interact Club and proceeds go to benefit Relay for Life/American Cancer Society. This year’s total was $1,762.
Swish! Riverside basketball scores this season
Riverside Presbyterian Church Basketball organizers said this past season was its best yet.
Venetia students reach new heights with climb, roundup
Fifth-graders
at Venetia Elementary School completed a Youth Leadership Values Training
Program last month. Sponsored by the Army National Guard, the program taught
children about loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and
personal courage through games like Army Dodge Ball, Capture the Flag and Spell
Bomb. Sergeant Jamaal Burris led the group activities. At the end, students
were challenged to set goals, overcome fears and climb a 15-foot rock wall.
Meanwhile,
first-graders at the school celebrated Western-style with a “First Grade
Round Up” performance at the January PTA meeting. The students shared
jokes and sang songs to the delighted crowd.
Lincoln visit inspires winning essays
The National
Society of the Colonial Dames of America treated fifth-graders from 17 local
public and private schools to a presidential encounter last month. As they have
for the past several years, the group organized a two-day appearance by a
historical character — and this time, it was President Abraham Lincoln (aka
historical actor Dennis Boggs from Tennessee).
An
essay contest was also part of the American history experience. This year’s
neighborhood school winners included: a tie between Bolles School fifth-graders
Jacqueline Enas and Madison Clubb; Carter Stankard from Riverside Presbyterian
Day School; a tie between John Stockton Elementary School fifth-graders, Dana
DeShone and Jade Croft; and Alexa Senan from Pine Forest Elementary School.
Organizers
said the children learned many interesting facts about Lincoln, and the
importance of staying in school and reading.
Bishop Kenny students sign for scholarships
Four members of
the Bishop Kenny High School senior class signed letters of intent to play
football on National Signing Day on Feb. 1. Congratulations to the
following scholarship winners: Steven Cornellier, Air Force Academy;
Desmond Huff, Gardner Webb University; Will Lewis, University of Delaware; and
Bobby Wolford, Boston College.
Episcopal athletes sign with universities and colleges
A group of Episcopal School
of Jacksonville athletes is preparing for the next chapter of their sports
careers — college. The local school announced several students have signed with
colleges and universities around the country including: Jacob Addington, crew,
Boston Univesity; Conor Clark, lacrosse, Swarthmore College; San Marco resident
Celeste Glober, soccer, Wellesley College; San Marco resident Sebastian
Hardington, soccer, Emory Univeristy; Nathan Koslowski, baseball, Jacksonville
University; Kyle Nasta, soccer, University of North Florida; Avondale resident
Mary Ann McNulty, crew, Princeton University; San Marco resident Drew Miller,
crew, Boston University; and Erich Schneider, football, Duke University.
