2000-2001 School Year
Permian Basin region, Texas
Multiple Area High Schools
Celebrations of Educational Excellence awards
April 6, 2001
Area students honored for academic achievement
Students from across the Permian Basin were honored Thursday at Celebrations of Educational Excellence at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin.
This is the seventh year the awards have been given, but it is the first year the ceremony has been held at UTPB.
Some 10,000 students statewide were honored this week for their academic achievements and about 107 in the Library/Lecture Center at UTPB.
"We re here to honor our special students," said Judy Strickland, a state board representative from Plainview.
Strickland said people don t often take time to honor those who take time to achieve. "You have made a choice to take the right path, to be the best you can be," she said.
As a result, administrators, counselors and teachers nominated the students for recognition. Students were at the top of their class, National Merit finalists or semi-finalists, Academic Decathlon participants and commended scholars.
The State Board of Education created Celebrations of Educational Excellence seven years ago because it wanted to honor the state s scholars, according to a press release from the Texas Education Agency.
"This is just your day, so relax, enjoy," Strickland told the lecture hall, packed with family and supporters. "You are special. We love you and appreciate you."
Students received medals and a letter from Gov. Rick Perry commending them for their efforts.
"It kind of makes you feel rewarded. It makes you feel like what you do is worthwhile and a reward for all your sacrifices," said Shawn Holster, a 17-year-old junior at Greenwood High School.
Ruby Moore, a 16-year-old sophomore from Greenwood High School, Jesus Pimentel, a 15-year-old ninth-grader from Bowie Junior High School, and Chris Mendez, an 18-year-old senior from Rankin High School, said they were honored by the ceremony.
"I feel extremely honored and very happy and proud of my achievement," Pimentel said.
Like her peers, Kathryn Womochel, a 14-year-old freshman at Ector Junior High in Odessa, said she was excited about the event.
"I think it s good that the state recognized us. Education follows you the rest of your life. If you have a good education, you can succeed," Womochel said.
Students recognized Thursday include:
Odessa High School: Brandon Hardin, Jessica Ybaben, Gabrielle Enriquez, Trevor Paulson, Sherazad Islam, Rebeka Primera, Samuel Hawkins, Noel Lopez, Kari Rogers, Amit Patel.
Permian High School: Jessica Findley, Jordan Horton, Susan Kelly, Stephen Leckbee, Ben Woods, Erik Brown, Megan Murphy, Erin Pinkston.
Nimitz Junior High School: Logan Bell, Mark Harding, Preston Hicks, Aaron Howard, Kevin Lane, Rebecca Lewis, Brennan Masters, Brett Meadows, Holly Murray, Brian Sager.
Bowie Junior High School: Bryan Rutherford, Manuel Marquez, Glenn Tadena, Jesus Pimentel, Jared Squyres, Anna Ford, Jason Lo, Zachary Hoffman, Dustin Haynie, Gabriel Kelly.
Ector Junior High School: Brian Wright, Hollie Gardner, Kathryn Womochel, Jamie Yarbrough, Jeramey Kraatz, Bradon Salgado, Jeanette Romero, Nicole Yarbrough, Beatrice Flores, Mollie Alred.
Reagan County High School: Corey Owens, Daniel Michalewicz, Justin Thomas, Brant Webb, Amber Goetz, Chadd Christian, Natalie Arnold, Erin Kohutek, Stephanie McDaniel, Darci Owens.
Midland High School: Kelly Jean Beall, Stephanie Chamness, Stephanie Brown, Aaron Robison, Joseph Rigney, Clark Rucker, Mary Maddox, Derek Crocker, Tegan Georges, Eddie Miles.
Midland Lee High School: April Adamson, Ryan Berthold, Kendale Davis, Kristin Graham, Matthew Kirchner, Garrett Luft, Emily Blake, Bonnie Meinke, Michael Peterson, Jeffrey Woodruff.
Wink High School: Kevin Benham, Jeff Casteel, Lonnie Lovell, Ben McGehee, Kathie Shirey, Weldon Thompson.
Greenwood High School: Josh Carnett, Stephanie Dean, Christopher Fortenberry, Jarred Minefee, Sean Holster, Amy Moreland, Ashley Estes, Ruby Moore, Brandon Edwards, Sara Heidelberg.
Grandfalls-Royalty High School: James Stocks, Maria Ramirez, Ashley Bookmiller, Sherry Propp.
Rankin High School: Christopher Mendez, Ana Suton, Russell Eggemeyer, Tyler McSpadden, Shane Morgan, Jayson Ratliff, Nicole Latzel, Sarah Medley, Allison Watkins.
Maria Chavez, principal of Ector Junior High, said the celebration was an "excellent opportunity" to give academic achievers their due.
