Here’s another round of applause for individuals and organizations doing great things in the community.

 

Valwood School Science Olympiad won the regional tournament hosted by Valdosta State University at Valdosta Middle School. Valwood placed first out of nine teams, beating crosstown rivals Valdosta HIgh School and repeating as regional champions, school officials said. Out of the 23 events, Valwood placed first in 12. As region champions Valwood received an invitation to the state tournament, which will be held at Emory University on Saturday, April 4, school officials said. Medalists at the Regional Competition: Anatomy & physiology, first place, George Tidmore and Ellie Griner; astronomy, first place, Paige Bland and Jolie Green; boomilever, first place, Corey White and Vann Witherspoon; chemistry lab, third place, Charlotte Griner and Brenna Clark; designer genes, first place, George Tidmore and Ellie Griner; detector building, first place, Jolie Green and Camille Singletary; disease detectives, first place, George Tidmore and Ellie Griner; dynamic planet, third place, Paige Bland and Dylan Luong; experimental design, first place, Pearce Persaud, Rebecca Moody and Mary Claire Griner; experimental design, second place, Camille Singletary, Charlotte Griner and Jolie Green; forensics, second place, Trey Henry and Paige Bland; fossils, second place, Jolie Green and Camille Singletary; geologic mapping, first place, Capri Persaud and Brenna Clark; gravity vehicle, Corey White and Vann Witherspoon; machines – simple & compund, first place, Corey White and Dylan Luong; ornithology, second place, Alex Fouraker and Dylan Luong; protein modeling, third place, Brenna Clark, Carpri Persaud, Gracyn Sanderlin; sounds of music, third place, Gracyn Sanderlin and Alex Fouraker; water quality, first place, Corey White and Gracyn Sanderlin; wright stuff, second place, Maddox Wood and Trey Henry; write it/do it, second place, Capri Persaud and Brenna Clark, school officials said. The Valwood Science Olympiad Team is coached by Joy Owens and Jeremy Paradice.

 

In observance of the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Edith Garlow Johnston Lakes Library, the South Georgia Regional Library gathered local leaders, staff and community members to honor the occasion. In conjunction with the event, the winners of the bookmark contest held for students in the area was announced, library representatives said. The Lake Park Library is one of seven satellite libraries in the library system that includes Southside, Hahira, Lanier County, Echols County and the new art library at the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts. Cheryl Oliver, former library board member, spoke to the gathering about when the land was donated by Country Johnston in 1990. The Lake Park site was developed by funds from the state, library representatives said. “We didn’t realize those funds didn’t cover the books, supplies and computers that help make a library whole,” Oliver said. “But we knew the community would support us to get all of these things, along with the most important things

 

Two Georgia Christian School students recently presented prize-winning speeches at the Rotary Club of Valdosta at the Rainwater Conference Center. Rosa Alvarado, a senior at Georgia Christian, won second prize with her speech about the interconnectedness she found in volunteering in migrant camps with her mother as a child and in serving as president of Interact at GCS, school officials said. Bailey Warren, also a senior at Georgia Christian, took first prize with her speech about connections that can be found in Rotary programs such as C.A.R.T. Blue Buckets for Alzheimers, as well as her own special personal connections to Rotary.