UGA announces 2011 Georgia Science and Engineering Fair winners

Six-hundred-fifty Georgia middle and high school students won more than 400 awards at the 63rd Georgia Science and Engineering Fair hosted by the University of Georgia recently at the Classic Center in Athens. Prizes ranged from savings bonds and educational trips to an engraved geologist’s pick.
The highest honor, the Jackson Electric Membership Corporation Pinnacle Award, went to Spencer Wilson of Moultrie for his project “Construction of a Feasible Einstein-Szilard Refrigerated System.”

Four top students were selected to advance to the 2011Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles May 8-13. They are Raja Selvakumar, Alpharetta; Charles Ramey, Newton; Elliott Chung, Duluth; and Uchenna Anunobi, Conyers. Yash Mehta, Roswell, will attend as the Merial Biological ISEF Trip Observer.

Twenty-four other students selected directly from the State Affiliated Regional Fairs also will attend. These Georgia students will compete against winners from more than 1,600 high school students from all 50 states and 60countries, regions and territoriesto display their independent research.

In addition to the grand awards, entrants in the GSEF competed for prizes honoring best achievements in specific scientific areas. There were more than 100 special award donors from government, professional and educational organizations, colleges, universities, corporations and individual sponsors.

In other major prizes, Andy Kim, Athens, and Spencer Wilson, Colquitt County, were selected to represent Georgia at the 2011 National Youth Science Camp June 30-July 24 in West Virginia.

The Junior Division Student Choice Awards were new this year. Winners were selected by their sixth through eighth-grade peers.

The awards included Students’ Choice, received by Kyanna Simone Simpson, Chapel Hill Middle School. The I Never Would Have Thought of That Award was received by Austin Hyder and Trevor Ruhl, Carver Road Middle School, for “Electromagnetism of Nonmagnetic Metals Prove Lenz’s Law.” The Grossest Project Award was received by Akira Stobaeus, St. Francis Xavier School, for his project “Effectiveness of Two Different Dewormers in a Goat Population.”

Exhibits in the fair included projects in 17 categories, including animal behavior, biochemistry, engineering, physics and astronomy. Participants earned the opportunity to compete in the state fair by winning first or second place in their category in one of the 21 affiliated regional fairs.

More than 200 volunteer judges from the University System of Georgia, other institutions, contributing organizations and industry judged the projects on scientific merit and process, engineering goals, and presentation. Joe Hughes of Georgia Institute of Technology served as judging chairperson, supervising three tiers of judges.

Donors who presented awards included Christopher Hovorka with the Applied Prosthetics and Orthotics Award, Kay Parks of Jackson EMC, and Antonio Figueras with the National Aeronautics and Space Awards.

UGA has coordinated the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair since 1948. It is made possible by the support of the Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, Merial Inc., the Georgia Center for Continuing Education, Georgia Institute of Technology and dozens of other Georgia corporations and businesses.

Award	County	Student
Outstanding Sustainability Project Award	Baldwin	Kenneth Mcgill
Stockholm Junior Water Prize Regional Award - 1st Place Senior Div.	Baldwin	Kenneth Mcgill
Inspiring Excellence Award - Student	Baldwin	Geovic Jadol
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Barrow	Brooke Oxley
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Barrow	Charley Denmark
H. O. Lund Entomology Club Award 1st Place Senior	Bibb	Carolyn Krauss
American Association For Clinical Chemistry Se Region Award Junior Div.	Bibb	Kyrie Hugdahl
Ga. Academy of Aviation, Math, Engineering & Science Student of Promise, Junior Div.	Bibb	Kyrie Hugdahl
Regional Fair Director Honors Award Senior Div.	Brooks	Sunnie Dee Wynn
Merial Biotechnology Award 2nd Place Senior	Bulloch	Supriya Immaneni
National Association Of Biology Teachers Award Senior Div.	Bulloch	Supriya Immaneni
UGA Microbiology Department Award Junior Div.	Butts	Brianna Deraney
Ga. Microscopical Society Lucy B Mccrone Student Science Award Junior Div.	Camden	Irina Rochon
UGA Microbiology Department Award Senior Div.	Carroll	Jonathan Zot
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Chatham	Allen Charles Williams
National Aeronautics And Space Administration Award Junior Div.	Chatham	Allen Charles Williams
UGA Geology Department Award	Chatham	Grace Darling
American Meteorological Society Award	Chatham	Eric Lau
U.S. Air Force Achievement Award	Chatham	Eric Lau
U.S. Navy And U.S. Marine Corps Award - Senior Div.	Chatham	Eric Lau
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Chatham	Eric Lau
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Chatham	Eric Lau
U.S. Metric Association Award	Chatham	Grant Shillington
American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics Award 2nd Place Junior	Cherokee	Cameron Buice
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Award Junior Div.	Cherokee	Cameron Buice
Georgia Veterinary Medical Auxiliary Award	Cherokee	Kate Haruch
National Association Of Biology Teachers Award Junior Div.	Cherokee	Kate Haruch
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Cherokee	Yash Mehta
Merial Biological Isef Trip Observer Award	Cherokee	Yash Mehta
UGA Crop & Soil Sciences Department Agronomics Award Senior Div.	Cherokee	Mary Margaret Penniman
National Youth Science Camp Award	Clarke	Andrew Kim
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Clarke	Andrew Kim
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Clarke	Andrew Kim
American Water Works Association Georgia Section Award 1st Place Junior	Clarke	Evan Newman Marco Newman
UGA Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources Award Junior Div.	Clarke	Evan Newman Marco Newman
UGA Biomedical Health And Sciences Institute Award Junior Div.	Clarke	Angelina Choi
U.S. Navy And U.S. Marine Corps Award - Junior Div.	Clarke	Serena Mon
Inspiring Excellence Award - Student	Clayton	Quang Phuc Kieu N.
UGA Mathematics Department Award Junior Div.	Clayton	Quang Phuc Kieu N.
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Clayton	Emmanuel Ojo-Osagie
National Aeronautics And Space Administration Award Senior Div.	Cobb	Samantha Daigle
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Cobb	Caroline Poston
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Cobb	Praveen Doluweera
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Cobb	Connor Barre
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Cobb	Charles Sexton
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Cobb	James Sexton
UGA Crop & Soil Sciences Department Agronomics Award Junior Div.	Cobb	James Sexton
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Junior Div.	Cobb	James Sexton
Georgia Engineering Foundation Award Senior Div.	Colquitt	Spencer Wilson
National Youth Science Camp Award	Colquitt	Spencer Wilson
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Colquitt	Spencer Wilson
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Colquitt	Spencer Wilson
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair/Jackson Emc Pinnacle Award	Colquitt	Spencer Wilson
Stockholm Junior Water Prize Regional Award - 2nd Place Senior Div.	Colquitt	Stephen Bozeman
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Colquitt	Jacob Lynch
Inspiring Excellence Award - Student	Colquitt	Jacob Lynch
Inspiring Excellence Award - Student	Coweta	Charles Ramey
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Award Senior Div.	Coweta	Charles Ramey
U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Award - Senior Div.	Coweta	Charles Ramey
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Senior Div.	Coweta	Charles Ramey
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair/Jackson Emc Isef Trip	Coweta	Charles Ramey
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Coweta	Charles Ramey
Inspiring Excellence Award - Teacher	Coweta	Warren Bernard
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Senior Div.	DeKalb	Jessica Simon
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Senior Div.	DeKalb	Stephen Woolfitt
Broadcom Masters Nominee	DeKalb	Aomeng Cui
U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Award - Junior Div.	DeKalb	Kyanna Simone Simpson
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	DeKalb	Kyanna Simone Simpson
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Student Choice Award	DeKalb	Kyanna Simone Simpson
Georgia Biogeneius Challenge Award Alternate	DeKalb	Kathleen Dinapoli
Natural Resources Conservation Service Award of Excellence Senior Div.	DeKalb	Kathleen Dinapoli
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Senior Div.	DeKalb	Kathleen Dinapoli
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	DeKalb	Brian Song
Broadcom Masters Nominee	DeKalb	Conner Reinhardt
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	DeKalb	Conner Reinhardt
Advanced Academy of Georgia - Science/Creativity Award Junior Div.	DeKalb	Jonathan Yaeger
Broadcom Masters Nominee	DeKalb	Jonathan Yaeger
U.S. Navy And U.S. Marine Corps Award - Junior Div.	DeKalb	Jonathan Yaeger
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	DeKalb	Jonathan Yaeger
Broadcom Masters Nominee	DeKalb	Sang-Chan Kim
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	DeKalb	Sang-Chan Kim
Advanced Academy of Georgia - Science/Creativity Award Senior Div.	DeKalb	Joshua Traynelis
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Senior Div.	DeKalb	Joshua Traynelis
Association of Women Geoscientists Award	DeKalb	Mallory Larson
Broadcom Masters Nominee	DeKalb	William Moise
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Award Junior Div.	DeKalb	Alix Valcin Iii
UGA Artificial Intelligence Institute Award Junior Div.	Dougherty	Steven Feng
UGA Computer Science Department Award Junior Div.	Dougherty	Steven Feng
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	Dougherty	Steven Feng
Sapps Award For Excellence in Botany 1st Place Senior	Fayette	Omar Martinez-Uribe
UGA Physics & Astronomy Department Award Junior Div.	Fayette	Matthew Harmon
U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Award - Junior Div.	Fayette	Matthew Harmon
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Fayette	Nicholas Powell
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	Fayette	Jonathan Ciecka
Inspiring Excellence Award - Student	Fayette	Tommy Erbe Drew Halbert
Natural Resources Conservation Service Award of Excellence Junior Div.	Forsyth	Gabriel Shook
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Forsyth	Samantha Hudock
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	Forsyth	Samantha Hudock
Regional Fair Director Honors Award Junior Div.	Forsyth	Trent Wagner Zachary Williams
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Senior Div.	Fulton	Ananth Punyala
Georgia Microscopical Society Walter C Mccrone Student Science Award Senior Div.	Fulton	Keith Jones
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Award Senior Div.	Fulton	Jason Lathbury
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Award Senior Div.	Fulton	Zoe Schneider
Georgia Biogeneius Challenge Award	Fulton	Jessica Allison
Sapps Award For Excellence in Botany 2nd Place Senior	Fulton	Jessica Allison
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Award Senior Div.	Fulton	Anirudh Tadanki
Spie - International Soceity for Optical Engineering Award 3rd Place	Fulton	Anirudh Tadanki
Agricultural Research Service Award for Excellence in Ag Science Senior Div.	Fulton	Raja Selvakumar
Georgia Biogeneius Challenge Award	Fulton	Raja Selvakumar
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Fulton	Raja Selvakumar
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair/Jackson Emc Isef Trip	Fulton	Raja Selvakumar
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Fulton	Raja Selvakumar
Spie - International Society For Optical Engineering Award 2nd Place	Fulton	Samuel Eppstein
American Meteorological Society Award	Fulton	Ja’sharee Bush
American Water Works Association Georgia Section Award 1st Place Senior	Fulton	Julia Abelsky
Broad River Watershed Association Award	Fulton	Julia Abelsky
UGA Eco-Reach Environmental Achievement Award Senior Div.	Fulton	Julia Abelsky
American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics Award 1st Place Senior	Fulton	Anthony Chen Siva Movva
Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Atlanta Chapter Award Senior Div.	Fulton	Anand Srinivasan
Prosthetics and Orthotics Wearable Technology Award	Fulton	Anand Srinivasan
UGA Artificial Intelligence Institute Award Senior Div.	Fulton	Anand Srinivasan
U.S. Air Force Achievement Award	Fulton	Anand Srinivasan
Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Atlanta Chapter Award Faculty Sponsored	Fulton	Megan Nettuno
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Junior Div.	Fulton	Nicole Izmaylov
American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics Award 2nd Place Senior	Fulton Gwinnett	Kirill Psarev Brandon Whitlatch
American Chemical Society Georgia Section Award 2nd Place Senior	Futon	Raja Selvakumar
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Glynn	Jason Michael Bennett Jr.
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair “Grossest Project” Award	Glynn	Akira Stobaeus
UGA Foundation Scholarship Award	Gordon	Hunter Pruitt
UGA Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources Award Senior Div.	Gordon	Hunter Pruitt
American Association for Clinical Chemistry Se Region Award Senior Div.	Gwinnett	Vivek Patel
UGA Cellular Biology Department Award Senior Div.	Gwinnett	Vivek Patel
U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Award - Senior Div.	Gwinnett	Vivek Patel
UGA Cellular Biology Department Award Junior Div.	Gwinnett	Andrew Ford
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Gwinnett	Elliott Chung
UGA Foundation Scholarship Award	Gwinnett	Shawn Albert
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Gwinnett	Shawn Albert
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Gwinnett	Amanda Mayo
H. O. Lund Entomology Club Award 1st Place Junior	Gwinnett	Amanda Mayo
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	Gwinnett	Amanda Mayo
Ga. Academy of Aviation, Math, Engineering & Science Student of Promise Award Sr. Div.	Gwinnett	Sitan Chen
UGA Mathematics Department Award Senior Div.	Gwinnett	Sitan Chen
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Senior Div.	Gwinnett	Sitan Chen
American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics Award 1st Place Junior	Gwinnett	Marian Metzger
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Gwinnett	Marian Metzger
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Award Junior Div.	Gwinnett	Marian Metzger
American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics Award 3rd Place Senior	Gwinnett	Samuel Gauspohl;  Daniel Ting
U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Award - Senior Div.	Gwinnett	Samuel Gauspohl; Daniel Ting
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Gwinnett	Vikram Varadarajan
U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Award - Junior Div.	Gwinnett	Vikram Varadarajan
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	Gwinnett	Andrew Ford
Intel Excellence in Computer Science Award	Gwinnett	Elliott Chung
UGA Computer Science Department Award Senior Div.	Gwinnett	Elliott Chung
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Gwinnett	Elliott Chung
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair/Jackson Emc Isef Trip	Gwinnett	Elliott Chung
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Gwinnett	Sitan Chen
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	Gwinnett	D. Ryan Bhowmik
Stockholm Junior Water Prize Regional Award - Junior Div.	Gwinnett	Emma Carlson
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Gwinnett	Evann Brantley
UGA Physics & Astronomy Department Award Senior Div.	Gwinnett Jackson Gwinnett	Guillermo Bautista; He Sun Kim; Sunyoung Wang
American Chemical Society Georgia Section Award 2nd Place Junior	Harris	Robert "Kyle" Newman
American Chemical Society Georgia Section Award 2nd Place Junior	Henry	Darius Cleary
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Award Junior Div.	Houston	Jacob Elliott
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Houston	Kenny Higginbotham
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Junior Div.	Houston	Kenny Higginbotham
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Houston	Cullen Shope
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Houston	Justin Saetina
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Houston	Sabina Banit
Agricultural Research Service Award for Excellence in Ag Science Junior Div.	Houston	Shivani Dhir
Georgia Health Sciences University Award	Paulding	Jamie Bingham
Merial Biotechnology Award 1st Place Senior	Paulding	Jamie Bingham
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair/Jackson Emc Isef Trip Alternate	Paulding	Jamie Bingham
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Paulding	Jamie Bingham
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Pin Design Award	Rabun	Sarah Barr
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Rockdale	Alexis Mack
Spie - International Society For Optical Engineering Award 1st Place	Rockdale	Ana Sofia Tuttle
U.S. Air Force Achievement Award	Rockdale	Ana Sofia Tuttle
Outstanding Sustainability Project Award	Rockdale	Faustine Li
UGA Biomedical Health And Sciences Institute Award Senior Div.	Rockdale	Lauren Reagin
American Chemical Society Georgia Section Award 1st Place Senior	Rockdale	Uchenna Anunobi
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Rockdale	Uchenna Anunobi
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair/Jackson Emc Isef Trip	Rockdale	Uchenna Anunobi
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Rockdale	Uchenna Anunobi
Georgia Biogeneius Challenge Award Alternate	Rockdale	Vander Harris
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Rockdale	Vander Harris
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Rockdale	Vander Harris
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	Rockdale	Carlan Ivey
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Rockdale	Mai Nguyen
Georgia Engineering Foundation Award Junior Div.	Rockdale	Mai Nguyen
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Junior Div.	Rockdale	Mai Nguyen
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair “I Never Would Have Thought of That” Award	Spalding Pike	Austin Hyder; Trevor Michael Ruhl
Merial Biotechnology Award 2nd Place Junior	Thomas	Jacob Rieber
Iota Sigma Pi Promethium Chapter Award - Women in Chemistry Junior Div.	Walton	Christina To
American Chemical Society Georgia Section Award 1st Place Junior	Walton	Christina To
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Walton	Christina To
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Junior Div.	Walton	Christina To
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Walton	Claudia Gaither
Merial Biotechnology Award 1st Place Junior	Walton	Annie Miller
American Chemical Society Georgia Section Award 3rd Place Senior	Washington	Elizabeth Layton
Iota Sigma Pi Promethium Chapter Award - Women in Chemistry Junior Div.	Washington	Elizabeth Layton
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Washington	Meghan Toler
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Washington	Stariel Oberry

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Music by UGA faculty, student and alumnus to be featured at Super Bowl

The Declaration of Independence, a film created for broadcast before Super Bowl XLV on Feb. 6, features a score by Steve Dancz, University of Georgia professor and director of the Jazz Studies program in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music.

The score, which features UGA master’s student Chuck Arnold as trumpet soloist, will be released on iTunes this week as “Declaration Anthem.”

UGA alumnus Ben Leathers served as an assistant to Dancz on the score. Leathers, who earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a music business certificate in 2008, took several improv courses with Dancz. Prior to the Super Bowl, Leathers’ latest credit was as an orchestrator on the feature film, Rabbit Hole, starring Nicole Kidman.

“The Declaration of Independence” features an introduction and perspective from retired Army Gen. Colin Powell and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. It was filmed at The Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom at The National Archives in Washington, D.C., home of the Declaration of Independence.The reading features current and former NFL players reading excerpts from the document, with participants chosen for their extraordinary service to team and country.

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UGA Odum School of Ecology featured on National Geographic's "Great Migration" series

A film crew from National Geographic spent three weeks in June 2009 at the University of Georgia Odum School of Ecology shooting video footage for “Great Migrations: Born to Move,” which will air on National Geographic Channel Sunday, Nov. 7 at 8 p.m.It features the life cycle and migration of monarch butterflies, and includes scenes filmed at the Odum School with help from ecology faculty, students and staff.

Professor Gary W. Barrett, who holds the Odum Chair in Ecology, helped the film crew capture scenes showing predation of monarchs by mice and arranged for video footage to be shot at UGA’s HorseShoe Bend Ecology Experimental Research Site.

Associate Professor Sonia Altizer’s students and laboratory staff assisted with sequences of the monarch life cycle. “People in my lab guided the photographers and assistants and provided materials to them to film monarch eggs, larvae, pupation, adults laying eggs, praying mantis eating monarchs, and more,” said Altizer, an expert on monarch butterflies.She has conducted substantial research on the variation among monarch butterflies across their worldwide range, and the ecological and evolutionary consequences of their long-distance migration, particularly as it relates to host-parasite interactions. Her study of the relationship between migration distance and monarch butterfly wing shape, co-authored with Andy Davis, assistant research scientist in the Odum School, was published in the journal Evolution in Feb. 2010.

Monarch butterflies that breed in the eastern U.S. migrate to central Mexico each fall. The video footage shot in the ecology building and at HorseShoe Bend will appear in the first episode of the series, along with footage shot in Mexico.

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Student food scientists win national title

The University of Georgia can add a new national title to its academic lineup. At a university often known for its sports, it was food science students who brought home top honors on July 19 at the annual international Institute of Food Technologists conference held in Chicago.

After winning the southeast regional IFT Student Association competition in March in Huntsville, the team continued its undefeated streak through the national competition. They faced off against the University of Delaware team twice – once in the preliminary rounds and again in the final round after Delaware cleaned up the loser’s bracket.

It’s tradition to celebrate any national title win, and this one was no exception. UGA topped off its win with a chant of “UGA, UGA, UGA” across the grand ballroom at conference center McCormick Place, led by UGA food science and technology graduate coordinator Mark Harrison.

“The winning’s very nice, but, realistically, being able to meet my colleagues both current and future and being able to test myself against my peers, is a wonderful thing,” said George Cavender, a food science and technology doctoral student with UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Cavender both coached and led the team as captain. Other members were graduate students Amudhan Ponrajan and Kathryn Acosta and undergraduates Jessica Highsmith and Winnie Lim. UGA assistant professor Ron Pegg was the team’s faculty adviser.

It took the UGA students four consecutive years of winning at the regional level to finally pull together their national title. Now they’re ineligible to ever compete in the college bowl again.

Cavender is okay with that.

“If you’re going to retire from national competition, that’s the best way to retire,” he said of their win. Plus, he plans to graduate in December.

Georgia history

Twenty-five years ago, the IFT Student Association College Bowl was first held in Atlanta.
“UGA has never won an event until now,” Pegg said. “And on the 25th anniversary, they brought the win back to Georgia.”

Besides the four wins that Cavender has been apart of, UGA has two other regional titles.

In the southeast region, they compete against Clemson University, Louisiana State University, University of Florida, Alabama A&M University, Mississippi State University and Auburn University.

Big event

More than 21,000 people from more than 70 countries attended the IFT10 meeting. According to Pegg and Cavender, it’s the food industry’s premier organization.

“It’s a phenomenally powerful networking tool,” Cavender said of the conference. And as for the college bowl, “I think it’s a very helpful thing. It encourages the retention of knowledge, and it increases students’ ability to speak in front of a crowd.”

Being drilled with questions by IFT judges makes later public speaking easier, he said.

Questions at the college bowl ranged from identifying an unshelled almond to determining whether certain bacteria are gram positive or gram negative (most of the more harmful bacteria, like E. coli, are gram negative).

More awards

The UGA team wasn’t the only UGA representative to bring home awards. Recent UGA graduate Ashley Hart won second place in the IFT Undergraduate Student Paper Competition. She co-wrote her winning paper, “Blackberry polyphenolic inhibition of proinflammatory mediators released from murine RAW 264.7 macrophage cell lines,” with Pegg and Phillip Greenspan, an associate professor in the UGA Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences.

“It felt amazing doing so well at a national competition like the IFTSA undergraduate research competition,” Hart said. “Even being one of the six finalists was an honor, so when I won second place, it was an extremely rewarding experience, definitely worth all that hard work.”

Hart is finishing up a summer internship with PepsiCo in New York and plans to attend graduate school.

By Stephanie Schupska
University of Georgia

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Georgia Law moot court team takes first place in regional competition, advances to nationals

Three University of Georgia School of Law students joined forces to take home the top trophy at a regional round of the National Moot Court Competition held Nov. 20-21 in Atlanta. This trio, composed of third-year students Marie E. Greene, Kevin P. Murphy and Ashley L. Scruggs, will now advance to the national tier of this tournament to be held in New York City during February.

Coached by Georgia Law’s Director of Advocacy Kellie Casey Monk, the Georgia team defeated students from Georgia State University, Florida Coastal, Barry University and the University of South Carolina in the preliminary rounds.They again overcame South Carolina in the semifinals and then beat Emory University to become regional champions.

“All of the teams we faced in the tournament were superb,” Monk said.“The level of competition seems to get better each and every year. This team worked so very well together.We are indebted to all of the faculty and alumni who help us to prepare.We look forward to performing well at nationals.”

This will be Georgia Law’s eighth trip to the national tier of the tournament in the last 10 years.In 2002-03, the school finished as national semifinalists, while in 2007-08, 2005-06 and 2003-04, Georgia teams were national quarterfinalists.

Considered one of the premier moot court competitions in the country, each year more than 150 law schools field teams in the National Moot Court Competition, which allows law students to hone their appellate advocacy skills by arguing before prominent members of the legal profession.

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Georgia Debate Union reaches quarterfinals in season-opener

The Georgia Debate Union from the University of Georgia reached the quarterfinals of the National Season Opening Tournament held Sept. 18–21 at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

More than 170 teams from 50 colleges and universities traveled to Atlanta for the meet. The UGA team of senior Brittany Cambre and sophomore Mike Lacy won five of seven preliminary debates defeating teams from Trinity University, the University of Florida, Baylor University and Missouri State University. They defeated second seed Michigan State University in the octafinals to reach the quarterfinals.

The team of senior Karen Harrison and freshman Austin Layton also won five of seven preliminary debates and were the thirtieth seed in the tournament. They reached the elimination rounds of the tournament after defeating teams from Northwestern University, Wake Forest University, the University of Michigan and the University of Kentucky.

Also attending the tournament were Dillon Horne, Jordan Edwards, Meredith McKay, Eric Bogart, Adi Sudarshan, Weilan Zhang, Justin Drew and Blaine Drew.

This was the Georgia Debate Union’s first debate tournament using their sustainable Paperless Debate Initiative. Rather than carrying four to eight 50-pound boxes filled with evidence, each team stored evidence on laptop computers. Students built their speeches, shared evidence and took notes on their laptops.

The UGA team is supported by the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs.

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Four UGA scientists among 18 selected as Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Cancer Scholars

Four cancer researchers at the University of Georgia are among the 18 selected as Distinguished Cancer Clinicians and Scientists by the Georgia Cancer Coalition for 2009-10. UGA’s new Distinguished Cancer Scholars are:

Kevin Dobbin, Ph.D., assistant professor of biostatistics, College of Public Health;
Natarajan Kannan, Ph.D., assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and Institute of Bioinformatics;
Mandi Murph, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences, College of Pharmacy; and
Jia-Sheng Wang, M.D., Ph.D., professor and department head of Environmental Health Science, College of Public Health.

The Coalition selects scientists engaged in the most promising areas of cancer research. The four new UGA scholars will receive a total of $1.5 million over the next five years. UGA now has a total of 18active Distinguished Cancer Scholars.

“The support of the Georgia Cancer Coalition has helped the UGA Cancer Center grow significantly since its founding in 2004,” said Michael Pierce, Mudter Professor of Cancer Research and director of the UGA Cancer Center. “Having four new GCC scholars named in a single year certainly reflects well on the quality of the research in which our faculty members are engaged.”

Dobbin comes to UGA from the National Cancer Institute. His research focuses on modifying traditional statistical study design and analysis methods to accelerate the rate at which laboratory findings are translated into clinical tools that can be used to improve patient outcomes.

Kannan’s research focuses on mutations that are associated with the abnormal functioning of protein kinases, a large family of proteins that switch the “on” and “off” signals required for cell growth and differentiation. These mutations are involved in several human cancers, and a better understanding of them has the potential to lead to new treatments.

Murph is working to better understand a cellular signaling pathway known as the lysophosphatidic acid pathway that is involved in the progression of specific types of cancer. Drugs are under development targeting this pathway, and her research also aims to reveal their mechanisms of action to determine potential side effects before clinical trials and to maximize the likelihood of safe development.

Dr. Wang’s research focuses on the impact of environmental toxins on the formation of liver and esophageal cancers. He’s also a world leader in exploring the role natural products and dietary supplements may play in preventing cancer in high-risk populations.

Begun in 2001, the Georgia Cancer Coalition’s Distinguished Cancer Clinicians and Scientists program is an investment in Georgia’s future as a national leader in cancer control. The Scholars’ history of grants, publications and patents as well as their potential for attracting future funding is considered. In fiscal year 2008, Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Scholars were responsible for securing $47 million in privately and federally funded research grants for the state of Georgia; over the program’s 8-year history, scholars have generated more than $200 million in funding.

Scholar selection is based on how the applicant’s research relates to the goals of the Coalition, the research priorities of the National Cancer Institute and the strategic plan of the sponsoring institution. Applications are reviewed by a scientific review committee and an advisory review committee appointed by the Coalition in cooperation with Georgia’s research universities. Members rank candidates according to predetermined scientific and technical criteria.

“The National Cancer Institute has identified areas of discovery that hold promise for making significant progress against all cancers. The Distinguished Cancer Clinicians and Scientists program is the cornerstone of the Georgia Cancer Coalition’s efforts to advance scientific discovery into the prevention, treatment, causes and cures of cancer. These scientists and clinicians play an important role in positioning Georgia as a national leader in cancer research,” said Bill Todd, president and chief executive officer.

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Royal Presented CAES Medallion of Honor

During graduation ceremonies for the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences May 9, State Rep. Richard Royal received the college’s highest honor: the Medallion of Honor for Service.

“Richard Royal was one of the most respected members of Georgia's House of Representatives,” said J. Scott Angle, UGA CAES dean and director. “For the college, he provided expert advice and worked behind the scenes to help our college effectively support Georgia's largest industry - agriculture.”

The medallion is given in recognition of service to the college and the agricultural industry in Georgia.

“It was a great honor" to receive the medallion, Royal said. “I was extremely happy that during my political career, I was in a position to assist the University System of Georgia and especially the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia.”

Royal’s strong legislative voice for agriculture in Georgia has provided outstanding leadership and support for CAES, particularly for the college’s campus in Tifton, Ga., said Joe West, CAES assistant dean in Tifton.

“His support has strengthened our ability to deliver high-quality agricultural programs,” West said. “Support for faculty positions, facilities and his advocacy have helped to ensure that the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences will continue to deliver the research and educational programs to further Georgia’s agricultural industry.”

Royal was first elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1983. He represents the 171st District, which includes Mitchell and Colquitt counties. He served as chairman of the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee and chairman of the Property Tax Sub-committee of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Royal also served as a member of the Appropriations and Natural Resources and Environment committees. He was also appointed to the Tobacco Advisory Committee by the Speaker of the House and to the Fiscal Affairs Committee by the Governor.

Royal attended Mitchell County High School and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Prior to his service in the House of Representatives, he served on the Camilla City Council for 10 years.

He received multiple awards and honors for leadership from the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia and the Georgia Municipal Association. In 2003, Royal became the first recipient of the Presidential Citation from Georgia Tech.

Royal and his wife, Marilyn, have five children and nine grandchildren. He is a deacon at Pebble City Baptist Church and has been a Sunday school teacher for over 24 years. When not in session, he is a consultant for the petroleum industry.

CAES is one of the oldest colleges of agriculture in the nation and among the top five in the nation for research and extension programs. This year, the college also celebrated its largest student body in history, breaking a record that has stood since 1978.

“It is our mission to support Georgia agriculture through our research programs on campus at our Agricultural Experiment Stations across the state and to delivery that research through UGA Cooperative Extension to producers, families and businesses who need it,” Angle said.

“But our greatest challenge,” he said, “is to attract, educate and graduate the workforce that will support and lead the industry in the future. With strong commitment from state legislators like Richard Royal, we are making large strides toward meeting the employment demands of the industry with highly qualified graduates.”

By Faith Peppers
University of Georgia

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Two high school teams advance to national TEAMS competition

Teams from two Georgia high schools—The Academy of Richmond County in Augusta and Grayson High School in Loganville—who competed at the University of Georgia earlier this year have advanced nationally in the 2009 Junior Engineering Technical Society’s TEAMS competition.

TEAMS, which stands for Test of Engineering, Aptitude, Mathematics and Science, brought 44 student participants to UGA earlier this year for a competition that fosters creativity, critical thinking, teamwork and problem solving, said John Mativo, an assistant professor in the College of Education’s department of workforce education, leadership and social foundations; and member in the faculty of engineering.

The TEAMS 2009 theme was “Behind the Scenes: Theme Parks.” There were two sessions within the competition: a 90-minute, 80 multiple choice question session in the morning and a 90-minute, open-ended, four-question session in the afternoon.

The Academy of Richmond County, coached by Patricia Croft, and Grayson High School, coached by Billy Jones, were among six student teams advancing from Georgia, the national TEAMS office announced on April 2. The other four were Chamblee High School of Chamblee, Northside High School of Columbus, Frederick Douglass High School of Atlanta and Columbus High School of Columbus.

Other high scoring teams in the competition at UGA included Rockdale Magnet School of Conyers, coached by David Bonar; Lucy C. Laney High School of Augusta, Hephzibah High School of Hephzibah, and A.R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet High School of Augusta, all coached by Patricia Croft.

“Many high school students perceive math and science classes as dry,” Mativo said. “To bring these two courses to life, students need to use these disciplines in a systematic way to solve real problems. For example, the flow rate of fluid in a tube can model the blood traveling in a vein or artery. Math would be used to find out of where the blood’s velocity is highest by calculating the flow rate, while the science part would analyze conditions of the substrate in which the blood flows. Combined, math and science become the basis of engineering design and analysis.”

Mativo worked with Chi Thai, an associate professor in the department of biological and agricultural engineering, which co-sponsored the project that was praised by student participants and coaches.

“I was not aware of the strong engineering program at Georgia before this competition,” Croft said. “It was well run. My students were excited to be a part of this competition and look forward to participating again.”

Annually, more than 14,000 students across the country participate in TEAMS competitions. Questions are aligned with national education standards. UGA is one of four competition sites for Georgia students. Other sites include Atlanta University Center, Savannah State University, and Auburn University in Auburn, Ala.

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UGA weather forecasting team wins national honors

A top-three finish in the national team rankings. Multiple regular-season and post-season individual honors. It sounds like another one of UGA’s stellar athletics teams.

Instead, it’s UGA atmospheric science students and their faculty, competing in the national weather forecasting contest known as WxChallenge. What’s more, this is only UGA’s second year to compete in the contest.

UGA’s team just finished the regular season in third place. Geography department faculty team member John Knox and graduate student Michael Carter qualified for the post-season individual tournament, which began April 6.

Knox assembled the UGA WxChallenge team in fall 2007 as a way to help teach undergraduates how to forecast the weather.

“Geography Professor Tom Mote, who helped found the UGA atmospheric science program in 2000 and who is the most experienced forecaster on our faculty, had conducted his own forecasting contests for many years,” said Knox. “He was on a Fulbright to Brazil, I was pinch-hitting for him in the senior-level forecasting class last spring, and I was nervous. So, I decided to participate in the national contest for the first time as a way to bone up on my teaching assignment. I thought some students might want to do it, too.”

Team members are: geography faculty members Knox and Marshall Shepherd; graduate student Carter; and undergraduates Emily Wilson of Cumming, Jason Muhlbauer of Kennesaw, Matt Daniel of Social Circle, Brent Sinclair of Dacula, Clayton Hunt of Athens, Kelly Keene of Warner Robins, Mary Mays of Savannah, Kelly Keene of Warner Robins, Andrew Phillips of Woodstock, Jonathan Tarantino of Lilburn, Myron Petro of Dacula, Haley Gowen of Folkston and Laura Paulik of Hinsdale, Ill. The team also includes “redshirt freshmen” Laura Beth Wrenn of Watkinsville and Sarah Summers of Kennesaw, whose scores do not count toward the cumulative team score.

WxChallenge is managed by research staff at the University of Oklahoma, famed for its tornado research. The contest is open to all undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students, as well as higher-education faculty, staff and alumni. It consists of making next-day forecasts of high and low temperatures, maximum sustained wind and precipitation amounts for a series of 10 U.S. cities during September through April. Forecasts are scored versus the national average forecast and can be compared to forecasts made by the National Weather Service and the best computer forecast models of the atmosphere. The best human forecasters in the contest routinely outperform both the computer models and the NWS.

About 50 institutions in the United States and Canada, consisting of more than 1,500 individual forecasters, compete every year for the team crown. Analogous to the NCAA basketball tournament, the top 64 individual forecasters go on to the “big dance” and compete in postseason brackets leading an individual winner to the top.

One of those individuals is usually UGA graduate student Michael Carter of Louisville, Miss., who has competed in the WxChallenge individual tournament both at UGA.

“Every year, Mississippi State and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology duke it out for number 1,” said Carter. “MIT always seems to win on the last day of the regular season.” Could the fledgling UGA team hope to compete with the big boys in just its sophomore season in 2008-09?

“Our students said, yes we can,” according Knox. At the students’ suggestion, a forecasting seminar class was created in which forecasts are discussed and debated. During the spring semester, the seminar is meeting until 7 p.m. four nights a week.

The extra effort paid off for the team and for Gowen and Wrenn, both of whom won trophies for being the best undergraduate forecasters in the nation for one of the cities. For the season, Knox, Carter and four other team members (Wilson, Muhlbauer, Daniel and Sinclair) all placed in the top 100 individually to go along with their third-place team finish.

While the UGA team would like to be number one, they’re pleased with their performance this year.

“We’re on the podium,” said Andrew Phillips of Woodstock, referring to the third-place bronze medal at the Olympics. “And we beat Tech!”

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UGA's disability resource director wins national service award

Karen Kalivoda, director of the University of Georgia Disability Resource Center, recently received the 2009 American College Personnel Association College Student Educators International’s Disability Service Provider Award. This award is presented annually to a disability service professional who has advanced services for students with disabilities through dedication and advocacy. UGA’s center has won numerous awards under Kalivoda’s leadership and the award recognizes contributions made for university students with disabilities for over 25 years.

“Dr. Kalivoda has made a significant, positive difference in the lives of thousands of people associated with the University of Georgia,” said Rodney Bennett, vice president for student affairs. “She has provided visionary leadership for student life programs and services that enhance the educational mission of the university. Dr. Kalivoda is an outstanding professional who brings integrity, experience and the ability to work collaboratively towards the accomplishment of institutional goals.”

Jeanne Higbee, professor at the University of Minnesota added, “Given the scope of her contributions, both in direct service to students at the University of Georgia and in the dissemination of knowledge through her many publications and presentations, I cannot think of anyone more deserving of Disability Service Provider Award.”

The American College Personnel Association is headquartered in Washington, D.C. at the National Center for Higher Education, and is the leading comprehensive student affairs association that advances student affairs and engages students for a lifetime of learning and discovery. This award is among the most prestigious honors given by the ACPA. Kalivoda was recognized at their national conference in Washington, D.C. in March.

Kalivoda holds degrees in psychology, rehabilitation counseling, and higher education from the University of Georgia.

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Cheese Wins Big at 2009 UGA Food Products Contest

Caroline Harless had planned to be in Swainsboro, Ga., on March 17 to prepare for hunters arriving at her Flat Creek Lodge. Instead, she stayed in Atlanta, where her Flat Creek Aztec Cheddar cheese won the third annual Flavor of Georgia food products contest.

“I’m just still amazed. Amazed,” she said after Gov. Sonny Perdue announced her cheese as the 2009 grand prize winner.

Flavor of Georgia 2009 was held in conjunction with Georgia Ag Day, which kicked off National Agricultural Awareness Week in Georgia. The events took place at the Georgia Freight Depot in downtown Atlanta.

“I was impressed by the range of products submitted by Georgia food entrepreneurs. Despite challenging economic times, we received 112 submissions from 81 businesses from all over Georgia,” said Sharon Kane, who directed the contest. She is also a food business development specialist for the University of Georgia Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development.

This was the first year that cheeses were entered in the contest, and judges took notice.

“It’s definitely a cheddar,” Harless said of the Aztec cheddar. “It’s not as sharp as English or Vermont cheddar. It’s a little softer. It also has a … hint of cocoa and chili. It’s very subtle.”

Flat Creek’s head cheese maker and culinary scientist Dane Huebner developed Aztec cheddar in the spring of 2008. He added cocoa and guajilla peppers to traditional, milled curd cheddar. The result is a cream-colored cheese marbled with brown and orange.

“Dane is a very talented scientist, very much a food person,” Harless said. “He’s got a lot of great ideas cooking.”

His next cheese project is of the sheep variety. Flat Creek Lodge currently has 40 ewes and 40 newly born lambs. Once the lambs are weaned, Huebner plans to develop different varieties of sheep’s milk cheese.

Flavor of Georgia 2009 had entries as varied as peanut butter and jelly cookies, shrimp salad, jalapeno raspberry jam and peach cobbler bread.

Flat Creek won the dairy category before being named overall winner. Christopher Myhre of Buzzy’s Fine Foods won the barbecue and hot sauces category with Buzzy’s Savannah Slather. Cathy Beecher of Cathy’s Sweets Inc. won the confections category with Lite Buddy candy. Janice Walters-Taylor of Appalachian Kitchens won the jams, jellies and sauces category with Miss Chatelaine’s Winter Apple Cider and Honey Spiced Red Wine Jam.

Andrew Thompson of Thompson Farms won the meat category with All Natural Pork Chops. Kathy Werner of Mitera Granola won the snack foods category with Georgia Peach Granola. Douglas Horn of Vidalia Valley won the other/miscellaneous category for Southern Peach Vinaigrette.

Flavor of Georgia is only a starting point for many of the category winners, Kane said. She followed up with the 2008 winners and found that nearly 90 percent increased their business contacts as a result of the contest. Also, 73 percent experienced increased interest in their products, and 70 percent saw an increase in the publicity for their products.

“More than one-half of last year’s contestants saw an increase in their sales and profits following the contest,” she said.

Flavor of Georgia 2009 was sponsored by the UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, Georgia Agribusiness Council, the Governor’s Agricultural Advisory Commission and the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Department of Food Science and Technology.

Stephanie Schupska
UGA

Stephanie Schupska is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

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UGA Grady College First Amendment Essay Contest Winners Named

Three high school students were selected from 127 entrants as winners in the annual First Amendment Essay Contest, sponsored by the University of Georgia’s Georgia Scholastic Press Association, the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and the Cox Institute for Newspaper Management Studies.

“Georgia high school journalists clearly understand and appreciate the value of freedoms and protections provided by The First Amendment,” said Cecil Bentley, assistant director of the Cox Institute. “Several talented young writers shared thoughtful insights into how First Amendment freedoms impact their campus and community.”

Michael Cranford, a senior from Parkview High School in Lilburn, won first place in the contest. He will be awarded a $100 cash prize and $100 to his school newspaper, The Pantera.

“The students’ collective voices may push the boundaries of press and speech freedoms, but they also demonstrate how democracy requires both rights and responsibilities to enjoy its rewards,” Bentley said.

Finishing in second place was Amber Leone, a junior from North Forsyth High School in Cumming. Hamilton will receive $75 and an additional $75 for the school literary magazine, Threshold. Sophomore Jessica Norton from Decatur High School in Decatur won third place. She will receive $50 along with $50 for the school’s newspaper, Carpe Diem.

Cranford’s essay discussed the history of the First Amendment and applied it to the regular prior review and censorship of his publication.

“The fact that our school newspaper is not a public forum per se has huge ramifications on how we go about compiling the newspaper, what can be said, what cannot be said and our protection of freedom of the press under the First Amendment,” Cranford wrote. “Even once an article gets to the drawing board and is completed, the principal still has a very final and nonchalant way of keeping a story from print by strongly suggesting some materials not to be placed in the newspaper.”

Cranford explained articles discussing “real” solutions to move the drinking age to 18 were stopped before publication. Around the same time, similar topics popped up in another local high school newspaper.

“The main point of a high school newspaper is not to push the bounds of seniority review in scandalous reporting, however, its purpose is to teach the art of journalism to students, and for students to understand the good and controversial aspects of the trade,” he said. “As students find out, the First Amendment and its rights bestowed upon Americans are just as much an integral part of a high school newspaper’s staff with an audience of 2,000 as they are vital for a big city publication with readers in the millions.”

Leone’s essay discussed the First Amendment as a broader category of rights that should let students “take a stand for our art.”

She explained a situation in 2006 when the school yearbook included a mini insert of “Teen Issues” that covered teen pregnancy, alcohol use and drug use.

“Teens often have to face these issues, and the insert offered insightful information on dealing with those problems,” she wrote. “The school system should have recognized this as mature awareness; however, they simply regarded the whole situation as inappropriate.”

Leone said the literary magazine is subject to censorship now.

“These students are being shut out from their imaginative minds and freedom to speak out for what they believe in,” she wrote. “Why won’t we fight to defend our rights? Don’t we care anymore?”

Norton wrote about the First Amendment and its breadth of coverage, arguing it should apply to student publications as much as it does to professional ones.

“School censorship does nothing to protect students who are constantly exposed to ‘sensitive’ information through other media,” she wrote. “It is more prudent to let students read about these issues in articles written by their peers. In this way, student journalists learn to tastefully discuss controversial subjects in the media, and the student body is more likely to respond to the information presented.”

All three winning essays can be read in their entirety at http://www.grady.uga.edu/gspa/1stAmendmentEssay

The winners of the fourth annual contest will be recognized at the Georgia Scholastic Press Association (GSPA) Awards Ceremony held in Athens on May 1.

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