A New Hanover County high school student has taken home the top prize in a speech contest.
Hoggard junior Caroline Bunting recently won the American Legion Constitutional Speech Contest for North Carolina’s District Nine, hosted by American Legion Post 543.
Through her topic, “Utilizing Our First Amendment Rights,” Bunting’s speech outlined how now-famous Americans exercised what they saw as their duty to seek constitutional changes. Their efforts led to civil rights for minorities and women, especially the right to vote.
The District Nine contest was open to American Legion Post contest winners from Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover and Pender counties. Bunting represented Post 10 in Wilmington.
District Nine commander Tom Cerniglia said judges gave Bunting consistently high marks for the content of her presentation. According to contest chairman Mike Fegan, she was the most accomplished speaker he has seen in his years with the program.
Students selected for middle school honors band
Members of six New Hanover County middle school bands–31 students overall–were recently selected for the North Carolina Band Association Eastern District Middle School Honor Band.
Each year, students from 30 counties compete for a spot in the Eastern District Middle School Honor Band. Only 190 students are selected each year to be a part of the prestigious group.
The middle school bands traveled to Greenville to audition earlier this month. Students were required to learn numerous scales, multiple octaves, the chromatic scale for their instrument and a full solo selected. Students then performed for a set of judges for ranking against their peers in order to determine who would qualify.
Selected students will travel to East Carolina University in Greenville on Feb. 6 for rehearsals and a concert the following day.
New Hanover County band members:
Holly Shelter (director Amy Sandlin)
- Barrett Buhler
- Dean Centa
- Kasey Cummings
- Riley Dunwoody
- Wyatt Johnson
- Elizabeth MacDonald
- Dakota Marshall
- Eric Newkirk
- Andy Risley
Murray (director David Tyson)
- Riley Gibson
- Abby Jethro
- Gregory Kraft
- Joseph Miller
Myrtle Grove (director Anna Stanfill)
- Nathan Hardison
- Patrick Iammatteo
- Darren Janz
- C.J. Tyson
Trask (director Deborah Phillips)
- Mason Cockrell
- Laney Larkins
- Joshua Minkler
Noble (director Patricia Knauf)
- Ella Hewitt
Roland-Grise (director Pete Frank)
- Francesa Allunyay
- Max Collins
- Caleb Demers
- Elissa Hall
- Natalie Kudiacz
- Brennan Litzinger
- Rebekah Nielsen
- Ellie O’Deen
- Jacob Triemstra
- Adam Vill
Reading program comes to Forest Hills
As part of its ongoing focus on literacy, Forest Hills Global Elementary has partnered with Canines for Literacy to help third-grade students improve their reading skills and further develop a lifelong love of reading.
Canines for Literacy, formerly Paws for READing, is part of the Canines for Therapy/Canines for Service therapy dogs program, where certified teams work with children to improve their reading and communication skills.
According to the school district, Canines for Literacy dogs offer a “judgment-free” reading partner as a source of calm encouragement to children who may struggle with reading in front of others.
A Canines for Literacy volunteer brings Monty, a certified therapy dog, to Forest Hills each week to read with the selected students.
“Teachers nominated students they felt would benefit from extra practice reading to themselves and aloud,” Pam Skipper, the school’s reading instructional coach, said. “The students love reading to Monty and snuggling with him in our media center.”
Canines for Literacy said therapy dogs not only help to improve a child’s reading skills, they also motivate and support children, help them relax and maintain focus, and promote pet responsibility and a general love for animals.
