COOPER ATHLETES SIGN WITH COLLEGES – The John Cooper School Athletic Department held a signing ceremony to recognize five seniors who will be competing at the college level in the fall. Parents, faculty and coaches joined Athletic Director Mike Cooper and Assistant Athletic Director Scott Holland to honor the student athletes.

Signings included Brianna Musico, The University of Tennessee, diving; Meaghan Wisenbaker, Rice University, swimming; Matthew Hammarstrom, Furman University, track; Brian McDonnell, Trinity University, track; and Ediz Yildirimer, The University of Georgia, swimming.

_________________________________________________________________________________

SECOND GRADE ART CONTEST WINNERS FROM WOODLANDS PREP – Woodlands Prep School second-graders, under the instruction of art teacher Sherry Morris-Imhoff, received awards at the 13th Annual Art and Essay Contest sponsored by the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum. This year’s theme was “Presidential Elections and Democracy:  Caucuses, Candidates and Campaigns” and Mrs. Meeks’ class won in the K-2 division.

_________________________________________________________________________________

ROSEHILL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL STUDENTS SELECTED AS ALL-STATE PLAYERS – The Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools has named the following Rosehill Christian School athletes to the All-State selections: Justin Nelson, honorable mention All-State; Coach Robert Cooper, District 7 Coach of the Year; Logan Oliver, First Team All-State; and Matt Howard, Second Team All-State.

_________________________________________________________________________________

LOCAL SCOUT RECEIVES GOLD AWARD FOR HUMAN RIGHTS EFFORTS – Demme Durrett, a local Girl Scout, was awarded the prestigious Gold Award by the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council. Demme was recognized for her organization of the 2011 Human Rights Walk and Festival in The Woodlands, which helped to educate the public on their 30 basic Human Rights.

Along with raising awareness for Human Rights, the walk and festival also raised awareness on the importance of Girl Scouting. In a surprise presentation at the official Gold Award Ceremony, Demme presented the Girl Scout Council with a check for $250 from proceeds raised by the walk.

_________________________________________________________________________________

OAK RIDGE HS SENIOR BECOMES VIDEO AMBASSADOR – Oak Ridge High School senior Carly Winsman was selected as the 2012 Milstead Video Ambassador for this year’s anti-distracted driving video contest. Each year Milstead nominates a video ambassador who is a young teen driver that has compiled a compelling anti-distracted video serving as a peer-to-peer campaign warning of the dangers of distracted driving. Carly’s video showed what can happen when young drivers text and drive. She won a total of $500 in cash and prizes from Milstead Automotive and was awarded her prize by Montgomery County Sheriff Tommy Gage.

_________________________________________________________________________________

HLS&R AWARDS MORE THAN $6 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS – More than 380 Texas students, primarily from the Houston area, were honored at the 2012 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Scholarship Banquet for their academic and community achievements with scholarships totaling more than $6 million.

“There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the future leaders of our great state earn their way into a higher education, and we are ecstatic to have the opportunity to help them achieve that through our scholarship programs,” said Skip Wagner, president of the Show. “This night is one that we work toward all year long, and is a driving force behind the efforts of more than 27,000 volunteers.”

These 383 graduating high school seniors will attend 35 Texas colleges and universities in the fall using funds from the show’s Metropolitan, Opportunity, School Art and other scholarship programs, totaling $6,088,000.

Scholarship recipients from The Woodlands area include The Woodlands High School – Bonnie Leung, Stephanie Wythe; The Woodlands College Park – Vibhav Ganesh and William Morriss; and Spring High School – Tajma Francis.

_________________________________________________________________________________

COOPER STUDENTS AWARDED BY PEARL FINCHER ART MUSEUM – Cooper students submitted work for the first time to the Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts Student Art Contest that is open to public, private and home school students in grades 1-12 from the greater Houston area.

Cooper fourth-grader Pavitra Kotecha was awarded third place overall for “The Face.” Additionally, three students were recognized as a “Jurors’ Selection” in three categories: fourth-grader John David Walsh for “Self Portrait;” seventh-grader Sadie Robb for “Orchids in Bloom;” and senior Daniela del Rio for “Color My Shadow.”