School News
Mount Paran Recognized Nationally
During the 2020-2021 academic year, Mount Paran Christian School (MPCS) won several prestigious honors in recognition of its diversity initiatives, as well as its digital publishing campaign for COVIDresponse tactics. The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District III/Southeast Awards presented Mount Paran with the top honor in the Diversity and Talent Management: DEI Initiatives category. MPCS won the gold award for its Campaign for CommUNITY: Building Equity On Campus. Auburn University earned the silver award, while the University of Florida got bronze. The 2021 CASE District III Institutional awards represent the best in advancement across the Southeast. More than 700 entries were submitted in the 70-plus awards categories. MPCS was one of only eight independent schools in the district to win a CASE award — the majority of the awards were presented to colleges and universities. The focused CommUNITY campaign has assisted the school with its goal of being a more diverse school family. Since the formation of the CommUNITY Task Force in 2012, MPCS has seen a 100% increase in diverse enrollment, doubling diversity within the student body.
MPCS also won three awards from the 36th annual Educational Advertising Awards: • Gold award — COVID Response Materials for family reunion plan. • Gold award — Equality and Diversity Promotion for Campaign for CommUNITY. • Merit award — COVID Response Materials for “What to Expect: A Return to Campus After COVID” video. The awards, which are sponsored by Higher Education Marketing Report, are the largest, oldest and most respected educational advertising awards in the country. This year, more than 2,000 entries were received from more than 1,000 colleges, universities and secondary schools from all 50 states and several foreign countries. Gold awards were granted to 313 institutions. Judges for the Educational Advertising Awards consisted of a national panel of higher education marketers, advertising creative directors, and marketing and advertising professionals.
Mount Paran class of 2021 graduates Sophie Passantino, Caroline Pugh, Audrey Weaver, Kennedy Crenshaw, Jada Crowell, Rainey Hill, Gracie Dinsmore and Logan Watson are part of the school’s strong community. 48
AROUND KENNESAW | September 2021
Josy Johnson with her horse, Bubbles.
Riders Compete at Regional 4-H Championships
In August, three Cobb County 4-H horse and pony members, Emma Bayer, Josy Johnson and Avery Henard, competed at the Southern Regional 4-H Horse Championships in Perry, Georgia. They joined other 4-H’ers from 13 different states, who all qualified at their state 4-H horse show to compete at regionals. Bayer is a sophomore, attending the Cobb County Online Academy. She placed fifth out of 107 in hunt seat equitation, 13th out of 39 in hunter type geldings, 14th out of 110 in hunter under saddle and 10th out of 59 in dressage training Level Test 3. Johnson, a seventh-grader at Durham Middle School, competed with her horse, Bubbles, and Henard, a seventh-grader attending Griffin Middle School, placed 15th out of 87 in hunter showmanship with her horse, Hershey.
4-H’ers Win Top Honors at State Congress It was a record breaking year for Cobb 4-H in project achievement. This summer, eight high school 4-H’ers won first place in the district competition to earn their spot to compete at the next level, State 4-H Congress. The competition at the state level includes judging a portfolio of the 4-H’ers work, a professional interview and a presentation. At the State 4-H Congress in late July, two Cobb 4-H’ers, Gunjal and Kajale, placed first in their category, earning the status of Master 4-H’er in project achievement. Gunjal, Quadriyah Williams and Harriss mastered in the Georgia 4-H Food Challenge competition, and Bayer mastered by earning the Senior Hunt Seat Champion scholarship. Congratulations to the State Congress delegates! These students advance to the National 4-H Congress in November.
