2017 Middle School Awards Day.
Dr. Dan Peterson offered welcoming comments, and then Ben Gray, President of the National Junior
High Honor Society opened with prayer.
Gay Edge’s opening remarks:



The awards and recognition presented today are meaningful and real
representations of an effort beyond the usual; of work that excels beyond the ordinary; of effort and work
and time and spirit that go well beyond what is normally expected of middle school students. These awards
show that we acknowledge that you are very special to us, and they tell the world that, as far as we are
concerned, the world should sit up and take notice of you, for you are well worthy of being noticed by it.
Moreover, these awards are symbols for which you have worked. Today no one will give you anything.
Rather these will be awards which you have earned; awards which you are due, because you have fulfilled
the requirements and high standards they represent; awards which bespeak your abilities, your efforts, and
you integrity as future leaders of Evangelical Christian School.
I know that your parents and teachers are proud of you, and I want you to know that I am proud of you as
well. It is you who represent what this school is all about, and it is you who will carry on after we are gone.
You are to be congratulated. Every effort possible has been made to make our list of honors and honorees
as comprehensive and complete as possible, and I apologize in advance to anyone whose awards or
presentations may have unknowingly been omitted or overlooked. Please forgive us and let us know of any
mistakes or omissions that we may make.
Dee Stubblefield, 8th grade team leader presented awards for leadership and service.
Members of the Honor Society have performed various duties serving our school in leadership positions.





President - Ben Gray
Vice-Pres - Jonathan Sanders
Secretary - Gracie Ruth Allen
Treasurer - Nora Smith
Chaplain - DJ Brown
Other members of the Honor Society have already been recognized.
The Student Council has coordinated student activities, chapels, fund-raisers, and various other events.
They have worked very hard to make ECS Middle School a better place and we appreciate their efforts.
Service certificates are being presented to those students who have given of themselves to the benefit of
our school. These students have provided an example of service for the rest of the Middle School. They
have served in various capacities making the teachers and administrators job much easier. They have
performed tasks such as providing music, sound and lights for chapel, raising the flag, and assisting the
homeroom teachers. These are the students who give up their study hall time, came to school early and
worked behind the scenes.




Polly Marie Carpenter
Tyla Finley
Hudson Sanders
Wyatt Higginbotham






Heather Galloway
Luke Harris
Vakeria Jett
Mallory Grinder
Ben Gray
Jake Vargo
Chapel Singers
There were many students who helped lead music with Coach Eoff in Chapel this year.
Middle School Ambassadors
-We have a group of middle shool students who have served as school ambassadors. They serve the
Admissions office by helping introduce new prospective students to ECS by giving tours of the campus,
taking them to classes, and introducing them to teachers.
8th Grade Leadership Team
The 8th grade Leadership Team has worked together this year to lead and supervise 8th grade activities
such as our Madonna Learning Center events in the fall and in the spring. They met with Dr. Peterson to
discuss and implement the 8th grade privileges and other related topics. They have also acted as an
advisory panel for 8th grade matters.








DJ Brown
Thomas Kizer
Audrey Hutchins
Breanna Coleman
Ruthie Burgess
Jake Vargo
Ben Gray
Ethan Perkins
Special School Contests and Programs
- Throughout the year our students are presented opportunities to participate in several school sponsored
contests and programs.
Accelerated Reader
-All of our students participate in the AR program through their literature classes.


6th gradeSam Horrocks with 376.7 points
7th grade
7th Grade AR Award to Luke Whaley with 714.6 points
7th Grade Classical AR Award to Mia Floriani with 360 points

8th grade
8th Grade AR Award to Becca Ikle with 232 points
8th Grade Classical AR Award to Taylor Tunstall with 219.5 points
Middle School Play
-This year many of our middle school students were cast members of the middle school production
preformed for our enjoyment. As cast members they put a lot of hard work in helping to make “Peter
Pan” a huge success.
Yearbook Awards
-One of our students has worked hard to gather pictures and assist Mrs. Field in publishing the Middle
School yearbook.
Yearbook Award
Joshua Hibbler - 8th Grade
Our students are encouraged to participate in many clubs offered through our Enrichment program.






CANstruction
Debate Team
Middle School SWAT Team
Scrabble Club
World Peace Game
Drama Club
Lisa Bowden, 6th grade team leader and Connie Thomas, 7th grade team leader recognized students who
have participated in special academic and leadership contests.
During the course of the year our students have excelled in areas of leadership and academics outside the
classroom. The staff has made much effort to involve our students in many academic and leadership
contests and activities, and our students have performed admirably and have received many honors and
awards.
Fine Arts Recognition
-Several of our students received recognition for their hard work in the area of fine arts.
Delta Fair Art Competiton
Caroline Davis - 1st Place 6th Grade
Caroline Davis - Best of Show – Grades 4-6
Briarcrest Regional Art Contest and Exhibition
Caroline Davis – 3rd Place 6th Grade
Jonathan Robinson – 4th Place
Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards Competition
Elizabeth Crowell – Silver Key
WTSBOA Solo and Ensemble Festival
Heather Dunavan
Christopher Lewis
All West Honor Choir
Simeon Betapudi
Will Porter
Ben Gray
Izaiah Horrocks
ACSI Creative Writing Festival
-Literature teachers in each grade submitted pieces of creative writing to the ACSI Southeast District
contest held in east Tennessee to be rated. Each of these students did very well.
6th Grade
Superior:
Caroline Davis
Katherine DeMento
Kendall Philley
Sydney Jackson
Campbell Kizer
Excellent:
Mary Learned
7th Grade
Superior:
Excellent:
Davis Bauer
Simeon Betapudi
Brayden Pallera
Wade Scott
Katie Field
Sam Shelton
8th Grade
Superior:
Abbie Berry
Nora Burton
Katelyn Bush
Taylor Tunstall
Good:
Breanna Coleman
Luke Harris
National Geographic Bee
Thirty of our middle school students qualified for the Middle School National Geographic Bee at the
school level that was held in October.
Delaney Stookey – 3rd place
Lindsey Davis – 2nd Place
Simeon Betapudi -placed 1st and went on to represented ECS in the National Geographic Bee at the state
level held in Nashville. Simeon competed against 102 participants to win the state title and he will
represent the state of Tennessee in the National Geographic Bee to be held next week in Washington, D.
C. We would like to congratulate Simeon and present him with his award at this time.
ACSI Geography Bee
-Several of our students qualified for the ACSI District Geography Bee held in February at ECS-Lower
School. The following received excellent awards.










Daniel Bayse
Aaron Brink
Polly Marie Carpenter
Claire Colley
Lindsey Davis
Caroline Davis
Maddie Halford
Helen Lewis
Nathan Perkins
Will Porter





Jonathan Robinson
Delaney Stookey
William Webster
Kinsey Wilson
Tucker White
Two of our students received superior awards as well as a Perfect Round ribbon.
Simeon Betapudi
Jonathan Sanders
Two of our students then competed in the Regional Bee held in Atlanta, where 23 students, representing
four states, competed. Kinsey Wilson placed first and has the honor of being the Southeast Regional
Geography Bee Champion and Caroline Davis placed 3rd as a sixth grader.
ACSI Spelling Bee
-Our school spelling bee was held in December and the top four spellers at each grade level represented
our school at the ACSI District Spelling Bee held in February at Briarcrest.
6th grade




Caroline Davis
Mary Learned
Jane Kresnadi
Betsy Nearn
7th grade




Carter Hudson
Katie Field
Tucker White
William Webster
8th grade
 Jonathan Sanders
 Jake Vargo
 Brooke Sain
Anise Sharp - Anise placed first at the regional Bee at Briarcrest and represented ACSI in the Southeast
Region Spelling Bee in Atlanta in March.
Connie Thomas completed the awards for Special Academic and Leadership Contests.
ACSI Math Olympics
-ECS hosted the Regional ACSI Math Olympics in April. 150 students from TN and MS participated. Our
students performed very well.
6th grade:
Caleb McCalla
John Vargo
Luke Ricketts – 2nd in Computation
Caroline Davis
Jane Kresndi
Evie Wages – 3rd in Reasoning
7th grade:
Simeon Betapudi – 5th in Computation
Brayden Pallera
Sam Shelton – 4th in Computation
Luke Whaley – 1st in Reasoning
William Webster –5th in Reasoning
Christopher Lewis – 3rd in Reasoning
8th grade: Computation –
Gracie Ruth Allen – 3rd in Computation
Emma Grigson – 5th in Computation
Jonathan Sanders – 1st in Computation
Katelyn Bush – 3rd in Reasoning
Miller Galloway – 4th in Reasoning
Laura Olive
Math Counts
Math Counts is a math competition sponsored by the National Society of Professional Engineers held
each year at Southwest Community College. Seventeen West Tennessee schools were represented and
seven of our students represented ECS in this rigorous competition.
Simeon Betapudi
Claire Colley
Miller Galloway
Emma Grigson
Christopher Lewis
Evie Wages
Gracie Ruth Allen
Tennessee Middle School Math Contest
We also had several students participate in the TN Middle School Math Contest held at UT-Martin.
There were over 175 students representing 8 schools in West Tennessee.
6th grade:
Caroline Davis
Caleb McCalla
Luke Ricketts
7th grade:
Simeon Betapudi – 2nd Place
Luke Whaley – 3rd Place
Christopher Lewis
William Webster
8th grade:
Gracie Ruth Allen
Miller Galloway
Emma Grigson
Katelyn Bush
The Duke Talent Identification Program ACT is given in February for 7th grade students recognized by
high achievement test scores. To qualify for State recognition students must receive a minimum ACT
score of 22 in either English, Math or Science or 23 or higher in the Reading section of th ACT. To
qualify for Grand recogniton students must score 28 or higher in Science, a 29 or higher in math, or a 31 or
higher in English or Reading.













Kessler Baker
Simeon Betapudi – State and Grand Awards
Claire Colley
Carter Hudson – State and Grand Awards
Celie Ozier
Brayden Pallera
Mary Virginia Rowland – State Award
Delaney Stookey – State Award
Evie VanderZwaag
William Webster – State Award
Luke Whaley – State Award
Tucker White – State Award
Luke Wilkins
YMCA Model UN
-62 of our Middle School students, representing 23 countries participated in the YMCA Youth in
Government-Model UN. These students researched a country and presented a resolution to a mock UN
General Assembly on behalf of their country. This was held in December and we would like to recognize
those students who were awarded recognition at the conference.
Outstanding Resolution




Izaiah Horrocks
Ben Gray
Jacob Welch
Griffin Garrison
Outstanding Delegate
-Simeon Betapudi
Jonathan Sanders
Celie Ozier
YMCA Youth Legislature
We also participated in the YMCA Youth in Government held in May. These students wrote and presented
bills to be considered by a mock legislature of their peers. Several of them received recognition for their
outstanding work.
We had four Outstanding Delegates:




Simeon Betapudi
Jacob Welch
Claire Colley
Polly Marie Carpenter
Outstanding Bill – An Act to Educate Truckers about Human Trafficking



Peter Nearn
Luke Harris
Charlie Crosby
Gay Edge presented ACADEMIC AWARDS
Each year as teachers attempted to decide awards in each of the subject areas it became evident to them
that there are a very small group of students that were worthy of awards in several subject areas. These
students have maintained very high averages throughout the year and have made significant contributions
in all of their classes. They could receive the award in many of their classes. We would like to recognize
these students who will receive an award for Superior Academic Achievement.
Superior Academic Achievement
6th grade
Evie Wages
Luke Ricketts
7th grade
Christopher Lewis
William Webster
Simeon Betapuddi
8th grade
Lindsey Davis
Anise Sharp
Ellen Lyle
-Certificates for academic achievement were awarded in each of our academic courses. The students
recognized were selected by their teachers based on their outstanding work in these classes. All of these
students do not necessarily have the highest average but have given 100% effort in the classroom and have
demonstrated a high interest level and consistent performance throughout the year.
ART
BAND
6th Grade
Caroline Davis
7th Grade
Jonathan Robinson
Elizabeth Crowell
8th Grade
Taylor Tunstall
6th Grade
Megan Ammons
7th Grade
Heather Dunavan
8th Grade
Parker Norris
BIBLE
6th Grade
Anna Leigh Coleman
7th Grade
Brayden Pallera
8th Grade
Jonathan Sanders
DRAMA
7th Grade
Evie Vanderzwaag
8th Grade
Ben Gray
ENGLISH
6th Grade
Emma Weaver
7th Grade
Evie VanderZwaag
8th Grade
Tancie Lewis- English
Katelyn Bush – Classical English
ETYMOLOGY
7th Grade
Will Boals
LITERATURE
6th Grade
Cece Clinton
7th Grade
Sam Becker – Literature
Davis Bauer – Classical Literature
8th Grade
Savannah Snyder – Literature
Taylor Tunstall – Classical Literature
MATH
6th Grade
Caleb McCalla
7th Grade
Heather Dunavan – Pre-Algebra
Timothy McDaniel – Honors Pre-Algebra
8th Grade
Ashley Galloway – Pre-Algebra
Gracie Ruth Allen - Algebra
Music-Vocal
6th Grade
Ainsley Hunsaker
7th Grade
elie Ozier
8 th Grade
Audrey Hutchins
Soarin’Singers Award
Anna Grace King
P.E.
6th Grade
Jay Smith
Anne Louise Smith
7th Grade
Bennett Brady
Jordan Walters
8th Grade
Thomas Kizer
Nora Burton
Science
6th Grade
Savannah Shepard
7th Grade
Carter Hudson
8th Grade
Thomas Kizer
Social Studies
6th Grade
Carson Todd
7th Grade
Delaney Stookey
8th Grade
Ben Gray
Spanish
6th Grade
Campbell Kizer
High Five Award - Daniel Holmes, MS Athletic Director
Someone once said, “Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude
determines how well you do it.” As a coach, I really like these three words; because they are things that a
person already obtains before they ever even step foot in a classroom, in a gym or on a playing field. A
high five in a universal sign of a job well done. It generates feelings of acceptance and gratitude. The
High Five Award is a new award that is given to a student athlete in the middle school who meet the
following criteria:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Play a fall sport
Play a winter sport
Play a spring sport
Average GPA stayed above a 3.5
Citizenship was never below an S
Regardless of their age, playing three sports and taking care of business in the classroom all year is no
small task and something that should be rewarded. One’s ability, motivation, and attitude has to stay
strong for an entire year. I am thrilled to say that there are thirty recipients of the this award this year.
6th Grade
Jase Aaron
Anna Leigh Coleman
Sarah Regel
Ann Louise Smith
Wilson Thetford
Evie Wages
Garrett Wilson
Cece Clinton
Tate Jackson
Kendall Philley
Karlie Foster
Maddie Halford
Wesley Jones
7th Grade
Mia Floriani
Kessler Baker
Cameron Gagnon
Griffin Garrison
Grayson Saunier
Audrey Broadway
Heather Dunavan
William Webster
Jacob Welch
Adam Wicktom
Caroline Somogyi
Jordan Walters
Tucker White
8th Grade
Phoebe Harpole
Peter Nearn
Izaiah Horrocks
Jonathan Sanders
Heather Galloway
Tancie Lewis
Ashley Galloway
Thomas Kizer
David Rose - Eagle Award
Paul writes in Galatians and Colossians about how believers are to exhibit a Christ-like life before all men.
He writes about kindness, honesty, service to others, a strong work ethic, self control and respect for
others, especially for those in authority.
We strive to incorporate these Biblical values into our lives daily through the ECS Middle School Code of
Conduct. This document serves as a guide in terms of how we are to treat each other and how we repond
to one another. It also directs us as we develop a sense of belonging and a sense of community within
ECS.
The Eagle Award is given to up to ten percent of the students in each grade who consistently demonstrate
these qualities to their peers and teachers.
6th Grade
Anne Louise Smith
Madilyn Kelly
Wesley Jones
Wilson Thetford
7th Grade
Heather Dunavan
Evie Vander Zwaag
Delaney Stookey
Claire Colley
Timothy McDaniel
Aiden Ray
Will Boals
8th Grade
Gracie Ruth Allen
Jonathan Sanders
D.J. Brown
Audrey Hutchins
Thomas Kizer
Ellen Lyle
Sarah Johnson
Mrs.Edge presented awards for Honor Roll and Principal’s List.
Honor Roll
-We have several students who have received either Honor Roll or Principal’s List all three nine weeks.
The Honor Roll consists of students with all A’s and no more than two B’s in academic courses and E’s or
S’s in conduct and enrichment courses.
6th Grade
Olivia Carroll
Katherine DiMento
Danielle Hong
Ainsley Hunsaker
Sydney Jackson
Caleb McCalla
Kendall Philley
Sarah Regal
Savannah Shepard
Wilson Thetford
7th Grade
Davis Bauer
Simeon Betapudi
Will Boals
Audrey Broadway
Claire Colley
Katie Field
Mia Floriani
Jack Gibson
Carter Hudson
Aiden Ray
Jonathan Robinson
Mary Virginia Rowland
Sam Shelton
Caroline Somogyi
Delany Stookey
Cadee Tait
Jordan Walters
Adam Wicktom
8th Grade
Gracie Ruth Allen
Darius Brown
Katelyn Bush
Miller Galloway
Ben Gray
Emma Grigson
Phoebe Harpole
Audrey Hutchins
Thomas Kizer
Sarah Grace McCullough
Jonathan Sanders
Nora Smith
Principal’s list
Those who made Principal’s List for three consecutive quarters. Making all A’s in their classes
consistently is a demonstration of the student’s diligence in his/her academic studies.
6th Grade
Cece Clinton
Anna Leigh Coleman
Caroline Davis
Tristian Kelly
Campbell Kizer
Jane Kresnadi
Elizabeth Nearn
Luke Rickets
Carson Todd
Evie Wages
Emma Weaver
7th Grade
Christopher Lewis
Timothy McDaniel
Brayden Pallera
Evelyn Vander Zwaag
William Webster
8th Grade
Lindsey Davis
Ellen Lyle
Anise Sharp
Kinsey Wilson
Dr. Peterson – Special Academic Award
The President's Education Award is given to eighth graders who have maintained very high standards of
academic achievement. These students must have maintained an overall average of 4.0 for their entire
Middle School career and have scored at least 90th percentile in math and reading on their most recent
CTP4 test.
Gracie Ruth Allen
Katelyn Bush
Lindsey Davis
Phoebe Harpole
Sarah Grace McCullough
Laura Olive
Jonathan Sanders
Nora Smith
Taylor Tunstall
Dr. Dan Peterson’s comments:
Please allow me to express my congratulations to all those honored today and my deep thanks to
everyone who participated in this part of our program today. At this time we wish to honor our eighth
graders who are leaving Middle School and who are entering High School. This is an important
milestone in their lives as it represents a stepping stone in their growth and maturity. They have
worked very hard over the last several years and their promotion to ninth grade is well deserved. Part
of the Middle School concept is to nurture the students at a time in their life where many changes are
taking place. It is the prayer of their teachers that they have been successful in preparing these young
people to be responsible students and future leaders of our school. At this time we wish to recognize
them for their success and present them with a certificate of achievement honoring their hard work.
8th Grade Recognition – Thomas Teed called the names of 8th graders as they were presented their
certificates.
Dr. Peterson closed with prayer.