District Awards & Recognitions

The students and staff of the Lake Hamilton School District strive for excellence in everything that they do. Here are some of their accomplishments that deserve recognition. Click to jump to Student Awards or Staff Awards

• Elementary School Recognized as a 2012 NCEA Higher Performing School

  

  The National Center for Educational Achievement (NCEA), a department of ACT, Inc., recognized Lake Hamilton Elementary School as a 2012 NCEA Higher Performing School. Lake Hamilton Elementary School received Higher Performing (HP) recognition in the area of Math.

  The Higher Performing Schools are identified by two measures: consistent improvement in student achievement from previous years (growth) and/or absolute student achievement using the school's performance results on the spring 2011-2012 Arkansas Augmented Benchmark Exams (ABE).test. NCEA's higher performing methodology controls for school and student demographics to allow for an apples-to-apples comparison of school achievement and to demonstrate that with the commitment of educators, all schools can have success no matter the zip code. NCEA provided award certificates to each Higher Performing School and the district.

• Lake Hamilton High School Once Again Named One of the Nation's Best High Schools

  

  LHHS was again added to the list, compiled by the Washington Post, of the nation's best high schools. Formerly known as Newsweek's America's Best High Schools, the list of America's best high schools is now known as The High School Challenge and published as a part of the Washington Post. Lake Hamilton High School is one of only thirty Arkansas high schools to make the list. The primary focus of The High School Challenge is to measure if a school is adequately preparing their students for college. The formula is simple: Divide the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or other college-level tests a school gave in 2010 by the number of graduating seniors. While not a measure of the overall quality of the school, the rating can reveal the level of a high school's commitment to preparing average students for college. For more information, visit the Washington Post's website:
  
  http://apps.washingtonpost.com/.../lake-hamilton-pearcy-ar/

• Elementary & Middle School Both Recognized as 2011 NCEA Higher Performing Schools

  

  The National Center for Educational Achievement (NCEA), a department of ACT, Inc., recognized Lake Hamilton Elementary School and Middle School as 2011 NCEA Higher Performing Schools. Lake Hamilton Middle School received Higher Performing (HP) recognition in the following areas: Higher performing in Math based on the number of students that have advanced scores in Math on the statewide Benchmark exams.

  The Higher Performing Schools (formerly known as Just for the Kids Schools) are identified by two measures: consistent improvement in student achievement from previous years (growth) and/or absolute student achievement using the schools advanced performance results on the spring 2011 Arkansas ABE (Augmented Benchmark Examinations). NCEA's higher performing methodology controls for school and student demographics to allow for an apples-to-apples comparison of school achievement and to demonstrate that with the commitment of educators, all schools can have success no matter the zip code. NCEA provided award certificates to each Higher Performing School and the district.

• Lake Hamilton School District Receives Accredited Status

  

  From the Superintendent:

  I am very happy to report that the official recommendation of the Quality Assurance Review Team to the AdvancED Committee, that makes the final official decision, is that the Lake Hamilton School District receive the status of an accredited school district from AdvancED!

  As the QAR Team reminded us, this is not a one-time event, but just part of an ongoing process of continued improvement. However, this was a huge hurtle for us to cross.

  On behalf of the Lake Hamilton Board of Education, the District Administrators, and your Building Administrators, I want to thank each of you for all of your extra hard work, extra hours, and time you gave for interviews during this week. This is a great accomplishment for the Lake Hamilton School District. We will now be a part of the world's largest and most comprehensive educational accreditation organization.

  Thank each and every one of you for your contribution,

  Steve Anderson
  Superintendent

• LH has One of America's Best High Schools

  

  Each year, Newsweek picks the best high schools in the country based on how hard their school staff works to challenge students with advanced placement college-level courses and tests. Just over 1,600 schools, only six percent of all the public schools in the U.S., made the list. Read more...

• LHSD is #1 of 244 Public Districts in Arkansas for 2010

  

  The Lake Hamilton School District has recently been named the Number One Academic Public School of 244 districts in Arkansas! The Arkansas Policy Foundation, a nonpartisan, non-profit organization that analyzes the impact of public policy on Arkansas and makes recommendations, has released its most recent evaluation of the state's public schools. Based on scholastic criteria, the Lake Hamilton School District received the top ranking in state.

  We are very proud of this special academic recognition by the Arkansas Policy Foundation. However, we are even more proud of the outstanding performance of our students on these evaluations. This accomplishment would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of our professional teaching staff. They have provided the guidance and leadership to our students to help them continue improving their academic performance. The partnership of students, teachers, administrators, and supportive parents has provided the right combination to place the Lake Hamilton School District atop all other Arkansas school districts; based on these criteria.

  According to their website, www.arkansaspolicyfoundation.org, “the Arkansas Policy Foundation (APF) emphasizes the importance of tax policy and education reform. In the area of education reform, APF seeks intellectual honesty and complete openness in reporting the lack of academic progress in Arkansas' school system.” Since 2005, the APF has provided letter grade rankings of Arkansas school districts based on student performance on nationally recognized test. Similar to the standard letter grades that students receive in school, the APF assigns each school district the grade of A through F. The most recent ranking criteria was largely based on the 2007 - 2008 administration of the Stanford Achievement Test - 10th Edition (SAT-10) scores in mathematics and reading comprehension portions of the SAT-10 for 9th grade students. Adjustment was made for each school district using a predictor score based on performance on 1st grade SAT - 10 scores. The APF uses a sophisticated adjustment system taking in consideration of other factors in assigning the district grade and ranking. Lake Hamilton received the top grade of A in both areas and was followed by eight other school districts that also received the grade of A in both areas.

  Arkansas Policy Foundation Top Ten Ranked Arkansas Public School Districts

  Letter grades were based on comparisons of Arkansas schools using normal equivalents (T-scores) of 9th-grade Reading & Math scores, and on an adjustment to those scores based on 1st-grade performance.

  T-Scores					/	Letter Grade
  Rank	District	Math	Reading	Adjustment	/	Math	Reading	Adjustment	Overall
  #1	Lake Hamilton	70	69	74	/	A	A	A	A
  #2	Bentonville	70	69	66	/	A	A	A	A
  #3	Pottsville	64	73	67	/	A	A	A	A
  #4	Fayetteville	67	66	68	/	A	A	A	A
  #5	Conway	64	67	66	/	A	A	A	A
  #6	Lakeside (Garland Co.)	64	66	65	/	A	A	A	A
  #7	Mena	64	66	65	/	A	A	A	A
  #8	Bryant	64	65	64	/	A	A	A	A
  #9	Searcy	64	63	63	/	A	A	A	A
  #10	Scranton	75	66	58	/	A	A	B	A-

  
  

• High School Receives the 2009 College Readiness Award

  

  The Arkansas ACT Council recently announced that LHHS has been presented with the 2009 College Readiness Award. The award recognizes the fact that our school has seen a significant increase in ACT composite scores over the last five years, while at the same time increasing the number of students taking the ACT. Less than 10% of the schools in the state were able to accomplish what we have done! This is yet another evidence of the outstanding job that our students and teachers do.
  ACT Media Press Release   See All of the 2009 Award Recipients

• Arkansas Department of Education Recognizes Students' Achievements

  The Arkansas Department of Education has notified the Lake Hamilton Middle School that they have been awarded $60, 200.00 as a result of a large improvement in student achievement with a group of Middle School students in consecutive years. Lake Hamilton Middle School made some of the highest education value-added gains in the state of Arkansas. The monetary incentive was created in accordance with Arkansas Code Ann.6-15-2101 et.seq of Act 35 of the Second Extraordinary Session of 2003, also known as the Arkansas School Recognition Program. This program was designed to provide performance based incentives to outstanding public schools including charter schools. The Lake Hamilton Middle School exceeded the annual improvement gain in student achievement scores in consecutive years (2007-08) qualifying for performance based funding in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100.00) per student tested. The funding may be used to award bonuses to teachers and for purchasing educational materials to supplement in teacher's classrooms.

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Staff Awards & Recognitions

• Congratulations to Billy Chesshir

  

  Congratulations to Billy Chesshir, Lake Hamilton Middle School Counselor, for being selected as the Arkansas Multi-level Counselor of the year. Mr. Chesshir represented the southwest counselor's association and was chosen as the state winner over five other counseling region candidates. The awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, June 14, 2012 at the Arkansas School Counselors Conference being held in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Mr. Chesshir's portfolio will be sent to the National Counselors Association to compete against the winners from the other forty-nine states.

  In an interview with Mr. Chesshir he states, “We have an open door policy in our school counseling office. We strive to promote and foster positive relationships among our students, parents, administrators and faculty as well as our community resources in our school district. We work very hard at creating a positive learning environment that promotes success for every student. Our over-all goal in our comprehensive counseling program is to provide the necessary educational training and coping skills necessary to help them become successful contributing members of society.”

  The Lake Hamilton administrators-faculty, staff, and students congratulate Mr. Chesshir, better known to all of us as Mr. C the voice of Lake Hamilton Middle School.

• Steve Anderson receives 2012 Administrator of the Year Award from the AASC

  

  Each year Student councils from across Arkansas nominate administrators for the Arkansas Association of Student Councils' “Administrator of the Year” award. Mr. Steve Anderson, Superintendent of Lake Hamilton School District, is the 2012 recipient of this award. Congratulations to Mr. Anderson on this honor!

• Brian Leonard Named All American Teacher of the Year for Arkansas in AP Mathematics

  The National Math and Science Initiative's 2011 All American Teacher of the Year for Arkansas in AP Mathematics is Brian Leonard. Mr. Leonard teaches AP Calculus AB and AP Statistics at Lake Hamilton High School. Congratulations Brian Leonard!
  
  For more information visit the following website:
  
  http://www.nationalmathandscience.org/newsroom/press-release/national-math-and-science-initiative-names-winners-second-annual-all-american

• Diane Hughes Receives the Pat McDonald Individual Achievement Award

  

  Introduction for Diane Hughes by Connie Zimmer, past recipient of the Pat McDonald Individual Achievement Award in 2010:

  When asked to introduce Diane as the winner of the Pat McDonald Individual Achievement Award at the 2011 AAIM Conference, the first thing I thought of was “What can I say?”. So many things came to mind and I knew there would not be that much time for the introduction.

  Diane has had one of the most varied careers as anyone I know. Her smile draws you in when you first meet her. Her past students feel the same way about that smile as we do. I have discovered much I did not know about Diane when I recently reviewed her resume, Did you know she has been a school library media specialist since 1974/ Concurrently (not all at the same time) she has been half time librarian at Quapaw Vocational Technical School and at the Arkansas Career Training Institute. She retired with 30 years teaching experience in 2006 (she says she is redirected). Since that time she has served as Library Media Consultant for McGehee and Lake Hamilton School Districts. She is an adjunct professor in the Master of Education in Instructional Technology at Arkansas Tech University since 2009. She also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. In 2010, she began to serve a part-time job share position as library media specialist for the Lake Hamilton District.

  While doing all the things listed above, she has served as President of AAIM, ArASL, ArLA, AAIM Board Member, ArLA Board Member, ArLA Scholarship Committee Chair, and the American Association of School Librarians 2009-10 Awards Chair. Her professional dedication and talents have been recognized by her school media program winning the 2005 AAIM Outstanding School Library Program of the Year Award and she was the 2006 winner of the ArLA Rhetta Patrick Award for contributions to the field of library media in the state and region. Today we are here to add to her list of awards for her contributions in this area. Please welcome as the 2011 AAIM Recipient of the Pat McDonald Individual Achievement Award , Diane Ellen Hughes.

• Jon Shultz is a Director Who Makes a Difference

  

  In its December issue, School Band and Orchestra named Lake Hamilton High's own band director Jon Shultz as one of the “50 Directors Who Make a Difference.” Shultz was chosen as Arkansas' honoree in the 13th annual report published by the national journal. Directors nominated by students, colleagues and administrators, are recognized for their outstanding contributions to music education. “From small town elementary general music teachers to the directors of nationally acclaimed powerhouse high school ensembles, these educators are bonded by a love of music and the perseverance to endow this passion unto their following generations.” Shultz has taught at Lake Hamilton for 9 years and has served as Director of Bands for four of those. There are 580 students in the Lake Hamilton band program. Lake Hamilton is extremely proud to have faculty of this caliber to positively influence the lives of hundreds of students on a daily basis. Congratulations to Mr. Shultz!

• Allen Saylor Named Teacher of the Year for the Arkansas Chapter

  

  The Arkansas Air force Association has named LHJH teacher Allen Saylor Teacher of the Year for the Arkansas chapter. Coach Saylor became involved with the Air Force Association while seeking a grant to fund the 8th grade science “Rocket Project”. He was voted the Hot Springs Air Force Association Teacher of the Year, and this fall was voted State Teacher of the Year. A ceremony was held at LHJH and Coach Saylor was presented with the award by State President Jerry Reichenbach, Hot Springs Chapter President Larry Louden, and Treasure Morris Cash.

• Dawn Higgs Named All American Teacher of the Year for Arkansas in AP English

  

  The National Math and Science Initiative's 2010 All American Teacher of the Year for Arkansas in AP English is Dawn Higgs. Congratulations Ms. Higgs!

  Read the Press Release

• Coach Koonce Receives National Honor

  

  Karl Koonce has been named the National Federation of State High School Associations National Boys Track Coach for 2009. This covers all 50 states. Coach Utley said, “It is a great honor and I can't think of anyone more deserving. It is not very often Arkansas has a national winner in any sport.” We are proud of you Coach Koonce!

  Superintendent Recognition Letter
  
  Letter from the National Federation of State High School Associations
  
  

• Mrs. Dorris Receives Outreach Grant from NASA

  

  Rebecca Ann Dorris, 7th grade science teacher, was awarded an Outreach Grant for $500 from the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium. Mrs. Dorris will be attending the SEEC (Space Exploration Educator's Conference) at NASA in Houston, Texas to attend sessions hosted by the actual scientists and engineers and astronauts working on exciting endeavors including the International Space Station, Mars exploration, and the planets beyond. She will be using new labs and techniques learned at the SEEC with her students, and sharing ideas with her colleagues.

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Student Awards & Recognitions

• Congratulations to LHHS Sophomore Tyler Tuskey

  

  Tyler won first place in the boys' division of the 2013 Arkansas Optimist Oratorical Contest that was held on April 27th in Conway. This year's topic was, “Why My Voice is Important”. For his accomplishment, Tyler will receive a $2500 college scholarship. Tyler captured first place in the local contest in February. Freshmen Nick Amerson and Kizer Calhoun finished second and third, respectively. In the girls' division, sophomore Sophie Curtis won first place, freshman Haley Saweikis was second, and eighth-grader Keely Stofer earned third place.

  The Lake Hamilton Optimist Club sponsors this contest each year. For more information on how to enter next year's competition, contact Ms. Mullings at LHJH.

• Congratulations Middle School Quiz Bowl Team

  

  The Lake Hamilton Middle School 6th grade Quiz Bowl team won second place in the Dawson Coop Tournament held on the HSU campus in April. Congratulations to a wonderful group of students. Lake Hamilton School District is extremely proud of the sportsmanship and leadership shown by the team. Quiz Bowl is offered through the Gifted and Talented program. Kelsey Myers and Spencer White, two high school Quiz Bowl team members, helped with the tournament serving as judge and score keeper. Congratulations to Lauren McMillan for answering the most questions for the team.

  Back row: Kelsey, Kit Adderhold, Brennon Gibson, Jordan Erickson, Ms. Calloway (sponsor) and Spencer. Front row: Brandon Bennett, Spencer Fellenz, Lauren McMillan, Lexy Gilbert

• Congratulations to the LHHS Student Council

  

  The Lake Hamilton High School Student Council recently attended the Arkansas Association of Student Councils state conference at Bald Knob High School. The LHHS Student Council has been very active with AASC and has worked hard all year doing numerous service projects for the community, conducting fund raisers for the AASC state charity Arkansas Sheriff's Youth Ranch, organizing and conducting both LH Homecomings, and participating at many state functions. The LHHS Student Council won the following awards during the AASC State Conference: Mindy Lynn-Advisor of the Year and recognized for her four years of service on the AASC Executive Board, Brianna Hansen- $500 scholarship, Emily Gentles- Speech winner grades 10-12, Connor McClure and Lauren Tilley- named Junior Counselors for the AASC Summer Leadership Workshop, Connor McClure- recognized as AASC State Reporter, LHHS- Fundraiser Project Winner for “Trick-or-Treat Trail”, LHHS-Gold School recognition for participation (only 6 schools in the state were given this recognition; this is the second consecutive year for Lake Hamilton to receive this award).

  Please congratulate these students and the LHHS council for the hard work and dedication they've done all year.

  

• Four LHHS Students to Attend Arkansas Governor's School

  

  Arkansas Governor's School 2013 Press Release Lake Hamilton High School is proud to announce that four students have been selected to attend Arkansas Governor's School. Over 600 high school juniors applied for the 400 positions at the six week summer program held at Hendrix College. Arkansas Governor's School is administered by the Arkansas Department of Education, Office of Gifted and Talented and Advanced Placement. It is a unique experience for a select group of Arkansas' best students – the potential leaders of the 21st century. AGS provides highly motivated, creative students with an intellectual atmosphere impossible to sustain in ordinary academic settings. The excitement of intellectual and artistic pursuits and the expectation of significant conceptual gains permeate all aspects of the participants' lives for the full six weeks. Students are selected to attend the Governor's school on the basis of their abilities and interests in a particular intellectual discipline or artistic field. Students are exposed to leading figures in the arts or sciences, intellectual films, and field trips. Selection for Governor's School is based on a combination of ability and interest and is highly competitive. The six-week intensive program is in its thirty-fourth year. More information about the program—including past curriculum, speakers, and films—may be found on the AGS website.

  Timothy Breshears, son of Steve and Caroline Breshears, will attend AGS to study visual arts. Victoria Featherson, daughter of John Scott and Ngoc Anh Featherson, will attend to study English/ language arts. James Hudson, son of Byron and Lisa Hudson, will attend to study natural science. Brin Lewis, daughter of David and Nancy Lewis, will attend to study visual arts. Picture left to right: Timothy Breshears, James Hudson, Brin Lewis, Victoria Featherson

• Lake Hamilton Debate Team

  

  Lake Hamilton hosted its first Debate on March 13 in the high school auditorium. The students chose the topics and researched for weeks before the debate. They had to be completely prepared to debate affirmatively or negatively. The students did not know until time for the debate which side they would defend. All of the seven students did an excellent job of preparing for the Debate which was sponsored by the Gifted and Talented Department at Lake Hamilton. Seven students participated in the formal debate, but several more students have been meeting during their lunch hour to practice debate. Students interested in joining the debate club should contact Mrs. Janet Calloway, GT Director.

  Students say public speaking will help them gain confidence and to be at ease not only professionally but socially. There are a full range of benefits associated with being on the debate team. Debate provides a non-threatening environment to develop public speaking skills necessary for college or job interviews. The power to persuade is highly respected and there is no better way to master this art than through debate. The ability to critically analyze a problem and propose workable solutions is invaluable. This is a skill that debate best teaches and high-level business people and professionals possess. From traditional library research to the Internet, debate teaches you to become a world-class researcher. Ask any college student and they'll tell you how valuable this is. Debate requires that you become a careful listener and good note taker. This helps students get better grades and learn faster. An additional benefit of getting involved is building friendships with teammates who enjoy similar interests. Competitive debate is a challenging and a highly rewarding activity.

  "Debate is not just empty words," said one student. "It's a flow of ideas and a flow of logic. Being a leader means you have to be able to convince others and explain your ideas. I've learned to be so much more effective."

  Debate participants:
  Seniors; Madie Blancaflor, Adelynn Hand, Tucker Iacobacci
  Junior; Bror Thirion
  Sophomores; Katie Heath, Alisha Khan, Kelsey Myers

  Pictured are Kelsey Myers, Katie Heath, Alisha Khan and Bror Thirion. The debate team would like to congratulate Bror for representing the team in the Mr. LHHS contest and winning!

• LH Wins 2nd at State Regional Chess Tournament

  

  The newly formed Lake Hamilton High School Chess Team traveled to Cabot to compete in the State Regional Chess Tournament. Eleven school districts were represented. Large school districts consisting of 4A through 7A competed with Little Rock Central winning 1st place, Lake Hamilton 2nd, and North Little Rock 3rd. These three teams will compete in the overall State Chess Tournament on April 27. Jeremy Porter, Lake Hamilton senior, was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament being the only undefeated player. Congratulations to the Lake Hamilton chess team members Jeremy Porter, Eathon Howell, Lance Youngblood, Beau Cantrell, Will Wareczak, and Cole Rogers.

• Eighth Grade National Geographic Bee Winner

  

  Reese Petersen, an 8th grade student at Lake Hamilton Junior High, was notified by the National Geographic Society that she was one of the semifinalists eligible to compete in the 2013 Arkansas National Geographic Bee, sponsored by Google and Plum Creek. This is the 25th anniversary of the Bee. Bees were held in schools with fourth- through eighth-grade students throughout the state to determine each school's Bee winner. School-level winners then took a qualifying test, which they submitted to the National Geographic Society. In each of the 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Dependents Schools, and the U.S. territories, the National Geographic Society invited the students with the top 100 scores to compete at the state level. Lake Hamilton Junior High was proud that Reese scored in the top 100 in the state of Arkansas and competed so well on Friday. Her parents, Lewis and Lori Petersen, accompanied her to the 2013 Arkansas National Geographic Bee held on the University of Arkansas Snow Fine Arts Building.

  ---

  Reese Peterson won the National Geographic Bee held at Lake Hamilton Junior High. Reese competed against other eighth grade students at Lake Hamilton and will now take a written test to compete in the state Geographic Bee. The top 100 winners will compete in the state Bee on April 5, 2013.

  National Geographic Society will provide an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. for the state champion and teacher to be held on May 20-22, 2013. The first-place national winner will receive a $25,000 college scholarship, a lifetime membership in the Society and a trip to the Galapagos Islands. Congratulations to Reese Peterson!

  You can test your knowledge of geography with an online quiz at www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee.

• Wolf Athletics Radio College Scholarship Winners for 2011 and 2012

  

  KLAZ 105.9 Radio Station and Noalmark Broadcasting Company each year sponsor one $1,000 College Scholarship for a Lake Hamilton Senior interested in the field of Broadcast Journalism or Communication. Applicants must fill out an application and write an essay as part of the selection process. Pictured above are Paul Meacham Station Manager, Cameron Anderson the scholarship winner for 2012, Casey Westerman the scholarship winner for 2011, and Beavis the KLAZ Program Manager. KLAZ is the home of Lake Hamilton Wolf Athletic Radio Broadcast.

• Lake Hamilton Steppin' Wolves Receive 1st Place

  

  Lake Hamilton High School Steppin' Wolves received 1st place trophies in all four divisions at the 5A/6A competition at LHJH. The four divisions were jazz, pom, hip-hop, and kick. Way to go Steppin' Wolves!

• All Star Cross Country Meet

  

  Grant Williams led the Arkansas team to victory in the 19th annual Arkansas-Oklahoma All Star Cross Country meet at Rogers High School. He finished first place out of fifty all star competitors which consisted of twenty five from Arkansas and twenty five from Oklahoma.

  

  Angel Crawford finished 5th in the girls division and was the 2nd Arkansas runner as the girls lost the battle to Oklahoma. Cain Farnam and Cassidy Turner also ran in the event. This event is hosted annually by the Arkansas Track Coaches Association with Coach Karl Koonce as the director of the event.

• Lady Wolves Win 7th State Championship

  

  Congratulations to the girls Cross Country team for winning the state championship Saturday on the infield of Oaklawn Park making it the 7th time the Lady Wolves have won it in school history. Special congratulations to Angel Crawford for winning the individual title by a 32 second margin and setting a school record for the course while winning it. Angel became the 5th girl to win the individual state championship in school history. She also made "All State" and will also be on the "Arkansas All Star" team that will compete against the Oklahoma All Stars this Saturday. Other girls that made the "All State" team are: Abby Lynch (5th place), Lindsey Mills (7th), and Cassidy Turner (8th). Other competitors for the Lady Wolves and their place were: Jamie Barker (13th), Breana Darnley (14th), London Martin (22nd), Dani Carson (23rd), Lilly Glaeser (32nd).

  

  Congratulations to the boys Cross Country team for winning the state runner-up award at the state cross country meet on Saturday. Special congratulations to Grant Williams for winning the individual title by a 21 second margin. Grant became the 9th Lake Hamilton boy to win the individual title in school history. Grant made "All State" and also made the "Arkansas All Star" team that will compete against Oklahoma this Saturday. Cain Farnam also made "All State" with his performance by finishing 9th place. Other athletes competing in the meet for the Wolves are: Hunter Usdrowski (15th place), Austin Johnston (16th), Bror Thirion (19th), Jacob Thompson (20th), Thomas Bearden (23rd), Taylor Werst (31st), Andrew Larey (38th).

• Shootout of the South

  

  The Lake Hamilton 7on7 team won the upper consolation tournament in the Shootout of the South. The Wolves won their pool on Friday, with a record of 4-0-1 beating Nashville, Allen, Texas, Afton Oklahoma, Little Rock Central and tying CAC. After receiving a bye in the first round of the tournament on Saturday the Wolves lost to Watson Chapel which put them in the consolation bracket. They then beat Warren, Nashville, and Fayetteville to win the tournament. The Wolves finished the tournament 7-1-1, which was the best overall record out of the 24 team field. The Wolf JV team also won two games, beating Harrison and Mayflower.

• Lake Hamilton Wolves Win OBU 7on7 Championship

  

  The Lake Hamilton Wolves participated in the OBU team camp on June 6th and 7th and won the camp 7on7 championship. In pool play the Wolves defeated Arkadelphia, Star City, and lost to Benton. In the seeded tournament the Wolves received a first round bye, then defeated Sheridan to get to the finals where they defeated Benton 24-8 in the championship game.

  In the championship game, Nathain Sawrie completed passes to Levi Rengstorf, Hunter Lipton, Cody Smith, Trevor Mittlestadt, Chris Eastburn, Stephen Shirley, and Gavin De los Santos. On defense, Alec Young had an interception. Gavin de los Santos was named as the outstanding lineman at the camp and Chris Eastburn was named as the outstanding defensive player.

• Lady Wolves are 2012 Class 6A Softball State Champs

  

  The Lady Wolves defeated the Russellville Lady Cyclones 1-0 to claim the 2012 Class 6A State Championship! Go Wolves!

• Ambassadors to the Arkansas State Leadership Seminar

  

  Malorie Catlett and Noah Gregory were selected to serve as Ambassadors to the Arkansas State Leadership Seminar of the Hugh O'Brien Youth Foundation. They were among 163 sophomore students from across the state who were accepted to participate. Ambassadors must agree to complete more than 100 hours of community service over the next year. As part of the seminar held in Bentonville, they each completed a community service project.

• Duke University TIP 7th Grade Talent Search

  

  The Duke University Talent Identification Program's (Duke TIP) 7th Grade Talent Search identifies students in sixteen states in the Southeast, Midwest, and South who have scored in the 95th percentile on a grade-level achievement test. As part of the program, these academically talented students take above-level college entrance exams (SAT or ACT) to learn more about their abilities.

  Duke TIP hosts annual Recognition Ceremonies to honor the seventh graders who score highest on these SAT or ACT exams. This year, of the over 61,000 participants nationally, 24,301 students have been invited to attend the State Recognition Ceremonies and 1,903 students have been invited to the Grand Recognition Ceremony.

  “For thirty years, Duke TIP has identified gifted students for their intellectual capacity and honored them for their outstanding achievements. Through our Recognition Ceremonies, we celebrate these achievements and encourage honorees to realize their tremendous academic potential,” says Martha Putallaz, Ph.D., Executive Director of Duke TIP and Professor of Psychology at Duke University.

  The State Recognition Ceremonies honor seventh graders who have earned scores equal to or better than half of the college-bound seniors who took the tests. Working with host academic institutions, Duke TIP sponsors 34 ceremonies in its 16-state Talent Search region during the months of May and June. Speakers include university administrators and professors from the host institutions, state and government officials, and accomplished former Duke TIP students.

  This year's Lake Hamilton Middle School's students who received state recognition are:
  
  Front row: Katie Welch and Sara Ware
  Back row: Tana Floyd (sponsor), Austin Huggs, Ethan Welch, Alexis Clark, Calis Mullins, Noah Davis, Erin Slayton, Abigail Fleming and Billy Chesshir (sponsor)
  Not pictured: Andrew Overton

• Congratulations to LHJH Freshman Emily Gentles

  

  Emily captured first place in the girls' division of the Arkansas Optimist Oratorical Contest that was held on April 28 in Little Rock. For her accomplishment, Emily will receive a $2500 college scholarship.

  Emily earned a 100% average in her Oral Communications class and was named the outstanding O.C. student for this school year. Emily currently holds an overall 4.0 GPA.

  The oratorical contest is open to all high school students. For more information about next year's competition, you may contact Ms. Mullings at LHJH.

• National Football Foundation Honors LH Students

  

  These players were honored as scholar athletes at the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame Banquet on April 7th. The prestigious event was held in North Little Rock. Selection was based on football and academic achievement. The average grade point of the group is 3.91. No other school had more than two players inducted. Left to right: Dre Bennett, Austin Essner, Andy Nguyen, Coach Clay, Corey Green, Trent Curry, & Tyler Lindsey.

• Lake Hamilton Girls are 2011 Class 6A State Champs

  

  The LH Boys earned the state runner-up title. Check out the results and photos for the LH Cross Country team.

• Academic Excellence Banquet

  

  The Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce held its annual Academic Excellence Banquet on Tuesday, April 5, 2011 to honor the top 5% of Garland County's graduating seniors. Lake Hamilton was proud to have fourteen seniors honored at the banquet. The event was hosted by Weyerhaeuser. Congratulations seniors!

• 2011 Arkansas Art Educators Region 5 Art Show

  Several art students from Lake Hamilton participated in the 2011 Arkansas Art Educators Region 5 Art Show at the ArtChurch in downtown Hot Springs this past Friday night during Gallery Walk. The Region 5 show, which represents 9 counties, gives 1st – 3rd place prizes in each grade K-12, with the winner in each grade going to the state AAE show where their work will be displayed in Little Rock over the summer. Of the 39 ribbons handed out, art students from Lake Hamilton won 14, including four 1st place winners that are going to state. If you see these students around campus, take the time to congratulate them on their hard work!

  
  

  LH Region 5 Winners:

  11th grade 1st place - Haley Martin
  11th grade 2nd place - Kelsey Ledbetter
  10th grade 2nd place - Julia Ross
  9th grade 1st place - Stacia Dickinson
  9th grade 3rd place - Brin Lewis
  8th grade 1st place - Noel Frazier
  8th grade 2nd place - Dylan Greco
  7th grade 3rd place - Hope Winkle
  6th grade 2nd place - James Lockwood
  5th grade 2nd place - Molly Brennan
  4th grade 1st place - Hayden Burrow
  3rd grade 3rd place - Justin Cox
  2nd grade 2nd place - Kaila Burge
  1st grade 3rd place - Gage Winterroth

  LH Art Teachers:

  Ted Smith – High School
  Jeanne Longinotti – Jr. High School
  Sara Ewing – Middle School
  Angie Thornton – Intermediate / Primary School
  Sarah Riley – Elementary / Primary School

• Congratulations Intermediate Quiz Bowl Team

  

  The Intermediate Quiz Bowl team won first place at the regional Quiz Bowl tournament sponsored by Dawson Co-op. After six games, playing against seven other school districts, the students displayed outstanding problem solving skills and sportsmanship to take the top prize. Quiz Bowl is a component of the Gifted and Talented program within our district.

• Rocky Saylor Receives Certificate of Bravery

  

  At the February School Board Meeting, president Mark Curry presented Rocky Saylor, a Lake Hamilton 6th grade student, a Certificate of Bravery in recognition of his heroic action on Sunday, January 23, 2011. His calm and brave response in calling 911 and providing important information to emergency personnel played a key role in helping save his father's life from a heart attack. Lake Hamilton School District is proud to have such a brave student.

• THEA Foundation Scholarship Competition Winners

  LHHS Senior AP Art student Victoria Anzaldua won first place in the THEA Foundation Scholarship Art Competition and fellow LHHS Senior AP Art student Bree Rose was awarded 10th place. Victoria was awarded a $4000 scholarship and Bree a $2000 scholarship. Along with this, they are automatically awarded an additional scholarship at several Arkansas colleges and out of state art colleges through the THEA Education Partners program. This is a very tough competition with 250 entries from around the state and Lake Hamilton should be proud that two of our own made the top 10! The winners can be seen here.

• First Graduate of the New Horizons Program

  

  On January, 18 2011, during the Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Steve Anderson made opening comments stating, “An ALE program had been a dream for some time and is now a reality. Tonight we are celebrating the reality of a dream.” Graduate Richard Jenne dressed in Lake Hamilton cap and gown received his high school diploma in the presence of New Horizons Program Director Jodi Chalmers, School Board President Mark Curry, and High School Principal Vernon Brooks. Other program staff members, family and friends were also present for the ceremony. Congratulations to Richard.

• Arkansas' Junior Miss Scholarship Program

  Congratulations to Aubrey Burroughs and Alley Dailey. These two Lake Hamilton High School students were participants in the Arkansas' Junior Miss scholarship program, an official state preliminary of the America's Junior Miss scholarship program. Out of 19 participants, Aubrey Burroughs, as Garland County Junior Miss, won fitness and placed second, and Alley Dailey, as Junior Miss Hot Springs, placed third in the competition. These young women who have distinguished themselves at school and in their communities are awarded college scholarships, and those who participate in Junior Miss programs develop interview skills, self-confidence, and other life skills that lead to future success.

• Signing Letters of Intent

  Sam Ewing signed for track and field at the University of Arkansas, Benson Jordan signed for football with Ouachita Baptist University, Kenny Rains signed for football at Arkansas State University, Richard Williams signed to Arkansas State University for track and field, and Amos Gerber signed with the University of Central Arkansas. Congratulations to these outstanding athletes!

  
  

• All-State Choir Convention

  

  Eleven choral students from Lake Hamilton High School will be representing the school at the All-State Choir Convention this week, February 18th - 20th, at the Hot Springs Convention Center. Congratulations to these students.

• Samuel Ewing Named Number One Pole Vaulter in the Nation

  

  Congratulations to Samuel Ewing for receiving this honor. Sam recently signed with the U of A for Track and Field.

• 2010 AAE Region V Art Show Winners

  

  Several art students from Lake Hamilton participated in the 2010 AAE Region V Art Show at the ArtChurch in downtown Hot Springs. The Region V show, which represents 36 school districts in 9 counties, gives 1st - 3rd place prizes in each grade K-12. The winner in each grade goes to the state AAE show where their work will be displayed at the Thea Foundation in North Little Rock over the summer. Lake Hamilton won 5 of the 13 first place ribbons. The LH winners: 1st Place - 12th grade - Sarrel Keith, 2nd Place - 12th grade - Ashley Weston, 3rd Place - 10th grade - Colby Ashley, 1st Place - 9th grade - Bailey Thomas, 1st Place - 8th grade - Rebecca Cooper, 3rd Place - 8th grade - Brin Lewis, 3rd Place - 7th grade - Rickle Reevo, 1st Place - 3rd grade - Karry Basurto, 3rd Place - 3rd grade - Alyssa Westgate, 2nd Place - 2nd grade - Cameron Kingery, 1st Place - 1st grade - Triston Childs

  

  The “Have a Heart for Art” art competition, an educational component of the Garland County chapter of the American Heart Association, had their annual show downtown at the Malco Theater and Lake Hamilton art students brought home three of the four first place ribbons. The LH winners: 1st Place Grades 10-12 - Lauren Dawson, 1st Place Grades 7-9 - Uriah Miller, 1st Place Grades K-3 - Adam Miller