County students honored at Key Club state convention
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on March 22, 2015 1:50 AM
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Cullen Tyndall, left, a senior at Eastern Wayne and Carolinas District Governor for 2014-15 for the student-led Key Club, presents an award to Geoffrey Whitley, a Wayne Early/Middle College High School student, during the recent Carolinas District of Key Club International Convention. Tyndall received the Past Lt. Governors Council Scholarship, while Whitley received the Robert F. Lucas Scholarship Award and was named outstanding board member.
Key Clubs from four area high schools made an impressive sweep during the recent Carolinas District of Key Club International Convention, held recently in Durham.
The student version of the worldwide Kiwanis Club are sponsored by two local affiliates, Sunrise Kiwanis and Goldsboro Kiwanis.
Eastern Wayne High, Goldsboro High, Wayne Early/Middle College High and Wayne School of Engineering participated in the leadership conference, with representation from each school being among those elected to district offices for 2015-16.
Five students were chosen to serve as lieutenant governor for the year -- Morgan Yelverton from Wayne School of Engineering; Nadia Gay, Jamie Morris and Landry Ballance, all from WEMCH; and Sterling Hamm-Jones from Goldsboro High.
The Wayne Early/Middle contingent received nine awards, including first place for major emphasis and poster, second place for K-Family Relations, single service, oratorical contest and video, and third place for non-traditional scrapbook.
WEMCH student Geoffrey Whitley received the prestigious Robert F. Lucas Scholarship Award and was named Outstanding Board Member.
Celia James was named Outstanding Kiwanis Advisor for the club.
Goldsboro High school received three awards -- first place for K-Family Relations and third place for Single Service Award, and Most Entertaining in the talent contest.
Two members of the Eastern Wayne organization were also recognized for outstanding service.
Senior Cullen Tyndall, who served as Carolinas District Governor for 2014-15, overseeing more than 230 clubs in the Carolinas, received the Past Lt. Governors Council Scholarship for $1,000.
Vince Beasley, a social studies teacher who helped launch the school's Key Club, affiliated with the Sunrise Kiwanis and chartered in 1996, was named honorary Key Club member. He had previously been the recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Advisor award for 2013-14.
Ms. James, a retired administrator with Wayne County Public Schools and currently serving as a success coach at Grantham School, praised the students and local Kiwanis clubs for supporting the program.
"I had the privilege of attending the Key Club district convention with students from WEMCHS. This convention recognizes excellence in Key Clubs throughout North and South Carolina," she said. "What an amazing job our students are doing.
"Much appreciation goes to their faculty advisers for the motivation, encouragement and support they provide. To be eligible for these awards, someone, usually the club adviser, spends hours completing the forms necessary. Because they have this support, our students perform consistently well year after year."