Middle School Wins Writing Competition and Other Student Honors

Shaker Middle School Wins Regional Writing Competition
Shaker Heights Middle School’s combined teams placed first in the Regional Power of the Pen competition, bringing the traveling Sweepstakes Trophy back to Shaker, and will send at least four students to the state tournament in May. The seventh-grade team from the Middle School placed first in its division, with Susanna Pretzer winning first place and Robert Abrams 13th in individual competition. Other team members were Alyssa Cohen, Eden Engel-Rebitzer, Nate Langhinrichs, Scott Rownd, and alternates Angela Groves and Emily Tuttle.

Eighth graders Julia Buchheim and Stephanie Goldfarb placed fourth and twelfth, respectively, in the regionals. Meghan Thompson also competed on the eighth-grade team at the regionals. Additional members of the eighth-grade team were Carrie Coverdale, Jenny Kutik, and Carolyn Stange, with Everett Hoffman and Rebekah Wadsworth as alternates.

Robert Abrams received two Best of Round awards and Stephanie Goldfarb and Scott Rownd each received one. Music teacher Kathy Brewster and Latin teacher Jane Troha coach the team.

Shaker High Sweeps Essay Contest
Shaker Heights High School students swept all the awards for grades 9-12 in an essay contest sponsored by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Students participating in the contest researched and wrote about a woman writer of the Harlem Renaissance. Award winners from Shaker were Jessica Axel, Michael Baker, Lindsey Brizendine, Jourdan Fashina, Renee Frantz, Nicole Holley, Sara Juengst, Caroline Krassen, Amanda Whitman-Rush, and Kristin Wright. Their English teachers are Yvonne Allen and George Harley. Award winners and their teachers were honored at a reception sponsored by Roadway Express with support from Dominion East Ohio.

Science Olympiad Team Fourth in Regionals
The Shaker Heights High School Science Olympiad Club came in fourth out of 20 teams at the Regional Tournament at Case Western Reserve University, earning the team a trip to the State Tournament in Columbus. This is the fourth year in a row the team has qualified. The following students are on the team, with those earning medals (for First, Second, or Third place) indicated with an asterisk. Chas Benton, Abigail Cahill*, Ed Cormany*, David Frisof*, Yutaro Komuro*, Lauren Kutik, Andrea Kutik*, Zak Lerner, Ryan McDonough*, David Morrical, David Pretzer, Nayyir Qutubuddin, Ben Saks*, Sara Smith, Brian Sutorius, Carolyn Troha*, Allison Vitkus, Jeff Waldman, Melissa Walton, Lauren Wargo, and Flint Whistler*. The advisors of the club are High School science teachers Linda Loeffler, Paul Repasy, and David Klapholz.

Shaker One of 3 Schools in Nation Chosen for Theatre Residency
For the second consecutive year, the Theatre Arts Department of Shaker Heights High School has been chosen by Northwestern University as one of only three high schools in the nation to be the recipient of a special residency with Jonathan Becker, of the Northwestern University National High School Institute of the Theatre Arts. The residency, which took place in late February, was made possible by a grant from the SURDNA Foundation of New York. The other schools receiving residencies are the Houston School for the Performing and Visual Arts and the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, both performing arts magnet schools.

Working with approximately 150 students at Shaker High, Becker taught classes in acting, playwriting, theatre management and technical classes, as well as playwriting. He also met with students interested in Northwestern’s National Theatre Arts summer program, which is among the most respected in the country. Last summer, Shaker seniors Audrey Klein and Hans Rinderknecht attended the program.

12 Shaker Middle School Students Chosen for Honors Choir
Twelve Middle School students participated in the Ohio Music Education Association’s District 7 Honors Choir Festival last month. They are Kelly McCord, Julie Seger, Emily Krassen, Annie Sivertson, Ann Kelly, Meredith Schoenberger, Lacardo Knott, Marc Townsend, Jasmine Sawyer, Brandyn Hood, Max Chernin, and Ian Lewis. They were chosen for their superior musicianship and leadership in the classroom. Music teacher Elizabeth Blakeslee-Vokes directed.

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