Honors Northeast hosted the ninth annual McGraw-Hill Poster Contest April 28 in the Whatley Center for the Performing Arts. Nearly 20 students competed in the event, where they presented posters summarizing their research on a wide variety of academic topics. William Jones, a sophomore Presidential Scholar from Mount Pleasant, won first place. He received a prize of $400 and a special $175 McGraw-Hill resource coupon for his research on Dan Moody, the 30th Governor of Texas.
Jones argued that Moody was the Ultimate Juristic Governor of Texas, one whose preoccupation with the law shaped his career, his political outlook, and his legendary victory over the Ku Klux Klan in Texas
Presley McClendon, also a sophomore Presidential Scholar from Mount Pleasant, won second place and $300 with a poster on the ?Iron Will of Dirt.? Combining work in chemistry with statistics, McClendon noted the effects of varying concentrations of the element, iron, in local dirt samples.
Third ($200) and fourth place ($100) wins went to Kassandra V. Martinez of Mount Pleasant, and Chesney Davis of Pittsburg, two other members of Honors Northeast.† Martinez?s work measured the effects of music, and silence on study.† Davis noted the important role of Texas in World War II.
The contest received another strong impetus, and financial boost from McGraw Hill Education. Casey Slaght, a regional Learning Technology Representative in Dubuque, Iowa, coordinated the award on behalf of the company.
The response of local judges to the level of student scholarship at NTCC was again very upbeat.
?This contest was the best ever,? Mary Lou Mowery, a college patron and repeat poster judge from Scroggins, said.
?I am always amazed at the wide variety of topics the students pick and the amount of work they put into their project,? Rev. Dr. Wayne Renning, a veteran judge of the contest who is a former engineer and pastor, said.
Thirteen area judges insured that each contestant had at least nine visitations.†Contestants with the highest average scores won.†Return judges included Mowery, Renning, Glenda Brogoitti, Lisa Ellermann from Region VIII, Edward Florey of Florey Real Estate, Judy Hamilton, Beverly Hinson, Greg Holt from American National Bank, NTCC Trustee Chuck Johns, Jerald Mowery, and Dr. Jerry Wesson. Dr. Elaine Beason, a former professor and administrator from Texas A&M, judged for the first time. Andrea Reyes, a former Presidential Scholar and Valedictorian from Hughes Springs, served as adjudicator and judge.William Jones wins annual NTCC Poster Contest
Other contestants, whose work qualified to participate, included: Aubry Buchanan from Union Hill, Cailee Davidson from Gilmer, William Fox from Mount Pleasant, Brenda Godoy from Mount Pleasant, Samantha Hammonds from Pittsburg, Rachel Jordan from Ore City, Ryan-Rose Mendoza from Mount Pleasant, Melody Mott from Mount Pleasant, Adriana Rodriguez from Mount Pleasant, Emmalea Shaw from Omaha, Alecia Spurlin from Winnsboro, Cassidy Watkins from Daingerfield, and Leivy Zuniga from Mount Pleasant.
