During the Italy Junior High Awards Assembly on Friday morning, Brett Kirton was awarded the Oliphant Cup. The 8th grade recipient is selected every year by the junior high teachers. Criteria includes academics, attitude and citizenship. Kirton is the son of Lyall and Alysa Kirton of Italy.

Each teacher presented awards to students for the highest average, hardest worker and citizenship in each of their classes. Medals were also presented to students for perfect attendance and for being commended on the TAKS test in math, reading, writing, science and social studies. Almost 50% of the 8th grade students were commended in reading.

Meagan Hooker led the 7th grade with the highest average in Math, English, Science and Social Studies. Hooker also received recognition for A’s all year; NJHS Prospective Member; highest average and hardest worker – Art; highest average – Technology Applications; and hardest worker – woodwind band.

In the 8th grade, the highest averages were Reid Jacinto – English and Science, Brett Kirton – Math and Cole Hopkins – Social Studies.

Jacinto also received recognition for A’s and B’s all year; NJHS member; commended on Reading and Math TAKS; highest average – Speech.

In addition to the Oliphant Cup, Kirton was awarded A’s all year; NJHS member, commended on Reading, Science and Math TAKS; and citizenship – Band.

8th grader, Cheyenne Frank was recognized for A’s and B’s all year; NJHS member; commended on Reading and Science TAKS; and hardest worker in Math, Science and English.

The 7th and 8th grade students and teachers are to be commended for their superior achievements this year.

List of Award Recipients:

7th Grade

• Eric Carson — NJHS Prospective Member; Citizenship-Social Studies
• Deiondre Cockran — NJHS Prospective Member; Hardest Worker-Technology Applications; Hardest Worker-Social Studies
• Kendra Copeland — Citizenship Art
• Ryisha Copeland — Highest Average Art; Hardest Worker-Art
• Monserrat Figueroa — NJHS Prospective Member
• Jessica Garcia — Highest Average-Woodwind Band; Hardest Worker-Science; Citizenship-Social Studies; Manager Tennis
• Selena Guevara — Highest Average-Technology Applications
• Bernice Hailey — Citizenship-Woodwind Band
• Ja’Lisha Holbert — Hardest Worker-Science
• Meagan Hooker — A’s All Year; NJHS Prospective Member; Highest Average-Art; Hardest Worker-Art; Highest Average-Math; Highest Average-Technology Applications; Highest Average-Social Studies; Highest Average-Science; Highest Average-English; Hardest Worker-Woodwind Band
• Haylee Love — NJHS Prospective Member
• Darol Mayberry — Hardest Worker-Science
• Cori McCarthy — Hardest Worker-English; Citizenship-Science; Hardest Worker-Technology Applications
• Lauren McNeely — Highest Average-Technology Applications
• Cody Medrano — NJHS Prospective Member; Citizenship-Social Studies
• Adam Michael — NJHS Prospective Member; Highest Average-Art; Highest Average-Science; Highest Average-Brass Band; Citizenship-English
• Tristen Oldfield — Citizenship-Technology Applications
• Mariano Perez — Most Improved-Math
• Joseph Pitts — NJHS Prospective Member; Citizenship-Technology Applications; Citizenship-English; Hardest Worker-Brass Band
• Kevin Roldan — Hardest Worker-English
• Joseph Sage — Hardest Worker-Art; Hardest Worker-Technology Applications
• Reynaldo Salas — Perfect Attendance
• Emily Stiles — Highest Average-English; Highest Average-Science; Citizenship-Art; Citizenship-Technology Applications; Citizenship-Brass Band
• Taylor Turner — NJHS Prospective Member; Highest Average-Social Studies
• Paige Westbrook — Highest Average-Social Studies
• Jesica Wilkins — NJHS Prospective Member; Hardest Worker-Social Studies
• Justin Wood — NJHS Prospective Member; Hardest Worker-Social Studies

8th Grade

• Gus Allen — Commended on Reading TAKS; Hardest Worker-Speech
• Chante Birdsong — A’s & B’s All Year; NJHS Member; Commended on Reading TAKS; Commended on Math TAKS; Highest Average-English
• Brianna Burkhalter — A’s & B’s All Year; NJHS Member; Commended on Reading TAKS; Highest Average Speech; Hardest Worker Band; Citizenship-Social Studies
• Katie Byers — A’s & B’s All Year; NJHS Member; Commended on Reading TAKS; Hardest Worker-Speech; Hardest Worker-Science
• Morgan Cockerham — A’s & B’s All Year; NJHS Member; Commended on Reading TAKS; Highest Average-Speech; Citizenship-Social Studies
• Jameka Copeland — Highest Average-Math; Citizenship-Science
• Pedro Cortez — Commended on Reading TAKS
• Wendy Davila — Hardest Worker-Social Studies
• Cruz Enriquez — NJHS Member; Commended on Reading TAKS; Highest Average-Band
• Jake Escamilla — A’s & B’s All Year
• Elena Estrada — Commended on Reading TAKS
• Timothy Flemming — Citizenship-Science
• Cheyenne Frank — A’s & B’s All Year; NJHS Member; Commended on Reading TAKS; Highest Average-Math; Highest Average-Social Studies; Hardest Worker-Math; Hardest Worker-Science; Hardest Worker-English
• Dylan Haight — A’s & B’s All Year; Citizenship-Speech
• Paul Harris — A’s & B’s All Year; Commended on Reading TAKS; Commended on Math TAKS; Highest Average-Social Studies
• Sierra Harris — NJHS Member; Commended on Reading TAKS
• Cole Hopkins — NJHS Member; Commended on Reading TAKS
• John Hughest — Citizenship-English
• Brandon Jacinto — Commended on Reading TAKS
• Caden Jacinto — Hardest Worker-Speech; Citizenship-English; Citizenship-Social Studies
• Reid Jacinto — A’s & B’s All Year; NJHS Member; Commended on Reading TAKS; Commended on Math TAKS; Highest Average-Speech; Highest Average-Science; Highest Average-English; Highest Average-Social Studies
• Brett Kirton — A’s All Year; NJHS Member; Commended on Reading TAKS; Commended on Math TAKS; Highest Average-Math; Citizenship-Band
• Mary Latimer — Commended on Reading TAKS
• Zachary Latimer — Perfect Attendance both 7th and 8th grade
• Mark Levy — A’s & B’s All Year; NJHS Member; Commended on Reading TAKS; Commended on Math TAKS
• Matthew Levy — A’s & B’s All Year; NJHS Member; Commended on Reading TAKS; Commended on Math TAKS
• Lacie Lopez — Hardest Worker-English
• Paola Mata — Highest Average-Math; Highest Average-English; Hardest Worker-Math
• Morgan Martinez — A’s & B’s All Year; Hardest Worker-Vernon
• Hannah Morris — Commended on Reading TAKS; Citizenship-English
• Logan Owens — NJHS Member; Commended on Reading TAKS
• Brianna Perry — NJHS Member; Commended on Reading TAKS; Commended on Math TAKS
• Karina Perez — Highest Average Math; Highest Average-English; Hardest Worker-Math; Hardest Worker-English; Citizenship-English; Citizenship-Math; Citizenship-Science; Hardest Worker-Social Studies
• Adrian Reed – Hardest Worker-Math
• Alyssa Richards – NJHS Member; Highest Average-Speech; Highest Average-Social Studies
• Marisol Rincon — NJHS Member; Commended on Reading TAKS; Commended on Math TAKS; Citizenship-Speech; Hardest Worker-Social Studies
• Edgar Salazar — Citizenship-Speech
• Ciro Suaste — Citizenship-Speech; Hardest Worker- English; Hardest Worker-Social Studies
• Blake Vega — A’s & B’s All Year; Best Attitude-Vernon
• Anna Viers — NJHS Member
• Austin Williams — A’s & B’s All Year; Commended on Reading TAKS; Highest Average-Science; Hardest Worker-Speech; Citizenship-Social Studies
• William Youngblood — A’s & B’s All Year; Citizenship-Vernon