Wicomico County Public Schools and the Wicomico County Board of Education recognized outstanding students, staff, programs, schools and community partners at an Awards & Recognitions Night held on May 23, 2023 in the Parkside High Auditorium.
Photos are posted on the WCPS Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/wcboe
“We’re delighted to come together to celebrate the achievements of our students, staff, schools and community partners,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Micah Stauffer said. “You’re going to be amazed to learn about all of the many outstanding accomplishments in our school system. Great things happen every day in Wicomico Schools.”
Dr. Stauffer, Board Chairman Gene Malone, Board Vice Chairman Allen Brown, and Board members Dr. Bonnie Ennis and Kristin Hazel congratulated all of the honorees on the stage at the Awards & Recognitions Night, and joined them for pictures. The photos are posted on the Wicomico County Public Schools Facebook page and are available to view and download here: https://wicomicoschools.smugmug.com/May-2023-Awards-Recognitions-Night/
2023 FLL Jr. Showcase
As part of Wicomico County’s STEM Initiative – STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics — Wicomico County held an FLL Jr. Showcase in April with 18 participating teams from Wicomico’s elementary schools in April. It was a terrific event, full of energy and ingenuity. The following teams were recognized for their outstanding work in the FLL Jr. Showcase as the top team at each level:
Discover Teams: Prince Street Elementary Best Legoers
Kayla Cropper, William Heatwole, Carter Parran, Riley Parran, Kali Savage.
Coach: Adele Coghlan
Explore Teams (Grades 2 and 3): Pinehurst Elementary Energy Engineers
Jonah Bernstein, Jean Berrios, Ava Love, Rithvik Chenchuram Sardaru. Simon Stock, Kellan Sweitzer.
Coaches: Katherine Byrne, Robert Nevrly
Explore Teams (Grades 4 and 5): Prince Street Elementary LegoCrafters
Teodoro Lovo-Ventura, Kristian Toomer, Brandon Whittington, Jael Williams.
Coach: Gina Deal
“If I Were Mayor, I Would …” Essay Contest
Each year, the Maryland Municipal League and the Maryland Mayors’ Association invite 4th-Grade students to participate in a statewide essay contest. The “If I Were Mayor, I Would…” Essay Contest gives students a chance to creatively use grade-specific language arts skills and knowledge of civics and social studies. Certificate of recognition for this District 1 semi-finalist in the 2023 “If I Were Mayor, I Would …” Essay Contest:
Journey Rogers, North Salisbury Elementary, teacher Ms. Della Ratta
Maryland Green Schools Recertification
The Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education recognizes schools that have made a commitment to environmental protection and restoration through actions involving the physical plant, curriculum, professional development, and student action projects. Participating schools empower youth to make changes to reduce environmental impact, encourage sustainability, and foster environmental literacy. Two schools that previously earned the status of Maryland Green School have now successfully completed the process for recertification. Certificates of recognition for these recertified Maryland Green Schools and the students and staff members who led the recertification effort for their school:
Beaver Run Elementary School
Staff leads: Principal Curt Twilley, Teacher Grace Olinde
Student Ambassadors: Tayler Teague, Daphna Deshommes, Vanesa Teles Tello, Marie Naranjo, Lucia Hernandez, Jya Lemon, Aroush Saqib, Justin Chadbourne, Mattie Collins, Siraj Yasir, Amina Pompilus, Rosa Hernandez
James M. Bennett High School
Staff leads: Jamie Eakin, Carrie Bell
Student leads: Carriona Goode, Kara Lewis, Ellie Long, Rainn Toner
Eastern Shore Literacy Association’s 2023 Young Authors’ Contest Top Winners
Each year public and private school students are invited to enter the Young Authors’ Contest sponsored by the Eastern Shore Literacy Association. Students in grades 2 through 12 submit entries in the poetry and short story genres, and a panel of judges selects the winners. All of the finalists were already recognized at a reception held at Salisbury University. Certificates of achievement for these 1st Place Wicomico winners in the 2023 Eastern Shore Literacy Association’s Young Authors’ Contest, some of whom were also state honorees:
1st Place for Grade 5 Short Story in the Eastern Shore Young Author’s Contest: Jeremy Quan, North Salisbury Elementary
These students placed 1st in their category in the Eastern Shore Young Authors’ Contest, and also received recognition at the state level:
Sophia Bailey, Parkside High, Grade 9 Short Story. 1st Place in the Eastern Shore Young Authors’ Contest and at the state level for her short story, Hiraeth.
Ava Baer, Mardela Middle & High. Ava was a double 1st Place winner for both Grade 10 Poetry and Grade 10 Short Story. Her short story, The Author, placed 2nd at the state level.
Peter Jin, Salisbury Middle, 1st Place Grade 8 Poetry and honorable mention at the state level for his poem, The Island.
Destination Imagination Maryland & Global Finals
Destination Imagination – DI – is an extracurricular activity in which student teams build their skills in creative problem solving, teamwork and critical thinking. DI transcends race, gender and ethnic boundaries and is unparalleled in its engagement of parents. This year, one team from Wicomico Schools qualified for Global Finals through the team’s excellent efforts at the Maryland State DI Tournament. Fund-raising is a considerable challenge to teams that are eligible to compete at Global Finals, however, so this team chose to finish its season with its 1st Place win at the state tournament. Certificates of achievement for the students on this outstanding DI team, as well as for the adults who supported the team throughout its successful competition season.
Congratulations to the Westside Intermediate School Westside Warriors, Project Outreach Challenge (High Stakes), Elementary Level: 1st Place at the State Tournament and qualified to compete at Global Finals
Team Members: Rylie Biehl, Lily Clapper, Kyleigh Horseman, Audrey Salmon, Harmony Whaley
Team Managers: Christina Salmon, Mark Biehl
DI School Facilitators: Ashlee Thompsen, April Ferrell
2023 MathCounts State Competition
The MathCounts Competition Series is a national program that provides students the opportunity to compete in live, in-person contests as individuals and team members. This year at the Annapolis Chapter Regional Competition, three Wicomico students qualified individually to compete in the state MathCounts competition. Certificates of recognition for these students from the Salisbury Middle MathCounts team who competed at the state level:
Aaron Zheng, Angela Quan, Peter Jin (Peter came in 1st Place in the Annapolis Region, and placed in the top 25% of student MathCounts competitors for the entire State of Maryland)
Coach: Rachel Thompson
2023 Maryland Eastern Shore Regional Spelling Bee
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore sponsors a regional spelling bee for students in grades 4-8 in Lower Shore public and private schools. Wicomico is proud to have its students participate in this opportunity to build spelling skills and to demonstrate their spelling prowess at the classroom, school, regional and even national level. The 2023 Maryland Eastern Shore Regional Spelling Bee was held at UMES March 4th, and Wicomico had school champions from 14 schools on the stage for the competition. Congratulations to the Wicomico speller who finished in the top 3 in the 2023 spelling bee and was honored as a co-runner-up:
Alexander Brown, Bennett Middle School
Maryland Center for School Safety: Safe Schools Maryland Silver School
The Maryland Center for School Safety provides invaluable resources and training through Safe Schools Maryland to support schools in being safe and welcoming places for students, staff and visitors. To encourage school building leaders to educate their community members about Safe Schools Maryland, the Maryland Center for School Safety recognizes Maryland public and nonpublic schools as Safe Schools Maryland Gold, Silver, or Bronze Schools when they meet certain criteria over the course of a single school year. East Salisbury Elementary, Principal Maria Wright, met the requirements for recognition as a Silver School, having arranged to have Maryland Center for School Safety staff do a presentation for all students on Safe Schools Maryland, as well as a presentation for all student-facing staff members.
2022-2023 Wicomico County Math League
The Wicomico County Math League is a competition that tests the math and problem-solving skills of students at the Middle School level as well as in the two high school levels, Junior Varsity and Varsity.. Top school scorers receive a medallion and top district performers earn a trophy, and the highest-scoring team at each level receives the school trophy.
For the Middle School Math League:
Top scorers for each school:
Bennett Middle: Abigail Tan
Salisbury Middle: Peter Jin
Top Scorers in the County, all from Salisbury Middle:
1st Place: Peter Jin
2nd Place: Aaron Zheng
3rd Place: Lilly East
School trophy: Salisbury Middle School math team, coached by Ms. Rachel Thompson
For High School Junior Varsity:
Top scorers for each school:
James M. Bennett High: Nathanael Groth
Mardela High: Barry Flint
Parkside High: Leo Desmond
Wicomico High: Aleah Shah
Top scorers in the county:
1st Place: Leo Desmond, Parkside High
2nd Place: Helen Weng, Parkside High
3rd Place: Barry Flint, Mardela High
Junior Varsity school trophy: Mardela High JV team, coached by Ms. Kelly Wells
For High School Varsity:
Top scorers for each school:
James M. Bennett High: Henna Parmar
Mardela High: (tie) Jessy Messick and Beren Raizen
Parkside High: Wesley Bailey
Wicomico High: Mahrukh Rizwan
Top scorers in the county:
1st Place: Henna Parmar, James M. Bennett High
2nd Place: Seongeum “Lucia” Moon, James M. Bennett High
3rd Place: Wesley Bailey, Parkside High
Varsity school trophy: James M. Bennett High Varsity team, coached by Ms. Courtney Filewicz
WBOC Mountaire Farm to Table Scholarship Winners
The new WBOC Mountaire Farm to Table Scholarship will help students interested in agriculture, culinary arts, and food service achieve their dreams of finding a career that matters. It’s excellent seed money for a student’s higher education or career training, with each of 10 recipients getting $2,000 with the award. Two of those winners will be selected to receive an additional $5,000 each at the end of this year. Certificates of recognition for these two winners of the new WBOC Mountaire Farm to Table Scholarship:
First winner, in September: Reef Ward, a James M. Bennett High student studying in the Parkside CTE Horticulture Program
January winner: Ty Rexton Beach, a Parkside High student studying in the Parkside CTE Culinary Arts Program
900-Win Milestone for Maryland’s Winningest Public Schools Basketball Coach
The day that Butch Waller got win #1 with the Wicomico High boys basketball team happened 57 years ago when he started his coaching career. Coach Waller got a taste for winning and has kept right on going. He reached 900 wins on February 28th with a home playoff win over Kent Island High. The 2022-2023 team won two more games before its season ended in the state semifinals, so the tally is now at 902 wins. Coach Waller is the winningest coach in Maryland Public Schools basketball history. He is second in Maryland basketball wins only to the legendary DeMatha coach, Morgan Wootten, who finished with 1,274.
Congratulations Coach Waller on reaching the 900-win milestone! He asked longtime Assistant Coach Doug King to join him for this recognition because Coach King is an integral part of the team’s success, Coach Waller also gave credit to the important contributions of all the players, other coaches, statisticians, managers, families and fans over the years.
Top Point Scorer in 2022-2023 Maryland Public School Basketball Season
Fans of great high school basketball got a real treat this year as they watched a senior guard from Wicomico High School help the Tribe team advance all the way to the state semi-final. Antwan Wilson lit up the scoreboard in every game he played, and was a key part of the team’s success. Antwan broke a 26-year-old record for season points average by a WiHi player named Damien Johnson with a season points average of 26.7 points per game. He broke Johnson’s long-held record by 4 points. He also set a new WiHi single season points record of 722, breaking Damien Johnson’s 26-year-old record of 600 points. But that’s not all: Antwan’s 722 points were the most scored by any Maryland Public Schools basketball player during the 2022-2023 season. What a way to finish a high school basketball career! Congratulations and a certificate of achievement to Antwan Wilson for leading the state in scoring.
2023 SkillsUSA Maryland State Championships & Qualifiers for National Competition
The annual SkillsUSA Maryland State Championships showcase Maryland’s best and brightest Career and Technical Education students as they compete for medals, prizes, scholarships, and the chance to advance to the national competition. Wicomico County SkillsUSA students made an excellent showing at this year’s SkillsUSA Maryland State Championships, placing 13 students in the top two of a number of skill contests. Five of those winners are going on to compete at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta in June. We congratulate their advisor, Alison Cornish, for the excellent support she gives to students in SkillsUSA.
Certificates of achievement for these five 1st-Place winners and gold medalists in the SkillsUSA Maryland State Championships are advancing to the national competition:
Lucas Duncan of Wicomico High and Peyton Moore and Ali’i Turner, both of Parkside High, for Automated Manufacturing Technology Team
Jonathan Lombardo, Parkside High, CNC Turning Specialist (2nd time to nationals)
Grant Rowbottom, Parkside High, CNC Technician (2nd time to nationals)
Congratulations to instructor Steve Jenkins, who has had all five nationals-bound students in his High Performance Manufacturing Program at Parkside CTE.
Certificates of recognition for these CTE students who won 2nd Place silver SkillsUSA medals at the state level:
Brooke Anderson, Rachael Funchess and Brooke Rybacki of James M. Bennett High, for American Spirit
Sanaa Murray of Parkside High, for Cosmetology (Hair)
Abigail Lamb with model Malena Kober, both of Wicomico High, for Cosmetology (Esthetics)
Reese Malone of Parkside High, for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
Jackson Love of Wicomico High, for Masonry
47 ABC Teachers Who Make a Difference
We appreciate local TV station 47 ABC for the support it gives teachers by honoring lucky educators throughout the year with the 47 ABC Teacher Who Makes a Difference recognition. The TV station receives nominations and surprises recipients in their classrooms. Certificates of recognition to the Wicomico teachers honored as 47 ABC Teachers Who Makes a Difference during this school year:
Kim Messick, Westside Intermediate, November
Lyndsay Greenan, Glen Avenue Elementary, January
Terry Johnson, Delmar Elementary, February
Teaching Fellows for Maryland Scholarship Award
We love hearing about our seniors’ plans at this time of year. We’re excited to hear about whatever they have planned for the future, whether it’s college or career or military. We’re especially proud when our students decide they want to be teachers when they grow up, because we know how important teachers are for the future of our community, our country and our world. One graduating senior who took part in the school system’s Teacher Academy of Maryland program has been awarded the Teaching Fellows for Maryland Scholarship to help fund attending Towson University to major in Music Education. This scholarship is awarded to students who pledge to work as public school teachers in Maryland upon graduation from college. They must also pledge to work at schools where at least half of the students qualify for free or reduced meals based on family income.
Congratulations to this James M. Bennett High senior who is the 2023 recipient of the Teaching Fellows for Maryland Scholarship Award: Caroline Fisher
Adopt-a-School Partner Recognition
We remember how challenging education was during the time of COVID, and now we celebrate and thank one very special group of people who made it their mission to provide extra support for school staff as part of KindSBY’s Adopt-a-School program. Adopt-a-School has truly been a blessing. It started three years ago from an idea of just a couple of people who saw how heavily the pandemic was weighing on educators and other school staff. The Adopt-a-School program was developed to match volunteer leaders with schools to lighten the burdens on school staff with acts of thoughtfulness and kindness throughout the school year. KindSBY recruited individuals, families, businesses, groups and organizations to adopt a school, and gave them a list of ideas from which the could pick a few to do for the school. These acts of kindness included such activities as bringing in treats, writing kind notes or signs, or giving a small symbolic gift. All Wicomico school and program locations were included.
Certificates of appreciation for the lead adopter of each school for this school year, and our thanks to them and the many others who have supported the Adopt-a-School program with their donations or efforts over the past three years.
For Beaver Run Elementary: East Wicomico Little League, represented by Carli Taylor
For Bennett Middle: Wyatt’s Warriors, represented by Jen Shipe
For the Birth to Five Program: Delmarva Irrigation and Millright, represented by Amanda Mapp
For Charles H. Chipman Elementary and Pemberton Elementary, as well as Delmar Middle and High: Temeka Mumford
For Choices Academy: Grace Murdock and Martin Hutchison
For Delmar Elementary: Republic Services, represented by Ty Colbert
For East Salisbury Elementary: Riverside Pharmacy, represented by Lisa Coleman
For Fruitland Intermediate: Christina Fuller and Tim Arnett
For Fruitland Primary: Girl Scout Troop 86, represented by Girl Scouts Briana Truitt, Olivia Truitt, Annabel Matava and Lilly Stevenson
For Glen Avenue Elementary: Stephanie Preston
For James M. Bennett High: Lisa Shahan
For Mardela Middle and High and West Salisbury Elementary: KindSBY, represented by Heather Brooks
For North Salisbury Elementary: United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore, represented by Claire Otterbein, Ryan Jackson and Amanda Hailey
For Northwestern Elementary: Coastal Comfort, represented by Lacey Coleman
For Parkside High and Parkside CTE: Perdue Farms Innovation Center, represented by Sonya Whited
For Pinehurst Elementary: Christina Fuller and Rob Fuller
For Pittsville Elementary & Middle: Jayden Lewis
For Prince Street Elementary: City of Salisbury, represented by Julie English
For Salisbury Middle: Sharon Washington
For Westside Primary: Heart and Sole Performing Arts, represented by Jennifer Dickerson
For Westside Intermediate: Chaplain Donna Nefferdorf, Claire and Mike Green, and Elisha Raizen
For Wicomico High: WiHi Class of ’73, represented by Susan Parker
For Wicomico Middle: Carli and Dennis Taylor
For Willards Elementary: Lesle Messick
For the English Language Support Center: Cindy Tardiff
For Wicomico Evening High School: Heather Geraldes
Highest Awards in Scouting: Scouts BSA Eagle Award & Girl Scout Gold Award
The Board and school system recognize students from Wicomico County Public Schools who have earned the highest awards in Scouting during the past couple of years. The Scouts BSA Eagle Award and Girl Scout Gold Award are the very highest awards that a Scout can earn, and are an honor these Scouts will hold proudly for the rest of their lives. Wicomico Schools salutes the dedication, leadership and responsibility these young people have shown in earning these awards.
Girl Scout Gold Award
The Girl Scout Gold Award is one of the most prestigious awards in the world for girls, and like the Eagle Award it is the highest award a Girl Scout can attain. The challenge of earning a Gold Award is an opportunity available to all Girl Scouts toward the end of their journey in Scouting, but it is an award only about 5 percent earn. Gold Award Girl Scouts are inspiring leaders who work on a broad range of the most challenging problems facing our world today, matching their passion for service with the needs they see in the community and the world.
Certificate of achievement for earning the Girl Scout Gold Award to Henna Parmar, James M. Bennett High
Scouts BSA Eagle Award
The Eagle Award represents leadership, service, mastery of outdoor skills, and completion of a service project that benefits and engages the community. Like the Girl Scout Gold Award, the Eagle Award is an achievement of the highest level. Less than 5 percent of those joining a BSA Scouts troop earn the award. Our thanks to Mr. Tom Smith, chairman of the District Eagle Board of Reviews for the Del-Mar-Va Council of the Boy Scouts of America, for keeping us up to date on students who have earned the Eagle Award.
Certificates of achievement to these current Wicomico County students who have earned the Eagle Award:
James M. Bennett High: William Disharoon, Harrison Duncan, Todd Ruark, Robert Simpson
Parkside High: Riley Gosnell, Ryan Payne
The Board also extends its congratulations to these 2021 and 2022 graduates who earned the Eagle Award: Stephen Carlton-Jones and Riley Watson, James M. Bennett High; Bobby Schaller, Wicomico High; Jacob Corry, Jackson Cuppett, Tyler Nicholson and Brandon Williams, Parkside High
2023 MPSSAA Minds in Motion Scholarship Award
Congratulations to the graduating senior from Wicomico County Public Schools who is one of just 18 recipients of the 2023 MPSSAA Minds in Motion Scholar-Athlete Scholarship Award. This scholarship program recognizes those who have excelled on the playing field and in the classroom, with a male and female scholar-athlete honored for each of the nine districts of the MPSSAA, or the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association. Applicants must be seniors with a minimum 3.25 unweighted overall GPA and have participated in interscholastic athletic activities sponsored by MPSSAA during their high school careers. More than $190,000 in scholarships have been awarded to student-athletes since the start of this scholarship in 2008.
Certificate of recognition for Jeffrey Mueller, the outstanding Parkside High School senior scholar-athlete who is a 2023 recipient of the MPSSAA Minds in Motion Scholarship Award.
2023 MPSSAA Service to Wrestling Awards
The MPSSAA Service to Wrestling Award was established in 1988 to honor those individuals who have dedicated so much of their time to the sport of wrestling on the county, region, or state level. This year five individuals, including two Wicomico County wrestling head coaches, received this prestigious Service to Wrestling Award, conferred at the MPSSAA State Wrestling Championships at The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro. Certificates of recognition and our congratulations for receiving the MPSSAA Service to Wrestling Award for:
Burt Cashman, Parkside High
Nathan Stone, Wicomico High
2023 JA National Stock Market Challenge
This year for the first time Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore offered the JA Stock Market Challenge for student teams from area high schools. In the challenge held on April 21st in Worcester County, the JMB Morgan team from James M. Bennett High finished 2nd out of 32 teams. This team went on to be one of 18 teams competing in the JA National Stock Market Challenge. The JMB Morgan team finished 5th in the nation and was the only school in our region to be in the top 10. Congratulations and certificates of achievement to this JA Stock Market Challenge team from James M. Bennett High:
Siddharth Ghosh, Feroze Khan, Lawrence Wilson, Sheon Shaju
Coaches: Victoria Olinde, Courtney Filewicz
2022-2023 DSN Farmers Bank of Willards Scholar Athletes
The Delmarva Sports Network and Farmers Bank of Willards partnered this school year to recognize a senior scholar athlete each month. To be eligible for this recognition, seniors must have a B average or better, take part in at least two varsity school-sponsored sports in the calendar year, and demonstrate both outstanding sportsmanship and superior performance in athletic competition. Two of our students received this recognition and $1,000 during the 2022-2023 school year. Certificates of recognition for these two Parkside seniors who were named DSN/Farmers Bank of Willards Scholar Athletes:
Rece Johnson (December)
Hannah Mezick (February)
2022 Maryland State Science Olympiad
The James M. Bennett High School Science Olympiad Team is a group of dedicated students who work hard as a team to prepare for regional and state competitions. In the regional competition, the team had 1st Place victories in two events and 2nd or 3rd place finishes in nine other events. The club qualified for the Maryland Science Olympiad State Tournament held in April. Congratulations on a successful season in which JMB team members displayed ingenuity, determination and tenacity. Certificates of recognition for competing in the Maryland State Science Olympiad for:
Megyn Nguyen, Derek Cooper, Chloe Chandler, Akkad Alzayady
Henna Parmar, Team Captain/ President; Andrew Illa, Team Vice President
Ameen Al Naseri, at Regionals 2nd Place in Flight and 3rd in It’s About Time
Emma Bailey, at Regionals 2nd Place in Rocks and Minerals and 3rd in Dynamic Planet
Jacob Lucas, at Regionals 2nd Place in Environmental Chem and 3rd in WiFi Lab
Joe Chen, at Regionals 1st Place in Fermi Questions and 2nd in Bridge
Joseph Odetayo, at Regionals 2nd Place in Astronomy, and in Rocks and Minerals
Kevin Zheng, at Regionals 2nd Place in Flight and 3rd in WiFi Lab
Nadia Mansourian, at Regionals 2nd in Environmental Chem
Omar Esoud, at Regionals 1st Place in Fermi Questions and in Forestry
Siddharth Ghosh, at Regionals 1st Place in Forestry and 2nd in Detector Building
Urjit Chakraborty, at Regionals 2nd Place in Bridge
Nathan Jho, at Regionals 3rd Place in It’s About Time
Coaches: Jamie Eakin, Jared Cooper
