Gwinnett Daily Post

Several Gwinnett County Public Schools students were recently recognized for earning top places in competitions and scholarships. Here is a sampling of the competitions Gwinnett students won during the fall:

Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology

Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology junior Nikhil Lakhanpal was named a delegate for the 2009-10 U.S. Senate Youth Program.

The United States Senate Youth Program is designed to broaden the knowledge and understanding of high school students about Congress and the legislative process.

Lakhanpal was selected based on his application, the results of a state-administered exam and a lengthy interview. He is one of two delegates chosen from across Georgia.

Lakhanpal will receive a $5,000 scholarship and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., in early March.

Norcross High

Norcross High recently took center stage as it was honored with the Georgia High School Association One-Act Play Champion award.

The school performed "Lost in Yonkers," earning first place in the AAAAA division. Norcross High students David Iduate and Erika Miranda took the Best Actor and Best Actress awards, respectively.

Randy Kemper and Gina Parrish are the theater arts teachers at Norcross High.

North Gwinnett High

The North Gwinnett High Technology Student Association recently earned first place during the Georgia TSA Boat Armada competition in St. Simons Island at the Georgia TSA Fall Leadership Conference.

The competition called for students to use two sheets of basic cardboard to create a five-foot boat. The boat needed to carry two students across the length of an Olympic swimming pool. The North Gwinnett High boat carried students Blake Davis and Daniel Quinones across the pool in 28 seconds.

In addition to this first-place finish, the school organization also earned two achievement certificates for Outstanding Membership.

North Gwinnett High engineering teacher Terry Hackett sponsors the North Gwinnett High TSA.

Heather Darenberg writes about education. Good News From Schools appears in the Sunday edition of the Gwinnett Daily Post.