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Published: Monday, Oct. 15, 2012 / Updated: Monday, Oct. 15, 2012 11:37 AM

Sykes named Oakridge Middle School’s Staff Member of Month

LAKE WYLIE Oakridge Middle School has named Lee Sykes as Staff Member of the Month.

She has been a teacher at OMS since its opening in 2009 and has been with the Clover School District for six years. She taught in Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools before coming to Crowders Creek Middle School.

Sykes is originally from Palatka, Fla. She graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in soil and water science and later attended UNC Charlotte for an education degree.

She and husbnad Todd Sykes have three sons in elementary school: Landon, Sam and Will.

Cheerleaders ‘Pink Out’ Friday

CLOVER The Clover High School varsity cheerleaders will hold a flower sale Friday, Oct. 19, at the football game at Memorial Stadium and also will promote Breast Cancer Awareness Month with “Pink Out” items.

Prices for roses in red, hot pink or yellow cost $5 each or $12 for a bouquet of three. Carnations in red, pale pink or orange cost $3 each or $10 for a bouquet of three. A Blue Eagle bouquet with two white carnations dipped in blue costs $10. Pre-order by calling 803-222-7374 or email mbshealy@gmail.com.

Senior student athletes will be recognized at half time, including the state championship swim team.

Choraliers serve supper Saturday

CLOVER The Clover High School Choraliers will host their annual spaghetti supper from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, at the high school cafeteria.

There will be performances from the Choraliers and the men’s and women’s ensembles in the new gym.

Diner costs $7 to eat in or take out. Visit myblueeagles.com for more information.

State education leader to speak

LAKE WYLIE State Superintendent of Education Mick Zais will speak during the Oct. 26 meeting of the Clover-Lake Wylie Republican Women at River Hills Country Club. Sen. Wes Hayes of District 15 also will participate.

Zais has served as state superintendent since January 2011. He is an engineering graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and holds master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Washington. For three years he taught at West Point, then served 31 years in the Army, retiring as a brigadier general. He and wife Susan are the parents of two children who attended and graduated from public schools in Newberry.

Guests – both women and men – are invited to attend, but reservations are required. An 11:30 a.m. social will be followed by lunch at noon and the speaker at 12:30 p.m. A question-and-answer session will follow.

Cost of the luncheon is $17 per person. Reserve a seat with or without lunch (please specify), by calling 803-831-1814 by Oct. 23 or email clwrw@comporium.net.

For club information, call 803-831-1814.

Carolinas Wind Orchestra coming

CLOVER The Carolinas Wind Orchestra will perform at the Clover School District Auditorium at 8 p.m. Oct. 29.

Admission is free, but tickets are required. Call the auditorium at 803-222-8018 for ticket information.

Under the direction of Dr. William F. Malambri and associate conductor Dr. Stan Michalski, the 112-member concert band is made up of band directors from this area, professional musicians, advanced Winthrop University music majors and other highly skilled amateur players.

The Wind Orchestra has performed in a variety of venues, including concerts for the South Carolina Music Educators Association, North Carolina Music Educators Association a national conventions of the American Band Masters Association, Southern Division of the Music Educators National Conference, civic fine arts association programs and the Winthrop University concert series.

CHS names Carrousel representative

CLOVER Clover High School senior Caroline Hester will be joining representatives from other area high schools chosen for the Carolinas’ Carrousel Scholarship Program. She will be participating in activities that culminate in a ride on a float in the Belk Carolinas’ Carrousel Parade.

Hester is the daughter of Carroll and Nancy Hester. The program recognizes academic excellence, community involvement, character and presentation. The parade, a tradition for 65 years, will take place on Thanksgiving in Charlotte.

Hester will now interview before the Thanksgiving holiday and stay in an uptown Charlotte hotel for the event. The scholarship awards ceremony will take place on Nov. 21, where a queen will be crowned.

CHS swimmers swim laps for CAAC

CLOVER For the second year in a row, the CHS swim team collected money for Clover Area Assistance Center during their annual Swim-a-thon event last month.

Junior Varsity swimmers swam 72 laps. Varsity members swam a minimum of 144 laps. The swimmers raised $2,264 for CAAC.

The event was coordinated by parent Jennifer Hinton. Joan Epping, CHS swim coach, requested the money be used toward the cost of renovations that will be needed for CAAC to become a full-choice pantry early next year.

Set up blood drive, earn scholarship

CHARLOTTE High school and college students who will be home for the holidays will have a chance to win a “Holiday Heroes Scholarship” from the Community Blood Center of the Carolinas.

To qualify for a “Holiday Heroes Scholarship,” students must: choose a blood drive location in their community; select a date between Nov. 18-25 or between Dec. 22-Jan. 6; recruit friends, family and neighbors to donate blood; and collect a minimum of 25 units. CBCC will award a $1,000 scholarship to the student who collects the most units.

More information about CBCC scholarship opportunities is available at cbcc.us/sponsors/high-school-drives.php. Call 704-972-4727 for more information.

CHS Moped to Memphis reaches $125K

CLOVER The Clover High School Moped to Memphis team is marking a milestone: It has collected $125,000 in donations since 2008 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

St. Jude is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with pediatric cancer and other life-threatening diseases at no cost to the families

The team, which raises money all year, is led by teachers Frank Falls and Tammy Parham. Members recently traveled to Locust, N.C., where they filled the boot for St. Jude with the West Stanly Fire Department and collected $5,000.

The team is now selling tickets for a quilt made out of previous Moped to Memphis T-shirts. Tickets are one for $1, five for $3, 10 for $5 and 25 for $10. To buy tickets, email Frank.Falls@clover.k12.sc.us or Tammy.Parham@clover.k12. sc.us.

The handmade quilt measures 57.5-by-72.5 inches.

The team also is helping a cancer patient at St. Jude by collecting 1,000 pairs of pajamas for children fighting the same battle she is fighting. “Team Bailey” on Facebook details the “fighting cancer like a diva” effort. Pajamas in sizes from newborn to teen for boys and girls may be donated to CHS.

Upcoming events include an Oct. 23 Pizza Man night from 4 p.m. to close; a percentage of profits that day from orders go to M2M. On Oct. 30, members will dish out ice cream from 6 to 9 p.m. at Cold Stone Creamery at Rivergate shopping center in Steele Creek for a percentage of that night’s profits to go to St. Jude.

Teacher grant deadline Nov. 9

ROCK HILL York County educators have until 5 p.m. Nov. 9 to apply for one of 35 teacher grants being awarded this year by Family Trust Federal Credit Union.

The credit union will give out $10,000 in grants this year, which includes 30 $250 grants to individuals and five new $500 grants for collaborative projects involving a large group of students or several educators.

Grants are given for projects that encourage creative learning opportunities or enrich existing classroom activities. Extra points will be given for projects that include a financial literacy component.

Applicants for an individual grant must be a member of Family Trust; only one person needs to be a member for the group application. Family Trust membership is open to anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in York County.

The application is available online at familytrust.org. Entries will be judged by the Family Trust School Advisory Committee, made up of area educators. Grant winners will be invited to a banquet early next year.

Help choose Employee of Month

CLOVER The Clover School District’s Teacher Forum, a group made up of each school’s teacher of the year, seeks community input as it expands the district’s Employee of the Month recognition program.

The program, which runs through May, is a way for school employees to be shown appreciation and gratitude from coworkers, parents, students, and the community. For several years, the program has been operated through paper ballots in each school. Beginning this month, anyone may nominate an employee on each school’s website.

To nominate a school-based employee in the district, visit the employee’s school website and click the “vote now for Employee of the Month” button on the homepage.

Each recipient is presented with a $25 Visa gift card from Family Trust and his or her picture is displayed in the school’s lobby.

VFW student, teacher contests

CLOVER The Veterans of Foreign Wars announces that its 2012-2013 scholarship and recognition contests for students and teachers is open, with the deadline for submissions at midnight Nov. 1 to the local Hartman-Parrish VFW Post 6732 of Clover, Lake Wylie and York.

• The “Voice of Democracy Contest” is for ninth-12th graders to express themselves in regards to democratic ideas and principles. The national first-place winner receives a $30,000 scholarship paid directly to the recipient’s American university, college or vocational/technical school. Other national scholarships range from $1,000-$16,000, and the first-place winner from each state VFW Department wins an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C.

• The “Patriot Pen Contest” is for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students to draft a 300- to 400-word essay expressing their views on the theme “What I Would Tell America’s Founding Fathers.”

• The “National Teacher Educational Award Contest” is for three grade level categories: K-5, 6-8, 9-12. In 350 words or less, describe why you feel your nominee is deserving of the award.

Be sure to describe the teacher’s innovative teaching and resource development methods, as well as his or her dedication to education.

Any sanctioned school is eligible, including public, parochial, private or home schooled. Prizes are available to winners at the post, district, state and national levels. Visit vfw.org for entry forms, rules and more information. Mail entries to VFW Post 6732, P.O. Box 206, Clover, SC 29710-0206.

For more information, call Cmdr. John Hill at 704-813-2748.