The Pike Road Women’s Auxiliary recently presented MEA’s headmaster, Glynn Lott, with a check for $500. This generous donation will be used for upgrades in our computer lab and technology program. Pictured with Lott are Auxiliary members Whitney McClelland and Maegan Humphries.
The Lady Knights Softball team received their state championship rings at Macon East Academy’s annual Night with the Knights back to school event. This is the 5th consecutive state title for the Lady Knights under the leadership of coach and MEA headmaster Glynn Lott. The team lost only 2 seniors in the class of 2016, and are excited about another bid for the championship this spring. Senior Paxton Searle, who plans to walk on with the Troy Trojans program, was in attendance, while Jesi Garrett was unable be there to receive her 10th state title ring (5 additional for volleyball). Jesi is currently attending the College of Coastal Georgia where she is on the volleyball and softball teams. Many of the Lady Knights spent the off season traveling with their summer teams and training for the spring of 2017.
Macon East was excited to host the Auburn University’s Southeastern Raptor Center for an upper and lower school assembly. The Southeastern Raptor Center is an educational and rehabilitation program and has treated and released thousands of birds of prey back into the wild. They are most famously known for their majestic eagles who take flight over Jordan Hare stadium prior to each Auburn home game. At the assembly students got to see and learn about a variety of birds currently at the center including several types of owls, a falcon, red-tailed hawk, buzzard, and of course an eagle.
Each year the Macon East lower school faculty hosts a fun, educational camp known as July Jammin’. The theme of this year’s summer camp was “using your senses to explore the world.” Throughout the week the attendees enjoyed many hands-on activities engaging all five senses in the Discovery Zone. Special guests during the week included a bee keeper, horticulturist, author & illustrator, optometrist, and furry friends from Pet Land. Camp activities included a scavenger hunt, making wind chimes, learning braille, and lots more. The last day included a field trip to Lanark where the students visited the new Nature Center and took a hike through the creek.
Macon East Academy is honored to be recognized again by the Alabama Independent School Association as a Blue Ribbon School for the 2015-2016 school year.
The Macon East JV and Varsity cheer squads attended the annual AISA East UCA cheerleading camp at Huntingdon College the week of July 18-21. The camp events began Monday with the Home Pom competition where each squad performed a dance routine that they had choreographed over the summer. Both squads had an outstanding week at camp learning lots of new material and receiving all blue and gold superior ribbons in evaluations throughout the week. The JV squad finished 2nd place overall as the small squad division camp champ runner-up, receiving trophies for home pom, Xtreme routine, cheer, sideline, and first place in overall game day. The Varsity squad received trophies in the home pom, Xtreme routine, and cheer categories. Alex Wyrosdick, Rai Pritchett and Rebecca Chapman were selected to represent the AISA East as All-Star cheerleaders at the upcoming all-star football and basketball games. Georgia Blaze, Kayla Boroff, Spencer Lindemood, Rachel Major, Isabella Fagan, Caitlin Martin, Anne Auston Wright, Annslie Gourlay, and Rai Pritchett were selected as UCA All American cheerleaders. These honorees will have the opportunity to perform in the Walt Disney World Thanksgiving Day Parade or London’s New Years Day parade. Congratulations to all the MEA cheerleaders and Coach Erica Hammonds on a great week at UCA camp.
Rising seniors, Will Dowe and Rai Pritchett represented Macon East Academy at this year’s Alabama Boys and Girls State events at the University of Alabama. Sponsored by the American Legion, Boys and Girls State is a week long leadership program that provides delegates with a working knowledge of how government functions at the city, county, and state level. The American Legion believes that teaching youth to understand and appreciate the basic principles involved in the successful management of a democratic society is vital to keeping America strong for future generations. Delegates from across the state are selected by school faculty based on their demonstration of leadership in their school and community. Throughout the week delegates participated in mock government, field trips and hands-on exercises, as well as heard from an array of Alabama government and business leaders. Taking part in the political life of their community and state through campaigning, party caucuses, and the election process gave the delegates a new understanding and appreciation for the ideals of the American government. As a delegate at Alabama Boys State, Will Dowe was elected to the Senate where he wrote and debated various bills. Rai Pritchett was a member of the Senate and the Federalist Party at Alabama Girls State where she campaigned for the office of county commissioner. Selection as a delegate for Alabama Boys and Girls State is an honor, and the experiences Will and Rai had through this prestigious program will shape them as leaders at school and in their future endeavors.
Seniors Channy Blackwell, Will Dowe, Sami Nesbitt and Mason Wray represented Macon East Academy this summer as delegates at the 7th Annual Alabama Lions High School Leadership Forum. The ALHSLF is a three day leadership forum for high school students from Alabama and is held at Troy University in Troy, AL. Included in the program are keynote speakers on leadership topics, hands on leadership exercises lead by college leadership students, physical challenges at Camp Butter & Egg, team building skills at the Dogpatch Olympics, group skits, fun, fellowship and great food. Mary Kaylin Veach and Liz Dowe Filmore, both Macon East alumni, served as group leaders, as well as JV Baseball Coach Chase Barber. Three days of intense leadership training was something that both the delegates and group leaders will not soon forget. They are all encouraged to return to their communities as advocates for positive change and service through understanding and action based on effective, ethical and compassionate leadership.
(Pictured left to right: Delegates Mason Wray and Sami Nesbitt, Group Leaders Mary Kaylin Veach, Liz Dowe Filmore and Chase Barber, and Delegates Will Dow and Channy Blackwell.)
Five Lady Knights softball players were named to the AISA All-State 1st team (Paxton Searle, Jesi Garrett, Kaylee Pullin, Sommer Sears, and Madisyn Kennedy). Dawn Johnson received all-state honorable mention. Paxton Searle was honored as the AISA Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year and was named to the Super All-State team as one of the top 10 high school players in the state. Paxton will attend Troy on an academic scholarship in the fall and has plans to walk on the school’s softball team. Playing primarily pitcher, Searle helped lead Macon East to a fifth straight AISA championship. She was 42-6 with a 2.24 ERA, including 17 shutouts this season, plus hit .489 with 15 home runs and 78 RBIs. Paxton Searle is just the fourth AISA player in history to make the softball Super All-State list.
Chapman Dean and Seth Meadows were named to the AISA All-State Baseball 1st team.
The annual Macon East Honors Day program held May 12, 2016 was a time to recognize the graduating class for their accomplishments as well as other outstanding upper school students. Representatives from many colleges and the United States Marine Corps were on hand to present scholarships and recognition to the seniors. The Class of 2016 earned over $2 million in academic and athletic scholarships. Seniors were also presented with their honor cords and honor graduate medallions to be worn at the commencement ceremony. Jesi Garrett was named Valedictorian, and Grace Allen was named Salutatorian.
Below is a full list of awards presented at the event:
Subject Awards:
Senior High History: Bailey Blaze
Junior High History: Casie Starling, Spencer Lindemood, Rachel Sargent
Senior High Science: Alex Wyrosdick
Junior High Science: Spencer Lindemood
Junior High Math: Pre- Algebra: Justin Reynolds, Algebra: Spencer Lindemmod, Geometry: Dawn Johnson
Senior High Math: Calculus: Seth Meadows, Pre- Calculus (Slate Garmany- Junior and Hannah Davis – Senior), Algebra II: Tyler Watson, Algebra III: Jesi Garrett
Computer: Dawn Johnson
Junior High Art: Madisyn Kennedy and Dawn Johnson
Senior High Art: Christian Styer and Briana Turner
Spanish I /Spanish II: Alex Wyrosdick
Spanish III: Hannah Davis
Junior High English:Katie Pittenger
Senior High English: Bailey Blaze and Hannah Davis
Creative Writing: Emily Kyser
Speech: Madison Folkes
Spelling Bee:
7th Grade Winner: Will Desmarais, alternate – Max Taylor
8th Grade Winner: Bishop Stringer, alternate – Christian Moody
AISA Reading Fair Winners:
Junior High:
7th Grade: 3rd – Tanner Moore, 2nd – Aiden Steyer, 1st – Casy Starling
8th Grade: 3rd – Allison Parson, 2nd – Ryan Brock, 1st – Haley Wren
9th Grade: 3rd – Madisyn Kennedy, 2nd – Beaty Hurst, 1st – Zack Taylor
Best in Show: Christian Moody
Senior High:
10th Grade: 3rd – Nick Fitzgerald, 2nd – Sam Pittenger, 1st – Madison Folkes
11th Grade: 3rd – Sami Nesbitt, 2nd – Spencer Hale, 1st – Chloe Patterson
12th Grade: 3rd – Forrest Bankston, 2nd – Jesi Garrett, 1st – Ty Thomas
Best in Show: Christian Steyer
Lance and Shield Award: Hannah Walters
AISA Drama:
District Winners: Bryson O’Malley, Savannah Clemens, Madison Folkes, and Hannah Davis placed 3rd. Madison Lane, Georgia Blaze, Katherine Kirk, Hannah Johnson, Rachel Sargent, Lauren Taylor, Casie Starling, and Barrett Hammond placed 2nd .
State Winners: Madison Lane, Georgia Blaze, Katherine Kirk, Hannah Johnson, Rachel Sargent, Lauren Taylor, Casie Starling, and Barrett Hammond placed 2nd.
Hannah Davis, Savannah Clemens, Rachel Sargent, and Georgia Blaze were chosen for the All-State Cast.
Art Awards:
AISA District Participants:
7th – 9th Grades: Briana Johnson, Barrett Hammond, Rachel Sargent, Haley Wren, Sam Castleberry, Bailey Nyberg, Casie Starling, Trent Watson, Will Desmarais, Emily Nickles, Ethan Honaker, Zack Taylor
10th 12th Grades: Christian Steyer, Jaycee Cook, Hannah Johnson , Brianna Turner, Madison Folkes , Amber McGuff
AISA State Participants: Jaycee Cook, Christian Styer, Zach Taylor – won 2nd place
Math Competition:
AISA Junior High School Math Competition Team: Barrett Hammond, Katherine Kirk, Max Taylor , Will Desmarais, Jonathan Mathis, Rachel Sargent, Trent Watson, Lane Johnson, Georgia Blaze
AISA High School Math Competition Team: Jesi Garrett, Adam Durden, Bailey Blaze, Sarah Margaret Poundstone, Grace Allen, Suzie Johnson, Chapman Brooks, Karli Hawkins
Leglislative Day with Primesouth Bank: Jennifer Campbell, Susie Johnson, Sami Nesbitt
Youth In Government
(Pike Road) Seth Meadows, Meri-Kathryn Bright, Bailey Blaze, Hannah Walters, DJ Holifield, Will Dowe
(Montgomery) Bailey Blaze, Meri- Kathryn Bright, Hannah Davis, Alex Wyrosdick, Chandler Lunn, Lindsay Johnson
Alabama Lions High School Leadership: Sami Nesbitt , Channy Blackwell , Jennifer Campbell
Eastdale Mall Teen Team : Madison Lane, Cydney Worthington, Sarah Margaret Poundstone
DAR Good Citizens Winner: Grace Allen
School Community Service Award: Meri-Kathryn Bright and Sarah Margaret Poundstone
Spirit of the Community Award: Emily Kyser as the state wide student ambassador to the Wounded Warrior Foundation
Duke Talent Identification Program: Will Desmarais, Barrett Hammond, Jordan Hicks, Jonathan Mathis, Tanner Moore, Emily Nickels, Justin Reynolds, May Taylor
Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Award: Tyler Watson and Hannah Johnson
Alabama Girls State: Rai Pritchett
Alabama Boys State: Will Dowe
National Honor Society Leadership Award: Grace Allen
Wendy’s Heisman: Girls: Jesi Garrett – State finalist Boys: Austin Reese
Jimmy Hitchcock: 2016 Female Hitchcock Winner – Jesi Garrett
Senior High: Lexi Brantley and Jesi Garrett
Junior High: Nate Center and Bailey Williams
Hilda Story Teacher of the Year Award: Ray Clinton
AISA Student Athlete Award: Jesi Garrett
SGA Leadership Award: Lexi Brantley
AISA Headmaster’s Association Award: Jesi Garrett
I Dare You Leadership Award: Bailey Blaze
Mandy Williams Christian Leadership Award: Sarah Margaret Poundstone
Jack Cox Service Award: Braxton Bundy
Zeta Spence Memorial Award: Grace Allen
Salutatorian: Grace Allen
Valedictorian: Jesi Garrett