OPES names top readers

Congratulations to the following students who met their reading goals in the Accelerated Reader program at Orchard Park Elementary for the last nine weeks of the 2008 spring semester:

Second Grade, Kelly Moore's class: Zach Hubbarth, Caroline Lamb and Courtney Templeton; Joanne Schmitz' class: Lauren Brondum, Rebecca Clark, Skylar Gheen, Harper Haley, Anna Malaj, Brooks Meredith, Olivia Paz, Adam Springs, Meghan Trucksis, Abby Wingo and Ryan Yelton; EstellePrinsloo;s class: Christian Henry, Charles Lowman, Quinn Hubbarth, Haley Doran, Sidney Hillhouse, Jordyn Meek, Alexa Rosso, Steven Sprenger and Abby Walker; Brandy Holland's class: Lauren Grant, Cameryn McEwen, Ryan Helgason and David Mumford.

Third Grade, Lisa Haas' class: JC Coe, Evelyn Delgadillo, Thomas Kyte, Jack Landers, Caitlyn Meacham, Dominik Reimink, Madison Sooy, Jacob Wood, Ryan Woods and Christopher Ziegler; Jean Thies' class: Morgan Arnette, Michael Cahill, Benjamin Case, Jacob Frye, Thomas Greene, Tyler Griffin, Collin Hairston, Zade Haliq, Andrew Honaker, Amanda Lathan, Campbell Lowman, Maeve McDonnell, Maggie Moegling, Ayanah Nash, Haley Sappe, Angela Schmugge, Brantley Sweat and Jacquelyn White; Yolita Oparah's class: Deep Patel, Ellery Aschenbrenner, Kacy Campbell, Paloma Wlasiuk, Alex Fenwick and Skye Jacobson

Fourth Grade, Lindsey Campbell's class: Alex Bower, Zander Cole, Clare DuVal, Jerry Fernandez, Nicholas Kulsea, Wesley Martin, Luke Meche, Jacob Miles, Jacob Mumford, Max Noel, Tristen Scartozzi and Jonathan Sizer; Kristy Spears' class: Morgan Bodem, Breanna Jenkins, Jaylin Johnson, Jeremy LaPointe, Mary Olinger, Justine Seibel and Deon Simpson; Kelly Ussery's class, Alex Adams; Susan Bates' class: Addie McGinnis

Fifth Grade, Rachel Fura's class: Will Chambers, Grayson Davis and BJ Jenkins; Theresa Higgins' class: Aubrie Hammond, Emily Burnette, Matt Munday, William Newman and Alex Lucas; Elizabeth Eppes's class: Elizabeth Black; Michelle Gamble's class: Joe Black, Josh Cardin, Bradley Cauble, Robert Clark, Jordan Funk, Tyler Griffin, Danny Schell, Jordan Taylor and Tina Zheng; Debbie Morris' class: JackAuslander, Kirsten Barth, Cory Brooks, John Close, Tyler Lozinski, Alex Malaj and Kyle Rapoza.

Warren attends conference

Scott Warren of Fort Mill was among a select group of high school juniors and seniors from around the state who recently participated in the 2008 South Carolina Farm Bureau (SCFB) Youth Leadership Conference.

The annual SCFB conference was held on the campus of Columbia College and featured a number of workshops that focused on developing leadership, team building and legislative involvement along with programs that built understanding and awareness of agriculture.

According to SCFB Women's Program Coordinator Faith Lawrimore, "Today's youths have a greater opportunity to succeed than the generations before them. They have more knowledge and information at their disposal and have higher degrees of technology at their fingertips. This conference is designed to entice participants to learn about the many opportunities in agriculture while enhancing their leadership skills."

Anyone interested in supporting agricultural education is encouraged to visit www.scfb.org.

Archie at Clemson

Recent Fort Mill High School graduate Kristin Archie has been awarded the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship from the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education and Clemson Trustee Scholarship from Clemson University where she is now a student. Archie is the daughter of Danny and Sherri Archie.

Student artists needed for contest

Art on Main, a local festival held in the fall, is holding a student illustration contest. The theme is a children's picture book by Derick Wilder titled "My Superest Superheroes."

All entries will be displayed in the "My Superherest Superheroes" section of Art on Main. Winning entries will be awarded ribbons and the artists' names will be published in the Fort Mill Times and be announced during the show, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 11. For more contest rules and more information, visit

www.MoveFortMillForward.com, click on "Art on Main" and then click on the "Superheroes" link to read the story and find out which chapters you might like to illustrate.

Get your library card

September is Library Card Sign-up Month, and the South Carolina State Library wants to make sure that South Carolina's citizens have the smartest card of all - a library card. Studies show that children who are read to in the home and who use the library perform better in school and are more likely to continue to use the library as a source of lifetime learning.

For information about the Fort Mill Library, call 547-4114 or visit www.yclibrary.org.

For information about the lancaster County Library call 803-285-1502 or visit www.lanclib.org.

FMHS boosters selling bricks

Imagine thousands of eyes seeing the name of someone you want to honor - or yourself - when people walk into the Fort Mill High School auditorium for Broadway shows, concerts, awards/recognition ceremonies, and other activities. The FMHS choral boosters are conducting a brick legacy patio fundraiser for names to be etched in history.

The 4x8 bricks are $50, and 8x8 bricks are $75, with bricks inscribed the way you want them, including the school Yellow Jacket or another logo (if e-mailed). For an order form, click on the concert chorus link at www.fmhs.fort-mill.k12.sc.us/site_ faculty.aspx.

Get your child a Head Start

The local Head Start program is now accepting applications for children under age 4 for the 2008-'09 program year. Head Start serves children from low-income families and children with disabilities. The Head Start Center is located at 100 Lestina Court, Fort Mill. Call 802-7587.

Elisha made Dean's List

Carolyn Seiler Elisha of Fort Mill made the Dean's List at Miami University for second semester of the 2007-2008 school year. Students must have a 3.5 grade-point average or higher to be named to the Dean's List.

Food program available

Avery Lake Head Start is the local provider of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Child and Adult Care Food Program. Eligibility is based on household income. For details, call 802-7587 or 1-800-795-3272.

Free and reduced lunch policy

The Fort Mill School District has announced its qualifications for children for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. Household size and income guidelines apply. For details, contact the school district office at 548-2527.

Host families needed

• Learn firsthand about another culture without leaving the United States and establish a friendship that will last a lifetime. Forte International Exchange Association has international students arriving in the area for home stay programs. They speak English, have their own spending money and medical insurance. Most importantly, they have a lot of love to give their American host family. F.I.E.A. is a nonprofit educational organization who is looking for caring host families to share the American way of life.

If you think you may be interested in hosting a foreign teen or would like more information about the program, call District Director Karen Shell at 1-888-866-9148.

• Local host families are also needed by the Pacific Intercultural Exchange to place students from Germany, Russia, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, Macedonia, Hungary, Korea, Mexico, Australia, Yugoslavia, China, and many predominantly Islamic nations such as Yemen, Syria, Jordan, Morocco, Kuwait, Iraq and Qatar.

The agency also has travel/study program opportunities available for American high school students as well as possibilities for community volunteers to assist and work with area host families, students and schools. ; For more information, call P.I.E., toll-free, at 1-866-546-1402.

--compiled by staff