Class notes: Playhouse auction to benefit new charter school

A pirate ship, schoolhouse and backyard stage are among the playhouses local builders and designers created to benefit Riverview Charter School, opening this fall in Beaufort.

Playhouse Palooza -- a live auction of five custom playhouses -- will raise money to enhance technology in the charter school's classrooms, event coordinator Jody Hayward said.

"Playhouse Palooza ... really incorporates so much of what Riverview is about -- creativity, community involvement and lots of fun," Hayward said. "... Some lucky children are going to have a great summer with these playhouses."

Bids for the playhouses, now on display in Habersham, will be collected online until Thursday's live auction party. Online bids already have surpassed $5,000 for some houses, and prices could climb much higher, Hayward said.

Leo Gannon, of Group 133 Building Management and Consultation, volunteered his time to build "Backyard Broadway," designed to look like a stage. He said he supports a charter school in Beaufort and was glad to help.

"When I get the opportunity to make a deposit in the bank of good karma, I try to do it," he said.

The auction party, hosted by Habersham at the Southern Living Sugarberry Cottage, begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday and includes live entertainment and catering from Saltus River Grill.

Tickets are $40. Call 843-846-1000 for reservations.

Details: www.PlayhousePalooza.org

District announces summer reading lists

The Beaufort County School District's summer reading lists for high school English classes are now available. Students are required to read the novel assigned to their class.

English classes and their required books are:

• English IV/Advanced Placement Literature and Composition: Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein"

• English IV International Baccalaureate Higher-Level 1: Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart"

• English IV College Prep: Khaled Hosseini's "The Kite Runner"

• English III/Advanced Placement Language and Composition: John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath"

• English III International Baccalaureate Higher-Level 2: Henrich Ibsen's "A Doll's House"

• English III College Prep: Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods"

• English II Honors: Alan Paton's "Cry the Beloved Country"

• English II College Prep: Pat Conroy's "The Water is Wide"

• English I Honors: Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations"

• English I College Prep: Michael Osham's "Finn"

BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL

• Student Blaine Simcox of Port Royal has been selected for membership in the National Society of High School Scholars for his academic achievement.

• Senior exams are Tuesday-Friday.

• A Parent Teacher Student Organization meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Elections for PTSO and School Improvement Council officers will take place.

• A strings and band concert will be at 7 p.m. Thursday in the John J. McVey Performing Arts Center.

• More than 800 parents will be honored through the school's "Parent Honor Roll" at a recognition night from 7-10 p.m. Friday.

• A spring dance recital will be from 6-8 p.m. Saturday.

• All clearance sheets are due by 2 p.m. June 1.

• The Athletic Booster Club meets at 6 p.m. June 1 in the school cafeteria.

• The Baccalaureate Service will be at 6:30 p.m. June 5 in the John J. McVey Performing Arts Center. All seniors should attend and wear their graduation robes.

• Mandatory graduation practice is from 8-11 a.m. June 5. A cookout will follow.

• The senior breakfast will be at 8 a.m. June 8 in the cafeteria. Graduation practice will begin after breakfast.

• Graduation is June 8. Seniors should report to the gym by 5:45 p.m. to line up.

• A School Improvement Council meeting is 6:30 p.m. June 11 in the school media center.

• Senior portraits for the Class of 2010 are scheduled for 10 a.m.-6 p.m. July 28; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. July 29; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. July 30; and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 12 in the John J. McVey Performing Arts Center. The sitting fee is $20. See Mrs. Grooms for an appointment.

BEAUFORT ACADEMY

• Several Upper School Students won academic awards at the annual awards night: Congressman Joe Wilson History Award, Kelsey Anne Rentz and Mary Whitworth Danielson; Governor's Citizenship Award, Kelsey Anne Rentz; George I. Forsythe Rotary Scholarship, Kyle Tai Shan Cheung; American Citizenship Award, Julia Rose Gambla; Hal G. Horton Sr. Scholarship, Mary Whitworth Danielson; Heritage Classic Foundation Scholars, Kaitlyn Cheri Becker and Mary Whitworth Danielson; Charles R. Smith Scholarship Award, Nathaniel Weeks Rollings; President's Education Awards, Tatum Tulane Bass, Kaitlyn Cheri Becker, Kyle Tai Shan Cheung, Emily Lauren Collins, Mary Whitworth Danielson, Sarah Victoria Parks, Kelsey Anne Rentz, Megan Adrienne Turcotte and Jessica McGregor Whitaker.

• Jessica Whitaker, who will study engineering at Clemson University next fall, has been awarded a Best Buy @ 15 Scholarship. Recipients were selected based on academic achievement, community involvement and work experience.

BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL

• Junior Caitlin Howe will be Miss BHS for the 2009-2010 school year. For the talent portion of this month's show, Caitlin put on a fashion show with her own designs. She plans to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design, run for the school's cross country team and study fashion.

• The SIC meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the media center. Details: 843-322-2000.

• Senior exams will be Tuesday and Thursday.

GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES

• William Smith of Beaufort, who attended the Governor's School to study dance, was one of 96 students to graduate May 23.

JAMES J. DAVIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

• Motivated by the work of Jonathan Green, third-graders painted their versions of Lowcountry life. Mary Mack, owner of the Red Piano Too Art Gallery on St. Helena Island, will display the student's work at the gallery. A reception will be from 6-7:30 p.m. June 5 at the gallery to acknowledge the work. The following students will show work: Adaiya Byas, Charleszetta Washington, Demarshay Robinson, Demetric Singleton, Destiny Gibbs, Elexcia Brown, Jahhad Robinson, Jasmine Byson, Jasmine Helton, Jordan Reeves, Kaeshonda Webb, Kari Hale-Bey, Kennedy Simmons, Kristen King, Kyra Owens, Lakenyah Mozingo, Makayla Wright, Princess Sharpe, Quannisha Fields, Robert Alston, Sydney Lucas, Tamia Rivers, Tyleeyah Hutchinson, Xzavia Bryan and Xzavier Bryan.

JOSEPH J. SHANKLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

• The PTO and Sand Dollar Singers on Thursday will present "An Evening of Musical Theater," a dessert theater celebrating music. Tickets are $3 in advance and $5 at the door. Proceeds will pay for new stage lighting.

• An end-of-the-year and fourth-quarter achievement assembly will be at 9:15 a.m. June 5 for first grade and at 1 p.m. for second grade.

• Shanklin Family Fun Day is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. June 8. Volunteers are needed.

• An end-of-the-year and fourth-quarter achievement assembly will be at 9:15 a.m. June 9 for third grade and at 1 p.m. for fourth grade.

• A "moving up ceremony" will be at 9:15 a.m. June 10 for pre-kindergarten and at 1 p.m. for kindergarten.

• An end-of-the-year and fourth-quarter achievement assembly will be at 9:15 a.m. June 11 for fifth grade.

• A assembly to recognize perfect attendance will be June 12.

LADY'S ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

• The PTO Spaghetti Dinner and Dance Performance is at 6 p.m. Thursday in the cafeteria.

• Field Day will be June 2.

• Fourth- and fifth-grade graduation is at 6 p.m. June 5 in the Beaufort High School auditorium.

• The last day of school for students is June 10.

LADY'S ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL

• A band and strings performance will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the school's lecture theater.

• The end-of-course exam for Spanish 1 will be given Wednesday.

• The annual athletic banquet will be at 6 p.m. Thursday in the school cafeteria.

• Students can wear jeans Friday if they donate $1 to LIMS athletics.

• The LIMS Chorus Concert will be held at 6 p.m. Friday. Cost is $2.

• The eighth-grade social will be Saturday.

• The seventh-grade end-of-course exam for Algebra 1 will be given June 1.

• The eighth-grade end-of-course exam for Algebra 1 will be given June 2.

• The Dance Spring Crescendo will be at 6:30 p.m. June 3in the school gym. Cost is $2.

• Chick-fil-A Spirit Night will be from 5:30-7:30 p.m. June 3.

• A drama performance will be at 6:30 p.m. June 4 in the school's lecture theater.

• A PTO meeting will be at 6 p.m. June 8 in the media center.

• The sixth-grade Celebration of Achievement and Field Day events will be June 9.

• The seventh-grade Celebration of Achievement and Field Day events will be June 10.

• The annual performing arts field trip to Carowinds will be June 11.

• Report cards will be sent home June 11.

• The last day of school is June 12, with an 11:30 a.m. dismissal.

ROBERT SMALLS MIDDLE SCHOOL

• The National Junior Honor Society induction ceremony will be at 6 p.m. Thursday in the media center.

• 120 students participated in the "Jump Rope for Heart" campaign and collected $722.60. The top collector was sixth-grader Katherine Melo.

ST. HELENA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

• Second-, third- and fourth-grade students will participate in field day activities beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday and should bring bottled water.

• A PTO meeting with a presentation by drama students will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the cafeteria.

• About 40 fifth-graders will participate in a vessel-based program aboard "The Discovery" through the Carolina Coastal Discovery Marine Education Program on Thursday.

• Kindergarten and first-graders will participate in a program called "Veggie Olympics" sponsored by Clemson Extension at 9 a.m. Friday in the gym.

• The final Kid's Club will be at 6 p.m. June 2. Each student will receive resources and a book, and dinner will be served.

• The annual Awards Tea will be at 6 p.m. June 4 in the school's gym to recognize students for their achievements during the year.

• Fifth-grade graduation will be at 10 a.m. June 5 in the gym.

• Third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students at St. Helena have been selected to have their poems published in an anthology entitled "A Celebration of Poets." The poems were entered in a regional contest by their writing instructor, Christina Johnson. Less than half of the poems submitted to the contest are published. The following students will be in this year's anthology: Daveion Aiken, Marco Bahena, Darren Berry, Vernese Best, Amadi Bing, Aubreona Bing, Javon Bolden, Myron Bolles, Samyra Bonds, Darryl Bradley, A'niya Bridges, Diasha Brisbane, Alisha Brown, Kameelah Brown, Allison Brown, Bianca Brown, Keyasha Brown, Nasiya Brown, Alise Butler, Lisa Bush, Jamahn Callaway, Jamani Callaway, Dayjia Capers, Stephon Chaplin, Camron Chapman, Kevin Coderre, Ta'Marick Cuthbert, Nysheemia Daise, Breia Drayton, James Driessen, Diamond Duncan, Alexanderia Durrance, Kristian Epps, Charles Eugene, Dashon Floyd, Starr Foster, Tatyanna Fripp, Tyasia Gadson, D'Shon Gadson, Savionna Glover, Mikala Glover, David Glover, Jordan Goethe, JaQuan Gordon, Emma Grabowski, Cariana Green, Carina Green, Kevin Hamilton, Telayah Harrison, Brenda Hernandez-Ramos, Ashley Hernandez, Kaie Heyward-Saunders, Arion Heyward, Tamaira Holmes, Asia Holmes, Deja'nae Jenkins, Jordan Johnson, Brandon Johnson, Jamin Johnson, Ajaylyn Johnson, William Johnson, Melissa Joy, Imani Ladson, LeAndre Legree, Genesis Long, Jahniya Lynch, Kenyelle Mack, Brianna Mack, Juleah Major, Dequarious Major, Seirra Mays, Ezekiel Miller, Malik Millidge, JaQuail Millidge, Trek Millidge, Jimmy Mitchell, Brianna Mooney, Cameron Murray, Christina Parker, Briana Pope, Zaria Pope, Keighla Pope, Jordon Porter, Jae'Sean Redd, Jerrell Rivers, Alanna Robbins, Malika Robinson, Kalila Saunders, Alexis Scantling, John Scott, Ernest Seabrook, Tamara Shields, Callista Shepherd, Shamar Singleton, Aasia Singleton, Tavian Smalls, Ja'Toria Smalls, Kemara Smalls, Na'Toria Smalls, Christian Smart, Bethany Smith, Sade Snowten, Cory Sutton, Gerald Warren, Daija Watson, Jamesha Watson, Javion Watson, Rashida Watson, Kendra Williams, Brian Williams, Vanaken Williams, K'Shon Williams, Chanel Williamson, Jody Wilson and James Young.

SHELL POINT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

• A field day for fourth- and fifth-graders begins at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Field day activities begin at 12:30 p.m. for second- and third-graders.

• A field day for first-graders begins at 9 a.m. Thursday.

• Fifth-graders will visit Robert Smalls Middle School at 9 a.m. Thursday.

• Career Day is Friday.

• A strings concert will be at 1 p.m. June 1 in the gym.

WHALE BRANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL

• The related arts team will host an Orcas Showcase from 5-7 p.m. Friday. The band and steel drum band will perform and a gallery of student artwork will be shown.

To submit to Class Notes, send at least 10 days before the event date to features@beaufortgazette.com with Class Notes as subject line; Features, Class Notes, P.O. Box 399, Beaufort, SC 29901 or via fax to 843-524-8729.