Local residents who recently graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) include  Anthony Ingram of Beaufort who earned a BFA degree in Interactive Design and Game Development, and Ellison Woodward of Beaufort, who earned a BFA degree in Sound Design.

Local residents graduated from Clemson University at the summer ceremony Aug. 10.
They are:
• Wendy Leigh Blanchard of Beaufort, who graduated with a Doctorate in Rhetorics, Communication and Information Design.
• Bryce Coldiron Ferry of Beaufort, who graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Science and Management.
• Daniela Venditto Payne of Beaufort, who graduated with a Master of Science in Biological Sciences (Nonthesis).

Luke Daniel Johnson of Beaufort has been named to the Commandant’s Distinguished Service List at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. Citadel cadets named to the Commandant’s List are recognized for having made the most positive contributions to their platoon, company, battalion, or staff, the South Carolina Corps of Cadets and The Citadel during the previous semester. Johnson, a Civil Engineering major, is a member of Oscar Company.

Bridges Preparatory School is now accepting applications for students entering kindergarten-sixth grades Fall 2013.  Applications can be found on at www.bridgespreparatoryschool.org.  All applications must be postmarked by January 15, 2013, to be considered as part of open enrollment and included in any subsequent drawing. Applications received after this date will be considered on a space available basis. The location of Bridges Preparatory School has yet to be determined, but properties north of the Broad River are currently under review.  A Head of School Search Committee is currently being formed.  Interested applicants are encouraged to send resumes to info@bridgespreparatoryschool.org. For more information, please see www.bridgespreparatoryschool.org or contact info@bridgespreparatoryschool.org.

The University of South Carolina Beaufort’s (USCB) Lowcountry and Resort Island Tourism Institute has recently retooled its research website. The modification allows the institute to better provide the Lowcountry hospitality and tourism industry with the research results from various regional projects and national trend information. Visitors to the website will find the top line research results conducted by the institute and a multimedia trends library containing links to recent industry podcasts, videos and articles. Additionally, the website will contain blogs written by affiliated associates, executives and leaders currently working within the industry.
The intention behind the modification is to elevate the business knowledge of those working within hospitality and tourism. The Lowcountry and Resort Island Tourism Institute hopes to positively impact business practices by providing professionals with research results, industry trends, and leader/executive perspectives.
According to the institute’s director John Salazar, “within Beaufort County alone tourism labor accounts for 35% of the county’s workforce and approximately 18% of county commodity production comes from the hospitality and tourism sectors of rental services of owner-occupied dwellings, accommodations and food services, and amusement and recreation. That means that the industry is a major employment sector and a leading economic engine within the Lowcountry. Consequently, enhancing the industry acumen among professionals is a key to the region’s economic vitality.”
The website can be found at www.lriti.org. In addition to the website modification, the institute is also managing a Facebook page that will provide more localized hospitality and tourism information collected from regional media sources. Don’t forget to Friend them.

News from Lady’s Island Middle School:
• If you have not heard, LIMS is the first middle school in Beaufort to have its own radio station.  Thank you Mr. Shipsey for all of your hard work on this project.
• Please tune to 1630 AM on your radio station while dropping off or picking up you students.  The radio range is approximately 1 mile radius.
• Friday, August 31, is College Color Days. Your child is allowed to wear his/her favorite college jersey with their uniform bottoms.  Jeans are not allowed to be worn.
• The annual PTO Cookie Dough Fundraiser will begin on Friday, September 28.

News from Riverview Charter School:
• Summer Reading Records are due Friday, August 31. On Tuesday, September 4, there will be a drawing for Scholastic Bucks to be used in lieu of cash at the upcoming Book Fair. In order to be eligible to participate in the drawing, students must have a completed Reading Record turned in to their homeroom teacher no later than Friday, August 31.
• Cross Country physicals are due Tuesday, September 4. Physicals are good for one year.  Cross Country practice for grades 6 - 8 will begin on Wednesday, September 5. All practices will start immediately after school and go until 4 p.m.  Pick up after practice will be at the front entrance (Door A).  There will be three to four meets during our season where we will compete against numerous schools.  Coaches are Katie Marsh and Holly Zapp. Please contact Lisa VanHorn, Athletic Director, with any questions.
USDA Free &amp; Reduced Lunch
Applications went home with all students Friday
Riverview participates in the National School Lunch Program and therefore offers Free &amp; Reduced priced lunches to those who qualify.  If previously participated in this program or wish to be considered for qualification, please return completed applications to your child’s teacher no later than September 15.
• Friday, August 31 is Uniform Free Friday, $5.
• Monday, Sept. 3, there is no school, so Happy Labor Day!
• Tuesday, Sept. 4, the Read-a-thon begins.
• Thursday, Sept. 6, is Chick-fil-A Spirit Night

Registration for Park University’s Fall II term is September  24 through October 19. The term dates are October 22 through December 13.  Courses offered are: Integrative and Interdisciplinary Seminar (Mankind’s Intellectual Journey), Criminal Law, Introduction to Computers, College Algebra, Agency Administration , Programming Fundamentals, The Hospital and the Community, Labor Relations, Social Problems, Principles of Macroeconomics, First Year Writing Seminar II (English II), Production &amp; Operations Management and Systems of Psychotherapy.  All classes meet on weekday evenings.  Online courses are also available. For more information, call 228-7052 or visit the Park University office at the MCAS Beaufort Lifelong Learning Center (Bldg. 596, Room 212) or the MCRD Parris Island Education Center (Bldg. 923, Room 35).

<em>Please send information about events, programs and people at your school to Pamela Brownstein at theislandnews@gmail.com.</em>