<b>Tech education being&nbsp;</b><b>offered at CODEcamp</b>

[caption id="attachment_34420" align="aligncenter" width="1600"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/CODEcamp-photo.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-34420"><img class="size-full wp-image-34420" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/CODEcamp-photo.jpg" alt="Students study web development at USCB. Photo provided." width="1600" height="1067"></a> Students study web development at USCB. Photo provided.[/caption]

The Beaufort Digital Corridor has announced the launch of CODEcamp, a project-based, introductory code education program designed for busy adults of all backgrounds and experience levels in a convenient, affordable after-hours class format. &nbsp;

CODEcamp is being offered as a pilot program in partnership with the University of South Carolina Beaufort with the course taught by Dr. Brian Canada, a professor in Computational Science who regularly teaches USCB’s own courses in front-end and back-end web development. &nbsp; &nbsp;

The in-classroom, eight-week Introduction to Web Development course will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays at the Beaufort Digital Corridor’s BASEcamp business incubator at 500 Carteret St.

The cost of the program is $295 with attendance limited to 10 seats.&nbsp;

One of the four tenets of the Beaufort Digital Corridor is talent.&nbsp;

“Our goal in launching CODEcamp is to position Beaufort for high-wage tech and knowledge-based companies by improving the technical education skills of our citizens,” said Beaufort City Councilman Stephen Murray. &nbsp; &nbsp;

“We are pleased to extend our CODEcamp program to Beaufort,” said Charleston Digital Corridor Director Ernest Andrade. “With over 2,000 attendees to the program in Charleston since launch in 2012, many of our graduates are finding employment in the tech industry while other working professionals are able to extend their knowledge by broadening their technical skill set.”&nbsp;

The initial eight-week Introduction to Web Development course is scheduled to begin Saturday, Feb.17, 2018. Registration is now open.

Visit beaufortdigital.com.&nbsp;

<b>Students choose name&nbsp;</b><b>for sheriff’s bloodhound</b>

[caption id="attachment_34419" align="aligncenter" width="535"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/bloodhound.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-34419"><img class="size-full wp-image-34419" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/bloodhound.jpg" alt="Beaufort County elementary students voted on a name for the sheriff’s office new bloodhound. Photo provided." width="535" height="325"></a> Beaufort County elementary students voted on a name for the sheriff’s office new bloodhound. Photo provided.[/caption]

Over the past three weeks, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Community Resource Officers and K-9 handlers have visited Beaufort County’s public and private elementary schools with its new 6-month-old female bloodhound, asking students to vote on a name for her.&nbsp;

The elementary school students were presented with six names to choose from: Sandy, May, Tabby, Starr, Josie and Nosie.&nbsp;

The name that received the most votes was Starr.&nbsp;

The new bloodhound’s duties will be to track and help locate missing persons and fleeing fugitives. &nbsp;

<b>Foundation to present&nbsp;</b><b>first annual awards</b>

The first annual Lowcountry Lifetime Achievement Awards will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6, 2018,&nbsp;

The Foundation for Leadership Education will present 12 awards to leaders who have made a profound impact throughout the history of the Lowcountry.&nbsp;

The event will be black tie with a sit-down dinner, libations and music at the Tabby Place in downtown Beaufort.&nbsp;

The Foundation for Leadership Education’s (FLE) primary objectives are to support leadership education, promote leadership awareness and to maintain the Lowcountry Lifetime Achievement Awards program.&nbsp;

The FLE was founded by local leaders of Beaufort County that represented business, community development, education, management and the military. &nbsp;

Armed with a vision to help “Prepare Tomorrow’s Leaders,” the group committed itself to supporting programs with a commitment to developing well-rounded, open-minded critical thinkers preparing to be the problem-solvers of the future.&nbsp; &nbsp;

In addition, the founders were dedicated to honoring the history of leadership in the Lowcountry by recognizing individuals and organizations that have contributed to the general welfare and development of the community.&nbsp;

As a result, the foundation is committed to partnering and funding the following project types:

• Scholarships for students at schools or organizations fully committed to providing a full program of curriculum and activities dedicated to developing leadership skills in youth. Such programs must include credit-bearing courses that lead to a complete course of study.

• Academic scholarships for students entering college and have demonstrated strong leadership skills in high school.&nbsp; Honorees must be enrolled at an accredited educational institution.

• Community Leadership Conferences and/or workshops for youth and adults.&nbsp;

Visit www.LowcountryLeaders.com.

<b>High school students&nbsp;</b><b>take top honors at event</b>

Beaufort County high school students earned numerous top honors and won key elections at the recent state 2017 Model Legislature and Court conference in Columbia.

More than 2,000 high school students attended the three-day event at the Columbia Convention Center, participating in simulations of South Carolina's democratic process.&nbsp;

Acting as state legislators, the students wrote, debated and voted on legislation. Students also acted as candidates, lobbyists, news media, lawyers and judges. &nbsp;

Beaufort High and Bluffton High students were honored as “premier delegations” to the annual event. In addition, Beaufort, Bluffton and May River high school students earned a variety of individual honors.

The Senator Clemente Pinckney Award was awarded to Ta’Leah Morgan&nbsp; of Beaufort.

<b>Local student inducted&nbsp;</b><b>into honor society</b>

Andrew Stoddard of Beaufort was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Stoddard is pursuing a degree in Biological Science at Clemson University.

Stoddard is among approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.

<b>HTCCS teacher named&nbsp;</b><b>outstanding educator</b>

[caption id="attachment_34422" align="aligncenter" width="768"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/mixson.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-34422"><img class="size-full wp-image-34422" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/mixson.jpg" alt="Christy Mixson" width="768" height="1024"></a> Christy Mixson[/caption]

Christy Mixson, a sixth-grade teacher at Holy Trinity Classical Christian School, has been named the Outstanding Teacher of American History by the Thomas Heyward Jr. Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Beaufort.&nbsp;

She will now compete for a state award presented by the DAR.

“American history, in particular, has a special place in my heart because I realize the value of our American freedom,” said Mixson. “I want the students at the sixth-grade level to learn the basic facts of American history. But more than that, I want them to see the good that America has accomplished in the world.”

Mixson teaches a curriculum that encompasses Christian Studies, Famous Men of Greece, American History, Latin, Math, Language Arts (composition, spelling and grammar), Literature and Science.&nbsp;

“A lot of what I do is seek to inspire,” she said. “I allow my love for America to infuse our readings, discussions and memorizations so as to nourish their appetite to understand at their level the complexity of the times that America has come through.”

Mixson’s 17 students memorize more than 200 facts about American History and the names of the presidents in order. They study American History from colonial times through the modern period.&nbsp;

Mixson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Religion summa cum laude at Liberty University, Lynchburg, Va. She is studying for a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling.&nbsp;

She and her husband, Chris, live in Port Royal. They have two grown children.&nbsp;

<b>New Charter School application opened</b>

Families of Lowcountry students who will be in grades 6-10 next school year are encouraged to apply online for enrollment at Polaris Tech Charter School, a new public charter school opening in Ridgeland for the upcoming school year.

To apply, visit www.polaristech.org and click on the “Ápply” tab. The entire application process is online and can be done on a computer, tablet or smartphone.&nbsp;

Polaris Tech is a state-approved charter school to serve middle and high school students from Jasper County and the Lowcountry. It is a free school (no tuition), that will focus on preparing young people for successful work and college.

To help parents and guardians use the online student application tool for Polaris Tech, a series of community student sign-up meetings are set for:

• 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, The Morris Center

• 3-5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15, Hardeeville Library

• 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, St. Anthony's Catholic Church, 696 S. Jacob Smart Blvd. in Ridgeland

Parents/guardians should bring their smartphones or tablets. All locations have Wi-Fi and parents will complete the online application process on-site.

Visit www.polaristech.org.