• Friday, March 9, Beaufort Academy will have a special assembly presentation of the 2012 recipient of the Thomas H. Horton Jr. Memorial Scholarship to study abroad, 8 a.m. Later that night there will be a Happy Hour to thank all donors to the Annual Fund, 7 p.m. Babysitting will be offered for attendees by 9th graders for children ages 4-11.
• Friday, March 9, Beaufort Elementary School’s 4th graders have birding day with Fripp Audubon, 8:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Saturday, March 10, good luck on SAT!
• Sunday, March 11, Daylights Savings set your clock an hour forward!

[caption id="attachment_6022" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Lady’s Island Elementary School have fun on Read Across America Day by dressing up, decorating doors, reading books and celebrating their favorite characters."]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/read-across-america-3.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-6022" title="read across america 3" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/read-across-america-3-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>[/caption]

• Sunday, March 11, all pre-K and kindergarten children are invited to come play at Beaufort Academy, 2 p.m. The Music Lady, Beth Green, will perform for an hour followed by classroom fun. RSVP by email to jbabalis@beaufortacademy.org by Friday, March 9.
• Monday, March 12, yearbook order forms for Mossy Oaks Elementary are due. The cost is $20.
• Monday, March 12, Riverview Board of Directors Meeting at 6:30 p.m.
• Monday, March 12, Beaufort Academy 1st-4th grader students go to Celtic Crossroads Dance at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina.
• Tuesday, March 13, is the deadline for Beaufort Academy students to submit to Seasons of the Pen, the literary magazine. Students should send poetry or black &amp; white photos they would like to be published to Mrs. Dinkins.
• Tuesday, March 13, class photos will be taken at Riverview Charter School. Individual photos and uniforms are optional. Payments must be received by March 12.
• Tuesday, March 13, Center for Birds of Prey assembly for Beaufort Elementary School (2nd-5th grade) in the cafeteria from 10-10:50 a.m.
• Wednesday, March 14, is school picture day and spring sports pictures at Beaufort Academy. It’s also the Regional Upper School Science Fair at Parris Island.

Leap Day Phenomenon

[caption id="attachment_6023" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="These four Beaufort Academy students were born on Leap Day."]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/leap-day-birthdays.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-6023" title="leap day birthdays" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/leap-day-birthdays-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a>[/caption]

On February 29, four Beaufort Academy students celebrated their birthdays!  Happy third birthday to sixth graders Joe Bhoi, Drew Luckey and Cheyenne Thompson, and happy 4th birthday to 10 grader Bryce Mackey! Chances of being born on Leap Day are about 1 in 1,500, which makes it even more incredible that there are four at Beaufort Academy.  In fact, according to the US Census Bureau, the population of Beaufort in 2010 was approximately 12,000.  This number would suggest that statistically there are only eight people with Leap Day birthdays in all of Beaufort, half of whom are students at BA.

Celebrating Black History Month
On Friday, February 24, Lady’s Island Elementary School students presented their annual Black History Month Assembly. The performance began with an exciting tap dance to the song “My, My, Ain’t That Somethin’,” from the African American musical Stormy Weather. The tap dancers were members of the school’s 4th Grade LEAP, an auditioned dance ensemble led by Dance Teacher, Lisa Howard. The entire 3rd Grade then took to the stage for a very uplifting performance of the musical, I Have a Dream. Students sang all six songs with pride, with big smiles and strong voices.  They sang and danced together under the direction of Music Teacher, Kristin Brady.  The musical also included inspirational words spoken by several of the 3rd graders, referencing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights activists.  Through this musical, students learned about the importance of not judging others, and their message led to a few tears in the audience as they sang the final song, “We Live the Dream” with heartfelt emotion.

Thanks from Principal Morillo
A super special thanks to the following teachers for attending the tech showcase at PVES:  1st Grade, Kim Fields; 2nd Grade, Whitney Bowen, 3rd Grade, Rachel Hickman; 4th Grade, Gabbi Clossman; 5th Grade, Mary Sweetenburg; AMES, Dorinda Selby, Dana Christensen, Ellen Parker, Mendy Gannon, Jill Brown and Gwen Allen.

[caption id="attachment_6024" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Congratulations to Maleik Maldonado, Forest Kimbrell and Clint Wright who were champions of the State Wrestling Tournament in Anderson."]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/wrestling.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-6024" title="wrestling" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/wrestling-300x205.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="205" /></a>[/caption]

Beaufort High Wrestlers do it again
Beaufort High had seven wrestlers qualify for the State Tournament last weekend in Anderson: Forrest Kimbrell, Champion; Clint Wright, Champion; Maliek Maldonado, Champion; Thyrik Legree, 3rd; Trey Arant, 4th; Jaclay Mixon, 4th; Tyler Wilson, 4th.

SIC finalist for prestigious award
Congratulations to The School Improvement Council at Port Royal Elementary School, which was named as one of five finalists for a prestigious statewide award that honors accomplishments in parent and civic engagement. The South Carolina School Improvement Council’s annual Dick and Tunky Riley Award for School Improvement Council Excellence was created in 2002 to recognize the significant contributions made to public education by the 14,000-plus local SIC members who volunteer in the state’s 1,100 public schools.

Read Across America Day at LIES
Lady’s Island Elementary School celebrated “Read Across America Day” with green eggs and ham served by the cafeteria. School Superintendent Valerie Truesdale and School Board member Bill Evans were among the community members that visited classrooms to read to students. Other school administrators, members of the military and police officers also joined the fun. Students and teachers dressed up as their favorite book characters. Teachers showed their reading spirit by decorating their classroom doors to represent their class’s favorite books. Cat in the Hat and Thing One paid a visit in the afternoon to thank them all for being such wonderful readers.

[caption id="attachment_6025" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="From left to right: Anna Sheppard, Jake Bhoi, Mary Margaret Achurch, Jacob Dalton, Kirsten Floyd."]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/SC-Scholars.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-6025" title="SC Scholars" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/SC-Scholars-300x214.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="214" /></a>[/caption]

SC Junior Scholars
Five Beaufort Academy 8th graders have been officially named as South Carolina Junior Scholars!  Congratulations to Mary Margaret Achurch, Jake Bhoi, Jacob Dalton, Kirsten Floyd, and Anna Sheppard. To qualify as a Junior Scholar, the student must score 50 or higher on the PSAT in verbal, math or writing. Additionally, eighth-grade students who were identified and recognized at either the State Recognition or Grand Recognition event by Duke University’s Talent Identification Program (TIP) during their seventh-grade year qualify as Junior Scholars as well.

Learning about smart Choices
Choices will be held for Beaufort Middle School’s 8th grade students March 14 and 15, this program is sponsored by Sea Island Rotary and the State Department of Education and involves local community members who share their stories in this program.

The Adventures of Lewis &amp; Clark
The Beaufort and Lady’s Island Communities are cordially invited March 29 to Lady’s Island Elementary School for The Adventures of Lewis &amp; Clark, a fourth grade presentation, 2 p.m. The presentation, directed by Mrs. Kristin Brady and Mrs. Lynda McLain, is a musical scripted journey along the Oregon Trail with historical characters from 1804. President Thomas Jefferson commissioned Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to travel and explore the uncharted territories of the Louisiana Purchase. Meet the two explorers and their champions, York, Charbonneau, Sacajawea along with their trusty dog, Scannon. Students will also “explore” their own school’s nature trail and create a visual journal, just as Lewis and Clark did to describe their travels up the Missouri River, over the Rocky Mountains and to the Pacific Ocean.

A “Positive” Musical
The musical  “Positive” will be performed by Broad River Elementary students on March 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the multi-purpose room. Directed by Dr. Peggy Albertson, this program is full of music and narrations that encourage all of us to “think good thoughts.” The students will be wearing their “Positive” T-shirts, which were purchased by the students with all proceeds going to Julie’s Mission, an organization that makes clothes and blankets for premature and sick babies.