Grand Strand Newsmakers

Giles-Burgess announced as top Georgetown schools administrator

Dr. Bethany Giles-Burgess, Browns Ferry Elementary principal, was named the 2017-2018 Georgetown County School District Administrator of the Year at a breakfast June 8 at the J.B. Beck Administration and Education Center.

Other finalists were: Dr. Tim Carnahan, Waccamaw Intermediate principal; Jay "Tripp" Hartley, Georgetown Middle assistant principal; Jamie Thompkins, Kensington Elementary principal; and Alan Walters, District Office, director of Safety and Risk Management.

West honored by the FBI

Harold West of the Georgetown County Public Works Department was recognized by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation earlier this month for his assistance to the department.

Mike Connelly, supervisor of the FBI office in Myrtle Beach, and Jeff Long, an FBI case agent, presented West a certificate of appreciation and a coin symbolic of membership in the law enforcement team at the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Lane Cribb and Assistant Sheriff Carter Weaver participated in the presentation. Members of the county Public Works Department, including Supervisor Ray Funnye, and West’s family were present for the ceremony.

Civic Association announces upcoming meetings

Monthly meetings are on the third Wednesday of the month starting at 6 p.m. at the HCPR Carolina Forest Recreation Center.

We also are accepting donations each month of canned good or items from their wish list which will be taken to the Community Kitchen on Joe White Avenue (check out: www.communitykitchenmb.org/current-needs/ )

Business members are linked to our website and offered an opportunity to introduce their business name and more at the monthly meetings.

Upcoming Meetings: June 21 HCPD, Town Hall, Capt Bob Carr; July 19 Angie Jones, HC Treasurer; Aug. 16 HCSB (Chr Joe DeFeo & Ray Winters) at Ten Oaks Middle School.

Special friends meet at Seaside UMC in Sunset Beach

Local Music Educator Teaching in China

Huadong Lu, North Myrtle Beach High School orchestra director, is visiting China and spending a good portion of his summer teaching orchestra to the Chinese students in Guangzhou, China. Photo 3 shows Mr. Lu teaching and demonstrating, photo 2 shows the entire student orchestra posing with Mr. Lu, photo 1 shows young Chinese orchestra teachers discussing teaching strategies with Mr. Lu. This student orchestra is going to perform in Germany in late July and Mr. Lu has been invited to help them prepare for their big trip. Mr. Lu will be back to the U.S. in time to premiere Myrtle Beach's Horry County School of Music's Orchestra Summer Camps beginning July 24.

ATMC Presents Scholarships to Local Seniors

ATMC has presented $2,000 scholarships to four local high school seniors: Victor Jimenez, Dylan Long, Andrew Phillips and Bailey Skipper. Applicants were interviewed by representatives from Brunswick Community College. Selection was based on academics, involvement in school and community activities and interview skills.

Victor Jimenez, son of Soledad Figueroa and Victorico Figueroa of Longwood, NC, is a recent graduate of Brunswick County’s Early College High School and plans to attend North Carolina State University, where he will major in Mechanical Engineering. Victor was also the recipient of the Roger Alan Cox Memorial Scholarship through Foundation for Rural Service. South Columbus High School graduate, Dylan Long is the son of Billy Long of Nakina and Jennifer Holcomb of Tabor City. Dylan plans to attend North Carolina State University and major in Chemistry. Andrew Phillips, a South Brunswick High School graduate, is the son of Scott and Shannon Phillips of Leland, NC, and will attend North Carolina State University, where he will major in Engineering. North Brunswick High School graduate, Bailey Skipper is the daughter of Laurel Skipper of Leland. Bailey plans to attend the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she will major in Education.

“We are honored to assist these students in furthering their education,” said O’Neal Miller, ATMC CEO. “These students have worked hard and we wish them much success as they prepare for this next chapter of their lives.” ATMC has awarded more than $77,000 in scholarships to 53 students since 2002.

This story was originally published June 22, 2017 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Grand Strand Newsmakers."