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Academic Challenge Winners Announced

Jackson County      |       Macon County      |     Swain County

Adult Winners: Darci Hill of Sylva, center, took first place in the community event of Southwestern Community College's first-ever Academic Challenge winning five semesters free at SCC, along with a $1,000 book budget, for a total value package of $4,500. Hill plans to pursue a degree in nursing. Second-place winner Art Beusch of Franklin, left, received a $700 scholarship to SCC and third-place winner Benjamin McFadden of Cullowhee, right, received a $250 SCC scholarship.

High School Winners: In the high school event of Southwestern Community College's first-ever Academic Challenge Morgan Murray, center, of Franklin High School, won five semesters free at SCC, along with a $1,000 book budget, for a total value package of $4,500. The Franklin senior plans to receive a degree in computers and computer engineering. Chris Nations, right, of Swain County High School won second place and a $700 scholarship to SCC and third-place winner Brandon Monteith of Smoky Mountain High School received a $250 SCC scholarship. Monteith, category winner in the history division, had the only perfect score during the Feb. 16 event. The two-part competition included a 30-minute writing activity and a 20-question, multiple choice test in each field of math, natural science and computers. Participants then selected a fifth testing area following the same format. The top five winners from the academic component advanced to the interview process where a panel interviewed the five to select the first, second and third-place winners

Jackson County Winners of Academic Challenge

A Jackson County woman won a $4,500 scholarship to Southwestern Community College Thursday, Feb. 16, during the college's first-ever Academic Challenge.

Darci Hill of Sylva took first place in the community event of Southwestern Community College's first-ever Academic Challenge winning five semesters free at SCC, along with a $1,000 book budget, for a total value package of $4,500. Presenting the check to her following the Feb. 16 competition were, from left, SCC President Cecil Groves, Hill, foundation board member Raye Parker and foundation director Sonja Haynes.

Darci Hill, who plans to study nursing, took top honors in the community event.
Second-place winner was Art Beusch of Franklin, who won a $700 SCC scholarship and Benjamin McFadden of Cullowhee, coming in third, won a $250 SCC scholarship.

Local category winners were David Garrett of Whittier, history; James DeHart of Sylva, automotive; Anita Vyliahzhanin of Webster, culinary; and Candy Wilson of Sapphire, business accounting. They received certificates and SCC T-shirts.
In the high school event, Morgan Murray of Franklin won the first-place prize of a $4,500 scholarship, Chris Nations of Bryson City came in second, winning a $700 SCC scholarship and Brandon Monteith of Sylva placed third, winning a $250 SCC scholarship.

Third-place winner Brandon Monteith of Sylva, category winner in the history division, had the only perfect score of the day during Southwestern Community College's first-ever Academic Challenge Feb. 16.

High school category winners were John Arnst of Cashiers and Megan Melton of Sylva, tying for first place in the math division. Melton also tied for first place in the writing division, along with Katie Johnson of Sylva. Other category winners were Jessica Scott of Cashiers, health sciences; Kim Aiken of Cashiers, early childhood; and Lindsay Rickman of Cherokee, culinary.

Arnst and Melton received gold medals for making it to the top five finalists.

Third-place winner Monteith, category winner in the history division, had the only perfect score of the day. The student competition was held during the day while the community competition was held during the evening, both on the Jackson campus.

The two-part competition included a 30-minute writing activity and a 20-question, multiple choice test in each field of math, natural science and computers. Participants then selected a fifth testing area following the same format. Subject areas were automotive, business/accounting, computer engineering, culinary, early childhood, health science history and literature. The top five winners from the academic component then advanced to the interview process. A panel interviewed the five to select the first, second and third-place winners.

Macon County winners of SCC's Academic Challenge

"I'm going to college! I'm going to college!" Morgan Murray of Franklin shouted after winning a $4,500 scholarship to Southwestern Community College.

Franklin High School senior Morgan Murray, third from left, won a $4,500 scholarship to Southwestern Community College during the college's first-ever Academic Challenge held Feb. 16 on the Jackson campus. Presenting the check to him are, from left, SCC Foundation Director Sonja Haynes, SCC President Cecil Groves and Franklin High School guidance counselor Kathy Breedlove.

The Franklin High School senior won five semesters free at SCC, along with a $1,000 book budget, for a total value package of $4,500 during SCC's first-ever Academic Challenge held Feb. 16 on the Jackson campus. Son of Dana and Teresa Murray, the senior, also category winner in the computer, computer engineering division, said he will take courses in those fields.

Chris Nations of Bryson City came in second, winning a $700 SCC scholarship and Brandon Monteith of Sylva placed third, winning a $250 SCC scholarship.

Shane Mayhorn of Franklin won in the early childhood category division.

The high school competition was held during the day followed by the community event competition held later that evening. Art Buesch of Franklin was the second-place winner there behind Darci Hill of Sylva. Buesch won a $700 scholarship to SCC.

Linda Hornis of Franklin, winner in the health sciences category, made it as one of the top five finalists in the community event.

The two-part competition included a 30-minute writing activity and a 20-question, multiple choice test in each field of math, natural science and computers. Participants then selected a fifth testing area following the same format. Subject areas were automotive, business/accounting, computer engineering, culinary, early childhood, health science history and literature. The top five winners from the academic component then advanced to the interview process. A panel interviewed the five to select the first, second and third-place winners.

Swain County winners of Academic Challenge

Chris Nations of Bryson City won second place and a $700 scholarship in Southwestern Community College's first-ever Academic Challenge held Feb. 16 on the Jackson campus. Nations, a senior at Swain County High School, was also the high school category winner in the business/accounting division. Chris Wike of Bryson City was the category winner in the automotive division and Lindsay Rickman of Cherokee was the category winner in the culinary division. The two-part competition included a 30-minute writing activity and a 20-question, multiple choice test in each field of math, natural science and computers. Participants then selected a fifth testing area following the same format. The top five winners from the academic component then advanced to the interview process. A panel interviewed the five to select the first, second and third-place winners. The first-place high school winner and first-place winner in the community competition held later that evening both received five semesters free at SCC, along with a $1,000 book budget, for a total value package of $4,500 each. The high school winner was Morgan Murray of Franklin and the community winner was Darci Hill of Sylva.

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