High school juniors from eight counties were recognized Thursday evening with an event which featured a visit from Miss South Carolina.
The 2011-2012 Junior Scholars of Excellence awards program was held Thursday evening in the USC Union Auditorium to recognize outstanding high school juniors from across USC Union’s service area. Counselors from the high schools in the eight counties the university serves were asked to nominate students based on academic achievement, merit and leadership in their school and community. Around 40 of those students were present Thursday night, along with parents, family and friends, as well as Union County High School and Gaffney High School guidance counselors, members of the Union/Laurens Commission on Higher Education and several members of Union County Council.
USC Union SGA president Brittany Moss introduced the keynote speaker for the event — Miss South Carolina 2011 Bree Boyce. Moss pointed out that Boyce “isn’t your typical titleholder.”
“Most beauty queens would not advertise that they once weighed 234 pounds, however Bree Boyce made it her platform,” Moss said.
Moss explained that Boyce had a weight problem by age 10, and tried a variety of diets only to gain the weight back. At age 17, Boyce had reached her highest weight — 234 pounds — and was told by her physician that she would have to slim down for her health. She then went on an Atkins-type diet, losing 65 pounds.
“She competed in her high school pageant her senior year, and even though she was heavier than the rest of the girls, she won. Her victory was short-lived. Boyce gained the weight back and more. Then she stopped dieting and met with a nutritionist.”
Moss went on to explain that Boyce began to look at food as fuel rather than comfort. She learned to cook her own meals and started getting up every morning at 5:30 to work out. Boyce had lost 74 pounds by the time she won Miss Florence in 2009 and cracked the top 10 in the Miss South Carolina pageant the following year, eventually taking the title in July 2011.
“What makes Boyce’s victory even sweeter was winning the preliminary swimsuit round,” Moss said. “Over the course of three years, Boyce had lost more than 110 pounds the old-fashioned way — through healthy eating and exercise.”
Boyce, 22, delivered a message of inspiration and encouragement.
“Don’t ever compare yourself to others,” Boyce told the high school juniors in attendance. “We are all unique, and we are all different. Be the best ‘you’ that you can be.”
She encouraged students to further their education, as she is currently doing at Francis Marion University (FMU) in Florence with scholarship funds she received from winning the Miss South Carolina pageant.
Boyce is a theatre major, and after completing her undergraduate work, she plans to obtain a master’s degree, as well as a Ph.D. in theatre history. Her career ambition is to be a college professor, playwright and director.
“I’ve grown up in theatre my whole life,” Boyce said. “I’ve always loved it, and one day I decided that’s what I wanted to do my whole life.”
Boyce said her favorite playwright is Tennessee Williams, and she enjoys the classics such as “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” Her most recent theatre project was starring in the play “Greater Tuna” by Jaston Williams at FMU.
“I played the part of Didi Snavely,” Boyce said, describing the character who owned a used gun shop. “I wore a high blonde wig, which probably stood about 5 inches above where my crown is.”
“I love comedies and I love to make people laugh,” she added.
Following Boyce’s remarks, junior scholars who were present were invited to the stage to receive certificates from Lowe. He then shared thoughts about the evening’s honorees.
“Certainly, they possess intelligence in abundance, and I have no doubts about their dedication to their families, their schools and their own futures,” Lowe said. “More than pure intelligence and dedication, however, these young people have the support and encouragement of the people in their lives. They enjoy the support of their families, their teachers, their friends, their places of worship and their communities. This support will be vital to their individual success as they move forward with their lives, educations and careers.”
The evening concluded with a catered reception in the second-floor lobby of the university’s Main Building.
To view a complete list of the 2011-2012 Junior Scholars of Excellence, please see www.uniondailytimes.com.
2011-2012 Junior Scholars of Excellence are as follows:
Logan Aggeles, York Comprehensive High School
Lauren Allen, York Comprehensive High School
Kyle Allen, Clover High School
Dallas Allison, Gaffney High School
Scottie Anton, Gaffney High School
Haleigh Babb, Whitmire Community School
Kennadee Baran, Gaffney High School
Diamond Barker, Woodruff High School
Leah Bell, Woodruff High School
Yesenia Benitez, Mid-Carolina High School
Steven Bosler, Woodruff High School
Janezshia Boyd, Mid-Carolina High School
Blake Brewington, Union Christian Day School
Rebecca Brown, Laurens Academy
Shaquille Brown, Gaffney High School
Dean Burns, Clinton High School
Jacob Burton, Clover High School
C.R. Caudill, Richard Winn Academy
Reid Carbaugh, Laurens Academy
Maria Collins, Blacksburg High School
Samantha Craig, Laurens Dist. 55 High School
Anna Crews, Laurens Academy
Julia Crews, Laurens Academy
Hannah Crews, York Comprehensive High School
Shelby Cribb, York Comprehensive High School
Chelsea Crocker, Union Christian Day School
Malik Cromer, Newberry High School
Alexus Cunningham, Laurens 55 High School
Tavaris Cureton, Newberry High School
Austin Darling, Laurens 55 High School
Alexandria Dendy, Clinton High School
Huzefa Dossaji, Dorman High School
Sana Dossaji, Dorman High School
Cooper Dover, Clinton High School
Holt Duncan, Clinton High School
Amy Duvall, Gaffney High School
Yasmine Ellis, Gaffney High School
Brittany Floyd, Blacksburg High School
Jamie Fulmer, Newberry High School
Logan Gibbons, Richard Winn Academy
Trevor Gilmer, Broome High School
Tanner Goff, Laurens Academy
Jordan Gregory, Gaffney High School
Shawna Hand, Woodruff High School
Jackson Harris, Mid-Carolina High School
Toni Hart, Newberry High School
James Haynes, Clover High School
Brandon Heatherly, Union Christian Day School
Rodney Inman, Union County High School
Victoria Jenkins, Clover High School
Mykela Jeter, Newberry High School
Kendall Kinard, Mid-Carolina High School
Ryan Koon, Laurens Academy
Joshua Lafond-Favieres, Laurens 55 High School
Malyn Lawhorn, Blacksburg High School
Cal Lever, Newberry High School
Breanna Lindler, Whitmire Community School
Rondera Lindler, Whitmire Community School
Blake Little, Richard Winn Academy
Aaron Luker, Dorman High School
Jonathan Maddox, Laurens Academy
Nicholas Major, Blacksburg High School
Machelle Martin, Clinton High School
Kacherish Mathis, Newberry High School
Tymichia McGill, Gaffney High School
Marcus McMorris, Mid-Carolina High School
Brianissa Mickles, Gaffney High School
Paige Miller, Clinton High School
Calvin Mitchell, Laurens Academy
Abigail Montesi, Clover High School
Selena Montinez, Laurens Academy
Raven Morrow, Union County High School
Hudson Moss, Gaffney High School
Triona Parnell, Fairfield Central High School
Michael Peoples, York Comprehensive High School
Midtah Phenophom, Gaffney High School
Crystal Posey, Gaffney High School
Alana Pressley, Whitmire Community School
Elizabeth Price, Laurens Academy
Abigail Pruitt, Blacksburg High School
Alana Rabb, Fairfield Central High School
Alexis Rabb, Fairfield Central High School
Caroline Raines, Whitmire Community School
Victor Ramirez, Gaffney High School
Carilyn Reid, Fairfield Central High School
Codie Revis, Richard Winn Academy
Diane Reynolds, Clinton High School
Hannah Roberts, Broome High School
Tyeisha Robinson, Fairfield Central High School
Billy Rochefeller, Laurens Academy
Narayana Rodgers, Gaffney High School
Andrea Rodriguez, Newberry High School
Morgan Ruff, Broome High School
Jared Scruggs, Woodruff High School
Caleb Sims, Laurens Academy
Carolina Staton, Broome High School
Latoria Thomas, Union County High School
Preston Trail, Woodruff High School
Dennis Trammell, Union County High School
Heavenly Vaughn, Woodruff High School
David Walling, Richard Winn Academy
Kellie Wellons, Woodruff High School
Johnae White, Newberry High School
Frederick Whitmire, Laurens 55 High School
Alexis Wilkins, Broome High School
Dasjahia Wray, Gaffney High School
Shonika Young, Union County High School
Shatavia Young, Clinton High School
Post a Comment
