Piedmont Literary Team Wins Region

Piedmont Academy’s literary and music team recently took top honors at the GISA Region 1AA competition which involves 14 events of writing, acting, speaking, singing and playing the piano. The event was held on Tuesday, March 6, at First Baptist Church Milledgeville, and the most recent win represents back to back region championships for the literary team.

Amy Anuszczyk, a senior, competed in girl’s solo, and she placed first with her performance of “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again” by Andrew Lloyd Webber and “Porque toco el pander” by Joaqu’n Rodrigo.

Also receiving top honors was senior Samuel McGinnis who competed in the humorous interpretation category and performed Drugs Are Bad by Jonathan Rand. Mr. McGinnis and his partner, junior Samantha Ramsdell, won the duo interpretation category for their performance of And the Dish Ran Away With the Spoon by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummell.

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Additionally Ms. Ramsdell successfully defended her region title in the dramatic interpretation category by performing a selection from Julia Sweeney’s And God Said…Ha!

Singing “Let There Be Peace on Earth” and “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” the trio composed of Miss Anuszczyk, junior Lacy Adamson, and sophomore Savannah McGinnis won first place for its region performance.

Outscoring his closest competitor by 17 points, freshman Andrew Mitchell won first place in the international extemporaneous speaking category for his speech about the slow progress of democracy in Egypt.

Senior Davis Kimball placed second in US extemporaneous speaking for his presentation over the goals of the “Occupy Wall Street” movement. Mr. Kimball also competed in the argumentative essay category and placed third for his paper on whether or not the final outcome of the Republican primaries will be good for the party.

Also writing essays for Piedmont were senior Jeremy Wood in the rhetorical analysis essay category and junior Carley Cain in the personal essay category. Mr. Wood placed third and Ms. Cain placed fourth in their respective categories.

Placing fourth in boys solo, freshman Gabriel Courtman sang, “Amazing Grace” arranged by Patrick M. Liebergen and “Bring Him Home” by Claude-Michel Schonberg.

Mr. Courtman is also a member of the boys quartet with Mr. Kimball, Mr. McGinnis, and sophomore Gabe Hestad. This group performed “God of Grace and God of Glory” arranged by J. Harold Moyer and “Till the Stars Fall from the Sky” arranged by Jay Althouse. The quartet placed third.

Katie Odegaard, a sophomore, placed third in the category of spelling where she had to spell 125 difficult words.

Supporting their team members at the region competition were alternates Audrey Cleary and Clare Maloney.

Each student who placed fourth or higher received points toward a team trophy, and Piedmont came in first place with 61 points, well ahead of first runner-up Brentwood School of Sandersville with 51 points.

These schools beat out Gatewood School with 45 points, Covenant Academy with 33 points, Monsignor Donovan Catholic High School with 18.5 points, and Briarwood Academy with 15.5.

Bobbi Sauls coached the speaking events, and she was assisted by Mrs. April Allen who coached the music events and Mrs. Martha Mock who coached the essayists. Mrs. Jackie Tarrah was the accompanist for the singing events.

Piedmont Academy was the competition host, and working diligently to tabulate and check all scores at the competition were Mrs. Charlotte Crawley and Mrs. Ashley Cook. The team was also supported by Headmaster Tony Tanner, Mrs. Traci Brady, and Johnny N. Smith as well as many friends and family members who traveled to Milledgeville for the day’s competition.

All students who placed first or second in region competition qualified for state competition at Valdosta State University held on Tuesday, March 13.