Four Hilton Head Prep teachers received "Bright Ideas" grants from Palmetto Electric Eectric Cooperative after a competitive application process. Each year, Palmetto Electric awards funding for innovative classroom-based education projects. Congratulations to the following teachers who received grants:

• Michael Bassett ’92 [US English] and Katy Hudak [US English Chair] won a $750 Bright Ideas grant for “The Art of Living Write,” which will be used to provide opportunities for artistic expression and increase student-to-student mentorship in the arts. Upper school students will create a literature and arts journal featuring work by, and in collaboration with, middle and lower school students. A team of upper school students will also create a documentary about the collaborative aspects of the journal’s production, highlighting arts education and our students’ experiences with drama, visual arts, music and literature.
• Sarah Benedik’s [MS Science] grant, “It’s Hip to be Fit,” will be used to purchase a set of FitBit® wristbands that collect health data including heart rate, steps taken, calories burned and sleep patterns for the person wearing it.  Data will be analyzed in the classroom and used to conduct Science Fair experiments.
• Gay Keyes [Library Director] will use funds from her “Read-y to Create” grant to purchase new arts and crafts books, and the supplies for lower and middle school readers. Student teams will read books, pick projects and teach their classmates.  Each team will develop a supply list, a budget and plan teaching strategies. 
• Funds for Jason Leonard’s [US Chinese] Bright Ideas grant will be used for computer programming and to support our international ESL students. The programs, along with planned curriculum, will help students transition to an all-English environment and communicate fluently.

      From Broadway to Hilton Head Island … One Night Only

Tony Lo Bianco in THE LITTLE FLOWER

Thursday, March 6, 2014 at Main Street Youth Theatre

Hilton Head Island, SC (January 10, 2014) – Associate Producer Christopher Schembra has announced a one-night-only performance by veteran Broadway actor Tony Lo Bianco in THE LITTLE FLOWER. Lo Bianco’s award-winning portrayal of Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia, three-time Mayor of New York City, is set in 1945 in La Guardia’s office on his final day in office. It offers a dramatic and historic look into the life and career of the beloved and flamboyant statesman.

The one-man, one-act play will be presented Thursday, March 6, 2014, at 7:30 p.m. at the Main Street Youth Theatre on Hilton Head Island. All tickets are $50.00 (open seating) and may be purchased online at msyt.org or by calling the Main Street Youth Theatre Box Office at 843.689.6246. All attendees are invited to Meet Tony and Chris at a Champagne Reception following the performance.

Tony Lo Bianco has performed in starred in over 100 movies and plays including the Academy Award-winning film The French Connection opposite Gene Hackman, and the cult classic The Honeymoon Killers. Other film credits including Oliver Stone’s Nixon and 2011’s Kill the Irishman alongside Vincent D’Onofrio, Val Kilmer and Christopher Walken. On Broadway, Lo Bianco’s his memorable performance as Eddie in Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge earned him a Tony Award nomination and an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Actor. He won an Obie Award for Best Actor for the Off-Broadway production of Jonathan Reynolds’ Yanks-3, Detroit-0, Top of the 7th, among numerous other accomplishments. Visit tonylobianco.com for more information.

Christopher Schembra, a former islander, realized his interest in theatre with Don Hite and the Performing Arts Department at Hilton Head Preparatory School. He moved to New York City and has been working for the past two-and-a-half years with Lo Bianco and THE LITTLE FLOWER, off- Broadway and on tour in venues throughout the country.

Main Street Youth Theatre is located at 300 Main Street, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

A portion of The Little Flower proceeds will benefit the theatre. For information, contact Carol Schembra at 843.384.4910 or 843.785.2452 or cls3@hargray.com.

www.msyt.org

For tickets

“Tony Lo Bianco shows what made the man who ran the city from 1934-1945 so beloved.

There is no question that Mr. Lo Bianco has the skills to pull off a demanding solo performance. He is at his finest performance. Mr. Lo Bianco, who also directed and

wrote the material, has clout.”

-Anita Gates, the New York Times

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                            

Hilton Head Preparatory School Announces New Headmaster

The Hilton Head Preparatory School Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Jon Hopman as Hilton Head Prep's next headmaster, beginning July 1, 2014.  The Headmaster Search Committee unanimously recommended Mr. Hopman's candidacy after a lengthy search citing his breadth of experience, character and reputation, and leadership qualities as ideally suited to leading Hilton Head Prep in the years ahead.

During three visits to the Hilton Head Prep campus, Mr. Hopman had the opportunity to meet with the administration and faculty, more than 50 parents and students, and the entire board of trustees.

“The Search Committee actively sought someone who could provide strong leadership in growing our enrollment, addressing the needs of our aging facilities, managing our finances, and contributing to our marketing and development efforts while continuing our strong focus on academic rigor and leading edge curriculum development,” said Steve Marbut, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. “Jon’s proven track record has touched on all of these key areas. We are excited about the future for Hilton Head Prep under Jon’s leadership and we welcome him to our vibrant community.”

Mr. Hopman comes to Hilton Head Prep from Montverde Academy, in Montverde, Florida, a suburb of Orlando, where he served in various capacities for 13 years. First serving as director of development, business manager and director of admissions, Mr. Hopman served most recently as the assistant headmaster since 2009. During his tenure with the school, Montverde experienced substantial growth with enrollment, surging from 250 students in 2001 to over 1,000 students today. This growth entailed expansion of the school’s facilities, all of which Mr. Hopman helped to oversee. He also led the strategic planning for capital projects and financial management as well as for the recruitment of domestic and international students. He has also been involved with curriculum alignment across divisions and accreditation processes with three different agencies. Mr. Hopman has a B.A. in Business Management from George Mason University and an M.A. in Educational Leadership from Stetson University.

“During my recent visits to Hilton Head Prep, I was most impressed that everyone I met with presented themselves as ambassadors with a true love and pride for the school,” said incoming Headmaster Jon Hopman. “I am truly honored to bring my family into the Prep family and serve to the best of my ability.”

Mr. Hopman will be replacing Headmaster Peter Cooper who served as interim headmaster for the 2008-2009 school year and returned as headmaster in 2012. Mr. Cooper will remain as headmaster through the remainder of this academic year.

“I am delighted that Hilton Head Prep was able to attract a candidate of Jon’s caliber and I look forward to working with him during the coming months to ensure a seamless transition to our school,” said Headmaster Peter Cooper.

Mr. Hopman will be joined by his wife, Mindy, who is also an experienced educator and their two children, Hunter, a rising eighth grader and Haylee, a rising fifth grader.

NOTE FROM CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGARDING JON HOPMAN

NOTE FROM JON HOPMAN

Hilton Head Prep bowling team wins SCISA state title

By Staff reports

sports@islandpacketJanuary 24, 2014 

Hilton Head Prep's boys bowling team -- left to right, John Sheehan, Greg Warren, James Leonard, Angelo Carrabba, Brayden Mitchell and coach Bryan VanGronigen -- shows off its hardware Thursday night after winning the SCISAA boys state bowling championship in Columbia.

A year ago, Hilton Head Prep's new bowling team was the runner-up to SCISA state champion Heathwood Hall. A year later, the Dolphins have overtaken the Highlanders. Hilton Head Prep defeated Heathwood Hall, 495-455, on Thursday at Royal Z Lanes in Columbia to win the SCISA boys state bowling championship. The team consisted of seniors John Sheehan, Greg Warren, Brayden Mitchell, Angelo Carrabba, and anchor James Leonard.

The Dolphins, 2-2 coming into the state meet, were seeded first after winning the qualifying round. There were 11 teams in the boys division and they bowled three games before the field was cut to the top four teams, which bowled another three games.

According to head coach Bryan VanGronigen, the Dolphins had increased their practice schedule after hitting a rough patch during the season. The team was focused on finding their shots on heavy oil conditions and making corner spares. "In the end, we were able to string some strikes together and convert some key spares, which lessened our number of open frames and gave us a comfortable margin of victory," VanGronigen said.

Even so, the Dolphins were down five pins heading into the final game of the championship round. But Carrabba and Leonard had three critical strikes in the ninth and 10th frames to lock up the win.

"I'm so very, very proud of the boys and all their hard work these past two years," VanGronigen said. "They created the program with me, and what a tremendous way to cap their efforts and senior year."

Prep's co-ed team, consisting of Carrabba, Jack Dextraze, Kiara Parker, Sam Warren and Maggie Sulek, won their final two matches of the season in their division on Thursday, as well.

Three outstanding Hilton Head Prep athletes signed to play sports at the college level next fall. Congratulations to Mariana Gould, who will play tennis at the University of Georgia, Kelly Mengel, who will play tennis at Penn State University, and Toks Pedro, will play golf at Rutgers University.

FROM THE HEADMASTER:

Wednesday, 2/12 3:15pm: As you know, another winter storm is passing through the Carolinas today and tomorrow. Because of the threat of icy driving conditions in the early morning, Hilton Head Prep will start classes at 10:00 tomorrow (Thursday). This two-hour delay will also result in our cancelling the BOKS class for students in grades 1-5 that normally begins on Thursdays at 7:00 a.m.

The bus from Bluffton will pick up students two hours later than the normal pick-up time. After-school activities are expected to take place as usual both today and tomorrow.

Students, parents, faculty and staff gathered this morning in the Middle School Gym to hear the results of the 2014 Hilton Head Prep Science Fair. Overall winners will move on to the SCISA State Science Fair on April 9. Click for the complete list of the results. (Upper school students are in blue, middle school in white.) Congratulations to all!

Middle School Overall Science Fair Winners:

1st Place: Trey Speer, ROV “Explorer” Engineering Project

2nd Overall: Shannon Hegarty, Memory Moving Up

3rd Overall: Abigail Barker/Allessandra Reuben, How do you Market your Strengthening Snacks?

Upper School Overall Science Fair Winners:

1st Overall: Brianna Caspersen, Let Food be Your Medicine and Medicine Be your Food

2nd Overall (tie): Julia Nahman, The Oligodynamic Effect: Preventing the Spread of E. coli with Antimicrobial Copper, and Isaac McQueen/Evgeny Smirnov, Echolocation in Humans: Process and Uses of Echolocation for Human Advantage

3rd Overall: Adam Schauss and Archer Brooks, Oxygenation and Its Effect on the Brain

      From Broadway to Hilton Head Island … One Night Only

Tony Lo Bianco in THE LITTLE FLOWER

Thursday, March 6, 2014 at Main Street Youth Theatre

Hilton Head Island, SC (January 10, 2014) – Associate Producer Christopher Schembra has announced a one-night-only performance by veteran Broadway actor Tony Lo Bianco in THE LITTLE FLOWER. Lo Bianco’s award-winning portrayal of Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia, three-time Mayor of New York City, is set in 1945 in La Guardia’s office on his final day in office. It offers a dramatic and historic look into the life and career of the beloved and flamboyant statesman.

The one-man, one-act play will be presented Thursday, March 6, 2014, at 7:30 p.m. at the Main Street Youth Theatre on Hilton Head Island. All tickets are $50.00 (open seating) and may be purchased online at msyt.org or by calling the Main Street Youth Theatre Box Office at 843.689.6246. All attendees are invited to Meet Tony and Chris at a Champagne Reception following the performance.

Tony Lo Bianco has performed in starred in over 100 movies and plays including the Academy Award-winning film The French Connection opposite Gene Hackman, and the cult classic The Honeymoon Killers. Other film credits including Oliver Stone’s Nixon and 2011’s Kill the Irishman alongside Vincent D’Onofrio, Val Kilmer and Christopher Walken. On Broadway, Lo Bianco’s his memorable performance as Eddie in Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge earned him a Tony Award nomination and an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Actor. He won an Obie Award for Best Actor for the Off-Broadway production of Jonathan Reynolds’ Yanks-3, Detroit-0, Top of the 7th, among numerous other accomplishments. Visit tonylobianco.com for more information.

Christopher Schembra, a former islander, realized his interest in theatre with Don Hite and the Performing Arts Department at Hilton Head Preparatory School. He moved to New York City and has been working for the past two-and-a-half years with Lo Bianco and THE LITTLE FLOWER, off- Broadway and on tour in venues throughout the country.

Main Street Youth Theatre is located at 300 Main Street, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

A portion of The Little Flower proceeds will benefit the theatre. For information, contact Carol Schembra at 843.384.4910 or 843.785.2452 or cls3@hargray.com.

www.msyt.org

For tickets

“Tony Lo Bianco shows what made the man who ran the city from 1934-1945 so beloved.

There is no question that Mr. Lo Bianco has the skills to pull off a demanding solo performance. He is at his finest performance. Mr. Lo Bianco, who also directed and

wrote the material, has clout.”

-Anita Gates, the New York Times

Four Hilton Head Prep teachers received "Bright Ideas" grants from Palmetto Electric Eectric Cooperative after a competitive application process. Each year, Palmetto Electric awards funding for innovative classroom-based education projects. Congratulations to the following teachers who received grants:

• Michael Bassett ’92 [US English] and Katy Hudak [US English Chair] won a $750 Bright Ideas grant for “The Art of Living Write,” which will be used to provide opportunities for artistic expression and increase student-to-student mentorship in the arts. Upper school students will create a literature and arts journal featuring work by, and in collaboration with, middle and lower school students. A team of upper school students will also create a documentary about the collaborative aspects of the journal’s production, highlighting arts education and our students’ experiences with drama, visual arts, music and literature.
• Sarah Benedik’s [MS Science] grant, “It’s Hip to be Fit,” will be used to purchase a set of FitBit® wristbands that collect health data including heart rate, steps taken, calories burned and sleep patterns for the person wearing it.  Data will be analyzed in the classroom and used to conduct Science Fair experiments.
• Gay Keyes [Library Director] will use funds from her “Read-y to Create” grant to purchase new arts and crafts books, and the supplies for lower and middle school readers. Student teams will read books, pick projects and teach their classmates.  Each team will develop a supply list, a budget and plan teaching strategies. 
• Funds for Jason Leonard’s [US Chinese] Bright Ideas grant will be used for computer programming and to support our international ESL students. The programs, along with planned curriculum, will help students transition to an all-English environment and communicate fluently.

Hilton Head Island and Hilton Head Prep mourns the loss today of island icon, Joseph B. Fraser, Jr. Joe and his brother, Charles, were instrumental in the founding of Hilton Head Prep's predecessor school, Sea Pines Academy, which was founded in 1965 to educate the employees of the Sea Pines Resort.  Joe's son Charlie, is a member of SPA's class of 1977 along with his wife Linda, and Joe's grandson, Elliott, was the first legacy graduate of Hilton Head Prep in 2005.  Joe's granddaughter, Carson, graduated in 2008. 

During Hilton Head Prep's Tradition of Excellence campaign from 2004-2008, the school raised over $6,500,000 to build the Joseph B. Fraser, Jr. Field House to honor a man who was so important to Hilton Head Prep and Hilton Head Island.  Joe and his wife, Jean, helped cut the ribbon at the opening of the building in May of 2007.

Our thoughts are with the Fraser family and the island community at this very difficult time.  Services will be held at St. Luke's at 3pm on Monday, March 17.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC March 25, 2014 –  Eight of the ten High School Sea Island Regional Science Fair winners are from Hilton Head Preparatory School. Four of which will be competing (Julia Nahman, Brianna Caspersen, Lucas McMillan and Jackson Richard) and four of which will be observing (Archer Brooks, Adam Schauss, Jackson Henz and Keylan Hanna) at the Intel ® International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles, CA, May 11-16, 2014.

 **Overall Winners: Brianna Caspersen, Julia Nahman, Lucas McMillan, Jackson Richard (All from Prep) + 1 MS observer from HHHS**

• Senior Brianna Caspersen won first place overall for her project, “Let Food be Your Medicine and Medicine be Your Food” and also received the US Metric Association Award.
• Senior Julia Nahman won first place overall for her project, “Developing an Antibacterial Wipe with Copper Amines to Prevent the Growth of Escherichia Coli” and received awards from the United States Department of Health and Human Services and The Brent Tyler Memorial Award.
• Junior Lucas McMillan won first place overall for his project, “Reducing the g-force and Traumatic Brain Injuries on Soccer Players Through the Use of Headgear.”
• Sophomore Jackson Richard won first place overall for his project, “The Effects of Iron Seeding on Phytoplankton and Zooplankton Populations, and on Water Chemistry” and received an award from the US Stockholm Junior Water Prize as well as the SIRSF Grand Award Runner-Up.

**Observers: Archer Brooks, Adam Schauss, Jackson Henz, Keylan Hanna (All from Prep) + 1 from HHMS**

• Juniors Archer Brooks and Adam Schauss won first place for their project, “Oxygenation and Its Effect on the Brain” and first in their category (Social/Behavioral). Both Schauss and Brooks also received The American Psychological Association Reward.
• Juniors Jackson Henz and Keylan Hanna won first place for their project, “Phenothrin vs. Fleas, Ticks and Nature” and first in their category (Environmental). 
• Senior Ryan Nimmer won first place for his project, “Determining Bacteria Contamination of Common Surfaces.” Nimmer took first place in his category (Botany/Microbiology), and he also received the Society for In Vitro Biology Award.
• Junior Kevin Wang and sophomore Wayne Wang placed second for their project, “How Light Waves Affect the Growth of Plants” and second in their category (Botany/Microbiology).
• Freshmen Alexis Voulgaropoulos won first place for her project, “Do Sound Frequencies Affect the Rate at Which a Banana Ripens?” and first in her category (Chemistry/Biochemistry).
• Sophomore Will Monts won first place for his project, “A Comparison of Three Commonly Used Boat Hull Designs” and first in his category (Math/Engineering/Computers).
• Junior Isaac McQueen and sophomore Evgeny Smirnov placed third for their project, “Echolocation for Human Advantage” and third in their category (Physics/Astronomy).
• Sophomore Annalise Saponara received the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award for her project, “The Effect of Steroids on Marine Organisms.”

       Honorable mentions: Emmett Askeland (9), Tiegue Brougham-Cook (10) and Stephanie Orrell (9).

v  Overall Middle School winners from Hilton Head Preparatory School are Trey Speer, finishing first place in the Math/Engineering/Computers category, Shannon Hegarty finishing first place in the Zoology/Medicine category and Caroline Richey finishing second place in the Zoology/Medicine category. 

      Honorable mentions: Natalie Middleton(7), Lizzie Rankin(7), Rachel Stratton(6), Lucas Tomita(7), Brittany Hanna(6), Joshua Williams(8), Jaden Kidd(6), Anna Pellicci(6), Susan Brooks(6), Marguerite Williamson(8), Hayden Garniewicz(8), Kacy Jones(8), Abigail Barker(8), Allessandra Reuben(8), Shalina Parker(8) and Alana McCallion(8).

23 Talented Student Artists' Works Have Been Chosen for the Promising Picassos Art Exhibit

An impressive 23 students from Hilton Head Preparatory School had works of art chosen by the Island School Council for the Arts for the annual Promising Picassos Art Exhibit. The exhibit opens to the public on Friday, Feb. 7 and will be on display through Monday, Mar. 10 in the Bank of America Room at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. Congratulations to the following students: seniors Kristin Langan, Marisa Wojcikiewicz, Deia Hunt, Megan Frederick and Matt Mannion, juniors Vanessa Orrell, Laurel Woerheide and Justin Stubblefield, sophomores Jack Richard and Will Monts, freshmen Samantha Kriney, Mac Orie and Catherine Sheehan, eighth graders Hayden Garniewicz and Daisy Woerheide, seventh grader Lucas Tomita, sixth graders Anna Pellicci and Rachel Stratton, fifth grader Elizabeth Hudak, and fourth graders John Kidd, Ashley Wilmot, Hope Dobbelaere and Abi Mendoza. Below is a sampling of their work.

[TOP]

THE SOUTH CAROLINA INDEPENDENT SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

P.O. Drawer 690, Orangeburg, S.C. 29116 (803) 535-4820/4821 Fax (803) 535-4840

E-mail: administration@scisa.org       www.scisa.org

NEWS RELEASE 

Area Students Win SCISA Science Fair Awards

SUMTER, SC– Hilton Head Preparatory School students were recognized for their accomplishments during the awards ceremony at the 2014 South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) State Science Fair held in Sumter recently.

Shannon Hagerty won first place in the junior division of the biological science category with her project entitled, “Memory Matters.”

Julia Nahman won first place in the senior division of the biological science category with her project, “The Olgodyminic Effect:  Preventing the Spread of E.Coli with Copper.”

Stephanie Orrell won first place in the senior division of the behavioral science category with her project, “The Contrast Between Gender and Age when affected by a change in a Visual Stimulus.”

Adam Schauss and Archer Brooks placed first in the senior division of the team projects with “Oxygenation and its effects on the brain.”

In the same division and category, Isaac McQueen and Evgeny Smirnov placed second with their project, “Echolocation for Human Advantage.”

Abigail Barker and Allessandra Reuben placed second in the junior division of the team projects with “How Do You Market Your Strengthening Snacks?”

“The state science fair is SCISA’s largest academic competition and the caliber of projects increases each year. This year 173 regional winners from 22 schools submitted more than 130 projects,” said Larry Watt, SCISA executive director. “All of these students are to be commended for their innovative and creative applications of the scientific method.”

The SCISA State Science Fair was open to students in the following age divisions:

·           Elementary – grades 3 through 5

·           Junior – grades 6 through 8

·           Senior – grades 9 through 12.

Each division had seven categories: behavioral science, biological science, computer/math, environmental science, general science, physical science and interdisciplinary team project.

Judging criteria included technical correctness, aesthetic quality, theory, feasibility, effort, and scientific methods.  

The South Carolina Independent School Association is a non-profit, voluntary association of approximately 110 independent schools serving more than 37,000 teachers and students.

Founded in 1965, the State of South Carolina incorporated SCISA as an exclusively educational organization with the responsibilities of establishing accreditation standards, coordinating academic and athletic competition and providing professional development for member organizations.