Columbus area students, teachers get $18,500 at Page One Awards. Winners, runners-up here

More than 200 outstanding high school seniors and teachers in the Chattahoochee Valley were celebrated Tuesday night at the 49th annual Page One Awards.

Winners and runners-up in 13 student categories and one teacher category were announced at the Bill Heard Theatre of the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts in Columbus. All the nominees were invited on stage to be applauded for distinguishing themselves by excelling at school and in the community.

The nominees were from public and private high schools in Muscogee, Harris, Chattahoochee, Marion, Russell and Lee counties. A panel of judges comprising more than 40 community leaders evaluate the applications from candidates and interview them, assessing their character, service, leadership and scholarship.

Cash prizes amounting to $18,500 were awarded to the winners ($1,000 each) and runners-up ($300 each) in each category. That brings this program’s 49-year total to approximately $930,000.

Funding for this year’s Page One Awards came from presenting sponsor Piedmont Columbus Regional, cornerstone sponsor Aflac, and category sponsors Columbus State University, Columbus Technical College, FABArts, the Ledger-Enquirer, Media Marketing and More, and the RiverCenter.

In addition to the teacher category, the student categories are art, athletics, career and technology, citizenship, drama, English and literature, foreign language, general scholarship, journalism, math, music, science, and social studies.

“We are all inspired by the accomplishments of our Page One nominees,” said Marquette McKnight, founder and CEO of Media, Marketing and More, who co-hosted the ceremony. “They belong to dozens of honor societies, have leadership positions in more than 400 clubs, organizations, community groups, faith communities and nonprofits.

“They are smart, creative and brave. They have part-time jobs. They tutor. They volunteer. They organize. They right wrongs. They do good. … Our entire community is proud of all of you, and it’s a better place to live because each of you are a part of it.”

For example, the Ledger-Enquirer is featuring two of the category winners here:

Journalism category winner

Central High School senior Mia Bell has served as a photographer and broadcaster for the Alabama High School Athletic Association, a photographer for the Phenix Citizen and a content creator for Ignite Sports and Sunbelt Baseball League.

As the student leader for creative services at Central, she produced a documentary video about the flag football team’s state championship season. She volunteers her time and creativity for churches, other nonprofit organizations, events and celebrations.

While returning to her seat after receiving her award on stage, Mia told the Ledger-Enquirer, “I am so excited. I know that everybody who’s in the category is super talented, and I’m just so honored to be even here competing against them, and I’m so honored my talents have been recognized. It’s really special.”

Mia plans to pursue degrees in multimedia journalism and graphic design at Troy University. Her career goal is to work as a photojournalist and graphic designer in professional sports.

“It’s about highlighting the success of other people,” she said. “I’m so blessed to work with such amazing athletes and amazing people. … Capturing their special moments in life that will last forever, that makes it all worth it. Just being able to create content like that, … I could never leave this field.”

Mia intends to continue persevering in a field that hasn’t always welcomed women.

“It’s difficult to be a girl in sports,” she said. “… Nobody really takes you seriously until you prove yourself. I think I have proved myself, but it took me a little while to get my foot in the door locally and even on the state level. But your work and your portfolio talk. It was hard to get to where I am now, but I’m really proud of myself for getting there.”

Central English language arts teacher John Reid McGlamory wrote in his recommendation of Mia, “Her dedication to her craft, not only for herself but for those who may also want to pursue journalism, is incomparable.”

The journalism category judges were Columbus and the Valley Magazine and Valley Parent owner, publisher and editor Jodi Saunders, Columbus State University executive director of strategic communication and marketing Michael Tullier and WRBL senior reporter Chuck Williams.

They wrote in their rationale for selecting Mia that she has “applied her skills to grow as a student, leader, mentor and future journalism professional.”

Teacher category winner

Jeremy McCrary, an art teacher at Kendrick High School, won the Page One Award in the teacher category.

“I never thought I would win,” McCrary, in his sixth year as a teacher, told the Ledger-Enquirer. “I know there are so many great candidates and nominees. I just appreciate the opportunity to be a Page One winner.”

Growing up in Macon’s public housing system and living with what he described as an unstable family, McCrary attended eight elementary schools. He served in the U.S. Army for 10 years and left the military as a sergeant. Then, while majoring in art at Columbus State University, a professor with a similar background motivated him to consider teaching. He visited Kendrick — and changed his degree to education.

McCrary choked up as he explained why he is a teacher.

“I want to inspire,” he said. “… There’s about 15 Kendrick High School students sitting out there in the audience right now, and they see that one of their teachers won. That’s what I love the most. … There are kids that want to give up, and then they see a person that looks like them winning something like this, that’s a big deal.”

McCrary’s art is seen around Columbus, including murals at churches, schools and other nonprofit organizations.

Kendrick principal Alonzo James wrote in his recommendation, “Mr. McCrary is an innovative self-starter who rarely requires supervision, designs and creates numerous initiatives for his students, and serves as a mentor for our teachers.”

The teacher category judges were Troy University-Phenix City campus vice chancellor Dionne Rosser-Mims, Kinetic Credit Union vice president for community relations Wanda Rutledge and CSU College of Education and Health Professions dean Margie Yates.

That wrote in their selection rationale, “Mr. McCrary is committed to helping his students overcome their own challenging circumstances through the power of education. He sees art as a rewarding and viable career path and works tirelessly to instill this belief in his students. His greatest reward as an educator is witnessing his once-indifferent students become passionate about art as a lifelong endeavor.”

PAGE ONE AWARDS 2024 WINNERS AND RUNNERS-UP

Here are the winners of the 2024 Page One Awards, followed by the runners-up, in each category (with their high school in parentheses):

Art: Madison Greenwood (Columbus), LiLi Kalish (Brookstone)

Athletics: Anna Grace Griggs (Glenwood), Tyler Nguyen (Columbus)

Career and technology: Arha Gandhi (Columbus), Haley Wilson (Central)

Citizenship: Lance Peterson (Smiths Station), Foster Lambertus (Northside)

Drama: Louisa Oduro (Central), Liliana Perez (Shaw)

English and literature: Paige White (Northside), Grace Johnson (Columbus)

Foreign language: Riley Yates (Columbus), Sophia Boyanchek (Brookstone)

General scholarship: Sara Frances Adams (Brookstone), Lacandra Davis (Carver)

Journalism: Mia Bell (Central), August Mobley (Columbus)

Math: Raymond Yao (Columbus), Om Patel (Harris County)

Music: Prince-Roshawn Williams (Kendrick), Azehia Lewis (Jordan)

Science: Tanay Pathakamuri (Columbus), Nicholas Sasser (Central)

Social studies: Landon Teel (Northside), Sandra Njama (Spencer)

Teacher: Jeremy McCrary (Kendrick), Cherine Cobb (Jordan), Tamela Ransom (Carver).