Holly Hill, S.C.– National Beta members from Holly Hill Elementary School (HHES) are celebrating their recent participation in the South Carolina Elementary Beta State Convention, where they were announced as both group and individual winners in 25 competitions.

The National Beta State Convention allows students the opportunity to compete in various academic and STEM-based, virtual and performing arts competitions. This year, the State Convention was offered as a hybrid event from January 12-14, 2022. This gave students the opportunity to compete either virtually or onsite at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, depending on their level of comfort. The state level victories provide an opportunity to compete at the national level. The National Convention will be held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee this summer.

“We are so proud of our Beta members' efforts each year as they compete against students from across the state,” Mr. Joseph Brown, lead Beta Club Sponsors commented. “Our team of Mr. Jason Bryant, Mrs. Miriam James, Dr. Carlos Jenkins, Ms. Chanel Murray, Mrs. Myrrh Suan, and Mrs. Shelia Washington, along with support from our Principal, Mr. Johnnie Smith and the entire HHES family play a role in our success.”

The Beta Club at Holly Hill Elementary began in 1998, actively participating in competitions. Since that time, the Beta club has won more than 60 state and national awards, been recognized as a School of Merit and a School of Distinction.

“We can’t thank our pre-K through third grade teachers enough for preparing our students to become Betas, and our fourth and fifth grade teachers for keeping them prepared during their two years as Beta members,” Mr. Brown commented. “We also could not achieve our success if not for the support of our parents and community.”

With more than 500,000 active members and 8,750 clubs nationally and internationally, National Beta has become the nation’s largest independent, non-profit, educational youth organization. National Beta promotes the ideals of academic achievement, character, service and leadership among elementary and secondary school students. National Junior Beta includes grades 4-8 and National Senior Beta includes grades 9-12. Visit betaclub.org for more information. 

The winning HHES Bulldogs include:

GROUP AWARDS:

PERFORMING ARTS
1st Place: Kharysma Freeman, Jaiden Gilliard, Zackorie Heatley, Lauren Jenkins, Amari Lawton, Madison Palmer, Haley Robinson and Nathaniel Simmons

TECHNOLOGY
1st Place: Quentin Brown and Da’Naya Washington

QUIZ BOWL (WRITTEN & ORAL)
1st Place: Harlem Brown, Lauren Jenkins, Phoebe Lupton and Jermaine Pauling

BANNER
2^nd Place: Amari Lawton and Madison Palmer

LIVING LITERATURE
2nd Place: Aaliyah Dizzley, Jaiden Gilliard and Nathaniel Simmons

ROBOTICS
2^nd Place: Bethany Bunch, Aaliyah Dizzley, Te’lesia Simmons and Xzavier Summerson

PERFORMING ARTS SOLO, DUO, TRIO
3rd Place: Ny’Asia Hart, Madison Palmer and Chanel Swint

ENGINEERING
4^th Place: Harlem Brown, Jermaine Pauling and Kaleb Thompson

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS 4^th Grade:

DRAWING
1^st Place: Bethany Bunch

JEWELRY
3^rd Place: Lauren Jenkins

ELA
4^th Place: Faith Taplin

MATH:
5^th Place: Lauren Jenkins

SOCIAL STUDIES:
5^th Place: Bethany Bunch

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS 5^th Grade:

BEST OF THE SHOW
1^st Place: Skylar Miller

MATH
1^st Place: Kaleb Thompson

RECYCLABLE ART
1^st Place: Skylar Miller

SPEECH
1^st Place: Phoebe Lupton

FIBER ARTS
2^nd Place: Haley Robinson

MIXED MEDIA
2^nd Place Kaleb Thompson

PAINTING
2^nd Place: Madison Palmer

SCULPTURE
2^nd Place: Xzavier Summerson

SCIENCE
4^th Place: Jermaine Pauling

SOCIAL STUDIES
4^th Place: Ny’Asia Hart

ELA
5^th Place: Emma Thornley