School briefs

PROVO

Three students at Meridian School have won awards in writing contests. Meridian is a private, college preparatory school with a liberal arts emphasis.

• Grace Humiston, 15, is one of 200 national gold medal winners in the Scholastics Arts and Writing Contest for a play she wrote as part of Meridian's Extreme Theatre exercise. Her play, "Feathers," centers on a nursing home resident, Mrs. Seiko, who doesn't speak, but insists on constantly wearing an old feathered boa given to her by her late husband. The nursing home workers learn lessons from Mrs. Seiko as they interact with her.

More than 250,000 students all from around the country and a few international students entered the contest, said Kris Crowther, public relations director.

• Kellie Higgins, 18, won first place in the first-ever Youth Playwriting Competition sponsored by the Utah Shakespearean Festival. Her play, "Tokyo Story," was also written as a part of Meridian's Extreme Theatre exercise.

"The play is about baseball, theatre and love, an unlikely, but award-winning combination," Crowther said.

For her senior project, Higgins created a Shakespeare Christmas tree she donated to the Festival of Trees in Salt Lake City. Her tree featured ornaments that represent each of Shakespeare's plays, including a Trojan horse from "Troiles and Cressida," a tombstone from "Merry Wives of Windsor," and an eyeball from "King Lear."

Meridian English teacher Justin Kennington bought the tree for $400. The money went to Primary Children's Medical Center.

• Ai Yasafuku, a recent Meridian graduate, has her work included "The Best Teen Writing of 2005," a publication from The Scholastic Writings Awards of 2005, a national program of recognizing graduating high school seniors. The work was released recently by the National Council of Teachers of English. The anthology showcases 51 examples of writers age 12-18 from across the country.

SPANISH FORK

Spanish Fork High School student Michelle Boyack was recently selected 5A First Place Outstanding Adviser by the Utah Classic Drill Competition. She also received the distinguished award 4A Outstanding Dill Adviser from the Utah Dance and Drill Association in 2001-2002.

SPRINGVILLE