Emanuel County Institute Honors Night

The Senior Scholarship and Honors Night Program for Emanuel County Institute was held on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 6 p.m. in the school auditorium. At that time, Seniors were recognized for their academic achievements, leadership, and scholarships awarded during the 2024-2025 school year.

The program began with a welcome and recognition of special guests by Halli Kate Johnson and a rendition of the National Anthem by Emma Lawrence.

The program began with special presentations given by Mrs. Elizabeth Kraus, school counselor, and guest presenters. Among the guest presenters were Bonnie Nash representing East Georgia State College, Emily Jerrell with Southeastern Technical College, Amy Harrison representing Pineland Telephone, Susanne Saunders with Jefferson EMC, Whitney Zeagler with Planters EMC, Betsy Johnson representing Adam Brinson Historical Society, Inc. and the Daughters of the American Revolution, Richard Claxton with the American Legion School Award, Joey Blackmon with the Masonic Lodge Scholarship, Brandon Jones representing the Twin City Lions Club and the Cowart Family, Pam Carr representing Family Connection, Jessica Smith representing ECI BETA, Jakyn Tyson with Emanuel County 4-H, Jim Cowart with Durden Banking Co. Giving memorial scholarships were Debbie Riner for the Taylor Hooks Scholarship, Angel Oliver for the Braxton Oliver Memorial Scholarship, Jessica Smith and Mrs. Nasworthy for the Malaina Nasworthy Memorial Scholarship, Sybil Johnson for the Johnson Coca-Cola Scholarship, Olivia Boatright for the Mikey Walker Scholarship, and Dr. Shannon Lawrence with Young Farmers giving the Randall Tanner Scholarship.

Following the presentations of awards by special guests and ECI faculty, Brooke Frye, principal, Sondra Cowart, intervention specialist, and Mrs. Elizabeth Kraus, counselor, presented Academic E’s and honor graduates with their honor stoles, certificates, and pins. Principal Brooke Frye congratulated the award and scholarship recipients and expressed thanks to all who attended the ceremony. Emma Lai Tyam gave closing remarks.

Awards and presentations were as follows:

Special Recognitions

ECI Star Student – Allie Rigdon

ECI Star Teacher – Tori Pellerin

Exchange Club Youth of the Year – Halli Kate Johnson and Oisin Matthews

DAR Good Citizen – Aidan Green

American Legion School Award – Allie Rigdon

Coca-Cola Academic Awards – Halli Kate Johnson and Emma Lai Tyam

President’s Award for Educational Excellence – Halli Kate Johnson, Emma Lai Tyam and Allie Rigdon

Georgia Scholar – Allie Rigdon

Young Georgia Author – Halli Kate Johnson

Georgia Future Educators Signing Day Recognition – Nataleigh Belcher, Natalee Brown, Emma Lawrence, Abbey Marsh and Kanyon Oliver

Scholarships

Georgia Southern Presidential Scholarship – Cayden Jones and Madalyn Jones

Georgia Southern SOAR Beyond Award – JaMyra Shivers

University of Georgia CAES Rural Scholar – Halli Kate Johnson

University of Georgia Department of Poultry Science Scholarship – Halli Kate Johnson

Georgia FCCLA Scholarship – Halli Kate Johnson

National Hereford Queen Scholarship – Nataleigh Belcher

ABAC College Foundation Scholarship – Nataleigh Belcher

FFA Georgia Ford Dealership Scholarship – Nataleigh Belcher

ABAC Foundation Scholarship Willis Fund – Emma Lawrence

Exchange Club Youth of the Year Scholarship – Halli Kate Johnson

Lynelle Hooks Houston Scholarship – Nataleigh Belcher

East Georgia Betty Colston Education Scholarship – Abbey Marsh

Adam Brinson Historical Society, Inc. Scholarship – Emma Lai Tyam

Lions Club Scholarship – Halli Kate Johson and Leniece Bennett

Swainsboro Masonic Lodge Scholarship – Dayla Bethea and Leniece Bennett

Cowart Family Scholarship – Cayden Jones and Parker Frederick

Family Connection Scholarship – Allie Rigdon

Candace Canady Memorial Scholarship – Emma Lawrence

Braxton Oliver Memorial Scholarship – Kinley Grimes

Yeomans Family Scholarship – Halli Kate Johnson

Taylor Hooks Memorial Scholarship – Abbey Marsh

Mikey Walker Memorial Scholarship – Selena Allen

Malaina Claire Nasworthy Scholarship – Emma Lawrence

Randall Tanner Memorial Scholarship – Nataleigh Belcher

Missouri Canady Dudley Scholarship – Kinley Grimes

Johnson Coca-Cola Scholarship – Halli Kate Johnson and Cayden Jones

Emanuel County Women’s League Scholarship – Parker Frederick, Halli Kate Johnson and Allie Rigdon

Kiwanis Memorial Scholarship – Halli Kate Johnson and Emma Lawrence

Durden Banking Co., Inc. – Halli Kate Johnson

Pineland Telephone Cooperative, Inc. Scholarships – Halli Kate Johnson and Allie Rigdon

C & G Car Care Scholarship – Max McBride

Jefferson EMC Scholarship – Emma Lawrence

Planters EMC Scholarship – Gabe Lee

UDC Scholarship – Smith Willoughby

Georgia Farm Bureau Scholarship – Emma Lawrence

Georgia Foundation for Agriculture Scholarship – Emma Lawrence

Georgia Jr. Livestock Foundation Expo Scholarship – Emma Lawrence

Gwinnett County Fair Livestock Scholarship – Emma Lawrence

Billy Moss Beef Futurity Scholarship – Emma Lawrence

Dolan Brown Scholarship – Emma Lawrence

Mobley Georgia Beet Cattle Exhibitors Youth Leadership Scholarship – Emma Lawrence

Lynn Youngblood Davis Excellence in Beef Showmanship Scholarship – Emma Lawrence

Georgia Jr. National Catalog Scholarship – Emma Lawrence

Zell Miller Scholarship – Halli Kate Johnson, Allie Rigdon and Emma Lai Tyam

Georgia Military College – Jayna Kearson (Softball), Oisin Matthews (Football) and Brian Steele (Football)

Brewton Parker College – Destine Hirschy (Wrestling)

ECI Beta Scholarships – Allie Rigdon and Parker Frederick

National Beta Club Scholarships – Parker Frederick, Halli Kate Johnson and Allie Rigdon

Scholarly Recognitions

Citizens Bank Student Advisory Board – Nataleigh Belcher, Matti Cochran, Parker Frederick, Kinley Grimes, Halli Kate Johnson, Cayden Jones, Madalyn Jones, Jayna Kearson, Emma Lai Tyam, Mylie Rose Lane, Emma Lawrence, Gabe Lee, Abbey Marsh, Oisin Matthews, Jacob McBride, Allie Rigdon, Weslyn Snellgrove, Grace Elaine Swygert, Smith Willoughby

Superintendent’s Advisory Board – Halli Kate Johnson and Emma Lai Tyam

Dual Enrollment Participants for Georgia Southern University – Allie Rigdon

Dual Enrollment Participants for East Georgia State College – Natalee Brown, Alana Canady, Riley Cannady, Matti Cochran, Parker Frederick, Ethan Goodman, Kinley Grimes, Halli Kate Johnson, Madalyn Jones, Cayden Jones, Jayna Kearson, Emma Lai Tyam, Mylie Rose Lane, Emma Lawrence, Gabe Lee, Oisin Matthews, Jacob McBride, Kanyon Oliver, Allie Rigdon, Janna Scott, JaMyra Shivers, Grace Elaine Swygert, Kanyon Thompson, Kayanna Thompson, Smith Willoughby, Ethan Woods

East Georgia Pathway Cords – Alana Canady, Riley Canady, Matti Cochran, Parker Frederick, Kinley Grimes, Halli Kate Johnson, Madalyn Jones, Cayden Jones, Jayna Kearson, Emma Lai Tyam, Mylie Rose Lane, Emma Lawrence, Gabe Lee, Oisin Matthews, Jacob McBride, Allie Rigdon, Janna Scott, JaMyra Shivers, Grace Elaine Swygert, Kanyon Thompson, Kayanna Thompson, Smith Willoughby

Dual Enrollment Participants for Southeastern Technical College – Brayden Donaldson, Brody Fagler, Madison Funderburk, Leonel Gonzalez-Demillon, Destine Hirschy, Jesse Hirschy, Max McBride, Emily Rachels, Weslyn Snellgrove, Bradley Xochicale-Albor

Senior Beta Club Members Receiving Cords – Riley Cannady, Parker Frederick, Ethan Goodman, Kinley Grimes, Maggie Hattaway, Halli Kate Johnson, Madalyn Jones, Jayna Kearson, Emma Lai Tyam, Oisin Matthews, Jacob McBride, Allie Rigdon

4-H Honor Cords – Nataleigh Belcher, Olivia Boatright, Parker Frederick, Sean Wilkerson

21st Century Leaders and Student Council Cords – Aidan Green, Cayden Jones, Dayla Bethea, Emma Lai Tyam, Halli Kate Johnson, Jaelynn Dixon-Rowland, JaMyra Shivers, Madalyn Jones, Olivia Boatright, Selena Allen, Smith Willoughby, Weslyn Snellgrove

Governor’s Honors Cords – Emma Lai Tyam

Subject Area Awards

Pre-Calculus – Jacob Q McBride

College Readiness – Destine Hirschy

Economics – Madalyn Jones

British Literature – Robert Lane

Anatomy/Physiology – Jacob Q McBride

JROTC IV – Alana Canady

Visual Arts IV – Jhordyn Black

Visual Arts V – Kaydence Jones

Department Awards

Fine Art Pathway Cords – Selena Allen, Michaela Barquet, Connor Beasley, Nataleigh Belcher, Dayla Bethea, Jhordyn Black, Ta’Mya Blockett, Riley Cannady, Cailey Fann, Madison Funderburk, Mario Harrison, Gavin Henry, Jaydence Jones, Kacie Kokotis, Emma Lai Tyam, Cayden Lane, Nathan Marsh, Chassity Pruitt, MaKayla Radford, Carlo Salinas, JaMyra Shivers, Jacorra Turner, Cystal Villarreal, Ty’Ashia Williams, Aidan Xochicale

JROTC Cords – Dayla Bethea, Alana Canady, Riley Cannady, Jacob Clark, Aidan Green, Khamani Mills, CJ Roberson, Kanesha Smith, Crystal Villarreal, Ta’Mya Blockett, De’Kayvion Ford, Gary Ray

JROTC Stoles – Dayla Bethea, Alana Canady, Riley Cannady, Jacob Clark, Aidan Green, Khamani Mills, CJ Roberson, Kanesha Smith, Crystal Villarreal

End of Pathway Cords

All students are strongly encouraged to complete a CTAE pathway (3 classes) in either business, family and consumer sciences, agriculture, or engineering. This year, students that have completed a pathway and passed the credentialing examination are receiving honor cords for their efforts. These students have passed real-world industry-recognized exams to earn this distinction.

• Nutrition and Food Science: Selena Allen, Michaela Barquet, Leniece Bennett, Jordan Branch, Clorinda Carrillo, Jacob Clark, Brandon Culberson, Cailey Fann, Parker Frederick, Madison Funderburk, Maggie Hattaway, Jayna Kearson, Khamani Mills, Chassity Pruitt, Gary Ray, CJ Roberson, Carlo Salinas, Kanesha Smith, Weslyn Snellgrove, Brian Steele, Kayanna Thompson

• Agriculture: Nataleigh Belcher, Kendall Brannen, Natalee Brown, Jaelynn Dixon-Rowland, Parker Frederick, Kinley Grimes, Jake Grimm, Maggie Hattaway, Halli Kate Johnson, Emma Lawrence, Gabe Lee, Oisin Matthews, Jacob McBride, Emily Rachels, Allie Rigdon, Leandro Sanchez, JaMyra Shivers, Gaven Simmons, Clayton Stripling, Sean Wilkerson

• Business: Leniece Bennett, Jhordyn Black, Olivia Boatright, Marquise Edmond, Cailey Fann, Parker Frederick, Ethan Goodman, Braylin Harrison, Caden Jones, Kaydence T’Neil Jones, Kacie Kokotis, Emma Lawrence, Chassity Pruitt, Makayla Radford, Janna Scott, Jacorra Turner, Aidan Xochicale

• Audio/Video: Matti Cochran, Grace Elaine Swygert, Ethan Woods

• Engineering: Mason Gay, Ethan Goodman, Gavin Henry, Madalyn Jones, Robert Lane, Abbey Marsh, Nathan Marsh, Allie Rigdon, Carlo Salinas, Smith Willoughby, Ethan Woods

• Academic E: Nataleigh Belcher, Riley Cannady, Clorinda Carrillo, Jaelynn Dixon-Rowland, Mason Gay, Kinley Grimes, Jacob Grimm, Maggie Hattaway, Destine Hirschy, Halli Kate Johnson, Madalyn Jones, Emma Lai Tyam, Robert Lane, Emma Lawrence, Gabe Lee, Abbey Marsh, Jacob Q McBride, Allie Rigdon, JaMyra Shivers

Honor Graduates: Selena Gail Allen, Michaela Lachelle Barquet, Nataleigh Alassi Belcher, Margie Leniece Bennett, Natalee Marie Brown, Alana D’Ashia Canady, Riley Lynn Cannady, Matti Alexa Cochran, Jaelynn Page Dixon-Rowland, Mason Gage Gay, Ethan Michael Goodman, Kinley Clair Grimes, Jacob Cole Grimm, Maggie Layne Hattaway, Gavin Richard Henry, Destine Elizabeth Hirschy, Jesse Ryan Hirschy, Halli Kate Johnson – Valedictorian, Billy Cayden Carlyle Jones, Madalyn Gale Jones, Jayna Cate Kearson, Emma Rose Lai Tyam – Salutatorian, Mylie Rose Lane, Robert Cayden Lane, Emma Mae Lawrence, Gabriel Weston Lee, Abbey Marie Marsh, Oisin Colin Matthews, Jacob QiJiang McBride, Emily Elizabeth Rachels, Allie Lyn Rigdon, Janna Logan Scott, JaMyra Alexis Shivers, Weslyn Grace Snellgrove, Brian Steele Jr., Grace Elaine Swygert, Robert Kanyon Thompson, Sean Dylan Wilkerson,

Anna Smith Willoughby