Worldly seventh grade public, private and home school students will be honored at an award ceremony April 7 in the White House East Room of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library.
Keynote speaker will be Janet Evans, four-time Olympic gold medal winner in swimming. An Orange County resident, Evans graduated from Tuffree Junior High, El Dorado High, and USC. Remarks will also be given by Bill Habermehl, Orange County Superintendent of Schools, and Dr. Dennis Smith, Superintendent of the Placentia/Yorba Linda School District.
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Ten middle schools in the Placentia/Yorba Linda School District participated in the geography testing, including Travis Ranch, Kraemer, Bernardo Yorba, Tuffree, Yorba Linda, Valadez Academy, St. Francis of Assisi , St Joseph, Parkview and the Community Home Education Program.
The youngsters are being recognized for their ability to accurately identify continents, countries, oceans, rivers, bays, islands and other natural features. Members of the Richard Nixon Library Docent Guild geography committee, chaired by Lori Olsen, visited schools in February and March to administer the tests. Of the nearly 1,800 participating students, 300 achieved perfect scores and will receive an honor certificate plus a gold medallion. Trophies are given to the public and private schools for achieving the highest average of correct answers.
The Student Geography Awards program started in 1994, the year of President Nixon’s passing, and inspired by his lifelong interest in foreign affairs.
The awards ceremony begins at 10:00 am and will be attended by winners, school faculty and administrators, and parents.