• The Executive Council of the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG) wrote Darlington a letter acknowledging the outstanding performances of Darlington students who participated in the 1999 AATG National Testing and Awards Program. Among over 25,000 students who participated, Darlington students scored on or above the 85th percentile.
• Mark Hoven’s freshman English classes studied To Kill a Mockingbird this spring via the web with a school in Alaska.
• David Powell, English department chairman, will attend a National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Summer Institute on reading, writing, and teaching at Myrtle Beach, S.C., this summer.
• Raymond Murray, Upper School English instructor, attended a lecture in New York City by Professor Peter Smith, University of the South, concerning insights in Tennessee Williams’ previously unproduced play, Not About Nightingales, before seeing the play at the Circle in the Square theater.
• Tony Lopez, Upper School Spanish instructor, has recently received media coverage in a variety of national martial arts publications for his continued work and success with the sport. News reported about him includes his well-attended martial arts seminar in January; induction into the Martial Artists, Legends and Pioneers Hall of Fame in Norwalk, Conn.; and his martial arts videos. Lopez’s are the third highest selling martial arts videos worldwide, and since there is a demand for more videos, he plans to produce more this summer. The videos will feature Lopez, Middle School history instructor Matt Gelfand, and alumni Jesse Mayo ’92 and Gabe Tharp ’97. U.S. National Sombo team head coach Bruce Jones, who teaches Martial Arts to FBI agents and Federal Marshals, is planning to study with Lopez this summer.
• Junior Ruffin Paulling recently earned the Eagle Scout Award. To obtain this distinction, a scout must demonstrate leadership and must have earned 21 merit badges. Paulling has earned 31 merit badges. His Eagle Scout project benefited the Rome Boys and Girls Club.
• Bagby Transfer Company sponsored juniors Barrett Fleming and Chris Presley and seniors Sean Atkins and Jim Pardue in the Exchange Club of Rome’s annual Bed Race, a charity event benefiting the Family Resource Center of Rome. The four students took first prize in the event.
• Raul Gonzalez has been invited to participate in the 1999 Governor’s Honors Program in Valdosta, Ga. Raul, who will study mathematics for six weeks this summer, was chosen as a finalist after interviews with Darlington administrators and Governor’s Honors representatives.
