Heritage Tea Black History Month Project Winners Named

The Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County (FAC) recently held its annual Heritage Tea Program, a Multi-Cultural Committee event recognizing the talents of students in the Kershaw County School District (KCSD) for their Black History Month projects. Grades three through eight in the district were invited to participate. Awards were given for first, second and third place winners from each grade level. For more than 20 years, the Fine Arts Center’s Multi-Cultural Committee has hosted the annual Heritage Tea to celebrate diversity and showcase the myriad talents of local residents and county youth.

Entertainment for the Tea was provided by the Camden High School Gospel Choir, under the direction of Kimberly Hadden McKnight. A special tribute was given by Senator Vincent Sheheen to honor the memory of the nine people who lost their lives at Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston. The event was sponsored by Piggly Wiggly of Camden.

The Participants and Winners
This year’s participants included Kayla Alexander, Madison Bantum, Delaney Beckley, Amariya Benson, Brooklyn Best, Mary Ashton Blanks, Kaylen Bowen, Joy Bowling, Jayda Bracey, Lacie Brewer, Kenneth Britt, AJ Bryson, Samantha Burriss, Michael Cales, Kenya Campbell, Rylee Carraway, William Carter, Bryceson Catoe, Jared Chavez, Tomie Christofaro, Will Coble, Cherish Commander, Allana Cook, Bryli Corley, Kylie Cox, Alan Cubberley, Tykein Curry, Sora Danzy, Harley Davis, Madison Doyle, Brendan Echevarria, Jason Entzminger, Jylil Favor, Elijah Fletcher, Lindsay Freezon, Sebastian Gainey, Jennifer Gallegos, JT Gandy, Morgan Gardner, Skye Gause, Donovan Gee, Abby Grace Knafelc, Ava Greenway, Meg Grumbach, Ben Hanson, Patience Harvey, Jaden Hayes, Bryson Hayes, Hope Hendrix, Zion Higgins, Blaize Hill, Samantha Hinson, Lyric Izzard, Hailey Jade Medlock, Craig Jeffers, Zachariah Jefferson, Serena Johnson, Shykim Johnson, Jamera Johnson, Ganeja Jones, Madison Jones, Stephany Jordan, Brandon Kahkola, Kirsten Kahkola, Lamar Keitt, Kyrstin King, Logan Knight, Dylan Lane Locklear, Shane Lee, Kellen Lee, Jules Lemonds, Lia Lopez, Trevor Lucas, Eleanor Maconi, Laila Marchman, Stephanie Martinez, Trever Mattox, Madison Maynor, Mathew McCaa, Irelyn McCaskill, Kayland Mearns, Hannah Mendenhall, Purpose Mills, Lazhane Mobley, Granger Morgan, Donnia Naama, Khadophie Outten, Massimo Parrnison, Giselle Piutio, Rodrika Plant, Laura Pollock, Briley Ray, Noah Redfearn, Madalynn Riggins, Olivia Ritchie, Kinsley Roberts, William Robertson, Olivia Robertson, Laurel Rodgers, Madison Rogers, Hayley Russell, Gabby Rutland, Logan Seegars, Aubrey Seeley, Brannon Smith, Kyle Smith, Peyton Stanley, Carlee Statham, Sean Steel, Jadon Thomas, Gabe Thomley, Connor Thompson, Nevaeh Tucker, Zachary Tucker, Seth Turner, Paige Ward, Elizabeth Watkins, Audrey Webb, Tyheim Williams, Andre Wilson, Shanessa Wright, and Olivia Young. The winners of each grade were:

Grade 3:
1st place: Craig Jeffers, Camden Elementary
2nd place: Alan Cubberley, Baron DeKalb Elementary
3rd place: Delaney Beckley, Camden Elementary

Grade 4:
1st place: Ava Greenway, Wateree Elementary
2nd place: Jayda Bracey, Baron DeKalb Elementary
3rd place: Seth Turner, Jackson Elementary

Grade 5:
1st place: Madison Jones, Baron DeKalb Elementary
2nd place: Elijah Fletcher, Baron DeKalb Elementary
3rd place: Mary Ashton Blanks, Camden Elementary

Grade 6:
1st place: Madison Maynor, North Central Middle
2nd place: Hayley Russell, North Central Middle
3rd place: Samantha Hinson, North Central Middle

Grade 7:
1st place: Stephanie Martinez, North Central Middle
2nd place: Sora Danzy, North Central Middle
3rd place: Laura Pollock, North Central Middle

Grade 8:
1st place: Jared Chavez, North Central Middle
2nd place: Kyrstin King, North Central Middle
3rd place: Paige Ward, Lugoff-Elgin Middle

This year’s judges included Sally Brown, Rose Sheheen, Connie Davis Rouse, Beverly Hunter, Florence Darby, Connie Williams, Peggy Burroughs, Latease Barksdale, Linda Shaylor and Debra Edwards.

For more information call 803-425-7676, extension 300 or visit the FAC website at www.fineartscenter.org. The Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County is located at 810 Lyttleton Street in Camden. Office hours are Monday through Wednesday and Friday, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and Thursday 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

The Fine Arts Center is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that is funded in part by the Frederick S. Upton Foundation and the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional funding provided by the City of Camden, Kershaw County, and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina along with donations from businesses and individuals.

Image: 2016 Heritage Tea Winners (left to right): Craig Jeffers (Camden Elementary,) Alan Cubberley (Baron DeKalb Elementary,) Delaney Beckley (Camden Elementary,) Jayda Bracey (Baron DeKalb Elementary,) Seth Turner (Jackson Elementary,) Madison Jones (Baron DeKalb Elementary,) Elijah Fletcher (Baron DeKalb Elementary,) Hayley Russell (North Central Middle,) Samantha Hinson (North Central Middle,) Laura Pollock (North Central Middle,) and Jared Chaves (North Central Middle.)