The High School Marching Band is preparing for a performance tour to Beijing, Shanghai, and other points in China during spring break. Some 300 student musicians and chaperones will make the historic trip, visiting the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, and the Forbidden City, among other sites -- not to mention bringing a uniquely American art form to China. The a cappella choirs, orchestra, and art students are headed in the other direction during the break -- to Spain.

The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation has awarded the District a $12,000 grant for the production of a video on Shaker?s initiatives to promote students? exposure to Asian culture. The film will document the High School marching band?s upcoming performance tour in China, as well as the recently added classes in Mandarin Chinese and High School?s well-established Asian Studies program, developed in conjunction with the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Shaker seniors Stephanie Goldfarb, Anthony Lanese, and Hyunho Lee were invited to apply for the Presidential Scholars program, having earned the highest possible scores on college entrance examinations. Both Stephanie and Hyunho earned 2400 on the Scholastic Assessment Test (which now includes three sections, each with a maximum possible score of 800) and Anthony scored a 36 composite on the American College Test, also the highest possible. All three are also among Shaker's National Merit Semifinalists this year.

Only 2,600 candidates nationwide are identified for the academic component of the prestigious program. Each spring, up to 141 students are named Presidential Scholars, one of the nation's highest honors for high school students. The program, initiated in 1964, has honored more than 5,000 Presidential Scholars for their scholarship, leadership, artistic ability, and contribution to their school and community.

Art students from Shaker Heights schools won 30 awards in the 2007 Cuyahoga Regional Scholastic Art Awards Program ? the most of the 52 participating schools. Shaker Heights High School?s winners are: David Coscarelli, Honorable Mention in Video/Film; Chelsea Feldman, Honorable Mention in Ceramics; Molly Fisher, Gold Keys in Drawing and in Portfolio; Claire Gustafson, Honorable Mention in Ceramics; Everett Hoffman, Silver Key in Sculpture; Kelsey Hopkins, Gold Keys in Drawing and in Portfolio, Silver Key in Drawing, Regional Recognition Scholarship ($500) to the Cleveland Institute of Art; Meghana Karnik, Gold Keys in Drawing and in Portfolio, Silver Key in Drawing; Daniel Klodor, Gold Key in Drawing; Blair Kurit, Honorable Mention in Ceramics; Catherine Licina, Silver Key in Jewelry; Claire Licina, Honorable Mention in Jewelry; Joanna Mitchell, Gold Key in Painting, Sue Wall Painting Award ($100); Tyler Naugle, Silver Key in Animation; Allison Paetz, Gold Key in Jewelry; Robert Rhodes, Silver Key in Mixed Media; Joe Schorgl, Honorable Mention in Design; Emily Tuttle, Gold Key in Jewelry; Anthony Williams, Silver Key in Video/Film; and Mary Winkelman, Gold Keys in Drawing and in Portfolio, Tony Eterovich Drawing Award ($100), American Visions Award-Best of Show. Her work will be nominated for the national American Visions award. The art teachers of the High School winners are Karen DeMauro, Keaf Holliday, Susan Weiner, and Department Chair Dan Whitely. Danielle Swales, a Middle School student, received an Honorable Mention in Sculpture. Her art teacher is Middle School Department Chair Paul Richards.

A pair of Shaker brothers has earned top honors in local National Geographic Bee competitions. Evan Seballos, a fifth grader at Woodbury Elementary School, and Spencer Seballos, a seventh grader at Shaker Heights Middle School, won their respective school geography bees last month. To prepare for the competition, the brothers read atlases, study guides, and National Geographic magazine, and it paid off. After becoming school-level champions, both Evan and Spencer took state competition qualification examinations. They will find out in March if they are to advance to the next round. State winners will compete at the national level in Washington, D.C., in May. Sponsored by the National Geographic Society, the competition is designed to encourage teachers to include geography in their classrooms, spark interest in the subject, and increase public awareness about geography. Faculty member Joseph Romano coordinates the annual Woodbury competition, while faculty member Michael Sears coordinates the Middle School competition.

Mercer Elementary School's new tile mural, depicting creativity in all its many forms, was unveiled this week. Under the guidance of artist-in-residence George Woideck and Mercer art teacher Deborah Ashbaugh, each Mercer student hand-painted a tile. Staff members and parent volunteers assembled the tiles on a wall near the school's front entrance to create an intriguing and colorful welcome. Funds from A Night for the Red & White supported the project.

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