Owen Ferguson Signs with

Birmingham-Southern College

 

Surrounded by family, teammates, coaches and classmates, Homewood Patriots guard Owen Ferguson has signed a Letter of Intent to play basketball at Birmingham-Southern College on April 30 in the HHS gym. Owen becomes the first Patriot to sign a basketball scholarship from the 2014 Sub-Regional Champions who qualified to go to Jacksonville for the state regionals. He is undecided on a field of study at this time, but he will decide in the near future.

Owen is the son of Matt and Ashley Ferguson of Homewood and the grandson of Colleen Ferguson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holocaust Survivor Visits

Homewood High School

 

Dr. Auerbacher and the HHS Student Body

 

 

Holocaust survivor and author, Dr. Inge Auerbacher, spoke to the students at Homewood High School during an assembly on April 28. Dr. Auerbacher was the last Jewish child born in Kippenheim, Germany on December 31, 1934. During the dictatorship of Adolf Hitler, Jewish people were imprisoned and most perished. She and her family spent three years imprisoned in a Nazi Concentration Camp from 1942 – 1945, starting when she was only seven years old. Her family was among the only 1% that survived the concentration camps where many perished in gas chambers.

Dr. Auerbacher and her family moved to New York City where she spent 38 years as a chemist, and she later received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Long Island University. She has also published four books, including “I Am A Star – Child of the Holocaust” and “Beyond the Yellow Star to America." All of her books are available at www.ingeauerbacher.com/books.htm.

Today, Dr. Auerbacher travels across the country sharing her life with people of all ages. She returns to her birthplace in Germany every year and has visited the house where she was born. Her message of inspiration and courage reached deep into the heart of many Homewood students. HHS junior Steven Craig was truly moved by Dr. Auerbacher’s visit. He stated, “She truly inspires me and shows us all that anything can be possible.”

HHS Alumnus Receives Taylor Medal

On April 10,  Logan Dodson, a graduate of Homewood High School, received the prestigious Taylor Medal at a ceremony at The University of Mississippi. The Taylor Medal is the highest honor at the University of Mississippi. 

  

Dodson was also selected as the recipient of the Elaine Deas Mullins Outstanding Secondary Mathematics Educator. He is currently doing his student teaching at Oxford Middle and High School where he is helping coach baseball as a volunteer coach. Dodson graduated from Homewood High School where he played both football and baseball. 
 

Dodson has accepted a position as an assistant to the head football coach and academic instructor at East Coast Preparatory School, a one semester post graduate program for athletes intent on reaching the next level in their development in Great Barrington, Mass.  Dodson is the son of retired Northwest Police Chief Al Dodson and Lisa Matney of Homewood.

Homewood Ranked As A Best High School
By U.S. News & World Report

 

Congratulations to Homewood High School for being ranked the fourth best high school in Alabama by U.S. News & World Report rankings of best high schools in the country.

Among the 2014 U.S. News Best High Schools in Alabama, three were awarded gold medals and 12 received silver medals. Homewood High School received a silver award.

The U.S. News rankings include data on more than 19,400 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Homewood High School Names

Cheerleading Captains

 

Zoey Johnson (left) and Kate Fitzpatrick were recently named as the Captain and Co-Captain, respectively, for the 2014 - 2015 school year at Homewood High School. Both will be Seniors at HHS this Fall.

 

Homewood Teen Saves His Mother’s Life

 

Homewood High School Freshman Logan Bales found himself in a situation he never imagined at this point in his young life. His mom started feeling pain and tingling in her side and hand. She then fell unconscious to the floor, the victim of a debilitating stroke. Quick to respond, 15 year old Logan immediately called an aunt, who directed him to call 911. Five minutes after the 911 call, EMT’s arrived at the Bales’ residence in Homewood to give her medical treatment. Very shortly after, Logan and his mom were on their way to University Hospital in Birmingham aboard an ambulance. What unfolded next has changed Logan’s life.

While doctors worked to stabilize his mom, Logan waited with worry and uncertainty. An ER doctor approached Logan with the news that his mother was stable and would be okay, and that Logan had saved his mother’s life. This is certainly not the words a young man ever expects to hear, and Logan is proud that he was able to think clearly and do the right thing in a life-threatening situation.

His mother is now home and on the road to recovery, but still requires round the clock attention. She is grateful for her son and the way he responded in her time of need. After a few days at home to care for his mom, Logan has returned to school. As a freshman at Homewood High School, Logan is a popular student in his class, and he participates in football and wrestling.

 

Logan Bales

 

Homewood's Miller Williams Receives

Bryant-Jordan Awards

 

Homewood High School senior Miller Williams received the Bryant-Jordan Student Athlete scholarship awards in both the 5A region ($2,500) and the 5A state ($3,000) during a presentation on April 14, 2014 at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel Ballroom. The Bryant-Jordan Student-Athlete Program was created in 1986 by the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in conjunction with the Alabama High School Athletic Association. It recognizes and honors Alabama students who have,by ability and effort, achieved a level of excellence in the areas of academics and athletics that is commensurate with their potential.

 Joining Miller for the presentation were Homewood City Schools Superintendent Dr. Bill Cleveland and Homewood High School Principal Dr. Zack Barnes. The Executive Director of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame is Scott Myers.

Homewood's Riordan Wyatt to Cheer for BSC

 

Homewood High School Senior Riordan Wyatt will be on the sidelines cheering for the Birmingham-Southern College Panthers next year during her freshman school year. Riordan has cheered for the Homewood Patriots the past four years, serving as the co-head her senior year. She is also a member of the Student Government Association, Senior Class Activities Director, Key Club, Beta Club, National Honor Society and Spanish Club. Riordan's future plans are to study Communications in order to pursue a career in Journalism.

 

Homewood Girls Track Win Spain Park Invitational

The Homewood Patriots Girls Track and Field team won the Spain Park Invitational during the weekend of April 5-7. The Patriots were led by Kiara Williams and Ann Mosely Whitsett who both won multiple events. Kiara won the long jump, triple jump, and the 100m hurdles; Ann Mosely won both the 400m and 800m. The HHS Boys team placed 3rd and were led by event winners Andy Smith (800m), Alazae Hester-Taylor (Triple Jump), and Alex Ngei (3200m).

HHS Star Spangled Girls Selected for 2014-2015

 

The 2014-2015 Star Spangled Girls were chosen recently at Homewood High School.

Selected to this elite dance team are:
Hannah Beckering
Grace Bertram
Tacallya Bush
Amanda Disney
Rileigh Eaton
Rebecca Feldman
Kendall Fowler
Mary Catherine Grant
Olivia Harmon
Anna Jeffcoat
Kensie Kile
Abby Logue
Millie Grace Malek
Samantha Nelms
Julianne Nelson
Amica Rapadas
Catherine Quisenberry
Lauren Simmons
Laine Smith
Abby Thompson
Laura Wagstaff
Sarah Wales
Savannah Wright

Alternates for the Star Spangled Girls are:
Bianca Ceron
Molly Hughes
Leeann Huynh
Mary Grace Pitts
Mattice Steele
Dina Zaher

Homewood Selected As "Best 100 Communities for Music Education" for Ninth Year

The NAMM Foundation announced the results of its 15th annual Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) survey, which acknowledges schools and districts across the U.S. for their commitment to and support for music education in schools. This year, Homewood City Schools has been designated a “Best Community.”

This is the ninth year Homewood has received this honor, and this year Homewood was only one of four communities in the State of Alabama that was selected as one of the Nation’s best school districts for music education.

“These schools and districts make a strong commitment to music education in the core curriculum supporting its essential value to a well-rounded education for every child,” said Mary Luehrsen, NAMM Foundation executive director.

The BCME survey is a nationwide search for communities whose programs exemplify a strong commitment to music education. Established in 1999, BCME recognizes and celebrates schools, their administrators, teachers, board members, parents and students for their support of music education and their efforts to assure access to all students as part of the core curriculum.

Participants receiving the “Best Communities” designation answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and other relevant factors in their communities’ music education programs. The responses were verified with district officials and advisory organizations reviewed the data.

Homewood City Schools has received this award in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014.