By Kathryn Schiliro
Managing Editor

Eight Morgan County High School alumni were awarded International Baccalaureate (IB) diplomas at a ceremony held Thursday, Jan. 3 at the school.
This year's IB Diploma recipients are: Mary Bryan, Anne Miller, Jake Pendergraft, William Prior, Kortne Simmons, Alex Sorohan, Laura Margaret Burbach and Kiara Smith.
According to MCHS's Advanced Programs Coordinator Mark Argo, there are four criteria IB students must meet to be awarded the diploma. First, the student must take a "rigorous, prescribed program" including native language, history, math, science, world language, an IB elective and Theory of Knowledge, an IB mainstay course. The student must score at least a four out of seven on a two- or three-part free-response exam in each subject area. Third, the student must make the minimum on a 4,000-word extended research essay as well as a Theory of Knowledge essay, "which ties together learning in all the subject areas." Finally the student is require to complete 150 hours of public service in the areas of creativity, action and science.
A number of students also received Full IB Certificates, which means they completed their IB coursework, but failed to meet one or more of the previously mentioned IB Diploma requirements. Those receiving these certificates include: Alyssa Alsbrooks, Courtney Boswell, Shakarah Boswell, Tristan Brackin, Amanda Byrd, Olivia Cochran, Charles Drury, Samatier Gaither, Shamiah Grant, Khadijah Hill, Jordan Janousek, Ansley Jones, Lillian Kohn, Jack Miles, Damian Monday, Nicola Newton and Rachel Shanklin.
IB Certificates are also awarded to students not enrolled in the IB program, but who met the requirements for an IB class or classes. This year, these certificates were awarded in IB Science, IB Art, or IB World Languages 3 and 4. These students are: Cassandra Gauthier, Marissa White, Grace Shelton, Bryce Kiepper, Lucas Greenway, Sean Smith, Andrew Barrett, Emily Barrett, Andrew Phillips, Savannah Roberts, Kaylin Thomason, Haley Day, Sahil Patel, Kelly Whitcomb, Emily Bearden, James Bearden, Katelin Benkoski, Nathan Neuhart and Alexandra Brown.
This ceremony is held annually over winter break because IB Diploma recipients aren't announced until mid-July and diplomas don't even arrive until mid-October. As most recipients are in post-secondary institutions, hold the ceremony over the break allows them to return to their alma mater to attend the event, Argo said.

Printed in the January 10, 2013