Achievers

On Oct. 6, 2007, Jacksonville was forever changed when Payton Scott Diers was involved in an accident that took his life on Oct. 8, 2007. In honor of Payton, Jacksonville ISD hosted a blood drive with Carter-Stewart Blood Care on Oct. 9, 2007. The community joined together and demonstrated their generous love and support.

Out of these five counties, Anderson, Houston, Trinity, Cherokee and Angelina, Jacksonville ISD was awarded a certificate for the largest Blood Drive in 2007.

The certificate from Carter-Stewart Blood Care to Jacksonville ISD was presented to of Payton's family on May 2, 2008. Jacksonville ISD thanks the community for its support during the blood drive.

Taylor Claiborne of Jacksonville High School will travel to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston this summer to participate in a one-week summer internship.

Nominated by Chuck Hopson, she has been selected as one of 350 high school juniors from across Texas to be part of High School Aerospace Scholars.

Students have been working to complete 10 Web-based assignments during the school year. They will apply what they have learned during the year, which will challenge them to work as part of a team to design a mission to Mars.

The weeklong experience at JSC includes a tour of JSC facilities and briefings by noted NASA employees, including astronauts.

These students and teammates will conclude their experience by presenting their proposal at a luncheon for their parents, members of the Texas Legislature, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Rotary NASA, and JSC senior management.

William Igbokwe from Jacksonville High School placed third in Prose Reading at the State UIL Contest in April. Ginger Lustig, is the JHS speech teacher and UIL sponsor.