(COLUMBIA, Tenn. - April 17, 2017) - - - More than 300 high school students recently participated in Columbia State Community College's annual High School Competition when students from 17 southern Middle Tennessee high schools competed in 18 different academic areas, including creative writing, vocal performance, algebra and sociology.

"It was great seeing so many young and thoughtful students compete in various academic disciplines," said Jessica Evans, Columbia State instructor of English.

Dating back to the 1980s, the competition continues to focus on humanities disciplines and has since added math components.


Photo Caption: Video (left to right): First place winner, Joseph Fox of Richland High School and second place winner, Jonah Townsend of Richland High School.

Photo Caption: Beginner Spanish/English Translation (left to right): First place winner, Jenna Cheatham of Marshall County High School; second place winner, Lauren Milan of Frank Hughes High School; and third place winner, Elizabeth Hudson of Zion Christian Academy.

Photo Caption: Extemporaneous Speech (left to right): First place winner, William Lewis of Richland High School; second place winner, Cheyenne Martin of Santa Fe High School; and third place winner, Hannah Weller of Columbia Academy.

Photo Caption: Advanced Spanish/English Translation (left to right): First place winner, Gisela Lopez of Marshall County High School; second place winner, Jacqueline Licona of East Hickman High School; and third place winner, Rosa Bello of East Hickman High School.

Photo Caption: Psychology (left to right): First place winner, Camille French of Zion Christian Academy; second place winner, Chuck Teeples of Richland High School; and third place winner, Parker Inniss of Zion Christian Academy.

Photo Caption: Sociology (left to right): First place winner, Peyton King of Santa Fe High School and second place winner, Christina Carroll of East Hickman High School.

Photo Caption: Essay (left to right): First place winner, Luke Makram of Marshall County High School; second place winner, Jackie Box of Loretto High School; and third place winner, Will McBee of Loretto High School.

Photo Caption: World Geography (left to right): First place winner, James Owens of Marshall County High School; second place winner, Bailey Adams of Richland High School; and third place winner, Morgan Goodman of Marshall County High School.

Photo Caption: Trigonometry (left to right): First place winner, Tate Kinney of East Hickman High School; second place winner, Konnor Reece of Columbia Academy; and third place winner, Dalton Bennett of Columbia Academy.

Photo Caption: Algebra II (left to right): First place winner, Tate Kinney of East Hickman High School; second place winner, Hannah White of Columbia Academy; and third place winner, Joshua Rogers of Columbia Academy.

Photo Caption: U.S. Constitution (left to right): First place winner, Camille French of Zion Christian Academy; second place winner, Anna Brewer of Spring Hill High School; and third place winner, Sarah Lochridge of Spring Hill High School.

Photo Caption: American History (left to right): First place winner, Laramie Plott of Zion Christian Academy; second place winner, Shannon Andrews of Zion Christian Academy; and third place winner, Anna Brewer of Spring Hill High School.

Photo Caption: Impromptu Fiction (left to right): First place winner, Breanna Sims of Santa Fe High School and second place winner, Chloe Spoon of Hampshire High School. Not Pictured, third place winner, Daniel Beddingfield of Giles County High School.

Photo Caption: Piano Performance: First place winner, Parker Innis of Zion Christian Academy.

Photo Caption: Mass Communications (left to right): First place winner, Alex Thomas of East Hickman High School; second place winner, Seth Bennett of Zion Christian Academy; and third place winner, Miranda Hunter of Zion Christian Academy.

Photo Caption: Oral Interpretation (left to right): First place winner, Jordan Lord of Marshall County High School; second place winner, James Grossman of Spring Hill High School; and third place winner, Chasity Williams of Marshall County High School.

Photo Caption: Impromptu Poetry (left to right): First place winner, Henry Petrochko of Zion Christian Academy; second place winner, Kayla Lawson of Spring Hill High School; and third place winner, Brooke Norman of Spring Hill High School.

Photo Caption: Vocal Performance (left to right): First place winner, Miranda Hunter of Zion Christian Academy; second place winner, Jay Potts of Marshall County High School; and third place winner, Eden Harrison of Spring Hill High School.

Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, one of the largest higher education systems in the nation. For more information, please visit www.ColumbiaState.edu.

Tennessee's Community Colleges is a system of 13 colleges offering a high-quality, affordable, convenient and personal education to prepare students to achieve their educational and career goals in two years or less. We offer associate degree and certificate programs, workforce development programs and transfer pathways to four-year degrees. For more information, please visit us online at tncommunitycolleges.org.