Discus Awards

'Tis the season of giving, and what better to give than your time to those who need it most?  Alas, there are so many areas of need in each of our communities, sometimes it's hard to decide how to best donate your time.  Well, we asked Discus Award winners, some of the most involved, community-oriented high school students in the country for some advice, and they shared some ideas for community service activities to participate in this winter.  Feel free to use this as a resource, but remember, no matter what you end up doing, you can make a difference!

 Sarah Dills: "Ring the bell for the Salvation Army, volunteer at a soup kitchen, and/or collect food and clothes donations for a homeless shelter."

 Ashley Glamdoll Nichole: "Put together toy and clothes baskets and deliver them to children who are less fortunate."

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Filed under: Discus Dan • Outside the Classroom • Volunteer Here

Welcome to Tennessee, the birthplace of country music and home of the Country Music Hall of Fame.  Tennessee is famous for its music festivals featuring the biggest acts in the business, like Bonnaroo and the Riverbend Festival.  Soon, Tennessee will also be known for being the home of one young Jesse Garland, a professional musician by the age of 12 and a Discus Award winner for his excellence in the arts, community service, and work.

Today's Discus Awards Winner Video of the Day is Jesse Garland shredding some old country riffs on his banjo at the fair in a video appropriately titled Jesse Garland and His Smokin' Banjo.

For more videos of Jesse playing the banjo, visit his winner's profile.

Filed under: Discus Dan • All-Around High School Students • Winner Video of the Day

We feature two pictures today, both from Discus Award winner James Liu, a senior in high school in Maryland.  James is a martial arts expert, a motivated poet, and an academic force to be reckoned with.  While written word comprises a large piece of his artistic pie, James writes, "In the visual sphere, I dabble in a little of everything including painting, photography, video production, sculpture, and various other mixed media."  To learn more about James, visit his winner's profile.

The first of James' pictures is a painting of a flower that he created in 2009.  The photograph featured is a picture James took while on a trip in Boston.  Enjoy!

Filed under: Discus Dan • All-Around High School Students • Winner Picture of the Day

Music videos about love are typically a dime a dozen, but when they're developed by the creative mind of a Discus Award winner, they tend to become instant classics. Megan Paetzhold, an all-around high school student recognized by the Discus Awards for her achievements in arts, academics, and work, recruited a cast with chemistry and shot and cut this heartwarming story of a boy struck by cupid. This would have been a perfect video for February 14th, but it's just so good I couldn't wait!

Grab your date, pop some popcorn, and get lost in a "Day Dream", brought to you by Megan Paetzhold.

Filed under: Discus Dan • All-Around High School Students • Winner Video of the Day

Today's picture of the day comes from Discus Award winner Ashley Schultz, a dancer, filmer, and photographer. In addition to her artistic talents, Ashley is an environmental activist and dedicated volunteer. Among her many service achievements, she's volunteered at camps for disabled children, helped raise money for Haiti, and sent Life Straws to Ethiopa.  To learn more about Ashley, you can visit her winner's profile.

Today, we focus on Ashley's right brain and showcase a pretty picture she snapped of morning dew on a blade of grass at the start of a beautiful sunny day.

Filed under: Discus Dan • All-Around High School Students • Winner Picture of the Day