Pizitz students win big at state German Day
Pizitz Middle School’s Level I German students earned top honors at the 23rd annual University of Alabama German Day.
The competition, held in Tuscaloosa on March 2, is for Level I-V students, and teams from schools all across the state participate.
Pizitz eighth-grader Brantley Newsome was named Overall Outstanding Level I Student, and several other Pizitz students took home awards. Newsome said she enjoyed getting to participate in an event that showcases the skills of German students.
“It’s a whole day to just show what we’ve learned so far,” she said.
“It’s kind of intimidating, because you see people that have been doing it longer than you, or they’re just older so you think they’re more experienced,” Newsome said, “but once you are competing, it’s just really fun and it’s really exciting.”
At Pizitz as well as at Liberty Park Middle School, students are able to begin studying German and other languages in the seventh grade, meaning they can complete Level I by the time they reach the high school.
Teacher “Frau” Kathy Rogers said this approach gives students a head start to meet the requirements of the Advanced Academic Diploma and Seal of Biliteracy, should they choose to pursue those once they reach high school.
Newsome said she plans to continue studying German and hopefully reach the upper levels one day.
Pizitz students won the following awards for their performances at the 23rd annual German Day competition:
Overall Outstanding Level I Student
► Brantley Newsome
Dual 'Show and Tell' Dialogue
► First place: Brantley Newsome and Elina Shah
► Second place: Rylen Dempsey and Rush Ahnert
Group Poem Performance
► First place: Brantley Newsome, Elina Shaw, Christina Sorochinsky, Avery Creel and Wallis Millsap
► Second place: Raven Savage, Ansley Hudson, Belinda Li and Hayden Thompson
Group Song Performance
► Second place: Clay Johnston, Riggs Manown, Paul Wheeler, Rylen Dempsey and Rush Ahnert
► Third place: Avery Creel, Brantley Newsome, Elina Shaw, Christina Sorochinskyand Wallis Millsap
Skit
(All levels and schools compete in one category)
► First place: Ryan Pearlman and Eli Vielguth
► Second place: Avery Creel, Brantley Newsome, Elina Shaw, Christina Sorochinsky and Wallis Millsap
► Most Original Skit: Clay Johnston, Riggs Manown, Conor Bodkin, Manish Yalamanchili, Brodyn Cheesman and LaWayne Custard
Video
► First place: Ryan Pearlman, Eli Vielguth, Avery Creel, Brantley Newsome, Elina Shaw, Christina Sorochinsky and Wallis MIllsap
► Second place: Clay Johnston, Rylen Dempsey, Riggs Manown, Rush Ahnert, Paul Wheeler and Manish Yalamanchili
Extemporaneous Speaking
► Tie for first place: Brantley Newsome and Christina Sorochinsky
► Second place: Ryan Pearlman
Spelling Bee
► Second place: Belinda Li
► Third place: Christina Sorochinsky
► Fourth place: Wallis Millsap
Dictation
► First place: Belinda Li
Reading Comprehension
► First place: Brantley Newsome
Geography
► First place: Manish Yalamanchili
T-shirt Design
► Second place: Wallis Millsap
Original Artwork
► First place: Ryan Pearlman, Eli Vielguth, Avery Creel, Brantley Newsome, Elina Shaw, Christina Sorochinsky and Wallis Millsap