The Public Health Academy at Hillwood High recently announced that Junior Courtney Mercer placed 5th in the Exercise Science competition at the HOSA state conference last month. Eleven students from Hillwood's Public Health Academy won their regional competitions and competed at the state level -- a remarkable feat for a first-year program. Congratulations!

Additionally, two Public Health Academy teachers, Tonja DeVault and Amy Pawlak, have been selected to represent Metro Schools at the 2009 NEED camp, sponsored by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development through the Tennessee Energy Education Network. NEED involves teachers with outstanding classroom-based activities as well as outreach projects that teach students and others about energy efficiency and conservation.  Devault and Pawlak will have time during the camp to develop energy education activities for students in Hillwood's Environmental Science pathway, and both will receive a $500 grant to conduct energy-related activities during the 2009-2010 school year.