[New Edition] Tift Teacher's 39th Boston Marathon

April 19, 2016

Tifton, Georgia

(478) 227-7126

www.tiftongrapevine.com

TIFT TEACHER COMPLETES

39th BOSTON MARATHON

MIKE BEEMAN AT NO. 8 FOR MOST CONSECUTIVE RUNS

IN EVENT'S 120-YEAR HISTORY

The 120th Boston Marathon was held Monday, April 18 -- the world's oldest annual marathon and the most prestigious 26.2-mile run.


	Beeman with daughter Melanie at a water station during yesterday's marathon.

Among the 30,000 runners was Mike Beeman of Tifton, who just completed his 39th consecutive Boston Marathon yesterday, placing him at No. 8 for the most consecutive participation since the marathon began in 1897.

Beeman is a marketing teacher at Tift County High School and recently became co-coach of the school's cross country team.

"I appreciate all the support from current students, former students, colleagues and town folk from Tifton," a beaming Beeman told the Tifton Grapevine after the marathon.

"I love my community and was able to say on camera in Boston that I am from Tifton. I was also blessed to be in


VIDEO: Beeman on Boston TV news.

the AJC (Atlanta Journal Constitution) and talked of my Tifton roots. This year was No. 39, and it never gets old," Beeman said.

Beeman said he "found it humorous" that he made the local Boston TV news because of his shirt, which proclaimed "I Love Wellesley College." Students at the women's college traditionally line the marathon route at the halfway mark and cheer on, kiss and hug the runners.

Click on the CBS WBZ-TV video above to see Beeman's interview. To read the Beeman profile in the Atlanta newspaper, Click Here.


	MAYOR JULIE SMITH

GO TO TOWN!

IT'S GEORGIA CITIES WEEK IN TIFTON

Cities across Georgia are celebrating Georgia Cities Week, April 17-23, with the theme "Go To Town!"

Georgia Cities Week, promoted by the Georgia Municipal Association, gives cities an opportunity to share information about the services they provide and how cities positively affect local quality of life.

The week began in Tifton with Mayor Julie Smith leading a downtown tour on Monday, followed by an open house at City Hall.

Today -- Tuesday, April 19 -- includes a Kids' Carnival at 5 p.m. in Fulwood Park to celebrate the park's 100th anniversary. An identity theft program gets under way at 5:30 p.m. at the Tifton Welcome Center.

On Wednesday, April 20, Keep Tift Beautiful is spearheading a clean up at 10 a.m. on the west side of Interstate 75 on King Road.

Live performances of "The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe" will be presented this Thursday through Sunday at the Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts.

On Saturday, April 23, residents may take documents to be shredded at the City Municipal Court Building on 5th Street from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Also on Saturday, a "Run the City 5K" begins at 8 a.m. at Fulwood Park, along with the ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. of a new Frisbee Golf course at the park to the left of the Tift Avenue arch.

FORMER NBA STAR LAETTNER VISITS TIFTAREA ACADEMY, PLANS BASKETBALL CAMP


Christian Laettner with Tiftarea Academy Headmaster Diane Womack

Olympic Gold Medalist, former NBA star and NCAA Basketball Hall of Famer Christian Laettner visited Tiftarea Academy last Thursday night as guest speaker during the school's fundraiser dinner.

Laettner explained that he had an urge to speak to the school after meeting Tiftarea Academy alumnus (and current TA parent) Reid Jones on a hunting trip. Laettner said the school reminded him of his school in New York when he was growing up.

He urged students to find something they love and incorporate it into their future careers. After encouraging students and parents to remain involved in their school and to push for the very best, he held a question-and-answer session.

"I am 6' 11" and wear a size 17 shoe, so let's get down to the real questions," he said as he prepared to take questions from some of the more than 450 attendees. In response to one question, he said "winning championships" is the personal highlight of his career.

Laettner attended Duke University, a choice he said he made because he wanted to challenge himself both academically and athletically. He was a two-time NCAA national champion ('91 & '92). He also landed a spot on the 1992 Olympic "Dream Team," winning a gold medal. His NBA career lasted 13 years, (1992-2005). He was also inducted into the Olympic Hall of Fame and the College Basketball Hall of Fame.

Laettner plans a basketball camp at Tiftarea Academy in May. For information on the Christian Laettner Basketball Camp, Click Here!

LOCAL STUDENTS WIN REGIONAL WRITING CONTEST

Tift County students Gwyn Conner of Charles Spencer Elementary and Riley Roberts of Tift County High's Northeast Campus are regional winners for their grades, fifth and ninth respectively, in the Coastal Plains RESA (Regional Educational Service Agency) Young Georgia Authors Writing Competition.

Lilly Roberts of Ben Hill County Primary School won for the kindergarten level; Lloyd W. Caywood, Irwin County Middle School, won for sixth grade; and Payton D. Fletcher and Amy Biggers, both of Irwin County High, are regional winners for 10th and 11th grades, respectively.

Winning entries from the RESA level now move on to state-level competition for another round of judging. State winners will be announced on or before Friday, May 13.

The writing contest, sponsored by the Georgia Council of Teachers of English (GCTE), is open to students in grades K-12 and includes all types of writing, such as short stories, poetry, essay, research reports and other forms.

"The purpose of Young Georgia Authors writing competition is to encourage students to develop enthusiasm for and expertise in their writing, to provide a context to celebrate their writing successes, and to recognize student achievement in arts and academics," according to GCTE.

The contest begins in each school with a school-wide competition. Grade-level winners are announced, and winning entries are sent to the system's writing coordinator to determine the system winner. Each school system creates posters displaying the school and system-wide winners.

These posters will be on exhibit in the Tifton Mall from April 25-May 2.

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ARTS IN BLACK FESTIVAL OPENING APRIL 29

Tifton's annual Arts in Black Festival, celebrating 30 years of providing arts, music and dance for the enjoyment of the Tiftarea community, opens April 29 with a talent show.

The talent show begins at 7 p.m. at the Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts in Downtown Tifton. The festival's big day is Saturday, April 30, beginning at 11 a.m. in Fulwood Park. All-day entertainment includes Tifton native T.L. Pratt, the Pilot 54 band from Atlanta and Soulful Soundz.

Arts and crafts, cultural art exhibits, food and children's activities will fill the park. The festival continues the next day, Sunday , May 1, at 2 p.m. with a Poetry Competition at the Leroy Rogers Senior & Community Center in Tifton.