BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WECT) – The 41st annual Odell and Virginia Williamson Oratory Scholarship Competition was held at Brunswick Community College on Thursday, May 3, 2012. Eight seniors representing North Brunswick, South Brunswick, West Brunswick, and Early College High School competed for top honors. 

Congratulations to Christina Marie Tolley, SBHS and James Daniel White, ECHS! Tolley and White both walked away with $2,500 scholarships and engraved plaques! Presenting the awards were Michael and Heather Borton of the Williamson family. All 8 participants advancing from the school competition to the county competition received an attractive framed certificate and check for $100.00.

The following students competed in the county competition:

• Joseph Riley Denman (NBHS)--"The Illusion of an Institution"
• Taylor Elizabeth Benson (NBHS)--"Wouldn't You Want to Know?"
• Erin Brooke Phelps (ECHS)--"Retaining the Resurrection"
• James Daniel White (ECHS)--"My Houseguest, Cancer"
• Christina Marie Tolley (SBHS)--"Society's Serial Killer"
• Kenneth Casey Shadid (SBHS)--"Abused by Alcohol"
• Megan Elayne Mauldin (WBHS)--"Filling in the Blanks: What School Really Teaches"
• Jacob Hamilton Hill (WBHS)--"Capacity for Evil"

Serving as Master of Ceremonies was Mike Sapp, Director of the Odell Williamson Auditorium at Brunswick Community College and a theatre professional. 

Judges included Donald Byrum, former Director of the School of Art and Design at Wichita State University and Brunswick Arts Council Board Member; Dr. David Corley, retired secondary director and principal for Brunswick County Schools; Tiffany Fullwood, Assistant Clerk of Superior Court for Brunswick County; MaryAnn Nunnally, retired principal and former New Hanover County Board of Education member; and Dr. Edward Pruden, Superintendent of Brunswick County Schools.

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WECT) – Over $8 million was awarded to over 600 fire departments across the state recently through the 2012 Volunteer Fire Department Fund.

The Fund was created in 1988 to provide dollar-for-dollar matching grants to assist volunteer fire departments, according to a news release from Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshall Wayne Goodwin. A total of $8,717,495.18 was awarded to 644 departments and some of that money is going to Brunswick County. Here’s the list of local grants:

• N.W. Volunteer Fire/Rescue Department, Inc., $24,775.97
• Navassa Volunteer Fire Department, $30,000
• Shallotte Point Volunteer Fire Department, Inc., $11,810.75
• Sunset Harbor and Zion Hill Vol. Fire Department, Inc., $14,105
• Winnabow Volunteer Fire Department, Inc., $30,000
• Yaupon Beach Volunteer Fire Department, Inc., $19,151.67

“I’m proud that so many fire departments are taking advantage of this important grant program. These grants help our volunteer fire departments stretch their budgets to better serve our communities,” stated Goodwin in a news release.

Copyright 2012 WECT. All rights reserved.