Governor Awards The Order of the Long Leaf Pine to Dr. Sandra Adams, Retiring Head of Summit School

Governor Mike Easley has awarded The Order of the Long Leaf Pine to Dr. Sandra Adams, retiring Head of Summit School. She received the award on June 2, 2008, at a celebration honoring her 41 years of service to the School.

Recipients of this prestigious award have a proven record of extraordinary service to the state, contributions to their communities, extra effort in their careers and many years of service to their organizations. Past recipients of the award, which was established in 1965, include Michael Jordan, Charles Kuralt, Maya Angelou, the Rev. Billy Graham, William C. Friday and Bob Timberlake.

The Summit School Board of Trustees also commissioned artist Duncan Lewis, an alumnus of the School, to design a garden on campus in Dr. Adams’ honor.

A nationally known educator, Dr. Adams is past president of the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS), a former board member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and was the first female member of the Southern Headmasters Association. She also served as a board member and past president of the North Carolina Association of Independent Schools (NCAIS) and is past president of the Elementary School Heads Association.

A native of Greensboro, Dr. Adams is an active community volunteer. She has served as a board member of the North Carolina Retirement Homes and Greensboro Day School. She is also a member of the Board of Visitors of Brenner Children’s Hospital and a member of the Rotary Club of Winston-Salem.

Dr. Michael Ebeling, the current Head of the Lower School at Mary Institute & St. Louis Country Day School (MICDS), will replace Dr. Adams, who will retire at the end of June 2008.

Kimani Griffin Plays Carnegie Hall

As part of the NPR program From the Top, former Summit student Kimani Griffin showed off one of his many talents playing classical guitar at Carnegie Hall. Kimani was one of eight teens selected to play at the prestigious concert taped in March. The program is set to air on PBS this summer.

Kimani left Summit to attend the North Carolina School of the Arts. He has studied for the past several years with Patrick Lui in Winston-Salem. Kimani will attend the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University in Georgia next fall.

Though classical guitar is his current top priority, Kimani is also a talented speed skater. He has competed on the national level as part of the Junior USA Speed Skating Team in 2007. He is a member of the Piedmont Speed Club.

Read more about Kimani on these sites:

Guitarist Shows his Stuff, Winston-Salem Journal

Teenagers Ring Out the Classics in Rochester, NPR

From the Top at Carnegie Hall, PBS

Kimani Wows New York Audience, RollerSports