(COLUMBIA, Tenn. - May 25, 2016) - - - More than 320 high school students participated in Columbia State Community College's annual High School Competition last month when students from 17 southern Middle Tennessee high schools competed in 18 different academic areas, including creative writing, vocal performance, algebra and sociology.

This year's event was a success and a welcomed sight after last year's competition was cancelled due to inclement weather.

"It was such a relief to have good weather this year instead of last year's snow and ice," said Beverly Mitchell, professor of English. "All of the faculty who work on this event enjoy seeing so many talented young people."

Dating back to the 1980s, the competition continues to focus on humanities disciplines and has since added math components.

Photo Caption: Beginning Spanish/English Translation (left to right): First place winner, Ana Carolina Dutra de Arruda of Frank Hughes High School; and second place winner, Jose Sanchez of Collinwood High School. Not pictured: Third place winner, Kiara Rojas of Mt. Pleasant High School.

Photo Caption: Oral Interpretation (left to right): Third place winner, Laney Wilbert of Fairview High School; first place winner, Jackie Saison of Spring Hill High School; and second place winner, Sarah-Anne Farrell of Fairview High School.

Photo Caption: Extemporaneous Speaking (left to right): Third place winner, Savannah Gibson of Marshall County High School; first place winner, Will Lewis of Richland High School; and second place winner, Alison Abernathy of Fairview High School.

Photo Caption: Video (left to right): Third place winner Amber Head of Fairview High School; and first place winners Nathan Igor and Jode Campbell of Columbia Central High School.

Photo Caption: Impromptu Poetry (left to right): Third place winner, Kris Warf of Richland High School; first place winner, Leah Tower of Fairview High School; second place winner, Octavia Duke of Hampshire Unit School.

Photo Caption: Essay (left to right): Third place winner, Joseph Reed of Loretto High School; first place winner, Emma Potochko of Zion Christian Academy; and second place winner, Virginia Nesbet of Zion Christian Academy.

Photo Caption: Psychology (left to right): Third place winner, Brooke Boshers of Mt. Pleasant High School; first place winner, Benjamin Zolkiewicz of Hampshire Unit School; and second place winner, Jacob Raines of Fairview High School.

Photo Caption: Trigonometry (left to right): Third place winner, Kendel Hardison of Columbia Academy; first place winner, Chris Guardo of Fairview High School; and second place winner, Ethan Maner of Columbia Academy.

Photo Caption: Piano (left to right): Third place winner, Spencer Flake of Fairview High School; first place winner, Andrew Harwell of Richland High School; and second place winner, Leslie Golden of Columbia Academy.

Photo Caption: World Geography (left to right): Third place winner, Bailey Adams of Richland High School; first place winner, Michael Moore of Fairview High School; and second place winner, Trevor Carriveau of Marshall County High School.

Photo Caption: Algebra II (left to right): Third place winner, Megan Eastep of Mt. Pleasant High School; first place winner, Konner Reece of Columbia Academy; and second place winner, Katie Beth Sharp of Columbia Academy.

Photo Caption: Video (Live) (left to right): First place winners, Madison Stewart and Nathan Igor of Columbia Central High School; and second place winners, Shelby Sisk, Sophie Lourd, Dakota Shrader and Bailey Adams of Richland High School.

Photo Caption: U.S. Constitution (left to right): Third place winner, Caroline Neelley of Zion Christian Academy; first place winner, Jarrett DeLozier of Zion Christian Academy; and second place winner, Christian Braden of Marshall County High School.

Photo Caption: Impromptu Fiction (left to right): Third place winner, JaVonte Snipes of Mt. Pleasant High School; first place winner, Kendall Hardison of Columbia Academy; and second place winner, Landon Finke of Zion Christian Academy.

Photo Caption: Sociology (left to right): Third place winner, Caleb Trulove of Hampshire Unit School; first place winner, Brenna Graves of East Hickman High School; and second place winner, Lani Bruinsma of East Hickman High School.

Photo Caption: American History (left to right): Third place winner, Camille French of Zion Christian Academy; first place winner, Patrick Latham of East Hickman High School; and second place winner, Carlton Sheets of Richland High School.

Photo Caption: Intermediate Spanish/English Translation (left to right): Third place winner, Jacqueline Licona of East Hickman High School. Not pictured: First place winner, Alan Arellanes Soto of Collinwood High School; and second place winner, Gabriella Garcia of Columbia Central High School.

Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, one of the largest higher education systems in the nation. For more information, please visit www.columbiastate.edu.

Tennessee's Community Colleges is a system of 13 colleges offering a high-quality, affordable, convenient and personal education to prepare students to achieve their educational and career goals in two years or less. We offer associate degree and certificate programs, workforce development programs and transfer pathways to four-year degrees. For more information, please visit us online at tncommunitycolleges.org.