Students from J.E.J. Moore Middle School’s Junior Beta Club chapter showcased their talents and earned multiple high placements during this year’s Virginia State Junior Beta Convention, hosted at the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton in early February. 

During the two-day event, Moore Middle School’s students were joined by students from across the Commonwealth to compete in several academic, fine arts, and leadership categories. Moore’s award recipients were as follows:

• Digitally Enhanced Photography - 1st Place, Baylor Wilder
• History - 2nd Place, Grayson Rosser
• Health / Physical Education - 2nd Place, Bryce Pulliam
• Computer Science - 3rd Place, Tristan Potts

About the Competitions

• Digitally Enhanced Photography: Students must creatively edit an original photograph they have personally taken, using techniques such as adjusting brightness and color balance, or combining elements from multiple images, without using AI-generated imagery. Judges compare the original and enhanced versions to assess creativity, technical skill, and the transformation achieved.
• History: Students demonstrate their knowledge of U.S. History through on-site, written tests. This competition, a feature of both the State and National Conventions, highlights both their academic abilities and their character and leadership skills.
• Health/Physical Education: This event challenges students to apply their understanding of health, wellness, and fitness concepts through on-site testing at State and National Conventions. Success in this competition reflects both their grasp of the subject matter and their readiness to respond to real-world health scenarios.
• Computer Science: These online tests provide students with an opportunity to assess their academic skills while reinforcing educational standards. Students must complete the assessment independently, and the use of AI-guided tools, phones, web browsing, or adult assistance is strictly prohibited. The Computer Science assessment will evaluate grade-level standards in the areas of Internet usage, communications, multimedia, online safety, and digital citizenship.

J.E.J. Moore Middle School’s Junior Beta Club Representatives

• Laith Aldamiri
• Dariel Ambalwa
• Nyla Austin
• Cayden Boyd
• Jason Branch
• Ava Catron
• Cassius Conklin
• Aila Forsythe
• Hoyt Gay
• Austyn Grant
• Tristan Gravely
• Kaitlyn Griffith
• Noah Gum
• Lena Huggi
• Giovanni Ingargiola
• Savannah Long
• Mason Mauger
• Sam Maxwell
• Christopher Page
• Jayden Peterson
• Addison Roseland
• Garrett Spivey
• Sadie Springston
• Hailey Squilla
• Campbell Tennant
• Abigail Traxinger
• Andrew Ward

Students who captured first-place honors during the state convention have qualified to advance to the National Beta Club National Convention, scheduled for June in Nashville, Tennessee, where they will represent Prince George County in national competition.