Young homebuilders at Blessed Trinity High School in Roswell received a Campus Chapter of the Year Honorable Mention from Habitat for Humanity International.

The high school’s chapter was recognized as one of Habitat’s most outstanding 2009 campus chapters. The school was chosen from among 490 other schools for the recognition.

The club received a $5,000 matching grant from State Farm Insurance, the national corporate sponsor of Habitat’s youth programs.

“We are so honored to be recognized with the Campus Chapter of the Year Honorable Mention award,” said current BT chapter president, junior Emily Hogan. “There has been nothing more rewarding than actively pursuing Habitat’s mission to eliminate poverty housing and create affordable homes, and we look forward to a new year of committing ourselves to this goal.”

Blessed Trinity’s chapter of HFH has helped to build 10 homes in Fulton and Cherokee counties, most recently participating in an all-women build in Atlanta with other schools last spring.

BT has donated $45,000 for the construction materials to local Habitat homes and $1,600 to Habitat International for projects outside the United States.

Since 2007, State Farm has served as the national corporate sponsor of Habitat for Humanity’s youth programs, with a sponsorship commitment of more than $1.1 million in grants each year.

St. Pius X freshman Devon Dabney earned a spot on the 2009 USA Triathlon Southeast Regional Junior Team, her second time in two years. And to prove she’d earned it, on Saturday, Aug. 22, Dabney beat the competition to win the 2009 Southeast Junior Race Series in the Peachtree City Triathlon.

Not only did Dabney win her age group, the 14-year-old took first-place overall in the female division out of 380 competitors when she came out on top after an 800-meter swim, 16-mile bike ride and a five-kilometer run.

Dabney has competed in these sprint triathlons since she finished second in her first competition at the age of 10. That same year, she took first at the Iron Kids Nationals, and followed that up by being the top-rated 11-year-old. After taking some time off as a 13-year-old, Dabney is back on top in her age group after her win in Peachtree City.

Dabney credits her father, Bill Dabney, with introducing her to triathlons. The elder Dabney has competed in 22 Ironman Triathlons, including Hawaii in 1995.

Said Dabney, “Whether I win or lose, I always know I’ve put my best foot forward, and I have a tremendous sense of accomplishment when I finish a race.”

Dabney hopes to join at least three varsity teams at St. Pius X, cross country for the fall and swimming this winter. Her spring sport is up in the air, track and field and/or soccer.

According to the USA Triathlon Web site, the Southeast Region Junior Team is comprised of 31 competitors ranging from ages 13 to 19. The USAT also named the Southeast Region Junior Team as a USAT “High Performance Team” based on their results from 2008. High Performance Teams play an integral role in the identification, recruitment, development and age-appropriate competitive preparation of emerging youth elite, junior elite and senior elite athletes. The goal is to develop well-rounded athletes capable of success at the highest levels of competition and progression within the USAT sport performance program.

The girls on the Lady War Eagle volleyball team at Marist School gave away $931.60 in proceeds from a recent tournament to Visiting Nurse | Hospice Atlanta and are doing community service for the nonprofit as well.

Marist set a goal of raising $3,000 for the hospice between August games and a faceoff with rival St. Pius X High School in October. The fall drive will raise money from admissions, T-shirt sales, a bake sale and a BBQ. St. Pius fans will also be selling shirts, which will contribute to the donation.

At the 2009 state finalist playdate at Marist Aug. 22, all the state champions and other teams played games against each other. A portion of ticket and T-shirt sales at the event benefited Hospice Atlanta, which offers home health and end-of-life care to patients and families. The organization also runs the 36-bed Hospice Atlanta Center in Brookhaven.

According to Stanley A. Sharp, a member of Visiting Nurse | Hospice Atlanta’s board of directors and chairman of the Parent Annual Fund of Marist School, “Several people connected with Marist School have been touched by hospice recently, including Lady War Eagle coach Anna Bush, whose mother was lovingly cared for by the Hospice Atlanta team at the end of her life. This is one small way for us and the girls to give back.”

In addition to the sales, Marist volleyball players are to volunteer with Visiting Nurse | Hospice Atlanta’s Healthy Transitions™ program, a initiative focused on bettering the health of low-income seniors in the community. The athletes are to visit with the adults and provide companionship.