Three Athletes Sign National Letters of Intent B eachwood basketball player Aryana Jackson and volleyball players Shaneice James and Valisha Watkins signed National Letters of Intent last month to continue their educations and athletics careers in college. James, a middle hitter, signed with Tennessee Tech University. In 2014, James led the team and the Chagrin Valley Conference Metro Division with 78 blocks. She also was second on the team in kills (105), fourth in digs (114) and added 24 serving aces. She completed Shaneice James and Valisha Watkins. her Beachwood career with a school record 15 blocks in a single match and with career highs in blocks in a season (128), blocks in a career (274), most digs in a match (20), most digs in a career (320), most serving aces in a match (8) and most serving aces in a career (64). James was named First Team All-Chagrin Valley Conference for the second straight season and Second Team All-Northeast Lakes District. Watkins signed with the University of Texas Pan American, where she will play outside hitter. In 2014, she led the team with 213 kills, 193 digs and 50 service aces. Aryana Jackson, seated with her parents, Curtis Jackson and LaTonya Jackson. She also added 31 blocks and ends her Beachwood career with school records in kills in a match (27), kills in a season (213), kills in a career (256), digs in a single match (20) and serving aces in a single season (50). Watkins was named First Team All-Chagrin Valley Conference and First Team All-Northeast Lakes District. The duo led the Bison to a school-record 15 wins under the direction of first-year head coach Sarah Schoenhagen. Jackson will continue her education and basketball career at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The senior guard averaged 14.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game last season. She made 51 3-pointers on the season on her way to earning Second Team All-Chagrin Valley Conference and third team All-Northeast Lakes District honors. Jackson also scored the 1,000th point of her career last season. Cross Country Coach Honored n recognition of Down Syndrome Awareness Month, the Cleveland-based nonprofit The Up Side of Downs last month honored educators who were nominated by their students’ families for exceptional work in the classroom and beyond. Beachwood High School science teacher and cross country coach Jamie Lader was nominated by student Peter Bruening and his family. "Coach Lader coaches all of his teams with a splendid level of consistency - no matter at what level one competes. This was particularly evident with his coaching of Peter. Even in his freshman year, when Peter was not up to finishing the 3.1 mile course, Coach Lader would give him praise for what he did finish and work with him during practice to enable him to achieve his goals. His enthusiasm is contagious and Peter responded in kind. When Peter began finishing the entire course, it was his coach who was most thrilled at what he had accom- I plished and kept encouraging him to do more." "Peter has become well known at the races. Enough so that the teams with whom he competes cheer and encourage him by name during the races. His teammates treat him just like everyone else and his coach seems to save his best baritone cheers for Peter - even though he is often, but not always, the last runner to cross the finish line. As parents it has been deeply gratifying to hear Coach Lader’s pride as he recounts Peter’s latest best time or the fact that he passed two or three other runners." December 2014 n Beachwood Buzz 37