The 34th Annual Academic Achievement Awards Banquet was held Tuesday, May 21 at the James W. Warren Citizens Center in Lincolnton. The event was co-sponsored by the Lincolnton-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce, Lincoln County Board of Education and the Lincoln County Schools. Providing the meal for the evening was Mitchem’s Kitchen of Vale and the invocation was given by Pastor Mike Devine of Covenant Bible Church.

The top ten students from each of the high schools in Lincoln County were presented a certificate by Dr. Sherry Hoyle, Superintendent of Schools and Melisa Harrison, Chair of the Board for the Chamber of Commerce.

The top ten students from each school are as follows:

• East Lincoln High School: Jennifer Marie Frix, Morgan Elizabeth Frye, Kristen Hart Hudgens, William Ryan Krehnbrink, Jade Siobhan Loendorf, Emily Renae McCutchan, Evan Maxwell Moore, Cecilia Sugeria Pepper, Cory Joseph Petersen, and Brittany Nicole Smith.
• Lincolnton High School: Tyler William Albright, Hana Nicole Ballard, Ashlyn Danielle Boyles, Luke Christopher Brogden ,Hunter Charles Cline, Heather Rae Kiziah, Cynthia Michel Olivares Hernandez, Michelle Leigh Painter, Victoria Ann Urban and Braden Max Willis. 
• North Lincoln High School: Brooke Elizabeth Anderson, John Charles Biondi, Kaitlin Meredith Chandler, Ashton Lee Creech, Brendan Edward D'Amato, Michael Stephen Johnson, Hannah Alisabeth Lackey, Evan Alexander Peatre, Karishma Mukesh Patel and Sharla Ann Sugierski.
• West Lincoln High School: Molly Elizabeth Barker, Rebecca Faith Barnes, Ashlyn Nicole Gates, Alva Gabrielle Godfrey, Colton Blaine Lineberger, Eddie Salvatore Maiale, Kelsey Elizabeth Mosteller, Rebecca Lynn Owens, Taylor Elizabeth Schronce, Michaela Rae Setzer and John Dock Tallent.

Other awards given out were:

• S. Ray Lowder Scholarship presented by Mark Lawing to Hannah Alisabeth Lackey of North Lincoln High School who earned a GPA of 4.996. 
• Board of Realtors Scholarships presented by Mitzi Malcolm of Apple Realty and Mark Lawing to Jade Siobhan Loendorf from East Lincoln High School, Braden Max Willis from Lincolnton High School, Samantha Crooks from North Lincoln High School and John Dock Tallent from West Lincoln High School.
• James M. "Bo" Moore Chamber Scholarships presented by Melisa Harrison to Kirsten Hart Hudgens from East Lincoln High School, Heather Rae Kiziah from Lincolnton High School, Sharla Ann Sugierski from North Lincoln High School and Rebecca Faith Barnes from West Lincoln High School,

Special speaker for the night was Meredith Shuford, District Court Judge, who challenged the students to "go for their dreams and succeed" she also told the students, “we are all proud of you and the accomplishments you have made over the last four years ". Judge Shuford read a short book to illustrate her example and points she talked about before concluding her speech and ending the night.