#sierra kersey

[oselatra]

2019 Arkansas Times Academic All-Stars Nominees

Listed by their hometowns. Here are the students nominated to be Academic All-Stars. They are listed by their hometowns as indicated by mailing addresses. ALMA EMILY FOWLER Mulberry High School BAY JACOB HARLEY OSTER Bay High School BEARDEN CASSIDY CLEMENS Bearden High School GARRETT MCWHORTER Bearden High School BEEBE TAYLOR DWAYNE BOYCE Beebe High School JOLEY MARIE MITCHELL Rose Bud High School MARIANNA KERSEY RICHEY Beebe High School BEE BRANCH ANDREA DE TOUR Arkansas Virtual Academy High School BENTON JULIANNA DEMI SORVILLO Bauxite High School KAYLA M. TREASITTI Glen Rose High School BENTONVILLE KENDRA RISENER Haas Hall Academy ANGEL SOTERO Bentonville West High School JESSICA YIN Bentonville West High School BERRYVILLE ALEX RUBEN MALDONADO-LOPEZ Berryville High School AMBER NICOLE VEACH Berryville High School BISMARCK LAUREN ELIZABETH CORLEY Bismarck High School BLACK ROCK PAIGE LEANN PENN Hillcrest High School BLYTHEVILLE CHANDLER SPROUSE Gosnell High School SHAKIAH WILLIAMS Blytheville High School BONNERDALE HANNAH DIGGS Centerpoint High School BOONEVILLE JUSTIN RONGEY Magazine High School BRINKLEY KEVON MALOID DILLWORTH Brinkley High School EMILY ANN TAYLOR Brinkley High School BRUNO LANE BOGLE Valley Springs High School BRYANT SYDNEY ELAINE BOWMAN Bryant High School HARRISON BENNETT DOWNS Bryant High School CABOT ZHENG HUI ZHANG Cabot High School CAVE CITY KENDALL TOWNSLEY Cave City High School CENTER RIDGE SOPHIA FRANCESCA ISELY Nemo Vista High School CLARKSVILLE BRADLEY SCOTT BUCK Johnson County Westside High School CLINTON JACOB ALLEN BURROUGHS South Side High School CONWAY MARY KATHERINE FREYALDENHOVEN Conway High School KENDON CRAIG MOLINE Conway High School CORNING CAROLINE GOODMAN Corning High School CROSSETT DAILEY MARIE CHAVIS Crossett High School BRYCE RICHARD MOON Crossett High School DAMASCUS CLAIRE ELIZABETH DREWRY South Side High School DES ARC LINDSEY NICOLE REIDHAR Des Arc High School DEWITT RACHEL DANIELS DeWitt High School ZONTRAY KENDALL DeWitt High School DONALDSON DYLAN JASHUN CLAYTON Bismarck High School DOVER Ethan Seth Owen Jacobs Dover High School EUREKA SPRINGS KAYDEN ECKMAN Eureka Springs High School EVANSVILLE JESSICA ANN GOLDMAN Lincoln High School FARMINGTON NICHOLAS JAMES ERICKSON Farmington High School REAGAN SIERRA WHITE Farmington High School FAYETTEVILLE CHLOE AUGUST BOWEN Springdale High School SOPHIE FERNANDO Haas Hall Academy JEREMIA LO Fayetteville High School HAMAAD MEHAL Haas Hall Academy SPENCER LEE WALKER Fayetteville High School FISHER ANNA CHAPLAIN Harrisburg College and Career Prep FORT SMITH JOHN TYLER FREENY Southside High School MADISON ISABELLA RENEE MARSH Southside High School GOSNELL KAYLEE JO MILLER Gosnell High School GREENBRIER MADELYN RENEE JAMESON Greenbrier High School CALEB WADE TAPLEY Greenbrier High School GREENWOOD JULIA KATHLEEN BRIXEY Greenwood High School TYLER LAWRENCE MERREIGHN Greenwood High School GREERS FERRY FAITH MARIE BIRMINGHAM West Side High School HAMBURG NIGEL LEWIS Hamburg High School BRENDA FAITH O'FALLON Hamburg High School HARRISON GRACE ESTELLE BRANDT Harrison High School BLAKE JOHN WILLIAM WHITMER Harrison High School HAZEN ROSS TIMOTHY HARPER Hazen High School HICKORY PLAINS JEREMIAH DESHONE WILLIAMS Des Arc High School HIGDEN NATHANIEL WYATT SMITH West Side High School HORATIO GRACE ELIZABETH HARRIS Horatio High School HOT SPRINGS RHETT BARRETT Cutter Morning Star High School FAITH ELIZABETH CARNIE Lake Hamilton High School JORDAN C. ERICKSON Lake Hamilton High School EMMA KIRSTEN FERGUSON Lakeside High School THOMAS IAN HOLLIS Lakeside High School ANTHONY ALEXANDER REITER Hot Springs High School MICAH TRAVIS Mountain Pine High School HUTTIG NASTAJAE ALIYAH ALDERSON Strong High School JACKSONVILLE BASIA YVONNE BROWN Jacksonville High School GERALD ANTONIO DONOHUE Jacksonville High School JONESBORO OPHIE COPELIN Nettleton High School JETT JACKSON Harrisburg College and Career Prep ISABELLE FLORENCE JONES The Academies at Jonesboro High School JOSHUA MILNES Nettleton High School ANNA ELISE OPPENHEIM Bay High School NIKKOLETTE AMANDA PERKINS Brookland High School SEAN A. ROADES Valley View High School KALLEN SMITH Brookland High School TRACY N. TANNER Valley View High School LEACHVILLE HALLIE ELIZABETH BROWN Buffalo Island Central High School KYLE BRADLEY THRASHER Buffalo Island Central High School LITTLE ROCK MOHAMMED ABUELEM Pulaski Academy MILLER CLARK BACON eStem High School NATHAN THOMAS BARBER The Academies at Jonesboro High School CAROLINE BLANSCET Little Rock Christian Academy ANA ABARCA CHAVEZ Hall High School REBECCA SUSAN DIXON Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School SARAH J. DOUGLASS Joe T. Robinson High School SULLIVAN WALTER FITZ Catholic High School for Boys CELIA KRETH Episcopal Collegiate School FELIPE MORALES OSORIO Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School CLAUDIA CATHERINE SMITH eStem High School ETHAN STRAUSS Episcopal Collegiate School LUKE WEINER Little Rock Christian Academy MICHELLE XU Little Rock Central High School RAMY YOUSEF Little Rock Central High School MCCRORY CHRISTIAN LITTLE McCrory High School MABELVALE HALEY AMBER STANTON LISA Academy West High School MAGAZINE EMILY STATON Magazine High School MAMMOTH SPRING DEVON CRAY Mammoth Spring High School MARION WESLEY JAMES BARRETT Marion High School MORGAN BRADFORD WHITED Marion High School MAUMELLE GARRETT MICHAEL BAKANOVIC Maumelle High School CHAD BOYD Maumelle Charter High School GENRIETTA CHURBANOVA Pulaski Academy LINCOLN MOSES Maumelle Charter High School VICTORIA ORTEGA Maumelle High School MAYFLOWER HAYDYN HUDNALL Mayflower High School MULBERRY JARRET CHAMBERS Mulberry High School NEWPORT NOAH BLAKE RABY Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts NORTH LITTLE ROCK SOPHIA LYNN CHIER Mount St. Mary Academy CHASE CHRISTIAN MOHR-MCELROY North Little Rock Center of Excellence Charter KATHERINE RAMIREZ North Little Rock High School CARRE'LLA SADLER North Little Rock High School IOAN BROWN SANDERS North Little Rock High School OZARK AUTUMN PAIGE FLAHERTY Johnson County Westside High School PARAGOULD EMMA FARMER Marmaduke High School MICHALA ANN MCPHINK Paragould High School JACKSON CHANDLER PARKER Paragould High School MADISON SHEA ROBINSON Greene County Tech High School PARON JOHN MATTHEW HOWARD Joe T. Robinson High School PEA RIDGE HALLEY LASTER Pea Ridge High School ALEC ANDREW MEREDITH Pea Ridge High School PINE BLUFF MORGAN EDWARDS Watson Chapel High School A'DARIUS LEE Watson Chapel High School PINEVILLE KENLEE KAY KILLIAN Calico Rock High School PLUMERVILLE GARRETT R. HENDRIX Morrilton High School POWHATAN CREEDEN JAMES RICHEY Hillcrest High School RAVENDEN SPRINGS EMILY CHEYENNE LUFFMAN Sloan-Hendrix High School REYNO CHANDLER CONYERS Corning High School RISON JUSTIN JACOBS Rison High School MACY RATLIFF Rison High School ROGERS ALISHA AJAY CHATLANI Rogers High School MORGAN DIBASILIO Rogers Heritage High School SIDRA NADEEM Rogers New Technology High School NATHAN POWELL SKINNER Rogers High School ADAM RYSZARD SIWIEC Rogers Heritage High School ROSE BUD CARSON DAVID LUCENA Rose Bud High School ROYAL ANASTACIA GLASCO Mountain Pine High School RUSSELLVILLE KAYLEE FREEMAN Hector High School SEARCY JACKSON TANNER BENIGHT Searcy High School LAUREN ELIZABETH BROWN Searcy High School SHERIDAN LAINEY FAITH HILL Sheridan High School LOGAN JAMES INGRAM Sheridan High School SHERWOOD TIMOTHY NATHANIEL ESPEJO Sylvan Hills High School CHASE MARIE SWINTON Sylvan Hills High School SILOAM SPRINGS CHRISTINE NICOLE HONN Siloam Springs High School OLIVER MONROE REID Siloam Springs High School SMACKOVER ROBERT THOMAS DIXON Smackover High School KAYLEIGH AMANDA YEAGER Smackover High School SPRINGDALE EDUARDO AGUILAR Springdale High School SPRINGFIELD CAROLYN HOPE HOPKINS Morrilton High School STUTTGART MARY SALLAH JIA Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts TRUMANN ZACHARY DAVID BURCHFIELD Trumann High School WALNUT RIDGE DEVIN FOSTER SMITH Greene County Tech High School WARD JESSICA DAWN VAUGHN Cabot High School WHITE HALL JUSTIN ROBERT DADY White Hall High School WINSLOW JOSEPH ANDREW TAYLOR Lincoln High School WYNNE KYRA LIANE DOBSON Wynne High School JACKSON CHARLES GEORGE Wynne High School 2019 Arkansas Times Academic All-Stars Nominees

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West Virginia pilots mobile blockchain voting app for overseas voters in November election

New Post has been published on https://cryptnus.com/2018/08/west-virginia-pilots-mobile-blockchain-voting-app-for-overseas-voters-in-november-election/

West Virginia pilots mobile blockchain voting app for overseas voters in November election

by Terry Nguyen August 10 at 2:51 PM Email the author

West Virginia will provide a mobile blockchain voting option, in addition to absentee ballots, for overseas military service members in elections this November, after receiving audit results earlier this week from a pilot program.

It will be the first state to offer this technology to help improve voting accessibility for deployed members of the military and their families, according to West Virginia’s secretary of state office.

Eligible voters will be able to cast their ballots through a mobile application that utilizes blockchain technology, which stores data on a decentralized database, meaning there’s no owner, allowing for more transparent transactions. Information is stored publicly, but to ensure privacy, West Virginia’s voters will have their personal information remain anonymous.

Most U.S. citizens vote in-person or by mail-in ballots. Overseas service members and their families traditionally cast absentee ballots that are printed out or mailed to them, and these usually have to reach election offices by Election Day.

“The hardships that our overseas servicemen and women have in voting and returning a ballot are much greater than those that we see in the state,” said West Virginia’s elections director Donald Kersey.

Tusk Montgomery Philanthropies, which is part of venture capital fund Tusk Ventures, sponsored West Virginia’s partnership with technology firm Voatz. Voatz and the state worked to pilot a mobile voting app in May for deployed voters in two of the state’s counties, Harrison and Monongalia. The same mobile platform will be offered to eligible voters across 55 counties in the fall.

State officials in West Virginia have acknowledged that absentee ballots are not as dependable as in-person voting. Voters have raised concerns about anonymity and how timely their ballots are received, according to West Virginia’s secretary of state office. In 2016, around 19,000 absentee ballots by overseas military voters or their families were rejected, with nearly half not reaching the elections office in time, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

West Virginia is only offering blockchain ballots to overseas military members, and state officials remain wary of advocating the technology to in-state voters or other state elections. “This is a solution to West Virginia’s problems [with overseas voters] specifically. We didn’t have the money to build a new system or buy a new one that’s already created,” Kersey said. “I don’t know if blockchain is the answer. It was just the answer we found here.”

While the mobile voting may help with ballot accessibility and convenience, there have been concerns about its security. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has conducted research to find ways to improve overseas military voting with electronic technologies since 2008. Multiple studies by federal researchers have found that “Internet voting systems cannot currently be audited with a comparable level of confidence” to physical polling places, according to the institute’s site. Researchers cited the potential for malware on personal devices and concerns of voter authentication.

“There are many security issues in voting, and blockchain only addresses one of them. It just solves the problem of how do you make it an indelible record of the ballots after they’ve been cast by the voters,” said David Dill, a professor emeritus of computer science at Stanford University and founder of the nonprofit Verified Voting. Dill did not take part in the NIST research. “[Blockchain] doesn’t deal with authenticating the voters before the election … or the security problems on the voters’ devices.”

Voatz released information on Monday about the security audit, what it covered and which independent third parties performed the audit. The firm did not release any official documents from the four organizations that conducted it, but wrote that it will continue to test the product.

“Security is not a destination but an ongoing exercise due to the ever evolving nature of the threats, especially when it relates to our electoral infrastructure,” according to Voatz’s site.

Various individuals in the technology industry have openly criticized the pilot, including the Center for Technology and Democracy’s Joseph Lorenzo Hall and software engineer Buzz Andersen. These types of voting experiments are discouraged by many computer scientists, Dill said. Over 30 leading computer scientists have signed onto Verified Voting’s statement acknowledging the risks of Internet voting since 2008.

With the West Virginia program, votes are recorded from the app onto a permissioned blockchain, which maintains users’ anonymity and tracks incoming votes, said Voatz co-founder Nimit Sawhney. Anyone can view the blockchain, but only permissioned users can interact with it, unlike public blockchains such as bitcoin and Ethereum. The votes are then recorded on a distributed ledger, a virtual database where stored information is decentralized. Sawhney said that the decentralized nature of blockchain, which Kersey calls a “digital lockbox,” ensures the security of the system, since it makes it more difficult for votes to be tampered with.

While state officials too have affirmed that the technology is secure, blockchain-based voting has never been done before at a state level, and it was crucial that the pilot was tested with a small group of people, Kersey said. “We wanted to make sure that what we were doing was a calculated risk and not irresponsible of us as elections administrators,” he said.

The pilot results were satisfactory and there were no critical issues identified, according to the audit. Voatz said it will incorporate suggestions from the county clerks and auditors into its future projects. Harrison County Clerk Susan Thomas said her office had to recreate paper copies of the blockchain ballots to scan into the vote tabulators during the pilot earlier this year, since the votes were not automatically recorded into the elections recording system.

“We had to print the paper out with the voters’ vote and recreate the ballot,” she said, calling the pilot a success otherwise. Sawhney said that the issue will be resolved by November, but what Thomas cited was something Dill’s foundation remains wary of.

West Virginia is not the first place to utilize blockchain technology in its elections. Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa, used blockchain in its March election, Tech Crunch reported. The Swiss city of Zug also held a trial municipal blockchain vote in June, according to a Swiss news site.