Students, staff to be honored at school board meeting

Brady Hix, The Daily Citizen, Dalton, Ga.
·3 min read

May 3—More than 40 Whitfield County Schools students and staff members are to be recognized on Monday.

Whitfield County Board of Education members will meet for their monthly meeting at Valley Point Middle School at 3796 S. Dixie Road at 6:30 p.m. The board members will have a called work session at Valley Point Middle at 5:30.

The board members and Superintendent Mike Ewton are scheduled to recognize the school system's 2024 REACH (Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen) scholars Devan Bell, Alex Mullins, Sarah Arnold, Alexandria Brewer, Perry Gammon and Isabela Rodriguez.

Georgia REACH is a "need-based mentoring and scholarship program" that provides students "the support to graduate from high school and achieve postsecondary success," the program's website states.

The board members are also expected to recognize STAR (Student Teacher Achievement Recognition) winners. Overseen by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, the statewide STAR program honors students and teachers who exemplify high achievement.

Northwest Whitfield High School student Andy Nguyen and teacher Melissa Torbett were announced as STAR winners.

For Southeast Whitfield High School, students Grant McArthur and Kaylee Robertson and teachers Matthew Hickman and Sean McKenzie received the distinction.

Coahulla Creek High School student Grayson Sneed and teacher Billy Singletary, also given STAR status this school year, are two of 27 students and teachers out of more than 600 from across the state who were selected as region champions. The Whitfield County Schools system is part of STAR Region 1.

A pair of student champions from the 2024 Georgia High School Association State Literary Competition are set to be recognized, including Coahulla Creek's Anderson Griggs, who placed first in the 3-A personal essay category, and Southeast Whitfield's Carter Greeson, who placed first in the Boys Solo category in the 4-A division.

Also scheduled to be recognized are:

— Members of the Operational Leadership Academy, including Andrew Teasley, Beau Martin, Benita Johnson, Cindy Delgadillo, Corey Hampton, Hayley Bell, Hope Bran, Jenifer Ward, Kristina Horsley, Kyle Yates, Lynn Harden, Marty Roberts, Mary Withrow, Renee Smith, Ronnie Shepherd, Tammy Brown, Terrie Pendergrass and Tina Shepherd.

— Members of the 2023-24 Superintendent's Student Advisory Council, including Kinsley Johnston, Andy Nguyen, Danahi Reza, Kate Bearden, Preston Green, Litzy Reyes, Cynthia Diaz and Octavia Woodward.

— Student district winners of the 2024 Civic Oration Competition, including Alexis LaBrosse, Christian Espita, Hadley Fisher, Wade Whitfield, Lydia Moody and Bradley Rodriguez.

— 2024 Georgia Scholar program recipients Sandra Ramirez, Aiden Williams, Matthew Owen, Andy Nguyen and Grant McArthur.

— Southeast Whitfield's valedictorian Danahi Reza and salutatorian Kaleb Padilla, Northwest Whitfield's valedictorian Andy Nguyen and salutatorian Caroline Buckner, and Coahulla Creek's 2024 valedictorian Grayson Sneed and salutatorian Alyssa Cucksee.

— 2024 Governor's Honors Program music vocals finalist Carter Greeson and communicative arts semifinalist Anderson Griggs.

— Coahulla Creek's Alexander Andrews, who was recognized as a Daughters of the American Revolution's Good Citizen by the organization's Robert Loughridge Chapter.

— The Georgia Association for Gifted Children's Distinguished Gifted Teen Andy Nguyen.

— 2024 National Merit Scholar Grayson Sneed.

Whitfield County Schools' Chief Financial Officer Kelly Coon is scheduled to provide financial updates, while Deputy Superintendent Karey Williams will give teaching and learning updates.

Chief Operations Officer Mark Gibson is to provide operational updates along with information on new contracts and contract renewals.