2023-2024
July 11, 2023 (Click Here)
Georgia High School Association Class 5A Girls Golf State Champions
Greenbrier High
Head Coach: Casey Heckathorn
Assistant Coach: Daniel Jordan
Team members: Anna Wicklum, *Manuela Pacheco Gonzalez, *Zion Young, *Madilyn “Madi” Link, *Kristin McNeal, Reagan Henderson, *Avery Simpson, Adyson Lukich, *Benton Vineyard
After winning the GHSA 5A Area 1 Championship by a whopping 53 strokes, the Lady Pack faced a much stiffer field at the GHSA 5A State Championship at Fields Ferry in Calhoun, Georgia.
Greenbrier held a narrow one-shot lead over Northview High School after 18 holes. On day two, after falling behind by 9 strokes on the front nine, the Greenbrier girls rallied to not just erase the 9-stroke deficit, but pull ahead and win by 10 strokes for the Greenbrier Girls first-ever State Championship in girls golf.
Greenbrier also had two individuals earn GHSGCA All-State Honors: Freshman, Adyson Lukich, and Sophomore, Reagan Henderson.
Congratulations, Girls Golf Team players and coaches!
(Due to the recognition scheduled during the summer months when school is not in session, some team members were unable to attend.)
Thanks to members of the Greenbrier High NJROTC for leading the Pledge
August 8, 2023 (Click Here)
Georgia High School Association Class 6 A Boys Golf State Championship
Lakeside High
Former head coach Brad Powers
Coach Justin Crawford
Lakeside High School senior Barrett Loftis helped lead the school's boys golf team to remarkable success this season. His exceptional talent and competitiveness were instrumental in securing tournament championships at both the Blue Devil Shootout and the Taylor Made Adidas tournament.
In addition, Barrett played a pivotal role in leading the team to a 6A Area championship. This remarkable accomplishment demonstrates his ability to perform under pressure and contribute to the collective success of his team.
Barrett was also awarded the prestigious honor of individual runner-up.
Congratulations, Barrett!
Thanks to members of the Greenbrier High NJROTC for leading the Pledge
September 26, 2023 (Click Here)
Columbia County 4-H Northeast District Representative
Board of Directors
2023-2024
Jack Wurst - Harlem High
Jack is a junior at Harlem High School. He traveled with Columbia County 4-H to the State Congress in Atlanta this past July 2023, competing in the Dairy Foods project and Leadership in Action. He was one of the two-state winners of Leadership in Action and received a $500 grant to continue his work creating cake kits for local food banks. After having served as Vice-President on both the Junior and Senior Board of Directors Jack was also elected to the 4-H State Board of Directors as the Northeast District Representative for 2023-2024, and was installed for his term during State Congress. Jack has also earned a trip to the National 4-H Conference held in Washington, DC, on April 19-24, 2024.
Congratulations, Jack, for this accomplishment!
Georgia Department of Education Literacy Leaders Award
North Columbia, North Harlem, River Ridge and Stevens Creek Elementary Schools were a few of only 155 from across the state to earn the title of Georgia Department of Education Georgia Literacy Leader. The award aims to recognize outstanding achievement and growth in student proficiency in literacy on the Georgia Milestones Assessments. Qualifications were determined using the Georgia Milestones Reading Status indicator, which is based on the Lexile score associated with students' performance on a subset of questions on the ELA assessment.
Georgia High School Association Student-Athlete Advisory Council Member for 2023-2024
Rikki Carver - Lakeside High
The GHSA Student Advisory Council is made up of 20 Georgia student-athletes. Rikki was nominated by athletic director Derrick Myers because of her intelligence and work ethic. Her application was submitted last spring and scored by a panel based on answers to five questions. Rikki was selected as the representative for Georgia 6A. The council’s focus this year is to improve sportsmanship in schools and acknowledge good acts from student-athletes and coaches. Congratulations, Rikki!
National Beta Club National Convention Winners
The National Beta Club National Convention is the nation’s largest independent, non-profit, educational youth organization in America with over 445,000 active members and more than 9,600 clubs both nationally and internationally. Students from the Lakeside Middle Beta Club recently participated and placed among the top 10 in the nation.
Advisor: Emily Gainey
6th place in Engineering
Om Doshi, Averie Lutz, Tyler Malloy, and Erich Anne Sadang
5th place in Quilling Art
Om Doshi
The National Beta Club National Convention is one of the highest honors a member of Beta Club can participate in. These students successfully designed and built a working freestanding model of an elevator and elevator shaft out of a prescribed list of materials and fitting in a small container. With only 45 minutes to complete the task, and with no part of the project being preassembled, this was no small task. Each member of the team then co-presented their project to the judges. At the National Convention, the Lakeside Middle team competed against 54 middle school teams from across the United States and placed 6th. Students spent countless hours from October to June, even during the summer months, developing their skills in design, testing, redesigning, practicing, and competing.
Team member Om Doshi also created an art piece using the technique of paper quilling. He used the Beta Club Convention theme “The Power of Beta” to influence his artwork by creating a picture of both a dragon and a dog out of curled paper which represented how everything has the power of something bigger inside them. Om qualified to compete at the National Convention by placing in the top 5 at the National Beta Club Georgia State Convention. At the National Convention, Om competed against 32 other paper-quilling art pieces from middle schools across the United States and placed 5th.
Congratulations, students and Ms. Gainey!
Evans High School Class of 1983 Alumni Donation
The Evans High School Class of 1983 held their 40th class reunion in August, 2023. The Class of 1983 planning committee collected donations from members to host the event. Remaining funds after the reunion were donated by the class to the Columbia County School District Foundation. Members of the class' planning committee presented the donation to the Board of Education.
Members include: Tammy Shepherd, Doug Hemingway, Jan Wiggins, Jeff Dowdle, Alice Padgett, Phil Lee, Judy McLure, and Millie Kolinski (not pictured)
Thank you, alumni!
North Columbia Elementary 4-H Presidents
September 12, 2023 (Click Here)
Columbia County School District Teacher of the Year Top Five Finalists
Pictured from left: Cassandra Rodriguez - Evans High; Crystal McDowell - Greenbrier High; Brook Andrews - Stallings Island Middle; Allison Dixon - Greenbrier Elementary; Jennifer Roper - River Ridge Elementary; Dr. Steve Flynt, Superintendent.
This year’s finalists are as follows:
- Brook Andrews – Stallings Island Middle School
- Allison Dixon – Greenbrier Elementary School
- Crystal McDowell – Greenbrier High School
- Cassandra Rodriguez – Evans High School
- Jennifer Roper – River Ridge Elementary School
The 2023-2024 Teachers of the Year are selected in the spring of the previous school year by peers from their respective schools. The method for selecting the Teachers of the Year is comprised of a rigorous process that includes internal and external judges. The finalists will undergo additional evaluations culminating in the selection of the Columbia County School District Teacher of the Year.
The finalists will be recognized by the Columbia County Board of Education on September 12, 2023. The Columbia County School District Teacher of the Year will be announced at the annual Teacher of the Year Banquet. The winner selected as the Columbia County School District Teacher of the Year will go on to represent the district at the state level.
For bios of the top five finalists and all school-level Teachers of the Year, click here.
Cedar Ridge Elementary - 4-H Presidents
October 10, 2023 (Click Here)
Georgia Department of Education 2023 Distinguished Title I and Reward Schools
The Georgia Art Education Association
2023 Youth Art Month Award of Merit
from the Council for Art Education and the National Art Education Association
Martinez Elementary 4-H Presidents
October 24, 2023 (Click Here)
Georgia Department of Education Student Advisory Council Representative
Ally Xu - Lakeside High
Georgia High School Association State Esports Coach of the Year
Brad Williams - Harlem High
Columbia County School District Foundation
Board of Trustees
The Columbia County School District Foundation was formed last spring to support the district’s vision and mission. Six initial Foundation Trustees have been recruited and have volunteered to dedicate their time and expertise to govern the organization and to help with fundraising and programming efforts.
These six individuals represent a variety of backgrounds and work across many business sectors. All either have graduated from the Columbia County School District and/or have children who have graduated from the district. This is a group of people with many years of combined experience serving in similar capacities for other local organizations and nonprofits.
Trustees include the following:
- Foundation Chairman - Adam Williams, Partner with The Cleveland Group.
- Foundation Vice-Chairman Stan Shepherd, Regional Director with AT&T
- Foundation Secretary - Megan Moye, Chief Marketing Officer with Meybohm
- Jonathan Samuel, President of GIW Industries
- Steve Baxter, Vice President of Pollock Company
- Wendy Perry, Principal with Katalis
Additionally, several non-voting Trustees will help advise the Foundation regarding how to best support the district.
- Lee Ann Meyer, Columbia County School District Board of Education representative
- Dr. Steve Flynt, Columbia County School District Superintendent
- Ashley Rice, Columbia County School District Foundation Coordinator, will serve as Executive Director for the Foundation
- Alex Casado, Chief Financial Officer for the Columbia County School District, will serve as the Treasurer for the Foundation.
Thank you to our Trustees for the time and energy you have already spent and will spend, helping to support and grow the Foundation! For more information about the Foundation, or to make a tax-deductible donation, click here.
4-H Presidents lead the Pledge of Allegiance
November 14, 2023 (Click Here)
November 14, 2023
Columbia County Board of Education Special Recognitions
Columbia County Exchange Club 2023 First Responder of the Year Award
The Exchange Club of Columbia County recognized CCSD School Police Officer Carrie Wokutch as the Columbia County Exchange Club's “First Responder of the Year."
She was selected by the Exchange Club organization from hundreds of officers who serve the Columbia County community in Harlem, Grovetown, Columbia County Sheriff's Office, and Columbia County School District Police.
Nominations were selected for exemplary performance of duty, heroism, or other distinguished service.
Congratulations, Officer Wokutch!
4-H Student Presidents lead the Pledge of Allegiance
December 12, 2023 (Click Here)
December 14, 2023
Macy’s Great American Marching Band Honoree &
Saluting America's Band Directors Marching Band Honoree
In addition to serving as the Assistant Band Director, Mr. Boykin is an alumnus of Greenbrier High School. He performed as a Tenor Saxophone player with the “Saluting America’s Band Directors Marching Band.” Mr. Boykin was one of 450 band directors featured, and one of 14 teachers from Georgia. This group also performed a memorial concert at Ground Zero.
Jordan Evans was one of 8 Sousaphone players in a band of 250 students. He had to complete both a marching and music audition to be selected to the group. This musical group was named “Macy’s Great American Marching Band.” Jordan is an All-State tuba player and also Vice President of Tri-M Music Honors Society at Greenbrier High School. Mr. Boykin serves as Chapter Advisor of Tri-M.
Congratulations, Mr. Boykin and Jordan and thanks for representing CCSD!
Science Grant Recipient Award Winner
Crystal McDowell - Greenbrier High
Over the past few years, Mrs. McDowell has applied for and received several grants and awards to support science education. Her influence on science extends beyond the classroom.
Voya Financial has awarded Ms. McDowell one of the $2,000 Voya Unsung Hero Awards for “STEMify the Life Science Classroom.” This grant will fund the purchase of Force Sensors, Reflex Hammer Accessories for the Force Sensors, Goniometers, all of which will be used in Human Anatomy and Physiology so students can collect and analyze data using technology.
This year she was one of three finalists for the NSTA Shell National Science Teacher Award and she is a Georgia finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
Congratulations, Ms. McDowell, on these outstanding accomplishments!
Baker Place Elementary 4-H Presidents
January 9, 2024 Special Recognitions (Click Here)
Georgia Junior Beta Club
State Competition Winners
Blue Ridge Elementary, Stevens Creek Elementary, and Lakeside Middle
Beta Club is an academic service club that emphasizes academic leadership and community service. To be considered for membership, students must be working at or above grade level, demonstrate excellent academic success, and have a good moral character. Traditionally, students are awarded membership based on their grades (GPA), or test scores and character traits. These students participated in the state competitions in Savannah on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 2023.
Blue Ridge Elementary
2nd Place
Campaign Skit event
Advisors: Mendy Grant and Laura Walker
Team members include:
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- Anika Batra
- Patrick Kenny
- Deeba Latifi
- Harper Lovett
- McKenzie Manning
- Emma Palmer
- Reign Townsend
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Stevens Creek Elementary
2nd Place for Living Literature
3rd Place for Creative Writing
Advisor: Patricia Dekle
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- Barrett Pankow
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Lakeside Middle
3rd Place - Robotics
3rd Place - Engineering
Advisor: Emily Gainey
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- Valynsia Calhoun
- Emma Cox
- Arya Doshi
- Peter Kenny
- Zavi Voigt
- Vash Whaley
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Engineering team members include:
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- Adain Cox
- Logan Cox
- Arya Doshi
- Isabelle Pendley
- Zavi Voigt
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- Grace Williams - 2nd place - Recyclable Art
- Emery Smitherman - 3rd place - On-site Drawing
- Madeline Smith - was selected for the National Jr. Beta Performance Dance Team
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GHSA Girls Flag Football State Champions
Greenbrier High
The Greenbrier High Girls Flag Football Division II Team defeated Lithia Springs High School to earn the GHSA State Championship in mid-December at the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The team started the season with a loss against Southeast Bulloch, who is the top-ranked team in the country. They went on to win the next 18 games in a row. They had to play tough teams from Evans, Lakeside, and Grovetown multiple times, as well as many difficult non-region opponents. The offense was dominant throughout the season, scoring 469 points, led by Quarterback Kenzie Horton (Area Player of the Year), Aaliyah Silver (All Area, Atlanta Falcons Player of the Week), Presley McDermott (All Area), and Maggie Pangle (All Area). However, in the playoffs it was their defense that helped seal the deal, never allowing more than one point in any game. The pack's defense was led by Linebacker Sophie Campanaro (All Area) and rushers Alisha Mikell (State All Star) and Ari Boone. Ari was also a dominant force as a punter, averaging 40 yards per punt. In the state championship game, Maggie Pangle gave a heroic performance, coming back from injury to make the game-winning touchdown catch. The season ended with the team not only winning a State Championship in the largest Division of 91 teams but also being nationally ranked No. 2 by Max Preps.
Congratulations, Greenbrier High Girls Flag Football Team for your Division II State Championship!
Greenbrier High Girls Flag Football Team members:
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- Ana Laura Altamirano-Boone
- Arianna Altamirano-Boone
- Darcy Bridwell
- Sophie Campanaro
- Bailey Chauvin
- Maziah Driskell
- Kenzie Horton
- Finley Jones
- Abby Lester
- Greer Massey
- Presley McDermott
- Carrington Meyers
- Alisha Mikell
- Sarah Newland
- Maggie Pangle
- Mamie Cate Pangle
- Jai Sheffield
- Aaliyah Silver
- Avery Simpson
- Hailey Valentino.
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Coaches:
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- Daniel Jordan
- Wes Marshall
- Jamie Smith
- Ali Collins
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2023-2024 Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Council Member
Julie Savina
CCSD parent Mrs. Julie Savina is one of 31 parents from across the state selected to serve as a member of the Georgia Department of Education Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Council.
Parents are nominated by their school district at the beginning of each year and are selected for participation on the state Parent Advisory Council based on their capacity to lead, current levels of involvement in their child's school, and responses to application questions.
As a council member, Mrs. Savina will meet several times this year with State School Superintendent Richard Woods to discuss education issues in Georgia, with a primary focus on increasing parent and family engagement to ensure student success, as well as to provide input on new policies, projects, and materials that impact students and their families. Members will then bring back the information learned, serving as advisors and ambassadors in their respective communities.
Mrs. Savina has four children who attend Grovetown Elementary, Middle, and High. She enjoys volunteering with the schools, helping in the library, and any other behind-the-scenes assistance for teachers as needed. She has a background in teaching so she brings her experience to this state task force.
Congratulations, Mrs. Savina for being selected for the second time as a member of this very important council for a second year. We are grateful for your support of public education in Georgia and Columbia County.
Euchee Creek Elementary 4-H President
Thanks to our 4-H Presidents from Euchee Creek Elementary for leading the Pledge of Allegiance at the Board Meeting.
January 23, 2024 Special Recognitions (Click Here)
January 23, 2024 Special Recognitions
Georgia Thespian Honor Society Chapter State Officer
Grovetown High
State Officer - Anthony LoBianco
Advisor - Dan McGill
The International Thespian Society (ITS) is the only theatre honor society for middle and high school students in the United States. Affiliation brings credibility and distinction to students, theatre programs, and schools. It is a visible, positive symbol of the quality of your theatre program. ITS recognizes, rewards, and encourages student achievement and celebrates the work of students in all aspects of theatre – performance and production. Each student is honored on a national level and gains access to opportunities and resources beyond those of their school.
The Georgia Chapter of Thespians selected Anthony LoBianco as one of only eight State Thespian Officers within Georgia. He joins the rank of an elite group of theatre leaders within our state who will represent the entire Chapter to the State Board, and will provide leadership to the annual state Thespian events, including the annual Thespian Conference at Columbus State University, where more than 6,500 theatre students from around our state gather to learn their craft from the very best professionals in the industry. We congratulate Anthony for being the first Grovetown High Thespian to ever be elected to this prestigious position.
CSRA Environmental Science Education Cooperative Competition
Greenbrier Middle and Stallings Island Middle
The CSRA Environmental Science Education Cooperative is comprised of federal, state, and private governmental agencies, businesses, and non-profits that are committed to environmental education. These member organizations volunteer their time and resources for outreach programs, teacher education efforts, and on-site education programs to further their mission.
Each year, they host the Eco-Meet, an environmental science competition for middle school students in the CSRA. This year’s competition was held at the Ruth Patrick Science Center in Aiken. Students spent the day meeting, answering questions, and completing tasks as a team in order to earn points. Congratulations, to student teams from both Greenbrier Middle and Stallings Island Middle for placing among the top three in their respective categories.
Greenbrier Middle
3rd Place
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Hydropower Station Competition
Elizabeth Carter
Pancho Mancera
Nephi Phillips
Isabelle Jones
Advisor: Allison Williams and Olivia Silvey
The Corps of Engineers' station focused on hydropower and its role in the environment. In particular, students were expected to understand the benefits and the basic function and operation of a hydropower plant. Students were expected to study the benefits and components of hydropower as well as the effects of dams and hydropower on water quality, aquatic life, terrestrial habitats, and fish migration.
Stallings Island Middle
Advisors for both teams: Brook Andrews and Kimberly Wahus
1st Place, Eco-meet overall winner
Keira Green
Srishti Gotam
Doug Andrews
Jonas Mondi
3rd Place, Eco-meet overall winner
Audrey Wang
Bela Karia
Sara Karia
Anunya Madhavaraman
The eco-meet competition consisted of six different testing stations. Each testing station had an environmental study packet and sample questions available for teams to utilize before the competition. Students spent time after school studying and preparing for each station’s unique tests and performance tasks.
South Columbia Elementary 4-H Presidents
February 13, 2024 Special Recognitions (Click Here)
February 13, 2024 Special Recognitions
CyberPatriot State Championship Winners
Greenbrier Middle School and Greenbrier High School
Greenbrier Middle School
Teacher Advisor: Loradonna Schultz
Team mentors: Hank Dow and Jeffrey Fleming
First Place Team Members:
Brendan Fleming
Tristan Garrison
Jordan Jeter
Nolan Mennis
James Youmans
Advisor: Loradonna
Second Place Team Members:
Jackson Cluney
Kyan Fleming
Cade Mitchell
Carter Stone
Cayden Wamsley
This is the sixth year in a row that a team from Greenbrier Middle has placed first in the state competition. Ms. Shultz has been the Greenbrier Middle School CyberPatriot teacher advisor since the club's induction.
Greenbrier High School
Teacher Advisor: Ty Abero
Gold Tier First Place in State
Michael Agnello
Chloe Bell
Joshua Marksmeier
Jason Nistler
Peyton Phillips
Gabriel Sanders-Punke-Bendt
Platinum Tier Second Place in State
Liam Fedak
Leland Green
Bryant Hodge
Max Jaremski
Elisa Owens
Dagen Shehorn
Congratulations, Greenbrier CyberPatriot Teams!
Georgia Forensics Coaches Association Speech and Debate State Champion
Kenzie Houk - Grovetown High School
Kenzie Houk is the new state champion for the 2nd Year Public Forum debate. She is a senior and the Vice President of the Grovetown High Speech and Debate Team. Public Forum debate is a team-based event wherein two students debate against two other students from another school over a resolution that is either supported or denied based on a coin flip during a round. The tournament involves five rounds and students earn “speaker points” on how well they debate in those rounds.Across the state, approximately 30 students from 23 schools competed in this event, and the Grovetown High School Public Forum team collectively researched and crafted the debate cases. A total of seven students represented Grovetown High School, the Columbia County School District, and the CSRA. Their debate coaches are Brett Carter and Mark Epps.Congratulations, Kenzie and the Grovetown High School Debate Team.
Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA)
District Music Educator of the Year
Wendy Baggott - Evans Middle School
Evans Elementary 4-H Presidents
February 27, 2024 Special Recognitions (Click Here)
February 27, 2024 Special Recognitions
Columbia County School District Aspiring Principals Academy Completors 2023-2024
In 2019, the Columbia County School District (CCSD) established the Leadership Development Program to recruit, employ, develop, and retain quality leaders in the CCSD. This cohort recently completed its year-long program that provides an opportunity to apply what they have learned to real-world scenarios, as they learn the knowledge and tools they need to be an effective leader in a school. The group works collaboratively to analyze various situations, apply lessons learned throughout the course, and problem-solve. Scenarios included conducting school improvement plans, analyzing school data, and incorporating leadership standards while facilitating school activities that are designed to maximize student achievement and success.
The academy culminated last month with this cohort successfully presenting their final project to members of our Executive Cabinet.
Congratulations to each of these school leaders and thank you for your dedication to the students, staff and families of the CCSD.
2023- 2024 Aspiring Principals Academy Cohort
Travis Azar
Dr. Carey Anne Cushman
Dr. Jeremy Davis
Dr. Leslie Dial
Nichole Lewis
Michael Jones
Sharard Pritchett
Sean Prouty
Valery Reed
Deborah Rogers
Blake Stitcher
4-H Presidents Lead the Pledge
Special thanks to 4-H Presidents from Greenbrier Elementary School and Parkway Elementary School for leading the Pledge of Allegiance at the board meeting. Great job, student leaders.
March 12, 2024 (Click Here)
March 12, 2024, Special Recognitions
Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA)
All-State Band and Orchestra
Being named to the GMEA All-State Band is one of the highest honors a band student can receive in middle and high school. To qualify for All-State Band, students must successfully complete two auditions. In the first audition, they must perform a lyrical etude from a required list, play an 8-12 measure excerpt after sight-reading it for only 60 seconds, and perform four or more major scales and a chromatic scale. Those who score high enough in the first audition, go on to the 2nd Round All-State audition where they must perform their lyrical etude and a technical etude. Next, they must perform a sight-reading excerpt that demonstrates both lyrical and technical abilities. Students who score highest in the 2nd Round audition are selected for the GMEA All-State Band. Across the state, only about 400 band members out of approximately 7000 are selected for the All-State Band. The band students audition for the All-State Band, but the students who earn the highest scores in the state are placed into the more selective All-State Orchestra.
Evans Middle School
Sophia Ann Martin
Band Director - Karena Washington
Stallings Island Middle School
Selina Huang
Band Director: Tayler Norwood
Greenbrier High School
Kevin Berry
Kenneth Comette
Jordan Evans
Rigel Kotas
Eli Ly
Mason Pounds
Mason Rubano
Noah Torabi - All-State Orchestra
Band Director: Dr. Brian Toney
Assistant Band Director - Rutledge Boykin
Grovetown High School
Sebastian Blizzard
Matthew McKinney
Band Director: Steve Whitaker
Harlem High School
Palmer Bloodworth
Band Director: Curtis Carver
Lakeside High School
Luke Baker
Peyton Geigle
Nathan Oester
Steven Pang
Dawson Pope
Rand Sayno
Xinyu Su
Haichen Zhou
Cole Eichenberger - All-State Orchestra
Band Directors: Jared Best and Jonathan Witmer
Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) All-State Chorus
The GMEA All-State Chorus is one of the highest musical honors a choral student can receive in middle and high school. To qualify, students must successfully complete two auditions. In the first audition, they have to perform a solo from a required list, sight-sing three examples of four measures each, two in a major key and one in a minor key, and sing three different scales. Those chosen from the first audition must learn the music they will perform on the all-state weekend. At the second audition, they sing 12-16 measures of each selection but do not know which measures they will be tested on until they walk into the audition room. Across the state, approximately 1,200 singers out of 7,000 are selected to sing in three different choirs.
Columbia Middle School
Abigail Alwine
Addison Colson
Joy Dyer
Amyah George
Sadie Pressley
Stephanie Russell
Myla Searcy
Chorus Director: Kennedy Smith
Greenbrier Middle School
Bella Heritage
Chorus Director: Jason Bailey
Grovetown Middle School
Braylen Ferguson
Chorus Director: Victoria Alvarez
Riverside Middle School
Kevin Jiang
Ashley Swiss
Chorus Director: Erin Dibling
Stallings Island Middle School
Aaron Francis
Paige Geigle
Vivienne Kim
Shayne Lowe
Chorus Director: Rebekkah Crose
Grovetown High School
Deanthony Clarke
Willy Powell Jr
Chorus Director: Brandon Ball
Lakeside High School
Kashvi Boga
Violet Herrmann
Sunny Huo
Benjamin Teboe
Charles Terry
Chorus Director: Maggie Christine
Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) Music Technology Showcase Winner
Shelby Eshman - Columbia Virtual Academy
(Student unable to attend, so her teacher, Ms. Mary Angel Cleary, accepted the recognition on her behalf.)
The Music Technology Showcase selection is the highest state-level award a student of music technology can win. Only 10-12 students from Georgia are chosen to have their music featured at this live GMEA-sponsored showcase. To qualify for selection, a student must average in the top 10% of scores among applicants currently enrolled in music technology. Students create an original or derivative song using music editing software and submit it for adjudication by a diverse panel of college and industry professionals. This year, one of the judges was a Grammy Award Winner. Selectees are honored at a presentation at the GMEA Conference where their music is played for professional producers and a live audience at Tweed Recording Studio. Shelby's song, Neon Serenade, was selected for the 2023 Showcase in the category of derivative work.
Grovetown Elementary School 4-H Presidents
March 26, 2024, Special Recognitions
GHSA State Literary Competition winners
Grovetown High School
Head Coach: Rebecca Todd
Assistant Coach: Brandon Ball
Emily Soares - State Champion
Extemporaneous Speaking
Musical Trio Performance - 3rd Place
Emma Anderson
Molly Henke
Noa Rote
Lakeside High School
Head Coach: Grace Bellmer
Assistant Coaches: Vicki Horne and Maggie Christine
Riya Makan - State Champion
Literary Analysis Competition
Jack Shaffer - State Runner-Up
Humorous Literary Interpretation
Anne Hensley Young - State Runner-Up
Personal Essay
Musical Quartet Performance - Third Place
Matthew Basila
August Bauer
Lucas Bruggeling
Benjamin Teboe
The Lakeside High School Literary team was also declared the 6A State Runner-Up, finishing only one point behind the State Champions.
Team Members:
Riya Makan
Jack Shaffer
Anne Hensley Young
Matthew Basila
August Bauer
Lucas Bruggeling
Benjamin Teboe
GHSA State Boys Swim Championship
Evans High School
To be eligible to compete in the Georgia High School Association’s state swim meet, Ben had to meet the qualifying standard time for each event. He qualified in the 200 Yard Individual Medley and the 100 Yard Backstroke. To advance to the final round, Ben had to place in the top 20. At the end of the preliminary round, Ben was 4th in the 200 Individual Medley and 5th in the 100 Backstroke. At finals, Ben placed 4th in the 200 Individual Medley and was 2nd place in the state in the 100 Backstroke with a time of 51.22 seconds.
Benjamin Hill
2nd place
100-Yard Backstroke
Head Swim Coach: Benjamin Prescott
Assistant Swim Coach: Whitney McTier
GHSA State Boys Traditional Wrestling Championship
Greenbrier High School
To qualify in the Georgia High School Association’s individual wrestling meets, wrestlers had to place in the top four in the region to advance to sectionals. Sebastian placed 1st in the Boys 5A Region 1 which moved him on to sectionals where the top six wrestlers from each weight class would advance to the traditional state tournament to compete in a twelve person bracket. Sebastian placed 1st in the GHSA Class 5A Section A at the 150 lbs weight class, which moved him into the top 12 in the state, qualifying him for the state tournament and the championship finals. Through his dedication and persistence, Sebastian represented Greenbrier High School and Columbia County with confidence and determination. By placing in the state championship again this year, Sebastian is the only Wolfpack Men’s wrestler to end his high school career as a 3-time state placer.
Sebastian Melendez
2nd place
150 lb Weight Class Division
Head Coach: Tyrone Abero
Assistant Coaches: Aaron Epstein and Derek Pollard
GHSA State Girls Wrestling Championship
Greenbrier High School
This team of wrestlers began their journey to the Georgia High School Association’s state championship by competing in the Girls Area 1 Duals where they were the defending champs. In order to qualify for state, teams had to place in the top two in their region. They met that challenge to punch their ticket to the State Duals and become back-to-back region champions. After defeating several opponents in opening rounds, they advanced to the State Championship finals against the defending champions, Carrollton High School. The ladies fought hard, but unfortunately lost a tough match to Carrollton. Although they experienced a tough finals match, they displayed great perseverance and rallied together throughout the tournament. This group of young women was more than just a group of individuals, they were a collective spirit, bonded by a shared goal and genuine camaraderie, and represented both Greenbrier High and Columbia County well at the highest level of state competition. The ladies finished the GHSA’s state tournament with a 2nd place finish, which is one place higher than the previous year when they finished third.
Head Coach: Donell Bradley
Assistant Coaches: Tyrone Abero, Aaron Epstein, and Derek Pollard
Team Members:
Danyah Ahmed
Arieana Bacon
Kynsley Buckland
Jansen Drumgoole
Journey Drumgoole
Jordan Epstein
Larissa Hitchcox
Kaylynn Hottenrott
Esperanza Huitron
Gabrielle Jefferson
Maria Kimball \
Ryan Lewis\
Liz Martinez
Josie McQuillan
Phoebe Melvin
Mya Pilger
Jalaia Ross
Emma Seiter
Abigail Sekajipo
Stella Stancoven
Jade Stephens
Arieana Bacon
1st Place
155 lbs Weight Class Division
Jordan Epstein
3rd Place
100 lbs Weight Class Division
Individual award winners Arieana Bacon and Jordan Epstein had to place in the top four in the region to advance to sectionals where the top six wrestlers from each weight class advanced to compete in a twelve person bracket. Arieana and Jordan placed 1st and 2nd at sectionals in their respective weight classes, which moved them into the top 12 in the state, qualifying them for the state tournament. Jordan and Arieana both represented Greenbrier High School and Columbia County with poise, grit, and determination.
Grovetown High School
Shaniyah McDaniel
2nd Place
115 lbs Weight Class Division
Head Coach: Bruce Zuehlke
Assistant Coach: Everette McDaniel
Shaniyah is a sophomore at Grovetown High School. She finished the season with a record of 33-3. Shaniyah finished second in Georgia High School Association’s 115 pound division this year. She also led the girl’s program at Grovetown High to their first two Championships in tournaments. She was a State qualifier last year and she is expected to compete for a State Championship again next year. Her coaches say her leadership on the team is outstanding and will be a key to their success over the next two years.
Savannah College of Art and Design Award Winners
Columbia Virtual Academy
Savannah College of Art and Design gives three Scholastic Art and Writing awards at the state level. They are the Gold Key, the Silver Key, and Honorable Mention. These awards have inspired bold ideas in creative teens throughout the county since 1923. The competition is so fierce that your odds of winning are about one in 20.
When I call your name, please come forward. Family members here to support these students, please stand and be recognized.
Iris Holberton
Silver Key
Library Sculpture
Graysen McClary
Honorable Mention
Digital Drawing
Aunalisa Hedrick
Honorable Mention for two
Digital Drawings
Tiffany Weser
Advisor
North Harlem Elementary 4-H Presidents
Special thanks to our 4-H Presidents from North Harlem Elementary School for leading the Pledge of Allegiance at the Board of Education meeting. Great job, student leaders.