2026-2027

This year, representing Harlem High School on the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) Youth Advisory Council (YAC) is Anna Claire Wall.

The GSBA Youth Advisory Council brings together student leaders from public high schools across Georgia, providing them with an opportunity to share their perspectives on educational policies and practices and contribute meaningful feedback to school board members. Through their participation, students have the opportunity to provide insight that can help inform school board decision-making and the implementation of educational initiatives.

2026 National Science Bowl Winners
Lakeside High School

A Team (1st Place in State and 5th place in nationals’ bracket)
Eliana Benevides
Kareem Hassan (not pictured)
Arnav Patel
David Wang (Captain) Wong
Mingzhe (Steven) Zhang
Advisors: Dr. David Arrington and Dr. John Cato
Principal: Juliet King

Created by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in 1991, the National Science Bowl encourages students to excel in mathematics and science while inspiring them to pursue careers in STEM fields. The fast-paced buzzer competition challenges students with questions spanning six areas: mathematics, earth and space science, physics, biology, chemistry, and energy.

Under the guidance of coaches Dr. David Arrington and Dr. John Cato, Lakeside High School held tryouts for its Science Bowl teams in August. Students were selected based on subject-matter test scores, buzzer-play performance, and specialized areas of scientific knowledge.

Throughout the school year, team members dedicated themselves to weekly study sessions and practice competitions in preparation for the state competition held in February. Lakeside’s B Team placed 4th, while the A Team captured 1st Place, earning an all-expenses-paid trip, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, to compete at the National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C.

At the national competition this past spring, Lakeside’s A Team continued to demonstrate exceptional knowledge, teamwork, and determination, finishing 5th in the Nationals bracket.

National Beta Schools of Merit & School of Distinction

The following schools have proudly earned the National Beta School of Merit designation, with some also receiving the prestigious School of Distinction honor.

Presented by the National Beta Club, these distinguished recognitions celebrate schools that demonstrate an unwavering commitment to academic excellence while embracing the four pillars of Beta: achievement, character, leadership, and service.

The School of Distinction honor recognizes schools that have demonstrated exceptional growth, including a 10% increase in membership from the previous year, reflecting their continued dedication to expanding opportunities for student involvement and leadership.

Elementary Schools of Merit and/or Distinction
Baker Place Elementary - School of Merit
Blue Ridge Elementary School - Both a school of merit and distinction
Brookwood Elementary- School of Distinction
Euchee Creek Elementary - School of Merit
Greenbrier Elementary - School of Merit
Grovetown Elementary - School of Merit and Distinction
Lewiston Elementary - School of Distinction
North Columbia Elementary - School of Distinction
North Harlem Elementary - School of Merit
Parkway Elementary - School of Merit
Riverside Elementary - School of Distinction
River Ridge Elementary - School of Distinction
Stevens Creek Elementary - School of  Merit
Westmont Elementary - School of Merit and Distinction

Middle and High Schools of Merit and/or Distinction
Columbia Middle School - School of Merit
Evans Middle - School of Merit and Distinction
Harlem Middle - School of Merit
Lakeside Middle - School of Merit
Riverside Middle - School of Merit
Stallings Island Middle - School of Merit
Evans High - School of Merit
Greenbrier High - School of Merit
Harlem High - School of Merit
Lakeside High - School of Merit

National Beta Club Convention

We are proud to recognize the outstanding students from Blue Ridge Elementary School, Stevens Creek Elementary School, and Lakeside High School who represented their schools at the National Beta Club Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, this past summer.

The National Beta Convention is the highest level of competition for National Beta members, bringing together top-performing students from across the United States. Students earn the opportunity to compete at the national level by qualifying through their respective state conventions. The convention celebrates National Beta’s four pillars achievement, character, leadership, and service through a wide range of academic, fine arts, STEM, and leadership competitions.

Blue Ridge Elementary School

Raghav Thumsi -1st Place in Spelling
Ward Walker -6th Place in Pottery

10th place in Musicology
Ward Walker, Adelie Baker, Blessing Messan, and Happiness Messan

Advisor: Laura Walker
Principal: Jessica Williams

Stevens Creek Elementary School

Vivek Raval - 1st Place in the Social Studies Academic Competition 
4th Place in the Elementary National Beta Reimagine, Recreate, and Recycle Team Exhibition:
Navtej Farmaha
Avni Makhija
Ayan Patel
Vivek Raval
Vihaan Shah
Advisor: Patricia Dekle
Principal: Kelli Robertson

Lakeside High School

Krish Patel successfully navigated these rigorous qualification rounds and went on to achieve an extraordinary accomplishment, earning 2nd Place in the Nation in 11th Grade Mathematics.

2nd Place in Mathematics: Krish Patel
Advisor: Patricia Lozano-Nunes
Principal: Juliet King

National Civics Bee Competition

We are excited to recognize two exceptional students from two of our middle schools, Hannah Leatherwood of Columbia Middle School and Charlotte Anderson of Harlem Middle School, for their outstanding participation in the National Civics Bee Competition.

The National Civics Bee is an annual, nonpartisan competition hosted in partnership with the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce and The Civic Trust of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. The competition encourages middle school students to deepen their understanding of civics, become more engaged in their communities, and develop ideas for addressing issues that matter to them.

Hannah and Charlotte each submitted essays and were selected to compete in the regional competition held at Lakeside High School this past April. Charlotte earned 2nd place, while Hannah earned 3rd place, securing both students a spot in the next round of the competition hosted by the Georgia Chamber Foundation in Atlanta this past summer.

During the state competition, contestants answered 20 multiple-choice civics questions, while finalists had the opportunity to present their essay ideas to a panel of judges. Hannah and Charlotte distinguished themselves among students from across the state, both earning a place among the Top 5 Finalists at the State National Civics Bee.

Their accomplishments reflect not only their strong knowledge of civics but also their willingness to engage thoughtfully with issues affecting their communities. We are incredibly proud of the dedication, preparation, and civic mindedness demonstrated by both students.

Both Hannah Leatherwood and Charlotte Anderson are now students at Evans High School, where we look forward to seeing them continue to grow as engaged students and future community leaders.

Lakeside High School JROTC

Special thanks to the cadets of the Lakeside High School Color Guard for the presentation of the colors and leading the Pledge of Allegiance at the Board Meeting.