Outstanding School Nutrition Program Administrative Review

Congratulations, to the Columbia County School District Nutrition Program, for completing a successful Administrative Review by the Georgia Department of Education!

The United States Department of Agriculture regulations require that the Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition Program conducts an Administrative Review of the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs in participating districts every five years.

The Columbia County School District School Nutrition Program was selected for an Administrative Review this school year, which includes an in-depth assessment of the School Nutrition Program operations at the district level and at the school level. A few program areas included in the review were: the accuracy of Free and Reduced meal eligibility certification, the accuracy of meal counting and claiming for federal reimbursement, compliance with the meal pattern and nutritional quality requirements, financial management, professional standards and training, food safety, and much more. These are just some of the aspects of the program the nutrition program's staff are responsible for overseeing every day at a District level.

Four schools were selected for on-site visits by the Georgia Department of Education. Selected schools include the following:

While onsite at each school, the reviewers observed breakfast and lunch service, as well as afterschool snack service for compliance with program requirements.

Thank you to everyone who works in the kitchens and cafeterias every day across this great school district, for your outstanding work and dedication to feeding the students of this county and for making the District’s school nutrition program a success.

 Deputy J.D. Paugh Memorial Foundation Donation

The members of the Deputy J.D. Paugh Memorial Foundation donated $7,800 to Columbia County School District Police to purchase of custom-fitted armored vests for  School Resource Officers.

Georgia 4-H Outstanding Lifetime Volunteer Award Winner
Billy Wilkes

Mr. Billy Wilkes is a school bus driver for the Columbia County School District. He soon began volunteering with 4-H student programs 22 years ago. At the Georgia 4-H Fall Forum, in December, Mr. Wilkes was named the Georgia 4-H Outstanding Lifetime Volunteer, the highest volunteer award from Georgia 4-H. 

The Outstanding Lifetime Volunteer Award is given to an individual who has served 10 or more years as a 4-H volunteer.  Applications include a nomination letter and personal statements from people the nominee has impacted. Mr. Wilks is one of two nominated to advance to the National 4-H Salute to Excellence competition which will take place later this year.

Mr. Wilkes has had an impact on many students from Columbia County and around the state. Some students have gone on to become 4-H camp counselors, environmental educators, state staff, and even 4-H agents.

International Thespian Honor Society, Georgia Chapter, State Officer
Brandon Worth - Evans High

 

Brandon Worth of Evans High was selected to be the 2023-2024 State Thespian Officer for the Georgia Chapter of the International Thespian Honor Society (ITS). 

The 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. Each student is honored on a national level, gains access to opportunities and resources beyond those of their school. 

 All schools recommend many candidates for this top honor. LeadCon 1 and LeadCon 2 conferences were held in Warner Robins, GA at Houston County High School.  The first selection at the Leadcon conference was narrowed down to 50 students in September 2022. Another LeadCon conference was held in January 2023 and narrowed down to nine students. 

This past weekend, Brandon participated in the 2023 Georgia Thespian Conference where he worked as a Junior Thespian Officer to prepare for the Georgia Thespian Conference, which is a three-day conference located in Columbus, GA, in which thousands of GA thespians - students and teachers - may attend a wide variety of workshops taught by theatre professionals from around the country. The conference also gives participants the chance to view other schools' performances selected from the GHSA One-Act Competition. Currently, Brandon is featured in leading and supporting roles in Choral and Theatrical activities at Evans High as well as an Officer for the Choral and Theatrical program. 

Macy's Great American Marching Band
Nathan Vasquez - Grovetown High

The Macy’s Great American Marching Band is a select group comprised of some of the finest high school marching band students from across the United States. Each year students interested in participating in this band submit to an arduous application process. Submissions are reviewed by a panel of prestigious high school and college band directors from across the nation and students are selected based on their individual performance abilities. Nathan is an outstanding musician that has dedicated himself to higher levels of achievement and this is one of several musical honors that he has achieved. 

Nathan was one of three students representing the state of Georgia, and the only student from the Columbia County School District and the region selected to march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. 

Nathan is very thankful for his band director Mr. Whitaker.  He credits him for saving his passion for music and discovering the meaning of never giving up and improving in the face of adversity.

Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) - Music Technology Student Showcase Winners
Will Powell Jr. - Grovetown High
Michael McCombs - Grovetown High
Johnathan Stonehocker - Greenbrier High

Three students were recently recognized as state-level winners for the GMEA Student showcase.

Each year, GMEA sponsors and carries out an annual digital composition competition for the purpose of encouraging students who have an interest in, and an aptitude for, the writing of original digital music. Entries are judged on four criteria: Musical Content, Creativity, Technical Proficiency, and Realization of Process, and awarded Gold, Silver or Bronze certificates in each division and category. Top entries at the State level in each division and category had their works presented during the GMEA Showcase in Athens, GA, on January 27, 2023. Students who are selected for best-in-show, receive a 1-year free professional subscription to Soundtrap.com, an online editing software/platform. 

Willy Powell Jr. and Michael McCombs, of Grovetown High, with advisor Mary Angel Cleary, and Johnathan Stonehocker of Greenbrier High with advisor Stephen Hansen, were recognized for their winning compositions at the GMEA Music Technology Student Showcase. Greenbrier High Principal Chip Fulmer standing in for Stephen Hansen. 

Willy Powell, Jr. is a junior at Grovetown High School, and Michael McCombs is a senior at Grovetown High, under advisor Mary Angel Cleary. Both Willy and Michael had compositions selected for the GMEA Music Educator's Conference, where the winning compositions were played for professional producers and a live audience at Tweed Recording Studio. This is a state-level honor, for which Willy and Michael competed against students across the state of Georgia. Submissions were taken from students enrolled in a music technology class who created an original or derivative song using music editing software. Submissions are reviewed by a diverse panel of college professionals and industry professionals, one of which is a Grammy Award Winning judge. For a song to make the selection panel, it must average in the top ten percent of scores.

Willy Powell - 4PF: To listen, Click Here. 
Willy Powell - Mahusiano: To listen, Click Here.
Michael McCombs - Abstract Nature: To listen, Click Here.

Johnathan Stonehocker is a senior at Greenbrier High School. Johnathan was awarded the top prize in the digital music competition. For winning, Johnathan will receive a three-hour recording session at a recording studio and a $500 piece of music equipment of his choosing. Johnathan has been writing music for over eight years and has been competing in music competitions all around the state. He has released his own self-produced album, "Disarray". Johnathan plans to pursue a career in songwriting and music production at Berklee college of music on a partial scholarship. Johnathan’s teacher is Stephen Hansen.  

Georgia High School Football Daily All-State Football Team

Georgia High School Football Daily is an e-newsletter published weekdays from August through December. Founded in 2009, it has more than 23,000 subscribers. 

The Georgia High School Football Daily All-State Football Team is also The Atlanta Journal-Constitution all-state team. The team is chosen through nominations from coaches statewide.  They also take into consideration all-region teams.

Region 3 - AAA Player of the Year
Matthew Williams - Harlem High
Coach Mark Boiter

Matthew Williams was unanimously voted player of the year in Region 3-AAA by the region’s coaches. That’s a rare honor for a lineman. Player of the Year awards almost always go to quarterbacks, running backs or wide receivers. Matthew allowed zero sacks as an offensive lineman and was described as “a dominant run blocker.” His team averaged 30 points per game and put up more than 2,000 yards rushing and 1,500 passing. On defense, he had six tackles for losses and a sack and blocked two field goal attempts. Matthew has signed to play football for Georgia Southern University.  

AAAAAA First Team Kicker
Will Hattaway - Lakeside High
Coach Mark Boiter

Will Hattaway Made nine of ten field-goal attempts and put 21 of his kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks. Hattaway is ranked the No. 24 place-kicker nationally by Kohl’s Kicking. Will has been named to the AAAAAA GHSF Daily first team as a kicker. Will Hattaway is the only football player in Columbia County to receive this prestigious award. In addition to his First Team All-State recognition, Will was named to the First Team All-Region and First Team All-Area. Will was also named the Georgia varsity top punter for field goal percentage in 6A (6th in the state for all qualifications) by MaxPreps and received a five-star rating from Kohl’s Kicking Academy. He was also a member of Team Georgia for the 2022-2023 Border Bowl.

In addition to being a top athlete, Will has maintained a 4.0 GPA during his high school career and will sign a national letter of intent to play for the back-to-back national champions Georgia Bulldogs in the Fall. 

SRP Federal Credit Union Donation

In 2018, SRP Federal Credit Union launched the Affinity High School Debit Card program with all Columbia County high schools. 

This program was designed to be able to provide an additional funding resource for local high schools. Each high school worked with SRP to develop a co-branded debit card design that is unique to each school and are displayed on the slide before you. Each time a SRP customer makes a transaction with their school-branded debit card, SRP makes a monetary donation to that school.

Thank you, SRP Federal Credit Union, for supporting public education in Columbia County.