2024-2025
July 9, 2024 (Click Here)
July 9, 2024
Columbia County Board of Education Special Recognitions
GHSA 6A Boys Golf State Champions
Lakeside High School
Team Members:
McCrae Bella
Jack Demyan
Tommy Eremito
Nick Flite
Lukas Fritsch
Cooper Hawkins
Qasim Khan
Jacob Mondi
Theron Sapp
Coley Shiver
Bennett Wiggins
Hamilton Coleman*
Barrett Loftis (All-State)
Jacob Weaver
Head Coach: Justin Crawford
Assistant Coach: Matt Scott
Principal: Juliet King
*Individual State Champion and Boys Player of the Year
The Lakeside High School Boys Golf Team was named the 2024 GHSA State Champions, the school's first title since 2010. The dedication, perseverance, and leadership demonstrated by this team is remarkable. Their commitment to excellence and teamwork has truly set a new standard for future athletes at Lakeside High School.
Never wilting under pressure, the Panthers won the state tournament by four strokes after being down seven strokes on Monday.
These young men came together and took the lead at the midway point Tuesday morning and never looked back. It was a true team effort.
Monday was led by the four underclassmen of Coleman, Wiggins, Flite and Hawkins, but Tuesday’s comeback was spearheaded by the Lakeside seniors of Loftis and Eremito.
With the win, the Lakeside boys golf team claimed their first state championship since 2010!
GHSA 5A Girls Golf State Championship
2nd Place - Greenbrier High School
Team Members:
Adyson Lukich (Individual State Runner up)
Avery Simpson
Allyson Barber
Kate Christiansen
Sara Grace Cribb
Reagan Henderson
Madi Link
Benton Vineyard
Zion Young
Head Coach: Casey Heckathorn
Assistant Coach: Daniel Jordan
Principal: Chip Fulmer
After winning the 2023 State Championship, the Lady Pack entered this year’s event ready to compete against 11 other 5A schools. The first day’s scores put them in the group with last year’s runner-ups and the school was currently in the lead by 7 strokes. On the 11th hole, Avery Simpson nearly made birdie, Reagan Henderson made back-to-back birdies on 11 and 12, Adyson Lukich continued to dominate her pairing, and Madi Link completed her round with back-to-back pars.
The Greenbrier Girls Golf program only had 1 player 4 years ago and currently has a team of 9. This group of girls has created a culture of excellence. They practice hard, and have high expectations.
CCSD Police Department State Certification
The Columbia County School District Police Department (CCSDPD) received State Certification by successfully completing the Georgia Association Chiefs of Police (GACP) Georgia Law Enforcement Certification Program.
After a rigorous application and process review, the CCSDPD joins the ranks of only 140 top law enforcement agencies, out of 700 law enforcement agencies across the state, of which 41 are school police, to successfully demonstrate best practices for effective and professional law enforcement. Out of the 180 school districts across the state, the CCSDPD is now one of only five to earn certification. Cornerstones of the certification program include professionalism, positive community support, transparency, ethical conduct, and more. As part of the accreditation process, the CCSDPD met a required 141 standards covering nine areas essential to effective law enforcement. Additionally, the typical 36-month process was completed by the CCSDPD in an impressive 13 months, signifying the department’s commitment to excellence.
“We are so proud of our outstanding team of professional law enforcement officers and staff for their continued dedication to the safety of our schools, students, and staff,” said Dr. Steven Flynt, Superintendent. “This certification is an impressive achievement and is emblematic of the great work that is taking place all across the CCSD every day to help ensure our students receive the high-quality education they deserve, in a safe, positive environment.”
In 2018, the Columbia County Board of Education approved the placement of a dedicated, POST-certified, School Resource Officer in every school. In 2022, the CCSD PD was established along with full jurisdiction of school safety. Today, the Columbia County School District has a dedicated district training officer, and a School Resource Officer in every school, with two at every high school.
With accreditation complete, the CCSDPD will continue to participate in compliance monitoring.
Congratulations, CCSDPD.
JROTC leads Pledge of Allegiance
Harlem High School
August 13, 2024 (Click Here)
August 13, 2024
Columbia County Board of Education Special Recognitions
Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA)
24-25 Youth Advisory Council
Ryan Schluter - Evans High School
Ryan Schluter of Evans High School has been invited by the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) to be a member of the GSBA Youth Advisory Council (YAC).
The YAC is a dynamic platform that brings together young leaders from various public schools to participate in the discourse on educational policies and practices actively. This council empowers students to voice their perspectives and contribute to decision-making processes, ensuring that youth viewpoints are integral in shaping the academic landscape.
The YAC was formed by the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) to give high school students the opportunity to provide meaningful input to school board members. The goal of the feedback is to help aid school board members in their decision-making and implementation processes. The YAC Committee is composed of GSBA staff and serves as a resource to students enrolled in the program. Through this program, they hope that students and school board members can achieve greater awareness regarding academic programs and school climate.
National Junior Beta Club Convention Winners
Students from Columbia Middle School and Lakeside Middle School took home top 10 wins at the National Beta Club Convention. Students attended the State Junior Beta Club Convention in Savannah this past fall where they competed and qualified for the National Junior Beta Club Convention in June.
Kathryn Lawrence
Columbia Middle School
8th Place - National Visual Arts
Lakeside Middle School
5th Place - Engingeering
McKayla Benjamin
Adain Cox
Emma Cox
Logan Cox
Arya Doshi
Peter Kenny
Isabelle Pendley
Madeline Smith (Golden Ticket Winner)
Emery Smitherman
Zavier Voigt
Vash Whaley
Grace Williams
Beta Club Sponsor - Emily Gainey
Principal - Jeremy Medlin
These students spent countless hours during the school year and over the summer practicing and preparing for their events. This was their first time competing in Meeting of the Minds and Lead Outside the Box, and their second year competing in Engineering. Last year LMS students placed 6th in Engineering, and this year they placed 5th.
There were 5 “Golden Tickets” given to students who competed in the performing arts category at the state competition last November. Students were chosen for their performance quality and stage presence. Madeline Smith was one of the 5 chosen performers in the state of Georgia to be one of the National Premier Performers at the National Convention this summer. As one of the “Golden Ticket Winners” from around the nation, they lead the Opening Session with a series of choreographed routines.
All of the students represented themselves and LMS with integrity and impressed everyone with their commitment, teamwork and problem-solving to come to a viable solution during all of their competitions.
Students, sponsor, and principal, please come forward when you are called and remain until a photo is taken. Family members here to support these students, please stand and be recognized. Please hold your applause until all team members have been called.
Evans High School
JROTC Color Guard
Thanks to the Evans High School JROTC for leading the Pledge of Allegiance at the Board Meeting.
October 8, 2024
Columbia County Board of Education Special Recognitions
Columbia Virtual Academy art teacher Tiffany Weser selected for two awards
Tiffanty Weser, an art teacher at Columbia Virtual Academy, has been selected as the Georgia Art Education Association’s 2025 Georgia Art Educator of the Year. The GAEA awards committee was delighted to recognize her outstanding contributions to art education and her commitment to positively impacting our schools and community. She will be honored at the GAEA Fall conference and her application will move to the Southeastern Region for judging at the regional level.
Ms. Weser is also receiving the Georgia Youth Art Month Award of Merit. Youth Art Month is a program that brings student artists together to celebrate all their accomplishments over the school year. Ms. Weser taught the preparatory workshop to Georgia art teachers, and then to students from across Georgia. She commented, “To see them create once they were given the prompt was so exciting. To see the student's creativity flow at the drop of a hat is so much fun to watch. They are so unique in their styles, mediums, and approach to the task. She states that she is grateful to have been able to share her love of art with those students.”
Students at Lakeside and Greenbrier high schools selected as National Merit Scholarship program semi-finalists
Five students at district schools were recognized as semifinalists for the 70th Annual National Merit Scholarship Program by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®).
The program honors individual students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies. A Semifinalist must also have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT® or ACT® scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.
These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,870 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered next spring. The nationwide pool of 16,000 Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.
SEMIFINALISTS
$35,000 in STEM grants awarded to district schools
Teachers from seven district schools received from $2,500 to $5,000 grants to advance programs relating to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Battelle Savannah River Alliance, the manager and operator of Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) awarded $125,000 in K-12 Catalyst Grants for STEM Education to Central Savannah River Area schools.
Thirty teachers from 25 different schools within the CSRA received grants, impacting more than 6,500 students. These grants will empower educators to bring their visionary projects to life, igniting curiosity and passion in their students. This initiative is about inspiring young minds to explore, discover and ultimately lead the way in advancing science and technology of the future.
GRANT RECIPIENTS
