The team of students, which includes Lane Collier, Kimberly Klinger, Elliott Prather and Mackenzie Sewell placed second at Future Farmers of Americas (FFA) regional Agriculture Sales contest, and earned the right to compete in the State Agriculture Sales Career Development event against eleven other top teams from across Georgia. The State competition will be next month at Fort Valley State University. Teacher Pauline Benton serves as the teams advisor.

The career education competition includes an actual sales presentation focusing on customer relations, customer service, or prospecting for customers. The four-member team presents individual sales pitches; each member makes a presentation to a different customer profile.

It was clear to the judges that the students were prepared for this contest, and they did an excellent job exemplifying good sales techniques and leadership, said Brandon Ray, north region forestry teacher for the University of Georgia.

Safe Kids Cherokee County recently received a new van to assist the organization with their many safe-related events.

According to Captain Chad Arp, lead advisor for Safe Kids Cherokee County, Funding for the new van was provided by Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services, Lead Agency for Safe Kids Cherokee, and Northside Cherokee Hospital, a proud program community sponsor.

Safe Kids Cherokee County is a local coalition through Safe Kids Worldwide, which is a global organization dedicated to preventing injuries in children. Injuries are the number one killer of kids in the United States. Around the world, a child dies from an unintentional injury every thirty seconds, and millions of children are injured in ways that can affect them for a lifetime. Safe Kids Cherokee County is dedicated to thwarting those types of preventable injuries to its young citizens.

Learn something new about downtown Canton! The Canton Historic Walking Tour app is available in your smartphones app store and on Google Play.

Download the app, and take a walk through beautiful downtown Canton! Paper copies are also available; stop by the Cherokee County History Museum, and get yours today!

This app was made possible by the Cherokee County Historical Society, City of Canton, and Canton Tourism.

When Reinhardt University embarked on the creation of a football program, success was not guaranteed. Yet no one expected the grand success both on the field and in the classroom that Reinhardt Eagles football has enjoyed during its brief five-year history.

In December, the team competed for the first time in the NAIA Football National Championship Game in Daytona Beach, Florida vs. the University of Saint Francis (IN).

When we approved adding football as an intercollegiate sport at Reinhardt University, we were steadfast in implementing a program where character as a person and grades in the classroom were just as important as performance on the field. We wanted well-rounded athletes representing Reinhardt University, said Billy Hasty, chair of the Reinhardt University Board of Trustees.

Prior to the May 2011 Board of Trustees approval, the University established a committee of students, faculty, staff, and community members to explore the option of adding football. Hasty said that the one thing stakeholders expressed was the desire that the University maintain its strong Christian values.

All of this foresight and planning is something that Reinhardt Athletic Director Bill Popp believes has led to the programs success. Doing our football study one year prior to starting really let us hit on important points that we wanted to succeed with early, Popp said. Hiring an experienced coach who would be able to handle a large class of freshmen and then to make sure we emphasized character and academic success as two very important program goals.

The experienced coach the University hired was Dr. Danny Cronic who has more than thirty years of experience as a head football coach and had already been named to the Coweta County and Cherokee County Sports Halls of Fame, and Cronic was used to working with young student athletes.

Cronic is not surprised by the teams fast-paced success and said he told University officials when he was hired that if they gave him the ability to hire good coaches and assistants that the team would be successful. That support from the administration was granted, and the Eagles football team took flight.

Cronic coached for two seasons before handing the reins over to his son, Drew Cronic. Drew Cronic coached for two more years, and then current head football coach James Miller took the helm in January 2017, who took the team to the National Championship in his first year as head coach. Miller gives the credit of success to the student athletes, the assistant coaches and his predecessors, Danny and Drew Cronic.

While the team has been successful on the field, academics and character are of the utmost importance to Reinhardt leadership past and present. Coaches, faculty, and staff are ensuring that the team doesnt lose sight of that goal.

The football teams overall grade point average (GPA) last fall was 3.11, with 97 of the 147 student athletes earning a 3.0 or better. Of those, 54 had a 3.5 GPA or better, and 18 had a perfect 4.0 GPA.

In the true nature of upholding Reinhardt Universitys mission, this team gives back to its community by volunteering in various Cherokee County schools, at the Goshen Valley Boys Ranch as well as other nonprofit organizations. The team has been recognized for its outstanding service on multiple occasions.

From the vision of a group of the Reinhardt University family just a few short years ago to the opportunity to compete in the National Championship title game, the Eagles tremendous success did not come without hard work, dedication, and perseverance.

Reinhardt University alumnus Gordon Thigpen spent his senior year at Reinhardt researching and interviewing people about the Universitys football program. Thigpen walked on to the team his freshman year and continued to play throughout his time at Reinhardt. The wide receiver had an inside look at the teams development, and he tells the story of a young football team destined for greatness. Thigpens book, Raising the Bar: The Story of Reinhardt University Football, is available in Kindle format and in paperback on Amazon.com.

The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce recently announced that Joan McFather, a longtime Chamber member and community volunteer, has been named the Chairmans Council Volunteer of the Quarter for the fourth quarter of 2017.

Members of the Chairmans Council are accepted by invitation only from the Chambers board chair. The Chairmans Council members are invited to attend ribbon cuttings and ground breakings, Coffee & Connections for new members and special invitation Chamber meetings that arent open to the general membership.

In determining the Volunteer of the Quarter, attendance at Chamber events is evaluated for all members of the Chairmans Council. Joan is a committed volunteer who gives 100% to the Chamber and its programs, said Bryan Reynolds, Chamber Board Chair and director of Cherokee Recreation and Parks Agency.

Avery Elementary School is recognizing five students whose artwork was selected for an international exchange program.

Artwork by Caroline Barkwell, Aliya Bobo, Jameson Brooks, Amilya Taft, and Averie Whittington will be traveling to the schools of Meguro City in Japan for display there as part of the 2017-18 Japanese Art Exchange.

Select student artists from throughout the Cherokee County School District are chosen for the program each year; the selected artwork, following its display in Japan, will be exhibited at the Cherokee Arts Center in Canton in March.

Congratulations to Lisa-Marie Haygood! She has accepted a new role as executive director of Cherokee County Educational Foundation (CCEF). The CCEF is a charitable, non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the students and staff of the Cherokee County School District (CCSD) by promoting teaching and learning and celebrating achievements.

CCEF seeks funding and resources to enrich CCSD schools in areas not fully funded in the regular school program. This includes, but is not limited to, grants for schools; grants for teachers and other staff; grants for students for academic and after-school/extra-curricular programs; and support for specific CCSD initiatives. The Foundation is a partner with the Cherokee County School District, and it is supported by the Cherokee County School Board.

Knox Elementary School was recently named a Certified School for Digital Citizenship by Common Sense, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids and families thrive in a world of digital media and technology.

The school earned the recognition by preparing students to use digital media safely by avoiding dangers such as plagiarism, loss of privacy, and cyberbullying.

The school and its staff deserve high praise for giving students the foundational skills they need to compete and succeed in the 21st-century workplace and participate ethically in society at large, said Liz Kline, vice president of education programs for Common Sense Education.

Media Specialist Leslie Hicks, K-2 Counselor Jenilee Curtis, and Principal Tammy Sandell coordinated the schools certification process. The Cherokee County School Board recently recognized these faculty members.

Principal Sandell said, By preparing our students to use technology safely and responsibly, were providing them unlimited opportunities to maximize and personalize their learning.

According to new data from the Georgia Department of Education, the Cherokee County School District (CCSD) earned high marks from students, parents, and employees for school climate.

CCSD earned an average of four stars on a five-star scale in the annual rating, which measures how a school community views the quality of its schools culture and character. The highest possible rating is five stars. The rating is calculated based on a survey of students, parents, and teachers; student discipline issue rates; and daily attendance.

Clark Creek Elementary School STEM Academy earned a perfect score of five; all CCSD middle schools earned four stars each; and no CCSD school scored less than three stars. Reports on individual schools climate ratings are posted online by the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE).

According to the GaDOE, research has found that schools with positive school climates usually report better test scores and graduation rates, and they create a culture of feeling socially, emotionally, and physically safe.

While much of the focus on how to measure a schools success is placed on academic achievement and progress, its just as important for us to know that students, their families, and our employees feel welcomed, safe, and appreciated, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said. Were committed to improving our schools culture and ensuring that every child, parent, employee, volunteer, and partner feels like theyre part of a family that cares about them and their future success.