May 2025 Community Life Woodstock North Street Redevelopment Concept RenderingsCanton’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA), City Council members, and project stakeholders recently met to view the design renderings for the North Street Redevelopment by Goodwyn Mills Cawood. The firm was tasked with creating a mixed-use development design that will serve the needs of the city and the county. It was essential that the development design include:• A 5+-story parking deck with 600 to 800+ spaces. The parking deck will serve the courthouse, retail, commercial, and residential uses within the project as well as general public use.• A 4-story county courthouse addition with additional courtrooms and office space• A boutique hotel with approximately 80 units and a special event space• Upper-story residential apartments with 20 units, ranging from 1- and 2-bedrooms• Ground floor retail spaceThe renderings serve as an example of how the proposed development could look on the property, which is owned by the City of Canton’s DDA. The 2.5 acres where the Bray & Johnson Law Firm building sits was purchased by the DDA in 2024, and in summer 2024, the DDA purchased the 2.5 acres that include the Cherokee North Apartments.Mayor Bill Grant said the city council discussed the project in greater detail during its recent retreat, and that there would also be ongoing discussions and meetings with the county as well as plenty of opportunities for public input.For more details or to view the presentation and design concept renderings, please scan the QR code.____________________________________Sacred Spaces: The Legacy of Black Churches in Cherokee County History Cherokee is proud to announce the opening of a new temporary exhibit at the Cherokee County History Center: Sacred Spaces: The Legacy of Black Churches in Cherokee County. Museum visitors can view the collection of artifacts, images, and information until August 30, 2025. Curated by History Cherokee’s Black History Committee, the exhibit explores the profound impact of Black churches in Cherokee County and the multifaceted role these institutions have played in shaping the community. The Black History Committee, a dedicated group of volunteers, plays a crucial role in expanding historical narratives and ensuring diverse and representative local storytelling. The exhibit features the following churches:• Allen Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church, Woodstock• Greater Bethel Church, Woodstock• Hickory Log Missionary Baptist Church, Canton• Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church, Woodstock• Olivine Baptist Church, Waleska• Pilgrim Baptist Church, Nelson• St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, Canton• Zion Baptist Church, CantonBeyond their spiritual function, these churches served as vital community hubs, acting as repositories of history, educational centers, forums for political discourse, facilities for providers of financial assistance, and more. Sacred Spaces delves into these crucial roles, highlighting how these churches have been instrumental in the social, cultural, and historical development of Cherokee County."We are honored to present this important exhibit, which shines a light on the significant legacy of Black churches in our community," said Stefanie Joyner, executive director of History Cherokee. “The Black History Committee has done a wonderful job of curating this exhibit and sharing this important part of Cherokee County’s history.”Discover the stories, the resilience, and the enduring impact of these Sacred Spaces at the Cherokee County History Center, which is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00am-5:00pm. Admission is free for History Cherokee members, $5 for adults, and free for youth ages 18 and under. For more information about this exhibit, visit HistoryCherokee.org or call 770-345-3288.————————————————————————————Teen Leadership Cherokee Class of 2025 Graduates The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the graduates of the 24th Annual Teen Leadership Cherokee Class. The participants, all high school sophomores who live in Cherokee County, initially attended an orientation with their parents along with a retreat designed to connect them with their classmates as well as ignite their interest in leadership. During the next two months, the 20 class members developed a sense of community while discovering the impact of teamwork on their peers, their schools, and Cherokee County. The class chose Carlynn Puckett of Cherokee HS as the group’s Most Outstanding Leader. They also selected Brian Devedzhiev of Etowah HS as their class spokesperson. Devedzhiev shared program highlights during the graduation ceremony. The Teen Leadership Cherokee Class of 2025 Chair, Stephanie Villasenor with Cherokee Family Violence Center, was recognized for her volunteerism and support of youth in our community. The purpose of the Teen Leadership Cherokee program is for participants to learn to L.E.A.D. (lead, engage, aspire, and drive), so they may confidently become our community’s next generation of leaders. Applications for the Teen Leadership Cherokee Class of 2026 will be accepted this fall.For information on the Chamber and its programs, visit CherokeeChamber.com.————————————————————————————————————————Cherokee County School District AnnouncementsThe 7th Annual Cherokee Student Film Festival Showcases Emerging TalentThe Cherokee Office of Economic Development (COED), in partnership with the Cherokee County School District’s (CCSD) Audio/Video Technology and Film (AVTF) educators recently announced the winners of the seventh annual Cherokee Student Film Festival. Twenty-three student-made films were screened at Woodstock Arts for more than 200 attendees.This Year’s Winners: “Liftoff” – Award of Excellence, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Quality (tie), Best Use of Line, Best Drama, and Audience Choice for Qualifying Entry Creekview HS’s Chloe Feibus “Yesterday’s Conviction” – Best Use of Prop and Best Mystery/Suspense Sequoyah HS’s Shiven Amrith, Liliana Defiore, and Bailey St. Vrain “Music for the End of Your Life” – Best Sound Quality (tie) Sequoyah HS’s Brooklyn Baggarly, Justin Clark, Noah Popp, and Ava Robers “Romeo O Romeo” – Best Screenplay River Ridge HS’s Cooper Esterling, Abby Reeves, and Daniel Sanders “The Pitch” – Best Comedy Creekview HS’s Sarah Brown, Lane Hardin, and Cole Kitchen “Match” – Best Sci-Fi/Superhero Creekview HS’s Shane Griffith, Victoria Landes, and Andrew Levine “The Illegal Candy Trade of ‘25” – Audience Choice for Non-Qualifying Entry Cherokee HS’s Justus Bailey, Tessa Ghassemzadeh, Jeremy Hett, and Hope Lovett To learn more about film in Cherokee, visit CherokeeGa.org/film-media. Watch the winning entries at YouTube.com/@CherokeeOED.Six Students Graduate From Prestigious Regional Leadership ProgramKennedy Hawks of Woodstock HS, Rohan Pandya of Etowah HS, Claire Park of River Ridge HS, Camila Pérez of River Ridge HS, Maddie Ragsdale of Etowah HS, and Aubrey Smith of Sequoyah HS are among 50 outstanding high school students from across the region selected to participate in the 2024-25 Model Atlanta Regional Commission, which recently concluded for the school year. The six-month program offers select high school students the opportunity to learn more about regional issues such as housing affordability, water usage, and transportation challenges. The class meets one Saturday a month for six months beginning in August. Participants hear reports from metro leaders, tour important sites, and share their ideas with leaders on how to improve the region.E.T. Booth MS Students Earn Top Honors at State Science and Engineering FairTwo E.T. Booth MS students placed in the top three in their category at the annual statewide fair recently held at the University of Georgia. Sixth-grader Hudson Gillentine earned four top honors for his project, “The Alchemy of Elasticity: Turning Stretch into Power.” He won Junior Division Best in Materials Science, Outstanding 6th Grade Project, and Junior Division First Honors. Gillentine also was named a nominee for the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, the nation’s premier science fair competition for sixth- through eighth-grade students. Finalists receive an expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., in October to compete for more than $100,000 in prizes. Sixth-grader Rishabh Pandya earned Junior Division Second Honors at the statewide competition for his project, “Seismic Safety.” Science teacher Adrianna Flieger served as the teacher advisor for both projects.River Ridge HS Earns Industry Certification for Career Pathway ProgramRiver Ridge HS’s Career Pathway Healthcare Science program for Diagnostics: Clinical Laboratory Science, led by teacher Callie Davis, recently earned the distinguished Healthcare Industry Certification, which recognizes high school programs that meet rigorous standards set by industry experts.To earn the certification, programs must demonstrate their use of project-based instruction, qualified educators, and up-to-date technologies, all while ensuring students gain valuable real-world experience through career development activities and hands-on training. The recognition additionally confirms the school’s healthcare science program is aligned with state standards including the OSHA 10-Hour Certification, HIPAA Training, and patient safety protocols. Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy Educator Named CCSD Teacher of the YearAt this year’s Legacy Makers event, Superintendent of Schools Mary Elizabeth Davis (A) announced that Dr. Lisa Spence (B) is the 2025 CCSD Teacher of the Year! Now in her 17th year as an art educator, with the past six years served at Hasty, Dr. Spence’s success has also been recognized at the state, regional, and national levels. Among her most recent accolades, she is the National Art Education Association’s 2025 Southeastern Region Elementary Art Educator, the 2023 Georgia Elementary School Art Educator of the Year, and a 2022 Crayola Creativity Ambassador. In addition to teaching art classes across all grade levels at Hasty, she also sponsors the school’s art club.Bascomb ES Students Raise Funds To Support the American Heart AssociationCongratulations to the Bascomb ES Community for raising $29,346.42 in support of The American Heart Association with its Kids Heart Challenge. Bascomb ES raised more than any other CCSD school and was in the top 15 across Georgia.Creekview HS Senior Named 2025 Georgia ScholarBen Nguyen is one of only 145 seniors statewide to earn this Georgia Department of Education honor for the Class of 2025. The program recognizes high school seniors who exhibit excellence in their school and community life. Honorees demonstrate dedication to academic success, participation in interscholastic events, and leadership through extracurricular activities. Each is recognized with a Georgia Scholar diploma seal and graduation cord. Cherokee HS Students Win 3rd Place at State Career Skills Competition The Cherokee HS welding program team earned two third-place honors at the recent SkillsUSA Georgia State Leadership and Skills Conference. Axel Atkins earned third place in Individual Welding, and the team of Taylor Moreno, Noland Painter, and Landen Waters earned third place in Metal Working Display. Their advisor is teacher Darryl Jones.
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