Newspaper Page Text
Page 2A - Pike County Journal Reporter - Wednesday, May 12, 2021
COVID-19 cases remain
low in county, schools
Pike County’s
confirmed COVID-19
cases are at 13 for
the past two weeks
with no additional
deaths added. Since
the pandemic started,
there have been a to
tal of 1,071 confirmed
cases in Pike, with 26
confirmed deaths, 14
probable deaths and
71 hospitalizations.
According to the
Pike County school
system’s most recent
data, there are no con
firmed cases in either
students or adults
working in the school
system.
According to the
Georgia Department
of Public Health, 21%
of Pike residents have
received at least one
dose of the vaccine
and 18% - or 3,245
citizens - are fully vac
cinated. In the state,
28% of citizens are
fully vaccinated and
36% have had at least
one dose of vaccine.
SPECIAL PHOTO
The PCHS Literary Teams’ Anna Edwards was named
state champion in the Humorous Interpretation category.
LITERARY: Team
excels at state meet
FROM PAGE ONE
“They had to find
the time to continue
honing their skills
while balancing school
work, testing, college/
scholarship applica
tions, part time jobs,
internships and lead
ing roles in school pro
ductions,” she said.
“The work is largely
done on their own
time, with occasional
coaching sessions to
offer support, advice
and encouragement.
Just being a part of
the literary team takes
an incredible amount
of determination and
self discipline. Achiev
ing those scores at
the state level, where
the competition is the
best of the best, takes
courage and talent.
They represented Pike
extremely well and we
could not be prouder
of them!”
ESCAPEE: Arrested again
FROM PAGE ONE
Goolsby was
returned to the Pike
County Jail where he
faces an additional
charge of felony es
cape. He was origi
nally incarcerated for
drug offenses.
STAR student Caitlyn Foster selected Garth Potter as STAR teacher.
STAR student Aaron Partin selected Becky White as STAR teacher.
Caitlyn Foster is
STAR student at PCHS
Aaron Partin is STAR
student at CrossPointe
Caitlyn Foster was
recently named STAR
student at Pike County
High School and she plans
to pursue a career as an
attorney. She will attend
the University of Georgia
in the fall and will major
in political science with
a minor in business. She
selected Garth Potter as
her STAR teacher. He’s
been teaching for 23 years
and taught Caitlyn in AP
U.S. History.
“Mr. Potter is truly
an amazing teacher that
will do anything for his
students. He has shaped
my life in more ways than
I could ever type. His AP
US History class where he
chose me to be the pros
ecution lawyer for his JFK
Trial assignment allowed
me to realize my love for
law,” she said. “He cares
so much for every kid that
he has in his room, and
ensures that everyone
leaves his room with a
smile.”
In addition to excelling
in the classroom, Caitlyn
has also been a success
ful athlete at PCHS. She
was on the cheerleading
team for four years, the
swim team for three years
and she also pole vaulted
one year for the track and
field team. She was also a
leader in other extra cur
ricular activities.
“She is a true leader
in the school both in
academics and athlet
ics,” said PCHS principal
Kevin Huffstetler. “She is a
multi-sport letterman and
started a Debate Team at
the school because we
didn’t have one.”
She has served as
the FFA President for
the past two years. She
is the founder and vice-
president of the PCHS
Debate Club as well as
the spirit chair for the
National Honors Society
and a member of the
Science National Honors
Society. Earlier this school
year, she was named as
the Valedictorian for the
PCHS Class of 2021. She
was also a STEM intern at
the University of Georgia
Griffin campus. She is the
daughter of Christy Foster
and Bart Foster.
“Caitlyn is just one
of those students that
every teacher wants to
have in their class. She is
intelligent, a hard worker,
participates in class,
and is always respect
ful to others,” said STAR
teacher Garth Potter. “She
is well liked and respected
by her peers and I know
she is destined to achieve
many great things. Just
having her in my class
made me a better educa
tor. There are so many
gifted teachers in the
county so to be selected
by a student like Caitlyn
is one of the highlights of
my career.”
He was influenced by
his parents to become a
teacher as his dad was
a math teacher and his
mother was a parapro. He
has lived in Pike County
since 2001, has been mar
ried for 22 years and has
six children.
Aaron Partin was
recently named the STAR
student at CrossPointe
Christian Academy and
he plans to pursue a
career in software devel
opment. He will attend
Gordon State College
in the fall and plans to
work part time during
the summer. He selected
Becky White as his STAR
teacher and she earned
the honor last year as
well.
“I selected Mrs. White
because she’s a kind
person and a wonderful
teacher,” he said. “If it
weren’t for her teaching
style, there’s no way I’d
be able to understand the
complex math subjects I
do now!”
Aaron is part of the Na
tional Honors Society and
he enjoys spending time
with friends and playing
games as well as prac
ticing coding or video
editing. He is the son of
Wes and Beth Partin and
the brother of Brandon
Partin.
“I’m very happy to
have received the award
and I’m grateful for ev
eryone who went to the
Chamber of Commerce to
congratulate me,” he said.
Becky White has been
a teacher for 23 years and
taught Aaron in eighth
grade pre-algebra, ninth
grade algebra 1 and
twelfth grade trigonom
etry.
“I think I was born to
teach. I love this job, and
I love my students,” she
said. “Aaron is great. He
makes me laugh every
day, but he also shows
me that he genuinely
cares for his classmates.
I know that he is going
to be successful at his
chosen career because of
his intelligence and abil
ity to think critically and
creatively about things.
I will genuinely miss him
next year as he heads off
to college.”
Wes and Beth Partin with their son and STAR student Aaron
Partin as he was honored by the Pike Chamber of Commerce.
Need ENT Services?
^Serving patients in
f Thomaston
i location
k beginning May 7!
David Thomson, M.D.
Kerry Evans, Au.D.
We Hear You.
100 Hwy 18 W (Barnesville)
612 W. Gordon St. (Thomaston)
UPSON ENT
Ear, Nose & Throat
770-872-2321