Newspaper Page Text
The True Citizen, Wednesday, March 16, 2022 — Page 13
Bringing activities to the outlying cities
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
The County hired a new
director for their Recreation
Department whose vision in
cludes utilizing area parks to
bring more activities to the
outlying cities.
Stephen Waskey is a Georgia
Southern University alumnus
with nearly 16 years of experi
ence under his belt. Previously
employed as Parks and Recre
ation Director in both Harris
and Putnam counties, he has al
ready encountered the need to
spread out recreational services
to more isolated parts. Waskey
has also worked for Gwinnett
and Lumpkin Counties.
Waskey applied for the
Burke County position with
the intention of bringing his
family closer together. His
wife and three children have
lived in the Lake Oconee area
while he worked more than two
hours away in Harris County.
The small town feel of Burke
County is exactly the kind of
place that the family is looking
to call home.
“I am happy to be here,” he
said. “Hopefully, I can help
people have fun. That is my
goal, to help people have fun
and relieve stress and have a
blast. That is what recreation
is all about.”
Waskey began as director
of the Burke County facility
March 7. He is still learning
about his new role. His vision
includes growth in program
ming and fostering greater par
ticipation amongst the county’s
youth.
“Not every kid plays sport,
so we need to look at other
recreational activities,” he said
and mentioned karate, dance,
special events and e-sports as
possibilities. He will also be
looking to bring in therapeutic
activities for children with
special needs.
Waskey said he is interested
in exploring ways of bringing
more activities to the parks
in the outlying cities. He is
familiar with addressing the
issue of children who live too
far away to fully benefit from
the programs the department
has to offer. County Manager
Merv Waldrop said that is one
reason that made Waskey a
good fit for the job.
“When I was in Putnam
County, the parks were all in
Eatonton so we had to figure
out ways to get everybody
involved,” Waskey said. “In
Harris County, we had five
different outlying cities, so we
reached out to the communities
and got different organizations
Stephen Waskey
to help us get involved in each
outlying area.”
Waskey said he will face
low participation, the depart
ment’s greatest challenge,
head-on. Part of the depart
ment’s strength will make his
job easier. The Rec department
has good employees.
“I’ve got good staff,” he said.
“They work hard.”
Waskey replaces beloved
Rolene Rowell who retired
Nov. 30 after 37 years of ser
vice.
“I know her,” Waskey said.
“I will talk to her and continue
to work with her. I know her
through the Georgia Recreation
and Parks Association. We
have met a couple times.”
(L-R): Kai Grant, Keegan McDonald, Lola Grant, Kayla Wilder, Drama Teacher - Jennifer
Oglesby, India Hill, JadaCurd, Zoie Oglesby, Emily Varnadoe, Hailey Burden, Alaysia Huff,
Daniel Moreno, and Chorus Teacher - Joey Franqui.
BCHS Literary Team
Brings Home Region Wins
The Burke County High School Literary
Team placed overall as Region 4-AAA Run
ner Up of the GHSA Literary Meet. First
place winners will represent Burke County
at the State Literary Meet. Students that
placed in their respective competitions are
as follows:
India Hill (International Extemporaneous
Speaking)- 1st Place
Keegan Mcdonald and Kai Grant (Humor
ous Oral Interpretation Duo)- 1st Place
Lola Grant (Girls Solo)- 2nd Place
Emily Varnadoe (Personal Essay)- 2nd
Place
Jada Curd (Domestic Extemporaneous
Speaking)- 2nd Place
Keegan McDonald (Humorous Dra
matic Oral Interpretation)- 2nd Place
Kayla Wilder (Argumentative Essay)-
2nd Place
Zoie Oglesby (Dramatic Interpretation
Solo)- 2nd Place
Woodard is new
EBA new AD and
Head Football Coach
Edmund Burke Academy is
welcoming Andy Woodard as
the new Athletic Director and
Head Football Coach. Coach
Woodard comes from Bulloch
Academy where he served as
Athletic Director and as assis
tant head football coach.
He comes to EBA with many
accolades both on the held and
in the classroom. He has won
many region Championships
and has consistently been in the
playoffs in football, baseball,
and track throughout his career.
Coach Woodard is an AP Certi
fied teacher with experience in
history and physical education.
“I am excited about getting
back to my two passions which
are interacting with students in
the classroom and on the foot
ball held. Setting high expec
tations and pushing them both
physically and academically
to be their best is what I love
to do,” said Coach Woodard.
Prior to his employment at
Bulloch Academy, he was also
previously an assistant baseball
Andy Woodard
and football coach at Aquinas
High School in Augusta.
“We are very excited about
our school’s growth and about
how we are building a coach
ing staff that is committed to
excellence on the athletic held
and growing leaders in our
community,” said Headmaster
Adam Brett.
Edmund Burke Academy
participates in AA GIS A sports.
Trey Johnson of Waynesboro Boy Scout Troop 25 leads the
Pledge of Allegiance during the Board of Commissioners
meeting March 8.
I pledge allegiance
Faith Christian
Academy
OPEN HOUSE and
FALL REGISTRATION
THURS., MARCH 17, 2022
from 5-7 p.m.
Faith Christian Academy is committed to
personalized instruction for your child and offers
accredited. Biblically-integrated curriculum for
students in grades K3-12,
Middle school and varsity sports are offered.
SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE.
Early registration discounts available through March 311;
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