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WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 2023
• Homer, Banks County, GA 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • 12 Pages, 1 Section Plus Supplements • Vol. 57 No. 24
JROTC
ending
due to low
enrollment
By HANNAH CAUDELL
The JROTC program will
not be at Banks County
High School due to low stu
dent enrollment.
At the Banks County
Board of Education meeting
Thursday evening, a discus
sion was held on the disso
lution of the JROTC pro
gram at the high school due
to low recruitment numbers.
The program requires that
recruitment numbers must
meet or exceed at least 10
percent of the school's pop
ulation. The program also
lacks a lead instructor, who
must meet certain require
ments through the U.S.
Army.
School leaders reported
that attempts to recruit both
an instructor and a higher
number of students have
been unsuccessful.
The BOE plans to work
with the Empower College
and Career Center in Jack-
son County to ensure that
the seniors currently in the
program can finish their
pathways program.
In other business at the
meeting Thursday, there
was discussion on the retire
ment of faculty members
and the vacancies that will
be left to fill. Superinten
dent Dr. Ann Hopkins also
voiced concern over the in
crease in turnover since the
beginning of the COVID-19
pandemic.
Many of the retirees have
opted to have their recep
tions at their respective
schools. However, the board
will be holding a reception
for Susie Osborn, who has
dedicated 38 years to the
Banks County School Sys
tem. She will retire on May
31, and a celebration will be
held on the same day at the
Banks County Board of Ed
ucation Building at 2 p.m.
OTHER NEWS
•a reminder was given for
seniors to pay their remain
ing lunch balances before
graduation on May 26.
•it was announced that
kindergarten graduation
will take place on May 25.
The first pod will begin at
8:30 a.m. The second pod
will begin at 10:30 a.m.
•it was announced that the
Banks County High School
football team will be having
an intersquad scrimmage on
May 19. The event also in
cludes a powder puff game.
Activities will begin at
6 p.m. and admission is $5.
MAILING LABEL
Bison farm, school ag program, hay
bale operation part of annual Farm Tour
Photos by Angela Gary
At the primary school, students gave a presentation on what they have learned
about pollinators. Stella Dickson is shown speaking. See more photos on page 4.
By ANGELA GARY
angela@mainstreetnews.com
Touring a bison farm, get
ting a close-up look at the
Ag in Classroom program at
Banks County schools and
learning about a local hay
business were the stops on
the annual Farm Tour.
This event is sponsored
each spring by the Banks
County Farm Bureau, Banks
County Chamber of Com-
merce/CVB and the Banks
County Extension Service.
The attendees, traveling
in three small busses, first
stopped at Banks County
primary, elementary and
middle schools to look at
how Ag in the Classroom is
being utilized.
At the elementary and
primary schools, a tour was
given of the greenhouse and
garden beds.
At the middle school, visi
tors checked out the chicken
coup, hydroponics and new
weather monitor system.
Dr. Wendy Fuschetti,
who leads the agriculture
program at the elementary
school, pointed out the gar
den beds with lettuce, blue
berries and other items and
said the produce is used by
the school.
“Our kids are so proud to
know they are feeding the
school,” she said.
As for the greenhouse, she
said, “The kids love being in
the greenhouse, I think this
really makes them feel like
a farmer.”
A pollinator garden is
also located at the elemen
tary school and it provides
a place for students to read
and look for pollinators.
At the primary school,
teacher Candace Looney
spoke on the garden beds
and students gave a presen
tation on what they have
learned about pollinators
and gardens.
“The kids have learned
a lot this year about where
their food comes from,”
Looney said. “It has been
very rewarding for them
to plant the seeds and then
harvest. It is so important, at
this age, that they learn this.
I want to continue to instill
the love of agriculture in
these children.”
Kelly Daniels, ag teach
er at the middle school, led
a tour of the chicken coup
area and the hydrophonics.
TOURED FARMS
At the Dalton farm,
Thomas and Freddie Dalton
spoke on their hay bale op
eration.
The last stop was at the
bison farm of Daniel and
Fernando Miranda, where
a lunch from Jaemor Farm
was served.
In addition to Banks
County Farm Bureau mem
bers, those attending the
Farm Tour included several
representatives of state lead
ers, including Hunter Spear
(Gov. Brian Kemp's office),
Conner Land (U.S. Rep.
Andrew Clyde's office) and
Luke Hetland (Lt. Gov. Burt
Jones’ office).
Freddie Dalton is shown speaking on his hay operation
to Jody Parks, one of the participants on the annual Participants in the Farm Tour are shown checking out the bison at the Miranda
Farm Tour. Farm.
Sheriff Speed recognized as
Georgia Sheriff of the Year
Sheriff Speed (right) was honored with a state resolu
tion, presented by Rep. Chris Erwin, recognizing him
as Georgia Sheriff of the Year.
Resolution
commending him
approved by state
legislature
Sheriff Carlton Speed,
the Georgia Sheriff of the
Year, was recognized and
commended in House Res
olution 637 as presented by
Representative Chris Erwin.
In a morning ceremony at
Banks County Board of Ed
ucation last week, District
32 Representative Erwin
and Georgia Sheriffs' As
sociation Executive Direc
tor Terry Norris presented
House Resolution 637 to
Sheriff Carlton Speed as the
State of Georgia’s Sheriff of
the Year.
Sheriff Speed accepted
this recognition by saying
he was humbled and could
not do it without the support
of his family, staff, and the
citizens of Banks County.
Many were present for the
presentation, during which
the sheriff received a phone
call by his former Clemson
University football coach.
Danny Ford. Coach Ford
commended Sheriff Speed
for his achievements and
expressed his pride in his
former player's accomplish
ments he has made through
his selfless service.
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SPEED TAKES TWO FIRSTS AT STATE
Shelby Speed celebrates her victory in both the state
discus and shot put events. Speed won both events and
is currently the girls’ highest scoring discus thrower in
the state.
BCHS graduation set
Sheriff Carlton Speed is shown with some of the people who came to support him
as he was presented with a state resolution honoring him as Georgia Sheriff of the
Year.
Banks County High School graduation will be held at
8 p.m. on Friday, May 26, at Leopard Stadium.
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