WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2023
BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PAGE 3A
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BOE recognizes softball teams, FFA and Pepper Davis
By HANNAH CAUDELL
The Banks County Board
of Education recognized
four teams and a cross coun
try runner during the meet
ing last week.
The board recognized the
middle school Lady Leop
ards softball team, the high
school Lady Leopards soft-
ball team, the FFA Forestry
team, the FFA Environmen
tal Natural Resource team,
and senior cross country
runner Pepper Davis.
The middle school soft-
ball team was recognized
first, along with Head
Coach Shelton Peery, who
expressed his pride in the
Lady Leopards’ hard work
to achieve their goal of
winning the Piedmont Ath
letic Conference (PACXI)
Championship.
The Lady Leopards in
clude Essie Cantrell, Hadle-
igh Crumley, Braelee Crid
er, Dakota Dalton, Raegan
Davis, Marley McDaniel,
Londyn Rylee, Ruth Cote,
Kharlie Bagwell, Blakely
Perdue, Aryanna McDan
iel, Londyn Lord, Kylie
Davenport, Drew Maney,
Makayla Hunnicutt, Becca
Thomason, and Annie Mur
ray. Coaches include Coach
Shelton Peery, Coach Ram
say Allen, and Coach Mal
lory Lipsey.
The high school Lady
Leopards softball team
was also recognized for the
outstanding achievements
during their season.
The Lady Leopards made
it to the state championship
in Columbus after winning
first place in the region
championship.
There, they earned the
third place title. This is the
first time the Lady Leopards
have returned to Columbus
since their championship
season in 2019.
The Lady Leopards in
clude Alyssa Bonds, Allison
Murphy, Tylee Strickland,
Ryleigh Murphy, Reese
Murphy, Peyton Gaylor,
Lexie Ayers, Trinity Haynes,
Carley Segars, Mackenzee
Lewallen, MaCayla Rice,
Mary Faulkner, and Josie
Maney. Coaches include
Coach Rhett Carroll, Coach
Jewels Ayers, Coach Abby
Baird, Coach Derrick Davis
Jr., and Coach Jared Jones.
The Future Farmers of
America teams were also
recognized for their stellar
performances during the na
tional championship.
The Environmental Natu
ral Resource team includes
Luke Johnson, Martin
Suggs, Matthew Anderson,
and Reagen Ferguson. They
earned the runner-up title
during the championship.
The Forestry team was
also recognized after they
won the national champi
onship. They include Rae
gan Gilbert, Eric Ashworth,
Garrison Fowler, and David
Adams.
David Adams was also in
dividually recognized by the
board for his participation
in a separate contest. Ad
ams was recognized for his
proficiency, an application
regarding his supervised
agricultural experience at
Swinehart Power Equip
ment over the maintenance
and repair of small engine
equipment and lawnmower.
Adams was named top four
in the nation.
The FFA teachers of the
national championship
teams are Kipp Jackson and
Chris Cramp.
Lastly, the board recog
nized the lone cross coun
try championship runner,
Senior Pepper Davis, for
another outstanding per
formance during the cross
country state championship
in Carrollton in November.
Davis finished fifth in the
state with a time of 16 min
utes and 57 seconds, one
of his fastest times ever re
corded. His coaches include
Coach Connor Nugent and
Coach Julia Ammons.
After the recognition
ceremony, the board heard
from FFA instructor Kipp
Jackson, who wanted the
board to vote on the Young
Farmers program.
The program is the adult
educational component of
the agricultural program.
Jackson said that he would
be the local education advi
sor of the program to assist
farmers in the community.
The board approved an
attempt to implement the
program. Legislation ap
proval will be needed from
a Georgia representative to
pay a percentage of the local
advisor’s salary.
The school will also hire
another agriculture educator
to supplement the program
if it is officially approved.
The board also heard
from the high school, mid
dle school, and elementary
school principals. All three
explained that testing was
moving along at the end of
the semester, and they had
received assessment scores
from iReady, Fountas and
Pinnell, and Write Score to
determine where the stu
dents are and what the in
structors can improve on.
High School Principal
Mike Brown expressed his
gratitude to the board for
approving five new posi
tions in math, band, and
paraprofessional services,
including David Arvold for
the high school Marching
Leopards and Adriane Gar
ner as a paraprofessional.
The board also mentioned
Chris Fuller’s contribution
to the transition for the high
school Marching Leopards
after a sudden change in
staffing. Fuller is a digital
learning specialist for the
school system, but was able
to juggle his work responsi
bilities with the band transi
tion.
Middle school principal
Lisa Saxon also addressed
the board during the meet
ing to talk about testing and
events.
Students have been par
ticipating in chorus concerts
and art shows, and will par
ticipate in the district spell
ing bee with the elementary
school on Wednesday, Jan.
17.
Elementary school assis
tant principal Amanda Grier
gave an update on the ele
mentary school.
Test assessments are be
ing reviewed, and the school
is providing incentives for
both students and teachers
to improve attendance and
lunchroom behaviors.
Officer Spenser Ventrice
also informed the board that
on Wednesday, Dec. 20,
the officers from the Banks
County Police Department
will participate in the Shop
with a H.E.R.O. program
to help children in the com
munity receive presents for
Christmas.
After the principal re
ports, the board voted to ap
prove the calendars for the
next two school years and
the consent agenda.
The consent agenda in
cluded a field trip request
for the FFA program to trav
el to the American Royal
in Kansas City, Missouri in
March. They also approved
the high school Beta Club
sponsored toy drive, the
high school Culinary Arts
sponsored holiday bake
sale, and the high school
Interact Club sponsored
“Socks for Seniors” to dis
tribute to the Senior Center
from Monday, Jan. 1 to Fri
day, Jan. 19.
Shelton Kendrix (far right) shares a photo with members of the middle school Lady Leop
ards Softball team, who won the Piedmont Athletic Conference (PACXI) Championship and
finished out the season with 17-1.
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Members of the FFA program stand with their certificates of recognition for their outstanding
achievements during the FFA national championship. The Environment Natural Resource
team was the National Runner-Ups, and the Forestry team won the National Championship.
17m
: ts'
The high school girls softball team stands for a photo to commemorate their softball season
This year, the Lady Leopards returned to the state playoffs in Columbus, where they earned
third place.
eBank
i crass-
country
Senior Pepper Davis (left) and Coach Connor Nugent (right) stand for a photo to commemo
rate Davis’ outstanding achievement during the Cross Country season. Davis once again qual
ified for the state championship race in Carrollton, where he earned fifth place with one of his
fastest time of 16 minutes and 57 seconds.
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