CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS REPORT: Setting precast panels this week at your new Mission Road Elementary School! How exciting! MRES students are loving each phase of the project.
LOOK WHAT'S COMING: Another new pathway at the Bartow County College and Career Academy!
Early Childhood Care and Education (Dual Enrollment through Chattahoochee Tech)
A new pre-K class will be housed at the BCCCA next academic year, which will provide wonderful opportunities for our students studying Early Childhood Care and Education!
TEACHING AND REACHING: Just one more reason it's #betterinbartow! Our Director of Counselors, College Readiness, Wellness, and Fine Arts, Dr. Brent Shropshire, earned the right to be on the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling Executive Board of Directors! This week, he's talking college admissions and the role of the high school counselor at the annual SACAC conference in Florida.
Seeing more and more students on college tours? Wonder how we're bringing in admissions directors from some of the top colleges in the South? Dr. Shropshire is one BIG reason why!
THE BLAZE TAKE ON HOUSTON: Who's more excited? Team Blaze or Superintendent Page and School Board Member Anna Sullivan? Love seeing the support from the top down! Their hearts are "on fire" for our kids! Best school system, hands down!
THE BLAZE TAKE ON HOUSTON: Clear Creek Master Builders Team Blaze held their own on an international platform and came home CHAMPIONS in our book! As you can see, this team of seven had unparalleled learning experiences and the love and support of a newfound family! Awesome job, Team Blaze! You made us all proud!
YOUNG GEORGIA AUTHORS WRITING COMPETITION: Pine Log Elementary School Student Collins Brown WINS Honorable Mention at the state writing competition! Congratulations, Collins!
BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT: We want to wish the Cass Middle School Honor Band a huge CONGRATULATIONS for winning GRAND CHAMPIONS at the Southern Star music competition in Alanta this weekend! They competed against 15 instrumental groups, including five high school bands. They also took home the Sweepstakes Award for the highest instrumental score of the weekend! What a phenomenal and record-breaking year for the CMS Band!
Every senior has a story. For Adairsville High School Senior Kymoni Pullum, it is one of true perseverance, grit, and determination.
One month until graduation, and for Kymoni, college was never an “if,” it was a “when.” His mother instilled that in him before he could solve two-step math problems. However, a series of heartbreaking events paved a much harder road to college than Kymoni could have ever imagined.
Kymoni was raised in a single parent home. At the age of 11, he met his father for the first time. Within months, his father passed away from health complications.
“After that, my brother moved back into the house, and he helped me with the grief like a counselor would,” said Kymoni.
About five years later, while quarantined at home during a bout with COVID-19, Kymoni found his mother gasping for air and called 911.
“I did not know what to do, watching my mother fighting for her life right in front of me,” said Kymoni.
Less than an hour later, he learned his mother had passed away.
“I had just lost the only person I truly admired and adored with every bone in my body within three hours of just waking up,” said Kymoni. “I did not come out my room to eat or talk for days.”
A junior at Cass High School, Kymoni knew he had to make hard decisions that would greatly impact his future.
“I knew if I wanted to graduate and go to college, I needed to be in a better position in my life,” said Kymoni. “I needed more stability.”
So, he moved to Adairsville to live with his aunt.
“I packed up all my things and moved for the first time in my life,” added Kymoni.
“Kymoni had a choice to make for his life,” said AHS Lead Counselor Kellen Martinak. “He could remain grief-stricken over the loss of both his father and mother, or he could use that pain to push him to be the best version of himself. Kymoni chose to be the best young man, student, and son he could be. Moving to a new school is not easy but Kymoni wanted to make his mother proud. Quitting or giving up was not an option for Kymoni.”
Kymoni joined the AHS football team, made homecoming court his senior year, and is one of the most liked students in the building by his peers, teachers, and coaches. He is also an honor graduate, an Adairsville Lion’s Club Scholarship recipient, and will attend Jacksonville State University in the fall.
“If I did not go to college, I just know my mother would come out the grave because she said since I was a kid that I was going to college no matter what and I stuck to that,” said Kymoni.
While one chapter ends for Kymoni, another will begin about 70 miles from home, making his mother and the Bartow County School System proud.
THE BLAZE TAKE ON HOUSTON: Best superintendent and deputy superintendent around! Dr. Page and Dr. Chiprany are on the ground in Houston, cheering on our Team Blaze as they finish out the World Robotics competition!
THE BLAZE TAKE ON HOUSTON: Here's an inside look at our very own Clear Creek Master Builders Team Blaze at the World Robotics competition in Texas! Doesn't it give you goosebumps to see our children talking and competing with other children in different countries? Czech Republic, Israel, Brazil, and China, just to name a few! What an experience provided through the BCSS! We'll keep you posted on scores as we wrap up competition week!
Also, check out the sponsor banner that made its way from Georgia to Texas! Thank you for your support!
CONGRATULATIONS, BCSS PARENTS: Through an opportunity presented by Bartow County Schools and the OLA Language School, a group of our ESOL parents were able to complete Level 2 and Level 4 English classes!
OLA School Director William Carvajal presented certificates this week as proud teachers, friends, and family members cheered!
Some parents knew very little English and now they said, "we can communicate more confidently with teachers." They juggled work, raising children, and everything else they had going on to attend weekly classes, some for close to two years! Congratulations!
THE BLAZE TAKE ON HOUSTON: Clear Creek's award-winning Robotics Team, Master Builder's Team Blaze, headed into the judges' rounds today at the WORLD competition in Texas! Additional details and pictures coming soon! Hit that "love button!" Let's wish them well as they compete with dozens of other COUNTRIES!
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: Our Summer Intervention program has been so beneficial for our students the last couple of years, so, we're bringing it back! It's because of this program, a lot more students are prepared for the next academic year. Details below.
BARTOW CARES CAMPAIGN: Comfort; let's talk about it! It's our relational word of the month through our #BartowCares4U Campaign!
Bartow Cares is a countywide, year-long initiative through a partnership with Relational Values Alliance that unites Bartow County Schools, Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber of Commerce, Bartow Collaborative, government and media leadership, the faith community, and many others.
Bartow commits to live out relational values such as respect, support, and appreciation in multiple places: at home, at work, at school, and in faith. With caring connections, great things happen. So, in Bartow County, we want to know everybody’s story and show that somebody cares!
MORE INFO: https://www.bartow.k12.ga.us/article/783187
https://www.relationalvalues.com/comfort
LOOK WHAT'S COMING: A new pathway at the Bartow County College and Career Academy!
Computer Science/e-Sports (Dual Enrollment through GHC):
"e-Sports is a growing industry, and adding this pathway allows our students to begin their exploration of not only college degrees in the gaming industry, but also the growing opportunities for college scholarships, as e-Sports is an NCAA sanctioned event. During the first year of study, students will take Computer Science I and Computer Science II. These classes will be taught by a GHC professor. An e-Sports intermural coach will be onsite to work with our students in the Gaming arena. Our students will be able to participate in the gaming intermural teams against other collegiate intermural teams." - BCCCA
MUST READ: Check this out from our amazing community partner - the Good Neighbor Homeless Shelter! Simply put, our students exemplify perseverance, and we live in the best community around!
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Meet Kody!
Kody is graduating from Cass High in just a few short weeks. He lived here locally with family, but due to unforeseen circumstances the family needed to relocate to another state. Kody was so close to graduation that he decided to stay behind and complete his senior year here. That's where Good Neighbor came into the picture. Kody moved into our Men's Shelter and will remain there until graduation.
Our shelter manager always brags on Kody, saying, "He really is a great kid, he does all his chores, follows the rules, and is a pleasure to be around."
If you would like to help us celebrate Kody's accomplishments, we are accepting gift cards to present him with at graduation. Visa gift cards would work great as he can use those to purchase items needed at a later date. Those can be labeled with "Kody" and dropped off to the Men's shelter, located at 3 Townsley Drive.
WOW: Red Top Middle School Student Redman Porter is using his artistic talents to make a name for himself in our community and around the Nation! Redman recently received word that the City of Frankfort, Indiana, adopted a flag HE CREATED! As you can see, he's purposeful in the colors and icons he utilizes. What an amazing talent!
Redman also created individual flags for each city in Bartow County! Check out the Emerson flag below!
We'll let you know which city adopts next! Congratulations, Redman!
A WEEK AT WORLDS: CCES Master Builders Team Blaze landed in Houston for the WORLD ROBOTICS TOURNAMENT! When they're not competing this week, they'll be visiting the Space Center and other attractions! Good luck, Team Blaze! We know you'll represent Bartow County very well!
MILESTONE MOMENT: Join us in congratulating Woodland High School Baseball Coach Todd Eubanks on his 500th career win!
Since 1994, Eubanks made a significant coaching impact at Peach County High School, Southeast Whitfield High School, Heard County High School, Landmark Christian School, Bowdon High School, South Effingham High School, and Cass High School!
What a storied career!
LACE UP THOSE RUNNING SHOES: The 3rd Annual Red Apple Run 5K and 1.5 Mile Walk is almost here!
Once again, it will be held at Hamilton Crossing Park, and every dime will go to Bartow Education Foundation Teacher Grants to support innovation in Bartow County classrooms!
Register today for the April 29th race! If you don't want to run or walk, you can still participate as a ghost runner and receive a t-shirt!
Additional details and registration link below!
https://runsignup.com/Race/GA/Cartersville/RedAppleRun5K