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Health & Fitness

Good News from the Creekview Zone

Check out the latest good news from schools in the Creekview Innovation Zone (Creekview High, Creekland Middle and Avery, Ball Ground, Free Home and Macedonia Elementary Schools)…

Check out the latest good news from schools in the Creekview Innovation Zone…

Creekview High School
Creekview High School has been named to the list of top U.S. high schools published by the Washington Post.
The “America's Most Challenging High Schools” list ranks schools based on factors including the percentage of graduating seniors who take Advanced Placement (AP) tests.  Only 9 percent of the approximately 22,000 U.S. public high schools earned placement on the 2013 list.
Creekview High, Etowah High, Sequoyah High and Woodstock High all were named to the prestigious list.
“This news is further evidence of the outstanding efforts being made by our students, parents and teachers to excel academically despite the economic challenges facing our schools and community,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank R. Petruzielo said.  “Our school year is shorter, our classes are more crowded, our teachers are under increased pressure and one in three students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch.  Being named a top U.S. high school and earning the highest SAT scores in the State would be an accomplishment at any time, but especially in challenging times like these.”     
Dr. Petruzielo said offering all CCSD high school students the opportunity to take AP courses and tests benefits them in multiple valuable ways.
“These classes use more rigorous curriculum, which expands knowledge and better prepares students for higher education and their careers; and passage of AP tests can earn students college credit… saving them -- and their parents – money that otherwise would be spent on freshman classes, and allowing students to more quickly begin coursework in their chosen area of study,” Dr. Petruzielo said.  “We will continue to gauge students’ interests and abilities to offer even more advanced academic choices in the future.”  
Creekview HS is led by Principal Adrian Thomason.

Four Creekview High students are headed to the national 2013 Team America Rocketry Challenge, the world’s largest contest of its kind.
The students -- Team Captain senior Chase Tetpon, junior Trace Sosebee and freshmen Austen Bralick and Ben McNamara – bested more than 625 teams nationally to qualify for the Challenge on May 11, 2013 and will be the only team there representing Georgia.  The contest aims to inspire students to pursue future education and careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields.
“[The Challenge] has given me a chance to be a part of a group as well as be a leader,” Chase said. “After all our hard work, we are very excited to go to Washington, D.C. to compete in this event.”
The Creekview High students, who received a qualifying score that placed in the top 100 teams nationwide, will compete at the Challenge for the national title, $60,000 in scholarships and prizes and a chance to participate in NASA’s Student Launch Initiative.  For the competition, students must design, build and perfect model rockets that can safely carry one raw egg up to an exact altitude of 750 feet up in the air and return to the ground within 48-50 seconds – a mere two-second window before incurring penalties.
This is the third time that a Creekview High rocketry team has made the national finals.  Creekview High’s Aeronautics Team began in 2008 under the direction of Tim Smyrl and Todd Sharrock, both science teachers at the school. The team also benefits from the sponsorship of the Georgia Model Aviators and the use of its facilities.
“Tim and I are so proud of how hard our students have worked to compete in this year’s competition and qualify for the national finals,” Sharrock said. “These are truly exceptional kids who are destined to do great things through their creativity and innovation.”
Sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association, the National Association of Rocketry and more than 30 industry partners, the Challenge annually brings together more than 5,000 students from across the country.

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Three Creekview High students have been selected as finalists for the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program.
The prestigious residential summer program is open to select gifted and talented high school juniors and seniors from across the state.  Nearly 3,000 students from across the state were interviewed and auditioned over three weekends in January and February, and from those nominees 690 finalists were chosen to participate in the 2013 program.  Since the Georgia Department of Education program is fully funded by the Georgia General Assembly, there is no charge for students to attend.
The selected Creekview High students and their areas of study are: Ben O’Donnell, Design – Architectural; Brittany Purves, Music/Brass (Trumpet); and John Wachtel, Theatre Performance.
Students will arrive on the campus of Valdosta State University on Sunday, June 23, 2013.  For four weeks, students will spend the morning in their major area of nomination, exploring topics not usually found in the regular high school classroom.  During the afternoons, students choose one of the other areas in which to study. Evenings are filled with seminars, activities, concerts and performances.
“Governor’s Honors Program is such a competitive program that even being nominated is an accomplishment” Program Director Dale Lyles said, adding that many, if not most, of the Program’s past participants regard it as one of the most life-changing events in their lives.  “I congratulate the students of Cherokee County School District and look forward to meeting them and their parents in June.” 

 

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Creekland Middle School
Creekland Middle School’s Academic Bowl Team is headed to the National Academic Quiz Tournament (NAQT) 2013 Middle School National Championship this weekend in Chicago. 
This is the third year Creekland MS has qualified at a NAQT tournament to compete in the Championships; last year, the Team finished seventh in the Nation at the event. 
Quiz bowl questions cover middle school curriculum, as well as current events, sports and popular culture.
Team members attending are: Captains Miranda Bourdeau and Will Touchstone; Devon Cornelius, Jack Della Penna, Tate Foster, Lukas Freeman, Bryce Goodwyn, Cameron Holbrook, Claire Holman, Haley Jane and Josh Karcher.  Teacher John Carter is the team’s coach.
The team also recently won first place in the PAGE Academic Bowl for Middle Grades regional competition.

Creekland Middle School recently placed first in the middle school division of the Regional Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl Competition.
The team also won first place at the Cherokee County-level Reading Bowl.
Team members are: Alex Kaye, Ann Blakey, Gillian Brown, Savannah Chambers, Emily McGhee, Jasmine Avecilla, Jacob Schwarzman, Kelsey Henson and Hannah Oliver.  The coaches are Anne West and Debbie Gregory.


Creekland Middle students Ann Blakey and Ben Vester recently spent a day as a page at the State Capitol in the Georgia House of Representatives.  Ann served for her grandfather, Rep. Tom Rice and met House Speaker David Ralston.  Ben Vester served for State Rep. Mandi Ballinger.

Creekland Middle recently recognized its Students of the Month for April.  They are: Ann Blakey, Ky Bostick, Michelle Garcia-Delgado, Josie Johnson, Rylan Kang, Nick Lacoco, Emily McGhee, Amanda Norris, Sal Riggi, Daniela Trejo and Anna Zheng.


Students at Creekland Middle School recently participated in the Aeropostale Teens for Jeans Drive and collected more than 201 pairs of new and gently jeans for homeless teenagers.  They also recently sent a care package filled with donations of toiletries and snacks to Marines stationed in Afghanistan. 


Avery Elementary School
Avery Elementary School’s Jr. Beta Club recently sponsored a Pennies for Patients fundraiser and raised $6,474.87 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  Students competed school-wide -- boys vs. girls -- to see which group could raise the most funds for the cause.  Jr. Beta Club member fifth-grader Annabelle Caraballo raised more than $520. 

Avery Elementary student Lily Steiner placed in the Georgia PTA Reflections contest.
The Reflections program offers students in preschool through Grade 12 the opportunity to create and submit artwork in one or more of six areas: Dance Choreography, Film/Video Production, Literature, Musical Composition, Photography and Visual Arts.  The 2012-13 competition theme is: “The Magic of the Moment.”  Students also can enter into the competition to suggest a theme for the Reflections competition to be held in two years.
Lily was recognized for winning second place in Film/Video Production at the State awards ceremony recently held at the Woodruff Arts Center.


Ball Ground Elementary School STEM Academy
Ball Ground Elementary School STEM Academy student Thomas Henderson won first place in the Georgia PTA Reflections contest.
The Reflections program offers students in preschool through Grade 12 the opportunity to create and submit artwork in one or more of six areas: Dance Choreography, Film/Video Production, Literature, Musical Composition, Photography and Visual Arts.  The 2012-13 competition theme is: “The Magic of the Moment.”  Students also can enter into the competition to suggest a theme for the Reflections competition to be held in two years.
Thomas was recognized for winning first place in Film/Video Production at the State awards ceremony recently held at the Woodruff Arts Center.


Free Home Elementary School
Free Home Elementary School raised $4,600 through its Pennies for Patients drive to support the Leukemia Lymphoma Society.
The cause is very close to the hearts’ of the school’s families, as two Free Home Elementary students have won battles with blood cancer.  Principal Karen Carl said the school far exceeded its fundraising goal, noting that last school year’s campaign raised $2,600.
During the campaign, students brought in different coins on different days for special incentives (Monday: Pennies for PJs, Tuesday: Nickels for Nifty Socks, Wednesday: Dimes for Don your Hats, Thursday: Quarters for Cupid and Friday: Stuck for a Buck).  The campaign ended with a Pennies for Patients Jubilee hosted by the school’s fifth-graders.  The Jubilee’s main event was when students who contributed to Stuck for a Buck had the opportunity to add pieces of duct tape to stick Principal Karen Carl to the gym wall.
In addition to student donations, the campaign also received contributions from: AIG Inc., Barco Disaster Response Company, The Collis Family, Free Home Barber Shop, Subway and Wells Fargo.


Macedonia Elementary School
Macedonia Elementary student Chandler Pridemore placed in the Georgia PTA Reflections contest.
The Reflections program offers students in preschool through Grade 12 the opportunity to create and submit artwork in one or more of six areas: Dance Choreography, Film/Video Production, Literature, Musical Composition, Photography and Visual Arts.  The 2012-13 competition theme is: “The Magic of the Moment.”  Students also can enter into the competition to suggest a theme for the Reflections competition to be held in two years.
Chandler was recognized for winning second place in Musical Composition at the State awards ceremony recently held at the Woodruff Arts Center.

Two Macedonia Elementary School students placed at the 4-H District Project Achievement public speaking competition recently held at Rock Eagle 4-H Center.
For the competition, students developed a demonstration consisting of a speech, posters and props on a topic of their choice.  More than 1,000 students participated in the overnight trip and competition.
Logan Griffin placed first in Archeology, and Alex Neill placed second in Performing Arts - Instrumental.

Macedonia Elementary School recently honored 375 students for meeting their Accelerated Reader goal.  Media Specialist Jennifer Rice transformed the media center into an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ Very Merry Birthday Party.  The students played musical chairs and “pass the parcel;” enjoyed cupcakes; and earned another special reading charm for their necklaces. 

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