CCSD Students Earn Honors at State, National Career Competitions

From left, Olivia Lewis, Jackson Rogers Purser, Bailey German, Sarah Horlock-Woodfin, Searlait Frey, Nate Hancock; bottom left, Creekview HS Veterinary Science Career Development Event team and Creekview FFA Chapter officers.

Cherokee County School District students have earned top honors at state, national and international career competitions!

Through Career and Technical Student Organizations, students expand their classroom Career Pathway program learning by participating in after-school and weekend activities like conferences, competitions and community service.  Congratulations to our students who have achieved honors through their participation in these groups, thank you to our teacher sponsors, and thank you to our School Board for its continued investment in career education!

Career and Technical Instruction (CTI)
Three CCSD students placed at the statewide CTI competition, which offers students the opportunity to demonstrate skills from their chosen Career Pathway, with presentations judged by skilled professionals from that career field.  Congratulations to: Creekview HS Class of 2025 graduate Olivia Lewis, first place for career exploration job manual and interview, teacher advisor Ed Walker; Lily Kalinowski of Woodstock HS, second place for cosmetology – nails, teacher advisor Laura Antonelli; and Jonathan Martin of Creekview HS, third place for community civic awareness, teacher advisor Mr. Walker.  The Cherokee HS CTI chapter earned fifth place in the state for its fundraiser campaign for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta; Christa Pierce is the teacher advisor.

DECA
After outstanding performances at the state competition this winter, members of the DECA student marketing, management and entrepreneurship association chapters at Creekview HS and River Ridge HS qualified for international competition this spring. You can see the full list of the students who earned state honors and qualified for nationals online here.  At Internationals, Creekview HS rising senior Jackson Rogers Purser advanced to the final round of competition in the professional selling competition and placed in the top 20 in the nation!  Career Pathway teachers Ashley Jones of Creekview HS and Katie Thompson of River Ridge HS sponsor the chapters.

Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA)
Cherokee HS FCCLA students placed at the state competition, and one student is advancing to nationals in July!  Congratulations to national qualifier rising senior Bailey German, who earned third place in job interview; Yandel Jarquin, fourth place in food innovations; and Emma Trapani, seventh place in career investigation.  Career Pathway teachers Carmen Andrews, food and nutrition; and Kym McCrary, early childhood education, are the chapter’s teacher advisors.

FFA
Cherokee and Creekview High School FFA students achieved honors in state and national agriculture career competitions this spring!

Creekview’s FFA Veterinary Science Career Development Event team is advancing to nationals in October after an outstanding first-place performance at the Georgia FFA State Convention.  The team is made up of Natalie Giannini, Chloe Hiett, who earned third place individually; Ava Linder, Amaya Nebel, who earned second place individually, and Cailyn Toney.  The competition tests both students’ knowledge and hands-on veterinary skills. 

Class of 2025 Cherokee HS graduate Sarah Horlock-Woodfin earned her State FFA Degree.  This is the highest honor an FFA member can earn and represents significant dedication to the FFA chapter and its activities and community service.  Class of 2025 Creekview HS graduate Searlait Frey was named the state winner in the Veterinary Science Proficiency Award category at the state convention and now advances to national competition.  This award recognizes outstanding Supervised Agricultural Experience projects, and Searlait’s project was focused on veterinary science. 

The Creekview FFA Chapter was recognized at the state convention as an Area 1 Chapter Achievement Winner and received a Gold Emblem in the chapter award program, qualifying it for national award competition.  This award recognizes the work of chapter officers: President Kallie Reynolds, Vice President Charles Young, Secretary Sarah Hill, Treasurer MollyClaire Barber, Reporter Nolan Hendrix, and Sentinel Lucy Phillips.  Charles, a Class of 2025 graduate, also was recognized at the state convention as a recipient of the national Washington Leadership Conference Scholarship, awarded to FFA members who demonstrate strong leadership potential.  The Cherokee FFA Chapter placed in the top three in the state for its FFA Recognition Book.

Career Pathway agriculture teachers Chloe Lynch and Wyatt Wilkie sponsor the Creekview HS chapter, and Lindsey Garner sponsors the Cherokee HS chapter. 

HOSA Future Health Professionals
Two Etowah High School students earned state honors at the Georgia HOSA Future Health Professionals’ State Leadership Conference.  Congratulations to Hayden Langton and Ava Walker for earning ninth place in CPR/First Aid!  Career Pathway healthcare science teachers Megan King and Skye Raimondi serve as the chapter’s advisors.

Technology Student Association (TSA)
Twenty CCSD students have qualified for the TSA national competition this summer, with one elected state president for next school year!

Creekview HS rising senior Nate Hancock was elected Georgia TSA President at the spring state conference, and Ishan Sharma was elected to the bridge committee. Chapter advisor, Career Pathway engineering teacher Terri Hancock, was honored with the state’s Alumni of the Year award.

Congratulations to our state award winners and national qualifiers: 

Creekland MS: Top 10: problem solving, Lukas Berger and Beau Howard, teacher advisor Anne Benton
Creekview HS: Achievement Silver Award and Gold Achievement Award (to be awarded at Nationals): Jack Gluckson, Nate Hancock, Ben Nguyen, and Ishan Sharma.
Second place: animatronics, Braeden Norton and Matthew Walden; music production, Winton Bowman.
Third place: system control technology, Winton Bowman, Matthew Short and Max Smith.
Fourth place: architectural design, Graham Bauch, William Brooks, Francisco Diaz, Jack Gluckson, Carlton Hines, Keller Moss, Ben Rodriguez, and Brad Rodriguez; chapter team, Jack Gluckson, Bailey Deisz, Ben Nguyen, Ishan Sharma, Kolbie Sikes and Bennett Simpson; UAV drone, Ben Nguyen and Matthew Short. 
Top 10: Camden Brookshire, Lilah Lott, and Lynnett Pineda, fifth place, structural design and engineering; Nate Hancock, Kolbie Sikes, and Bennett Simpson, seventh place, chapter award; Graham Bauch, seventh place, transportation modeling; Noah Boynton, eighth place, prepared presentation.