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Jamie Tuggle
Written by CHS senior Addison Lloyd
CARROLLTON, GA — This Valentine’s Day, Carrollton High School hosted its annual Blind Date with a Book event. Organized by CHS Senior John Cobb in collaboration with the CHS Book Club, books provided by donors were sold at the event to benefit the Ferst Readers organization.
The Blind Date with a Book event was designed to get students excited about reading by capturing their curiosity.
“Books are wrapped so you cannot see what you are purchasing, and a vague synopsis of the book is printed on the front of the package,” said CHS Media Specialist Stephanie Holloway, a facilitator of the event. “Since you do not know what book you purchase, we call it Blind Date with a Book.”
The tongue-in-cheek title is a perfect fit for the Valentine’s Day event. Hosted in the CHS library, students had the opportunity to enjoy the festive decor and browse a multitude of carefully wrapped books, reading brief labels pasted to each one to get a sense of what contents lay concealed beneath the red and pink paper. Once their ideal match was found, they could purchase and unwrap the book. Books of all genres were included at the event, appealing to the unique palette of every reader.
John Cobb organized the Blind Date with a Book event as his capstone International Baccalaureate Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS) project for the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma program.
“Blind Date with a Book is a fun way to connect individuals that love to read with stories that they may not have picked up otherwise,” said Cobb. “It allows people to discover new authors and genres, and enjoy the thrill of uncovering a book without prejudging it based on its cover or reputation.”
All proceeds from the event will be donated to Ferst Readers. Children in the Ferst Readers literacy program receive a bookstore-quality, age-specific book and accompanying resources mailed directly to their homes every month until their fifth birthday. This access to print helps foster a lifelong love of reading that starts at home.
Through this program, Carrollton High School students promote literacy and encourage students to fall in love with a book, all while supporting the next generation of young readers through their financial contributions.
CHS Senior John Cobb organized the Blind Date with a Book event supporting Ferst Readers.
Seniors Blakelee Isbill (left) and Erick Castro (right) help wrap donated books for the Blind Date with a Book event.
Jamie Tuggle
CARROLLTON, GA – Eleven Carrollton City Schools students— eight from Carrollton Middle School and three from Carrollton High School— won first place at the West Georgia Regional Science and Engineering Fair and will advance to the state competition, April 3–5, in Athens, Georgia.
The regional and state science and engineering fairs allow students opportunities to share their research findings in a public forum and attend presentations and demonstrations from professors and scientists working in a variety of fields.
“Participation in the science fair allows students to put the scientific method into practice. They can determine if their hypothesis was correct or incorrect by analyzing the data collected from their experiment,” said CHS Science Teacher Jennifer Sewell. “Through this, students are able to understand that science is a process.”
At the district level, Amanda Ledbetter organizes the middle school competition and Jennifer Sewell facilitates the competition at the high school.
CMS students competed in groups of two or three. The teams were Max Weaver, William Schmelzer and John Williamson; Liberty Thomaston, Tinsley Tolbert and Olivia Schuchman; and Cash Greenwood and Addison Sewell. Seniors John Cobb, Sienna Simmonds-Moore, and Lirun Johnson brought wins back to the high school. All won first place in their respective categories and will move on to the state competition.
These competitions aim to empower students to conduct research that is meaningful to them. One project by the CMS team of Liberty Thomaston, Tinsley Tolbert and Olivia Schuchman investigated which popular water bottle maintains its temperature for the longest amount of time, allowing them to settle the debate amongst their peers.
Carrollton City School district winners competed at the West Georgia Regional Science and Engineering Fair on Friday, Feb. 7. Pictured back row from left are John Cobb, Cash Greenwood, John Williamson, Lirun Johnson and Sienna Simmonds-Moore. Pictured middle row from left are Kate Smith, Jackson Westbrook, Tinsley Tolbert, Liberty Thomaston and Addison Sewell. Pictured front row from left are William Schmelzer and Max Weaver.
Jamie Tuggle
CARROLLTON, GA — Carrollton City Schools has announced senior leadership changes for the upcoming school year. Dr. Anna Clifton, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, will retire after nearly three decades in education. Dr. Kylie Carroll has been appointed to succeed her and Courtney Walker has been named the new principal of Carrollton Elementary School. Dr. Ryan McKinnon has been named future principal of the proposed Carrollton Early Learning School, which is currently in its planning stages.
Clifton began her teaching career nearly 30 years ago and quickly advanced into leadership. She has served eight years as assistant superintendent, overseeing several departments, including school improvement, budget, and human resources.
“We are happy for Dr. Clifton as she embarks on the next chapter of her life. Her leadership has been pivotal to the success of our schools, and her commitment to school improvement, nurturing talent, and fostering a positive work environment has left a lasting impact on our district,” said Carrollton City Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark Albertus. “We are grateful for her years of dedicated service and wish her the best as she retires from education.”
Carroll will transition to assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, bringing extensive classroom and leadership experience to the role. Serving as principal of CES for the past eight years, she has demonstrated a commitment to school improvement, community engagement and academic excellence. She also serves the community in various ways, including as board chair of the Carroll County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and the Georgia Department of Education Training and Implementation Advisory Committee, providing her with unique insight into state and local educational needs. She and her husband, John, have one son, Campbell.
Walker, also named the 2024 National Assistant Principal of the Year, has a wealth of experience in educational leadership and brings a strong foundation in early childhood education to the role of CES principal. She has served as an elementary teacher, cheerleading coach, University of West Georgia Early Childhood Education Instructor for nearly a decade, and a Teaching as a Pathway instructor. In her most recent leadership role at CHS, she led master scheduling, student programs, school improvement and professional development, equipping her with the skills and insight to foster academic growth and enhance school culture. She and her husband, Jason, have four children, Brooke, Reese, Whitleigh and Saxsyn.
McKinnon brings experience as an educator, state championship coach, and school leader into his role as future principal of the newly announced Carrollton Early Learning School, which is in the planning stages. He currently serves as an assistant principal at CES, overseeing pre-K and kindergarten programs, coordinating school testing and leading school data initiatives to improve student achievement. McKinnon also teaches in the Leadership, Research, and School Improvement Department at the University of West Georgia. His experience will be instrumental in shaping the new state-of-the-art school into a model of excellence. McKinnon and his wife, Nikki, have three sons, Liam, Dawson and Greyson.
“As we welcome these exceptional leaders into their new roles, I am excited about the future of Carrollton City Schools. Dr. Carroll, Mrs. Walker and Dr. McKinnon bring a wealth of experience and vision to our district. Their commitment to excellence will continue to propel us forward,” said Dr. Albertus. “I look forward to seeing the great things they will accomplish as we build on the strong foundation set by those before them.”
Pictured from left are Dr. Anna Clifton, Dr. Kylie Carroll, Mrs. Courtney Walker, and Dr. Ryan McKinnon.
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