Cherokee County School District Announcements Career Education Teacher HonoredSequoyah HS teacher Casandra Hembree, who leads the school’s Work-Based Learning (WBL) program, received the Outstanding Achievement in Career Awareness and Exploration Award from the Georgia Department of Education (DOE). The award was presented at the Georgia DOE’s WBL and Youth Apprenticeship Conference at which Hembree also was recognized for completing the department’s Top Gun Training for WBL teachers. The WBL program allows high school students to earn school credit while working in a job related to their Career Pathway studies.Superintendent Earns Prestigious Educational Leadership AwardSuperintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower recently was presented with the inaugural Dr. Gregory E. Arnsdorff Servant Leadership Award by the international educational accreditation agency Cognia. The award is named for the late Dr. Arnsdorff who served as senior director of client services for Cognia until his passing. The special honor was presented to Dr. Hightower at Cognia’s recent Impact Conference in Atlanta. The new award honors longtime outstanding service by an educational leader on behalf of Georgia’s students and families.Sequoyah HS Sets New Record for Music ProgramThe Sequoyah HS chorus saw a record 23 students selected for All-State Chorus. Students must audition for the elite choral program, which will be presented by the Georgia Music Educators Association in February at The Classic Center in Athens. Choral Director Joshua Markham said the achievement is a major accomplishment for the individual students and the program.Selected students are Max Aaron, Asher Bennett, Braylee Bryant, Sofia Castillo, Elena Dagostino, Teagan Durham, Paige George, Alex Gilliam, Kaitlyn Hartman, Lizzie Hatch, Blythe Hilliard, Parker Ingram, Emma Jira, Andrew Latimer, Matthew Lorenz, Madeleine Markham, James Markham, Ben Offenberg, Derik Pedro-Espinoza, Adrian Perez Arciniegas, Sasha Sins, Lily Ward, and Dakota Youngblood.Creekview HS Student Wins First Place in Statewide Spelling Quiz BowlAs part of the Georgia Career and Technical Instruction program’s Fall Leadership Conference, students from across the state participate in academic, career readiness, and leadership skills events including quiz bowl competitions on core academic topics. Creekview HS sophomore Thomas Wang earned first place in the statewide spelling quiz bowl. A member of the school’s Emerging Leaders program, Wang additionally entered the conference’s “Activate Dreams” T-shirt design competition.River Ridge HS Students Earn Honors at Statewide Career Skills CompetitionThe River Ridge HS SkillsUSA chapter earned the Chapter of Excellence Award at the Georgia SkillsUSA Fall Leadership Conference. The award recognizes career education programs that demonstrate exceptional integration of personal, workplace, and technical skills into their activities to prepare students for future success.Aidan Nemec, an honors student in the Career Pathway program for Audio Video Technology and Film, earned the Statesman Award at the conference. The award is the highest individual honor bestowed upon students at the state level. It recognizes students who have completed career leadership training and demonstrate outstanding leadership skills.Woodstock HS Student Wins First Place in State Academic Quiz BowlAs part of the Georgia Career and Technical Instruction program’s Fall Leadership Conference, students from across the state participate in academic, career readiness, and leadership skills events including quiz bowl competitions on core academic topics. Woodstock HS senior Owen Markette earned first place in the statewide social studies quiz bowl, which focuses on early American history. Active in the school’s JROTC program, Markette’s plans after graduation are to attend college, enter the military as an officer, and pursue a career as a drone pilot. Carmel ES Named a State Distinguished SchoolCarmel ES ranked among the top 5% of highest-performing Title I schools statewide to earn this recognition. The award honors students’ performance on the English language arts and math sections of the Georgia Milestones test. Title I schools serve communities with higher rates of students receiving free or reduced-price meals due to family income levels. Carmel is led by Principal Kim Hagood.Teams Excel at National JROTC CompetitionAt the recent Raider National Championships, the Etowah HS Air Force JROTC team won the Master Division Mixed Team National Championship, and team member Austin Brice was named No. 1 Raider. The River Ridge HS Air Force JROTC team won the Challenge Division Male Team National Championship. The multi-event military-style athletic competition includes a 4K run, half-mile physical fitness test, rope bridge test, and the gauntlet (a half-mile obstacle course).
CAIRE, Inc. Gains New Owner CAIRE, Inc., a leading global manufacturer of oxygen supply equipment, is now officially a wholly-owned subsidiary of NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD. News of the acquisition followed the previous announcement from Chart Industries, Inc. of the planned divesture of its oxygen-related products business from its BioMedical division to the comprehensive ceramics processing manufacturer for $133.5 million. For more than 80 years, NGK SPARK PLUG has shared its innovation and commitment to quality around the globe as a leader in the spark plug market. Over the last 15 years, NGK SPARK PLUG has been utilizing its unique sensing and ceramic technologies to develop leading solutions for the health care market. Their sense of vision and planning to meet the health care needs of the future makes the acquisition of CAIRE a natural fit. CAIRE brings a legacy of 50 years in developing oxygen delivery systems, and our goal is to be the manufacturer of choice for the providers and people everywhere who depend on us, said Earl Lawson, president of CAIRE, Inc. In addition to the manufacturing headquarters in Ball Ground, CAIREs global locations include Anjo, Japan; Buffalo, NY; Chengdu, China; Padova, Italy; Wokingham, U.K.; and Wuppertal, Germany. For more information about CAIRE, Inc., please call 1-800-482-2473, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Chamber Announces Cherokee Challenge Winners The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce recently held their 4th Annual Cherokee Challenge. Fifteen two-person teams participated in this Amazing Race-style event that involved teamwork, physical skill, mental toughness, networking, and fun! The teams solved clues in order to travel to various destinations in the county where they participated in a variety of events that required both mental and physical aptitude. I had the opportunity to volunteer at one of the destinations where it was evident that the competitive spirit was alive and well, said Chamber Board Chair Julianne Rivera.
Local Medical Professional Makes Georgia Trends Top 40 Under 40 List For 22 years, Georgia Trend has celebrated the states rising stars under the age of forty. This years group of inspiring young leaders represents government, small and large businesses, nonprofits, education, healthcare, banking, and professional sports. They were nominated by readers throughout the state who know them well. From more than 300 nominations, the Georgia Trend staff made the final selections, and Cherokee Countys Jennifer Puckett made the list.Jennifer Puckett, 38, is the owner of Therabeat Inc. and co-owner of In Harmony Pediatric Therapy in Canton. As owner of music therapy clinic Therabeat Inc., Puckett knows how transformative music therapy can be. Shes seen it in her own family through a grandmother with Alzheimers, and she sees it in the faces of her clients every day.When you have a baby that has special needs, your whole world changes, she says. [New moms are] overwhelmed. They dont know what to expect. Theyve only heard what their child cant do. In music therapy, we try to show them everything they can do.Puckett also co-owns In Harmony Pediatric Therapy, a clinic for children with developmental delays, and is serving her second term on the Georgia Music Therapy Advisory Committee.
Chamber Announces 2018 Leadership Cherokee Graduates Leadership Cherokee, a program of the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce, graduated its 30th Anniversary Class during a recent ceremony. With the completion of this years class, the alumni count now totals over 600 graduates. Members of the Leadership Cherokee Class of 2018 selected two of their peers to receive special recognition. The Cristal Stancil Leadership Award honoree was Viktoriya Dubovis with Chart, Inc. The Bob Frongillo Magic Spark Plug Award was presented to Kristi Estes with In Harmony Pediatric Therapy. Outgoing 2018 Leadership Cherokee Chair, Jennifer Stanley with the Northside Hospital Cherokee, was commended for her leadership by incoming chair, Neil Blackman with Corblu Ecology Group. Over the course of the nine-month period, Leadership Cherokee exposed the group of existing and emerging leaders to a broad range of sessions that focused on topics such as economic development, infrastructure, government, justice, arts, education, recreation, tourism, public safety, healthcare, and social/human services.
LGE Community Credit Union Gives Back LGE Community Credit Union recently presented a total of $170,000 to fourteen local, nonprofit organizations through the LGE Community Outreach Foundation. The fourteen organizations that received donations were Warehouse of Hope, Safepath Childrens Advocacy Center, City of Refuge, Next Step Ministries, McKenna Farms, Racheals Rest, CASA of Paulding County, Calvary Childrens Home, The Drake House, Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta - Cobb County, Shepherd Center, MUST Ministries, Angels Among Us Pet Rescue, and Mostly Mutts. Each year, LGE employees nominate and select the organizations that will be supported. The LGE Foundation then organizes and conducts fundraisers throughout the year to raise money to contribute to those nonprofit organizations. Every dollar raised by the LGE Foundation is matched by LGE Community Credit Union. Not only is there a monetary contribution, but LGE staff members volunteer over 2600 hours in the community each year.
R & D Mechanical Reaches Goal for Haiti Shoebox Drive 2016 was R & D Mechanicals first year doing the Haiti Shoebox Drive as a company and involving the community. They packed over 100 shoeboxes, and their goal for 2017 was 1000 shoeboxes, which seemed impossible. However, with help from community partners, they were able to reach that goal. They reached out to their partners early in the year to start collecting items for the shoeboxes, and they were completely overwhelmed by the response they received. For their shoebox packing party, they had 72 volunteers to help get the 1000 shoeboxes packed. Interested in contributing to the next Shoebox Drive event? Call R & D Mechanical at 770-917-1795 to learn more.
WellStar Charity Care WellStar Health System, the largest not-for-profit health system in Georgia, provided more than $648 million in charity and unreimbursed care as well as community programs during the 2017 fiscal year.As a community-based health system, WellStars physicians, nurses, advanced practice professionals, and team members are committed to helping patients and communities live healthier lives. Currently, ten percent of WellStars patients do not have insurance. As part of its mission, WellStar cares for these patients, regardless of their ability to pay.Through eleven hospitals and 250 medical office locations, WellStar provided more than $250 million in charity care and more than $117 million in care for those who were unable to pay for services but did not apply for charity care. Additionally, community and outreach programs are important tools to help patients and families meet their health goals and understand their options, and WellStar funded $10 million in community programs during fiscal year 2017.The amount of charity and unreimbursed care dramatically increased in 2017 due to WellStars recent expansion. In 2016, WellStar grew to an 11-hopsital system when WellStar Atlanta Medical Center, WellStar Atlanta Medical Center South, WellStar North Fulton Hospital, WellStar Spalding Regional Hospital, WellStar Sylvan Grove Hospital and WellStar West Georgia Medical Center joined the health system.
In Harmony Pediatric Therapy to Open a New Facility In Harmony Pediatric Therapy is a multi-disciplinary, pediatric, outpatient clinic that has proudly served children with special needs and assisted families throughout Cherokee, Cobb, Pickens, and north Fulton counties since opening its doors in 2008. Their experienced pediatric therapy team offers occupational, physical, speech-language, and music therapies. In January 2018, In Harmony Pediatric Therapy is moving from their current location in Hickory Flat to a larger, completely remodeled, 11,000-square-foot facility on Highway 140 on the Woodstock/Milton/Canton border. Their new address will be 9880 Hickory Flat Highway in Woodstock. Visit InHarmonyPediatricTherapy.com for more information about their new facility, their services, or their hours of operation.
Cherokee Breast Care Opens Practice in Holly Springs A highly-trained oncology breast surgeon has opened her practice in Cherokee County. Dr. Karen Buhariwalla, a fellowship-trained breast surgeon who specializes in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of breast cancer and all breast-related disorders, opened her practice at 684 Sixes Road, Suite 230 in Holly Springs. She has medical privileges at the new Northside Hospital Cherokee. For more information, visit CherokeeBreastCare.com.