Cherokee County Educational Foundation’s 2023 Fall Classics Fundraiser Success The BridgeMill Athletic Club was buzzing with athletes ready to raise money for a good cause at last month’s Fall Classics fundraiser, which is held annually on Columbus Day and features a Golf Scramble (presented by Northside Hospital Cherokee) and a Tennis and Pickleball Round-Robin style rotation of match play (presented by Credit Union of Georgia). More than $70,000 was raised for the Cherokee County School District (CCSD). The Foundation will use the funds to support Classroom Impact Grants and Rapid Grants for teachers and classrooms.The golf tournament had 100 players, several contests, and a 50/50 cash raffle that was won by Todd Baker of The Holler in Canton. Jenny Spain, retired CCSD teacher and CCEF board member, helped facilitate the tennis and pickleball events, ensuring that all registered guests got several hours of court time and experienced competitive play.
Cherokee Planning Department Earns Statewide Awards The Georgia Chapter of the American Planning Association recognized Cherokee County and its cities with prestigious awards for efforts in cooperative planning. Over the last few years, Cherokee County has worked with each city’s leadership to resurrect and update long-expired growth boundary agreements. While a growth boundary agreement is not legally binding, it provides guidance for cities and the county on where the cities will grow as well as coordination on character areas and other planning efforts.The GPA bestowed Cherokee County and its cities with the Distinguished Leadership and Service Contribution Award for Innovation in Planning. The award is given in recognition of a specific planning tool, practice, program, project, or process that is a significant advancement to specific elements of planning. The category emphasizes results and demonstrates how innovative and state-of-the-art planning methods and practices helped implement a plan.The City of Waleska also was recognized with the GPA’s Outstanding Planning Document for Small Communities for its Comprehensive Land Use Plan. The Small Communities designation is reserved for cities with fewer than 1,000 or counties with fewer than 10,000 residents. Cherokee County provides the City of Waleska with its planning documents and all development requests, requiring the planning and zoning process to go through the Cherokee County Municipal Planning Commission.
2023 Leadership Cherokee Graduation Leadership Cherokee, a program of the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce, graduated its 34th Anniversary Class, which brings the total alumni count to more than 700 graduates. Members of the Leadership Cherokee Class of 2023 selected two of their peers to receive special annual recognitions. Mark Smith with the Cherokee County School District received the Cristal Stancil Leadership Award. The Bob Frongillo “Magic Spark Plug” Award was presented to Jenna Geary with the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce. Outgoing 2023 Leadership Cherokee Chair Dana Callan with Synovus was commended by incoming Chair Jeffrey Pourchier for her dedication to the leadership program.Over the course of a nine-month period, Leadership Cherokee exposes the group of existing and emerging leaders to our diverse county as well as a broad range of topics such as economic development, infrastructure, government, justice, arts, education, recreation, tourism, public safety, healthcare, and social/human services.
Canton Launches Sustainability and Historic Preservation Project The City of Canton is excited to announce a strategic sustainability and historic preservation program with the help of Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and sustainability-driven infrastructure projects. This project will seek to advance the City of Canton’s Roadmap for Success with a specific focus on the tenet, “Sustaining Our Natural Environment.”With the help of Schneider Electric, the City of Canton will make its facilities more energy efficient, add more solar energy to its renewable energy portfolio, and achieve certification for the Atlanta Regional Commission Green Communities Program. It will also address critical infrastructure needs in two of Canton’s most historic buildings: City Hall (established in 1924) and the Public Safety/Municipal Court (established in 1925), ensuring that these structures will continue to serve the City’s needs while maintaining the historic integrity of downtown Canton.
Take the City of Canton Downtown Master Plan Public Survey The City of Canton and the Downtown Development Authority are creating a Downtown Master Plan to provide an implementation-focused approach to improving downtown. The Plan focuses on multimodal safety and connectivity, thorough community engagement, and an understanding of the development potential. Understanding your needs and opinions is crucial to this process. Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey and provide your insight. The results will shape the projects and recommendations included in the final Downtown Master Plan, which is expected to be adopted in Spring 2024. In the survey, “Downtown Canton” is considered to be the area south of the Etowah River and north of Jarvis, Elizabeth, and Hill Streets (as shown in the map in the online survey). Please scan the QR code or visit SurveyMonkey.com/r/DMP_English to make your voice heard. The survey closes November 9, 2023.
Students Honored With College Board Awards (2) The College Board honored students through its National Recognition Programs awards, which are The College Board honored students through its National Recognition Programs awards, which are designed to provide recognition opportunities for high school seniors and juniors in underrepresented groups. Students may apply for the National African American Recognition Award (NAARA), National Hispanic Recognition Award (NHRA), National Indigenous Recognition Award (NIRA), and National Rural and Small Town Recognition Award (NRSTA).To be considered for an award, students must have a GPA of at least 3.5 and either exceptional test scores placing them in the top 10% in their state on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10, or scores of 3 or higher on two or more Advanced Placement (AP) exams.Honorees From CCSD High Schools Located in Woodstock Etowah HS Gabrielle Crane, NAARA; Cristina Garcia, NHRA; Zachary Gonzalez, NHRA; Eric Martinez, NHRA; Jamari Maxime, NAARA; Laika Olwana, NAARA; Kaili Phillips, NAARA; Tiffany Reece, NAARA; David Rocha, NHRA; Jose Solis-Ocampo, NHRA; Megan Torres, NHRA i-GRAD Virtual Academy Lula Cocking, NHRA River Ridge HS Anthony Amos, NAARA; Isabella Lenahan, NHRA; Revis McClairen, NAARA; Oluwasemilore Micheal, NAARA; Ijeoma Omorogbe, NAARA; Leah Orr, NAARA; Kimberly Rodriguez, NHRA Woodstock HS Ryan Bustelo, NHRA; Evelyn Campos, NHRA; Jullia Costa, NHRA; Santiago Ochoa, NHRA; Eowyn Ordones, NHRAHonorees From CCSD High Schools Located in Canton Cherokee HSRaphael Aca, NHRA and NRSTA; Martin Armbruster, NRSTA; Andrew Barnes, NRSTA; Camille Bruu, NRSTA; Caleb Christian, NRSTA; Kate Crotty, NRSTA; Emily Cruse, NRSTA; Jenna Cuomo, NRSTA; Dylan Dela-Vega, NRSTA; Owen Garity, NRSTA; Erin Gilleland, NRSTA; Chase Gorum, NRSTA; Emily Gross, NRSTA; Johnna Kelly, NRSTA; Elijah Key, NRSTA; William Longstaff, NRSTA; Halley Lugli, NRSTA; Elliana Mathews, NRSTA; Abby McCarty, NRSTA; Riley Morris, NRSTA; Rachel Newman, NRSTA; Luke Oaks, NRSTA; Lucas O’Connor, NRSTA; Mackenzie Pruett, NRSTA; Alexander Ramirez-Meza, NHRA; Noelle Richardson, NRSTA; Spencer Rosant, NAARA and NRSTA; Finnegan Sheldon, NRSTA; Abigail Snyder, NRSTA; Anna Snyder, NRSTA; Benjamin Squires, NRSTA; Haley Starr, NRSTA; Julia Stevens, NAARA; Collin Ulm, NRSTA; Elizabeth Waller, NRSTA; and Jacob Waller, NRSTA Creekview HS Lillian Abdinoor, NRSTA; Jacqueline Akin, NRSTA; Micah Bailey, NRSTA; Eason Barrineau, NRSTA; Winton Bowman, NRSTA; Jameson Brooks, NRSTA; Alexander Candelario, NRSTA, NHRA, and NAARA; Mackinsey Candelario, NRSTA, NHRA, and NAARA; Landon Carlson, NRSTA; Tatum Carmichael, NRSTA; Lindsey Clark, NRSTA; Rachel Cohen, NRSTA; Katelyn English, NRSTA; Lucilia Foran, NHRA; Searlait Frey, NRSTA; Charli Gilliam, NRSTA; Grace Gilmore, NRSTA; Austin Hamm, NRSTA; Bryce Holder, NRSTA; Brayden Huguenard, NRSTA; Tyson Hurdle, NRSTA; Aiden Hurst, NRSTA; Owen Jacobson, NRSTA; Elsa Johnson, NRSTA; Eli Keith, NRSTA; Samantha Khanimov, NRSTA and NHRA; Andres Klementzos, NRSTA and NHRA; Ava Lightsey, NRSTA; Jenna Lofton, NRSTA; Jasmine Lutin, NRSTA and NHRA; Molly Maloney, NRSTA; Korrigan Marsh, NRSTA; Caleb Miller, NRSTA; Chani Miller, NRSTA; Maryanne Momeh, NRSTA and NAARA; Grayson Newell, NRSTA; Benjaminh Nguyen, NRSTA; Ava Obermeier, NRSTA; Sophia Orris, NRSTA; Jonathan Palzewicz, NRSTA; Wyatt Pangburn, NRSTA; Nickolas Pelcastre, NRSTA and NHRA; Marissa Poette, NHRA; Anne Robida, NRSTA; Gina Ross, NRSTA; Lake Rowley NRSTA and NIRA; Sofia Sanchez, NHRA; Cade Smith, NRSTA; Myer Spillers, NRSTA and NHRA; Austin St. Amour, NRSTA; Isabella Stamey, NRSTA; Amilya Taft, NRSTA; Madison Thompson, NIRA; Cameron Thrower, NRSTA; Palmer Vining, NIRA; Braxton Walker, NRSTA; Audrey Warnick, NRSTA; Noah Watkins, NRSTA; and Olivia White, NRSTA Sequoyah HSZahira Ambriz-Villela NHRA and NRSTA; Luke Barber, NRSTA; Tristan Barber, NRSTA; Jordan Barker NRSTA; Aidan Christian, NRSTA; Justin Clark, NAARA and NRSTA; Ethan Clay, NRSTA; Christopher Coli-Lopez, NHRA; Sayler Davies, NRSTA; Blakely Freeman, NRSTA; Amelia Griffiths, NRSTA; Maci Hamilton, NRSTA; Isabel Harper, NRSTA; Sean Harrelson, NRSTA; Elizabeth Hebert, NRSTA; Noah Kunik, NRSTA; Claire Mathis, NRSTA; Catherine McCrobie, NRSTA; Julian Noaker, NRSTA; Jennifer Ramos-Hernandez, NRSTA; Robert Raymer, NHRA and NRSTA; Asby Rowson, NRSTA; Mengxi Tang, NRSTA; Sophie Taylor, NRSTA; Luke Thoroughman, NRSTA; Geethanjali Thota, NRSTA; Rylee Trusner, NRSTA Additional students may earn this honor before the end of the school year. Students Win Gold in Statewide Summer Special Olympics Cherokee County Special Olympics’ soccer team won gold and numerous students earned gold for swimming, tennis, and track and field events. The soccer team is a unified team, meaning it includes neurotypical peers who are called Unified Partners in the competition. Team members are Leah Weatherby, Cherokee HS; Charlie Holderness and Leland Wilson, Creekview HS; Kord Bowen and Cody West, Transition Academy; Audric Agbavon, Woodstock HS; and Unified Partners Matthew Gordon and Hadley Moore, River Ridge HS. The swim gold medalists are Nicolle Valle (50M Seniors Freestyle), Etowah HS; Cassie Vanderberg (Juniors 10M Assist and Juniors 15M Unassisted), River Ridge HS; Carly Carter (Juniors 10M Assist), Xavier Baldonado (50M Juniors Freestyle and 25M Juniors Backstroke), and Juan Galvez (50M Seniors Freestyle) of Sequoyah HS; Del Cannon (4 x 25 Unified Senior Relay, 25M Seniors Freestyle, and 50M Seniors Freestyle), Nicole Fox (25M Seniors Freestyle), and Merritt Wilson (4 x 25 Unified Senior Relay, 25M Senior Breaststroke, and 50M Senior Breaststroke) of Transition Academy; Aiden Kohlhepp (Juniors 25M Flotation) and Remy Wilson (25M Senior Freestyle and 50M Senior Freestyle), and Unified Partners in the 4 x 25 Unified Senior Relay, Leia Lankford and Emmy Mims of Woodstock HS; and Davis Kohl (Juniors 10M Assist and Juniors 15M Flotation) and Brady Pike (Juniors 15M Walk) of Woodstock MS. The tennis gold medalists are the unified team of Brody Wright of Transition Academy and Aven Wright of Cherokee HS. The track and field gold medalists are Ta’Nieyah Calhoun (100M), Cherokee HS; Reed Rogers (100M), Liberty ES; Lyric Welch (100M and Mini Javelin Throw), Liberty ES; and Matthew Bek (200M), Transition Academy. Winners were recognized by the Cherokee County School Board and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower at the September School Board meeting, which also recognized Transition Academy student Caleb Guy who earned three silver medals in kayaking competitions at the international Special Olympics World Games in Berlin this summer. Little River Elementary Celebrates STEM Lab Opening Little River ES recently held a ribbon cutting for its new STEM lab, which was funded by the Little River PTA. STEM teacher Shaniqua Young spent months working on her vision for the lab, which includes collaborative student workspaces and organized resources for STEM activities. Teacher Wins Statewide Education Award Etowah HS teacher Lara McDonald, who is the current CCSD Teacher of the Year, has earned the 2023 Outstanding Biology Teacher Award for Georgia. The annual award is presented to one middle or high school teacher in each state by the National Association of Biology Teachers. Honorees are selected based on teaching ability and experience, school and community engagement, and positive student-teacher relationships. Students Named Statewide Ambassadors for National Nonprofit Holly Springs ES STEM Academy first-grader Jack Bauer and Liberty ES second-grader Edith Benson are two of Georgia’s five 2023-24 Youth Heart Ambassadors for the American Heart Association. As ambassadors, they will help raise awareness about the association and its important role in raising funds for cardiovascular disease research, advocacy for public health, and lifesaving resources. They will also encourage other children to participate in association activities including the Kids Heart Challenge and the American Heart Challenge that inspire healthy habits. The association selects its ambassadors from nominations of young people who have been affected by heart disease or stroke either through a personal diagnosis, diagnosis of a loved one, or through making a personal lifestyle change. Bauer is a congenital heart defect survivor who was born with Heterotaxy Syndrome, which led to multiple congenital heart defects. A congenital heart defect survivor born with a ventricular septal defect and congenital complete AV block, Benson has undergone three open heart surgeries and now lives with a pacemaker. Students Selected for All-State Theatre Program Sequoyah HS senior Valor Lekas and juniors Noah Popp and Ava Grace Roberts will participate in this year’s elite All-State Theatre Program that culminates with performances at the 2024 Georgia Thespian Conference. Roberts successfully auditioned for the cast of the conference’s opening and closing performances. Lekas and Popp were selected through a competitive application process. School Nurse Wins State Award Liberty ES nurse Amanda Fox was named an Outstanding School Nurse winner for PTA District 13, which includes Cherokee and Forsyth counties, and then advanced to earn the Georgia PTA statewide award, which honors school nurses for going above and beyond their duties.
Cherokee Fire Wins Awards at Georgia Fire Service Conference Members of Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services (CCFES) recently attended the Georgia Fire Service Conference, which is hosted jointly by the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs and the Georgia State Firefighters Association. The event includes training sessions, firefighter competitions, and an annual awards ceremony. During the event, members of CCFES were awarded two trophies from the competition and one award during the annual ceremony. The Georgia Firefighter Competition consists of teams from fire departments across the state of Georgia testing numerous skills and abilities against each other. The two participating CCFES teams won 2nd and 3rd Place overall. At the awards ceremony, The Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs named Deputy Chief Shane West the Chief Fire Officer of the Year for the State of Georgia. Chief West has served the community and worked for CCFES since 1995. During his tenure with the department, he has been promoted through the ranks and worked at a variety of stations, gaining valuable experience. He obtained his paramedic license, served as an instructor for both fire and medical education, successfully completed the Georgia Smoke Diver program, received the Georgia Chief Fire Officer certification, and chaired several committees and projects to improve the department’s success.
History Cherokee Announces 2023 Historic Preservation Award Winners History Cherokee’s Historic Preservation Awards honor owners of historic properties in Cherokee County and their outstanding work in historic preservation. The award recipients are determined by a committee of volunteers who spend time over several months visiting and learning about the nominated sites and talking with the property owners. This Year’s Award Recipients • Rusk Family Cemetery, Woodstock – The Rusk family • Roberts Lake Dam and Power Generation Facility, Ball Ground – City of Ball Ground • Dot's Fine Wine & Craft, Ball Ground – Todd Martin and Cindy Shera • Downtown Kitchen Building, Canton – Bill, Tina, and Zach Kell • Wilson-Clark Home, Canton – Cory Wilson and John Clark • Cox-Luman Homeplace, Waleska – The Cox-Luman family History Cherokee also honored longtime volunteer Chuck Douglas with the Judson Roberts Lifetime Service Award.
Joint Senate Committee Meeting Announced To Discuss Artificial Intelligence Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Safety, Senator John Albers (R – Roswell and parts of Woodstock), and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Senator Chuck Payne (R – Dalton) recently announced plans to host a joint committee meeting concerning the topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This meeting will take place on November 1, 2023, at the State Capitol. “Artificial Intelligence is evolving rapidly, and it is important for us to analyze current and future AI practices. We must look at the pros, cons, and potential unintended consequences of AI, and I look forward to the work of this Senate joint committee,” said Lt. Governor Burt Jones. "AI may be one of the greatest disruptors in history, providing significant advancements and monumental risks,” said Sen. Albers. “We must address this head-on to protect our citizens, businesses, and state." “I look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with Chairman Albers and the Public Safety Committee to best address real concerns related to advances in artificial intelligence and to mitigate any risks facing the citizens of our state,” said Sen. Payne. This joint committee will bring industry experts to the table with the goal of analyzing current and projected future AI practices. The committee aims to pave a path forward, as the sector continues to grow across a multitude of platforms both in Georgia and the nation.
General/Special Municipal Election 2023 Your Vote Matters Your local government is directly responsible for serving your community and has the most impact on your daily life, so be sure to make your voice heard in this year’s general/special municipal elections. Key Dates To Remember • October 10Deadline for voter registration/change of address • October 16-21, 8:30am-5:00pmAdvanced (absentee in-person) voting begins • October 23-28, 8:30am-5:00pmAdvanced (absentee in-person) voting continues • October 27Last day to request an absentee ballot • October 30-November 3, 8:30am-7:00pmAdvanced (absentee in-person) voting continues • November 7 — ELECTION DAY (general/special municipal election) Locations for Advanced Voting • Cherokee County Elections & Voter Registration Office (193 Lamar Haley Parkway, Canton) • South Cherokee Annex Recreation Center (7545 North Main Street, Building 200, Woodstock) What’s on the Ballot? • Canton — Mayor and Council Seats 1, 2, and 3 • Waleska — Mayor and 4 At-Large Council Seats • Woodstock — Council Seats 2, 4, and 6 as well as General Obligation Bonds for Trails & Parks Referendum To register to vote, confirm your registration, and/or find your polling location, visit MVP.SOS.Ga.gov.