Cherokee Schools Names 2021 Partners, Volunteers Of The Year

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — The Cherokee County School District recently named the winners of its eighth annual Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year Awards.

While the traditional recognition ceremony could not be held this year, Superintendent Brian Hightower surprised the overall district winners on Thursday. He only needed to visit one school, as for the first time in the awards’ history, both winners are from the same school: Hasty Elementary School Fine Arts Academy in Canton.

Mary Ann Laughlin, Hasty’s Volunteer of the Year, was named the 2021 Volunteer of the Year, and Revolution Church, Hasty’s Partner of the Year, was named the 2021 Partner of the Year.

“We deeply appreciate all of our partners and volunteers, especially over the past year as they’ve worked to find ways to support us and serve even though they could not be in our classrooms or at special events," Hightower said. "We’re not just a School District, we’re a community and a family, and we’re better thanks to the service of our volunteers and partners. Revolution Church and Mary are outstanding examples of servant leadership. Knowing the pandemic would affect their usual roles, they were quick to ask how they could change their service to best meet our needs, and then they pivoted and delivered with joy.”

The annual program recognizes a Partner of the Year and a Volunteer of the Year for each individual school and center; the overall Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year are selected from that pool of candidates by a committee made up of retired educators. The awards are sponsored by the Cherokee County Educational Foundation; all winners receive a recognition plaque, and the district winners receive engraved plaques. Every week, a different school Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year will be featured on the district’s website and social media platforms. The winners also will be congratulated by the school board at its April meeting with a virtual recognition.

In her nomination of Laughlin, Principal Maria Rosario-Regan praised the retired educator for her willingness to “remotely volunteer” by taking on projects that she and her team of fellow Hickory Flat United Methodist Church members could complete at home. She assembles tools for teachers to use for classroom instruction from hands-on activity kits to easy reader books, and collects donations for the school from literacy initiative rewards to holiday gifts for students in need. Volunteers like Laughlin, she said, are “few and far between.”

“Her quick response and unyielding love for our community makes her extraordinary and beyond deserving of this recognition,” Rosario-Regan said. “Our teachers don’t have to explain why they want something done; as an educator, she gets their desire to create amazing learning opportunities for their students, and she is willing to do whatever she can to make a positive impact on our students and their families.”

In her nomination of Revolution Church, Rosario-Regan noted numerous ways they support Hasty throughout the school year, the greatest of which over the past year has been its support of the school’s food pantry. When COVID-19’s economic impact hurt the school’s families, the church delivered truckloads of groceries, household items and toiletries week after week to support them.

“During a time of stress and uncertainty, Revolution brought peace and comfort to our families, and we will be forever grateful,” she said of these donations, noting that Missions Minister Zip Cain is always quick to ask how else Revolution can help. “While Revolution is extraordinary and deserving of this recognition for a multitude of involvement examples, what truly sets them apart and makes them deserving of this award is their heart for our community.”

CCSD 2021 SCHOOL PARTNERS OF THE YEAR

ACE Academy: Northside Hospital Cherokee

Arnold Mill Elementary School: Northside Hospital Cherokee

Avery Elementary School: Education First Fund Realty Team, powered by Keller Williams Realty Partners

Ball Ground ES STEM Academy: Zach's Grading & Tree Removal

Bascomb Elementary School: Affinity Home Lending

Boston Elementary School: New Victoria Baptist Church

Carmel Elementary School: The Premier Group

CCSD Preschool Centers: The Christian Egner Foundation

Cherokee High School: SERV International

Clark Creek ES STEM Academy: Woodstock City Church

Clayton Elementary School: The Church @ War Hill (War Hill West campus)

Creekland Middle School: Trotter & Patel Pediatrics Dentistry & Orthodontics

Creekview High School: Amber Cloy Photography

Dean Rusk Middle School: Modern Woodmen of America

E.T. Booth Middle School: The Premier Group

Etowah High School: Heritage Presbyterian Church

Free Home Elementary School: Macedonia United Methodist Church (Mother’s Cupboard)

Freedom Middle School: Warrior Xpress Delivery

Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy: Revolution Church

Hickory Flat Elementary School: Credit Union of Georgia

Holly Springs ES STEM Academy: Lil’ Angels Photography

Indian Knoll Elementary School: Rising Hills Church

Johnston Elementary School: Education First Fund Realty Team, powered by Keller Williams Realty Partners

Knox ES STEM Academy: J.M. Huber Corporation

Liberty Elementary School: Shottenkirk Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

Little River Elementary School: Little River United Methodist Church

Macedonia Elementary School: McDonald's, Woodmont Village

Mill Creek Middle School: Chick-fil-A Dwarf House, Woodstock

Mountain Road Elementary School: Capovilla & Williams

Oak Grove ES Fine Arts Academy: Rotary Club of Woodstock

River Ridge High School: Buffalo’s, Woodstock

R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy: Bethel Tabernacle

Sequoyah High School: NT Nails, Hickory Flat

Sixes Elementary School: Sixes United Methodist Church (Shepherd's Class)

Teasley Middle School: Chick-fil-A, Riverstone

Tippens Education Center: Allegro Business Products

Woodstock Elementary School: City of Woodstock

Woodstock High School: The UPS Store

Woodstock Middle School: Family Tradition Restaurant

CCSD 2021 SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR

ACE Academy: Linda Postell & Patti Tressler

Arnold Mill Elementary School: Allison Turner

Avery Elementary School: Kristy Drake

Ball Ground ES STEM Academy: Karen Jordan

Bascomb Elementary School: Alanna Lawlor

Boston Elementary School: Courtney Dewitt

Carmel Elementary School: Carmel ES PTA

CCSD Preschool Centers: Kim Cordrey

Cherokee High School: Lanae Collier

Clark Creek ES STEM Academy: Mandi Fishback

Clayton Elementary School: Linda Postell

Creekland Middle School: Creekland MS PTSA Executive Board

Creekview High School: Creekview HS PTSA Executive Board

Dean Rusk Middle School: Marc and Madolyn Rudloph

E.T. Booth Middle School: Heather Baird

Etowah High School: Susan McElhannon

Free Home Elementary School: Pastor Nathaniel Long

Freedom Middle School: Freedom MS PTSA

Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy: Mary Ann Laughlin

Hickory Flat Elementary School: Sarah Aker

Holly Springs ES STEM Academy: Gwen Parker

Indian Knoll Elementary School: Nikki Chambley

Johnston Elementary School: Nicole Balejcsik

Knox ES STEM Academy: Jennifer Puckett

Liberty Elementary School: Dana Gardner and Tammy Willis

Little River Elementary School: Little River ES PTA Executive Board

Macedonia Elementary School: Rebecca Wright

Mill Creek Middle School: Mill Creek MS PTSA Executive Board

Mountain Road Elementary School: Christy Hopewell

Oak Grove ES Fine Arts Academy: Mike Maxwell

River Ridge High School: Ambrea Holman

R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy: Soleil Book Clubs

Sequoyah High School: Jacob Carnes

Sixes Elementary School: Sixes ES PTA Executive Board

Teasley Middle School: Melissa Fournier

Tippens Education Center: Michelle Ledford Brown

Woodstock Elementary School: Woodstock ES PTA Executive Board

Woodstock High School: Woodstock HS PTSA

Woodstock Middle School: Sharon Coleman