More than 30 Fayette County Public School musicians have been selected for the prestigious Georgia Music Educators Association All-State bands and orchestras. Earning placement on the 11th and 12th grade All-State Orchestra are McIntosh’s Anna Nam (cello), Dayo Lee (cello), and Shazan Samnani (violin), Starr’s MIll’s Jodie Stone (viola), and Whitewater’s Sydney Brown (cello) and Ikenna Okoro (violin).

Members of the 11th and 12th grade All-State Symphonic Band are McIntosh’s Liam Bourque (trombone) and Elayna Griffaw (flute), Sandy Creek’s Ahmad Duncan (bassoon) and Gabriel Mavis (trombone), and Whitewater’s Oliver MacLean (bassoon) and West Clayton (alto saxophone).

Alternates are Daniel Ramos (flute, Fayette County High) and Cole Sanford (bassoon, McIntosh High).

Earning placement on the 9th and 10th grade All-State Orchestra are Fayette County’s Bria Rives (principal bass), McIntosh’s Yuang Zhang (violin), Starr’s Mill’s Didi Stone (violin), Richard Wang (cello), and Lucas Nyman (violin), and Whitewater’s Kate Newland (flute).

Members of the 9th and 10th grade All-State Concert Band are McIntosh’s Hannah Claiborne (flute), Starr’s Mill’s Hannah Kim (oboe), Michael Lin (clarinet), Andrew Haynes (baritone), and Andrew Yaeger (percussion), and Whitewater’s Owen Quick (bassoon) and Ivan Agyeman (bass clarinet).

Earning placement on the Middle School All-State Band are J.C. Booth’s Keifer State (bassoon) and Carter Bennett (tuba).

Members of the Middle School All-State Orchestra are J.C. Booth’s Billy Sizemore (cello), Zoura Chan (viola), and Kaden Korn (violin), Rising Starr’s Delani Gatson (bass), and Whitewater’s Zaire Brown (violin).

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the in-person All-State event, but alternate plans for a virtual experience are in the works.

The Sandy Creek High Academic Team finished 10th overall at Georgia Regional Academic Bowl. Pictured:(L to R) are Chris Jones, Juan Smith, Jared Newson, Olivia Lohr, and coach Joy Bushong. Not pictured: Sydney Schulten, Charisma Harris, Tighler Allen, and Alek Stec.
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Chelsea Leming, a fifth-grade teacher at Indian Knoll Elementary School, has been named the 2021 CCSD Teacher of the Year.
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Fayette County High’s Bria Rives has been selected as a member of Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America.
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Andrew Gasparini, the Assistant to the City Manager with the City of Kennesaw, has been selected as one of 21 participants from across the country for the 2021 Global Ties U.S. Emerging Leaders Program.
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McIntosh High’s Emily Hodge has been named Fayette County Teacher of the Year.
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