CCSD Congratulates Golden Apple Award Winners!

Thirteen Cherokee County School District teachers have been honored as this year’s Golden Apple Award winners!

The Gamma Eta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, a professional organization of active and retired women educators, for the past 24 years has presented the annual awards.  The honor recognizes one teacher from each selected school for distinctive service in education and for demonstrating ethics in all professional relationships, enthusiasm and initiative, and knowledge and skills in his/her education field.  The School District is divided into three sets of schools for the awards, and, each year, the chapter invites one set of schools’ faculty to select an honoree for each of their schools.  

This year’s honorees are: ACTIVE Academies, Joe Baker; Avery ES, Angie Mason; CCSD Preschool Centers, Stephanie Timbol; Creekland MS, Shelley Anderson; Holly Springs ES STEM Academy, Allie Shannon; Macedonia ES, Kinsley Welch; River Ridge HS, Adam Youngblood; Sixes ES, Carollyn Brown; Teasley MS, Cheryl Stephenson; Tippens Education Center, Kelly Robertson; Woodstock ES, Brandie Broome; Woodstock HS, Jordan Horton; and Woodstock MS, Lisa Cooke.

Each honoree was recognized and presented with a golden marble apple during the program, which also was attended by family members and their principal.  

“Apples to many symbolize an outstanding teacher, and you are the gold standard among our excellent educators,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said.  “Your peers see you as role models for your best instructional practices and leadership, and you also inspire them through your mentorship and friendship.  Congratulations and thank you for all you do!”

The organization demonstrates its commitment to fostering and empowering aspiring female educators by presenting an annual $1,500 college scholarship for a future educator.  This year’s winner is River Ridge HS graduating senior Sydney Ellenberger, who is headed to Kennesaw State University to study English education.

An AP student and co-editor of her school’s literary magazine, Sydney is a member of Future Georgia Educators, National Honors Society, Earth Club, Newspaper Club and TOME Literary Society.  She served on the Youth United Board of United Way of Greater Atlanta and volunteers at His Hands Church and Serenade Heights, an organization dedicated to helping single mothers.

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