Education-Henderson County Now

Donors sought to help fund AHS student scholarships

Kay Solomon (right) was one of 21 graduating seniors last year who received a scholarship from the Athens Academic Renaissance Organization (AARO). She is shown with AARO board member Sarah Grey. The organization recently lost funding from a major donor and is encouraging more individual contributions to fund scholarships for Athens High School graduates. “AARO helped support me not only financially, but academically and emotionally,” said Solomon. (Toni Garrard Clay/AISD)

By Toni Garrard Clay/AISD Communications Specialist

The Athens Academic Renaissance Organization has been around for many years, quietly doing good at Athens High School. Behind the organization is a group of dedicated individuals who look for ways to support and reward students.

That means handing out incentives, such as candy bars, every six weeks to those with good grades, grilling hamburgers every spring for the entire campus, and encouraging teachers by providing the occasional luncheon. Those things would be worthwhile all on their own, but the organization (AARO) is best loved for annually giving away thousands of dollars worth of scholarships.

“AARO helped support me not only financially, but academically and emotionally,” said 2015 graduate and scholarship recipient Kay Solomon. “Every member of that organization had my back and wanted nothing more than to see my peers and me succeed.”

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AHS qualifies three for state powerlifting

The Athens High School boys powerlifting team finished second at the regional meet in Lindale Thursday, with senior Chad Walker setting the new regional record in the bench press at 460 pounds. Three lifters — Josh West, Logan Fuller and Walker — advance to state, and Joseph Mahmoud is a state alternate.

Seven of the 10 AHS lifters medaled, with the team finishing just behind Bullard. The Hornets will finish the season having won three of the four invitational meets they attended.

Individual results follow:

Chad Walker, 1st place with a 1,615-pound total
Josh West, 2nd place with a 1,510-pound total
Logan Fuller, 4th place with a 1,400-pound total (auto qualifying total for his weight class)
Joseph Mahmoud, 3rd place
Jacob Moore, 4th place
Jordan Mayhall, 4th place
Noah Bush, 4th place
Manuel Vazquez, 6th place
Daniel Vazquez, 7th place
Maalik Hall, 8th place

Pictured are (from left) Coach Craig Brown, Chad Walker, Noah Bush, Logan Fuller, Joshua West, Manuel Vazquez, Jordan Mayhall, Jacob Moore, Daniel Vazquez, Maalik Hall and Coach Tim Hensley.

Malakoff Elementary’s Ronny Snow a National Distinguished Principal Finalist

Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association press release

Malakoff Elementary School Principal Ronny Snow was one of nine Texas principals recently selected as Texas National Distinguished Principal (NDP) finalists by the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA). The award recipient will be announced in May at a surprise school visit. That principal will receive $10,000 and represent Texas in Washington, D.C. as the 2016 NDP.

The 2016 National Distinguished Principal Finalists are:

Amber Barbarow, Arredondo Elementary School, Lamar CISD
Dana Boyd, East Point Elementary School, Ysleta ISD
Alisha Crumley, Crockett Early Education School, Grand Prairie ISD
Jay Fischer, Spring Valley Elementary School, Midway ISD
Julie Gauthier, Ridgewood Elementary School, Port Neches-‐Groves ISD
Monica Jackson, Anderson Elementary School, Frisco ISD
Aaron Peña, Woodway Elementary School, Midway ISD
Nickolas Smith, Woodgate Intermediate School, Midway ISD
Ronny Snow, Malakoff Elementary School, Malakoff ISD

“I have the best staff in the state and I don’t see this as a personal award,” Snow said, “I see this also as a campus award for the truly special staff I have been blessed to lead this past 11 years here at MES.”

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Athens High School’s CTE program accelerates career readiness

Samuel Nichols (left) and Zach Carson anchor video announcements for Athens High School as Edward Risner films. They are being filmed in front of a “green screen” so that graphics can be added digitally. (Julie Whitley/AISD)

Toni Garrard Clay/AISD Communications Specialist

Moving boldly into the future occasionally requires rethinking past assumptions. For years, educators were charged with directing every high school student toward a college career. And while that is still the appropriate course for a great many young people, it is not a one-size-fits-all prescription. Consequently, Athens High School’s CTE program is increasingly gaining attention.

“High school today looks very different than it did when we were teenagers,” said Athens High School Principal Jami Ivey. “That has a lot to do with our CTE program. It’s wonderful.”

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Betty Christian retires after 42 years at AISD

Betty Christian (just left of center) marked her last day as an employee of Athens Independent School District on Monday. Christian is retiring after an astounding 42 years of service. She was hired in 1974 as a principal’s secretary, a position she primarily held at what was Athens Intermediate School, before moving to the administration building in 1996. She retires as a payroll clerk, a position she said she has loved. “We deeply appreciate Betty Christian for her years of outstanding service and wish her the very best,” said AISD Chief Financial Officer Randy Jones. Christian said she has no immediate post-retirement plans. “I’m going to miss the people,” she said. “Everybody here is like family to me.” Pictured are (from left) David Alexander, Peggy Oldham, Patsy Teasdale, Debbie Partridge, Christian, Kelly Allen, Robin Carpenter, Dede Sims and Jones. (Toni Garrard Clay/AISD)