CCSD Students Win at State Literary Competition Championships

Cherokee County School District high school students earned top honors at the statewide literary competition!

The Georgia High Schools Association event includes writing, public speaking, acting and singing competitions, with region winners advancing to the recently held state competition. 

Sequoyah High School’s team, coached by choral program director Josh Markham, won the 6-6A Region championship, tied for third overall at the state competition and earned two 6-6A State individual championships. 

Team members, with their region first-place honors noted, are: Max Aaron, Zahira Ambriz-Villela, Hallie Awad, Caden Bolduc, Tyler Cook, Teagan Durham (Humorous Interpretation), Alex Gilliam (Boys Solo), Kaitlyn Hartman, Michael Kimani (Duo Interpretation), Emma Jira (Dramatic Interpretation), Cayla Johnson (Essay - Literary Analysis), Andrew Latimer and Valor Lekas (Duo Interpretation and Extemporaneous Speaking – Domestic).

At state, Teagan won first place Humorous Interpretation, and Valor won first place in Extemporaneous Speaking – Domestic.  Alex earned runner-up in Boys Solo.  Cayla earned fourth in Essay - Literary Analysis.  

Cherokee High School’s team, coached by theatre program director Dr. Jodi Burn, won the 5-7A Regions championship and placed fourth overall at the state competition.  

Team members, with their region first-place honors noted, are: Thaddaeus Brake, Aiden Cumberland (Extemporaneous Speaking -- International), Wyatt Darnell (Boys Solo), Isabella Fillyaw (Essay - Literary Analysis), Samantha Geer, Mackenzie Glover, Emily Gross (Argumentative Essay), Clint Hodgins, Sola Hulbert, Leila Iovino, Kaylee Kula (Literary Interpretation -- Duo), Emmanuel Mwangi (Literary Interpretation -- Duo), Abigail Scott, Fatima Tafarki, Colton Tunget, Sarah Vassy and Ruby Womack (Extemporaneous Speaking – Domestic). 
 
At state, Kaylee and Emmanuel earned runner-up for Literary Interpretation – Duo.  Wyatt earned third place for Boys Solo.  Three students earned fourth place at state: Fetima for Essay – Personal, Isabella for Essay - Literary Analysis and Ruby for Extemporaneous Speaking – Domestic.

Two groups from River Ridge High School’s team, coached by choral program director Dr. Allison Baccala, earned first place for Region 6-6A: Trio, made up of Taylor Daugherty, Makenzie White and Claire Zinck; and Quartet, made up of Brody Allen, Hunter Alligood, Ayden Hunsberger and Josh Kirk.  The Quartet group earned runner-up at the state competition, and the Trio group placed fourth.

Woodstock High School junior Sophia Foisy, coached by social studies teacher Kaley Brown, earned first place for Region 6-6A in Extemporaneous Speaking – International and earned runner-up at the state competition.

Etowah High School senior Hailey Weiner, coached by choral program director William J. Hall, earned first place for Region 6-6A in Argumentative Essay and earned third place at the state competition.  

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