Walker County Partners for Educational Progress (WACOPEP) hosted the 18th Annual Walker County Superintendents' Banquet to honor the top ten percent of the Class of 2008.  Connect with Kids Network founder Stacey DeWitt was the keynote speaker for the gala event held at the Walker County Civic Center.

Sixty of the county's top academic students from Ridgeland, Gordon Lee and LaFayette High School were recognized for their academic achievement.  The high school principals introduced the students and their parents as Superintendent Melissa Mathis, Walker County Schools, and Superintendent Melody Day, Chickamauga City Schools, awarded each a certificate of achievement for their outstanding academic record in high school.

Principals also told the packed house the school or college each soon-to-be graduate plans to attend and the majors they have chosen.  Guest speaker Stacey DeWitt, from Atlanta, told the graduating students that this is their time to determine the course of their future and the kind of adults they will become.

Walker County Schools Superintendent Melissa Mathis, left, and WACOPEP Chairman Robert Hitchcox, right, confer with keynote speaker Stacey DeWitt after the presentations at the Walker County Superintendents' Banquet.

 

The top ten percent of the graduating Class of 2008 at Ridgeland High School are (back) Principal Robert Smith, Adam Richard Middleton (Third Honor), Brittany Renee Lively, Corey Lyn Lingerfelt, Rutger Thomas Lamberson, Ashley Lynn Gregg, Valerie Clair Byous and Grayson Joel Wattenbarger; (front) Christopher Ellis Davis, Justin Michael Carruth, Jordan Benjamin Huff, Hannah Ruth Pennington, Kinsey Marie Ogles, Rebekah Leigh Jenkins, Mary Ashley Harrison, Alyssa Renee Flippo (Salutatorian), Robyn Ashley Davis, Clare Elizabeth Conway, Johnathan Len Matthews (Valedictorian) and Christopher Scott Simmons.  Not pictured are Stephanie Renee Gill, Jessica Danielle Lea, Lucy Erin Massey, John Wesley Richardson and Norma Velazquez.

The top ten percent of the graduating Class of 2008 from LaFayette High School are Walker County Schools Superintendent Melissa Mathis, Laura Beth Vaughn (Salutatorian), Principal Roger Hibbs, Mary Chapman Pope (Third Honor), Caitlin Marie Petty, Emily Carol Clements, William Joshua Millican, Daniel Josue Garcia, Jessica LeAnne Manning, Anna Kristen Copeland, Jack Andrew Lowery, Corey Aaron Angland, Matthew Landon Littlejohn, Courtney Paige Gilreath and Mary Malcom Hunter.  Not pictured are Aida Louise Balthazor (Valedictorian), Brittany Noel Crump, David Ludwig Geiger, Rebecca Denae Holsonback, Matthew Garrett Parker, Dhaval Jayanti Patel, Jacob Cord Pendergraft, Blakely Jordan Spence and Maegan Lucinda Wallin.

Those of us who have spent years in education and witnessed many efforts for improvement and reform know the trend that urges education to be more like a business.
Educators are challenged to be cost conscious, customer minded, time efficient, task oriented, and product specific.  Time management is a huge factor.  Innovation and teamwork are also touted as essential.