We would like to send a HUGE thank you to everyone who donated canned goods to our Annual Battle of the Books Canned Food Drive at Hallsboro-Artesia Elementary School! 🥫💛 Your generosity was absolutely astounding and will help so many families in need this holiday season. 🎄❤️
Thanks to YOU, we collected over 1,500 canned goods! 🤩👏 This was an amazing opportunity for our students to give back to the community and learn valuable, lifelong lessons about kindness and service. 🌟🤗
A big CONGRATULATIONS to Mrs. Tachau’s 3rd grade class for collecting the most cans this year! 🏆🎉
We also want to give a special shoutout and heartfelt THANK YOU to Mrs. Deal, our amazing Battle of the Books coach, for leading this drive with dedication, passion, and so much heart! 📚💖🙌
Again, THANK YOU to everyone who participated and helped make this food drive a huge success! 🎉❤️🥫
Because of your support, our students are building strong home libraries and developing a lifelong love of reading. ❤️
From the excitement on students’ faces to the joy of unwrapping brand-new books, today was a celebration of literacy, community, and opportunity. Thank you to everyone who participated, shared, and encouraged our readers!
Together, we are lighting the way for brighter futures—one book at a time. 📖💡
#HAES #BookBlast #WeAreHAES #LiteracyMatters #PantherPride
Members of the Columbus County 4-H lead the very first "Real World Real Money" session at Nakina Middle School! Students learned important life skills in budgeting and financial decision-making that will help them in future endeavors.
After the lesson, students put their new skills to the test in a real-world simulation—managing expenses, paying bills, and seeing if they could make it on the salary of their chosen career. It was so much fun watching them problem-solve, plan, and realize the true value of a dollar!
East Columbus FFA represented North Carolina in the Parliamentary Procedure National Event on October 29th & 30th. Along with 42 other states, students completed a knowledge test on Robert's Rules of Order, a quote research activity, a team scenario activity, and a minute's practicum. Students then competed against states for the meeting portion, where they showcased their parliamentary knowledge by completing given abilities in a certain amount of time during a mock meeting. Competition was fierce, and we ended up placing in the bronze category for the contest. We all learned a lot from competing at the national level and were excited to share this knowledge with our chapter in hopes of making it again. While in Indianapolis, student Lillian Arroyo, a National Reporter for FFA in the USA, attended a private tour of the press box and media rooms at the Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL team. Lillian also volunteered as a Courtesy Crops member, working a shift at the Ag Issues Form finals securing the ballroom doors during contest. While at the expo students spoke with colleges and agricultural industries from across the country, building connections for their future.
Students that attended:
Mackenzi Clemmons
Lillian Arroyo
Reagan Bullard
Ava Grice
Ben Long (graduated member)
Sara Sessions (graduated member)
Staff that attended:
Hunter Long
Alicia Pickett
Bryan Fowler
West Columbus FFA traveled to the 98th National FFA Convention from Sunday, October 26th to Sunday, November 1st. Twelve students and two advisors made the trip to Indianapolis, Indiana stopping along the way to experience some of the most famous landmarks along the way. West Columbus was one of many FFA chapters that made up more than 70,000 FFA members that descended on Indianapolis to compete in various Leadership and Career Development Events held at the annual convention. West Columbus was honored to represent North Carolina FFA in the Agronomy Career Development Event. Team members Adam Hardin, Cynthia Ward, Langston Nobles and Neal Lancaster demonstrated their knowledge of Agronomic Science by identifying agronomic pests, crop plants, crop seeds, weed seeds and weed plants. These members also completed a team event by working together to identify and solve an agronomic issue related to a real world scenario and present their solution to a panel of judges. They were expected to solve a 60 question exam related to plants, soil fertility, plant nutrients and overall crop management. West Columbus placed in the bronze category among the teams from across the United States. We appreciate the opportunity to represent North Carolina, Columbus County Schools and West Columbus High School in a national level event for the eighth time in recent years.
Also, Ethan Hammond of West Columbus was chosen to represent North Carolina as a National Delegate making decisions that shape the future of the FFA on the national level.
As advisors , we appreciate the support of the West Columbus staff and administration for allowing us this opportunity and the Columbus County board of education for their continued support of CTE and the FFA.
CCS Brunswick Electric Bright Ideas Winners were recognized at the November Board Meeting.
This year’s Bright Ideas Grants recognized innovative educators across Columbus County Schools for their creative instructional proposals. At Acme Delco Elementary, Jaclyn McCoy received a $500 grant for Student Organizational Binders. At Chadbourn Elementary, Herman D. Bland was awarded $1,400 for Project ReCharge. Helen Craven Axelberg of Columbus Career and College Academy earned $1,500 to support the Culinary Food Trike project. At East Columbus High School, Anthony Martin received $1,200 for Lights, Camera, Learning: Expanding Student Access to Video Production Tools, Jeffrey Rudnik earned $1,900 for Recycling Ceramic Clay for Columbus County Schools’ Arts Programs, and Alicia Pickett was awarded $1,650 for Sustainable Learning with Hydroponics.
At Hallsboro-Artesia Elementary, Amber Howard received $1,500 for Bright Boards, Bright Futures. At Nakina Middle School, Alyssa Nelson earned $500 for Hear to Learn. Mallory Furlow of Old Dock Elementary was awarded $700 for Pathways to Progress. At South Columbus High School, Miranda Romans received $1,500 for Ready, Set, Action: Virtual Creativity, and Breanna Seckman earned $1,000 for Project P.R.I.N.T.
Tabor City Elementary had two winning projects led by Angela Tyler, who received $850 for Rockin’ It with Robotics and $1,500 for Nature in Motion: Engaging Young Scientists in Earth Systems with Weather Knowledge. At Tabor City Middle School, Sheila Sykes earned $1,900 for Bright Minds, Bright Futures, while Marilyn D. Elliott received $900 for Paper Power: Lights, Lines, Action! West Columbus High School celebrated Whitney Cavenaugh, who received $1,000 for In Focus: Empowering the Yearbook Team, and Jennifer Sams, who was awarded $1,000 for Textile Arts for Entrepreneurs: Cultivating Creative and Lifelong Skills. At West Columbus School, Julia O. Smart earned $500 for Lego Logic, Brittany Bass received $1,000 for Listen and Learn: Enhancing Phonics Through Audio Engagement, and the school’s BETA students were awarded $1,000 for Build Community Through Dugouts.
At Williams Township Elementary, Ashley Porter received $300 for Art for Expression & Regulation, Miranda Conner Ellington earned $1,500 for Pride in the Beat: Aggie Drums Come Alive, and Lisa K. Cox received $1,500 for Full STEAM Ahead: Turning Standards into STEAM Projects. In total, Columbus County Schools earned $28,300 in Bright Ideas Grant funding this year.
We are implementing a new attendance notification system this evening. Parents will receive calls/emails/texts when a child is absent in one or more classes. Thank you!
