Lake Oconee Academy Sophomore Captures State Champion Title in GHSA Literary Meet

For Immediate Release
Contact: Kerry Minster
706.454.1562
kerry.minster@lakeoconeeacademy.org

LAKE OCONEE ACADEMY SOPHOMORE CAPTURES STATE CHAMPION TITLE IN GHSA LITERARY MEET

Greensboro, Ga. (March 21, 2017) - Lake Oconee Academy entered its first high school state champion in the record books with sophomore Chandler Pearson's performance at the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Literary Meet on Saturday, March 18, 2017. Pearson earned state champion honors in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking in the GHSA Region 7 Area 8.

After placing first in the regional competition, Pearson earned a position at the state level competition among eight contestants from five area high schools. Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking is a public speaking contest in which contestants are provided a selection of topics dealing with current national issues that have been discussed in periodicals since September 1 of the current year. Each contestant draws three topics and must select one of the three to address in competition. A contestant is then allotted 30 minutes to plan and organize his/her speech and seven minutes to deliver the speech. The criteria for judging the competition includes: (a) analysis of topic (b) organizational skills (c) logical support (d) language skills and (e) delivery skills. Pearson's speech addressed the question, "Did Hillary Clinton's WikiLeaks controversy hurt her chances to be elected President?" Pearson earned an average score of 98.5 out of 100 from the judges.

"Congratulations to Chandler as LOA's first state champion," said Dr. Otho Tucker, CEO of LOA. "It is very rewarding to watch high school students excel and make a mark in LOA's first entry into these various competitions. Chandler has a bright future and we are proud to have her as part of Team Titan."

Local Kidney Foundation Founder Recognized by Good Morning America

For Immediate Release
Contact: Kerry Minster
706.454.1562
kerry.minster@lakeoconeeacademy.org

LOCAL KIDNEY FOUNDATION FOUNDER RECOGNIZED BY GOOD MORNING AMERICA

Greensboro, Ga. (March 20, 2017) - A team from Good Morning America and ABC News surprised Kristi Callaway at Lake Oconee Academy (LOA) in Greensboro, Georgia, on February 3, to recognize her for her hard work matching kidney donors and recipients.

Good Morning America chose to honor Kristi Callaway as part of its "We are GMA: 50 Hearts in 50 States" campaign. Her extraordinary efforts have saved over 20 lives since Kristi launched her kidney donor and recipients network. Her dedication to this cause stems from a situation that hits close to home.

Kristi's husband Raleigh suffered from Chronic Kidney Disease, and in 2014 his kidney function had declined to the point that he was in dire need of a kidney transplant. After a Facebook post with a photo of Raleigh, Kristi and their two daughters holding a sign that read "Our Daddy Needs a Kidney" went viral, Raleigh found a kidney donor match in just 10 weeks.

Kristi felt compelled to pay it forward and help those searching for a kidney donor. Kristi and her husband then started a kidney foundation designed to raise awareness about Chronic Kidney Disease and connect kidney donors to people in need.

When Good Morning America reached out to Kristi's family about wanting to do the segment in Greensboro, the entire community was asked to keep quiet. Kristi was invited to come to Lake Oconee Academy to read to her daughter's first grade class, but little did she know, she was in for a huge surprise.

The Good Morning America team invited several kidney donor/recipient families to Lake Oconee Academy to surprise Kristi. Upon Kristi's arrival she was directed to view a video of Raleigh's journey to receiving his kidney. As she was viewing the video, the donor and recipient families emerged from behind a group of Lake Oconee Academy students and greeted her with hugs and tears. Over 150 students then formed a super-size heart on the baseball field to symbolize GMA's "50 Hearts" campaign.

Kristi's husband and mother had been in contact with Good Morning America for weeks to pull off this surprise to recognize Kristi's hard work and kindness. In addition to this surprise, Retail Me Not made a donation of $10,000 in Kristi's name to the National Kidney Foundation.

"This entire experience has been incredible and heart-warming," said Kristi. "Words do not seem to express the amount of love and appreciation I feel for all who were involved in making this happen. The opportunity to be able to meet the people I have worked so closely with but only by phone and computer is one I will treasure always. Kidney disease and the desperate need for living donors does not receive nearly the coverage it should, and I am forever grateful to have been a part of representing the need on the national stage. Thank you to my family, friends, community, ABC, GMA, and LOA for allowing this once in a lifetime experience to come to fruition. It is my hope and prayer that media coverage of one of the most special moments of my life will inspire someone to become a living donor and give hope to those waiting for the call that their kidney gift has arrived."

On March 17, Kristi and her family travelled to New York City to be a part of the GMA live show. While there, Kristi and Raleigh met with representatives at the corporate headquarters of the National Kidney Foundation to learn how they can collaborate on efforts to increase transplant education awareness.

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Photo
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Rob Marciano and Pat Daniel present Kristi and Raleigh with a $10,000 donation to the National Kidney Foundation in Kristi's name on behalf of Retail Me Not. Pat is the wife of Randy Daniel, who has been featured on Kristi's Facebook page and is still in search of his donor. Pat contacted GMA to share Kristi's story and nominate her to be featured by GMA.

Lake Oconee Academy Foundation Launches Capital Campaign

For Immediate Release
Contact: Valerie Duvall
706.454.1562
valerie.duvall@lakeoconeeacademy.org

LAKE OCONEE ACADEMY FOUNDATION LAUNCHES CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

FOR HIGH SCHOOL EXPANSION

Greensboro, Ga. (February 21, 2017) - The Lake Oconee Academy Foundation hosted another successful Denim and Diamonds fundraiser event on February 18, 2017, at The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee. The annual community event was a celebration of the 10-year anniversary of Lake Oconee Academy (LOA) and an opportunity to announce exciting news regarding the expansion of the LOA high school campus.

LOA's story began in 2007 when eleven kindergarteners and their families walked into a local church to embark on an educational journey that no one knew for sure where it would lead. They had big ideas about what could be accomplished, but probably did not realize success would come so quickly. Those first pioneering Titans opened the doors for the over 800 students who now call this award-winning school home.

However, with such demand for the educational program, LOA has quickly outgrown its four permanent buildings and three large modular units. Present facilities do not have adequate classroom space for the 2018 senior class which will also mark the first graduating class in the history of LOA. With these needs in mind, the LOA Foundation has launched a $2 million capital campaign to provide philanthropic support for the expansion of the LOA high school. The expansion project includes two new buildings that will include seventeen classrooms with two science labs, and a student life center with a cafeteria and a gymnasium. The capital campaign will fund needed items such as advanced technologies, furnishings, safety measures, equipment, and green space for high school students.

The expansion project is funded by the per student state and local allotment and private donations. As stated in the charter renewal contract approved by the Greene County Board of Education (BOE) in 2016, this project will not utilize capital construction funds from the BOE to fund the high school expansion. Supporting the additional needs of the high school through fundraising will make it possible to expand and deliver an outstanding education to children of all abilities, and will leave a legacy that will impact Greene County for generations.

In the coming months, community members will be sharing the story of LOA in support of the school and the capital campaign. The first group presentation of the capital campaign was to the teachers and staff at LOA. The teachers demonstrated their unwavering belief in the educational program of LOA and the school's expansion with 100% participation in the campaign.

LOA hosts monthly tours on the first Monday of every month at 11:00 a.m. Please contact Valerie Duvall to schedule a tour or if you are interested in making a tax-deductible gift to support the expansion of LOA. She can be reached at Valerie.duvall@lakeoconeeacademy.org or by calling the school at 706.454.1562.

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First-Year Varsity Basketball Player Stephanie Cervantes Named First Team All-Region

FIRST-YEAR VARSITY BASKETBALL PLAYER STEPHANIE CERVANTES NAMED FIRST TEAM ALL-REGION

Meredith Grill Earns Honorable Mention All-Region

Greensboro, Ga. (February 13, 2017) - Lake Oconee Academy completed its first year of varsity basketball competition in Region 7A this year. A season full of remarkable growth for the Lady Titans was capped off by the announcement that junior player and team captain Stephanie Cervantes was named one of five players on the First Team All-Region.

Cervantes led the team with an average of 12.7 points, 2.9 assists and 2.9 steals per game, and was second on the team with 6.8 rebounds per game.

"There is nobody that works harder than Stephanie," said head coach Kevin Furtado. "She is always in the gym working on her game and is a truly unselfish player who thinks of her teammates first. We are very proud of her accomplishment as a First Team All-Region player."'

Junior Meredith Grill was awarded Honorable Mention All-Region. Her tenacity on the court resulted in 8.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.

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Photo: Juniors Stephanie Cervantes (left) and Meredith Grill (right) are leading the Lady Titans after LOA's first season of varsity basketball.

LAKE OCONEE ACADEMY RECEIVES EXCELLENT 2016 CCRPI SCORES

LAKE OCONEE ACADEMY RECEIVES EXCELLENT 2016 CCRPI SCORES FROM THE GEORGIA DOE

College and Career Readiness Indicators Rank LOA Well Above State Averages

Greensboro, Ga. (December 12, 2016) - Lake Oconee Academy (LOA) received the Georgia Department of Education's (DOE) College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) data for the 2015-16 school year, and the public charter school's scores far surpass that of the state scores. The CCRPI is Georgia's annual tool for measuring how well its educational system - to include schools, districts, and the state itself - is preparing students for college and career readiness.

The state scores for Georgia's elementary schools is 71.7, the score for middle schools is 71.5, and 75.7 for high schools, with an overall statewide score of 73.6. LOA received an elementary score of 97.2, a middle school score of 97, and a high school score of 96. LOA's overall school score is 97, an increase over last year's score of 94.2.

The Georgia DOE describes the CCRPI as having four main components: Achievement, Progress, Achievement Gap, and Challenge Points. These components have multiple indicators and are combined for a total CCRPI score on a scale of 0 to 100, with a possibility of 10 additional points. The CCRPI also reports other information such as the performance of student subgroups, school climate, and financial efficiency status.

According to the 2016 CCRPI rankings as reported by the ajc.com, LOA's scores rank its elementary school among the top 2% in the state (number 22 out of 1250 schools that recorded a score), the middle school among the top 3% (number 13 out of 592 schools that recorded a score), and the LOA high school ranks in the top 7% (number 31 out of 451 schools that recorded a score).

"I am extremely pleased with the 2016 CCRPI scores," said Dr. Otho Tucker, CEO of LOA. "We will certainly experience fluctuations in scores from year to year, but the overall consistency in academic achievement demonstrated by our students is very important. LOA's scores are comparable to the best public schools and districts across the state, even among schools that are able to select students, such as magnet schools and schools for the gifted, as opposed to LOA students who are admitted through a lottery.

"I would like to commend the faculty, staff, and administration for their hard work and commitment. The dedication shown by directors, faculty, staff, custodians, food service, parents, volunteers, and everyone else who contributes to the vision, mission, and culture of LOA is what makes it special. I would also like to thank the LOA Board of Governors for providing the support to our educators that is critical to the success of our students and the morale of the school. It allows us to live our passion for the education of our students."

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Named Advanced Placement Capstone School

LAKE OCONEE ACADEMY NAMED A COLLEGE BOARD AP® CAPSTONE SCHOOL

LOA One of Only 21 Participating High Schools in Georgia

Greensboro, Ga. (December 5, 2016) - Lake Oconee Academy (LOA) was recently named an Advanced Placement (AP®) Capstone™ school for the 2017-18 school year - one of only 21 participating high schools in Georgia. The AP Capstone is a College Board program that provides current AP students with the research, teamwork, writing and communication skills that colleges seek in its applicants.

The AP Capstone include two courses, AP Seminar and AP Research, which are designed to enrich other AP courses in which a student is enrolled and will qualify students for the AP Capstone Diploma. Students generally take AP Seminar in 10th or 11th grade, followed by AP Research. Students must earn scores of 3 or higher (on a scale of 1 to 5) in AP Seminar and AP Research, and on four additional AP Exams from other courses, to qualify for the AP Capstone Diploma. The AP Seminar and Research Certificate™ is available to students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research but not on four additional AP Exams, according to the College Board website.

"The AP Capstone courses are a tremendous addition to the opportunities offered for high school students at LOA," said Dr. Hester Vasconcelos, AP Coordinator at LOA. "The coursework mirrors formal college-level research and writing similar to an academic thesis paper expected at competitive colleges. As with everything we do in the high school at LOA, this program will help student transcripts stand out when applying to colleges and further prepare our students to be successful in their post-secondary education choices."

In addition, faculty professional development is part of the AP Capstone requirements. LOA teachers must complete five-day in-person training over the summer prior to teaching the course.

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LOA To Begin Construction of Permanent High School Campus

For Immediate Release
Contact: Kerry Minster
706.454.1562
kerry.minster@lakeoconeeacademy.org

LAKE OCONEE ACADEMY TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION OF PERMANENT HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS

LOA Foundation Capital Campaign Funds to Enhance Construction Project

Greensboro, Ga. (November 13, 2016) - The Lake Oconee Academy (LOA) Foundation, Inc. has met all general conditions for approval from the United Sates Department of Agriculture (USDA) Community Facilities Direct Loan Program for a direct loan to finance the $18 million expansion of the LOA high school campus. The USDA program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas.

The LOA Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds to enrich the educational experience of every LOA student, will upon completion enter into a long-term lease agreement with Lake Oconee Academy, Inc. This contractual relationship meets the specifications addressed in the charter renewal for self-funding future facilities expansions without drawing additional facilities funds from the school district.

The campus expansion includes two new buildings - one that will house administrative offices, 17 high school classrooms including two science labs, and a student center with a dining, study and gym facility for student activities. Land grading and construction are underway.

"We are very pleased to continue the vision of LOA as a place of educational excellence in rural Georgia with the expansion of the high school campus," said Betsy Peck, LOA Foundation Chairman. "This is a very exciting time for the current high school students, and all those who will follow in their footsteps."

In conjunction with securing the financing for the construction project, the LOA Foundation has successfully met its $2 million capital campaign goal in order to continue the learning environments which have made LOA a unique and successful school. The LOA Foundation would like to thank the hundreds of donors that contributed to reach the current total of $2.3 million in donations. The campaign is ongoing and naming opportunities are still available. The focus of campaign dollars will be on implementing up-to-date technology in the facility, creating an environment that fosters mobility and collaboration in the high school, incorporating state-of-the-art safety upgrades between the new facility and the original campus, and recreational green space.

"It will be extremely beneficial to our academic program to have a dedicated high school facility for students in grades nine through twelve," said Dr. Otho Tucker, CEO of Lake Oconee Academy. "In 2007, LOA started with 11 kindergarten students and now we have the opportunity to provide the highest quality education to over 900 students. We have been successful in accomplishing the mission that was put forth for LOA - to increase student achievement by building a culture of high expectations for all students. I am truly grateful for the support of the Greene County community and our school family over the past 11 years."

The Lake Oconee Foundation will host a groundbreaking for the new campus along with the LOA Parent Teacher Committee annual Titan Bash for LOA families and staff on Thursday, November 16, 2017.

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Two Greene County students selected to serve on the State Superintendent's Student Advisory Council

September 8, 2016 – Anita White Carson Middle School eighth-grade student Paulina Macias and Stuart Baker, an eighth- grader at Lake Oconee Academy, have been selected by Superintendent Richard Woods to serve on his 2016-2017 Student Advisory Council.

The two students are among the 108 Georgia middle and high school students selected to serve on the council. Members were selected from a pool of more than
800 students who applied to participate. Students were chosen based on the strength of their essay answers, which focused on their ideas for public education and the ways their own educational experience could be improved.

In his essay, Stuart discussed the importance of communication between parents or guardians, students, and teachers so that every student educated by the public school system in Georgia could be educated successfully.

“In my essay I stated that teachers are extremely important to the system, therefore all teachers should undergo peer and student evaluations that can show whether they are truly caring and educating each child,” Stuart explained. “Lastly, I said that my education could be impacted if more emphasis was placed on important concepts rather than less significant facts.”

In addition to serving on the council, Stuart plays with the First Move Junior Golf group and is a member of the Junior Model United Nations. He also plays the piano and sings with the church choir.

Throughout the school year, the students will meet with Superintendent Woods to discuss the impact of state policies in the classroom. Members of the Student Advisory Council will also discuss other issues related to education, serve as the Superintendent’s ambassadors to their respective schools, and participate in service projects to benefit schools and students.

Paulina is looking forward to working with Superintendent Woods and discussing some of her ideas that could make a major difference in public education. In her essay, she stated that students should not go unpunished for their unacceptable actions for impacting the quality of her educational experience and the educational experience of other students. She also discussed that there should be a limit to the social trends used during the school day and that school lunches should be improved.

Paulina is an active member of her school community. She plays with the marching band and is a member of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and the Beta Club.

Both students believe that serving on the council will help develop their leadership and social skills as they serve as a voice for Greene County.

The first Student Advisory Council meeting will be held next week at the Georgia Department of Education office in Atlanta.

Media Contact:
Robyn Brunson, Communications Coordinator
Office: (706) 453-7688 ext. 2247
Cell phone: (706) 817-6014
Email: Robyn.Brunson@greene.k12.ga.us