Jeffersonville, GA - Twiggs County Middle School held the 2013 Georgia Association of Educators (GAE) School Spelling Bee on Thursday, January 17^th. The top (3) winners per grade level and the (3) overall winners were awarded trophies. The judges were Principal, Lindsey Napier, retired teacher, Thomas Carstarphen, and Instructional Coach, Lauren Smith. Media Specialist, Orena Floyd served as the official pronouncer. School winners will go on to compete in the system Spelling Bee to be held on Friday, February 8^th at 1:00 in the Cobra Gymnasium.

Fifth grade winners: 1^st Phenix Rahn, 2^nd Erica Glover, 3^rd Jeremy Curtis.

Sixth grade winners: 1^st K’Lyric Marcus, 2^nd Telan Rucker, 3^rd Dillon Mimbs.

Seventh grade winners: 1^st Whisper Harden, 2^nd Atalaya Watts, 3^rd Taniah Anderson.

Eighth grade winners: 1^st Austin Sain, 2^nd Audra Exum, 3^rd Adrian Thomas.

Top three overall winners: 1^st K’Lyric Marcus, 2^nd Austin Sain, 3^rd Audra Exum.

Eight of Twiggs County High School’s most outstanding Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AF JROTC) cadets joined 280 other cadets from across the United States and the Republic of Singapore to attend a week-long Cadet Officer Leadership School at The Citadel University, a military college in Charleston South Carolina. The goal of the school is to help prepare cadets to take on a more active leadership role at the home unit.

The course curriculum consists of 10 hours of leadership management training, 40 hours of military skills training focusing on situations cadets might encounter in military basic training (drill and ceremonies, personal inspections, room inspections, written evaluations), and 10 hours of sports and other athletic development activities. The cadets day started at 5:30 A.M. with aerobic conditioning and a mile run. It continued with various activities until lights out at 10:00 P.M. Cadets were not allowed to use any electronic devices during the training. This included the use of their cell phone, iPod, radio, television, etc.

Of the eight Twiggs County High School AF JROTC cadets, Maiya Stephens and Travis Shine had attended the multi-national leadership school previously and returned this time as cadres to train first time attendees. This was the remaining six cadets’ first leadership school experience. All cadets demonstrated outstanding performances and received awards in over fifty percent of the various categories. Below are their distinguished recognitions.

AFJROTC Activities Ribbon (Award): Rashena Williams and Maiya Stephens

AFJROTC Health and Wellness Ribbon (Award): Emanuyel Butler, Jeffery Jackson, Asa Sanders, Travis Shine, Jocelyn Simmons, Maiya Stephens, and Rashena Williams.

AFJROTC Special Teams Competition Ribbon (Award): Jeffery Jackson

AFJROTC Summer Leadership School Ribbon (Award): Emanuyel Butler, Nakea Fults, Jeffery Jackson, Asa Sanders, Jocelyn Simmons, and Rashena Williams.

AFJROTC Leadership School Ribbon (Award) and Co-Curricular Activities Ribbon (Award):

Travis Shine and Maiya Stephens

AFJROTC Academic Ribbon (Award): Travis Shine and Maiya Stephens

AFJROTC Outstanding Cadet Ribbon (Silver Star) (Award): Travis Shine and Maiya Stephens

AFJROTC Distinguished Cadet Certificates and Silver Star Leadership School Ribbon (Award): Asa Sanders