FALL '23 EDITION
WELL RED VOL. 4 | 2023
GAINESVILLE ATHLETICS
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
Fall Sports Highlights: Football, XC, Softball & Volleyball
Take a look at the Red Elephants on their first day back!
Learn about our GCSS mentor program!
CONTRIBUTORS
ELLIS PITTS
BEN MILLER
MEG HICKS
Ben is a senior at Gainesville High School. He is President of Theatre Troupe 2445, Vice President of the Student Body and a Cross Country runner. After high school, Ben hopes to attend a 4-year university and pursue a double major in Journalism and Theatre (Production/Management).
Meg is a senior at Gainesville High School. She participates in Competition Cheerleading, Football Cheerleading, Student Council, and President’s Club. She is also Editor of the Gainesville High School Yearbook. After high school Meg hopes to attend the University of Tennessee and major in Interior Design.
ANNA PARDUE
JULIUS COLUMBUS
JOY GRIFFIN
Anna is a junior at Gainesville High School. She participates in Football Cheerleading, Competition Cheerleading, Interact Club, Student Council, and is the president of DECA. Anna has been a Red Elephant since kindergarten at Centennial Arts Academy and is a second generation GHS student.
Julius is a Junior at Gainesville High School. He is the starting defensive tackle for the varsity football team. He also throws shot put and discuss for the track team. He enjoys photography and is a true Red Elephant since elementary school at Gainesville Exploration Academy and Mundy Mill Arts Academy.
Mrs. Griffin is the Director of Marketing, PR and Communications for Gainesville City Schools and a 1998 GHS Graduate. You'll find her on the sidelines cheering on her sons Jacob and Rhett, GHS student athletes playing football, basketball, tennis and baseball. She is proud to work with Ben, Meg, Ellis, Anna and Julius as their Work-Based Learning mentor.
Ellis is a senior at Gainesville High School. He is a member of the varsity basketball team. He has taken multiple Honors classes and DualEnrollment classes. He plans to go on to continue his basketball career and a degree in Business in college.
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS Brown Dog Sports Photography Cady Gainesville City School Staff Photographers Wallhanger Photography Front Cover: Destiny Ortega, Gainesville Exploration Academy First Grade Student
CONTENTS Involvement
Leadership PG 4: Head of the Herd
PG 16: Academic Awards
A message to our WELL RED readers from our Superintendent, Dr. Jeremy Williams
Learn about our AP student recognition.
PG 17: Elephants Around the World
PG 6: School Spotlight An inside look at Gainesville High School
9 22
14 Extracurricular
Tradition
PG 8: Big Red Athletics Fall Sports Feature: Cross Country, Cheerleading, Football, Softball, and Volleyball
PG 14: K-9 Companions
Get an inside look at the some of our furry friends and their roles on campus.
21
PG 18: First Day Of School PG 20: GCSS Alumni Staff PG 24: Generations A spotlight on the Sargent Family and our Legacy graduates.
HEAD OF THE HERD The beginning of a school year brings excitement and anticipation for our students, staff and teachers. We began this year with the Big Red Rally where we heard from GHS Alum, Rev. Michael Thurmond, whose message inspired our teachers to be “tag changers.” He shared a story of a nurse during wartime that encountered a wounded soldier who had been tagged red - meaning there was no hope for survival. The nurse refused to give up on the soldier and changed his tag to green marking him as a survivor. Teachers were encouraged to be “tag changers” for their students that others may have given up on. The theme has continued through the year and given our teachers renewed purpose. All of the adults in our district have the unique responsibility everyday to impact the lives of our students. At Gainesville City Schools, we are a family that intentionally works to be sure that impact made is a positive one that leads to success for all of our students. In this issue we share photos from our completed campus at Gainesville High School. With 2,300 students the new academic building provides ample classroom space and a beautiful art room, audio/visual lab and main office suite. This completes the four-year construction project that
included the Advanced Studies Center, Student Activities Center, Media Center and Cafeteria, the Hub and renovation of our existing academic building. These additions and renovations dramatically change the overall look and feel of the campus and we are grateful to the board of education for their vision and leadership throughout the project. We also highlight our fall sports. The Red Elephant football team just completed its second consecutive undefeated regular season locking up the Region 8-6A Championship. Both cross country teams also won Region for the second consecutive year with top 10 finishes in State as well. Tradition at Gainesville High School continues through our hallways everyday with alumni teachers and second and third generation students. Building on this foundation with new and emerging activities and events is what keeps our students engaged and excited. Our district is a vibrant and involved community of young people that will one day be our leaders and the heartbeat of our community.
OUR SCHOOLS ELEMENTARY Centennial Arts Academy Enota Multiple Intelligences Academy Fair Street International Academy Gainesville Exploration Academy Mundy Mill Arts Academy New Holland Leadership Academy
MIDDLE Gainesville Middle School East Campus Gainesville Middle School West Campus
HIGH Gainesville High School
SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT: GAINESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL STORY BY ANNA PARDUE It is evident that some big changes have been happening at the Gainesville High School campus lately. Carroll Daniel Construction has moved out and their work is complete. Now, there is a brand new three-story academic building with a faculty parking lot completing the connection to the Student Activities Center that opened last year featuring first class athletic facilities and classrooms. The Academics building (Building A) features three stories with 47 classrooms, labs for marketing, science, business, and business production, and two art workrooms with an outdoor patio. Mr. Jamie Green is the principal of GHS, and he strives daily to lead students toward success. All Gainesville students aspire to one day be a GHS Graduate and to take part in the long-standing traditions of this school. GHS strives to consistently inspire, nurture, challenge, and prepare all 2,300 students for whatever path they may choose in life. Many opportunities are offered for all students to find their passions and thrive by taking part in one of the 52 clubs offered or the numerous extracurricular activities available from athletics to band to theatre to NJROTC and beyond.
RUNNING RED STORY BY BEN MILLER Coming off a great season last year with the boys and girls teams winning the region championship, this year's team had big shoes to fill. But, Connor Proffitt was ready for the challenge and stepped into his leadership role. Profitt continues to set school records each meet, with the latest record in the 5k at 15:32. Expectations for the 2023 Cross Country season were high, but both girls and boys teams swept the Region Championship with four top 10 finishes each. Seniors, like Conner Proffitt and April Marrufo, continued to raise the bar for the program. The future of the program looks bright with both JV teams also winning the Region Championship. Head Coach Richard Corbett says “This year, I am really proud of the growth in both programs. It means a lot to have top seven teams on both sides at the state competition. The girls team showed determination placing 5th at the State Meet, the highest in school history. The boys team matched their best ever placement at 7th. This was a great season overall.” Corbett also mentions that the highlight of his year has been witnessing the strength and teamwork shown within the team this year. He is immensely proud of the mutual support that radiates among the four teams at all practices and meets.
THE BIG RED MACHINE STORY BY BEN MILLER With over 200 students, the Big Red Machine is one of Gainesville High School’s largest extracurricular groups. Each year, the GHS marching band puts together a halftime show that they perform at football games and also use for competition. This year, their theme is “Larger than Life,” according to band director, Larry Miller. Their show includes various hits from popular 90s groups including Britney Spears, Smash Mouth, Nirvana, *NSYNC, and more. Mr. Miller is very happy with the group of students he gets to work with everyday. He is proud of the fact that his band represents the diversity of the community and school very well. He also mentioned that “football season is very long, but there is lots of excitement within the band as the season goes on.” In late September, the Big Red Machine competed at Chestatee High School in the Lake Lanier Tournament of Bands, earning fourth place. In October, the band competed at the Lake Hartwell Invitational, an invite only competition, and earned all superior ratings, most entertaining band, and 3rd place overall. Aside from competition, the band also attends all football games as well as the homecoming parade, community pep rally, and many GHS functions. The band always keeps their energy level high which radiates to everyone in the surrounding area. The Big Red Machine is a staple within Gainesville High School.
BIG RED SPIRIT STORY BY ANNA PARDUE Gainesville High School Cheerleaders can always be found on the sideline of football games motivating the players, engaging with the band, and hyping up the crowd. With over 30 members, the team never fails to be present at community events, showing their Big Red spirit. The cheerleaders are coached by Brett Dillin and Abigail Turner, who consistently encourage the girls to bring their best selves to games and practices. Whether a game is at home in our own City Park stadium, or away at a guest field, the cheerleaders show up and show out to cheer the players to victory.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS STORY BY JULIUS COLUMBUS In his first year as head coach Josh Niblett led our football team to a 14-1 season with a state runner-up finish. This year, we expect 1 more win and a State Championship. 1-0 is the goal every week and will carry us to 15-0 at the end of the season. We work to be 1% better every day and focus on the little things that all add up to the big things. Coach Niblett says to be “ALL IN” and “IN THE MOMENT.” Inspiring the team with a new mantra each week motivates the players to stay locked in on the singular goal of the season and that’s to win a State Championship. Players like Darius Cannon and Jeremiah Telander who are now playing at the next level at University of Kentucky and University of Tennessee respectively, left their mark on the program last year and now seniors Baxter Wright, Champ Thompson, Gavin Hall and Sky Niblett are leading the team and making their mark on what is sure to be another memorable season. Things that give our program a unique edge include our coaching staff and technology. Strength and Conditioning Coaches like Taylor Williams and Nate Mathis offer the players college-level experiences in the weight room allowing our team to move to new heights. Hi-tech systems like Perch that collects data on speed and explosiveness in the weight room and Catapult that measures real-time performance on the field in games and practice. “With these systems we can analyze how our players are performing in games and optimize their recovery as well,” said Coach Mathis. “This really brings a next level opportunity for coaches to guide the athletes to their full potential.” The Red Elephant football program is truly building a legacy with the middle school team completing an undefeated season and new coaching staff added to focus on our “futures” ensuring that our players are strong for years to come by building the winning mentality into the DNA of our program.
LADY ELEPHANTS STORIES BY JULIUS COLUMBUS
VOLLEYBALL Gainesville Volleyball continues to build a tradition of winning. With the Student Activities Center as their new home our volleyball program has first class facilities and a strong foundation. Natalie Brown and Jay Maldonado who led the team last year and are now playing volleyball at Cedar Crest College and Brenau University respectively, left big shoes to fill. Players this season like junior Hannah Stewart and sophomores Avery Lindsey and Taylor Reid are leading the team as they continue to build the program.
SOFTBALL Our lady elephant softball players along with head coach Kiara Nelson completed another season this year celebrating a victory late in the season. “This season has continued to see our team develop. A large portion of my focus since coming to Gainesville has been developing our youth program, so that our players step onto the field with the experience necessary to compete in our tough region. In the five years I have been head coach, we have seen our Parks & Recreation league grow from just 1 team to 6 this year,” said Coach Nelson. “Our middle school team showed great success this season, showing how pivotal the growth of those youth programs is to our future success. I am looking forward to continuing to see our program grow and improve.”
COMPETITION CHEERLEADING STORY BY MEG HICKS Gainesville Cheerleading introduced competition cheerleading seven years ago. Each year, the team has added more talent. Led by Coach Brett Dillin, the Varsity competition cheer team has learned a complex routine consisting of tumbling, stunting, cheering, and dancing that they compete with on Saturdays. With only five competitions before going to state, the team puts in countless hours perfecting and adding to their routine. “These girls have worked very hard this year. Being an All-Girl team is very challenging but this team has proven themselves capable of making it far,” said Coach Dillin. With the GHSA 6A Region competition coming up on November 4th and the GHSA state competition on November 11th, the team is working hard and looking forward to a busy November.
K-9 BELLA STORY BY BEN MILLER As you walk the halls of any Gainesville School this year, you may notice that we have a new addition to our security team: K-9 Officer Bella. Bella’s handler is Officer Dustin Cleveland, and the two came from Hall County Sheriff’s Department after working there together for 3 years. Bella received her North American Police Work Dog Association (NAPWDA) certification in 2020 and recently earned her Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) certification this year. Although Bella is elite in her training, what makes her special is that she is still just as loveable as any other dog. If you see Bella around and she is not actively working, make sure to pet her. She loves it. Officer Cleveland notes that “Bella is unique because she really enjoys the interaction with humans and being affectionate and shows no signs of aggression.” As Bella has been integrated into schools, Cleveland states that the students have loved interacting with her. Officer Cleveland is thankful for the warm reception within the system and is thankful to be working to keep our schools safe and create a positive police presence. Bella can be found throughout the halls of Gainesville schools throughout the district, as well as most home sporting events keeping our students safe. Be sure to stop and show her some love next time you see her! You can even follow her on Instagram @BigRedBella.
PUTTING THE “T” IN “RESPECT” STORY BY BEN MILLER Imagine how it would feel to walk into class and have a furry friend readily available to pet and love on. The students in Mrs. Catherine Bruce’s Social Emotional Learning class (called Champion Training) at Enota Multiple Intelligences Academy can tell you exactly how it feels! Mrs. Bruce has some help from her certified emotional support dog, T, that makes learning fun and stress free. T, short for Timber, comes into class around once a week. Mrs. Bruce’s standards revolve around nine words that teach students to be the absolute best they can be. Some of these words include respect, responsibility, perseverance, cooperation, and honesty. Upon talking to Mrs. Bruce and her students, the class was focusing on the word “respect,” which teaches the kids to be kind to their teachers and friends, to the objects in the classroom, and to treat everyone and everything with love. Bruce mentioned that “T has been a great example of the word ‘respect’. The students understand that T can be petted, but they also understand she must be treated carefully and with love.” “I’ve always thought that bringing an emotional support animal to school with me would be a fun and beneficial way to help my students learn and grow with our character development lessons,” says Bruce. The kids in Mrs. Bruce’s class love being able to pet T as she walks around the classroom. It truly lights up the classroom and brings a sense of happiness to the school environment. Although she is a dog, T is a great teacher and a great friend for the kids at Enota.
AWARD WINNING ELEPHANTS STORY BY BEN MILLER Gainesville City Schools prides itself on academic achievement. We’re celebrating seven of our very own students from Gainesville High School who were chosen out of 72,000 students from across the country who earned academic honors from College Board’s National Recognition Programs! The National Recognition Programs honor the strong academic achievements of underrepresented students. They’re an easy way for students to showcase their hard work in high school. The programs not only benefit students they also benefit colleges looking to recruit diverse, talented students. There’s so much that makes these students unique and an asset to colleges and programs. The National Recognition Programs help students find ways to celebrate that. Eligible students can apply on BigFuture. They must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher, be in the top 10% of PSAT assessment takers in the state or have earned a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP Exams. These students either identify as African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, or Indigenous/Native. They’re invited to apply during their sophomore or junior year. Students who are awarded recognition will be notified at the beginning of the next school year. Congratulations to the following students on their recognition: Elizabeth Velazquez, Joseph Alvarez, Joshua Hernandez, Kimberly Hernandez, and William Bonilla-Pocasangre for the National Hispanic Recognition Award, Lillie Evan Young for the National Indigenous Award, and Shanise Newton for the National African American Recognition Award!
ELEPHANTS AROUND THE WORLD RAFAEL ROBLES STORY BY MEG HICKS Rafael Robles, a junior at Gainesville High School and a member of the Big Red Machine, was accepted into the Honors Performance Series at the Sydney Opera House this summer. The Honors Performance Series is open for high school students around the world who are seeking a future career in music. During the week of July 31, 2023, Rafael attended classes led by Director Douglas Droste, learned four musical pieces, and was challenged to add onto one of the four pieces. On the fifth day of the camp, students performed what they had learned over the course of the week in the Sydney Opera House. Following the program, Rafael is now working on a mentorship program with Douglas Droste and has also been invited to apply to the Vienna, Austria program next summer. Rafael continues to show the talent of Gainesville High School everyday through his dedication to music.
LILLY KILEY STORY BY ANNA PARDUE Lilly Kiley, a freshman at Gainesville High School, became a Team USA athlete in Dragon Boating this spring. Team USA is a group of paddlers who compete in the World Dragon Boat Racing Championships, which are held every odd-numbered year. This year, the championships were held in Pattaya, Thailand. Dragon boating takes 22 driven, focused athletes who are all insync when paddling. If one person gets off-track, the whole boat could fall behind, and put their winning title at jeopardy. Lilly began dragon boating in January of 2023, and made the team in April. After many summer training camps, Lilly and her team went on to compete in Thailand the week of August 7-13, 2023. She traveled with her dad, who cheered her on during every race as she represented the USA on the water. Throughout the week, Lilly earned five gold medals and three silver medals. Team USA also came home with the title of 16th in the IDBF World Dragon Boat Championships.
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! Some of the best memories from everyone's childhood are from the First Day of School. Enjoy this trip down memory lane with our students where the First Day of School photo opp is alive and well!
Alumni are in every school and office across the district. That’s what makes Gainesville special. When you come back home to dedicate your career to the community that made you it just means more.
Centennial Arts Academy
Enota Multiple Intelligences Academy
Gainesville High School
School Board Office
Fair Street International Academy
Mundy Mill Arts Academy
Gainesville Exploration Academy
Gainesville Middle School - East
New Holland Leadership Academy
Gainesville Middle School - West
GAINESVILLE LEGEND CRIS CARPENTER STORY BY ELLIS PITTS If you have lived in Gainesville for any amount of time then you’ve heard stories of our local legend, Cris Carpenter. Afterall, Cris has been making headlines since he was 9 years old when he won the National Free Throw Competition and most recently making headlines on his selection to the class of 2024 State of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame that will be inducted this February in Macon. There will never be another Cris Carpenter. A student athlete that excelled at three sports and had the opportunity to play professionally at two of them. Yes, you may already know he was drafted first round by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1987 after a great baseball career as a relief pitcher at UGA but you may not have heard the story of the call Carpenter received from Washington Redskins General Manager Robert Beathard in 1988 while Cris was rehabbing an injury. Mr. Beathard needed a punter and knew just the player he wanted. Beatheard had followed Carpenter’s punting career at UGA and knew he could be the guy to come in clutch in their moment of need. While Carpenter considered the opportunity he knew he had to give baseball his full attention. Carpenter was the first punter to ever receive a full athletic scholarship to the University of Georgia. “If I loved one thing in my life it was punting,” said Carpenter “I just really enjoyed it but I had only been in the big leagues for one season at that point and needed to stay focused on that.” While at UGA Carpenter had a stellar career, Carpenter was drafted in 1986 by the Toronto Blue Jays after a standout sophomore season but respectfully declined because he wanted to come back to school and play his Junior season which would become his last season before getting drafted by the St.Louis Cardinals. Carpenter ended up having a great MLB career pitching for four clubs - the St. Louis Cardinals, Florida Marlins, Texas Rangers, and the Milwaukee Brewers. When asked about his induction to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame Carpenter said, “it’s hard to accept an individual award when you are playing a team sport,” adding “when I get inducted into the Hall of Fame it just means my teams also got inducted.” Carpenter was also inducted as part of the inaugural class to the Gainesville Athletic Club Hall of Fame. Saying he had a stellar high school career would be an understatement. Carpenter was not only a punter for the Red Elephant Football team he was also the quarterback leading his team to three final four appearances and one title game. He would follow that season into basketball where as point guard he helped lead his basketball team to three State Championship title games bringing home the championship twice in 1983 and 1984. For GHS baseball, what would become his defining
Cris accepts the Hertz 1984 Georgia Athlete of the Year from OJ Simpson in NYC
sport he was the starting pitcher his freshmen, junior and senior season but lost his sophomore season due to injury. This kind of resume for high school athletes is unheard of these days and is something every athlete dreams of. “I loved every minute of it,” said Carpenter, “but I knew I always wanted to coach.” Carpenter got that opportunity in 1998 when he served as pitching coach for GHS under Wayne Vickery until 2005. Carpenter continued teaching and now, nearly 20 years later, has returned to coaching with some of his former players Jon Mark and Micah Owings and their older brother Josh. Carpenter said, “If I went back to coach it would have to be with the right group of people and I would have to have my family's support.” We look forward to this spring where we will see three former Red Elephants and former professional baseball players leading our young men and further embedding the Gainesville tradition of excellence into the program.
BUILDING ON A LEGACY Are you a GHS Alum? Share your information and photos with us at WellRed@gcssk12.net *This is a small selection based on availability of photos.
Laney Gilliam
Susie Brewer
Shavannie Carter
Dante Carter
Brian Daniel
Stuart Daniel
Cindy Fortson
Braxton Fortson
Loo Wittel
Meg Hicks
Leslie Nivens
Ben Miller
Bree Goldfarb
Ford Ransom
Kimberly Brooke Stokes
Cooper Reid
BUILDING ON A LEGACY Are you a GHS Alum? Share your information and photos with us at WellRed@gcssk12.net *This is a small selection based on availability of photos.
Mauricio Saldierna
Gianni Saldierna
Richard Sargent
Trey Sargent
Hart Smith
Bitsy Smith
Deann Schwartz
Liam Smithson
Beatriz Figueroa
Camila Soriano
Almeshia Lipscomb
Champ Thompson
Eric Watson
Ebony Watson
Merri Kris Cottrell
Bennett Wayne
BUILDING ON A LEGACY Are you a GHS Alum? Share your information and photos with us at WellRed@gcssk12.net *This is a small selection based on availability of photos.
Matt White
2023
Rabb White
Tavius Willis
Jon Willis
1997
GENERATIONAL G THE SARGENT FAMILY STORY BY MEG HICKS In every community, there are families that leave a lasting mark through their commitment to tradition. The Sargent family of Gainesville is one such legacy family. For three generations, the Sargents have sent their children to Gainesville High School, and still continue to display their Red Elephant pride. The Sargent family's legacy at Gainesville High School began with David Sargent, who attended Gainesville High School in the early 1960s. David was a leader, demonstrating dedication to his extracurricular activities. He was a football player on the undefeated football team of 1961, a player on the varsity baseball team, and was involved in numerous clubs. David’s time at Gainesville High School laid the foundation for community involvement in the Sargent Family. David’s influence inspired his two children to follow in his footsteps and attend the same school. Richard, the oldest, graduated with the class of 1992. He was involved in Spanish Honor Society and DECA.
Lisa, the youngest, had a passion for being involved in the school. In her time at Gainesville High School, Lisa was a cheerleader, participated in Spanish Club and Beta Club, and was also a class officer. She also earned a Varsity letter in track and field and graduated in 1995. Richard’s two children, Trey and Hudson, now attend Gainesville High School. Trey, the oldest, is a senior and is set to graduate with the class of 2024. He has earned his Varsity letter in lacrosse and is involved in multiple clubs such as Rho Kappa and Beta Club. Hudson, the youngest, is a junior and is on track to graduate with the class of 2025. Hudson likes to focus on her studies and is in Beta Club and National Honor Society. For three generations, the Sargents have not only excelled academically but have also been actively involved in their school and community. Their commitment to Gainesville High School has not only enriched their own lives but has also left a mark on the school's history.
RED ELEPHANT MENTORSHIP STORY BY BEN MILLER One of the many resources available to students in Gainesville City Schools System is the mentorship program led by Brandon Evans. As the mentorship coordinator for GCSS, he works with students kindergarten to graduation. Evans states that “the mission of our program is to make sure that identify students who may need an extra sense of support.” He and his team aim to move from what they call the triangle method (the parent, the school, the kid) to what they call the diamond method (the parent, the school, the kid, and a mentor) in order to give students the support that they need and deserve. There are several reasons that mentors may be paired with students. These can range from needing support for academics, behavior/discipline, or even simply needing a person to talk to and look up to. Evans says that they also have mentees who utilize their mentor as “a positive outlook for people doing positive things in the community.” Students are asked to join the program based on teacher, counselor and administrative recommendations. While some students are chosen, any student is able to participate in this incredible program, students can contact Mr. Evans via email. Evans then meets with each student to understand their interests, hobbies, and backgrounds in order to pair them
with their mentor. Mentors and mentees usually meet twice a month, over lunch to maintain a positive and growing relationship. In addition to the mentor meetings, Evans is available daily Gainesville High School campus and ensures that his mentees are being successful in all endeavors.
In addition to his job with the school system, Evans has founded. a community-wide mentorship program called Men Alive, LLC. “We have guys in my community based program that cover 10 different schools.” says Evans. This includes several students from Gainesville Middle and High Schools. “Men Alive is more of a community-based program where they have to do community service and do things that aren’t just school based, but also during the evenings and on weekends.” While these two programs are separate, Evans utilizes both of them to make constant positive impacts on kids all around the Hall County area. Evans proudly notes that there has been a significant amount of growth in academics and behavior for all of his mentees. These developments range from high school all the way down to elementary school. Evans is also planning to start a new peer mentorship program, where high school students can sign up to mentor younger students.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BEING A MENTOR FOR GCSS, WHETHER A PEER MENTOR OR ADULT MENTOR, REACH OUT TO MR. EVANS BY EMAIL AT BRANDON.EVANS@GCSSK12.NET. YOU CAN BE THE NEXT PERSON TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A GAINESVILLE STUDENT’S LIFE!
On Saturday, September 17th, members of the community gathered to cut the ribbon of the newly renovated Butler Center. Originally the home of E.E. Butler High School and now owned by Ninth District Opportunity, where Head Start is still in operation, the old gym and surrounding classrooms have been restored to their former glory to once again serve the youth of our community. Members of the Fair Street - Butler Alumni association worked in coordination with Ninth District Opportunity, Hall County Government and Gainesville City School System (GCSS) to make this dream a reality. GCSS secured the funding for the project through the American Rescue Plan and also served as the project manager for the renovation completed by Carroll Daniel Construction Company who also built the original structure in 1962. In its first year of operation the Butler Center will be home to the Boys and Girls Clubs (B&GC) of Lanier after-school program while their Positive Place Club on Downey Avenue undergoes construction. During this time Executive Director, Kyndra Cohen, will be hosting listening sessions and reviewing online survey feedback to determine the best programing for the community once the B&GC of Lanier move into their new digs. Cohen is serving in a hybrid role as the Executive Director of the Hall County Family Connection Network with the Butler Center as the hub of their programming. To learn more or share your voice visit: www.gcssk12.net/butlercenter Community Pep Rally
New Holland 3rd grade teacher Ansley Reed, was awarded Modern Woodman's Hometown Hero award.
SHO US Y W GAI OUR N ES Sub w e l lm i t y o u V I L LE! red@ r ph oto gc ssk1
Senior Homecoming King Candidates
2 . n et o t
2 out of 4 Senior Homecoming Queen Candidates
GHS spotted in St. Louis
Catie Rell Oliver a 5th grader at Enota supporting her cousin Smith McGarvey under the Friday night lights at City Park. Submitted by Julie Oliver
Photo submitted by Abigail Guzman
Gainesville Middle School Volleyball team
Next Issue Winter Edition: Generational G Winter Sports Basketball, Basketball Cheer, Wrestling, Swimming
Theatre School Spotlight
We need your story! Share your photos and stories with us at WellRed@gcssk12.net. Have a great photo or a story of generational Red Elephants? We want to hear from the herd!