Ghost Out 2008 recently was presented to the student body of Etowah High School. Ghost Out is a serious, impacting and educational event in which pre-selected and trained students dramatize the teenage lives lost to an alcoholrelated traffic accident. The event also is held to raise awareness to students and faculty in regard to the dangers of drinking and driving. The Ghost Out event demonstrates what happens during an actual emergency by presenting a simulated wreck. The wreck, which was performed in front of Etowah High School, showed the fire department performing vehicle extrication with the jaws-of-life, paramedics, EMTs and life flight personnel providing emergency treatment to the victims and the sheriff’s office investigating the cause of the accident. Stacey Malegni, who lost her son to a drunk driver, was the featured speaker. The event was put on by Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services, along with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department, Cherokee E-911, Etowah High School students, the Cherokee County Coroner’s Office, Rescue Air 1 Helicopter Service and Hembree Auto Salvage.

BASCOMB’S KIDCHESS CHESS TEAM COMPETES IN REGIONAL TOURNAMENT

Members of the KidChess Club at Bascomb Elementary School recently formed a team to compete at the Regional Western Metro Tournament at Webb Bridge Middle. In their first tournament, the team placed 12th out of 29 teams and subsequently was invited to compete at the State Tournament on March 8. The Bascomb KidChess Chess team members are Chris Chandler, Shay Fu, Galen Lee, Nicholas Ladd, Tyler Manuel, Zach Mnich, Brandon Stayton and Brandon Olson.
 
E. T. BOOTH ACADEMIC BOWL TEAM COMPETES AT STATE FINALS

The E. T. Booth Academic Bowl Team recently competed in the State final competition. They had placed first in one of two divisions at the regional competition and finished in the top four teams at the State semi-finals which was held in January. The team finished in 4th place at State. The E. T. Booth Academic Bowl Team is coached by Amanda Wilhelm and Dillion Armbruster.
 
SPRING HAT DAY CELEBRATED AT BOSTON ELEMENTARY

Boston Elementary School recently held its annual “Spring Hat Day” to celebrate the arrival of springtime and to collect donations to sponsor less fortunate students to sports programs and/or camps at the Outdoor YMCA. The grade level winners for “Most Creative Spring Hat” were each awarded a kite. Grade level winners were: fourth grader Christian Breaux, third grader Melissa Wright, second grader Callie Diehl, first grader Amber Martinez, and Kindergartner Trevor Smith.
 
ORATORICAL CONTEST HELD AT E.T. BOOTH MIDDLE SCHOOL

The South Cherokee Optimist Club recently sponsored its annual Oratorical Contest at E.T. Booth Middle School. Dylan Herod and Alyssa Krool will represent the school at the Zone Contest in Jasper. This year’s theme was “Why Me? — Why Not?” The students will compete for a $1,500 scholarship offered by Optimist International. The South Cherokee Optimist Club meets each Friday morning for breakfast at Featherstone’s Grille at Towne Lake Hills. For more information, please call (770) 926-3522.
 
NEWS FROM CHEROKEE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Cherokee Christian School recently announced plans for the construction of a new 28,000 square foot high school building on the Woodstock Campus. The new facility will feature levels of safety, security, technology and teaching, which are consistent with Cherokee Christian’s reputation as a premier school. The targeted completion date for the new building will be August 2009. Cherokee Christian school has more exciting news about its high school students. The senior class just returned from their senior class trip to Europe. The students visited Rome, Italy and Athens, Greece.