Effingham Magazine

MINNIE WILDER

L ANNUA

O BACK T L SCHOO

Impacting Thousands of Effingham Students

ISSUE

August/September 2018 Georgia's 2018 High School Assistant Principal of the Year Tammy Jacobs

New Horizons Paige Dickey and Rincon Elementary School

Effingham County School District Back To School

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CONTRIBUTORS Katrice Williams

Shelia Scott

is a married mother of two. She graduated from Georgia Southern University with a Business Administration Degree. Interestingly enough, at the time, she also had an interest in writing. She and her family moved to Pooler in 2003 from the Atlanta Metro Area. She later decided to pursue her writing interests. Katrice appreciates The Lord Jesus Christ and the many blessings that He has bestowed upon her. She loves spending time with her family.

is an Effingham County native and Salzburg de-

Kelly Harley

Tonya Chester Perry

is a writer and social media strategist for businesses navigating the world of online marketing. She founded Social Creative, a social media management company dedicated to helping businesses effectively use social media. Kelly believes everyone and every business has a story worth sharing. From her early days as a television news reporter, her experience in storytelling and social media spans nearly 15 years. Kelly is married with two children and lives in Bloomingdale.

is a married mother of two children. She is a full time photographer with a studio based in Rincon.

She graduated from college with a degree in business. She is originally from Louisiana. After living in different states, she now resides in Effingham County. She is a Maternity, Newborn, Child, High School Senior and Wedding Photographer. When not working she enjoys spending her time with her husband & kids.

Kathryn Vandenhouten

Cindy Burbage

is a freelance writer who enjoys meeting new and interesting people. She earned her English degree at Georgia Southern University, and caught the travel bug while studying abroad in Costa Rica, where she received a minor in Spanish. After college, she worked briefly in Yellowstone National Park, where she enjoyed hiking and photographing the scenery and the wildlife.

She now lives in Rincon and loves spending time with her husband, Sean, and two children, Turner and Emery.

is a native of Richmond Hill. She began writing in college and took a hiatus to raise her four beautiful children. Cindy enjoys traveling and is always ready for a road trip. She believes that faith is greater than fear.

scendent. She has been married to her husband, her best friend, for 6 years. Between them they have 9 children and 4 grandchildren. She started dabbling in photography when her kids were little and fell in love. When not with her husband and kids, she’s off somewhere, camera in hand looking for the next amazing shot!

STAFF

Julie Hales Owner/Publisher julie@idpmagazines.com

Naomi Forrestall Graphic Design

04 August/September 2018 | www.EffinghamMagazine.com

Lea Thornton-Allen Office Manager lea@idpmagazines.com

Marsha Stewart Executive Assistant marsha@idpmagazines.com

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

IN THIS ISSUE 08

Impacting Thousands of Effingham Students Minnie Wilder

14

Georgia's 2018 High School Assistant Principal of the Year Tammy Jacobs

20

New Horizons

34

Cutting-edge. Innovative.

Transformative

Paige Dickey and Rincon Elementary School

Telemedicine

39 What Is A PTO?

Get To Know Your Parent Teacher Organization

40

Your Ultimate Entertainment Destination Premier Bowl & Bistro

08

Departments 07 Publisher’s Thoughts 25 Back To School Pullout 43 Effingham Sports

14

34

39

06 August/September 2018 | www.EffinghamMagazine.com

20

40

PUBLISHER’S Thoughts

Back To School Julie Hales owner/publisher julie@idpmagazines.com Naomi Forrestall graphic design Lea Thornton-Allen office manager lea@idpmagazines.com Marsha Stewart executive assistant marsha@idpmagazines.com

Effingham Magazine is proudly produced by:

108 International Drive P.O. Box 1742 Rincon, GA 31326 (912) 826-2760

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Write to us and tell us what you think. Effingham Magazine welcomes all letters to the editor. Please send all letters via email to Julie Hales at julie@idpmagazines.com. Letters to the editor must have a phone number and name of contact. Phone numbers will not be published.

I

t's hard to believe summer vacation for our kiddos and those angels...I mean teachers...is already over. School is back in....the bells are ringing and the students are scurrying around campus in excitement of the adventures of the new year.

A teacher (also called a school teacher or, in some contexts, an educator) is a person who helps others to acquire knowledge, competences or values. Wikipedia The definition of a teacher has always meant so much more to me. They are role models to our children, they are mentors to our next generation, they are caretakers of the hearts of our youth, they are heroes!

Julie Hales, PUBLISHER All teachers do not sit in a classroom environment...they may be administrators, the may be bus drivers, they may be program directors, or they may have a specific trade they share or a specific organization they represent.

In this year’s Back to School issue, we are bringing you features on a few of the people in our county who have made such an impact on children. We are also giving you some valuable information about our schools, like a school calendar, a listing with contact information on each school in our county and plans for the PTO’s at each elementary school.

Our cover story is very dear to my heart…Minnie Wilder. Ms. Minnie (as I call her) has been in our school system for many years, starting out 48 years ago as a substitute driver for one year….and retiring this past school term with 47 years with the Effingham County Board of Education. And, yes, I said 47 years, as a school bus driver. Many children in our community have looked up to this lady. I am sure she will be missed.

Ms. Minnie didn’t just drive a bus, she also worked in the classrooms and held other positions along the way as well, all while still driving the bus. I am sure that many of you reading her story will remember one of the times she drove you to a band competition or a ball game out of town. She always put her heart into every passenger she had on board. She loved them all.

On the following pages you will also see some important information from the Effingham County School System for the 2018-19 school term. There is a “tear out” insert in the middle that you can save for this year’s school calendar, along with other important information you will find handy throughout the year.

We have dedicated this issue to all of the wonderful teachers we have in our community...and applaud the dedication to their craft as they educate us all.

ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS Effingham Magazine welcomes story ideas from our readers. If you have a story idea or photo essay you would like to share, please submit ideas and material by emailing Julie Hales at julie@idpmagazines.com.

Stories or ideas for stories must be submitted by email. Only feature stories and photo essays about people, places or things in Effingham County will be considered.

CIRCULATION: Effingham Magazine is published bi-monthly printing 10,000 copies and distributed to over 200 locations.

Reproduction in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

ABOUT THE COVER

MINNIE WILDER

ANNUAL

BACK TO L SCHOO

Meet Minnie Wilder, retiree of the Effingham County Board of Education as she celebrates her 47 year career. Wow. What an amazing accomplishment.

Oh the stories this lady can tell..... and they just might be about you!

Impacting Thousands of Effingham Students

ISSUE

August/September 2018 Georgia's 2018 High School Assistant Principal of the Year Tammy Jacobs

New Horizons Paige Dickey and Rincon Elementary School

Effingham County School District Back To School

www.EffinghamMagazine.com | August/September 2018 07

Minnie Wilder Impacting Thousands of Effingham Students

story by Kelly Harley

photos by Shelia Scott

T

ears fill Minnie Wilder’s eyes as she talks about retirement.

The 77-year-old Effingham County native admits that being officially retired hasn’t hit her yet. As she shares her life story, it’s easy to understand why this new phase in her life brings with it mixed emotions.

She dedicated nearly 48 years of her life in order to have a positive impact on the thousands of students’ lives she touched.

The Good Ole’ Days If you went to school in Effingham County and rode a school bus, there’s a chance Minnie Wilder was behind the wheel. In 1970, at the advice of her friend, she became a substitute driver and drove pretty much as often as a regular driver. A year later, she was a full-time bus driver.

“For my training, I made one big circle on the football field and away I went,” recalls Minnie. She chuckles thinking about that now as she talks about all of the required training that is necessary to drive today.

Back then, Minnie, only 118 pounds, had to improvise in order to drive the school bus. “There was no power steering, there were hydraulic brakes and the steering wheel felt like one of the big tires. I had to have the seat up high to turn the wheel, a block put on the gas pedal to reach it and had the seat completely unbolted and moved forward,” says Minnie. As Minnie flips through a scrapbook she made after retiring, there are pictures of her sitting behind the wheel. The tiny lady with a big smile looks just as happy as can be and even more comfortable. “The buses used to be stick shift and I had to open the door with all my arm strength,” says Minnie.

Throughout Minnie’s career, she went through four new buses. Her first new bus was automatic, which was a big step up.

The last bus she drove had air conditioning and instead of using her arm to open the door, she just turned a knob.

written 19 years after she started driving.

The headline reads, “Bus driver thought fast, avoided wreck.” The story is about the time Minnie used her skills to prevent injuries to her young passengers. She was stopped letting kids off and noticed a truck with a trailer full of produce barreling down the road. She knew the driver wouldn’t be able to stop in time, so she acted fast. She yelled at the kids to cross quickly and pulled to the side of the road.

The driver slammed into the stopped cars behind her; however, because of her quick thinking, the cars didn’t slam into the back of her bus.

Other articles mention her trips to the State Capitol to discuss issues related to school bus drivers with state legislators, as well as her participation in Road-eos where Minnie competed against other drivers in a series of bus movements that prepared drivers for the safe transportation of students. She also has plenty of training certificates that highlight her years of dedication. While Minnie spent many hours transporting children,

she also was a school bus trainer, passing on her knowledge to other drivers just starting their careers. “The safety features have come a long way. Buses as a whole have come a long way and the changes are impressive,” says Minnie. “As a driver, you have to attend safety meetings once a month, attend defensive driving courses, participate in classroom and on-the-road training, remain CPR certified and have regular physicals.”

Minnie also drove the bus for extracurricular activities to include band and sports. She remembers one time she took kids on a trip to the mountains of Boone, North Carolina, and had to drive in the snow and ice. “While the trip was fun, driving in that weather was not,” Minnie says with a smile.

Making a Difference in the Classroom If driving a school bus wasn’t enough, Minnie eventually found her way inside the classroom. She spent two years as a substitute teacher before becoming

Making a Difference on the Roads Spending 48 years on the road, it’s safe to say Minnie is as experienced as they come. She recalls one technique she implemented a long time ago. “I started the tradition of pulling over and letting cars go by. I would see lines of cars behind me, so if I had more than six cars waiting, I would find a safe place to pull over and let the cars pass,” says Minnie. “Cars will try to pass and that could be a danger.

Eventually, other bus drivers started doing the same thing and now it’s a rule.”

In Minnie’s scrapbook, there are newspaper clippings of things she’s done in her years as a driver. One article was

www.EffinghamMagazine.com | August/September 2018 09

a paraprofessional in the County’s alternative school where she assisted teachers in the classroom. She later started working at Effingham County High School with special needs students. She spent 13 years as a paraprofessional and kept up her duties as a school bus driver. “It was there I became part of the children’s lives. As the years passed, the children I met while subbing in lower grades, started coming up in high school. I even got to attend senior prom with some of the students,” says Minnie. After spending time with these students, an opening became available to drive the special needs bus. Minnie accepted the position and spent 13 years behind the wheel of that bus. For Minnie it came full circle; she drove some of the children of the kids she drove when she first started driving.

“I feel like I made an impact and a difference. When you pick up a child, you don’t know how their life is at home. When they step on board, you can make their day by just saying good morning,” says Minnie.

She says it was the same thing in the afternoons when students headed home from school. “The kids may have had a bad day and I was there to talk to them. Many would give me a hug and I would help take their minds off whatever was going on.”

Plans for the Future As Minnie reminisces about her highly successful career and the joys she experienced over the years, she can’t help but think about the future. The retiree has big plans and they don’t include

slowing down. She has three children, four grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, a cat and a dog who will keep her plenty busy. “I love to spend time with my family and I enjoy being outdoors. I love camping, fishing, kayaking, bicycling, quilting and riding my four-wheeler,” Minnie says with a big smile. At 70, she bought herself the four-wheeler and last year she bought a new Volkswagen Beetle. “Now I feel like if I want to take a trip, I can fill up and hit the road,” says Minnie with a big smile.

While she talks about the fun she plans

10 August/September 2018 | www.EffinghamMagazine.com

on having, she admits she has another plan for retirement. “I have everything I need so that I can still substitute on the special needs bus if they ever need me,” adds Minnie. “When I told the kids I was retiring, they didn’t want me to. I told them they may see me again.” That will likely be the case. While Minnie may have hung up her full-time keys, she still has a spark and a desire to get behind the wheel.

After all, the thrill of spending nearly half a century doing what you love doesn’t go away overnight.

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12 August/September 2018 | www.EffinghamMagazine.com

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eorgia Forestry Mulching is a Land Management Company owned and operated by Effingham County resident, Alice Hurst. The company was formed in 2016 but the learning and research of clearing land via the mulching process was started well before then. Alice and her husband Clint’s love for the outdoors and finding a way to provide people with an affordable way to enjoy their land is what prompted them to start researching the land clearing process of mulching in 2014. Both Clint and Alice are land owners and natives of Effingham County and have one son, Carson.

Mulching is done by using a high powered machine equipped with rotational drum style cutters to grind vegetation into mulch without the need for additional machinery. In other words, the machine drives around and eats trees and underbrush, selectively reducing unwanted vegetation and woody debris into a bed of nutritive, soil stabilizing mulch. This process is not right for all land clearing needs but can meet the needs of small residential tracts of land from small lots .25 acres in size up to large tracts of land

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I enjoy seeing the aftermath of the mulching job and seeing the owners face when they see my operator make the first pass! It’s a fascinating machine and does an amazing job. It’s more than just about the machine though. I can run the Skid Steer myself with the bucket and grapple and love to get in it with Carson and piddle but the forestry cutter head is a whole different ballgame. It’s no game! It takes someone that knows how to work the cutter head to mulch down the trees and not just “knock” them down per say. It’s definitely a gift and a skill that my operator, Jamie Aldrich has! Jamie is a native of Brooklet and grew up operating a variety

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Georgia’s 2018 High School Assistant Principal of the Year

TAMMY JACOBS

14 August/September 2018 | www.EffinghamMagazine.com

story by Kathryn Vandenhouten photos by Shelia Scott

T

he Georgia Association for Secondary School Principals has named South Effingham High School’s Tammy Jacobs as the Assistant Principal of the Year for 2018. She is both honored and humbled at the distinction, and she is excited for another new school year as a Mustang.

This is her seventeenth year with SEHS, and she has come a long way. She got her start as a math teacher, and she taught for five and a half years before accepting the assistant principal and testing coordinator position. This will be her sixth year as the instructional supervisor and assistant principal.

Jacobs has always had a heart for leadership. When she was younger, she may have been labeled as “bossy,” but even as a child, she always gravitated toward leadership roles. “I like to think outside the box. I like to think of new ideas. I like to be as innovative as possible,” she says. “I knew that with those qualities, I’d be a good leader, but I didn’t expect to get out of the classroom so soon.”

Though she had only been teaching for five years, she was ready to jump in and take the reins in administration.

“I thought that I’d be in the classroom about ten years, but the opportunity presented itself and I couldn’t say no,” explains Jacobs.

SEHS Principal, Dr. Mark Winters, saw potential in Jacobs early in her career, and she has met and exceeded his expectations as an administrator. “It’s more than just her dedication to the job,” says Winters. “She is very creative. She’s always looking for ways of improving not just what comes in her realm of responsibility, but whatever is good for the school.”

Winters has known Jacobs ever since she was a student in his ninth grade English class at ECHS. “She’s just a very extraordinary person, and you say these things about educators being compassionate and caring, which is so true, but hers is just so much above and beyond, and she gets the big picture,” says Winters. “I’ve worked with so many different administrators over the years, and she is just someone who really has that panoramic view of the school,” he adds.

In fact, Winters felt she was so deserving of the title, he filled out her Assistant Principal of the Year application himself. Not only was Jacobs

in shock to be a finalist, but she was surprised that she was entered in the first place.

When she got the call from GASSP, she was quite confused at first. She didn’t know why they were contacting her about an application she had never filled out.

She had no idea that Dr. Winters had filled out the application for her.

“He asked me one day at the very beginning of the school year a question about something I had done back in the day, but I had no idea he was questioning me because he was doing the application for me for GASSP,” she recalls. “So it was a surprise, and I’m very humbled that he took the time with his busy schedule to do that.”

And as surprised as she was to be in the running, she was even more shocked when she won. “I was surprised to say the least,” says Jacobs. “I did not think I’d go as far as I did.” The interviews for the finalists were especially nerve-racking, but she kept her composure, and it worked in her favor.

Jacobs is proud to be a Mustang, and for good reason. SEHS is not just the school where she works; it is her alma mater, and she takes her school pride seriously. She was a member of the first graduating class of SEHS, and she feels just as excited to be a Mustang now as she did when the school was brand new. “I wanted to be a part of the first graduating class because we were starting something and it was so exciting,” she recalls.

Her excitement and school pride have only grown. The Mustang motto has changed since she graduated. From “A New Tradition of Excellence” to “The Legend Lives,” the school slogan has evolved with the school itself.

What started out as a “New Tradition of Excellence” has now grown into an exceptional school program in which students are given the tools and opportunities to succeed.

“I want to make sure that we can leave a legacy and that the kids that leave here are going to go make their mark on the world,” says Jacobs.

“They’re going to be a better person for being at this school, so I have a lot of school pride. I’m very proud to be a Mustang.”

Since Jacobs became

assistant principal, she has implemented various programs to facilitate positive change for both faculty and students.

Instructional focus, Mustang Mentors, after school tutorials, AP crash courses and dropout prevention are some of the programs that are particularly important to her.

Though the dropout rate at SEHS is low, Jacobs wants to see all of her students graduate and is impacted whenever that doesn’t happen. “Can I tell you the most difficult part, and I will lose sleep over this at night, are those kids that we feel like we can’t get to,” she says.

She has overcome many obstacles along the way, but she says she has grown from every challenge. From the challenges of being a young administrator to balancing work, continuing her education, and raising a family, Jacobs says she could not have accomplished it without the support of those around her.

Her faith, family, friends and coworkers have made all the difference.

“I have a huge support system,” she says. “I think it’s the love and support of people around you. Knowing that I have a principal that supports me one hundred percent and allows me to be innovative and allows me to do things makes it worthwhile.”

When she is not at the school, she spends as much time as she can with her husband, Bryan, and their three-year-old twins, Isaac and Asher. Playing with them and watching them grow have become her favorite hobby.

She is currently an Educational Specialist, and she plans to start working on her doctorate next year. Her ultimate goal is to become a principal. “I feel like I still have a lot to bring to the table, and I’d love the opportunity to be a principal,” she says.

As much as she loves her role in

www.EffinghamMagazine.com | August/September 2018 15

administration, the one thing she misses the most is the close relationship she had with her students when she was in the classroom. With over 1,600 students at SEHS, she doesn’t know each student quite as well, but she still refers to them all as “my kids,” and their success is important to her.

When asked the best advice she could give them to succeed, she refers to a poster that was in her classroom. It read: “Let the choices I make today be the consequences I can live with tomorrow.” It is a slogan that sticks with her to this day. “Make good choices and learn from the bad choices made,” says Jacobs. “That’s how you grow.”

Jacobs has certainly grown as an educator as well as an administrator. From student, to teacher, to assistant principal, she has truly come full circle at SEHS. And she plans to keep going as far as her ambition and her talents will take her.

As another school year begins, she is excited to continue her job of supporting the faculty and students at SEHS. Winning 2018 Assistant Principal of the Year has been an honor for Tammy Jacobs, but working at the school she loves is the true honor.

16 August/September 2018 | www.EffinghamMagazine.com

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providing training and access to resources to help families imconnectedness and civic engagement prove their shelter conditions. Habitat for Humanity was founded on the conviction that every man, woman and child should • Positive changes in family dynamics have a simple, durable place to live in dignity and safety, and • Enhanced feelings of personal well-being that decent shelter in decent communities should be a matter of conscience and action for all.

The Effingham County affiliate was incorporated in 1995 by a group of Effingham County residents led by Morris Oglesby of Rincon.

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www.EffinghamMagazine.com | August/September 2018 19

New Horizons Paige Dickey and Rincon Elementary School

R

story by Katrice Williams

incon Elementary School has a whole new look. Well, it actually has a little more than just a new look. It is an entirely new school all together. In fact, it stands as the largest elementary school in the county, being built to accommodate 1,200 students; however, it will start with about 975. This new school’s doors opened bright and early on Thursday, August 2nd. Paige Dickey, a Savannah native, has been the school’s principal for over 13 years. She is excited about the new school and even more excited to see how her students respond.

Paige lives in the local area, along with her husband Travis and their three children: Walker, Conner and Brittany.

Travis is originally from Effingham.

Paige has been an educator for over 28 years. She began her career as a special education (SPED) teacher in 1991 at the Coastal Georgia Academy in Savannah.

After investing five years there, she moved to Effingham County High School (ECHS), where she continued teaching SPED for two years. Afterward, she was the South Effingham High School (SEHS) assistant principal for a couple of years, before becoming a special education program manager for the Fayette County Board of Education. She also had a fouryear tenure as the assistant principal of Effingham County High School (ECHS) prior to her position at Rincon Elementary.

Interestingly enough, this will be the first time that Paige has been privileged to be in a brand-new building.

The entire building processes began about two years ago; the faculty and staff actually started their packing initiatives after student testing was completed last spring. Paige is grateful for all the help of the young ladies and young men of the SEHS and ECHS Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC). Both groups worked extra hard to assure that the move was smooth and successful. SEHS helped with the move out of the old building, while ECHS assisted with the move into the new one.

“Those were some amazing kids. It was wonderful; it was well orchestrated,” Paige said. She adds, "our maintenance

20 August/September 2018 | www.EffinghamMagazine.com

photos by Tonya Perry

department has been amazing with our move and helping us settle in."

She remembers some of the things that everyone did at the old school to make the moving process fun, including having pretend day-outs: “cookouts, beach days and campouts.”

“There were definitely a lot of memories made with that move. One teacher even bought a family-sized tent, and they all had reading time together in the tent. It was awesome; it was fun,” Paige added.

Paige is anxious to see everything unfold. She, too, is excited about a few new things in particular.

“My favorite part is the ‘reading tree,’” she mentioned. Having a Winnie the Pooh theme, an entire portion of the library has a model of a big tree within a forest that can be entered and exited. Designed to cater, more so, to younger students, the entire cozy setting is sure to make story time fun and help foster a love for reading.

Paige plans to “have story time on Fridays with her pre-k students.”

“I like to get to know our kids when they’re little, because many of our children stay with us the whole time. It’s nice to see them from four years old through ten, building relationships as they grow,” she said.

Additionally, Paige is looking forward to promoting even more overall literacy this academic year, which will coincide with the county literacy initiative. She and her faculty and staff are also dedicated to helping students further their knowledge in the fields of science, technology,

engineering and math with their new STEM labs.

She is committed to diligently working to assure that the wonderful qualities that have long been prevalent within the school do not change just because the physical make-up has.

“Our kids are going to be in this beautiful new school…this new environment. Everything changes, but you have to keep your core values. We’re going to bring our traditions and our heart for children here. We’re going to ensure that the heart of our school does not change, and I don’t think it will,” Paige remarked.

Much of the atmosphere of any school is a direct result of the strength and the heart of its leadership. Paige takes pride in having a mother’s heart and wants that to be obvious to every student and parent.

“I’m a mom first. When I hire, I hire as a mom first, and then a principal. My first goal is to take care of them. If you don’t love kids, you can’t teach them. The relationship piece is the most important to me. I value the relationships,” she said.

Speaking of values, Paige believes that all students deserve a quality education and great academic opportunities. That said, Rincon Elementary has been a “Title I Highest Performing Reward School for about 14 years.” Title I status allows for federal financial assistance, namely grants, to be allocated if “children from low-income families make up at least 40% of enrollment; Title I funds may be used for schoolwide programs that serve all children in the school.” These programs are created to help all students meet “state academic standards,” especially those most

academically challenged.

“Anybody can be brilliant, and anybody can do their best; it doesn’t matter their income level,” Paige stated.

“Title I has provided a lot of advantages.

It has provided our parent liaison, Reneé Rollins, who is wonderful; federal title money pays for that,” Paige said. Reneé spearheads various academic and social programs, including the Christmas Wish List, designed to aid less fortunate families during the Christmas season.

“Parents love her,” Paige added. She is grateful to have a great parent-teacher organization, PTO, to help with overall efforts.

“They’re wonderful. They help immensely…always here, always helping,” she commented. It certainly takes a village in student success, and Paige, along with her team of educators, does not take that for granted.

“For the past 14 years, we’re always ranked in the top 5% of title schools in the state. Our kids do really well. Their parents work hard; the teachers work hard; the kids work hard,” Paige said.

Paige highly regards her entire school

www.EffinghamMagazine.com | August/September 2018 21

faculty and staff and is proud to work with such noteworthy individuals who share in her sincere love for the kids.

“We don’t have a lot of turnover; we have very steady teachers. I think our biggest advantage is that we hire people that love children. It’s a very welcoming and nurturing environment. Everybody works together; everybody has the best interest of the kids at heart, and that’s what matters.

It’s about the kids,” Paige stated.

She mentions some of those individuals that she works closely with to ensure student success--her assistant principals.

Kirbi Ratner, a former 2nd grade teacher and 5th grade math, science and social studies teacher, is the “instructional supervisor over curriculum, instruction and testing.”

“She was phenomenal in the classroom, and she is phenomenal as the instructional supervisor,” Paige declared. Tracy Kieffer, once a student at Rincon Elementary, became a teacher for the school and is now an administrator. Paige knows that she adds tremendous value to the team. Paige feels privileged to have Melissa Long, who recently transferred from Marlow Elementary School. All-in-all, everyone is certainly dedicated to student success.

As Paige looks out the window of her new office, she is very pleased with what she sees. She is confident that the future of Rincon Elementary School will be as bright as the skies above.

22 August/September 2018 | www.EffinghamMagazine.com

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Keeping Our Students Safe

T

he Effingham County School District makes every effort to equip our students with the educational foundation necessary to succeed in today’s society. However, we recognize that, in order for our children to learn effectively, they must feel safe in their environment. Recurring news of tragedies on school campuses has heightened public awareness to the undeniable need for practical and effective school safety measures, and our school district is no exception. In response to that need, we have taken proactive steps to ensure the ongoing protection of our students and employees. After all, preparedness is key, and no child should fear going to school, just as no parent should fear sending their child to school any more than any other public place.

The Effingham County Board of Education has opted for some common-sense approaches to strengthening our safety measures. Our Board has approved the allocation of additional dollars in this year’s budget to be utilized towards measures such as increasing our number of resource officers as well as purchasing safety vestibules for our middle and high schools. Through the existing partnership we have with the Effingham County Commissioner’s Office and the Sheriff’s Office, we have been able to secure two additional full-time resource officers for our school system. These officers will provide relief when a school resource officer is out or called away to another duty. We are sincerely grateful for our remarkable partnerships with local law enforcement including the Springfield, Guyton, and Rincon Police Departments as well as the Effingham County Sherriff’s Office. The ongoing communication and cooperation we maintain with these agencies have allowed us to offer our students a level of security that would, otherwise, be unavailable to them.

The installation of safety vestibules is forthcoming for each of our middle and high schools as well as our Effingham College and Career Academy. We deeply appreciate our local delegation for their successful efforts to secure state dollars to help fund this project.

Plans are currently underway to begin the installation of these vestibules as soon as possible, and we are confident that these will provide an extra layer of security for our students. In fact, each of our eight elementary schools currently benefit from safety vestibules whose purchase would not have been possible without ESPLOST revenues. Our school district would like to thank each of the members of the Effingham community who support the ESPLOST tax that makes projects like our vestibules a reality.

Moving forward, the Effingham County Board of Education has voted to designate additional ESPLOST funds to be used towards school safety for any capital improvement. Thoughts for the future include the purchase of additional cameras as well as the update of our current locking systems.

While our school district recognizes the need for school safety expenditures, our greatest safety resources are the eyes and ears of our teachers, students, and parents. We ask that you always be aware of your surroundings and report anything that seems odd or out of the ordinary. Even if your suspicions are determined to be unfounded, you will have played a critical role towards protecting our children and ensuring their wellbeing.

Thank you for entrusting your children to us each year. We do not take this responsibility lightly, and we hope to continue earning your trust as we educate and protect your children throughout each new school day.

Randy Shearouse

Superintendent of Schools

Effingham County School Directory Elementary School Blandford Elementary LaToya Jones, Principal liones@effinqham.k12.qa.us 4650 McCall Road, Rincon, GA 31326 Phone: 826-4200 Ebenezer Elementary Beth Kight, Principal bkight@effingham.k12.ga.us 1198 Ebenezer Road, Rincon, GA 31326 Phone: 754-5522 Guyton Elementary Charlotte Connelly, Principal cconnelly@effingham.k12.ga.us 719 Central Blvd Hwy 17 N., Guyton, GA 31312 Phone: 772-3384

Elementary School (continuted) Marlow Elementary Leslie Dickerson, Principal ldickerson@effingham.k12.ga.us 5160 Highway 17 S., Guyton, GA 31312 Phone: 728- 3262 Rincon Elementary Dr. Paige Dickey, Principal pdickey@effingham.k12 .ga.us 1703 Ft. Howard Rd., Rincon, GA 31326 Phone: 826-5523 Sand Hill Elementary Christy Brown, Principal cbrown@effingham.k12.ga.us 199 Stagecoach Avenue, Guyton, GA 31312 Phone: 728-5112 South Effingham Elementary Anna Barton, Principal abarton@effingham.k12.ga.us 767 Kolic Helmey Road, Guyton, GA 31312 Phone: 728-3801 Springfield Elementary Lisa Woods, Principal lwoods@effingham.k12.ga .us 300 Old Dixie Hwy S., Springfield, GA 31329 Phone: 754-3326

Middle Schools Ebenezer Middle Amie Dickerson, Principal adickerson@effingham.k12.ga.us 1100 Ebenezer Road, Rincon, GA 31326 Phone: 754-7757 Effingham County Middle Timothy Hood thood@effingham.k12.ga.us 1659 Highway 119 S., Guyton, GA 31312 Phone: 772-7001 South Effingham Middle Dr. Brigid Nesmith, Principal bnesmith@effingham.k12.ga.us 1200 Noel C. Conaway Road, Guyton, GA 31312 Phone: 728-7500

High Schools Effingham County High Billy Hughes, Principal bhughes@effingham.k12.ga.us 1589 Highway 119 South, Springfield, GA 31329 Phone: 754-6404 South Effingham High Dr. Mark Winters, Principal mwinters@effingham.k12.ga.us 1220 Noel C. Conaway Road, Guyton, GA 31312 Phone: 728-7511 August/September 2018 | www.EffinghamMagazine.com

Effingham College and Career Academy Dr. Barbara Prosser, CEO bprosser@effinqham.k12.qa.us 2940 Hwy 21 S., Rincon, GA Phone: 754-5610

EFFINGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION Academic Calendar 2018-2019 AUGUST August 2 - First Day of School/ First Day of the First Nine Weeks

December 20-January 2 CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS - NO SCHOOL

SEPTEMBER September 3 - LABOR DAY - NO SCHOOL September 4 - Issue First Nine Weeks Progress Reports

JANUARY January 2 - PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY - STUDENT HOLIDAY January 7 - Issue Second Nine Weeks Report Cards January 21 - MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. HOLIDAY - NO SCHOOL

OCTOBER October 4 - Last Day of First Nine Weeks October 4 - PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES - Students Dismissed Early October 5 - PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY - STUDENT HOLIDAY October 8-9 - FALL HOLIDAY-NO SCHOOL October 15 - Issue First Nine Weeks Report Cards NOVEMBER November 9 - Issue Second Nine Weeks Progress Reports November 19 - 23 - THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS - NO SCHOOL DECEMBER December 18 - Last Day of the Second Nine Weeks; End of First Semester

FEBRUARY February 4 - Issue Third Nine Weeks Progress Reports February 13 - PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES - STUDENT HOLIDAY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY February 14 - 18 - WINTER HOLIDAY - NO SCHOOL MARCH March 12 - Last Day of the Third Nine Weeks March 18 - Issue Third Nine Weeks Report Cards

MAY May 22 - Last Day of School; Last Day of Fourth Nine Weeks; Last Day of the Second Semester May 23 - 24 - Post-Planning for Staff May 24 - SEHS Graduation - 7 p.m. at The Corral May 25 - ECHS Graduation - 7 p.m. at Rebel Field May 27 - Fourth Nine Weeks Report Cards released on Parent Portal@ 5 p.m.

Potential Make-up Days for 2018-2019 The school system has identified six potential make-up days in the calendar. These dates are October 5, 8, 9, January 2, February 14, 15.

• These days could be used if the school system has to close due to weather or emergency events.

• The days will not be used automatically. After an event, the superintendent will decide whether or not to activate one or more of the make-up days.

APRIL April 12 - Issue Fourth Nine Weeks Progress Reports April 19 - April 26 - SPRING HOLIDAYS - NO SCHOOL

www.EffinghamMagazine.com | August/September 2018

CTAE – Career Technical and Agriculture Education

Getting Effingham Students on Track for the Future

C

areer Technical and Agriculture, Education (CTAE), (formerly known as Vocational Education) is offered in Effingham County Schools to give our youth the opportunity to be highly skilled when they are out of school and entering into the work force.

CTAE courses will get our students on the fast track to their future. Whatever their plans may be after high school, CTAE courses and career pathways will give them a head start in many technical and professional careers.

Students participating in CTAE will attend project-based classes that give them hands-on experience in their chosen field.

This will enable them to learn whether they like doing the work in their chosen path and challenge them to gain skills they can use wherever life takes them. They will learn how to take these skills and apply them to real life.

As students complete the steps in working toward their goals, they will find that they are no longer wondering what they will do after graduation. They will know what they want to do and where they are going, and they will have the education and plan to take them there.

Effingham County School’s CTAE program offers career-related educational areas – called Program Concentrations and related Pathways. The Program Concentrations and Pathways gives students insights into the possible

occupations in each program.

Todd Wall is the CTAE District Coordinator. His job is to provide expertise and leadership in the operational management and support of the program to enhance student achievement at the middle and high school levels. He also has the task of developing the system CTAE instructional budget and ensure the timely and appropriate expenditure of local,

August/September 2018 | www.EffinghamMagazine.com

state, and federal grants and funds, all while supervising and supporting all CTAE instructors and assisting in implementing curriculum and instruction across all CTAE pathways.

Sounds like a big job? Not to Wall, who has 17 years in Career Technical Agriculture Education. Wall came to Effingham County three years ago as the CTAE Supervisor for the 2015-16 school

year for Effingham County High School.

Now, he is serving his second year as CTAE District Coordinator.

Currently, there are approximately 2100 students in the high schools and 1100 middle school students in the CTAE program throughout the Effingham County School System. To be in this program, all students must complete three elective units in a coherent sequence in Career Technical and Agricultural Education, Modern Foreign Language or Fine Arts.

The Career Pathways currently being offered in our school system are Logistics, Intro to Digital Technology, Work-Based Learning, Computer Science, Automotive Service Technology, Engineering and Technology, Healthcare Science, Culinary Arts, Agriculture, Early Childhood Education, Audio/Video Technology, Business, JROTC, Public Safety and Forensic Science. In this program, students must complete three levels/ classes of instruction, plus a 4th level in some areas.

When asked about new things for the new school term, Mr. Wall shares, “Project Lead the Way... we started PLTW at Effingham College and Career Academy two years ago and we are now in our third year. As of 2018-19 school year, we starting

to implement PLTW in the middle and elementary schools.”

He adds, “We piloted Computer Science at ECCA last year and this year we are in full implementation.”

Project Lead the Way provides transformative learning experiences for PreK-12 students and teachers. It creates an engaging, hands-on classroom environment and empowers students to develop in-demand knowledge and skills they need to thrive. PLTW also provides teachers with the training, resources and support they need to engage students in real-world learning.

Work-Based Learning placements represent the pinnacle of the CareerRelated Education experience. To qualify for a WBL placement, a student must be in grades 11 or 12 and at least 16 years old.

Students must also have a defined Career Pathway in order to participate in a WorkBased Learning placement.

This is especially important for

successful completion of a student’s pathway in that their job placement is directly related to the curriculum of the pathway classes they have completed or in which they are concurrently enrolled.

There are several opportunities for students to participate in work-based learning. These opportunities include employability skill development, Cooperative Education, Internship, Youth Apprenticeship, and Clinical Experiences.

“We have a very strong Work-Based Learning program in Effingham County.

Our WBL coordinators, Ms. Sherry Duff at ECHS and Ms. Sherry Baggot at SEHS, do an outstanding job of placing our students each year. This year we will have over 140 students placed in different career related jobs, internships, apprenticeships and clinical experiences throughout our area,” says Wall. "Students are prepared and have the opportunity to enter directly into the workforce or continue their education in a post-secondary option or both."

www.EffinghamMagazine.com | August/September 2018

Our kids deserve A+ schools.

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successful school year. God's blessings to the students, teachers and the many others who make your education possible."

- Jon Burns

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www.EffinghamMagazine.com | August/September 2018 33

Cutting-edge. Innovative. Transformative.

TELEMEDICINE

C

story by Kelly Harley

utting-edge. Innovative.

Transformative. These words can be used to describe the Effingham Health TELEMED program. After its first year in operation at two local schools, the program is expanding and offering students access to health care like never before.

TELEMED in Action In 2017, Effingham Health System (EHS) launched the TELEMED program in two Effingham County schools, Springfield Elementary and Guyton Elementary.

The collaborative effort between EHS, Georgia Partnership for Telehealth and the Effingham County Board of Education has been met with plenty of praise. “Our primary focus is to provide quality, accessible health care to the students and staff in the Effingham County school system,” says Karen Warnell, health services coordinator for Effingham County schools. “We want to have a positive impact on the children’s health, school attendance and academic performance.”

This year, the program is expanding to Sandhill Elementary and Rincon Elementary. Schools are selected by which locations can serve the most children.

The goal is to add schools each semester, until all the schools have access to the program. “We looked at the data and carefully chose the schools to implement the program,” says Joe Tallent, community and operations coordinator for EHS. “We decided to start with elementary schools first, and one main benefit of starting the program in lower grades is that the children and parents will already be familiar with how the program works.”

Tallent says it is a plus that this encourages parents to feel more involved with the kids’ school life at a young age. During the 2017-2018 school year, there were 34 telemedicine visits. A typical visit is anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes.

photos by Tonya Perry

the nurse determines if a telemedicine appointment is necessary and if it is, he or she starts the virtual doctor’s appointment.

EHS doctors and physician assistants then “meet” with patients. Today’s telemedicine visit includes a bluetooth stethoscope, digital cameras, monitors and a digital scope. The physician can see a high-definition picture of the patient and communicates via live cameras and a computer. “We test a lot for strep throat and the flu. We also treat a lot of ear infections,” says Warnell. “If a patient is diagnosed, medications are prescribed and called into the pharmacy.” This means the medication will be ready when the parent goes to pick it up.

Along with increased access to primary health care, decreased emergency room visits, and less time out of the classroom,

How Does TELEMED Work?

One of the main goals of the program is to get children the care they need. Another goal is to keep them (and faculty) in the classroom as much as possible. So, instead of the children and staff needing to leave school to visit a doctor, they simply make a trip to the school nurse’s office. There,

34 August/September 2018 | www.EffinghamMagazine.com

telemedicine visits save money. “The visits benefit Medicaid, PeachCare for Kids® and private insurers. Parents don’t have to miss as much work and the schools don’t need to hire substitute teachers,” says Warnell. Another benefit is that children receive immediate medical attention.

“When we didn’t have telemedicine, the parents would take the child home and they didn’t always go right to the doctor.

Telemedicine visits shorten absence time because often times children are treated faster,” adds Warnell. She says the program involves many people working together to create a seamless visit with a provider.

Funding for the Program This year’s expansion is funded through the Rural Hospital Stabilization grant

awarded by the State Office of Rural Health. The grant allowed for the purchase of equipment and software. “The initial outlay is for the equipment. The cost to run the program each year is minimal,” says Tallent. “There is a membership fee that we pay each year and the physicians are compensated by EHS.” The first year of the program was funded by EHS and the Effingham County Board of Education.

While it’s too early to calculate the cost savings, Tallent says they will continue to collect data and compare as the program moves forward. Regardless of those numbers, Tallent says the program is

making a difference. “While there are a lot of schools using the school-based telemedicine program, there is no county near us that is doing this,” says Tallent.

“It really seems to be the trend and you can essentially have someone seen by a physician across the state.”

The Future of TELEMED Tallent says when the TELEMED program was brought up, decision makers jumped on board right away. “Our new chief executive officer, Fran Baker-Witt, is a visionary and an outside-of-thebox person. She saw the benefits to the community and gave the go-ahead,” says Tallent. “The pieces came together. The School Board and the providers were excited and loved the idea of telemedicine in our schools.”

After a successful first year and with the expansion this year, both EHS and the Effingham County Board of Education say they want to see the program in every school across the county. “Eventually we want to have telemedicine in every public school in the county. We want this to be a successful program, so we are diligent about our expansion,” says Warnell.

EHS is committed to being on the forefront of transforming healthcare for children and families. “If it’s difficult to get the health care they need, we need to go to them,” says Tallent. “As time goes on, we will work out our plan and add new schools each year. Just having the foresight to step outside of the box a little bit and try something cutting-edge, it says a lot about the whole program and partnership.”

www.EffinghamMagazine.com | August/September 2018 35

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What Is A PTO? PTO stands for Parent Teacher Organization. A PTO is a group comprised of parents, teachers, and staff dedicated to improving the educational experience of all students at the Elementary School level. The goals are to encourage interaction between family and school, serve as a source of support, and work with teachers, staff, and the community at large to improve each child’s educational experience. The PTO works closely with the school administration to meet these goals.

If you look up “PTO” in the dictionary you might find words like: organize, support, help, and volunteer. The PTO organizes special events and fundraises for the schools they represent. Any parent or guardian of a current enrolled student as well as all current faculty and staff can join.

Each elementary school in Effingham County has an active Parent, Teacher Organization. Following you will find their plans for the 2018-19 school term.

Blandford Elementary Leaders: Teri Massey and Ashley Boyette What are your goals for the 2018-19 school term?

The goal for the Blandford Elementary School PTO is to serve our teachers, staff, and administrators in any way possible in order to make this the most successful year our children can possibly have. The core PTO team for the school coordinates the various projects throughout the year. Our school motto is One School, One Team.

Ashley Boyette So far this year, we have several events planned. There will be a BooHoo Breakfast for the parents of our kindergarten students, Teacher Appreciation Events, and a Daddy/Daughter dance. We are also working to establish a Spirit Store with the help of Peachy Tees, another small local business in Springfield. They are creating a website that will allow parents to directly order spirit wear throughout the year. This will be in addition to the campus spirit store that will be open weekly. The store will be staffed by our awesome parent volunteers.

We plan to create a network of local businesses that will contribute and help us throughout the year.

Our goal for the 2018-2019 school year is to raise funds to increase the ratio of available technology per student. We are working to finalize our list of fundraising opportunities.

Teri Massey Ebenezer Elementary Leader: Kara Gelderman The mission of Ebenezer Elementary School PTSO is to work in cooperation with our parents and teachers to reach our common goal of providing the best educational experience for our students. We support the students and school both monetarily, as well as through volunteering, while providing opportunities for our families to connect.

A few of the events that are planned for the 2018-2019 school term are Family Painting Night, Supper with Santa, Bingo for Books and the Boosterthon Program.

In the fall, Ebenezer Elementary PTSO will be offering a catalog sale which includes a variety of items for purchase. For the spring, we will partner again with the Boosterthon Program. Both of these types of fundraisers have been very successful for us in the past and we look forward to applying those funds directly to areas of the school where improvements are needed.

The Ebenezer Elementary School PTSO has a three-part goal for the upcoming school year:

1. We place great emphasis on hosting a variety of family centered events and activities to help foster connections between

our families and the school. This also provides an excellent opportunity to get involved through volunteering.

2. Through our annual fundraisers, we support the financial needs of our school which are not met by other sources of funding.

3. Family connections and support of our fundraisers help make our third goal of providing educational enrichment a reality.

Meeting our technology demands is something we have focused on for several years and will continue to be one of our primary objectives for the coming year.

Guyton Elementary Leader: Heather Thompson The mission of the Guyton Elementary School PTO is to raise funds for things that will help our children’s education. We enjoy working with parents, teachers and students to make our fundraising something that will benefit everyone.

The biggest event we have planned for this school year is our Fall Festival. Our school will be turned into a place of fun for all ages. The most popular at this event is the Haunted Hallway. Our amazing 4th and 5th grade teachers and staff make the entire hallway scary. In the past we have had obstacle courses, trick-or-treating, cake walks and hay rides, along with several other games and food. We also open The Santa Shop for a week in December. This gives students and families a chance to shop for the people they care about. It is so exciting to be a part of this event and watch how happy the kids are for the opportunity to shop. We also do a birthday celebration where we give each student a cupcake and drink during the month of his or her birthday.

We are excited about the fundraisers we have planned for the 2018-2019 school year. We like to call them "Fun"raisers because we

38 August/September 2018 | www.EffinghamMagazine.com

like to plan things that get the students and their families involved by making them fun activities. We have Bingo Nights planned, Santa Night, lollipop sale for Valentine's Day, and we are hoping to team up with a Fun Run at the end of the year. There is a monthly fundraiser, Fun Friday, where we sell the students a snack and a drink for $1.00. This happens the last Friday of every month.

One of the goals of the PTO for this school year is to purchase a covered area that will give our students a place to sit in the shade during their recess time. Most of the school year is very hot and we feel that this will be a great way to spend the funds that are raised throughout the year.

Rincon Elementary Leaders: Tiffany Altman, Courtney Barnwell The mission for the Rincon Elementary School PTO is to create a strong community that serves our students, families, teachers and staff. We promote communication between administration, faculty, parents and the community to enrich our children’s' education.

We have a couple of events planned for the 2018-2019 school year. We are going to have a grand opening ceremony for the new school this fall, and in December, we are planning a Christmas Family Fun Night.

Our fundraisers kick off this fall when the students will be selling chocolate. We are also planning a Boosterthon Fun Run in January. The students approach parents, grandparents and friends for pledges for the laps that they will run or walk.

The Boosterthon actually lasts for two weeks and is not limited to the Fun Run. During this time we also hold character building workshops and pep rallies for the students.

During the 2017-2018 school year, we launched a 3 year campaign to raise at least $100,000 for new school expenses. We were able to raise $30,000 that will go directly toward the new school expenses. Our goal for this school term is to continue and increase the pace that was set so that we can reach our financial goal.

Sandhill Elementary Leader: Angela Wise The mission of the Sandhill Elementary School PTA is to make every child's potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.

Some of the events planned for the 2018-2019 school year are a Boo Hoo Breakfast, Spooky Supper, Santa Shop, and Family Fun Nights.

We are planning on a fall fundraiser with the help of Otis Spunkmeyer and a chocolate fundraiser in the spring.

Our goal for the upcoming school year is to bring the families of Sand Hill Elementary School together to support and help our students grow in an enriching environment.

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www.EffinghamMagazine.com | August/September 2018 39

Premier Bowl & Bistro “Pooler’s Ultimate Entertainment Destination”

P

story by Katrice Williams

ooler has an all new and exciting entertainment venue. In fact, there is nowhere like it in the surrounding area. Premier Bowl & Bistro, located next to their sister property, Frames n’ Games, recently opened its doors to the public. As it is a family-owned business, Christopher, “Chris,” Smith, the sales and marketing manager, feels that the “personal touch makes a difference,” and he is enthusiastic about what is to come.

“Once people know we’re here, it’s really going to take off. I’m excited,” he said.

Understanding that Frames n’ Games often “caters to kids,” Premier was designed with adults in mind. It gives adults the option to be in a more mature environment, especially since there is a 21- year-old admittance requirement after 6 p.m. each day.

“We want to create an entertainment destination for adults…the ultimate adult entertainment destination. We still welcome kids before 6 p.m. But, of course, we do have the curfew after 6 p.m. Anyone can come in; we don’t discourage anyone,” Chris stated.

Chris and the entire team want customers to feel welcome and to have an incomparable experience when they come in. He believes that this is only accomplished through superior customer service.

“Of course, we do want top-of-the-line customer service. With anywhere you go, if you don’t have good customer service, you shouldn’t even open your doors,” he said.

The Bowl and More Premier features a 14-lane bowling alley, but not just any bowling alley. It was created to provide more of an upscale vibe.

photos by Tonya Perry

The couches have a luxurious feel with built-in device outlets. There is a touch screen on every lane, where customers may conveniently place their orders. More so, there is “cosmic bowling” after 10 p.m. every Friday and Saturday, where regular lights dim and black lights come out, “along with lasers, disco lights and strobe lights.” The place is filled with music coming from a “state of the art sound system.”

Customers can relax and enjoy some games of pool as they take a load off in the laid-back atmosphere. If games are more desired, they can visit the arcade, which already includes a variety of fun and engaging games; however, there are even more to come.

The Bistro The staff welcomes visitors to come with a big appetite. The menu is filled with an

40 August/September 2018 | www.EffinghamMagazine.com

assortment of delicious dishes. Pizzas, made your way, include: Hawaiian, Greek, Meat Lovers and Buffalo, all made with a variety of taste buds in mind; “fresh pizza dough is made daily.”

“We have a brand-new brick pizza oven

back there,” Chris said. “It’s awesome!”

Flavorful wings can be tossed in a variety of sauces, whether parmesan, lemon pepper, barbeque, teriyaki, buffalo or hot; the pecan smoked wings are certainly palate pleasers.

Most cannot resist the delectable, all beef Angus Burgers made of a “short rib and brisket blend,” including: the Portobello Mushroom Burger, a grilled burger covered with grilled Portobello Mushrooms; the “Mac,” topped with bacon and mac -n- cheese; the Jalapeno Bacon Burger, covered with fresh jalapenos and crispy bacon, or even the “Beyond Burger,” an “all-natural, soy-based protein burger.”

For customers who don’t quite want a big burger, the sandwiches, made of “antibiotic and hormone-free” meat, are the next best thing; enjoy the Philly Cheese

made from shaved ribeye or the seasoned and grilled chicken sandwich. Further, the variety of creamy pastas (shrimp, chicken, veggie and salmon) are tongue-teasers.

There are various other menu items to choose from, including: naan tacos, fish and chips, sliders, quesadillas, chicken fingers, nachos, giant pretzels, hot dogs and fries/tots and curds. Customers who want to walk on the lighter side can enjoy fresh mixed salads. For those with a bit of a sweet tooth, both a creamy key lime pie and a decadent two-layer chocolate cake are great desert options. Moreover, the space is equipped with a “beautiful, large, granite-top” full bar for customers.

The staff at Premier wants to provide their customers with an “atmosphere centered around comfort and fun…a wellrounded environment, letting them escape

Premier Bowl & Bistro 4 Towne Center Ct. Pooler, GA 31322 (912)-348-2739 www.PoolerBowl.com

the worries of the day.” That is why they feel customers should come in and see for themselves.

“Once you come and start having fun, you’re going to fall in love with it,” Chris commented. He explained that there were “regulars” after only the first week of business.

A banquet hall is also available to rent for private or corporate events. Large groups are welcomed. The team wants to strive to accommodate customers as much as possible, even by customizing offers to best satisfy their interests and needs.

Besides further developing several areas within the new business, the management team has various other goals in mind for the near future to provide customers’ overall entertainment pleasure, including the possibility of showcasing various bands for their enjoyment.

The team understands that people should always be one of the biggest focal points of any business. That said, they recognize the value of community involvement. Chris believes that participating in value-driven and noteworthy fundraising activities within the community is a big part of having a successful business.

“If you’re not involved within the community, people really don’t appreciate the value of your business,” he said.

Premier Bowl & Bistro is driven to provide a mature, all-in-one “entertainment destination” for adults, while consistently offering all customers a unique entertainment getaway.

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(912) 330-5577 4 Towne Center Ct • Pooler • poolerbowl.com 42 August/September 2018 | www.EffinghamMagazine.com

EFFINGHAM SPORTS Spotlight

A GIFT THAT WILL KEEP ON GIVING JOSH REDDICK STADIUM

S

ome dreams do come true. And, Effingham County is benefitting from a dream of one certain man, Josh Reddick. Josh is a former SEHS standout and now a member of the Houston Astro’s World Series Championship team.

The Josh Reddick Stadium recently opened at the Clarence E. Morgan Recreational Complex, a dream Josh has had since he was in junior high school.

The Josh Reddick Stadium has a unique field, unlike any other in the county, or in the state for that matter.

This field is entirely wheelchair accessible.

The stadium has an all turf field and is accessible to all children, including those with special needs. The stadium is also fully decked out with a 10-foot by 36-foot scoreboard, covered seating with fans to cool off on those hot days and a brick dugout.

“This is a dream that I have been wanting to come true, and now that it is here, it is definitely heartwarming,” Josh says. “I think the biggest moment of it was seeing the teams that played on it. We have a group called the Effingham Navigators, a group we sponsor for, and we couldn’t think of anyone else who should be able to play the first game there,” he adds.

The Effingham County Navigator Team, made of children with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their siblings, played the inaugural game, and the entire team wore Reddick's number 22.

By “we,” Josh is referring to himself and the Josh Reddick Foundation Board of Directors. Since its inception in 2014, The Josh Reddick Foundation has been on a mission to advocate for the youth of Effingham County with a focus on supporting students, preserving recreational parks, and helping those in need.

The Josh Reddick Foundation puts on charitable events annually to raise money for county needs and provides money for four college scholarships (two boys and two girls) at South Effingham and Effingham County high schools.

Josh was nearly 2,500 miles from home in Anaheim for a game during the stadium opening, Foundation President Trey Saxon says seeing Reddick's dream become a

reality is surreal.

"When you make it celebrity status if you want to call it - it's weird for me to say that - you kind of get to pick what you leave behind or what you want your legacy to be, "For Josh to pick a baseball field, that's pretty cool, "Trey expresses.

Saxon said the stadium's longevity will likely outlive them and be a place their children and grandchildren can play.

Clarence Morgan, Effingham County Recreation Director and the namesake of the Clarence E. Morgan Recreational Complex feels the same way and said he's grateful Reddick hasn't lost sight of his roots.

"It's amazing," he said. "I was watching the Astros Network about 18 months ago, and they were talking about one of the ballplayers who had done something for the community. I told my wife, 'Josh is going to do that for us one day,' and within two months, I got a call from Trey. In a little more than a year, we had it built."

Clarence, who has known Josh since he was a youngster playing ball within the recreation department, continues to be amazed by the generosity of Effingham’s favorite son. "It’s a field of dreams come true," he says.

The Josh Reddick Stadium, which resembles the new, state-of-the-art minorleague stadiums, only continues Josh’s local legacy. Those close to the project couldn't have been more excited to unveil the stadium to the public. “That’s probably one of the coolest things to see, a vision become a reality, that’s even cool in itself but for something to come out way more exceptional than you already expected …

44 August/September 2018 | www.EffinghamMagazine.com

that’s even cooler to be able to come out and be a part of something like that," said Trey.

"It’s hard to describe this facility,” Clarence said. "I call the stadium the Lamborghini and the rest of the complex, the Cadillac. This is an amazing facility.

Our grand opening is just what we had hoped for… a family affair. We had a great turnout.”

There is no doubt this stadium will be used by hundreds of thousands of kids over the next several decades. This million dollar stadium given to the county by Josh and his Foundation, is a gift that one could never put a price tag on. The joy of the children’s faces seen by the many crowds visiting this Josh Reddick Stadium is priceless.

Josh Reddick Stadium is definitely a Grand Slam for Effingham County.

JOSH REDDICK FOUNDATION Mission: Our mission is to be an advocate for the youth and those in need in our community.

About JRF: Since its inception in 2014, The Josh Reddick Foundation has been on a mission to advocate for the youth of Effingham County with a focus on supporting students, preserving recreational parks, and helping those in need.

The foundation hosts all charitable events in Effingham County and the money raised is given back to the community.

Portions of all money raised go toward the recreation departments as well as the sheriff's office, fire departments, animal shelters, the Manna House, the Treutlan

House and more.

The foundation gives money back to the Board of Education by being a platinum level sponsor to both Effingham County High and South Effingham High. They also gave money to each elementary school this year and have plans to give to each middle school in the Effingham School District.

Athletics are not the only focus of the Foundation. Each year the organization awards four graduating seniors, one male and one female from each high school, a $1000 college scholarship for academic excellence. The foundation also awards a male and female high school "Athlete of the Month" every month.

On top of donations and fundraising events, Josh himself comes home during the offseason and gives back with his time.

Some of the many things you can find Josh doing is reading to the elementary schools, doing speaking engagements around the county, and visiting sick children in the hospital to lift their spirits.

Board Members: Trey Saxon, President Donna Sheppard, Secretary Jan Landing, Treasurer Brian Coulter, Financial Dino Oliver, Production Manager Julie Hales, Marketing Director

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On-Line Registration Now Available www.EffinghamMagazine.com | August/September 2018 45

BAILEE WILSON

“I love the winning, I can take the losing, but most of all I love to play.” –unknown

O

story by Cindy Burbage

ne of the hardest lessons to learn about life is in order to play hard, you must work hard. Meet Effingham County High School Senior, Bailee Wilson, whose life reflects this perception with her academics and softball career.

The seventeen-year-old began playing softball with the recreation department ten years ago and hasn’t looked back.

photos by Shelia Scott

Bailee shared, “I started when I was 8 years old and my love for the game only grew. My first travel ball experience came playing for the Angels. I stayed with this team for 5 years getting to compete at National Championships in Chattanooga, TN, Salem, VA, and even San Diego, CA. At 15 years old, I changed to the Georgia Impact. It was on this team when I first started to get recruited for college. It was

46 August/September 2018 | www.EffinghamMagazine.com

important that I not only keep my skills up as a player, but also as a student. While attending school, I played for Effingham County Middle School on the softball team and for Effingham County High School.

For my senior season, I will be playing for ECHS in the positions of pitcher and 3rd base.”

The love for the game and talent is something that runs in the Wilson family. Bailee’s interest was sparked by watching her sister, Shelby play. “She has always been someone that I look up to for guidance. She was playing in one of her travel ball games when her team made an amazing triple play. I looked over to my mom and told her, “I want to play!” the next week my parents signed me up for rec ball,” the pitcher reminisced.

Bailee has gone on to prove she is a force to be reckoned with on the ball field.

Her achievements have been collected as: Region 2 AAAAAA Softball Player of the Year 2016/2017, Region 2 AAAAAA All State first team selection 2016/2017 Best Offensive Player ECHS Lady Rebel Softball team 2016/2017, Savannah Best of Preps Softball Player of the Year 2016/2017, Region 2 AAAAAA Softball Player of the Year 2017/2018, Region 2 AAAAAA All State first team selection 2017/2018, Best Offensive Player ECHS Lady Rebel Softball team 2017/2018, and Savannah Best of Preps Softball Player of the Year 2017/2018, respectfully.

Bailee Wilson’s accomplishments and determination will allow her to attend Georgia Southern University on a full scholarship. She explained her feat, “My scholarship to Georgia Southern was not a very easy decision for me. Ever since I was little, GS has been like home for me and my family. We would go to basketball games and softball games and I would go to their camps whenever I could. My recruitment started when I was 15. People may think that this is so young to be thinking about where you want to go to college, but in the softball world, this is too late to be recruited by some schools. At first, Georgia Southern was not even one of the colleges I thought about attending.

Growing up, my entire family went there.

My sister, Shelby, was recruited by them

and is playing for them now. I thought at first it wasn’t for me because I didn’t want to go where my family went. I wanted to go somewhere different. I also didn’t want people to think I got my scholarship easy just because of my sister, says Bailee.

The recruitment process was difficult for me. I went on my visit and the coach explained to me that she didn’t want me because I was Shelby Wilson’s sister, she wanted me because I was Bailee Wilson.

Now, having only a couple of months left before I sign, I’m confident that Georgia Southern will always be a place that I can call home,” she adds. The ballplayer plans to attend the university for her four years and then continue her education in medical school to become a Trauma Physician.

The athlete admitted that her strength and inspiration to continue her path comes from her strong support system- her family and her faith. “My family, my mom Lisa, my dad, Mike and my sister Shelby, is my rock. They always encourage me to try new things and achieve my goals and dreams. My biggest supporter would have to be my amazing God. Through the ups and downs, He has always been there for me and has given me strength during the

times when I was down on myself and when I was struggling to keep going. He gives me courage and guidance and I know that no matter what I do, He will always be my solid ground to stand on. My other biggest supporters would be my family, friends, and teammates. I am thankful for my family for giving me the chance to achieve my dream of playing college softball and for encouraging me and loving me every step of the way. I also want to thank my friends for when I couldn’t hang or go out with them because I had practice or a game. They too, encourage me and cheer me on with everything that I do. And finally, my teammates, nothing in this world compares to the times I have spent with you all and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Thank you for being with me through the actual blood, sweat, and tears for softball, I couldn’t have asked for better girls to play and create memories with,” she says.

Sports is not the only area that Bailee Wilson shines; she also has a creative art side and admits it is her second favorite thing to do. During the school year, she spreads her time with other areas as well.

“I am the Vice President for my class on Student Council and I am also a part of

many community service clubs at school such as Spanish National Honors Society, Beta Club, Interact Club and 4-H. My most favorite would be cheering on my fellow student athletes as a Rebel Rouser,” she gleefully shared.

Bailee Wilson has an amazing and exciting future ahead of her. She knows the value of hard work and the commitment it takes in achieving success. In closing she lovingly shared, “Softball has been one of the best times of my life. I could not see what the past 10 years of my life would have been like without it. I hope that when my first season starts as an Eagle, I can continue to be not only the best player, but also the best person that I can be. I want to thank anyone that has been with me during my times as a young, growing softball player, you all have shaped me to the person I am today, and I could not have done it without all of you. Thank you to Ms. Julie, Ms. Cindy, and Ms. Sheila for making this article possible and thank you for everyone at Effingham Magazine for continuing to support young and ambitious athletes like myself. And finally, I want to thank God for blessing me with this amazing sport called softball. Without it, I would be nothing.”

www.EffinghamMagazine.com | August/September 2018 47

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Aiming for Archery Excellence

Kale Renfro “If you believe you can, you might. If you know you can, you will.”

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T

story by Katrice Williams

hirteen-year-old Kale Renfro is quite comfortable “following his own arrow,” believing that striving and aiming towards excellence will always be right on target. The young Effingham native is an 8th grader at South Effingham Middle School, and he is already an avid archer. Kale’s mom and dad, Staci and Alex Renfro, learned of their son’s interest in the sport about three years ago.

Actually, Kale’s school is affiliated with the Springfield 4-H Club, which offers an archery program. Kale’s interest in archery was of little surprise, since his dad, one of his biggest mentors, “has always loved hunting.” Though Kale “never cared much for hunting,” archery was the next best thing.

“You don’t have to be a hunter to love archery,” he said.

Kale enjoys practicing with his 4-H team and at home. Whether practicing for the indoor season in Springfield at the 4-H gym or the outdoor season at Honey Ridge plantation, Kale already knows that his skill level grows with each practice. He also understands the necessity of having good equipment. He remembers his mom and dad taking him to get his very first bow.

“It was a Bear Bow…a compound bow.

It looked really cool…an orange camo,” he recalled. A compound bow “uses a cable and pulley levering system to bend the limbs;” this gives the sportsman a “mechanical advantage.” Hence, it is a great choice for beginners. The limbs are “stiffer” than those on other bows, thus “improving accuracy and power” especially over longer distances, greatly due to its uniquely modernized construction and design. That can be a plus, especially since 4-H has a maximum shooting range of 50 yards. What’s more, with the rigidity of the bow, Kale “pulls approximately 45-50 pounds each time he pulls back [his] bowstring.” That can certainly be a workout, considering how often Kale uses his bow, both in practices and tournaments. He normally uses paper

photos by Tonya Perry

targets when performing with his 4-H team. Kale values his time practicing; all of his preparation definitely pays off.

Outdoor tournaments are held at the 4-H camp in Eatonton, Georgia, while indoor competitions are held at the Georgia National Fair in Perry, Georgia.

As 4-H was his introduction into archery, Kale is very grateful to all of his 4-H volunteer coaches that have helped

50 August/September 2018 | www.EffinghamMagazine.com

him over the years. Alongside his dad, Nicky Smith, Steven Sewell, Henry Kessler, Derrick Zipperer and Josh Mosley have all played an instrumental role in him being the talented, young archer that he is today.

Their selfless dedication to the entire team has been remarkable.

Kale, too, has been participating in Scholastic 3-D Archery, S3DA, at Warrior Archery in Tattnall County under the

leadership of coordinator Aric Clements.

S3DA is a nationwide program and has been rapidly growing for quite a while, allowing for both indoor and outdoor archery fun. It benefits young, aspiring archers by introducing them to the “fundamentals of archery and principles of marksmanship.” Group instruction is offered by skilled coaches with various tournament opportunities on local, state and national levels. Much like the 4-H program, S3DA strives to instill such skills as discipline and self-confidence into young enthusiasts. Kale, however, found that there were notable differences in S3DA and 4-H archery, especially the target. Targets are usually 3-D and are either paper or various animal-forms that are made of durable foam; some animals include deer, hog, boar, bear, coyote and various others. Each target features rings that are scored using a scale from 0-12, with 12 being the highest. Interestingly enough, Kale’s parents bought him a 3-D animal target for practice, a pig, who he calls “Joey.” Further, Kale now uses an additional bow, a High-Country Bow, which is commonly used with 3-D targets and is effective for both beginners and advanced archers. S3DA archers use a variety of ranges, with a maximum range of 30 yards.

S3DA offers an array of great scholarships to its high school archers who qualify, some even getting a “full-ride.”

Staci and Alex are certainly excited about that. Staci mentions that many college representatives are often present at the national competition. S3DA athletes may also earn monetary rewards when they win competitions. Understanding the benefit of

the organization, the parents would like to have an S3DA club in the local area, since the closest one is in Tattnall. Aric Clements is currently trying to assist with those efforts.

“He is really trying to help us get one,” Staci said.

Kale has competed in several states, but normally competes in North Georgia.

In fact, he won the “Georgia State Title for Middle School Fixed Pins” this past May in Maysville, Georgia. It afforded him several medals, trophies and even a uniquely elaborate state championship belt buckle. Staci remembers that it was quite a nail-biting event, as Kale and four other competitors went head-to-head in a shoot-off.

“Only three points separated 1st and 5th place,” Kale recalled.

Staci and Alex were anxiously awaiting the outcome. The two were nervous when they noticed that Kale had “zeroed in on the wrong target,” which is very easy to do with an array of various random targets lined up and down a long range; however, hitting the wrong target will land a competitor a zero. Only seconds prior to shooting, Kale quickly and nearly unnoticeably changed his aim.

The state coordinator, who was anxiously pacing back-and-forth, yelled, “Oh my gosh…I think he’s gotten a 10!”

That proved to be quite a memorable event for Kale.

“I was lucky on that,” he said.

Kale then went to nationals in Metropolis, Illinois in June. Over 1,000 other young archers from all over the US competed in various categories. He was

proud to place 3rd in the “Superman City Tournament.”

Kale knows that without the consistent support of some outstanding mentors in his life, he would not be where he is now.

He mentions Bill Whalley and Evan Fox. He appreciates “their knowledge and skill,” along with all of their help in the sport; their diligence and dedication have been priceless.

“I look up to both of them,” he said.

Additionally, Kale is incredibly thankful for Freddie Jones, who he feels is an “allaround mentor.” He feels very privileged to have the love, support and efforts of his mom and dad, who are “persistent to assure that he follows his dreams.” In addition, Kale is extremely grateful to have some truly supportive and proud grandparents: his “NeNe” Pam White and “PaPa” David White, along with his “NanNan” Shelley Renfro. He also appreciates all of his sponsors, whose support helps him to accomplish his archery goals.

Aside from archery, Kale is an honor student with various interests, including his participation in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program at school. He has been an “inventive, creative, problem-solver” for quite some time. Kale enjoys basketball and plays football for his school. He has also been deemed as quite the “handyman” with an incredible work ethic, as he often helps his NeNe and PaPa with tons of projects around the house.

“I’m very proud of him; I can really see him going places,” NeNe stated.

Kale is going places, indeed, and the target certainly looks good for this talented young man.

www.EffinghamMagazine.com | August/September 2018 51

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CrossFit Competitor

PIPER DOTEN

“Though she be but little, she is fierce.” ~ William Shakespeare

F

story by Kathryn Vandenhouten

ierce is the perfect word to describe Piper Doten. Though she is only thirteen years old and small of stature, she has big goals of becoming a sponsored CrossFit athlete and making it to the CrossFit Games.

CrossFit is a high-intensity fitness program that has taken the world by storm. Since its inception in 2000, it has grown into a global fitness phenomenon, boasting nearly four million athletes in at least 144 countries worldwide.

CrossFit athletes are among the fittest in the world. Weightlifting, gymnastics, running and rowing, combined with a high protein, low carb diet is the basic foundation of the sport, and it even comes with its own lingo. Athletes don’t perform in an air conditioned gym, for example; they work out in a “box,” which is basically a large garage with no air conditioning.

Piper has been training at “the box” in Rincon for a little over two years, and her growth as a CrossFit athlete has been substantial. She was only ten years old when she tried CrossFit for the first time.

Her mother, Allison, is a Certified Level 1 Coach as well as a kids' coach at CrossFit Groundspeed in Rincon. Even though she encouraged her daughter to attend CrossFit Kids, she never imagined it would become her passion. “We were starting the kids program,” she recalls. “So I would make her come with me.” After that,

photos by Shelia Scott

she was hooked. But Piper was never a stranger to fitness. She started gymnastics when she was only eighteen months old, and by the age of five, she was competing in gymnastics. When she quit gymnastics to start doing CrossFit at the age of ten, she was already a level seven gymnast.

Now, at the ripe old age of thirteen, she is poised for a bright future in fitness.

She won the very first competition she attended last year, and her dream of competing in the CrossFit Games has only grown.

“The first competition I did was 'The Rise of the South' in the teenage division, and I won that one,” she says. “And I’ve done two adult competitions.” In the adult competitions, the Festivus Games

www.EffinghamMagazine.com | August/September 2018 53

intermediate division and Gobble Games, Piper finished second and third.

In the Garage Games Jr. online world competition, she placed second, and she racked up another win at Groundspeed’s in-house open in the MRX division as well. Her outstanding performance at the Garage Games also earned her a seat at the Garage Games Invitational in July.

“I like going to competitions, because I think it’s really fun to show how hard I’ve worked,” says Piper. “And then I get to meet some really great people.” One of those people is Kaela Stephano, 2016 National Youth Weightlifting Champion and two-time CrossFit Games winner in the youth division.

“She’s won the Teenage CrossFit Games two years in a row, and after she came and worked out, I followed her on Instagram and I messaged her,” Piper says. “She’s been texting me back and helping with my diet and the mental aspect of CrossFit and training, so that’s been really cool and so great.”

Even in the teen division, Piper is one of the youngest athletes, which makes her success even more impressive. And people have taken notice.

CrossFit coach and personal trainer, Darcy Giaquinto, has witnessed Piper’s progress firsthand. “This young lady is a true inspiration to coach, an anomaly to watch, and most importantly, she is a blessing to have as a member of our community of fitness here at CrossFit Groundspeed,” she says. “Piper is one of the most well-rounded athletes that I’ve ever had the honor to mentor and coach, and while her abilities are limitless, her work ethic and attitude are priceless,” she adds.

Piper usually trains for an hour and a half five or six days a week, and she oftentimes does light workouts even on her “rest days.” When it comes to exercise, she loves the challenge of CrossFit more

than other sports. “I feel like you just do a variety of different things and it doesn’t matter how much weight you’re doing, you’re still pushing yourself,” she says.

Her father, Chris, says that pushing herself is what she does best. “I would reemphasize her self motivation,” he says.

“We don’t make her do CrossFit. She pushes herself and quite frankly, pushes us to come in and do this stuff and looks for opportunities to improve herself.”

The 115 lb teen is tossing weight around that many grown women can’t lift. She can deadlift 198 lbs and back squat 176 lbs, for instance. She also has no trouble doing handstand push-ups and muscle ups, which can be difficult even for experienced athletes.

Her favorite weightlifting movement is the snatch, in which the objective is to lift the barbell from the ground to overhead in one continuous motion. She can currently snatch 115 lbs--her own body weight. “I have my technique down, and so I think it’s kind of cool that almost every time I go for a PR, I can hit one in a snatch,” she explains.

As far as setbacks are concerned, Piper

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has asthma, which can sometimes be a nuisance. Striving for perfection, however, is more difficult than any physical ailment.

“I think one of the hardings things for me is just being good at everything,” she says.

She doesn’t think she’s good at running, for example, but she recently surprised herself. “This past weekend there was a 5k that I had to run on Friday, and I’m not the best at running,” she explains. “I don’t run a lot, and I placed third in that event, so that makes me proud when I place high in something that I don’t think I’d be very good at.”

In addition to fitness, she excels in the classroom as well. The South Effingham student will be attending the STEM Academy this year as she enters the ninth grade. After becoming a sponsored athlete, she plans to eventually find a career in health science or work with animals.

“I want to become a games athlete, and I want to be sponsored,” she emphasizes.

Piper Doten knows exactly what she wants, and she is well on her way to making her fitness dreams a reality. She may be young, but one thing is certain: as a competitor, she is fierce.

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