Statesboro Magazine - July/August 2022 by Statesboro Magazine

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from the editor

t seems like the older I get summers get shorter and shorter. Just as we’re entering the Dog Days (from July 3 to August 11 according to the Farmers Almanac), school starts and we’re all back on schedule in anticipation of fall. Before you jump into the next school year, enjoy these lazy summer days for a few more weeks. When you get ready to go back to school, you can use this 2022 Education issue of Statesboro Magazine to prepare for another great year! Since it’s the hottest part of summer, why not grab a glass of fresh-squeezed lemonade from the Main Street Farmers Market this Saturday and meet the vendors at the Market’s new location at 222 South Main Street between the Visit Statesboro Welcome Center and the Blind Willie McTell Trail. Our well-established Market is celebrating a new location and a new popularity as locals rediscover that locally grown food is always the best food. One vendor at the Market that you’ll want to get to know is Sally Scott. Be sure to buy one of the handmade candles to benefit disadvantaged women who are trying to better themselves and re-enter the workforce. Scott’s nonprofit Lift as You Grow empowers women and gives them the skills to meet life’s challenges head on. Read more about her success story inside. Scott encourages women in her program to earn certifications at Ogeechee Technical College to increase their job readiness. That’s just one way OTC benefits local students pursuing careers. Inside you’ll find a special section that outlines OTC’s success in workforce development and student job placement throughout the area. We’re also highlighting Bulloch County’s Summer Learning Academies. This is not Summer School as we knew it. There is no failing or repeating a grade, instead professionals work with small groups of students to improve their English and math skills, putting them ahead in skill sets for the coming school year! The federally funded program benefits all Bulloch County school children grades K – eight. To learn more about the school system’s special programs and accomplishments this year, you will find the Board of Education’s 2022 Annual Report starting on page 35. It details information about each school, award winning teachers, students and the system’s success overall. There are also stories about the Regional Library’s Summer Reading Program, Ocean of Possibilities and the mayor’s new Reading Book Nook at city hall. All that reading is great practice for the first day of school, August 1. Enjoy!

Jenny Foss, Editor

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contributors

Ric Mandes

Ric Mandes, a popular essayist, retired after 27 years as Director of Public Relations and Development for Georgia Southern. His memories about growing up and living in South Georgia inspire his writings. He’s a published author and former newspaper columnist for the AJC.

ESTABLISHED MARCH 1, 2000

Jenny Starling Foss Editor

Joe McGlamery Publisher

Hunter McCumber Senior Creative Director

Mindy Boyette Advertising & Marketing Director

Lazar Brown Oglesby

Frank Fortune Contributing Photgrapher

Lazar Brown Oglesby is the owner of Honey Catering and Dolan’s BBQ both located in Statesboro. Lazar attended Ogeechee Technical College where she earned a Culinary Arts degree. In 2012 Lazar followed a lifelong dream and opened Honey Catering and Café. She enjoys cooking Southern food with an adventurous twist! Lazar is known for her famous cheesecakes of which she has over 100 flavors. Lazar recently started the Honey Blog to share her recipes and stories. Visit her at Dolan’s & Honey’s new location on South Main Street.

Statesboro Magazine is proudly produced by:

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, PLEASE E-MAIL: mboyete@StatesboroMagazine.com FOR EDITORIAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE E-MAIL: editor@StatesboroMagazine.com MAILING ADDRESS: PHYSICAL ADDRESS: P. O. BOX 1084 One Herald Square, Statesboro, GA 30459 Statesboro, GA 30458 p: 912.489.2181 f: 912.489.8613

Rev. John Waters

ABOUT THE COVER

Fresh flowers are just one of the many locally grown treasures on display LIFT AS at the new Main YOU GROW! Street Farmers Reading Ahead Market. Mary Gen Summer Learning Williams of Wilmore Acdemies Farms, a 7th generation farm owned by Mike & Rita Williams in Metter, helps FR ESH SURPRISES the family supply & A B LOO M I N G GO O D TI M E fresh blooms to many area markets and stores. Captured here arranging things by award-winning photographer Frank Fortune. #TheFortuneImage July August 2022

Priceless

OTC Celebrating Diamonds & BOE 2022 Annual Report

Since 2005, John Waters has been the lead pastor of First Baptist Church Statesboro. Raised in a military family, he spent his childhood years in Tokyo, Japan, and Selma, Alabama. He earned a master’s degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a doctorate from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. As a teenager, he once worked a weekend as a circus clown but now enjoys collecting fountain pens, reading across many genres, and visiting the great cathedrals of the world. His wife, Cynthia, is a retired elementary school teacher, and they have two married adult daughters and five grandchildren.

WE LIVE HERE

Carolyn Altman

Carolyn Altman is the Director of the Botanic Garden at Georgia Southern University. She holds degrees from Cornell University, Portland State University, and the University of Nebraska and has published, produced, and taught creative work of all forms, including dance, film, and writing. She spends as much time as possible outside, and has backpacked the Pacific Crest, telemark-skied the Northwest, white water paddled the Northeast, cycled Europe, and bike raced throughout the South. These adventures provide opportunities to learn local plants and how people live among them. Her son, Colby Parker, and daughter-in-law Jordan Miller, are USAF musicians who join Carolyn on wildflower expeditions in the Rockies and river trips through the Ogeechee cypress.

Doy Cave From Eagle Nation is a column brought to you by Georgia Southern University, where we cherish our place in the larger Statesboro community. In each issue, we hope to bring interesting and informative stories to the readers of Statesboro Magazine. Doy Cave is the Marketing Content Manager in the Office of Marketing and Communications at the University, and resides with his family in Statesboro.

Frank Fortune

Frank is the national award winning freelance photographer who holds the distinction of shooting 23 years’ worth of covers for Statesboro Magazine . He retired from Georgia Southern after having been responsible for capturing the University’s history on film and video for 30 years. Throughout his career Frank’s enjoyed all aspects of photography, including sports, still-life, landscape, and architecture. He and his wife, Mandy, are the proud parents of Jack and Cate.

July/August 2022

statesboromagazine.com

WE LIVE HERE

table of contents

THE CULTURE

IN EVERY ISSUE

From the Editor

A New Day, A New Market! The Local Food Movement Just Down the Street Written by Jenny Starling Foss Photography by Frank Fortune

Contributors

Calendar of Events

Summer Learning Academies Written by Jenny Starling Foss Photography by Frank Fortune

Lift as You Grow Written by Jenny Starling Foss Photography by Frank Fortune

News & Notes

Look Around

Transitions

ANNUAL REPORT

Fiscal Year 2022-2023

SPECIAL SECTIONS

FEATURED COLUMNISTS

Buzz Worthy Bites

Written by Lazar Brown Oglesby

Garden Variety

Taste of Summer

Written by Carolyn Altman

Ogeechee Technical College Celebrating Our Diamondss

Words of Life

Written by Rev. Dr. John Waters

Bulloch County Board of Education 2022 Annual Report

Leading & Learning A Stronger Bulloch

True Blue GS

Written by Doy Cave

The View from Here Written by Ric Mandes

Circulation & Copyright Statesboro Magazine is published bi-monthly (six issues a year) at a $25.00 annual subscription rate by Morris Multimedia, P.O. Box 1084, Statesboro, GA, 30459. Periodical postage paid at Statesboro, Georgia. Postmaster send address changes to Statesboro Magazine, P.O. Box 1084, Statesboro, GA, 30459. The cover and contents are fully protected and may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the written consent of Statesboro Magazine. We are not responsible for loss of unsolicited inquiries, manuscripts, photographs, transparencies or other materials. They will not be returned unless accompanied by return postage. Address letters and editorial contributions to Statesboro Magazine, P.O. Box 1084, Statesboro, GA, 30459. Copyright © 2022 by Morris Multimedia. All rights reserved.

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Thank you Statesboro for voting Everett Kennedy

WISHING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A WISHING YOU ANDWISHING YOUR FAMILY YOU AND A YOUR FAMILY A HAPPY & HEALTHY Holiday WISHING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A WISHING AND YOURAFAMILY A YOU AND YOUR WISHING YOU AND YOU YOUR FAMILY WISHING FAMILY A Season 2022 WISHING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A HAPPY & HEALTHY HAPPY & Holiday HEALTHY Season Holiday Season S T A T E S B O R O M A G A Z I N E

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the calendar

JULY 22 - 24

BOROFEST 5:00 P.M. – 10:00 P.M. FREE FUN FAMILY EVENT! (WRIST BANDS FOR KID ZONE BENEFIT AVERITT CENTER FOR THE ARTS)

Summer block party with live bands, cornhole tournament, food/ drink vendors, and Kid Zone coming to Downtown Statesboro! This inaugural event is packed full of activities for the entire community. Downtown Statesboro summers have never sounded better.

FRIDAYS – TUESDAYS

STATESBORO MAIN STREET MARKET2GO FRIDAYS – TUESDAYS @ 10:00 P.M. STATESBORO MAIN STREET MARKET2GO

Order the season’s freshest local fruits, vegetables and homemade baked goods, preserves, jams, jellies, candies and relishes. You’ll also find locally sourced meat, seafood, spices, dairy and eggs. Home and garden items, honey and locally grown flower bouquets. Shop online Friday – Tuesday at 10:00 p.m. @ https:// statesboromarket2go.locallygrown.net/. Pick-up on Thursday afternoons at the Statesboro Visitors Center, 222 South Main Street or in Sylvania at the Victory Garden General Store, 124 West Telephone Street.

JULY 3

FIRECRACKER FEST! FREE FUN FAMILY EVENT! 5:00 P.M. CELEBRATION BEGINS 5:00 P.M. GREASED POLE COMPETITION OPENS– FIELD 5 5:00 P.M. – 8:30 P.M. KID’S ACTIVITY FIELD – FIELD 5 5:30 P.M. FROG JUMP CONTEST – FIELD 3 5:30 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. COLOR THE NIGHT - FIELD 1 MAIN STAGE 7:00 P.M. - 7:45 P.M. TBD - FIELD 1 MAIN STAGE 7:45 P.M. - 9:15 P.M. COLOR THE NIGHT - FIELD 1 MAIN STAGE 9:15 P.M. ANNOUNCEMENTS NATIONAL ANTHEM FIREWORKS DIPLAY CELEBRATION ENDS

Mill Creek Park – Highway 24 East Full Concessions will be available at the hub (building between Fields 1-5) Coke Trailer Concessions available on Field 1 will have: Hot dogs, Nachos, Chips, Water, Powerade (blue and red), Cotton Candy Coke Trailer Concessions available on Field 5 will have: Candy, Cotton Candy, Pickles, Chips, Sunflower seeds, Water, Minute Maid watermelon punch and Peak sweet tea. Bring your chairs and blankets. www.BullochRec.com.

JULY 9

TORMENTA FC VS CHATTANOOGA RED WOLVES SC 7:30 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. $15/PERSON GENERAL ADMISSION OPTIM HEALTH SYSTEM FIELD TORMENTA WAY

JULY 13

TORMENTA FC VS GREENVILLE TRIUMPH SC 7:30 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. $15/PERSON GENERAL ADMISSION OPTIM HEALTH SYSTEM FIELD TORMENTA WAY

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JULY 15-17 & JULY 22 - 24

THE WIZARD OF OZ 7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. 3:00 P.M. MATINEE ON SATURDAY & SUNDAY $25/PERSON – $20/MEMBERS/MILITARY/FIRST RESPONDERS/CITY & COUNTY EMPLOYEES - $15/STUDENTS EMMA KELLY THEATER AVERITT CENTER FOR THE ARTS

In rural Kansas, we start this story among the rolling prairies, sun-scorched earth, and the occasional cyclones. Dorothy, a young orphaned girl, lives here in a small, sun-faded house with her dear Auntie Em and Uncle Henry. They were farmers, once young and spry with a shining gleam in their eyes. But the years were harsh before Dorothy came to live with them, and they grew to be as gray as the dried-up grass around them. Dorothy hoped to escape this fate and found joy in her little dog Toto. One day, the sky was a bit grayer than usual, and the clouds were swirling around in the sky. Uncle Henry had seen this before and promptly yelled, “Run for the cellar, there’s a cyclone coming!” As he and Auntie Em disappeared into a small hole into safety, Toto wiggled out of Dorothy’s arms as she ran for cover. Frightened for herself and Toto, Dorothy ran after Toto and finally caught him. However, the storm had moved in quickly, and Dorothy took shelter in the house. Halfway to the cellar, she felt a large jerk shutter through the floorboards, forcing her to the ground. As she looked up and through the windows, she found herself and the house slowly spiraling up through the air. Hours passed as the house floated inside the powerful cyclone, slowly rocking Dorothy to sleep. When she finally awoke she bolted up from the floor, and searched desperately for Uncle Henry and Auntie Em. However, they were nowhere in sight. In her panic, she ran to the front door and threw it open, but to her surprise, the gray, dried prairies were gone. Instead, golden sunlight streamed into the house through luscious, full trees and brilliant green foliage. She wasn’t in Kansas anymore. www.AverittCenterfortheArts.com

2022 July & August JULY 21

STATESBORO YOUTH CHORALE FINAL CONCERT 6:00 P.M. – 7:30 P.M. FREE ADMISSION FUN FAMILY EVENT! PITTMAN PARK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Enjoy the final concert of the season for the Statesboro Youth Chorale. An evening of popular and classical music performed by talented local vocal artists. Directed by Dr. Michael Braz and Dr. Tamara Watson Harper.

JULY 23

AUGUST 5

TORMENTA FC VS NORTH CAROLINA FC 7:30 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. $15/PERSON GENERAL ADMISSION OPTIM HEALTH SYSTEM FIELD TORMENTA WAY

F1RST FRIDAY EVENT – DOWNTOWN PEP RALLY 5:30 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. FREE FUN FAMILY EVENT! DOWNTOWN STATESBORO

JULY 28

JERSEY BOYS 7:30 P.M. – 9:30 P.M. $32/PERSON PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 847 PLANT DRIVE GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY

They were just four guys from Jersey, until they sang their very first note. But while their harmonies were perfect on stage, off stage it was a very different story – a story that has made them an international sensation all over again. Go behind the music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons with the Tony and Grammy Award®-winning true-life musical phenomenon, JERSEY BOYS, featuring your favorite hits from the legendary group, such as “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” and “December, 1963 (Oh What a Night)”

“

S END US YOUR EVENTS! EMAIL THEM TO EDITOR@ STATESBORO MAGAZINE.COM

In August our F1RST FRIDAY brings together all of the spirited high schools in the Bulloch County area for one huge pep rally to get the community and students excited for all the fun that the new school year brings. The football players, cheerleaders and bands from each school share their energy and spirit with the crowd. Sponsored by Statesboro Natural Gas. www.statesborodowntown.com

AUGUST 5

9TH ANNUAL ROCKIN’ OUT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE BENEFIT CONCERT FEATURING PURPLE XPERIENCE PRINCE TRIBUTE 6:30 P.M. $25/PERSON THE BLUE ROOM 1830 CHANDLER ROAD STATESBORO

Come out for a fun filled night that also benefits a great cause! Celebrate the music of Prince while raising money for Rockin’ Out Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation. https://www.bigtickets.com/events/ theblueroom/purple-xperience-prince-tribute-statesboroga/

AUGUST 6

STATESBORO BLUES BAND FARWELL CONCERT! 7:30 P.M. $35/PERSON RESERVED SEATING EMMA KELLY THEATER AVERITT CENTER FORT ARTS

The Statesboro Blues band is back at the Emma Kelly Theater once again. This time, they are performing one last hurrah to Statesboro. Don’t wait! Reserved Tickets/ seating can be purchased online, at the box office, or on the day of the concert. www. AverittCenterfortheArts.com

AUGUST 1

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR BULLOCH COUNTY & STATESBORO STEAM ACADEMY

AUGUST 5

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR BULLOCH ACADEMY

AUGUST 13

TORMENTA FC VS CHARLOTTE INDEPENDENCE 7:30 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. $15/PERSON GENERAL ADMISSION OPTIM HEALTH SYSTEM FIELD TORMENTA WAY www.tormentafc.com S

July/August 2022

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AgSouth Farm Credit and Carolina Farm Credit Announce Intent to Merge

Merged Association will be better positioned to serve farmers and rural residents in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. AgSouth Farm Credit and Carolina Farm Credit jointly announced their intention to pursue a merger. Under the terms of the Letter of Intent (LOI), which was unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both Associations, the combined entity would form the largest Ag lending cooperative in the Southeast. Based on the two Associations’ current portfolios, the merged entity would begin with over $4.2 billion in gross loan volume serving more than 24,800 stockholders with more than 475 employees. The two Associations would operate as AgSouth Farm Credit, ACA. The combined Agricultural Credit Association would serve 147 counties in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. The headquarters would be located in Statesville, North Carolina. “AgSouth Farm Credit is excited to partner with such a strong Association as Carolina Farm Credit” says Frank Ables, AgSouth Farm Credit Chairman of the Board. “The potential merger will provide additional resources, an expanded team of experts in our industry and further financial strength for our stockholders, farmers, rural residents and agribusiness across our shared footprint.” If approved, the combined Association would be led by current Carolina Farm Credit President and CEO, Vance Dalton, who has more than 29 years of Farm Credit leadership experience. AgSouth President and CEO Pat Calhoun, will retire after more than 34 years of Farm Credit service. Mr. Calhoun has successfully led AgSouth Farm Credit for the past six years and the Boards appreciate his strong leadership and vision. AgSouth anticipates that further due diligence will confirm that a merger should generate meaningful benefits for the stockholders, agriculture producers and future producers, communities served and employees from both Associations. Both Boards want to ensure the ability to evolve and not only meet but exceed the expectations of those they serve. With an expanded team there should be more access to specialized lenders available to provide the needs and expertise for their diverse market along with more efficiencies through access to increased resources in technology and capital. These additional strengths should also allow for further support and new opportunities to assist the young, beginning and small farmers in the three states. No branch office closures or branch staffing changes are anticipated as part of the merger. The Boards are dedicated to ensuring that members continue to receive relationship lending with personalized service from the same trusted experts with local loan decisions and delivery of financial services As a cooperative, stockholders will have a say in the final decision. Once due diligence is complete, the respective Boards will vote to approve a definitive merger agreement and seek to obtain regulatory approval. If regulatory approval is obtained, stockholders will receive a merger disclosure package in early 2023 with a complete description of the merger terms and the Board’s reasons for recommending stockholder approval. A stockholder vote would occur afterwards, and, if approved, the merger would become effective on April 1, 2023. 12 statesboromagazine.com

July/August 2022

Splash in the Boro is Back Open

The 2022 Season at Splash In The Boro is here and the staff is excited to be back open to the public! The waterpark kicked off this season with a grand opening celebration on May 21 from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, May 22 from 12 noon until 6:00 p.m., starting Saturday May 28 it will be open seven days a week. The Splash team has been working diligently to make this season the best yet for visitors. Splash in the Boro has fun events planned throughout the summer, and will be posting about each on their Facebook page. Weather announcements about closures will be made on social media platforms, so be sure to follow @SplashintheBoro to stay up to date on everything happening at Splash in the Boro. To purchase tickets for a day visit, or to buy a season pass to enjoy the park all summer long, please visit the website. There, you will also find information on attractions at Splash, group rentals, cabana rentals and more. There is still some availability for special groups including private parties, company outings, schools, churches and more with rates as low as $10/person. Splash in the Boro is located in Mill Creek Regional Park and is part of Bulloch County Recreation and Parks Department. For more information on Splash in the Boro, please visit splashintheboro.com and on Facebook and Instagram.

Parker’s Makes $18,000 Fueling the Community Donation to Support Bulloch County Schools

Guitarist & Broadway Veteran Eric B. Davis to Lead New Music Industry Program

Parker’s Community Outreach Manager Olivia Parker, center, recently presented a $18,000 Fueling the Community donation to Bulloch County Schools. Bulloch County’s Superintendent of Schools Charles G. Wilson (b ack row, second from left), Statesboro High School Principal Keith Wright (b ack row, second from right) and Statesboro High School students accepted the donation on behalf of area teachers and students. Two Statesboro High School alumni and Parker’s employees, including Parker’s Regional Manager Rashad Keel f( ar left) and President of Parker’s Support Division and CFO Brian Prevatt f( ar right) also were in attendance.

Parker’s – a nationally acclaimed convenience store company and food service leader that’s currently featured on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America – recently donated $18,000 to Bulloch County Schools as part of the company’s Fueling the Community program. Bulloch County’s Superintendent of Schools Charles G. Wilson, Statesboro High School Principal Keith Wright and Statesboro High School students accepted the unrestricted donation on behalf of area teachers and students at a check presentation at Statesboro High School in Statesboro on May 16. The Fueling the Community program at Parker’s is a longstanding charitable initiative that donates a portion of every gallon of gas sold on the first Wednesday of each month to area schools in coastal Georgia and South Carolina. Parker’s is donating approximately $275,000 to public and private schools in Georgia and South Carolina this spring and has given more than $1.8 million to area schools since the inception of the Fueling the Community program in 2011. In addition to the Fueling the Community program, Parker’s demonstrates its deep engagement through the Parker’s Community Fund, which is dedicated to supporting charitable initiatives throughout the company’s corporate footprint in coastal Georgia and South Carolina. Since its creation in January 2021, the Parker’s Community Fund has partnered with Union Mission to build the Parker’s House, which, upon completion, will serve as Savannah and coastal Georgia’s only facility solely dedicated to providing emergency housing and comprehensive services for unaccompanied women experiencing homelessness. Parker’s has also made landmark gifts to name the Parker College of Business at Georgia Southern University and the Parker’s Emergency and Trauma Center at Memorial Hospital in Savannah, Ga. Since its founding in 1976, Parker’s has grown to become an award-winning company that was recently voted one of America’s top 10 gas station brands by USA TODAY readers. The Parker’s Rewards loyalty program, which includes more than 300,000 members, has saved customers more than $15 million to date. Parker’s employs more than 1,200 individuals throughout South Carolina and Georgia and completes more than 125,000 transactions daily.

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S END US YOUR GOOD NEWS! EMAIL THEM TO EDITOR@ STATESBORO MAGAZINE.COM

Georgia Southern has hired professional guitarist and composer Eric B. Davis as its inaugural Gretsch Distinguished Scholar of Guitar/Music Industry. Davis, who has extensive industry experience, has been performing for Broadway shows continuously since 2009, and is currently guitarist and in-house contractor for Jagged Little Pill. The show’s original cast soundtrack recording, which includes Davis, won a Grammy in 2019. He has been the touring guitarist for singer/actress Kristin Chenoweth since 2012, and has been the guitar chair and music director for numerous Broadway productions, including The Prom, Groundhog Day and Matilda the Musical. He has degrees from Juilliard and the San Francisco Conservatory, and has taught at the Aaron Copland School of Music, New York University, and the Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music. Naming the Gretsch Distinguished Scholar of Guitar/Music Industry comes just about a year after the papers were signed to establish the Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music At Georgia Southern University. The Gretsches have long been involved in music education programs and lending their name and their history to Georgia Southern solidified a vision for Georgia Southern to be recognized as having the very best music school in the Southeast. In the year since Gretsches and Georgia Southern formalized their partnership, the university: Opened That Great Gretsch Sound! museum in District Live’s new lobby and performance space on the banks of the Savannah River. The center tells the Gretsch story and has a permanent display of music memorabilia, highlighting more than 135 years of Gretsch instruments. Hosted Grammy-award winning singer/songwriter/ storyteller and multi-instrumentalist Steve Wariner in concert in the Fine Arts Auditorium at Savannah’s Armstrong Campus in Savannah. Hired a Project Curator for Fred and Dinah Gretsch Artifacts Collection to help catalog and manage the permanent Gretsch Collection and curate That Great Gretsch Sound! Museum. Hired a project archivist for the Gretsch Archival Records, a three-year position in University Libraries who would primarily be responsible for the arrangement and description of the Gretsch archival records, to include print, photographic, audiovisual and digitally born materials. https://cah.georgiasouthern.edu/music/ July/August 2022

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Bulloch County BOE and Bulloch County Schools hosted a retirement program

The Bulloch County Board of Education and Bulloch County Schools hosted a retirement program on May 17, in the Mattie Lively Elementary School Cafeteria to honor 59 retirees who have retired or will retire from the school district during its 2021-2022 school year. These educators and support professionals devoted a combined total of 1,211 years of service to the children of Bulloch County. Superintendent of Schools Charles Wilson commended the retirees for not only their service but their perseverance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Accompanied by family members, the retirees enjoyed a steak and shrimp dinner catered by Uncle Shug’s of Statesboro, and they each received a $100 check from the Bulloch County Foundation for Public Education. CENTRAL OFFICE: Dr. Noralee Edwards, Sherry Jordan, Maria Rea, and Cyndi Westberry JULIA P BRYANT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Natosha Dawson and Stephen Hoyle LANGSTON CHAPEL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Cynthia Strickland LANGSTON CHAPEL MIDDLE SCHOOL: Tammy Davis MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT: Curtis Hobbs and Matthew Malphrus MATTIE LIVELY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Kenneth Anderson, Belinda Burroughs, Allison Corbin, Paula Devlin, and Sherri Donaldson MILL CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Kristina Flake, Sonya Lanier, Pamela Upchurch, and Debra Minick PORTAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Stephanie Hodges and Idella Lindbergh PORTAL MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL: Mary Coleman, Daniel Edenfield, and Jay Reddick SALLIE ZETTEROWER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Mary Walker SCHOOL FOOD SERVICES DEPARTMENT: Jean Bragg, Terry Deloach (Nevils), Esther Hulsey (Nevils), Mary Mikell (Langston), Willie Walker (Langston), Anne Lovett (Portal Elementary), and Kathie Trzecieski (Portal Elementary) SOUTHEAST BULLOCH HIGH SCHOOL: Hayward Corbin, Willie Mae Kirkland, Tracy Mills, Jeffrey Odegaard, Patty Morris, Scott Palmer, Sharon Pye, Ellen Scripture, and Hector Vasquez SOUTHEAST BULLOCH MIDDLE SCHOOL: Cynthia Lovett, Pamela Quiney, and Jennifer Walker STATESBORO HIGH SCHOOL: Marie Cartwright, Dewayne Collins, Amanda Deal, Ruth Gay, and Brenda Shumate STILSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Jan Shuman TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT: Louella Garner, Cornel Jones, and Mary Sherrod VIRTUAL LEARNING PROGRAM: Pamela Bland and Pamela Radford WILLIAM JAMES MIDDLE SCHOOL: Peter Iten, Blanche Moore, Patricia Mosley, and Joyce Smith

EGRMC Named Level II Emergency Cardiac Care Center by Georgia Department of Public Health East Georgia Regional Medical Center (EGRMC) has been designated as a Level II ECCC by the Georgia Department of Public Health, Office of EMS and Trauma. Dr. Kathleen E. Toomey, M.D., M.P.H., DPH Commissioner and State Health Officer stated, “The Department commends East Georgia Regional Medical Center and your staff for the commitment to excellence in emergency cardiac care that is being provided at your facility. Improving the survival rates from heart attacks and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Georgia is exceedingly important and is in keeping with Public Health’s desire to protect and improve the health and lives of individuals throughout our state.” As a Georgia designated Emergency Cardiac Care Center, EGRMC has become an integral part of a growing emergency cardiac care system throughout the state. This new designation from the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) means that when you or someone you know has a heart attack, you can continue to trust EGRMC to provide fast and effective treatment. Healthcare organizations seeking ECCC designation by the Georgia DPH undergo a thorough evaluation process, including a site inspection and an assessment of emergency cardiac care processes and equipment. Once these steps are complete, the Georgia DPH uses a three-level designation system to rank the capabilities of each facility: LEVEL 1 HOSPITALS perform open heart surgery and interventional cardiac catheterizations LEVEL 2 HOSPITALS perform interventional cardiac catheterizations LEVEL 3 HOSPITALS stabilize patients until they are transported to a Level 1 or Level 2 center. To improve these outcomes and reduce the death burden from cardiovascular disease and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in Georgia, legislation was signed into law in 2017 establishing the Office of Cardiac Care within the Georgia Department of Public Health. The Mission of the Office of Cardiac Care is to improve survival rates in Georgia from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) and heart attacks (STEMI) through quality improvement, benchmarking and evidence-based guidelines, supported by standardized data collection and reporting systems. The foundation for the evaluation of the Emergency Cardiac Care System in Georgia is the establishment and maintenance of the cardiac registry. Based on these specifications, EGRMC received Level 2 designation. “Receiving ECCC designation speaks volumes about the level of cardiac care EGRMC provides,” says Stephen Pennington, EGRMC CEO. “Our continued dedication to excellent heart and vascular care – both routine and in emergency situations – is saving lives throughout our community and beyond.” The cardiac team at EGRMC continues to provide routine heart care during the pandemic and around the clock. Schedule your visit today or take a heart health assessment online at MyEastGeorgiaHeart.com.

Schedule your teeth cleanings b efore school starts again!

- L R : G e o r g i a S o u t h e r n M e n s’ B a s k e t b a l C o a c h B r i a n B u r g , C h a i r o f t h e G o r g i a S o u t h e r n F o u n d a t i o n M i ke S a n d e r s , U n i ve r s i t y F o u n d a t i o n B o a r d M e m b e r L e o n a r d B e v i l , U n i v e r s i t y P r o v s t C a r l R e i b e ,r P h . D, G e o r g i a S o u t h e r n A t h l e t i c s D i r e c t o r J a r e d B e n k o , R e g n t E v e r t K e n e d ,y G e o r g i a H o u s e M a j o r i t y L e a d e r J o n B u r n s , U S G C h a n c e l o r S o n y P u r d u e , U n i v e r s i t y P r e s i d e n t Ky l e M a r e r o , M .r L a n c e H i l , C o n g r e s m a n B u d y C a r t e , r G e o r g i a H o u s e A p r o p r i a t i o n s C h a i r m a n eT r y E n g l a n d , C o n g r e s m a n R i c k A l e n , S t u d e n t a h l e t H a n a h F u l e ,r W a t e r s C o l e g o f H e a l t h P r o f e s i o n s D e a n B a r y J o y n e r P h . D

Dignitaries Help University Officials Break Ground on Jack & Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center

The opportunity to memorialize the late Sen. Jack Hill and wife Ruth Ann brought an impressive list of state and national leaders to Statesboro on Thursday to help break ground on a new Georgia Southern University Convocation Center that will bear their names. New University System of Georgia (USG) Chancellor Sonny Perdue, state legislators, congressmen and Georgia Southern University President Kyle Marrero – all of whom had worked extensively with Hill over the last several decades – headlined a team of speakers who lauded Hill and his impact on Georgia while helping to kick off a project that will change the face of Statesboro. At 95,000 square feet, the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center will be the largest event venue space between Savannah and Macon and will serve as the signature building on Georgia Southern’s south campus, fronting Veterans Memorial Parkway (US 301 bypass). With an estimated total cost of $64.4 million, the center will be a multistory complex that provides approximately 7,000 square feet of additional instructional space for the Waters College of Health Professions and provides more than a 50% increase in seating capacity in an arena that will be the new home court for Georgia Southern Eagles NCAA basketball games. The building is named for Jack Hill (‘66), who was the longest-serving Georgia senator when he died in April 2020. He was a senator for 30 years, serving as chairman of several crucial committees, including Appropriations, which has broad jurisdiction over legislation involving budgeting and spending state and federal funds. With Hill’s support, Georgia Southern reached new heights as an institution serving the southeast region and the state of Georgia. Hill was instrumental in helping the University expand its programs and build several new state-of-the-art facilities, including the Engineering and Research Building, which opened for classes in January 2021. His wife of 48 years, Ruth Ann, focused her life on public education and retired as principal of Reidsville Elementary School. She was a triple Eagle, earning degrees from Georgia Southern in 1973, 1990 and 1991. For academics, the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center will provide new space for a Waters College of Health Professions sports psychology lab, faculty offices, classrooms, new space for research and community activities, and access to a new strength and conditioning area for research and other programs. S

Colin T. Strub, D.D.S. | Thomas E. Marhsall, D.M.D. | Kathryn W. Mentzer, D.M.D. | Jarrett H. Walden, D.M.D.

SouthernFamilyDentalGroup.com 108 Gentilly Road, Statesboro | 912.764.6861

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Statesboro, GA | bullochacademy.com

THE CULTURE

a new day, a new market

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July/August 2022

A New Day,

A New

Market THE LOCAL FOOD MOVEMENT JUST DOWN THE STREET WRITTEN BY JENNY STARLING FOSS PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK FORTUNE

or one special morning a week, area residents are given the opportunity to stroll, shop and dine at one of Statesboro’s most popular attractions, the Main Street Farmers Market. The open-air market changed locations and governance this year, bringing new life and new attention to the area’s 15-year-old response to the farm-to-table movement. Starting the season in a newly renovated 7,000 sq. ft. facility at 222 South Main Street, appropriately located behind the Visit Statesboro welcome center, the new market is exceeding all expectations. “I would say overall the number of visitors to the market has doubled or even tripled this spring,” said Willow Farmer, Market Manager. “The new location is closer in proximity to the University and the Blind Willie McTell Trail, and offers amenities like restrooms and coverage for vendors that weren’t available at the previous open-air market location.” For many years, Synovus Bank was gracious to offer Charlie Olliff Square as the market’s home where vendors supplied their own tents and tables for booth set-up each Saturday. While a great downtown location, weekly markets were subject to weather cancellations due to rain and/or direct sun during the hottest months of the year. Thanks to the vision of the board of directors of the Statesboro Convention & Visitors Bureau (SCVB), the new pavilion will serve as the market’s homebase and also as a multi-purpose facility available for rent to different organizations or events during other days of the week. The SCVB board purchased the former Shoney’s restaurant building location in 2013, being the first organization to renovate and repurpose a building on the Blue Mile, a fitting location for the Visit Statesboro Welcome Center. With 4,600 square feet of available interior space, the repurposed restaurant more than doubled the size of the SCVB’s old location, which was in a house farther down South Main Street. The welcome center’s current location includes a museum, a larger parking lot and increased visibility and access for visitors. It set an early example for how vacant buildings on South Main Street can be made attractive and new.

Market Chef Patrick White preparing the freshest local ingredients.

July/August 2022

statesboromagazine.com

THE CULTURE

a new day, a new market

In 2018, the SCVB board looked to purchase the parcel of land behind the welcome center which was the location of a warehouse used by the owners of the hotel at 230 South Main. Blueprints were drawn up and a plan set in motion to move the Farmers Market, which was formerly under the direction of the Downtown Statesboro Development Authority, to a new home under the direction of the SCVB. The move appropriately placed the Market under the agency responsible for marketing Statesboro, giving marketing and administrative support to the Farmers Market managers and board of directors. The facility’s renovation occurred during the two years of the COVID-19 outbreak, when the physical Farmers Market was closed, and the online Market2Go.com component saw unprecedented growth. “Market2Go had around $1,000 to $2,000 in orders per week before COVID,” said Michelle Giddens,” Market2Go 18 statesboromagazine.com

July/August 2022

farmers

market

vendors 4 & 20 Bakers Allyn’s Soap Co. Anthony’s Roots Azure’s Gourmet & Sweets B & J Farms Barrow Woodworks Better Fresh Farms Bootleg Farm Braswell’s Cakes by Rosie Camhanaich Farm Caribbean Feast Caruca Farm Carve Out A Niche Claystf by Jill Cool Beans Espresso Bar Cork’s Kettle Corn Daisy Mae Farms Double Branch Farms Doug’s Wild Alaskan Salmon Fishhead’s Flower Child by Delaney Franklin Citrus Farms Franklin’s Goodilicious Produce Freeman’s Mill Georgia Farm Products H. L. Franklin’s Healthy Honey Howard Bead Boutique Humble Bumble Bee Farm Hunter Cattle Grassfed Beef J.R.’s Unique Jellies & Jams JS Sharpening Services Jacob’s Produce Jonny Boy Cookies Kachina Farms Kim’s Cheese Straws Ma’s Country Pantry Mill Creek Farms Mimi’s Makings Market OatPop! Ogeechee Peaches Overbrook Farm Candles Pepper Pride Poor Robins Garden Prosser’s Seafood Rustic Petals Flower Farm Sassy Girl Savannah River Farms Smallcakes Southern Pawz Southern Swiss Dairy Sugar Magnolia Bakery & Café Sweet & Spunky Macarons T. Dots Terra Dolce Farms The Bees’ Knees Beehives & Honey The Boro Soapery The Bourbon Brush The Creator’s Garden & Apiary The Herb Lady The Milkhouse The Potting Cart Three Tree Coffee Roasters Toni D Studio Veg Out Microgreen Walker Farms We Bee Jammin WilMor Farms

Manager. “During the pandemic we saw sales increase to close to $20,000! We moved our location from the Visitors Center to Uncle Shug’s restaurant to be able to accommodate the additional traffic, and volunteers needed to assemble the orders for pick-up. Currently we are in line with manageable numbers and are back at Visit Statesboro for Thursday afternoon pick-ups from the new Market location behind the Visitors Center.” The Market2Go is open for ordering online from Fridays – Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m. Customers can pickup the same farm fresh products and items from local artisans available at Saturday’s Market in a drive-through on Thursdays each week. But Saturday mornings from April through November bring the opportunity for the public to meet the area’s food producers face-to-face and to learn exactly where our local food comes from. “That’s always been the main impetus behind the Farmers Market,” said Market founder and proponent Debra Chester. “’Know your farmer, know your food,’ is a simple way of summarizing how important it is for consumers to be aware of where their food comes from; how valuable it is to be able to access food grown locally; and the healthfulness and sustainability of being able to eat what is produced seasonally right here.” Beginning in the early spring, the first markets offer fresh strawberries, tender greens, asparagus and some root vegetables. As the season progresses, onions, cucumbers, corn, squash and beans come in. Peaches arrive in late May, along with blackberries, tomatoes, okra, eggplant, peppers and melons. In late summer there are peas, beans, cabbages, peanuts and pears. Fall brings pecans, apples, sweet potatoes, turnips and pumpkins, arriving just in time for the last Market of the season, Shopping by Lantern Light, held the Tuesday evening before Thanksgiving each year. “Locally grown fruits and vegetables are available each week as harvest dates progress,” said Chester. “Each Market brings renewed excitement to shoppers, ‘What will be ready this week?’ We are fortunate to have Patrick White as our Market Chef to show us how to use the freshest local ingredients in wonderful recipes.” Chef White recently prepared a four-course luncheon in the facility’s catering kitchen for Market enthusiasts as a fundraiser for the organization, which relies on corporate sponsorships, individual donations and grants to operate. “It is so worthwhile to have a Market like ours for area residents and visitors,” said Chester. “I encourage everyone to support our area farmers at the Market. It is not only beneficial to those who live here, it is attractive to those who are looking at the area as a place to relocate. Companies and individuals rate communities with a farmers market higher in terms of a local green sustainability culture.” The Main Street Farmers Market has a rotation of over 75 vendors and artisans on hand. There are around 40 -45 vendor spaces available each week, with approximately 25 located inside the building and another 11 under the building’s awnings. There are five outdoor

spaces and room in the front area for several food trucks to park. Applications for vendors are available on the SCVB website - www.VisitStatesboro.org. Shoppers can also enjoy many homemade items each week such as breads, cakes, pastries, jams, preserves and jellies. Fresh meat, eggs and dairy products are also available, most raised with non-GMO feed and no antibiotics. Food trucks offer items like roasted chicken, wood fired pizzas, hand pies, cookies and fresh squeezed lemonade. A festival atmosphere is created through the addition of local artisans selling handmade wares ranging from jewelry to bath products, soap to dog neckerchiefs. Music fills the air from local artists performing throughout the Market which is open from 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Free parking is available at the welcome center and at nearby merchants who have generously offered spaces, including Southern Palace Chinese Restaurant, Personal Finance, Quality Inn & Suites, Statesboro Regional Library and Queensborough Bank.

The Market Manager and volunteers are on hand each week to sell tokens accepted at all booths for payment. Through a special program, EBT customers currently enjoy the added bonus of getting double their money when purchasing fruits and vegetables. “We are so happy to see the Market have so much success in the new pavilion,” said Becky Davis, Executive Director of the SCVB. “Having the Market here puts it in the right place to benefit from Agri-Tourism promotion and support. With the Market as an anchor, the community can look forward to gathering here for special occasions for many years to come.” S July/August 2022

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N NE R WI

S T A T E S B O R O M A G A Z I N E

2022

Voted Most Fabulous Outdoor Dining • Most Fabulous Local Bar Where Everyone Knows Your Name Most Fabulous Place to Have a Cocktail • Most Fabulous Friday Night in Your 40s • Most Fabulous Young Entrepreneur!

Runner-up For the following categories: Most Fabulous Buffet • Most Fabulous Place to Watch the Game • Most Fabulous Boss • Most Fabulous Date Night Most Fabulous Customer Service-Garret • Most Fabulous Local Craft Beer • Most Fabulous Event Venue • Most Fabulous Place of a Selfie- the Ladies Room Most Fabulous Place for a Work Event • Most Fabulous Business Luncheon • Most Fabulous Overall Restaurant • Most Fabulous Place to have a Birthday Party

912.259.1212 | TANDOORANDTAP.COM 40 E. Main St. Statesboro, GA 30558

TASTE OF SUMMER

TASTE of SUMMER

TANDOOR & TAP 40 E MAIN ST, STATESBORO, GA 30458 912.259.1212 TANDOORANDTAP.COM

It’s summertime, and the eating is easy: after a year and a half in lockdown, restrictions have finally lifted for restaurants and hungry diners are eager to try all the favorites they’ve been missing. It’s so great that you can finally, finally indulge in a long-awaited great meal with your loved ones at your favorite local spot. But now that you can go out, where should you go? Whether you’re in to mood for a quick lunch or a savory dinner, a cool ice cream treat or a tangy barbequed rib, you’ll find something to quell those hunger pangs in these great local eateries. Enjoy a refreshing repast, from exotic East Indian cuisine to handcrafted frozen desserts, find your next food journey here in, A Taste of Summer!

Tandoor & Tap offers an authentic experience of Indian cuisine to Statesboro! Every dish is a celebration of rich heritage and flavor. Bring your friends and family to join us for a truly unique cultural journey through lively conversation over drinks and distinct flavors from our tandoor oven. They offer dine-in seating including our patio and bar areas as well as take home orders. MONDAY CLOSED TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY: 11AM-2:30PM | 4:30PM-10PM THURS/FRI/SAT: 11AM-2:30PM | 4:30PM-10PM SUNDAY: 12PM-3PM | 4:30PM-9PM

July/August 2022

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TASTE of SUMMER

DOLAN’S BAR-B-Q 239 S MAIN ST, STATESBORO, GA 30458 912.259.9997 DOLANSBBQ.COM

With the smoke billowing, a record spinning in the background, and spices under our fingernails, we’re committed to the nostalgic way of traditional, pit smoked barbecue. The phrase, “Anything you can do, I can do better.” applies here. We’re spirited and spicy inside and outside of the kitchen and we’re determined to remind everyone that girls can ‘que too. TUESDAY-SATURDAY: 10:30AM–10:30PM SUNDAY-MONDAY: CLOSED

ROLLING MONKEY 430 NORTHSIDE DR E #166, STATESBORO, GA 30458 912.225.0601 THEROLLINGMONKEY.COM

Rolling Monkey handcrafted ice cream is made to order by skilled artisans who start the process by pouring a locally sourced “Super Premium” liquid ice cream onto a below freezing surface. As the ice cream begins to freeze, small ice crystals form due to the rapid rate of transformation from liquid to solid state in order to generate a naturally smoother, creamier product, eliminating the need to add in additional fat and emulsifiers. Once the ice cream is formed, the flavors are brought to life by adding in the customer’s choice of mix-ins. The customer watches as their ice cream is rolled, one frozen curl at a time. The cherry on top, quite literally, occurs as the customer decides which ingredients will artfully top their individual creation. There you have it, ice cream made the freshest way possible. MONDAY: CLOSED TUESDAY: 12 PM - 9 PM WEDNESDAY: 12 PM - 9 PM THURSDAY: 12 PM - 9 PM FRIDAY: 12 PM - 10 PM

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HONEY SPECIALTIES 239 S MAIN ST, STATESBORO, GA 30458 912.401.0064 HONEYCATERING.COM

We are small specialty food shop, that sells hand-made cheesecakes, chicken salad, pimento cheese, and casseroles. We also keep a variety of locally made products in stock. TUESDAY-SATURDAY: 10:30AM - 7:30PM. SUNDAY-MONDAY: CLOSED

July/August 2022

LIVE MUSIC ON THE PATIO Thursday, Friday and Saturday Evenings!

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S T A T E S B O R O M A G A Z I N E

2022

N NE R WI

S T A T E S B O R O M A G A Z I N E

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912.259.9997 239 S Main St, Statesboro, GA 30458 Menu available on Facebook • dolansbbq.com

www.honeycatering.com 239 South Main St, Statesboro• 912.259.9200 • Tues-Sat • 10:30am-7:30pm 650 Millen Bypass, Millen • 478.401.0064

July/August 2022

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Personalized Service. Proven Results.

Hirsch

Real Estate Team

912.764.6774 | 408 S. ZETTEROWER AVE | WWW.ERA.COM

MOST FABULOUS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

N NE R WI

S T A T E S B O R O M A G A Z I N E

2022

“We Will Guide You Home”

Mandy Lane 912-682-8742

Investing in the future starting at a Young Age

1101 BRAMPTON AVE, STATESBORO, GA WWW.BULLOCHFIRST.COM

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ANNUAL REPORT Fiscal Year 2022-2023

BULLOCH COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION

Bulloch County Board of Education 2022 – Pictured Standing (L-R): Dr. Stuart Tedders; Glenn Womack; Mike Sparks; Jimmy “Jay” Cook; and Maurice Hill. Seated (L-R): April Newkirk, Glennera Martin, and Heather Mims.

Voting District 1 GLENN WOMACK glennwomack@live.com Term: 1/1/2021 to 12/31/2024 Voting District 2 MIKE SPARKS, CHAIRMAN msparks@bullochschools.org 912.842.2460 Term: 1/1/2011 to 12/31/2022 District 2 Board Member-Elect ELIZABETH WILLIAMS Term: 1/1/2023 to 12/31/2026

Voting District 3 DR. STUART H. TEDDERS 912.478.1922 stedders@bullochschools.org Term 1/1/2017 to 12/31/2024 Voting District 4 APRIL C. NEWKIRK 912.690.5973 aprilcnewkirk@gmail.com 1/1/2019 to 12/31/2022 District 4 Board Member-Elect DONNA CLIFTON Term: 1/1/2023 to 12/31/2026

Board of Education Meetings Visit www.bullochschools.org/board for a schedule of meeting dates and times, maps of the areas that each Board member represents, Board agendas and meeting packets, and official minutes of meetings. Board meetings are held in the boardroom of the school district’s Central Office located at 150 Williams Road, Suite A, in Statesboro, Georgia..

Watch Board Meetings Live or Later

Board meetings can be watched live or later. They are live streamed online at www.bullochschools.org/ boardlive, and an archived video is uploaded to the website within 24 hours of each meeting

Voting District 5 GLENNERA MARTIN 912.531.1332 gmartinsugarhill@yahoo.com Term:1/1/2015 to 12/31/2026 Voting District 6 JIMMY “JAY” COOK, JR. 912-512-3796 jlcook@bullochschools.org Term: 1/1/2015 to 12/31/2026 Voting District 7 HEATHER MIMS, VICE-CHAIRWOMAN 912-541-3514 hdmims@bullochschools.org Term: 1/1/17 to 12/31/2024

Superintendent of Schools CHARLES WILSON, ED.S., MBA, CPA 912-212-8500 cwilson@bullochschools.org Voting District 8 MAURICE HILL 912-764-7134 hillmaurice@yahoo.com Term 1/1/2005 to 12/31/2024 Board Secretary MARY HENLEY 912.212.8500 mhenley@bullochschools.org boe@bullochschools.org

Open Records Requests

The public may direct all open records requests to Mary Henley, the Board of Education secretary and custodian of records at 912.212.8508 or recordscustodian@bullochschools.org.

Board Legal Counsel Bruce, Matthews & LaVoie 102 South Main Street Statesboro, GA 30458 912.764.9889

Key Issues Forum

An online source of for answers to frequently asked questions, information, and feedback. www.bullochschools.org/keyissues WWW.BULLOCHSCHOOLS.ORG/BOARD

STRATEGIC FOCUS Vision

Bulloch County Schools will prepare its students to be contributing members of society, based upon their interests and abilities, to pursue the work and careers of their choice.

Belief & Core Values

We believe everyone can learn and grow in a continuous improvement culture that incorporates our core values. Our core values signify our expectations of ourselves and each other, from the boardroom to our classrooms. Be Relational: We build relationships with others through integrity, compassion, and respect. Be Purposeful: We pursue what needs to be accomplished through appropriate and intentional effort. Be Reflective: We evaluate our efforts in relation to our purpose. Be Resourceful: We implement resourceful solutions through innovation and collaboration. Be Courageous: We exemplify commitment, determination, and grit in making needed changes happen. Be Accountable: We hold ourselves accountable for the decisions we make and the actions we take.

Mission

The mission of Bulloch County Schools is to prepare students for success and enhance community value.

STRATEGIC PLAN FOCUS AREAS:

Work and Career Readiness & Community Resourcefulness Strategic Objectives: Provide work and career readiness pathways for students Provide guidance and support, commensurate with our core values, to students Provide differentiated learning opportunities to students Provide foundational skills development for our students

Internationally Accredited

A professional review team from Cognia (formerly AdvancEd) has approved a five-year extension of Bulloch County Schools’ international accreditation, which will now be valid through 2027. The school district was given high marks for its culture, collaboration, and innovative and responsible use of resources, all of which helped lead to an overall review rating higher than the national average. “This report reflects our journey over the past 10 years; although this was a five-year review, it is a culmination of our ten-year journey which has led us to this point.” - Charles Wilson, Bulloch County Superintendent of Schools

Strategic Objectives: Empower a collaborative team committed to the vision and mission of the district Collect and utilize appropriate and necessary information resources Enhance the culture and learning environment of the district Allocate resources to schools in a manner that empowers them to address their critical priorities Continue to ensure that the district remains compliant with laws and regulations

SEE THE COMPLETE BULLOCH COUNTY SCHOOLS STRATEGIC PLAN AT WWW.BULLOCHSCHOOLS.ORG/STRATEGICPLAN

NATIONAL & STATE RECOGNITIONS Georgia Department of Education Accepted into Georgia’s Economic Development Partnership Program Bulloch County Schools

Cognia International Accreditation 2022-2027 with an Index of Education Quality rating of 340.48 out of 400 points which exceeds the national average of 278.34 to 283.33 points

BULLOCH COUNTY SCHOOLS AT-A-GLANCE SCHOOLS 15 Schools (total) 9 Elementary Schools (PK-5) 3 Middle Schools (6-8) 2 High Schools (PK, 9-12) 1 Middle-High (6-12) 13 of the schools are Title I schools (86.70%) LEARNING PROGRAMS Virtual Learning Program (K-12) Transitions Learning Center (6-12) Graduation Performance Academy (9-12) Cedarwood (GNETS) FACULTY & STAFF 2,191 full-time, part-time, contracted services, seasonal and substitute employees Bulloch County’s 2nd Largest Employer TRANSPORTATION 95 School Bus Routes 95 drivers, 23 bus monitors, and 6 mechanics make up our driving force 5,000+ student bus riders ride 2x daily 5,891 miles bus drivers travel each day 1.3 million miles bus drivers travel annually Drivers conduct daily pre-route and post-route inspections Every 20 days buses are serviced & inspected by a qualified mechanic STUDENT MOBILITY RATE The rate at which students transfer schools for reasons other than promotion. High mobility can affect student learning and disrupt faculty instruction. 19.10%

AREA SCHOOL SYSTEM MILLAGE RATES Bulloch: 8.568 Bryan: 15.075 Candler: 14.000 Chatham 18.131 Effingham: 15.810 Emanuel: 13.231 Evans: 14.000 Jenkins: 14.908 In Bulloch County, the school district is also provided a one-percent local option sales tax. This helps keepproperty millage rates and taxes lower. SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAM Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, all students received free breakfast and free lunch as part of the extension of the U.S.D.A’s Seamless Summer Feeding Program. For four weeks during summer 2022, the district prepared and distributed boxes packed with a week’s worth of breakfast and lunch meals to families with children ages birth to 18. PER-PUPIL EXPENDITURES 2016: $8,383.34 2017: $8,511.00 2018: $8,876.00 2019: $9,203.00 2020: $9,733.69 2021: $9,673.54

NATIONAL & STATE RECOGNITIONS Georgia Department of Audits & Accounts

Georgia Department of Education

Certificate of Achievement Excellent Financial Reporting

No schools are on the state’s Comprehensive Support List or Targeted Support & Improvement List

Bulloch County Schools

BULLOCH COUNTY SCHOOLS AT-A-GLANCE STUDENT ENROLLMENT 11,381 (March 2022) 61.2% Economically Disadvantaged Students 15.8% Students with Disabilities 3.6% Students receiving English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) services 10.5% Students receiving Gifted Services STUDENT DIVERSITY 24 Nationalities 18 Languages 48.0% Caucasian 38.5% Black 7.2% Hispanic 1.7% Asian/Pacific Islander 0.2% American Indian 4.4% More than one race

10 720

11 703

9 1,017

12 PK 633 518

8 808 7 787

GA STUDENT HEALTH SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS 21.3 % of the 4,457 students in grades 6-12 who responded, said that they had been bullied or threatened one or more times 84.3% of the 4,457 students in grades 6-12 who responded, said that they knew what to do it there is an emergency at their school

K 834 1 831

ENROLLMENT BY GRADE

2 871 3 844

6 780

5 844

4 818

SCHOOL DISCIPLINE 2,266 Total discipline incidents 1,038 Students involved in incidents 27.1% led to out-of-school suspension 53% led to in-school suspension 0.4% Expulsion Rate 5.9% In-School Suspension Rate 3.7% Out-of-School Suspension Rate 75.1% of incidents involved males 24.9% of incidents involved females

STUDENT SUPPORT PROVIDERS School Social Workers for District: 4 School Psychologists: 5 School Counselors (Full-Time): 27 School Resource Officers: 8 School Safety Director 1

STRATEGIC PLAN DASHBOARD

Bulloch County Schools Strategic Plan Dashboard

ACHIEVEMENT

Preparing students for success & enhancing community value

Bulloch County Schools will prepare its students to be contributing members of society, based upon their interests and abilities, to pursue the work and careers of their choice.

4-Year Cohort Graduation Rates 85.10%

82.50%

Bulloch

80.6%

Bulloch

Georgia

81.56%

79.9%

Georgia

Bulloch

82.0% Georgia

83.5% Bulloch

83.8% Georgia

83.7%

83.4%

Georgia

Bulloch

20,026

Students in Bulloch County who have received HOPE Grants and Scholarships from 1994-2021.

$113,507,192 Amount of HOPE Grants and Scholarships given to Bulloch County students from 1994-2021

Class of 2021 Class of 2020 Class of 2020 Note: Updated graduation rate data is released each September. For the most recent data visit www.bullochschools.org.

Class of 2017

Class of 2018

Class of 2019

CLASS OF ,.,- GRADUATION RATES Overall Y-4 ear Cohort Portal

Advanced Academics

%3.84

oW rld Languages

10%

92%.3

10%

Statesboro

%.4 7

10%

uB lloch County

%3.84

10%

Georgia

7% 3.8

10%

Southeast uB lloch

%.28 9

% 6 7 . 89

iF ne Arts

% 3 7 . 79

Career (CTAE) %56.9 5.31%9

%. 3 79

12% 4. 9

% 5 6 . 79

7%4. 9

7% .69

71%.69

These are the rates for the overall four-year cohort and for each of the four main course content pathways: Advanced Academics, World Languages, Fine Arts, and Career Technical & Agricultural Education. Students who enroll or complete pathways in these areas are shown to achieve higher four-year graduation rates.

ACT

Class of 2021 105 School district test takers Composite Score Avg. Bulloch 21.2 Georgia 22.6 United States 20.3

SAT

Class of 2021 172 School district test takers Mean Score Avg. Bulloch 1075 Georgia 1077 United States 1038

59.07%

Graduates who were deemed college-ready based on national assessments (SAT/ACT)

STRATEGIC PLAN DASHBOARD LEARNING

12,925

The number of children served by the Georgia PreKindergarten Program in Bulloch County from 1994 to 2021. In that same time, the Georgia Lottery has provided $47,569,605 in Pre-K funding to Bulloch County’s public and private Pre-K classes.

394

Number of K-12 children enrolled in the school district’s Virtual Learning Program during the 2021-2022 school year

706

Number of K-8 children enrolled in the district’s six Summer Learning Academy sites, which were funded by federal COVID relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds .

887

In addition to the Summer Learning Academy, an additional 887 children in grades K-12 were enrolled this summer in the district’s Graduation Performance Academy, the English for Speakers of Other Languages Camp, and two 21st Century Communities Learning Center camps.

COMMUNITY

18,000

Amount donated to Bulloch County Schools and its schools in 2022 from Parker’s Fueling the Community program. The funds are allotted to each school for their use and to the Bulloch County Schools Teacher of the Year program.

$3,500

Extra Yard for Teachers Grants provided to 14 teachers by the College Football Playoff Foundation and Georgia Southern Athletics.

$11,000

Franklin Chevrolet donation to support literacy initiatives through our community collaborative, the Bulloch County Literacy Council.

1800+

Number of gift boxes delivered to our employees by members of Statesboro First Baptist Church in recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week and a successful school year.

RESOURCES

2,191

Total number of full-time, parttime, seasonal, and contracted services employees

1,014

Total number of certified employees

$38.44 Million

Total amount of federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds provided to the school district due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

$19,250,020

Total Maintenance & Operations Taxes Levied by school district with a millage rate of 8.568 mills.

ENGAGEMENT

41,132

Followers across our social media platforms, up from 30,703 in 2019-2020.

6,679,427

Visits to our district and school websites in 2021-2022, up from 5.25 million in 2020-2021.

1,091

Parents who participated in the 2022 School Effectiveness Survey

196

Parents of Virtual Learning Program students who participated in the Spring 2022 effectiveness survey about the program.

WORK & CAREER READINESS Career Technical & Agricultural Education Delivers in Bulloch County Bulloch County Schools’ Career Technical and Agricultural Education program helps prepare students for their next steps after high school, whether that be college enrollment, enlistment in a branch of our nation’s military, or employment in an in-demand, high-wage career. The school district’s state-approved career pathway courses leverage partnerships with local industry and higher education to ensure students acquire skills needed for immediate and future employment. Bulloch County Schools offers students courses in 13 different career clusters and 23 high school career pathways and three middle school career pathways. Work-based Learning is also offered at all three of the school district’s high schools.

Bulloch County Schools seeks GA’s Economic Development Partnership designation The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) approved for Bulloch County Schools to be admitted into its Economic Development Partnership program. The school district is now completing a year-long process to secure the program’s Economic Development designation, which is endorsed by the Georgia Economic Developers Association. A team of state leaders from the GaDOE visited Bulloch County Schools in January 2021, to learn more about the school district’s Career Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) program and its collaboration with local post-secondary institutions, businesses, industries, economic developers, and workforce development partners. The Economic Development Partnership Designation program helps school districts strengthen their CTAE programs and align education with key regional industries. It also elevates school systems, like Bulloch, to fill a key role in business recruitment and expansion and talent development for their communities. Fostering a strong relationship between education, business and industry, and economic development ensures that Bulloch County Schools will continue to offer high-quality industry-relevant programs for students in order to foster local talent.

Steering Committee launches Workforce Development Plan Community collaborative share’s vision to prepare students to be employed, enrolled or enlisted A steering committee made up of representatives from the Development Authority of Bulloch County, Ogeechee Technical College, Georgia Southern University, and Bulloch County Schools launched a Workforce Development Plan, on October 13, 2021, to more than 100 invited small businesses and industry leaders and elected officials. The plan’s work is centered around the purpose of preparing students for successful careers and building an educated, skilled, and efficient workforce for economic growth in Bulloch County. It is focused on the Georgia Department of Education’s vision for all students to graduate from high school prepared to be employed in local and regional business and industry, enrolled in a technical college or a 4-year college or university, or enlisted in a branch of the U.S. military. Goals for Fiscal Year 2022 -2025 • Sustain a collaborative for developing and monitoring continuous improvement of ongoing communitywide workforce development strategies. • Implement an exemplary district-wide program for employability skills training, rigorous coursework, and authentic experiences for all CTAE students. • Prepare all students enrolled in Bulloch County Schools to be workforce ready through enrollment, enlistment, or employment opportunities. To view the full plan visit www.bullochschools.org/ctae

WORK & CAREER READINESS WORK-BASED LEARNING BENEFITS STUDENTS & EMPLOYERS Work-based Learning is the pinnacle of Bulloch County Schools’ Career Technical and Agricultural Education program. It allows qualified students who have mastered skills in career pathway areas the opportunity to work at an approved job placement so that they may gain valuable work experience while they receive course credit. A job placement may be a placement arranged by the school’s work-based learning coordinator, the career pathway teacher, or an approved part-time job arranged by the student.

Portal FFA Members Earn State Degrees Seven students from Portal Middle High School’s National FFA Chapter received their state degrees during the 94th Annual Georgia FFA Convention on April 28-30, 2022.. To earn the State FFA Degree, students must work 300 hours in excess of class time on their Supervised Agricultural Experience, complete 25 hours of community service, and participate in five state or national FFA activities. The students who earned their degrees are: Walker Bowen, Blair Brannen, JD Donaldson, Marlie Motes, James Saunders, Haven Sawyer, and Emma Yates.

Portal Livestock Judging Team Places Third in State

Portal Middle High School’s National FFA Organization Junior Livestock Judging team placed third in the Georgia FFA Association’s State Livestock Judging competition in Covington. Team member Shelbie Jones also placed as the third highest individual in the state. The remaining team members are Megan Barnes, Kate DeLoach, and Zach Mallard.

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

$461,018

Wages earned by work-based students

213

Students enrolled in work-based learning

144

Local business & industry sites who employ WBL students

58,263

Number of hours worked by WBL students

1,668

Students taking CTAE courses

CTAE pathways offered in Bulloch County

94.7%

Graduation rate for high school students who take career pathway courses

1,213

Statesboro hosts Southeast GA Skills Challenge

Construction students from 19 area high schools, including Statesboro High, competed in the Southeast Georgia Skills Challenge on November 2, at the Bulloch County Agricultural Complex, in Statesboro. Hosted by the Associated General Contractors of Georgia in partnership with Ace Electric, Inc., Choate Construction Company, and West Construction Company, students competed in skill categories like blueprint reading, carpentry, electrical, masonry, plumbing, tile setting, and welding.

CTAE Delivers for three Southeast Bulloch Graduates Southeast Bulloch High School’s Rebecca Dilas, Katlyn Brantley, and Zarria Penix were awarded state and national scholarships for college from the Health Occupations Student Association-Future Health Professionals (HOSA). Rebecca won the National Technical Honor Society Scholarship and Katlyn won the national Dr. Gene F. Napoliello Scholarship. In addition to the national scholarships, they, along with Zarria were also chosen to receive state scholarships from the Georgia HOSA. These SEBHS graduates were awarded three of the five state college scholarships that Georgia HOSA provides.

JROTC Honor Units with Distinction

Statesboro’s and Southeast Bulloch’s Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps are inspected every four years by the U.S. Army’s JROTC Program of Accreditation. These high school battalions both received the highest rating, Honor Unit of Distinction. In order to be awarded this rating, the JROTC programs had to score between 90-100% on the annual Unit Report and 95-100% on the JROTC Program of Accreditation.

Students engaged in career technical student organizations

STUDENT WORK & CAREER RECOGNITIONS READINESS

Bulloch’s first REACH Scholars graduate from college Need-based scholarship helps local firstgeneration college students.

n May 23, 2013, five promising young women, all in seventh-grade, became Bulloch County Schools’ first cohort of REACH Georgia Scholarship recipients. Now, nine years later, Amaya Brown, Kailana Low, Aisley Scarboro, Amonica Kirkland, and De’Neshia Jones are graduating from college, making graduate school plans, and establishing careers. “When you think of our school district’s mission to help prepare students for success and enhance the value of our community, REACH is one resource we have to help do just that,” said Charles Wilson, superintendent of Bulloch County Schools. “We are changing the future one day and one student at a time.” These first scholars were initially identified from more than 400 eligible seventh-grade students. A community committee then selected them from a

group of 12 finalists. After maintaining their REACH Georgia eligibility throughout middle and high school, they each received the program’s $10,000 base scholarship for college. Also, depending on their choice of colleges, more than 60 Georgia colleges, universities and technical colleges, including Georgia Southern University, East Georgia College, and Ogeechee Technical College, double, and in some instances, triple match the base scholarship. The scholarship is in addition to any other grants or scholarships a student may earn, including HOPE Scholarships. “REACH has been a huge help,” said Kailana Low. “I’m the first in my family to graduate from a four-year university. Being a REACH scholar encouraged me, and even my friends encouraged me in college and impressed upon me what an opportunity this scholarship is.” Amonica Kirkland agrees. “The REACH scholarship allowed me to graduate college with no loans and no debt.” “REACH allowed me to do a lot more things in college and not have to worry about loans,” added Aisley Scarboro. Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen (REACH) is the state’s first needs-based mentorship and college scholarship program. Launched on February 6, 2012, by former Governor Nathan Deal as part of his Complete College Georgia initiative. It helps ensure academically promising students have the academic, social, and financial support needed to graduate from high school, access college, and achieve postsecondary success. Bulloch County Schools was one of five school districts along with Dodge, Douglas, Rabun and Quitman counties that initially piloted the program for the state. Today, REACH serves all 180 school systems across Georgia. Bulloch County now has 45 REACH Georgia scholars. Locally the program would not be possible without the Bulloch County Foundation for Public Education, which annually provides the required $7,500 in seed capital to the state to provide scholarships to Bulloch’s scholars. The Foundation raises funds through donations and events like the Statesboro 5K Turkey Trot.

FACULTY WORK & STAFF & CAREER RECOGNITIONS READINESS

Amaya Brown Amaya Brown, the daughter of Michael & Tamika Brown, is an alumna of Langston Chapel Middle School and Statesboro High School, has already obtained an associate’s degree from East Georgia State College and on May 12, she graduated from Ogeechee Technical College with an Esthetician Certificate from its Cosmetology program. With REACH Scholarship funds still remaining, she now plans to obtain a degree in Nursing from Georgia Southern University. This will then give her the credentials to be a nurse esthetician, which is a registered nurse who performs advanced, non-surgical cosmetic procedures. Kailana Low Kailana Low, the daughter of Leihua Low-Turner, is an alumna of Langston Chapel Middle School and Statesboro High School. She will graduate from Georgia Southern University in December 2022, with a bachelor of business administration degree in Information Systems. She already has a job offer from Manhattan Associates, a software company in Atlanta, where she’ll begin her career in January. Low credits the REACH scholarship with helping keep her in school after her freshman year of college when her mother became ill and was injured. “I had to help care for my family, so having the scholarship allowed me to stay in school.”

Aisley Scarboro Aisley Scarboro, a Portal Middle High School alumna, is the daughter of Tan Frison. She graduated in May of 2021 from Georgia Southern University with a degree in Exercise Science. She is currently employed by Georgia Southern and works as a personal trainer. She plans to apply to graduate school to obtain a master’s degree in Exercise Science as she continues her career path to becoming a strength and conditioning coach at either the collegiate or professional sports level.

Amonica Kirkland Amonica Kirkland, daughter of Benita Palmer and Gary Kirkland, was the valedictorian of her graduating class at Portal Middle High School. She graduated from Wesleyan College on May 14, with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and a minor in Biology with a pre-dental concentration. She has a choice of graduate schools as she’s been accepted into both Agnes Scott College’s Masters for Medical Sciences program and Meharry Medical College’s Masters of Health Science program. Kirkland wants to become a dentist, in fact one of her most memorable experiences in college was to have the opportunity to participate in the University of Michigan Dental Program’s summer enrichment for pre-dental students. She’s enjoyed her four years at Wesleyan. She served as a writing tutor, a Biology tutor, and she’s worked as an information technology assistant on campus. In the spring semester of her sophomore year, she was selected as a Junior Marshal. Selected each year from full-time students in the rising junior class, Junior Marshals serve as guides at formal academic occasions on campus.

Da’Neshia Jones Da’Neshia Jones, an alumna of Southeast Bulloch Middle School and Southeast Bulloch High School is the daughter of Linton and Demetres Jones. She is on track to graduate from Kennesaw State University in Spring 2023 with a degree in Integrated Health Studies. After graduation she plans to work to accumulate required work hours in physician care and then apply to Augusta University’s College of Allied Health Sciences and Emory University to become a physician’s assistant, preferably specializing in pediatrics. In addition to her REACH Scholarship, she also earned the Kennesaw State University Foundation Scholarship all four years of college due to her academic excellence.

When you donate to the the Bulloch County Foundation for Public Education or participate in its Statesboro 5K Turkey Trot, you are supporting Bulloch County Schools’ REACH Georgia program.

COMMUNITY RESOURCEFULNESS Bulloch County Literacy Council Community collaborative helps Bulloch READ The Bulloch County Literacy Council is a collaborative group of educators, representatives from literacy organizations, business and civic organization leaders, and community volunteers. Its purpose is to sustain a community collaborative that works to increase Kindergarten readiness for students from birth through Pre-Kindergarten and to support the improvement of literacy levels for all children in Kindergarten through fifth grade. For more information about Literacy Council events and initiatives or to invest in their efforts, contact Crystal Simpkins, director of Early Learning and Literacy at Bulloch County Schools at csimpkins@bullochschools.org or 912.212.8892 or visit www. bullochschools.org/literacy. The Literacy Council’s Bulloch READ initiative focuses on these four areas:

Reading

Encourage the creation of Reading nooks.

Environment

Encourage a literacy-rich environment

Franklin Chevrolet backs Bulloch READ Local car dealership donates $11,000 to Literacy Council efforts Franklin Chevrolet is leading the way in lifting up literacy in Bulloch County. The local car dealership donated $11,000 to the Bulloch County Literacy Council during the 2021-2022 school year to support its Bulloch READ initiatives. “Reading opens up your life, and we need to do as much as we can to get kids reading and help the community,” said Stephen Franklin, the dealership’s vice-president. “This is probably the number one most important cause that we contribute to.” Franklin Chevrolet also placed a reading nook in its dealership. “It’s great to see the little kids sitting over there reading books,” Franklin said. “It’s important for families and the community to start sharing books with kids early. This cause is very rewarding to me and my family.”

Access

Increase Access to books & reading resources

Development Increase early brain development

City of Statesboro opens Reading Nook Statesboro Mayor Jonathan McCollar and the Bulloch County Literacy Council have opened a reading nook for children in City Hall. “We want to encourage early literacy and reading for our young people, because overall that helps them perform better in school and become better employees and citizens,” said Mayor McCollar. Reading nooks in local businesses boost access to books for children and help improve preschool and early-elementary literacy. The City of Statesboro’s reading nook is now one of five in the community. Find others at: Bulloch County Schools’ Central Office, Bulloch Solutions, Franklin Chevrolet-BuickGMC, and Statesboro Urgent Care. Children may visit the nooks with their family or caregivers to read a book and pick out a book to take home and keep. Learn how to place a reading nook in your business at www.bullochschools. org/literacy.

90% OF CHILDREN’S BRAINS ARE DEVELOPED DID YOU KNOW THAT BEFORE THEY ENTER KINDERGARTEN?

FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY AND EFFICIENCY GENERALFUNDHIGHLIGHTSMILLIONS

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

3.5 of 5 Stars

Financial Efficiency Rating as last reported by state in FY ‘20. Ratings have been temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

AA+

Standard & Poor’s Credit Rating. Increased from AA-

The Maintenance & Operations School Millage Rate has been rolled back annually for the past nine years

$19,250,020

Total school taxes levied on property in 2021 based on a millage rate of 8.568

No audit findings

Based on the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts annual audit of the school district

$2,000

A $2,000 raise for all certified employees and a $2 raise per hour for all non-certified employees

Total Revenues

Total Expenditures

Revenues over/(under) Expenditures

Ending Fund Balance

$10.40

$69.10

$68.90

$0.20

$20.10

$16.60

$9.60

$69.10

$69.30

-$(0.2)

$19.90

$38.4

$16.5

$9.9

$68.8

$71.0

-$(2.2)

$17.70

FY ‘15

$44.80

$17.40

$10.40

$78.40

$75.60

$2.80

$20.50

FY ‘16

$47.30

$17.20

$10.30

$78.70

$82.70

-$(4.0)

$16.50

FY ‘17

$52.10

$17.60

$10.60

$84.30

$86.00

-$(1.7)

$14.80

FY ‘18

$58.20

$18.20

$10.80

$91.80

$89.80

$2.00

$16.70

FY‘19

$61.16

$21.35

$11.38

$96.38

$92.81

$3.57

$20.31

FY 2‘ 0

$66.67

$22.13

$12.31

$103.76

$101.28

$2.48

$22.79

FY 2‘ 1

$61.32

$23.89

$15.05

$106.59

$87.99

$18.59

$41.38

$64.67

$23.27

$12.69

$102.50

$89.40

$13.10

$46.50

$71.44

$24.63

$15.52

$113.69

$107.38

$6.30

$53.69

Fiscal eY ar

QBE Revenues

Property Tax Revenues

FY ‘12

$39.30

$17.10

FY ‘13

$39.50

FY ‘14

FY 2‘ 2

(n I progress as budgeted)

FY 2‘ 3x

(Budgeted)

Local pO tion Sales Tax Revenues

*For complete budget information on all Bulloch County Board of Education funds, capital projects, ESPLOST and state audit reports, visit www.bullochschools.org/budget

FISCAL YEAR 2022 ALL FUNDS BUDGETED Total General Fund Expenditures - $162,612,882 Pupil Services $7,554,291 Pupil Services $7,554,291

Maintenance & Operations of Plant School $10,233,830 Administration $8,096,593

$38.44 Million

Educational Media Services $1,479,866 Food Services Operation $6,449,480

Total COVID-19 federal

relief funds received from CARES Act I & II and the American Rescue Plan funds from the state and federal government. The school district has a four-year plan to use these funds to address the learning loss and behavioral and mental health needs of students. A transparent accounting of the district’s expenditures can be found at www.bullochschools.org/esser

Improvement of Instructional Services $2,651,511

General Administration $840,168 Business Administration $1,251,332 Student Transportation Services $6,851,928

Instruction $65,827,587

Capital Outlay $20,170,075

Special Revenue Funds $20,029,333

Debt Services Principal & Interest $8,920,750

Central Support Services $2,131,634 Other Support Services $124,504

STUDENT RECOGNITIONS 74th GA Sciences & Engineering Fair

National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

Disney Dreamers Academy

Festival Disney at Disney World

Yale Science & Engineering Association’s Most Outstanding Exhibit

Evy Shen-Writing Erin Shen - Writing Minju Kim - Art Bailey Borck - Art Sabina Mace - Art

National Essay Contest Winner

Mixed Choir Best in Class

Abigail Smith Statesboro High School

Southeast Bulloch High Advanced Choir

Carlos Zambrano Statesboro High School

Portal Panther Athlete Wins State

Statesboro High School

Hunter Martin, a Portal High School Track & Field athlete, won the State Championship in both the 800 meter and 200 meter Wheelchair Races. During the competition he also improved his time by six seconds in the 800 meter dash and seven seconds in the 200 meter dash. He also earned a plaque from the Georgia High School Association for being the High Point Male for the Adapted Level. His performances also earned a State Championship for the Portal Panther Track Team in the Adapted Boys Division.

School District Honors New Cohort of REACH Georgia Scholars

Bulloch County Schools and the Bulloch County Foundation for Public Education hosted a signing ceremony for the 2022 Cohort of REACH Georgia scholars on November 11. These future first-generation college students are Gabriella Lopez of William James Middle School, Alexis Morton and Amelia Sander of Southeast Bulloch Middle School, Ava Rooker of Langston Chapel Middle School, and Carmen Tillman of Portal Middle High School. Each scholar and their parents have signed their commitment to the state program’s stringent academic, attendance and behavior requirements. These students, who will graduate from high school in 2026, are now part of a group of 47 local scholars who benefit from the program. Each will receive a base $10,000 scholarship, which may be double or triple matched if they select one of Georgia’s participating colleges or universities. The needs-based college scholarship program is designed to ensure that the state’s academically promising students have the academic, social, and financial support needed to graduate from high school and complete college.

Statesboro High Air Rifle athlete competes in Junior Olympics USA Shooting invites student to National Rifle Junior Olympic Championships

Katlyn Sullivan, a rising sophomore member of Statesboro High School’s Air Rifle team earned an invitation to the 2022 National Rifle Junior Olympic Championships hosted by USA Shooting. Katlyn and her family traveled to Hillsdale, Michigan, for the competition which was held May 11-15, at the Margot V. Biermann Center on the campus of Hillsdale College. During the event, she and other competitors spent five days training and competing with some of the finest athletes in the nation. Katlyn qualified for this invitation-only slot to compete after participating in a Georgia USA Shooting event at the Ole Mill Range Complex in Griffin, Georgia. She along with other high school and college air rifle athletes from all over the state met in an attempt to post high enough scores to move them one step closer to their dreams of either being future Olympians or to secure collegiate riflery scholarships or positions on college-level teams.

FACULTY & STAFF RECOGNITIONS Georgia Association of Colleges for Teacher Education Georgia Outstanding Mentor Teacher Award (Southeast District) Cindy Oliver, Virtual Learning Program Teacher

First District RESA First-Year Teacher’ of the Year Keri Brack Mattie Lively Elementary School

2022-2023 School-Level Teachers of the Year

These teachers will be eligible to compete for the Bulloch County Schools Teacher of the Year title and possibly advance to the Georgia Teacher of the Year and the 2024 National Teacher of the Year competitions. Marci Cochran Tonya Deal Valerie McLaughlin Tonya Gilchrist Caitlin Faglier Dr. Jontia Grace Jenna Ellis Teresa Flemming Clinton Thornburg Chris Clark Stephanie Burke Karla Anderson Tiffany Ward Jenny Hendrix Erin Cabral

Brooklet Elementary Julia P. Bryant Elementary Langston Chapel Elementary Langston Chapel Middle Mattie Lively Elementary Mill Creek Elementary Nevils Elementary Portal Elementary Portal Middle High Sallie Zetterower Elementary Southeast Bulloch Middle Southeast Bulloch High Statesboro High Stilson Elementary William James Middle

2022 Transportation Honors

Georgia Junior Science & Humanities Symposium

Georgia Association for Career & Technical Education Elected as GACTE’s President for Fiscal Year 2022

Georgia Regional Teacher of the Year Award

Bethany Gilliam, Director Bulloch County Schools Career, Technical & Agricultural Education

Richard McCombs Statesboro High School

2021-2022 Bulloch County Schools Retirees

These 59 retirees devoted a combined total of 1,211 years of service to the children of Bulloch County. Kenneth Anderson Pamela Bland Jean Bragg Belinda Burroughs Marie Cartwright Dewayne Collins Mary Coleman Allison Corbin Hayward Corbin Paula Devlin Tammy Davis Natosha Dawson Amanda Deal Terry Deloach Sherri Donaldson Daniel Edenfield Dr. Noralee Edwards Kristina Flake

Louella Garner Ruth Gay Curtis Hobbs Stephanie Hodges Stephen Hoyle Esther Hulsey Peter Iten Cornel Jones Sherry Jordan Willie Mae Kirkland Sonya Lanier Idella Lindbergh Anne Lovett Cynthia Lovett Matthew Malphrus Mary Mikell Tracy Mills Debra Minick

Director’s Cup: Megan Crosby Lue Wiggins Award: Cynthia Powell Gil Riggs Safety Award: Frances Robinson 20-Years of Service: Cynthia Powell and Edward Mikell 10 Years of Service: Brandi Adkins, Denise Girardeau, Laquanya Jones, Betty Tremble Drivers of the Year Team Brooklet: Paula Watson

Blanche Moore Patty Morris Patricia Mosley Jeffrey Odegaard Scott Palmer Sharon Pye Pamela Quiney Pamela Radford Maria Rea Jay Reddick Mary Sherrod Jan Shuman Brenda Shumate Ellen Scripture Joyce Smith Cynthia Strickland Kathie Trzecieski

Team Julia P. Bryant: Sherry Brinson Team Langston Chapel: Christopher DeLoach Team Mattie Lively: Barbara Everett Team Mill Creek: Sara Grenier Team Nevils: Edward Rich Team Portal: Frances Robinson Team Sallie Zetterower: Stacey Goode Team Stilson: Pamela Shuman Team Transportation: Juanita McMillan Team Special Education: Janice Morrell

BULLOCH COUNTY FOUNDATION FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION

A charitable foundation that supports these worthwhile education programs REACH GA Scholarships • STAR Student/Teacher • Innovation Grants to Teachers • Teacher of the Year Program Innovation Grants Since 2006, the Bulloch County Foundation for Public Education (Foundation) has funded nearly 250 innovative teacher grants totaling more than $320,000 to fund learning experiences for Bulloch County children.

300+

People who annually participate in one of the Foundation’s main fundraisers, the Statesboro 5K Turkey Trot, held annually on the Saturday before Thanksgiving in downtown Statesboro.

$1,000

The grant amount provided each year to the Bulloch County Teacher of the Year

We’ve helped make college possible for 47 of Bulloch County Schools’ REACH Georgia scholars since 2013.

$320,000+ Innovation grant funds provided to nearly 250 teachers since 2006.

Charitable Giving The Foundation provides a way for individuals, businesses, industries and civic organizations to invest in local education programs that benefit public, charter, private and home-schooled students. In addition, the Foundation’s two major fundraising campaigns are the Statesboro 5K Turkey Trot and Bulloch County Schools’ Jeans Fridays, which is an employee payroll deduction option. College Scholarships The Foundation funds Bulloch County School’s participation in the REACH Georgia Scholarship Program. It annually provides the required $5,000 to $7,500 in seed capital to the REACH Georgia Foundation. As a result, five of Bulloch County’s graduating REACH scholars each receive a $20K - $30K scholarship for college in addition to any HOPE scholarship funds for which they are eligible. STAR Student / STAR Teacher The Foundation is the local underwriting sponsor for the Professional Association of Georgia Educators’ STAR program. The Foundation’s financial support makes this program possible locally for Bulloch County’s public, private and charter schools. Teacher of the Year Program The Foundation is one of the main corporate sponsors for Bulloch County Schools’ Teacher of the Year program. The Foundation annually provides a $1,000 grant to the district’s teacher of the year.

150 Williams Road, Suite A | Statesboro, GA 30458 T: 912.212.8500 | F: 912.212.8529 www.bullochschools.org | boe@bullochschools.org

ANNUALffiREPORT

2022-2023 proudly produced by

You don’t have to wait till the weekend to partY! Book your end of the year celebration on a weekday for a special rate.

Book your next event today! 912.871.8544 | www.venuesatotc.com

THE CULTURE

summer learning academies

52 statesboromagazine.com

July/August 2022

Summer Learning Academies WRITTEN BY JENNY STARLING FOSS

his is not your old idea of summer school. Nobody failed and nobody is having to repeat a grade. Today’s Summer Learning Academies provide fun and engaging lessons and experiences that focus on the key English and math skills students will need to help them be successful in their next grade level. Some offerings vary across the multiple learning sites within the school system. These are not traditional summer schools that address remediating academic subjects, instead the school district is using them as a unique way to focus on learning and addressing learning loss caused by the COVID pandemic.

July/August 2022

statesboromagazine.com

THE CULTURE

summer learning academies

“The academies are for children who have just completed Kindergarten through eighthgrade,” said Sandra Adams, the BOE’s School Improvement Director and Summer Learning Academies Coordinator. “Families are given an opportunity in the spring to register their children for these learning opportunities, which are for every child.” The majority of the half-day programs for elementary and middle school students meet June 1 through June 30, from 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon. Two additional PAWS 21st Century Community Learning Centers programs will specifically serve three elementary schools June 6 to July 1 and May 31 to July 22. A complete list of the nine 54 statesboromagazine.com

July/August 2022

learning sites is available at the BOE’s website www.bulloch.k12.ga.us. “Students are first assessed to ascertain their placement, not necessarily according to grade level,” said Adams. “We prefer to work in small groups of less than ten students to provide more hands-on instruction. Instruction is provided by school staff and by Georgia Southern University tutors who work mainly with the K through second grade students. Paraprofessionals work with grades five through eight.” These summer opportunities are made possible each year by federal relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. The COVID-19 global pandemic created learning gaps and many home and community factors that continue to affect learning. The school district began implementing a five-year plan last year to invest its federal stimulus funds with schools and to provide programs like these to best help area children. School leaders estimate that it will take three years or more to help children recover the learning they’ve lost.

“We have specific curriculum skill progressions to find where the gaps in learning are,” said Adams. “We use end-of-the-year data to get started. We track growth and skills. The program is skills based, not grade based. This way we are able to meet the students where they are in development.” Classes are available for both gifted and struggling students. “We help them all,” said Adams. “We even have enrichment opportunities for the gifted students. Our enrollment has almost doubled this year over last year. The learning environment is a little more casual, fun and engaging. It’s different from regular school.” Participants are provided free breakfast at 8:00 a.m. and by 8:15 a.m. are usually in the classroom. Free lunch is available at all sites through the school district’s summer feeding program. School bus transportation is also available for most of the learning sites, if needed. For high school students, the school district’s Graduation Performance

Academy is available again this summer. The Graduation Performance Academy is an alternative learning program which allows high school students the opportunity to earn required high school credits toward graduation through the online learning platform, Edgenuity. Students can work at their own pace toward their goals of credit recovery or acceleration. A student who is interested in attending the Graduation Performance Academy, should meet with his or her high school counselor to develop a plan for what course credits he or she needs to complete. The legal, custodial parent or guardian will then be asked to give his or her consent. Once this is obtained, a student can attend. S July/August 2022

statesboromagazine.com

Statesboro, please join us in welcoming Interventional Pain Management specialist,

Michael D. Dykes, MD

For over two decades he has successfully helped people suffering with chronic pain without the use of medications. If you or someone you know suffers from chronic pain, there is help! T. Bryant Like the fact that he gave me a book to read called eat to live information on my condition things to help me to become healthier and manage day to day living he’s very caring and cares about his patients it was my first encounter with him and I am impressed glad he’s now my doctor and his nurse was so nice shout out to her they are a awesome team.

MICHAEL D. DYKES, MD IS NOW ACCEPTING REFERRALS

To determine if you qualify for treatment, ask your primary care provider to refer you to Dr. Dykes for a consultation. Visit OptimHealthSystem.com or call 912.225.6499. 1601 Fair Road, Suite 800, Statesboro, GA 30458 Monday – Thursday: 8:30 AM – 5 PM • Friday: 8:30 AM – 4 PM

AgSouth Farm Credit Anderson’s General Store Averitt Center for the Arts BBWH Insurors Berkshire Hathaway Home Services/ Kennedy Realty Bernard’s Jewelers Bulloch First Bulloch Solutions Chick-fil-A of Statesboro Citizens Bank City of Statesboro Claude Howard Lumber Co., Inc. Clifton Forest & Appraisal Service CORE Credit Union Dabbs, Hickman, Hill & Cannon, LLP Dairy Queen of Statesboro David A. Ball Family Foundation Davis Bozeman Johnson Law, PC Denmark’s Furniture & Mattress Mart Dolan’s BBQ East Georgia Women’s Center Edenfield Trial Lawyers, LLC Ellis Wood Contracting Excelsior Electric Membership Corporation Express Tune & Lube Fordham’s Farmhouse Restaurant Georgia Power Company Georgia Southern Museum Georgia Southern University Hendley Properties Honey Catering Internal Medicine of Statesboro – Dr. Sergio Dalsania Joe Westerfield, CPA, PC Joey Cowart Law Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home & Crematory Josh Tucker, PC Kiwanis Club of Statesboro L.A. Waters Furniture & Mattress Center Lanier, Deal & Proctor, CPAs

THANK YOU CORPORATE MEMBERS YOUR SUPPORT HELPS KEEP BULLOCH HISTORY ALIVE.

ONE COUNTY, 226 YEARS OF HISTORY. BULLOCH COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS: CORPORATE $250 | INDIVIDUAL $40 | COUPLE $50

Lanier’s IGA Lee, Hill & Johnston Insurors Manack Signature Properties Maxwell – Reddick & Associates, Inc. McCook’s Pharmacy Meldrim Woods Plantation Merrill Lynch of Statesboro Morris Bank Nesmith Construction Company Ogeechee Peaches Ogeechee Technical College Pope Construction Company Ranco Group Renasant Bank Savannah Perio & Implants – Dr. Aaron Rawlings South Georgia Center for Cancer Care Southern Family Medicine – Dr. Glen Dasher Southern Manor Senior Living Statesboro Agency Statesboro Bank Statesboro-Bulloch Chamber of Commerce Statesboro-Bulloch Regional Veterinary Hospital Statesboro Convention & Visitors Bureau Statesboro Floor Covering Statesboro Publishing Company, Inc. Synovus Taulbee, Rushing, Snipes, Marsh & Hodgin, LLC T.D. Contractors, Inc. The Hube Law Firm, P.C. The Lodge at Bethany The Marsh Law Firm The Neurological Center of East Georgia The Tattnall Journal Tillman-Brannen-Minick Farm Supply, Inc. Touch of Class Catering Vision Source Walker Pharmacy & Gifts Wall Orthodontics Whitfield Signs William James Family Legacy Group Williams Enterprises, Smyrna, GA Willow Pond Senior Care Yates-Astro Termite & Pest Control

WWW.BULLOCHHISTORY.COM • 315 SAVANNAH AVE, 30458

THE CULTURE

Lift

lift as you grow

58 statesboromagazine.com

July/August 2022

as You Grow WRITTEN BY JENNY STARLING FOSS PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK FORTUNE

armers Market vendors Sally Scott and Stephanie Neal are selling more than candles each week. They’re selling opportunities for women who need a helping hand in reentering the work place. Scott experienced what many women have faced when she lost her job during COVID. In seeking unemployment insurance, she quickly recognized that many women were not as fortunate as she was to have the help and encouragement of family and friends through the process. Scott also became aware of a discrepancy in a Georgia program setup to address the problems many women face in obtaining safe and high-quality childcare at an affordable price, both while seeking a job and while working. The programs under Child and Parent Services (CAPS) had rules that were restrictive for women looking to reenter the workforce. She found that in order to apply for childcare credits, the applicant must already have a job. But who keeps the children while the applicant is looking? Scott got together with friends, Neal and Theresa Hackle, to come up with a business plan for an organization that could help these women overcome the challenges and restrictions that were inhibiting them from going back to work. “I knew that if you take care of the women first by empowering them, taking care of the children, families and even pets, would follow,” said Scott. A long-time candle maker, Hackle was willing and able to teach her craft to other women as a skill that could be used as a source of income while they were navigating the state systems for assistance. Both Scott and Neal are graduates of Leadership Bulloch who met in Professional Women of Statesboro. The network of women they’ve developed throughout their community associations provides welcome resources and connections. Their friends have been willing to help with their mission to give a hand to improve the quality of life for many women not as fortunate. “It’s about women supporting women,” said Scott. “We have networked with women like Kim Billings at Safe Haven and Delia Mobley at the Hearts & Hands Mission, to fill a need with a program where women with limited resources can find economic mobility through transitional employment, they can educate themselves within a safe place, and regain confidence and dignity.” The 12-week program includes four weeks of counseling and courses on financial literacy, how to apply for resources, childcare assistance and educational assistance. Women are encouraged to obtain certifications at Ogeechee Technical College while in the program to strengthen their own job readiness and learn marketable skills. The program costs about $2,500 for each individual. Grants to cover costs have been received from sponsors like Georgia Power and Unite Way. The classes are limited to less than ten. Participants work 25 hours per week earning minimum wage, which can increase as the program gains sponsors. Certified state counselors meet with the classes two days per week.

“We give them the opportunity for personal growth, professional development, skill building, and goal setting,” said Scott. “We’re teaching them a process in the candle making, how to be more efficient in working. It is so neat to see everyone prosper while working together.” The women come up with unique fragrance blends for the candles and names that reflect their new found hope, independence and confidence. “The women we help are very appreciative and in turn want to help open doors for others to be Empowers vulnerable and at-risk successful,” said women by providing economic Scott. “This mobility through part-time, program is the transitional employment, adult voice for those education certificates, and a safe who haven’t had space for healing, and building a one. The confihealthy society. Our mission is to dence they gain create empowerment communities here takes them where women connect with one forward. We’re another and resources as their building a netlives are transformed. work for them so they can support each other.” WOMEN HELPING WOMEN.

The Lift as You Grow candles are available for sale at the Saturday Main Street Farmers Markets. Other local merchants have reached out to become part of the program. Candles are also available at Frills by Scott, 30 Volume Salon and Forest Heights Pharmacy. Lift as You Grow, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization and donations are tax-deductible. The organization’s offices are at 515 Denmark Street, suite 2000. You can also buy candles at the above locations to do your own part in helping these women light the way. S July/August 2022

statesboromagazine.com

THE CULTURE

reading with the mayor

Reading with the Mayor

Statesboro opens reading nook for families in City Hall WRITTEN BY HAYLEY GREENE,

Public Relations Director, Bulloch County Schools

ayor Jonathan McCollar and the Bulloch County Literacy Council have officially opened a new reading nook for children inside the lobby of the Statesboro City Hall to support the Council’s Bulloch READ initiative. At the opening a group of youngsters, many of whom are children of city employees, enjoyed Mayor McCollar reading a book aloud and picking out a book to take home. “One of the things that inspired me when I went to the Literacy Council’s Bulloch READ Kick-off event in November, is when I saw all of the energy around promoting literacy for our young kids in the community, so I thought it was a great opportunity for the City to be a part of that movement,” said Mayor McCollar. “When I was told that this was something that we could do right here inside of city hall, I wanted to definitely make sure that we took advantage of it.” The Bulloch County Literacy Council encourages reading nooks in businesses to boost access to books for children and help improve preschool and early-elementary literacy in Bulloch County. The City of Statesboro’s reading nook is now one of four to debut in businesses this school year. Bulloch Solutions and Franklin Chevro60 statesboromagazine.com

July/August 2022

let-Buick-GMC, two of the Literacy Council’s Bulloch READ program sponsors, were the first two businesses to establish reading nooks for children in their locations, and Statesboro Urgent Care with Dr. Sreevalli Dega, added their location in March. “Promoting literacy at a young age for our most precious citizens allows us to make a big investment into their future, and not just their future, but the future of our city,” Mayor McCollar added. “What we want to do is to encourage early reading and early literacy for our young people, because overall that helps them perform better in school and become better employees and better citizens. This is really all of us trying to connect the dots to make not just our young people’s lives better but the future of our City brighter.”

Wolverine® RMAX™4 1000 LIMITED EDITION

Reading nooks are a great way to give children easier access to books, encourage reading, and create a literacy-rich environment for children in our community. The cozy corners offer a place for kids to look at or read books, and families may take a book home from the businesses’ reading nooks to help build their own home libraries and nooks. The Literacy Council is available to guide businesses in how to establish a reading nook. Contact Crystal Simpkins, director of early learning and literacy at Bulloch County Schools, at 912.212.8892 or by email at csimpkins@bullochschools.org. The Literacy Council also encourages reading and reading nooks at home. In February, leading up to Read Across America Day, the Literacy Council hosted its 2nd Annual Reading Nook Photo Contest for families to submit photos of their children reading or being read to in their home nooks. The Bulloch County Literacy Council is made up of pre-school, secondary and post-secondary educators, representatives from local businesses, and literacy and civic organizations who want to increase Kindergarten readiness for children birth through Pre-Kindergarten and to support the improvement of literacy levels for all children in Kindergarten through fifth-grade. Bulloch READ is their primary project: • Reading: Encourage the creation of Reading nooks. • Environment: Encourage a literacy-rich Environment. • Access: Increase Access to books and reading resources. • Development: Increase early brain Development. S

Wolverine® RMAX™4 1000 LIMITED EDITION

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Wolverine® RMAX™2 1000 LIMITED EDITION

• New, powerful 999cc parallel twin engine ® ™2 1000 LIMITED • Auto inspired 2-seater cockpit with industry-exclusive soft touchpoints on the Wolverine RMAX2 Wolverine RMAX EDITION • Roomy 4-person cabin with configurable sliding rear seats for additional storage in the Wolverine RMAX4 • 3 D-Mode settings at the turn of a dial: Sport Mode, Trail Mode, Crawl Mode • New, powerful 999cc parallel twin engine iQS (Intelligent Quick Switch) shocks puts the suspension settings in the hands of the driver, • FOX® 2.0 • Auto inspired 2-seater cockpit with industry-exclusive soft touchpoints on the Wolverine RMAX2 allowing• them choosecabin the preferred damping levels in the cockpit Roomyto 4-person with configurable sliding rearfrom seats aforswitch additional storage in the Wolverine RMAX4 • Integrated Yamahasettings Adventure GPSSport and Mode, adventure planning • 3 D-Mode at thePro turnwith of a dial: Trail Mode, Crawl Mode • Transport up®to of cargo or tow a full 2,000 lbs. 2.0600 iQSlbs. (Intelligent Quick Switch) shocks puts the suspension settings in the hands of the driver, • FOX allowing them to choose preferred damping levels from a switch in the cockpit • Advanced, comfort-focused iQSthe suspension ® ® GPS and adventure planning • Integrated Adventure Pro with Carnivore tires and 14-inch aluminum wheels in a square setup • Wolverine RMAX2: Yamaha 30” Maxxis • Transport up to 600 lbs. ®of cargo or tow a full 2,000 lbs. tires and 14-inch aluminum wheels • Wolverine RMAX4: 29” Maxxis Carnage® radial

• Advanced, comfort-focused iQS suspension • Wolverine RMAX2: 30” Maxxis® Carnivore® tires and 14-inch aluminum wheels in a square setup • Wolverine RMAX4: 29” Maxxis® Carnage® radial tires and 14-inch aluminum wheels

Statesboro Yamaha 22815 US Hwy 80 |Statesboro, GA 30461

912.764.7433

Shocks, Adventure Pro and Tires listed available on Limited Edition models only. Professional riders and drivers on closed courses. Side-by-Side (SxS) models are recommended for use only by operators 16 years

and older with a valid driver’s license. Always wear your seat belt, helmet, eye protection and protective clothing. Yamaha recommends that all Side-by-Side riders take an approved training course. For Side-by-Side Shocks, Adventure safety Pro and Tires listed available on Limited Edition models only. Professional riders and drivers on closed courses. Side-by-Side (SxS) models are recommended for use only by operators 16 years and training information, see your dealer or call the ROHVA at 1-866-267-2751. Read the Owner’s Manual and the product warning labels before operation. Avoid excessive speeds and never engage in stunt and older with a valid driver’s Always wearand your seatridebelt, helmet, eyeAnd protection and protective clothing. Yamaha all Side-by-Side ridersdrugs; takeitanis approved Side-by-Side riding. Alwayslicense. avoid paved surfaces never on public roads. be particularly careful on difficult terrain. Neverrecommends ride under thethat influence of alcohol or other illegal and training dangerous.course. ModelsFor shown safety and training with information, see your dealer call the at 1-866-267-2751. Read the• Owner’s Manual and the product warning labels before operation. Avoid excessive speeds and never engage in stunt optional accessories. ©2020or Yamaha MotorROHVA Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved YamahaMotorsports.com riding. Always avoid paved surfaces and never ride on public roads. And be particularly careful on difficult terrain. Never ride under the influence of alcohol or other drugs; it is illegal and dangerous. Models shown with optional accessories. ©2020 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved • YamahaMotorsports.com

local flavors familiar faces S TAT E S B O R O FA R M E R S M A R K E T . C O M 2 2 2 S M A I N S T , S TAT E S B O R O , G A 3 0 4 5 8

July/August 2022

statesboromagazine.com

THE CULTURE

Oceans of

summer reading program

ummer trips to the library, or for families living in the country, visits from the Bookmobile, were much anticipated events before library’s contents became virtual. With online resources like Galileo, the World Digital Library and the Georgia Virtual Library, readers can browse digitalized archives of books, films, maps and more invaluable sources of reference at the click of a mouse. At the Statesboro Regional Library, you can still enjoy the pleasure of perusing shelve of good summer reading material whether you’re three or 103. This year’s summer reading program, Oceans of Possibilities, will run from June 1st to July 30th, and will take place both online and in the local library on South Main Street at scheduled Storytime activities. Readers will be able to track their reading progress, participate in events, complete fun activities, and enter drawings for great prizes! Readers of all ages are invited to participate with challenge categories for everyone from babies to adults. The library uses an online app for tracking of reading progression throughout the contest period. The Beanstack platform is a free application, which invites readers to register beginning May 3rd. The library’s website provides a registration link to Beanstack, a step-by-step guide for registration and video tutorials. The app is also available through the App Store and Google Play. Participants 62 statesboromagazine.com

July/August 2022

can then start logging their reading progress on June 1st. Readers will start earning digital badges through the website or may download the mobile app to track progress on their phone. The library will be hosting a variety of story times, crafts, performers and family friendly events, free and open to the public. Readers who choose to participate can earn more badges and are eligible for prizes. Each month the library shares an event calendar with separate activity days for adults, kids, toddlers, teens and families. This year the Statesboro Regional Library System will have a regional prize in addition to the individual library’s prizes. Prizes can only be won by participants who reside in Bulloch County and who can pick up their prize at the Statesboro-Bulloch County Library. All winners will be drawn from participants who are registered in Beanstack. Winners will be contacted via the email and/or phone number they used to register their Beanstack account. Pre-Reader and Children’s Summer Reading Challenge (ages 0-12) Teen Summer Reading Challenge (ages 12-18) Adult Summer Reading Challenge (ages 18-109) Both the paper reading logs and the Beanstack app reading logs can be returned to the front help desk at the local library once a week for a prize. One prize a week per patron. Both will be eligible for end of summer drawings. S

Possibilities

July/August 2022

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G R O U P Thank you for Voting us Southern Manor Group Most Fabulous Assisted Living/ Rehabilitation Center! And Making us finalist for Most Fabulous Home Health Services and Senior Residence/Retirement Community. We boast being the region’s only community to offer a National Board Certified Assisted Living Executive Director as well as a National Board Certified Adult Nurse Practitioner to meet the needs our families, residents, and employees. With 45 private rooms in addition to a large spacious sun room, lobby and lifestyle center, our Residents and Families will agree we are the very finest in retirement living.

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We’re not just convenient. We’re committed.

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July/August 2022

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LEADING & LEARNING A STRONGER B U L LO C H

Great leaders all have one thing in common. They love to learn. For some it’s in their DNA. Others have learned from experience that the route to becoming better, more effective leaders, is through learning from everything and everyone, every day. Either way the best leaders are prolific learners. Although definitions can vary, most agree that learning is a process, not a state. It’s the process of understanding the who, what, why, and how of a subject or issue. In complex environments like business and education, learning must be at the very least ongoing, dynamic and adaptive. At its best learning becomes a generative process. This is the kind of learning that makes leaders more effective. Nothing is more generative than learning from and with your community. Effective, collaborative leaders know this. They know that investing in the next generation is the most effective way of lifting everyone up and creating the best opportunities for advancement. They encourage connection and collaboration within their communities and stakeholders because they know that many diverse minds are better than a few specialized minds. Effective leaders use collaborative or shared inquiry, reflection and dialogue to increase their own understanding. They also use these practices to create the conditions that allow their people to learn. From public organizations and non-profits to private practices, the entire community can experience generative learning – with the right leadership. Interestingly, as human beings we are the only species on earth capable of generative learning. This is a uniquely human type of learning that has emerged from our sociality and our ability to communicate complex ideas, thoughts and emotions. Leaders who embrace this kind of deeply collaborative learning continually and effectively recreate themselves, those they are mentoring, their organizations and their communities. More importantly these are the leaders who in leading by learning create and maintain organizations and communities that are able to thrive in changing times.

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RAY HENDLEY & FAMILY Founder, Hendley Properties

ounded by Ray Hendley, Hendley Properties has been in business since 1968. Most of the Hendley family have chosen to dedicate their careers to the company. Mr. Hendley offers a welcoming atmosphere where he leads with a calm spirit allowing his employees to think for themselves. Mr. Hendley found that once he started putting Jesus first his company really took off. Hendley Properties serves over 1,000 residents per year, and manages around 450 homes in the Statesboro community. They currently have approximately 25 employees, eight of which are family members. A Family Tradition

Mr. Hendley’s wife Laura has worked in the company for over 30 years. She excels in helping to design properties from the bottom up. She has a knack for color and can see the finished product in her head before it even begins. Their daughter Ginny heads up the daily operations of the company as the property manager at the main office of Greenbriar. She has a heavy hand on the maintenance logistics and tries to lead with the values that Mr. Hendley has instilled in so many over the years. As a graduate of Mercer University with a degree in communications, Ginny understands the importance of taking time to value each person that walks through the door and listen to their needs. Mr. Hendley’s son John worked as the head of maintenance for many years. He would bring his son Jonathan to work with him even as a toddler. Jonathan, better known as J.J. is now the maintenance supervisor and passes on his wisdom to the younger generation. Mr. Hendley’s son Jason worked for the DOT for several years, he now serves as accounts payable and purchasing agent for Hendley Properties. Jason is a great problem solver. Mr. Hendley’s daughter Holly is the Planter’s Row Manager. She is lovingly known as the Mom of the community for many of the residents, who are on their own for the first time. Her smiling face is always welcoming as she works alongside her

daughter Hendley, who serves as the leasing agent. Mr. Hendley’s daughter Julia is also at Planters Row, where her knack for design can be clearly displayed. Several grandchildren have also worked in the company over the years while in college, as Mr. Hendley instills excellent work ethics in all of his children and grandchildren. He enjoys mentoring them into their careers. What is your key to success in the community?

Mr. Hendley treats everyone the same, from the janitor to the managers. Everyone in the company and many in the community look to Mr. Hendley as a father figure. He spends a lot of time mentoring and pouring into the next generation. His calm spirit under pressure is rare. He credits his success much to the confidence and love his parents instilled in him at a young age. They taught him to reach for the stars and to always put God first. He is very creative and always a dreamer. Volunteer Organizations:

Mr. Hendley volunteers with many charities including helping Safe Haven, Fostering Bulloch, the Hagaii Institution to help spread the Gospel throughout the world, Statesboro Rotary and many more. What is your company motto?

The Hendley Properties motto for doing business is making Jesus the head of every decision and treating others like they are a part of the family. Many of our residents are moving away from home for the first time. We strive to make them safe, comfortable and happy while they live in Statesboro. What has been your greatest joy in being a business leader?

Watching Statesboro grow and transform over the years is the best. Helping pave the way for downtown development has meant a lot. Helping give others the confidence to grow as business leaders and community volunteers. His greatest joy has been mentoring his children and helping them become successful in life.

LEADING & LEARNING

B U I L D I N G A S T R O N G E R B U L LO C H

Ray Hendley Owner Laura Hendley Partner Ginny Hendley Property Manager Hendley Properties Holly Wolfe Planters Row Manager Julia Hendley Planters Row

July/August 2022

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LEADING & LEARNING

B U I L D I N G A S T R O N G E R B U L LO C H

CHRIS WIGGINS VP | Retail Market Manager, Market District Office, Synovus bank

was born and raised in Bulloch County. I’ve graduated from both Ogeechee Technical College and Georgia Southern University. How long have you been in your position?

I have been with Synovus Bank since 2008, beginning my career as a drive-thru teller after graduation from college. I’ve been in my current position as a Retail Market Manager for five years. Favorite thing about your job?

I love people. As a Synovus banker, building relationships is at the center of everything we do. The opportunity to serve our clients and this community drives me every day. What does volunteerism mean to you?

Time is our most valuable asset. So giving of one’s time and talents to give a hand up to our fellow man is what volunteerism means to me. Favorite thing about living and doing business in Statesboro?

We are blessed to live in “America’s Greatest Community.” I love the fact that Statesboro is a giving community. The businesses and people of Bulloch County truly care about the well-being of others. Favorite Volunteer Event you attend each year and why?

My favorite volunteer event is The Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair. The annual Fair is the largest fundraiser for the Statesboro Kiwanis Club. The proceeds from the Fair are

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THROUGH THESE CLUBS AND BOARDS, I ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER WITH MANY OTHER NON-PROFITS IN TOWN.

given back to the community’s many non-profit and school organizations, helping us to achieve our mission of improving the world one child and one community at a time. And who doesn’t love Fair food!? Organizations you volunteer with or are member of?

I currently serve as the President of Habitat for Humanity of Bulloch County and the President-Elect for the Kiwanis Club of Statesboro. I also serve as a member of the board of directors for the Statesboro Jaycees and for the United Way of Southeast Georgia. Through these clubs and boards, I also have the opportunity to volunteer with many other non-profits in town. Why is Volunteering important to you?

My parents taught me that true JOY is found by putting Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last and that people do not care about how much you know but how much you care. Volunteering is what makes me happy. An anonymous quote I read recently sums up volunteering for me, “Let’s not strive to be the best, but to be the best for the world.”

LEADING & LEARNING

B U I L D I N G A S T R O N G E R B U L LO C H

COURTNEY JOINER East Georgia State College Campus Coordinator for Statesboro and Augusta campuses and Interim Director of the Statesboro Center

am a double Eagle, with a bachelors and master’s degree in history from Georgia Southern, and I began teaching in 1993. I taught high school social studies at Bulloch Academy before moving on to teach U.S. History for East Georgia State College in 2007. I began as an instructor and am now a full professor. I moved into administration part-time in 2019 as a coordinator for the Swainsboro campus. In August 2021 I became a full-time administrator as the coordinator for the Statesboro and Augusta campuses.

I have. I am regularly inspired by the committed faculty and staff with whom I work and who are dedicated to the mission of East Georgia to provide a quality education to every student, but especially to those students who really need a chance to succeed. What is your favorite thing about your job?

There seems to be no more crucial time for this focus on teaching than now. And we do it all at the lowest tuition rates in the state. Our faculty are prepared to meet our students where they MENTORING What does are and bring them to COMES FROM volunteerism/ full preparation for their BUILDING A mentoring mean to next step. Furthermore, RELATIONSHIP you? our new location in THROUGH In high school, CONVERSATIONS, the Nessmith-Lane college, and Building on the Georgia EXPRESSING INTEREST IN throughout my Southern campus OTHERS. career, I have had means we are in the people encourage best place to provide me. I enjoy having this quality education the opportunity to pay that and preparation through our encouragement forward. Many partnership with the Bobcat2Eagle students – and some faculty and (B2E) Program where our students staff – haven’t considered what can get their associate’s degree, they are capable of doing, being, then seamlessly transfer to Georgia or achieving until someone else Southern to complete their points it out to them. Mentoring bachelor’s degree. There is little comes from building a relationship in the world more satisfying than through conversations, expressing watching a student succeed. interest in others, pointing out their strengths, and showing confidence in their abilities, even when they don’t have the confidence themselves…yet.

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Who is your mentor?

I am blessed in that I can’t name just one person who has mentored me; my list is long. I try to learn something from everyone I work with and from every interaction

July/August 2022

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LEADING & LEARNING

B U I L D I N G A S T R O N G E R B U L LO C H

FRANCYS & MECA JOHNSON Francys Johnson is an attorney, educator and public theologian, based in Statesboro. Dr. Meca Williams-Johnson is a professor of Educational Research at Georgia Southern University.

rancys Johnson is an attorney, educator, and public theologian. He represents people seriously injured and/or killed along with persons charged with a serious state or federal crime as a Partner with Davis Bozeman Johnson Law. He serves the profession as a member of the Board of Governors for the State Bar of Georgia, the State’s Judicial Qualifications Commission, and the Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism. Francys Johnson is the Senior Pastor of the Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Pembroke and Magnolia Baptist Church of Statesboro. He has preached all over this country and taught courses on Race and the Law, the Civil Rights Movement, Constitutional Law, Policing, and Criminal Law. Francys Johnson is the former State President of the Georgia NAACP, the State’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Francys Johnson succeeded Stacey Abrams and Reverend Raphael Warnock as the head of the New Georgia Project, a transformational voter empowerment organization defeating voter suppression while advancing progressive values in the public policy and registering more than 500,000 citizens to vote. What inspires you to mentor and volunteer?

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That’s simple, gratitude. I am grateful for the blessings I have received from people and deeply believe that to whom much has been given more is expected. I am trying through mentorship and volunteering to pay those blessings forward.

NO MATTER WHAT I DO OR WHERE I GO – I TAKE THEIR LESSONS WITH ME. IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT NONE OF US GET ANYWHERE BY OURSELVES.

What does volunteerism/mentoring mean to you?

I deeply believe our gifts; talents and the time God has given us are not for us alone. It’s my way of honoring God through serving others. Who is your mentor?

I have been blessed with many mentors. Dr. Saba Jallow, a retired political science professor at Georgia, holds a singular place in my life. Saba and Renata Jallow have been such steady encouragers and constant sources of inspiration to improve the human condition and promote the common good. No matter what I do or where I go – I take their lessons with me. It is important to note that none of us get anywhere by ourselves. Organizations you volunteer with or are member of?

I am deeply concerned about civil and human rights and work with several organizations focused on doing what others claim is not possible – changing this world. I will highlight the New Georgia Project. I was blessed to succeed Stacey Abrams and Reverend Raphael Warnock as the head of the New Georgia Project, a transformational voter empowerment organization defeating voter suppression while advancing progressive values in the public policy and registering more than 500,000 citizens. Why is Volunteering/mentoring important to you?

One day our children will ask us what we did to make the world a better place. I want to earn their respect by confirming I did all I could with what I had.

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r. Meca Williams-Johnson is a professor of Educational Research in the College of Education Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia. Additionally, she served on varies committees at the University and throughout the community. Dr. Williams-Johnson completes research on exploring emotions and the impact on teaching and learning. She has contributed to the larger body of knowledge and reported recommendations to achieve the best educational experience possible for all students. As the chair for the of the Bulloch County NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) Education Committee and the Faculty Advisor of the NAACP at Georgia Southern, Dr. Williams-Johnson volunteers several hours to cultivating community partnerships to support area teachers, students, parents, and school leaders. What inspires you to mentor and volunteer?

I was fortunate to have excellent mentors throughout my educational journey that helped me achieve my goals, even when I was not exactly clear on my goals. I knew they wanted the best for me. My work is an example of their influence, I give concerted efforts to assisting mentees in achieve their fullest potential. Who is your mentor?

My family members were always big influencers in my life, but I also have an extensive list of faculty members who showed me that I was valuable and provided continued support for me along the way. My undergraduate history professor at Southern University, Dr. Eva S. Baham, believed in me and took me to my first academic conference and then paid for me to attend a special session at Purdue University (her alma mater) for minority students interested in graduate school. I attended Florida State University for my master’s degree and made new mentoring relationships there. Working in schools in Atlanta, my mentor, Mrs. Marguerite Eberhardt, was my assistant principal and an exceptional school leader who took interest in my development as an educator. At UGA working on my PhD, I had several great mentors: Dr. Paul Schutz (who was an outstanding advocate for me and my dissertation committee chair), as well as Dr. Asa Hillard, (exceptional scholar on just about everything), Dr. Dorothy White, and Dr. Judith Priessle. Why is Volunteering/mentoring important to you?

Mentoring is incredibly important to career and academic success. Currently, I am working with several new faculty members within the College of Education and students throughout the university. All of my mentees inspire me with new ideas and the excitement of developing new relationships.

July/August 2022

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LEADING & LEARNING

B U I L D I N G A S T R O N G E R B U L LO C H

MADISON GASTON CBA Administrative Assistant, Bulloch First

am a native of Wadley, Georgia, where I attended Thomas Jefferson Academy from Pre-K through 12th grade. After graduating high school, I furthered my education by attending Georgia Southern University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Multimedia Journalism. I am the Administrative Assistant at Bulloch First. I am responsible for various tasks to ensure the efficiency of day-to-day operations at Bulloch First and I represent the company through community involvement. I was recently chosen to be in the Leadership Bulloch Class of 2023. I hope to be a great asset to the class, and I am eager to begin this new chapter of my life. What does volunteerism mean to you?

Volunteerism is dedicating time and effort to serving others with the hope of bettering our community and improving the quality of life for our residents. By pursuing volunteer opportunities, we can connect with our community while making a philanthropic impact on Bulloch County. Who is your mentor?

First and foremost, Wes Simmons and Caroline Nelson have been my two mentors since I started my job at Bulloch First. Wes and Caroline have supported me in pursuing my dreams of being involved and active in our community. I commend their unwavering encouragement. I greatly appreciate their advisement in terms of professional and personal growth. I met Trish Tootle when I moved to Statesboro. Trish and I have similar work ethics and outgoing personalities. Trish has mentored me by offering excellent

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advice and encouraging me to pursue my numerous professional opportunities. Favorite Volunteer Event you attend each year and why?

My favorite volunteer organization is the United Way of Statesboro which allows me to attend multiple events throughout the year. I am a Community Investment volunteer for the United Way and enjoy being a part of that. I like to learn about and go to non-profit organizations such as Willingway, The Food Bank, Safe Haven, Habitat for Humanity, and The Boys & Girls Club. I look forward to seeing each local organization grow and succeed to its upmost potential each year.

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BY PURSUING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, WE CAN CONNECT WITH OUR COMMUNITY.

Organizations you volunteer with or are member of?

I am an active member of the Bulloch County community through Bulloch First Bank. I am active with The Home Builders Association of Statesboro, Safe Haven, The Statesboro Chamber of Commerce, and Georgia Southern University. I attend Connection Church in Statesboro. What is your passion outside of work?

I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I love going to the beach, playing tennis, hunting, and fishing.

LEADING & LEARNING

B U I L D I N G A S T R O N G E R B U L LO C H

SERGEANT SEBASTIAN “SLY” COLQUITT Sergeant of Professional Standards, Statesboro Police Department

y name is Sebastian “Sly” Colquitt. I’m the Sergeant of Professional Standards which primarily deals with hiring for the department and internal affairs investigations. I have a B.S. from GSU in Criminal Justice and am the first in my family to be in law enforcement. I’ve been at the department for 16 years, and a Sergeant for five years, four of which have been in Professional Standards. What does volunteerism/ mentoring mean to you?

parts of my adult life, and helped me overcome and to do what I needed to be a better person. Dr. Christine Ludowise, formally of GSU whose friendship helped me through college and beyond; Rob Bryan, who helped me in the beginning of my law enforcement career and until now; and Mike Broadhead, who has given me an outside the box perspective on life and law enforcement I LIKE TO after he moved PROVIDE to Georgia GUIDANCE from Colorado AND HELP and abroad. WHEN NEEDED The weekly TO MAKE THE conversations I MENTEE’S have with these LIFE EASIER three guide me to AND WITH THE be the best person EXPERIENCES I can be, and in I’VE HAD, TO turn, it gives me HELP THEM the opportunity MAKE GOOD CHOICES to pass on the GOING knowledge that FORWARD. they have given to me.

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For me, mentoring means providing guidance for someone so that they are able to make the best choices moving forward. No one person is perfect or knows everything, and you can’t plan for every eventuality. I like to provide guidance and help when needed to make the mentee’s life easier and with the experiences I’ve had, to help them make good choices going forward. Who is your mentor?

I have three. They have helped me grow as a person, and as a professional. I feel a mentor is someone that can listen to a work problem, and a personal problem and give advice accordingly. These three people have seen me at what is considered a low or the worst

July/August 2022

Why is Volunteering/ mentoring important to you?

It’s important to me because I didn’t grow up in what was an informative household, therefore a lot of the things most people take for granted I had to learn through others. Mortgages, retirement planning, mental health, or when to buy major appliances. Life is complicated and sometimes overbearing when you’re going alone. So it’s good to be able to receive and provide guidance to those in need.

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LEADING & LEARNING

B U I L D I N G A S T R O N G E R B U L LO C H

JAIME RIGGS Director of Marketing, East Georgia Regional Medical Center

aime Riggs is the new Director his team. The two most important of Marketing for East Georgia mentors of my adult life have both Regional Medical Center. Jaime passed away in recent years, Lynda is a regional community promoter Brannen Williamson and Carvy Snell. at heart having been former I learned so much from both of these executive director of the Statesboro community leaders. Lynda, most of Convention & Visitors Bureau, all, taught me the power of listening Metter downtown development and how once you perfect that art you authority’s director, Metter-Candler could be the most heard individual in Chamber of Commerce’s director, the room. Carvy taught me to fight Georgia regional tourism association for what you believe that would be president and Splash in the Boro better for the common good, even waterpark supervisor. She helped if it’s not the most popular idea or lead several initiatives and projects in thought. both communities. Some of those projects include the Organizations you original Statesboro Main volunteer with or are Street Farmers Market, member of? Statesboro’s downtown Coming back into the I DO NOT branding initiative, business community from THINK I’D BE streetscape projects, spending most of my extra HERE TODAY “Everything’s Better in time with family, I plan to IF IT WASN’T Metter” brand revival get more involved with local FOR THE campaign, the Another leadership organizations and VOLUNTEERS OR Bloomin’ Festival, and Rotary. I truly enjoyed my “SUPERHEROES the Candler County time in the Rotary Club WHO CARED.” Archway Partnership of Metter and would love with UGA. Jaime to get back involved in the graduated from GSU Statesboro civic community. with a BS in Recreation, OTC with a CIS diploma and has an MBA Why is Volunteering important to in Organizational Leadership from you? Ashford University. Jaime resides Volunteering is important to me in Metter with her husband, Tyler, because it’s the easiest way to give back and her children Haden, Jack and to others. I am a city girl, product of Elizabeth. the Boys & Girls Club and the public recreation department teams and I do What does volunteerism mean to not think I’d be here today if it wasn’t you? for the volunteers or “superheroes Our time here on Earth is not free and who cared” that came before me. By by volunteering and serving others, we volunteering I hopefully can be that get to pay a little “rent” back for that. light or that business woman without a cape that once helped a young person Who is your mentor? like me. I am in an awesome time of my life where I am learning from some of the wisest and most critical thinkers I have ever met. I am looking forward to learning from my new boss, Stephen Pennington, and the way he leads with a compassionate heart for all of

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LEADING & LEARNING

B U I L D I N G A S T R O N G E R B U L LO C H

LEISA HOUGHTON Head of School, Bulloch Academy

am Leisa Houghton, Head of School at Bulloch Academy. I came to Bulloch Academy in 2002 looking for a Pre-K program for my daughter. There was already a waiting list, and I would only be able to get her in the program if I worked at BA. The school had a position open for Middle and High School Technology Teacher. I was offered and accepted the position, and my career at BA began. I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri in 1992. I added Teacher Certifications for Business (6-12), Elementary/ Secondary English (K-12) and Reading (K-12), in 1994, from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas in 1994. In 2009, I received my Master’s Degree in Education Administration and Supervision and added my Leadership Certificate.

Averitt. She had a vision many years ago, and she developed the vision into a reality by starting BA. I have learned so much about BA by learning about the history and beginning days. Mrs. Connie has always been and continues to be a legacy and supporter! Organizations you volunteer with or are member of?

I am a member of the SAIS (Southern Association of Independent Schools) accreditation team, where I volunteer to chair accreditation teams at other independent schools. I usually lead a team every year or every other year during COVID. I am a member of the national Business Officers Association, GISA (Georgia Independent School Association), and NASSP (National Association of Secondary School Principals).

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MENTORS ARE VITAL IN TEACHING MENTEES THE GOALS OF THE ORGANIZATION AND BREAKING DOWN THE STEPS TO ACHIEVE THEM.

What does volunteerism/ mentoring mean to you?

Favorite thing about living and doing business in Statesboro? I have lived in several states in the past, and my favorite thing about living and doing business in Statesboro is that it has the small town feel with a larger town’s opportunities. The colleges and industries in Statesboro provide us with more small and larger businesses, restaurants, and service industries. Who is your mentor?

I have been fortunate to have several wonderful mentors at each stage in my career. I would have to say that my mentor that has made me the person I am at BA today would be Mrs. Connie

Why is Volunteering/mentoring important to you?

Mentoring is key to the success of employees in any organization and thus key to the success of the organization. Mentors are vital in teaching mentees the goals of the organization and breaking down the steps to achieve them. At Bulloch Academy all new employees are assigned an experienced mentor to help guide them through their first year and beyond. S

July/August 2022

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IT’S INSURANCE MADE SIMPLE. Insurance can be complicated, but it doesn’t need to be. Working with an Independent Agent means more choices from someone with you best interests in mind. And when you choose Grange, you can be sure they’re looking out for you, too.

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WE LIVE HERE

buzz worthy bites

STRAWBERRY FIG JAM INGREDIENTS:

12 c. Figs (ripe, skin-on, stems removed) 4 lb. Sugar 4 boxes Strawberry Jell-O (3 oz.) 18 Canning Jars with Lids (8 oz.) PREPARATION:

Place figs in a pot with sugar. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves. While the figs and sugar are cooking crush figs with a spoon, or I like to use a potato masher. Once sugar is dissolved add the Jell-O and cook an additional 10 minutes. Stir constantly. Use traditional hot water canning method. PICKLED PEACHES INGREDIENTS:

7 lbs. Peaches (washed and peeled) 3 lbs. Sugar 1 pint Vinegar 1 c. Water 1 Tbsp. Cloves 1 Tbsp. Allspice 6-8 Wide Mouth Jars with Lids (quart size) PREPARATION:

Boil all ingredients until liquid is clear. Put fruit and juice in jars and seal with hot water canning method. Makes approximately six quart jars.

Kitchen House WRITTEN BY LAZAR BROWN OGLESBY

f you knew my grandaddy, Dolan Edward Brown Jr., then you would understand my affinity for canning. Friends and acquaintances of the Brown family have enjoyed many a meal at the Brown’s Kitchen House. What most folks would call a pond house, club house, or cabin, the Brown’s lovingly refer to as the “Kitchen House.” My earliest memories of the Kitchen House are the delicious smells escaping through the screen door. The scent of onions and bell peppers cooking with just a tang of vinegar in the air takes me back to the summer days of my 78 statesboromagazine.com

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childhood. My cousins and I hung around like little beggars just waiting for a morsel. When we heard the familiar beep of the big wheel on “The Price is Right” we knew lunch would soon be served. All the men would come in with their big clunky work boots and wash up with dial soap. Grandaddy would say grace, “Bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies, and us to thy service.” And dinner was served. In the big room where we gathered to eat, the walls were covered in shallow, wooden shelves. The shelves held Mason jars filled with every canned or pickled delicacy you could imagine. Pickled peaches, grape jelly, blackberry jelly, pears halves, cucumber pickles, pear relish, and even whole muscadine grapes glistened brightly like colorful gems on display. After the lunch dishes were washed and put away, Grandaddy would

continue pickling and preserving. The cousins would perch on deep chest freezers and sample warm blackberry jelly from solo cups. The freezers were loaded with produce from Grandaddy’s garden including: fresh squash, peas, beans, and creamed corn. I consider it a great privilege to have experienced and enjoyed these times with my family. My forays into canning have produced much success as well as miserable failures. Pectin remains a formidable adversary and necessary friend. No matter the amount of pectin a recipe calls for I always add a little or even a lot extra. My first attempt at blueberry jelly was a bust. It turned out more like blueberry syrup, but it tasted good! The Methodist Men’s prayer breakfast group ate many a jar of my strawberry fig preserves made with figs picked from Grandma’s “patch” in Twin City. Every summer Daddy brings me big mesh bags full of hard pears from the farm. I grate them to make pear relish using Grandaddy’s hand-written recipe. My kitchen at Honey smells like I stepped back in time. The slightly sweet and tangy flavor of the pear relish compliments a bowl of buttery peas perfectly. It’s hard to eat a good smoked sausage dog without a heaping spoonful of pear relish on top! Canning is not for the faint of heart. It is real WORK. I suggest gathering family or friends to help. After all, this is the way it should be. I have a large, industrial kitchen with room to spread out and work. I just can’t imagine little old ladies standing over boiling pots in tiny kitchens without air conditioning. Man are we spoiled! Try your hand at a little canning this summer. I promise there is nothing more satisfying than hearing the faint pop and click of metal lids sealing at the end of a long day. The recipes below are passed down from family members or created from trial and error throughout the years. Pinterest, Google, and your local county extension agency are all great sources for recipes, tips, and the correct methods for canning. S

MAMA CIL’S PEAR RELISH INGREDIENTS:

14 lbs. Pears (weight after they have been peeled and cored) 4 lbs. Red and Green Bell Peppers (approximately 6 of each color) 3 lbs. Onions PREPARATION:

Grind all the above ingredients. I use a food processor. Let stand in colander and drain for 2 hours. While fruit mixture is draining assemble the remaining ingredients. INGREDIENTS::

2 qt. Vinegar 2 lbs. Light Brown Sugar 2 Tbsp. Black Pepper 1 tsp. Celery Seed 2 tsp. Cinnamon 2 Tbsp. Mustard Seed Dash Turmeric 24 Pint Jars with Lids PREPARATION:

Cook vinegar and spices until hot. Add fruit mixture and cook 10 minutes. Can using hot water canning method.

July/August 2022

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WE LIVE HERE

garden variety

Summer Watering WRITTEN BY CAROLYN ALTMAN

’ll bet your container plantings are looking great right about now. You chose a unique and inspiring planter, made sure it had enough drainage, and planted your beautiful spring finds from your local plant sales and garden centers together in compatible arrangements that accommodated for various sun and water needs. Your tall center plant is thrilling, the plants around its base are filling, and sweet potato vine and ivies are spilling over the edge in the charming way you’d planned. You’ve been watering regularly, but not overwatering. Your plants are happy and blooming, and so are you. You’ve done a great job, and now it’s time for a vacation. The beach beckons. Wait one minute! Vacation? How will your plants survive for the week or two you are away? Maybe you are someone who plans ahead and purchased only succulents, which you can water before you go and not worry about. But if you are like me, falling in love hardly ever involves practical considerations, and then you are responsible for your new partner. My bird of paradise has never ever bloomed in the decades we have been together, and although I leave it behind during vacation, it is an important member of 80 statesboromagazine.com

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the family and deserves care. But if your friends and family will be in and out of town at the same time you are, and there’s nobody around to water your plants, what can you do? Plenty, and most of it is pretty easy. In an ideal situation, your major landscaping and all those beautiful shrubs and perennials you planted are on some sort of timed irrigation system already, since regular irrigation saves lives and saves water. This does not have to be anything fancy or expensive. Simple drip irrigation is available at any garden supply store and snaps together without tools. Drip and a timer means you can go away for the whole summer if you want to and your landscape won’t die. If you located your planters strategically, you already have drip lines to them. You can also move them together temporarily and add a spur from your main line to your planters and connect some drippers until you return. There are also many ways to rig free do-ityourself clever watering mechanisms for your container plantings if you don’t have a permanent system. Heat up a needle and use it to poke three or four holes in the lid of a plastic water or soda bottle. Fill the bottle, put the lid on, and invert it into you plant. It will drip for a little bit, and then stop until capillary action and the vacuum pressure created in the bottle slowly draw the water out as the plant needs it. You might be tempted to use a big bottle, but a few smaller ones will water a larger root area, if you have room for them in the planter. My bird of paradise and its large friends enjoy a week or two in a kiddie pool in the shade. An inch or two of water in the pool will wick up into the plants and hold them for a week or two. Some people do this in their bathtubs, but my plants like more light than I can give them in a bathroom and I don’t want to scrub the dirt out of the tub after the plant party. It’s easy to buy plant wicking rope online and run a length of wick from your plant, or several of your plants, to a large common source like a bucket of water. Water wicks from the bucket up the wick and into your plant slowly and steadily. Most of these systems work indoors or out. Keep in mind that while you are enjoying cool mountain breezes or swimming in the surf, or are even in the air conditioning at your motherin-law’s, your plants may be out in the blasting Bulloch county heat, which can really dry things out. Windy days make the situation even worse. Whichever system you use, move your plants into shady areas protected from wind. They can survive with a little less sun than they are used to, and the shade will buy a few extra days of moisture. Group plants together to reduce work and transpiration. Try out your system in advance, just to make sure it works. Then say goodbye, knowing that your home will be welcoming and green when you return. S July/August 2022

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words of life

Going the Wrong Way WRITTEN BY REV. DR. JOHN WATERS

oy Riegels was a football player for the University of California-Berkley in the late 1920s. His team was playing the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the 1929 Rose Bowl when a single play earned him legendary status. Midway through the second quarter, Riegels picked up a fumble by a Georgia Tech player and began running the ball toward the end zone. To his horror, but to the delight of the Yellow Jackets, Roy Riegels ran the ball 69 yards in the wrong direction. Confused in the scramble for the loose ball, Riegels lost his sense of direction and ran the ball toward the wrong end zone without any sense of the mistake he was making. Riegels’s blunder has been cited as one of the most memorable plays in college football history and earned him the nickname of Roy “Wrong Way” Riegels. Running the wrong way in a football game, however, is not as bad as people driving the wrong direction down a one-way street. Whenever I see this happen, I am not certain if they didn’t see the sign or simply thought it was a short-cut, but they cause quite a stir as they motor in a direction opposite from everyone else. Running the wrong way during a football game might be memorable, and driving the wrong direction down a street might be dangerous, but neither is as common nor as lasting as going the wrong way in life. Throughout the Scriptures, we find many references to choosing the right way, and many of these passages talk more about our daily lives 82 statesboromagazine.com

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than our eternity. One example is found in how we handle the stress and pressure points of life. When we trust God during difficult moments, we are running in the right direction, but when we become overcome with angst and worry in light of the circumstances around us, then we are headed in the wrong direction. When writing to the Philippian believers, the Apostle Paul wanted to prevent them from running the wrong way in their spiritual lives. He cautions them to “be anxious for nothing,” knowing that a life filled with worry and anxiety takes a person in the wrong direction away from God. Instead of worry, they could have “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7), but only if they were running with their eyes focused on the Lord. No life is ever completely free of trials, stress, heartache, and pain, but how we respond in those moments demonstrates whether we are trusting in God or relying upon ourselves. A familiar truth teaches that what really matters is not what happens to us but what happens within us. Are you running in the right direction by choosing peace and rest from God instead of worry and stress? Jesus knew that we would have the tendency to worry about things each day, so he said, “do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on . . . look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26). Jesus’ lesson is that even the simple birds of the air instinctively know to trust God for their food, so shouldn’t we as the children of God trust him as well? Worry and anxiety display a lack of trust in God, and they put the focus of our lives upon ourselves instead of him. Many of the circumstances that swirl around us are beyond our control, so turning to the Lord enables us to find calm during chaos and rest during stress. As you encounter the difficulties of life in today’s world, are you running in the right direction? Instead of worry, choose peace. Instead of angst, choose rest. Allow the peace of God to settle your heart and mind, and keep running toward him. S

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This Column is TL;DR WRITTEN BY DOY CAVE

or those unfamiliar with “text speak,” TL;DR means “too long; didn’t read.” It’s a polite way — in this completely random example — for your child to tell you why they didn’t read the instructions to assemble their new and complex motorized bicycle, deciding instead to watch a random YouTube video about it. It’s also why the test ride ended prematurely because the handlebars came loose and the front wheel almost fell off. Parents understand the sometimes impossible task of getting their kids to read regularly, much less enjoy it. For some children, we may as well be asking them to volunteer for shots and root canals while they eat vegetables. According to Sally Brown, Ph.D., professor of literacy education at Georgia Southern University, helping kids become avid readers is not just a lofty ideal for our kids, it’s a must for their future development. “In order to get your child to grow as a reader, 20 minutes a day is the recommended allotment outside of school,” she said. “We can find ways to get all kids reading at least 20 minutes every night. It’s just not going to look exactly the same for every family.” MORE THAN BOOKS

Brown says families don’t necessarily need stacks of books to engage their children in literate behaviors. There are plenty of ways for them to read, but it might take a shift in our parental perspective. “Try to see reading as more than books,” she said. Brown pointed out that children who go to church a couple of times a week and learn songs and stories are engaging in literacy. She even says that some video games require kids to read char84 statesboromagazine.com

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acters’ speech bubbles or narrative text in order to learn how to get to the next level. Parents can build on these behaviors with activities to deepen their literacy skills. “Sit down next to your child and look at the things they have to read as they’re playing the game,” said Brown. “Design some activities at home around that. Maybe they can write their own narrative and try to turn it into a video game. They can extend what is known about a character, or they can set up a YouTube channel where they give advice to other gamers.” FIND THEIR INTERESTS

In order to get kids to enjoy reading, Brown says parents have to find the topics that interest their children. “If kids don’t like reading, they’re not going to read whether it’s at home or at school. There are decades of research that says kids need to read what they’re interested in.” Brown says books don’t have to be fiction books, either. They can be nonfiction books about space or animals or cars or anything. She also says they don’t necessarily have to be chapter books. Kids can read a wide variety of comic books, graphic novels and more to gain literacy. “My son didn’t like reading,” she said. “He was very interested in video games. So what I did to motivate him to read was to purchase gaming magazines, which became s his major source of reading material.” READ STORIES ALOUD

Educational research shows that reading aloud is the most powerful and influential factor in a reader’s life, and Brown says that it’s also a way to build up children’s confidence and joy in reading. “I would say that keeps the pressure off of kids,” she said. “We’re going to read aloud and then you can kind of quietly step back and allow the child to take over more and more of the process.” For busy parents who don’t always have the time to sit down and read with their children, Brown also recommends digital books that have an audio component. If they run into a word they don’t know, they can click on it and have the word read to them. For parents or teachers looking for reading materials, Brown recommends bringmeabook.org, a nonprofit organization, or websites like getepic.com and uniteforliteracy.com, which offer free e-books for kids. In the meantime, you might want to exercise caution around Brannen and Gentilly streets. I’m still not sure my son has read his bike manual yet. S

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Sunday Morning Worship WRITTEN BY RIC MANDES

ecently I attended a morning worship service with a friend in a small church sitting on the edge of a country pasture. The preacher works during the week at a local industrial plant and on Sundays delivers the sermon. Monday through Friday, evenings, he serves his parish by visiting the sick and shut-ins. There were about fifty people in the sanctuary that morning. There was a baby with a young mother. Children of all ages were there. Some wiggled and kept getting an eye from Mom. Two gentlemen ushered. They walked the short aisle passing the offering plates among the few. Later, the minister’s wife stood and offered a personal testimony. Then she sang a beautiful hymn. I watched her husband ‘s face. His head was tilted and his eyes were closed. I wondered had they talked about this part of the service at breakfast? And had they prayed for the Lord’s guidance, as each of them filled their particular roles at church that morning? As my friend and I lifted our voices to “The Old Rugged Cross,” my mind returned to the Norwich Street Baptist Church in Brunswick where I attended when I was a child. Each Sabbath it was Sunday School, Morning Worship and in the evening, BTU and the evening’s service. That’s the way it was living with my granny. 86 statesboromagazine.com

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Our preacher, Brother Moss, was a wonderful man. He would get really worked up as he delivered his sermon. During the summer months he would sweat through his coat. I remembered the cacophony movement of hand-held fans as the congregation kept the still air moving. Church services are wonderful. All the world can change. We can put a man on the moon; we can find new ways of entertaining ourselves, but going to church remains the same. It has one purpose: our stepping out and saying God is in our lives. Now, many years later in this small country dwelling, His message remained simple and clear, as it had with Brother Moss: “Do you believe? If you do, are you following His rules?” While the benediction was sung, we all stood. The young minister moved down the aisle, asking if there was anyone who wanted to come forward and accept Christ as his or her personal savior? Was there anyone who had slipped during the week and needed to pledge to do better, and to ask for His strength? “All you have to do is step toward me, and share with me what is on our heart and He will hear us. I will pray with you. Right now. Right here in God’s house.” Two went down the aisle that morning. One of them was my friend. I know what it took for her to walk. I watched her stand tall and ask for His help. I watched the minister take her into his arms and with his eyes closed, asked the Lord to fill the heart and soul of my friend. When she moved back to her place by me, there were tears and the most beautiful smile I had ever seen on her face. It was just a small church with a few gathered in His name. It was here that as the minister spoke, “Amen! and Praise the Lord!” punctuated the air...and it was good! And I felt the presence of my Granny, who for ten special years had taken such good care of me. S

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Statesboro-Bulloch County Legislative Appreciation Event

Monday, June 13, 2022 | 6:00 p.m. | Senator Jack Hill Building at Ogeechee Technical College Hosts Georgia Southern University, Ogeechee Technical College, East Georgia State College, City of Statesboro, Bulloch County Commission, the Bulloch County Development Authority and the Statesboro-Bulloch Chamber of Commerce came together to honor and thank the local area’s delegation of state legislators and celebrate the forthcoming retirement of Representative Jan Tankersley, who has served Bulloch and North Bryan Counties for the past 12 years.

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