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LaChance completes Army Mountain Warfare Course
From dream, to reality, to elite By CELIA SHORTT celia@newnan.com
Kayla LaChance ringing the UGA Chapel Bell after her commissioning ceremony.
University of Georgia graduate, former Coweta County student, and United States Army 2nd Lt. Kayla LaChance always wanted to serve her country and honor the sacri fices of those who came before her, but she never thought she would have that chance. “I was obese my entire life, so the physical part of the military never seemed like a viable option for me,” said LaChance. In her second semester at UGA, she joined the rowing team and began to lose weight. After losing 85 pounds in a year and a half, she decided to see if she could handle the physical aspects and joined the Air Force ROTC program. “After a year with them and after another 15 pounds, a total of 100 pounds lost, I switched to Army ROTC for a variety of reasons,” said LaChance. “I went from barely being able to pass a PT test my first semester to maxing, and most times exceeding the maximum scores, this last year.” LaChance’s hard work paid off. In January, she was one of five cadets, and the only female, to successfully complete t he A rmy Mounta i n
Photos courtesy Kayla LaChance
Kayla LaChance (at lef t) and a Special Forces captain who was in her squad at the Army Mountain Warfare Course. He was also a 2007 graduate from the UGA Army ROTC. After finding that out, he immediately took her under his wing and took care of her during the course.
Warfare Course. This mountain warfare course is attended by elite soldiers from all branches of t he m i l it a r y a nd prov ides tactical and technical training for cold weather operations. The training is based on techniques
from units currently engaged in mountain warfare. LaChance was chosen for this school, based on her academic excellence, military domain knowledge and high level
ELITE, page 4
Coweta schools surpass state on CRCTs Results are in for the recent CRCT exams, and the Coweta County School System did well overall. Coweta schools outperformed the state of Georgia overall on all grades and subjects tested by the Georgia Cri terion Reference Competency Test (CRCT) in 2013, said schools spokesman Dean Jackson. The CRCT measures student mastery of the state of Georgia’s basic curricu lum in the subjects of reading, English/ language arts, math, science and social studies in grades 3 through 8. In all, the 2013 CRCT covers 30 areas (five sub jects tested in six grades). 2013 CRCT results released by the Georgia Department of Education show Coweta County students met or exceeded the standards at a higher rate than the state of Georgia as a whole in all 30 areas covered by the test. The results also show that Coweta County students improved performance in several grades and subjects in the last year, with the passage rates of Coweta County students increasing in 21 of the 30 areas tested, and the percent age of students exceeding the standards increasing in 24 of the 30 areas tested. “I am proud of our teachers and stu dents and the efforts they make every day,” said Coweta County Superin tendent Steve Barker. “Our students are performing at high rates, and our schools are improving performance, even during some very difficult budget ary times. “We will continue to strive for improvement,” said Barker. Coweta schools outperformed the state by 8 percentage points in 8th grade math (with 91 percent meeting or exceeding standards compared to 83 percent in Georgia as a whole). Coweta students also did well in their perfor mance on CRCT science exams and social studies exams compared to their state counterparts. Coweta schools outperformed the state by 7 percentage points in 6th grade science (with 81 percent meeting or exceeding standards compared to 74 percent in Georgia as a whole) and 10 percent in 8th grade science (with 84 percent meeting or exceeding standards compared to 74 percent in Georgia as a whole).
Coweta schools outperformed the state by 8 percentage points in 6th grade social studies (with 86 percent meet ing or exceeding standards compared to 78 percent in Georgia as a whole) and 8 percent in 8th grade social studies (with 86 percent meeting or exceeding standards compared to 78 percent in Georgia as a whole). Coweta’s overall CRCT test perfor mance in 2013 improved in 21 of 30 areas over 2012 performance. For example, the percentage of stu dents meeting or exceeding 5th grade math test increased by 10 points, to 93 percent of students. The percentage of students meeting or exceeding 6th and 8th grade math standards increased by 6 points each on both tests in 2013, to 81 percent and 85 percent of students, respectively. The CRCT also gauges whether stu dents meet or exceed the standards being tested, based on grade level expectations. A higher percentage of Coweta students exceeded expectations during the 2013 administration of the CRCT exams, with increases in the per centages of students exceeding stan dards in 24 of the 30 areas tested. For example, while 98 percent of Coweta 8th graders met reading standards overall in 2013, 53 percent of 8th graders actually exceeded the stan dards on the exam. That is an increase of 8 percentage points over 2012, when 45 percent of 8th graders exceeded the standards. “That more students are moving into performance that exceeds standards reflects a lot of hard work on the part of both students and teachers,” said Barker. The Criterion Reference Compe tency Test is given to Georgia students in the spring of each school year. The CRCT is designed to measure how well students acquire the skills and knowl edge described in state curriculum. The assessments yield information on academic achievement at the student, class, school, system, and state levels. This information is used to diagnose individual student strengths and weak nesses as related to instruction and to gauge the quality of education through out Georgia.
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Grill Up Flavor Recipes ➤
PAGE 6
Quick and Easy Chicken Dinner on the Grill
Grill Up Flavor Bring big taste to the party with marinades, spices
Family Features
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very big, juicy steak deserves to be seasoned with an equally big, bold flavor. Next time you fire up the grill, layer on savory goodness with spices and marinades. They bring out the natural flavor of steaks, ribs, roasts, burgers, chicken and fajitas. Start with a tender, savory cut and there is no need to marinate. Simply rub on a few complementary herbs and spices then sear in the good ness on the grill. Come up with your own combination or let the professionals do the work. Prepared blends are a quick and easy way to give guests great-
tasting dishes, salt-free. After all, salt has nothing on the smokin’ flavor of Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning Blend. A blend that includes sweet chili, cayenne and chipotle pepper, it gives a flavorful kick to ribs, chicken, rice or beans. Herbs and spices aren’t just for entrees. Shake some extra flavor on side dishes and appetizers. They can turn your backyard grilling into something grand and gourmet.
Marinade for Tender, Tasty Meats Marinades are sauces designed to
flavor and tenderize meat, chicken, fish or vegetables. Building a great marinade is a matter of finding the perfect balance of oil, acid and seasonings. Some spend a great deal of time on trial and error in an effort to perfect their recipe. Others leave it to professionals and buy a prepared sauce, such as Mrs. Dash Spicy Teriyaki Marinade. A blend of salt-free seasoning with a touch of pineapple, it adds a kick to beef, chicken, pork or vegetables. Prepared marinades make your entrees juicy, tender and downright delicious. They also make entertaining easy. Place your protein or vegetables in a zip-top bag, fill with your favorite marinadeand let it hang out until the guests arrive.