In Focus @ GWA
A news bulletin for the families of George Walton Academy
March 7, 2019
Email: info@gwa.com
Website: www.gwa.com
Phone: (678) 635-3800
Facebook: facebook.com/GeorgeWaltonAcademy/
Twitter: @georgewalton
Key Deadlines & Dates
- Young Persons Band Concert: March 7
- Spring Portraits: March 8
- Lower School Class Group Pictures: March 14
- Prom: March 22
- Grandparents' Day: March 22
What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?
By Michael Clancy, Director of College Counseling
Remember how many times you were asked this question when you were younger: What do you want to be when you grow up?
For some, this is a simple question that elicits a straightforward response. For others, this question creates more contemplation, and in some cases, anxiety. George Walton Academy is here to help.
Announcing a New Traffic Pattern Coming Soon!
American Sign Language Teacher Wanted
Do you or someone you know teach American Sign Language? We are looking for members of our community who can teach sign language to middle and upper school students in the Fall 2019 semester. Questions or interested? Contact Femke Côté at fcote@gwa.com.
GWA Crime Solvers
Lower School Super Readers
Upper School Summer Classes
These courses provide an opportunity for students to customize their learning experience at GWA. "The George Walton experience should be tailored to the individual student needs and interest," Dr. Dolan commented. He added, "for some, summer may be the perfect time to get ahead." Additional details to follow. Please contact Registrar Peggy Jordan at pjordan@gwa.com.
Evening with the Experts
In keeping with the mission of connecting parents and students with experts who can assist them, the GWA Office of College Counseling will be hosting an Evening with the Experts Event on March 27. The GWA Office of College Counseling has invited a representative from GA Futures, two members of the Financial Aid Office of Emory University, an Admissions Counselor from Georgia College and an administrator from Truett McConnell, GWA’s dual enrollment partner, to share their expertise with parents and students. Learn more HERE.
It's a Great Time of Year for a Drive
Most college admissions offices go into hibernation in January and February as they hunker down to read applications. Now that the days are getting longer, universities are beginning to host Open Days. Open Houses or Preview Days, as they are also called, are times when universities pull out all the stops to impress prospective families.
Click HERE for a look at some (but not all!) Open Days at some nearby universities in the spring of 2019.
Paws for Parents
As a follow up to career day, ninth grades students will have the opportunity to shadow one of their parents on March 22. The purpose of this program is to allow students to experience the demands of certain career paths, and help them better clarify careers they may be interested in pursuing.
Lower School Spring Photo Day Is Coming!
You should have already received spring portrait pre-order forms in your child’s bookbag. Tomorrow, March 8 is spring portrait day. This opportunity is for LOWER SCHOOL STUDENTS ONLY! Send your child with their spring clothes and payment order form if you want them to have their picture taken.
If you want a sibling photo, walk your children in and take them to the photographer in the Nicholson Center at the beginning of the school day. We will make sure they get back to class. We cannot find them separately and pull them out of class for photos together later in the day. It is too disruptive to their schedules and too difficult for us to do logistically.
***Lower school class group pictures will be taken in uniform on Thursday, March 14. If you want to purchase a class picture, make sure you indicate that on the order form. Class portrait options are listed under the "Add-On" section.***
This service is totally optional. Feel free to take advantage of these photos, but you are under no obligation to have them taken. We are giving plenty of advance notice so you don’t miss out. These photos are sold as pre-orders ONLY! If you lose your form, we will have copies available in the front office.
We need YOU!
Opportunities for Involvement:
Book Fair Volunteers:
March 25 - March 28: 8:00 a.m - 11:30 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.
March 29: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (then breakdown and cleanup)
Host/Hostess Founders Day:
Morning of Fri., March 29
Relay for Life Volunteers:
Set- Up: Fri., May 3 from 9-1 p.m. & 4-6 p.m.
Host/Hostess’ for Survivor Dinner Clean- Up: 11 p.m.-12:30 a.m.
Golf Carts and Drivers: Fri. May 3
Teacher Appreciation Week:
Week of May 6-10
We need breakfast bakers, mailbox treats, desserts for appreciation lunch and small tokens of appreciation!
Please email Elizabeth McDonel at emcdonel@gwa.com to get involved!
Student Sculptures Take Shape
Sculpture students are preparing for their next project by mixing their own green sand, a casting material made from sand and clay. The green sand holds its form when compacted and is a perfect material to use when casting aluminum. The students will be making impressions in the sand that they will later use to pour the molten aluminum into. They have been collecting hundreds of aluminum cans to melt down and use as the foundation of this project.
Kindergarten Show Stoppers
GMEA All State Band
By Alex Aull, GWA senior and All State participant
The Georgia Music Educators’ Association (GMEA) hosts an All State event for chorus, band, and orchestra every year. This year, I was one of nine George Walton students selected to participate in the band portion of the event, which took place during the first weekend in March at the Classic Center in Athens.
Students are selected for this event by audition. Musicians who score above a certain number at their first audition, which is for placements in a regional honor band, advance onto to the audition for All State. At this audition, students are competing against the top musicians in the state. After the audition, the highest scorers are placed into one of two bands per grade range. These selected students truly are the top musicians in the state.
At the event, the bands meet for the first time on Thursday and have a day and a half to learn a concert that is performed on Saturday. Most of that time is spent in intense rehearsals, where the ensemble works with a guest conductor to prepare this concert. The final day is full of concerts starting with the middle school orchestras around 10 a.m. and finishing with the junior and senior orchestra around 8 p.m., with the other bands and orchestras in between. Having both performed in and listened to these concerts, it is always incredible to see what can be done in such a short amount of time. This was my sixth year performing with an All State band and each year has been an incredible honor and chance to represent GWA well.
Pictured above are the GWA All State participants: Back row, left to right: Brody Lindsey (11th), Alex Aull (12th), Brooks Dokes (10th), Mike Pulliam (10th), Eli Scornik (10th). Front row, left to right: Gracie Wood (ninth), Alex Carrillo (10th), Luke Lewis (eighth), Philip Mashburn (eighth).
Brelan Awarded Player of the Year!
GWA Wrestling Places 5th in Georgia
The George Walton wrestling team finished its season last month at the GHSA State Wrestling Traditional Championships in Macon with a fifth place finish. This team tied the 2013 GWA team for the highest team finish in the GHSA state tournament.
The season was an exciting one with several firsts. Locally, the team finished second in the Walton County Duals behind the 5-time AA State Champion Social Circle Redskins. The Bulldogs beat the Redskins head-to-head. However, missing athletes in several weight classes forced forfeits, and the Bulldogs finished second in the county, a first for GWA wrestling. Also, for the first time in program history, GWA placed fourth as a team at Area Duals with only seven team members.
Wrestlers must finish in the top four at the area traditional tournament to advance to the sectional tournament the next weekend. At sectionals, the top six wrestlers in each weight class qualify for the state finals. Five GWA wrestlers qualified for the state tournament, which marks a tie with the 2011 team for the most state placers in GWA history. Additionally, for the first time ever, George Walton finished second in the area tournament behind six-time state champions Commerce High School.
At the state tournament, the Bulldogs wrestled well and improved from last season’s ninth place finish. Junior Beau Mitchell (126) had an impressive finish after going from not qualifying for state last year to being state runner up this year. Senior Darius Barnum (170) ended last season without advancing to the sectional tournament; this season he finished fifth in the state. Juniors Chris Sperin (138) and Patrick Morris (152) returned to the state tournament for the third time and both were state runner up. And on a very impressive note, freshman Perry Jake Stone (120) placed fourth in the state.
Bulldog wrestlers are already practicing for the 2019-2020 season and are working for an even stronger finish.
Pictured above: GWA Freshman Perry Jake Stone just before pinning his opponent.
Varsity Boys Soccer Team is On a Roll!
Let's hear it for the varsity boys soccer team! The Bulldogs defeated Monsignor Donovan at home last Thursday, with a final score of 6-0. Matthew McMain, Cody Carnes, Jack Harvey and Jacob Engelbracht all scored and Tommy Long put in two! Robby McGoldrick, our goalkeeper, kept a clean sheet!
Then they did it again Tuesday night against region rival Athens Academy 6-5 in PK shoot out! No one scored in regular time, but Cody Carnes, Will Gregg, Griffin Whitmire, Cooper Moore, Tommy Long, and Robby McGoldrick scored PKs. Robby McGoldrick had two saves as the goal keeper and kept the score at 6-5.
Their next game is Friday, March 8, against Westminster. Varsity girls start at 4:30 and the boys start at 6:30pm.
MANDATORY UPPER SCHOOL ATHLETIC MEETING
On Thursday, April 25 from 6 p.m - 7:30 p.m. there will be a MANDATORY Athletic Meeting for all rising upper school students and their parents who plan on participating in a GWA athletic program during the 2019-2020 school year. The meeting will be held in the cafeteria.
Areas that will be covered include general information- “The Dawg Way,” strength training, recruiting and team parents.
Youth Cheer Registration
Youth Cheer registration and fitting for K5-5 grade on March 25 from 5 - 7 p.m. in the cafeteria. Mandatory informational meeting will start at 6 p.m. There will be a make-up day on March 27 from 4 - 5 p.m. in the cafeteria with a mandatory informational meeting at 4:30 p.m.The meetings will cover practice days and times, communication for parents and coaches and summer camp. Coaches will be there to answer questions.
Youth Cheer registration is $70 plus uniform cost. Used uniforms will be available to purchase at registration. If you have a used uniform that you would like to sell, then please go to the Nicholson center concession area after school on Friday, March 22 to drop it off with Michele Bowen. If you can’t drop it off on that Friday, then please contact Michele Bowen (678- 207-6580) to set up a time to drop your used uniform off. We will label the uniform with your name and Michele will give you more details when you drop it off.