Two Walnut Grove High School students and Carver Middle School have been recognized by State School Superintendent Richard Woods for their achievements and excellence in Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO).

The Superintendent’s Recognition Ceremony is hosted annually by the Career Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) division of the Georgia Department of Education to recognize those who have achieved excellence within their CTSO at the national level. This year, Walnut Grove High School Freshman Caileigh Goldstein was recognized for placing second in the National FFA Agriscience Fair and Senior Emma Peters was recognized for her success in public speaking as a Top 16 Finalist in the nation. In addition, Carver Middle School was recognized as an Outstanding Middle School for its exceptional CTSOs.

I would like to congratulate Carver Middle School as well as Caileigh and Emma on their success," said Director of 6-12 and CTAE Curriculum Celeste Cannon. “We are proud of them and all our CTSO members. Walton County is proud to offer FFA and other CTSOs that provide high-quality leadership experiences which benefit our students for life.”

Georgia currently serves over 148,000 students across nine CTSOs including DECA, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), Georgia SkillsUSA, Georgia Technology Student Association (GA TSA), Career and Technical Instruction (CTI), FFA, Georgia FIRST Robotics and Georgia HOSA.  

These organizations play an integral role in preparing students to become college- and career-ready members of society who will hold productive leadership roles in their communities. Different from any other after-school club, CTSOs help students stay engaged in the classroom by aligning after-school activities with classwork. CTSO students are oftentimes better prepared to meet the demands of the workplace because they offer real-world experiences that complement the academic studies of the classroom.