ELLAVILLE — Over 80 people attended the Technology Awards luncheon sponsored by the Schley County Family Connection Collaborative May 30 at the new Ellaville Baptist Church building addition. The annual event awards the valedictorian, salutatorian and STAR Student at Schley County High School with a laptop computer for college. Attending the event were Schley County School administrators, board members, faculty, community leaders, students, parents, family members, and collaborative members.

Gage Hart, valedictorian; Madison Sellars, salutatorian; Noah Hammons, STAR Student; and Gabe Theiss, STAR Teacher all received a Congressional Award of Recognition from Congressman Sanford D. Bishop Jr. Kenneth Cutts, District Director for Bishop, presented the awards to each student and to Theiss.

Hart and Sellars plan to attend Mercer University, while Hammons plans to attend Georgia Southwestern University this fall. In addition, Dartavious Napper received a HP laptop computer for college that was donated by an anonymous donor in Schley County. He plans to attend Reinhardt College outside of Atlanta this fall.

State Rep. Mike Cheokas, R-Americus, spoke on the success of the Schley County School System. With the wide range of technology available today, Cheokas asked each student to contribute in some way to their home community of Ellaville and Schley County throughout their career after college.

John T. Greene, Schley County Family Connection coordinator, thanked the donors for funding the purchase of the laptop computers for each student and the special donor of the HP laptop for Napper. The donors include: Jimmy and Martha Harrison, Ellaville Floral and Gift Shop, Eddie and Sharon Watson, Tracy Taylor of TCI Powder Coatings, Walt Young of Ellaville Recycling, Ronnie and Karan Albritton of Bison Valley Lodge, Dr. and Mrs. Dwight McLaurin, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop Jr. Tony and Jan Whitley of Partner’s Propane, State Rep. Mike Cheokas, Russell and Debbie Philmon of Electric-Tek, LLC, Flint Energies, the Schley Community Foundation, and the Schley County Family Connection Collaborative.

Schley County Family Connection also thanks Ellaville Baptist Church for the use of the new building for the luncheon. The meal was catered by Brandon Albritton of B’s BBQ.