NEW TEACHERS … Chase Miller (left) and Emily Brandeberry (right) pose for a photo after their hiring as new teachers was approved by the Swanton School Board. Miller will be teaching math while Brandeberry will teach science.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
Swanton Middle School Amazing Shake 2023 winner Lara Carrizales shared her recent experience at the 2024 national Amazing Shake competition in Atlanta during the latest meeting of the school board.
Swanton Local School District Superintendent Chris Lake featured the now eighth grade student Carrizales during his report to the board via a prerecorded video featuring an interview of the girl by SMS Principal Leigh Pancoast.
The Amazing Shake program introduces participants to the social skills of adulthood and the working world, like having a professional handshake, small-talk and interview skills, public speaking, basic etiquette, and how to handle a variety of social situations.
During a section of the competition called “the gauntlet,” participants go through a series of challenges involving different skills they have been working on developing.
Carrizales said her favorite part was a portion they were able to work on prior to the event – a minute-long commercial with a jingle.
“I got some teachers’ help and I did a song to ‘Ice, Ice Baby’ and I added my own words, and I added some adjectives that describe Coke, and I just added all my energy into it,” Carrizales said.
“And it’s not like I know anyone there, so it wasn’t really embarrassing, I just performed well to the judge and got a good score.”
Despite not making it through to subsequent rounds of the competition, Carrizales spoke highly of her experience and encouraged other students to pursue it as well.
“It just definitely left a mark on me and I’m just gonna take it throughout high school and then when I’m even done with high school, like, I’m gonna share this with my kids and everyone I can because it just left such an impact on me,” she said.
For more information on The Amazing Shake and the Ron Clark Academy, visit theamazingshake.com.
OTHER BUSINESS
The board approved a slate of staffing changes, including the hiring of Chase Miller as a math teacher and Emily Brandeberry as a science teacher, both on one-year contracts for the 2024-2025 school year.
The board accepted donations in the amount of $6,150.79, including $1,550 for Adulthood Day, $1,745 for boys basketball, $662.63 for prom, $265 for quiz bowl, $140 for baseball, $150 for softball, $150 for athletics banners, and $630 for the high school musical.
The board ended the public portion of the meeting by voting to go into executive session for the purpose of “consideration of the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of a public employee or official.” No action was expected as a result.
The next regular meeting of the Swanton Local School District Board of Education is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15 at 108 N. Main Street.