In Focus

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Email: info@gwa.com
Website: www.gwa.com
Phone: (678) 635-3800

• Black History Month: Feb. 1 - 28

• MS Bible Bulldogs Meeting: Feb. 7 @ 7 a.m.

• MS Dance: Feb. 8

• Deadline to Order Yearbook: Feb. 11 (see below)

• Washington, D.C. Parent Meeting: Feb. 11 @ 6 p.m., Learning Center

• Spring Sports Photo Day: Feb. 13

• Winter Break: Feb. 14-17

• School Holiday (Rutledge Day): Feb. 18

• Daddy Daughter Dance: Feb. 22 (sponsored by Rotary Club of Monroe)

• Deadline to Order Grandparents Day Shirt: Feb. 23 (see below)

• Flik Dining Discussion Group: Feb. 26 (see below))

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE GWA WEBSITE CALENDAR

Thank you to Walton EMC for awarding our technology teacher, Mark Gasaway, with this year’s School EmPOWERment Grant and for empowering our students in the classroom. Mr. Gasaway commented, “The funds will be used to implement our new cutting-edge Robotics and Automation course for high school students to equip them with 21st century technology, engineering and advanced manufacturing skills. This new program will provide our students with hands-on experiences in emerging technologies, preparing them for future careers in STEM fields like robotic farming and 3D design and printing.”

Pictured: Jennifer Broun, Walton EMC and Mark Gasaway.

In Ms. Dickerson's sixth-grade Social Studies class, students are currently engaging in a comprehensive study of Ancient India, with a specific focus on advanced architecture. As part of this unit, students participated in a STEM challenge centered around the construction of a stupa. Historically, a stupa served as a burial mound for kings and leaders, situated outside of the city. The challenge required students to construct a stupa complete with a square chamber, dome, base, and fence.

Following the construction phase, students were tasked with protecting their stupa from potential flooding caused by a monsoon. To safeguard their creation, students had to implement a strategy that would prevent water from entering the stupa. Specifically, they were instructed to add materials around the fence that would serve as a barrier against water infiltration. During testing, students were required to pour water around the perimeter of their design, ensuring that the water level reached at least one-third of the stupa's height. Additionally, students were challenged to brainstorm and select materials capable of effectively repelling water for a continuous period of 2 minutes.

To prepare to read John Boyne’s powerful novel, “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas,” Mrs. Gunnin’s seventh-grade students were given random quotes from the book, some tasty popcorn, and a partner. Using their two clue quotes, students made predictions of what they thought this story would be about. Then they had to “pop” around the room to find another partner with a different quote and make a second prediction using all gathered clues. After a third rotation, students were grouped in larger groups to discuss their final clues and to write a final prediction. As they read the novel, these predictions provide a fun way to continue spirited conversations about the story and to see whose predictions were the closest to the novel.

Barn Hill Preserve Mobile Zoo, located in Ethel, Louisiana, visited GWA with some fascinating guests and provided an engaging educational experience designed to inspire a lifelong passion for wildlife and conservation. Lower and middle school students got an up-close look into the lives of five unique animals: Pinkie the axolotl, Ella the cockatoo, Big Red the hissing cockroach, Tommy the tenrec, and MooShoo the bearded dragon. Barn Hill’s educator discussed each animal's habits, adaptations, food sources, and interesting facts!

Our Lucky Dawg Gala isn’t just a night of celebration—it’s your chance to win an unforgettable luxury getaway! For just $100 per entry, you could be the lucky winner of our exclusive four trip raffle. Only 200 tickets will be sold, so don’t wait!

- Alaskan Cruise with Royal Caribbean
- Baha Mar in Nassau, Bahamas
- British Columbia, Canada
- Whitefish, Montana

One winner, one incredible choice! Will it be you? Get your raffle tickets today to have a chance to win a trip of a lifetime! CLICK HERE to purchase!

2025 Lucky Dawg Gala & Benefit Auction individual & table tickets have officially gone on sale. There are a limited number of tickets available, and they have sold out quickly each year — so go ahead and secure yours while you can. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets and see sponsorship opportunities.

The George Walton Academy Lucky Dawg Gala & Benefit Auction this year will take place on:

Saturday, March 8, 2025

Beginning at 6 p.m.

at the Factory at Walton Mill

Monroe, GA

Congratulations to our GWA swim team on a great season and congrats to State Champ Anthony Pham! GWA State qualifiers competed well at the GIAA Championship Meet at Georgia Tech with the following results:

-Varsity Girls - 4th place

-Varsity Boys - 7th place

-Girls Varsity Relay A - 5th in 200 medley and 200 free

(Morgan Davis, Azalea Snell, Bella Weimer, Maci Gray)

Individual Top 10 finishers:

-Anthony Pham - 1st in 200 free and 100 free, 2nd in 50 free

-Morgan Davis - 4th in 50 free and 100 fly, 5th breaststroke

-Maci Gray - 10th in 100 back

The following varsity swimmers dropped their best time:

Maci Gray - under 1 minute in the 100 free with a time of 59.83

Morgan Davis swam a best time in 100 breaststroke with 1:11.91.

Amber Fields swam a best time in 100 backstroke with a 1:23.96.

Nicole Chmielewski dropped 3.5 seconds in the 200 free.

Middle School Boys- 4th place

Middle School Girls – 6th place

Top finishers and/or new best times:

-Bethany Pham was top 3 in all three of her individual events.

-Jett Davis placed 3rd in the 50 free and 50 fly.

-The MS boys A medley (Keegan Thompson, Liam Silvers, Jett Davis, Baylor Thompson) placed 2nd and dropped 2 seconds. The same relay was 5th in the 200 free relay.

-The MS Boys B medley dropped 7 seconds! (Christian Callihan, Cohen Powers, Noah Wells, Alex Gervais)

Following the Region tournament at ACS – eight GWA wrestlers qualified for State and the team finished third in the Region! The qualifiers wrestle this Friday and Saturday at the (individual) GIAA State Traditional Meet at Riverside Prep. Congrats to the following athletes:

132- Cash Sorrow, 2nd

138- Adam Denhardt, 3rd

144- Liam Gravitt, 2nd

150- Nate Sharp, Region Champ

157- Carter Hicks, 4th

165- Asher Aldridge, 3rd

175- Kaleb Chasse, 4th

190- Brody Hamman, 2nd

Good luck at State, Bulldogs!

Senior Night against Tallulah Falls was an excellent showing for our boys team with a 62-54 victory over the Indians. Head Coach Matt Reynolds commented, "The guys played with great effort and enthusiasm. The students showed up and were into the game which provided us a spark throughout the game. I was most proud of our resiliency late in the game while finishing strong. It was nice to get a big win on senior night while celebrating (senior) Preston and his commitment to our program."

• Tiedrell Ansley – 21 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
• Jaylen Alston-Taylor – 14 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals
• Preston Evans – 10 points, 7 rebounds
• Adrian Thomas, Morgan Inman, Emmett Kirkpatrick – 5 points each

GWA plays Lakeview Academy at home tomorrow night and heads to the Region tournament at Lakeview next week. Go Bulldogs!

CLICK HERE for the schedule. Please contact coaches with any questions.

Our lower school artists are learning all about influential Black artists and their work! K5 artists are learning about Jessi Raulet and her vibrant work in the form of making colorful hearts, first graders are exploring patterns and weaving found in Kente cloth, second graders are exploring collage work inspired by the art of Alma Thomas, and third graders are taking inspiration from Charles McGee's sculptures to make their own contrast-filled paper sculptures! Be sure to check out the wonderful display by Mrs. Good's room that will be up throughout Black History Month!

Over 75 lower school art pieces will be on display at the Monroe Walton Center for the Arts from Feb. 21 through Mar. 20! If your student will have a piece on display, you will receive a detailed invitation from Mrs. Good. The MWCA is open seven days a week, so find a time to bring the family and check out the amazing art from all over Walton County!

As part of our celebration of kindness last week, Mrs. Bailey’s Building Bulldogs sessions focused on how to spread kindness. Lower school students learned how empathy is the key that unlocks the door to kindness. They created kindness jars and bracelets to serve as reminders to always look for ways to practice kindness. The Great Kindness Challenge gave all GWA students an opportunity to practice their kind acts throughout last week. They received kindness tickets as recognition for their good deeds and the tickets were tallied up by division last Friday. Our lower school pups won the challenge and will enjoy a PJ Day as a reward. Way to spread that kindness around!

Time is running out to reserve your 2025 yearbook! These will be distributed after the yearbook presentation on May 12, 2025. Please CLICK HERE to check this list today to make sure your student will be getting a book. If your student’s name is on this list, they WILL receive a book. If their name is missing, make sure to preorder now - CLICK HERE.

There is a special cover this year and we won’t be able to order extras, so don’t miss out! The deadline to order is Feb. 11!

Get ready to light up the night! We are excited to announce that this year’s Middle School Dance will have a Glow Out theme—everything that glows will be on display, so come dressed in your best glowing gear and get ready for an unforgettable night! No tickets needed.