Student Spotlights – August 2025

Students at DARE Camp got a surprise lesson in teamwork and tactics thanks to a high-energy demonstration from the Auburn Police Department’s SWAT Team! The scenario was that DARE Camp funds had mysteriously gone missing, but no worries, our School Resource Officers had it all under control. In a staged arrest, retired Sgt. Bud Nesmith played the role of the “culprit,” and APD SWAT swept in by helicopter to bring him to justice. From strategy to service, today’s demo showed campers what it means to protect and serve, with plenty of excitement along the way. A special thank you to the Alabama State Troopers, members of the SWAT Team, and Sgt. Nesmith, for making today unforgettable!

On the final day of DARE Camp 2025, students got a “paws-on” learning experience with Officers Miranda, Sanders, Veasey, and their four-legged partners Mia, Underdog, and Jet! Mia wowed the crowd with a scent detection demo as students guessed which box contained ballistic residue before sniffing out the correct answer. Underdog and Jet were on hand for tail wags, up-close meet-and-greets, and lots of love from campers. Officers shared the many ways K-9s serve and protect, from search and rescue to vapor wake detection and building strong community bonds. A howling good time to end a week of learning, leadership, and life skills!

Rising 6th graders from across Auburn participated in a unique experience led by the Auburn Police Department’s School Resource Officer (SRO) Unit. As these students prepare to leave elementary school behind, DARE Camp provides a fun and meaningful way for them to connect with the officers who serve in our schools every day.

Rising seniors, Anderson England and Anna Kate Railey, represented Trinity well at Alabama Girls State and Alabama Boys State! It is an honor to be selected as the school candidate, and these two students made us proud! Well done, Anderson and Anna Kate!

It was a special day at DARE Camp with Auburn University Head Basketball Coach Bruce Pearl as the guest speaker, delivering a powerful message about leadership, hard work, and self-belief!
Coach Pearl challenged students to:
Expect more of themselves
Practice and prepare to build confidence
Discover their strengths and strive for greatness
We are incredibly grateful to Coach Pearl for taking the time to mentor our students and invest in their future!

“Let’s Create Art!” Camp was a colorful week of creativity and exploration with LSA Lower School Art Teacher, Mrs. Laurin Beard. Campers from 1st -6th Grade had the chance to dive into sculpture, painting, drawing, and more—expressing themselves through a variety of mediums while building confidence in their artistic skills.

The Auburn Public Library (APL) brought a mix of a great story, a dash of science, and a spark of curiosity to summer school this morning. Valerie Temple shared all the excellent resources and programs available at APL, then read Life on Mars by Jon Agee, sparking curiosity and imagination. After the story, students became young scientists, using the scientific method to conduct an experiment with water and Alka-Seltzer in a film canister to simulate rocket launches. ACS thanks APL for bringing such an engaging and educational experience to summer school!

Seven upper school students from TCS took part in the Association of Classical Christian Schools National Honor Choir concert held in Dallas. Our gifted students were chosen through auditions to be part of this choir, which features over 100 voices from all over the country. Congratulations to these exceptional Trinity Singers for an amazing week and a beautiful concert!

Several children for our community attended Mrs. Giddens Art Camp at St. Michael Catholic School.
Students learned about color, shape and form and various Artists. They talked about Monet and started working on their own Monet-inspired masterpiece!

For the second year in a row St. Michael the Archangel parish was voted the best place to worship and Mrs. Debbie Brooks, St. Michael Catholic School Principal, was voted best school administrator in the Best of Opelika-Auburn Awards! Thank you for voting and showing your support for our parish and school. Congratulations to everyone as each of you are members of our welcoming parish and school family! May the Lord be glorified in all we do!

Robots on Parade was a week of creativity, coding, and innovation! Led by Lower School technology teacher, Mrs. Ashley Jones, rising 3rd & 4th Grade campers designed, built, and programmed their own VEX GO robots—complete with custom parade floats. From learning to code to watching their creations roll down the parade route, it was a fun and hands-on tech adventure!

Camp Grow & Glow was a week of growth, confidence, and connection! Led by Lower School Counselor, Mrs. Payton Royston, campers in 1st-3rd Grade explored important life skills like self-awareness, relationships, and decision-making through fun and interactive activities. These students left encouraged, empowered, and ready to face challenges with kindness and courage!

Flagline Camp was full of energy, school spirit, and fun! Led by Mrs. Amanda Thrift and the LSA Flagline team, campers learned parts of the performance routine, stand chants, and dances—getting a taste of what it’s like to be part of the Warrior Marching Band. It was a great week of teamwork, movement, and marching band pride!

Our amazing school nurses attended the 54th Annual Alabama Association of School Nurses Conference in Opelika, where they are learning, connecting, and continuing to lead in student health and safety. Thank you for the care, compassion, and commitment you bring to our students every day!

“The Perfect Gentleman” Camp was anything but ordinary! Hosted by Mrs. Callie Hanahan, 3rd-5th Grade boys learned manners and social skills through fun, engaging, and competitive activities that kept them laughing and learning. From mastering table manners and courtesy to competing in the Table Manner Olympics, these young gentlemen took important steps toward leveling up their manners this summer!

We are excited to celebrate two exceptional leaders in Auburn City Schools who were honored at the 2025 CLAS Convention. Congratulations to Beth Antione, who was recognized as the High School Assistant Principal of the Year by the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools (CLAS)! This recognition is well-deserved. With over two decades of experience in public education and eight years as an assistant principal, Mrs. Antoine’s passion for students is underscored by her unwavering dedication to excellence. We would also like to congratulate Ross Reed, Principal of Auburn Junior High School, on earning his Certified Instructional Leader (CIL) designation through CLAS! This accomplishment highlights Mr. Reed’s commitment to ongoing professional learning and leadership in instruction, while enhancing the educational experience for both students and teachers. A round of applause to these two educators, who exemplify the best of ACS!

Each class took some time exploring their next grade, hearing from their future teacher, and learning what to expect in the coming school year! 2nd grade even prepared a precious video of things to look forward to! See you soon for 2025-2026 school year.

Warrior Basketball Camp brought the energy! Led by LSA Basketball Head Coaches Corye Harrison & William Johnson, boys and girls in 1st-6th Grade spent the week building skills, confidence, and a love for the game. With drills, scrimmages, and hands-on instruction, campers worked hard, had fun, and left better teammates and players!

Auburn University’s Eric Wetzel brought excitement to elementary summer school with a robotic dog designed by Boston Dynamics! Students explored how “Mac” senses, thinks, acts, and communicates, learning how robotics are utilized in various industries, including agriculture, construction, healthcare, and emergency response, to make difficult jobs easier. From avoiding collisions to performing smooth dance moves, Mac wowed the room with his abilities as Dr. Wetzel explained the many applications of this piece of machinery. ACS thanks Dr. Wetzel and Auburn University for sparking curiosity and excitement around robotics and STEM innovation!

Congratulations to the 2025 members of the OHS Philanthropy 101 program sponsored by the Samford-Cannon Foundation. Eleven rising OHS seniors participated in the program and donated a total of $6,700 to eight local non-profit agencies through the generosity of the foundation. Through classroom learning and hands-on experiences, the students had the opportunity to become more aware of society’s growing needs and develop the understanding, desire, ability, and instincts for philanthropic service. Opelika City Schools is grateful to the Samford-Cannon Foundation, Mrs. Lucinda Cannon, Race and Heather Cannon, and the program directors, Caylie Caulfield and Samantha Shipman, for making the program possible.

Congratulations to our Director of Human Resources, Mr. Keith York, on receiving the 2025 CLAS Leadership Award at this year’s Annual Convention! This statewide honor is presented annually to nominees who demonstrate outstanding leadership at the local and state levels. Mr. York was recognized for his service as a former Opelika Middle School principal and his continued work as a district leader. This is his third statewide recognition. He was named Alabama Middle School Principal of the Year in 2017 and 2024!

Five 5th-grade students from ACS represented Alabama at the RTX Invention Convention U.S. Nationals 2025, held at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn, Michigan. Over 200,000 student inventors participated in the convention nationwide, with around 500 attending in person, including our talented inventors from Auburn. They successfully showcased their inventions and auditioned for “Shark Tank,” in addition to participating in interviews and exploring the historic Henry Ford Museum. Avanita Deepak from Pick Elementary received the Best Display Board Award!
ACS congratulates the following students:
– Ewami Adesemoye (YES) with the invention “Stitch Safe”
– Emma Brodbeck (YES) with the invention “LexiSpecs”
– Avanita Deepak (PES) with the invention “Vegetastic Fruitastic Analyzer”
– Hattie Pearson and Aubrey Wiggins (WMR) with the invention “Sift & Seal”

Sensory Safari was a week full of messy, hands-on fun! Led by Mrs. Leonard and Ms. Sanders, our rising K4 and Kindergarten campers explored creativity and curiosity through exciting activities that let them play, learn, and discover using their whole bodies. It was an unforgettable adventure these little Warriors will remember!

Junior meteorologists in summer school were treated to a thrilling demonstration from McWane Science Center’s Rachel McKay, who brought weather to life with experiments using liquid nitrogen, air pressure, and static electricity. Hands-on, visual experiments like these don’t just teach science but spark curiosity, make lasting impressions, and inspire young innovators. Our students won’t soon forget the whoosh of a cloud forming right before their eyes! Thank you to Rachel and our friends at the McWane Science Center for bringing the wow factor to Auburn City Schools this summer!

Thank you to Officers Paulk and Smith for sharing safety tips and encouragement with our summer school students. Thank you for connecting with our children and making safety fun and meaningful!

Imaginarium Science Camp was a week full of curiosity, creativity, and discovery! Led by LSA 3rd Grade teachers, Mrs. Ryann Fligel and Mrs. Tracey Streetman, rising 3rd–6th Grade students explored science, technology, art, and engineering through hands-on experiments and projects – such as creating and testing their own parachutes! From building challenges to outdoor adventures, campers let their imaginations soar all week long!

Read & Roar with Dinosaurs was a dino-mite adventure into reading! Led by LSA 2nd Grade teacher, Mrs. Wendy Bass, rising 2nd Grade students explored “Dinosaurs Before Dark” from the Magic Tree House series, through hands-on activities, experiments, and creative projects. With their own copy of the book and reading logs in hand, campers brought their summer reading to life—making progress in a fun, engaging way while traveling back in time.

JumpStart Reading Camp for rising 1st Grade students was a fun and focused week of literacy growth. Led by LSA’s Ms. Misty Sanders, through stations and fun activities, campers strengthened phonemic awareness, practiced writing and built sight word knowledge. They boosted reading fluency through engaging activities and professional strategies all while having a blast! With take-home materials in hand, these young readers are ready to shine in 1st Grade this fall!

The 40th Annual Boys Basketball Camp was held at Auburn High School, and the gym was buzzing with energy, sneakers, and smiles. Led by Coach David Ogle and Head Coach Chris Brandt, with support from the JV and Varsity Tigers, the camp welcomed rising 1st–6th graders for four exciting days of learning and growth on the court. Campers dove into the fundamentals of the game, sharpening their skills, and learning the value of teamwork—all while having a blast with their Tiger mentors.

JumpStart Reading Camp was the perfect way for rising Kindergarteners to kick off their reading journey! Led by LSA Kindergarten teacher, Ms. Misty Sanders, campers practiced phonemic awareness, built words, worked on sight words, and enjoyed interactive read-alouds. With engaging activities and take-home materials, these young learners are ready to enter Kindergarten with confidence and excitement for reading this fall!