Student Spotlights – November 2025

Second graders from Southview Primary School, Jeter Primary School, and Carver Primary School had a fun Friday morning as they welcomed Libby Liberty. The students launched the Hands-on Liberty program, an exciting initiative designed to help them grow into “Super Citizens.” The program began with learning about the history and symbolism of the Statue of Liberty and will continue over the next several months with lessons in civics, character, financial literacy, and the American story. Through these interactive lessons, students will discover the importance of citizenship, personal responsibility, and community involvement. They will also have opportunities to put their learning into action as they recognize everyday heroes in their schools and neighborhoods.

Opelika City Schools joined with Auburn City Schools, city mayors, and community partners to commemorate the 100th football game between Opelika High School and Auburn High School on September 4, 2025, at Bulldog Stadium. To mark the milestone, commemorative footballs were presented to the mayors of both cities, superintendents, high school principals, and head coaches. The game, dating back to 1917, was broadcast statewide on Alabama Public Television as its Game of the Week. Special recognitions were also part of the celebration. The night was a tribute to the past century of competition and a celebration of the Opelika and Auburn communities.

The Opelika Economic Development team recently visited Pre-K students at Opelika High School to celebrate the start of their educational journey and encourage them to begin thinking about their futures. During their visit, the team spoke with students about the exciting adventure of starting school, the numerous opportunities for learning, and the diverse range of careers available right here in Opelika. Each child received a new t-shirt and was challenged with the question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Students answered with doctors, firefighters, nurses, and astronauts. The Opelika Economic Development team is sparking curiosity and possibilities to follow them throughout their school years and beyond.

At tonight’s September Board of Education meeting, Auburn High School’s Ambassadors were recognized for their service and leadership. These outstanding students represent AHS as official hosts for guests, visitors, and new students. From leading campus tours to welcoming families at events such as Curriculum Night, football games, and Board meetings, AHS Ambassadors embody the spirit of hospitality and excellence at Auburn High School. Congratulations to this year’s Ambassadors:
Youssef Abbas, Joy Ahn, Alaina Cannon, Adeline Clark, Cate Cleveland, Maggie Shaw Cox, William Ellard, Audrey Erath, Abby Farr, Destini Fortson, Alex Gamston (Not pictured), Kate Ha, Lilia Grace Hall (Co-Captain), Chrysten Hill, AK Jackson, Raena Jeck, Jamye Johnson, Reese Kelley, Joshua Knight (Co-Captain), Amy Lee (Co-Captain), Keylee Levett, Hadleigh Lorton, John McCurry, Chris Min, Molly Cate Middleton, Amoriana Nelms, Isaiah Nash, Eithar Omer, Chloe Park, Tony Park, Lauren Quansah, Prather Reaves, Riley Reetz, Addie Robertson, Natalie Schoonover, Reed Thompson, Wake Wages (Not pictured), Jackson Weaver, Tori Williams, and Sophia Wyatt. A special shout-out to sponsor AHS Media Specialist, Elizabeth Lundey, for her leadership and support of this program!

Students and parents worked side by side to complete the Family Leadership Challenge, visiting seven interactive stations—each designed around one of the 7 Habits of Happy Kids. Families read student-friendly poems to explore the habit and then joined in a hands-on activity to bring it to life.
Activities included:
– Building a Gratitude Chain
– Creating a Family Bracelet
– Analyzing real-life scenarios
– Practicing listening skills through drawing
– Developing an action plan for a goal
– Prioritizing time and tasks
As families completed each station, parents received take-home resources, while students earned a special Leadership Prize. ACS is proud to celebrate how the Pick community grew in leadership and strengthened family connections through the 7 Habits!

Members of the Auburn City Schools Board of Education visited four campuses, including Ogletree Elementary, Auburn Early Education Center, East Samford School, and Creekside Elementary. These tours offered a first-hand look at the incredible teaching and learning happening every day in ACS, from special education programs and venture classrooms to the vibrant arts that inspire creativity and expression. Board Members value these opportunities to connect with students, teachers, and administrators, joining in on lessons and seeing the excellence that defines Auburn City Schools. A heartfelt thank you to our Board of Education for their continued engagement, which ensures that every decision seeks to provide the highest quality of education for Auburn’s families.

The AHS Marching Band had an excellent showing at the Lake Martin Invitational, bringing home an incredible list of awards!
ALL SUPERIOR RATINGS
Drum Major – 1
Percussion – 1
Color Guard – 1
Majorette – 1
Band – 1, 1, 1
Overall – 1
The band also earned special awards for: Best in Competition: High Brass, Best in Competition: Woodwinds, Best in Competition: Pit Percussion, Best in Open Class: Color Guard, and Most Outstanding Soloist: Ashlynn “Cricket” Hayes! ACS congratulates the students, Band Directors, support staff, and technicians representing Auburn with excellence and pride!

Upper School robotics students took on a unique challenge inspired by bowling from Coach Ozment. Their task was to program their robot to transfer energy into a ball to knock down pins, all while using just one instruction for velocity and one for distance. The robot also had to stop immediately after making contact with the ball, making precision and strategy essential! To succeed, students collaborated on their designs and drew from their physics knowledge of projectiles, momentum, and Newton’s Laws of Motion. This hands-on project was a creative way to combine robotics, problem-solving, and physics in action!

Lee-Scott Academy is happy to announce that senior Tripp Underwood has been named a Commended Student in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program. Tripp is named one of 34,000 Commended Students throughout the country and is being recognized for his exceptional academic promise!
We are so proud of Tripp and can’t wait to see his future successes. Congratulations, Tripp!

Welcome Back Officer Stroud! He partners with our 5th graders through the D.A.R.E. program, helping them grow in wise decision-making, leadership, and healthy choices. We’re so grateful for his time, encouragement, and commitment to keeping our Crusaders strong in mind, body, and spirit.

What a night! Our Sword & Shield Gala was an incredible evening celebrating faith, fellowship, and support for St. Michael Catholic School! From Coach Bruce Pearl’s inspiring message to the excitement of the live auction and a delicious meal shared among friends, it was truly a night to remember. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended, volunteered, sponsored, and helped make this event such a success. Your generosity strengthens our mission and our Crusader community!

In partnership with the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center (GPAC) at Auburn University, Auburn City Schools proudly welcomed #1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds, writer of Stuntboy, In the Meantime, to Auburn High School. In front of a packed auditorium of ACS fourth graders, Mr. Reynolds shared how he used stories from childhood in Washington, D.C., to write Stuntboy, while encouraging students not to forget the art aspect of language in their writing. Each student was gifted with a copy of Stuntboy, In the Meantime (thanks to the generosity of the GPAC), as well as an invitation to experience the stage adaptation live this December.

Dean Road Elementary had a blast welcoming families to their biannual Parents’ Day at PE! This special event offers parents the opportunity to jump in and enjoy fun activities alongside their children, from hula hooping to tetherball, and the weather was absolutely perfect. Events like this serve as a great reminder of the positive impact that collaboration between schools and families can have! ACS thanks all the parents, grandparents, and guardians who joined to make this school day extra special!

Our K4 & 2nd grade classes had an incredible Friday surprise! The Auburn University Raptor Center joined us and brought some special friends. We learned about all different kinds of raptors, including Aurea, the golden eagle who flies at the Auburn football games!

Second grade students in Mrs. Bass’, Mrs. Gibbs’, and Mrs. Miller’s classes received a very special delivery on Friday: a class pet! Class pets will get the opportunity to visit the homes of each student for two nights at a time. Students must care for the class pets and take them on their daily adventures. Students will write a letter to the class about all of their experiences with the class pets, and will have the opportunity to share the letters with classmates!

LSA’s very own Trot Brazell competed in the War Eagle Invitational at James E. Martin Aquatics Center! He swam his personal best in the 200 IM. Special shoutout to the Lee-Scott family that showed up to support their friend Trot!

Our 5th Grade students learned about the life and art of Andy Warhol in Lower School Art with Mrs. Beard. They also learned about the printmaking process and created relief prints in Warhol’s style. Some students used a reduction printing process and printed with 2 colors while others printed with one color!

LSA Lower School STEM students took on a fun, fall challenge-designing and building their very own “Apple Trapper” inventions! Using only paper and tape, students worked in teams to create tools that could grab apples just out of reach in the classroom. The result? A wide variety of clever designs and plenty of excitement when their Apple Trappers worked!

The Auburn community came together for the 2025 State of the City Address at the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center. Mayor Ron Anders reflected on Auburn’s challenges and successes over the past year before presenting the Mayor’s Lamplighter Awards to honor those who “punch holes in the dark” and shine light for others. ACS is proud to celebrate Lillian Worley, ISS and Alternative School teacher at Auburn High School, who was recognized as one of this year’s five Lamplighter Award recipients. Her dedication to lighting a new path for young people in our community inspires us all. “She knows tough times and hard choices, but she also knows students can succeed and move past their current dilemma,” said Mayor Anders, “She digs in with her students and they know that she cares but they also know she demands; accountability is implemented, but compassion and encouragement are also provided.” Congratulations, Ms. Worley, and thank you for making Auburn brighter every day!

It was a fun day to have a parade of words that come to life during their Idiom Day celebration. Cream of the crop creativity was on display as third graders showed off their writing skills and imaginations by dressing up as their favorite idioms, everything from a “Smart Cookies” and “Two Peas in a Pod”, to a “Blessing in Disguise” and “Break a Leg” . The hallways were alive with laughter and curiosity as students proudly showcased their figurative language through creative, thought-provoking costumes. Even Dr. Forster and Mrs. Goolsby joined the excitement, showing up as “Don’t Drop the Ball” and “Keep your eye on the ball”. Idioms challenge students to move beyond the literal and connect to everyday expressions. When creativity and learning come together, the outcome is unforgettable.

Congratulations to our six Opelika High School students selected for the 2025–2026 Lee County Young Leaders Class! Burch Harris, Mackenzie Young, Emma Brown, Memshalyah Weaver, Paige Henry, and Sadie Rainey will join peers from across the county in one of the Opelika Chamber’s signature leadership programs. Through hands-on experiences, valuable connections, and exposure to leaders in numerous industries and organizations, these students will grow their leadership skills and earn a 1-hour Leadership credit at Southern Union State Community College. We are so proud of these Bulldogs for representing OHS and Opelika City Schools in this year’s class!

Opelika High School Principal Kelli Fischer has been named District 4 AASSP High School Principal of the Year and Opelika Middle School Principal Kristen Williams has been named the District 4 AAMSP Middle School Principal of the Year by the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools (CLAS). We are proud of their outstanding leadership and commitment to students!

Woodland Pines Elementary was filled with music and excitement as first graders got into the fall spirit to perform their Owl-o-Ween Hootenanny. The lively songs brought big smiles to the audience, especially the kindergarteners, who were dressed as community helpers as they cheered them on from the crowd. This event was a great representation of how teamwork and creativity make a school community shine. ACS is proud of music teacher Mrs. Key and the young performers for the joy they bring to Woodland Pines!

Auburn High School has six 2026 National Merit Commended Students! Approximately 1.3 million students enter the National Merit Scholarship Program each year by taking the PSAT/NMSQT. Out of those, the Commended Student distinction is awarded to the top 50,000 scorers nationwide. Being named a Commended Student is a great honor that reflects academic excellence, dedication, and determination.
ACS is proud to recognize: Isaiah Chung, Doyeon Kim, Esther Oh, Junbeom Pak, Olivia Richardson, Darcy Trouse. ACS celebrates these outstanding students and the bright futures ahead of them!

The National High School Baseball Coaches Association (NHSBCA) has named Opelika High School’s baseball field the Region 3 Synthetic Turf Field of the Year. “This honor reflects the strong commitment of our city and school system to providing first-class facilities for our student-athletes,” said Opelika Head Baseball Coach Bart Butler. “Our players, families, and fans deserve a field that matches the tradition and pride of Opelika baseball. We are grateful for the continued support that makes this possible.” NHSBCA’s Region 3 includes high schools from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. As the Region 3 representative, Opelika High School’s field will now advance to compete against seven other regional winners for the NHSBCA’s National Synthetic Turf Field of the Year Award, which will be presented at the NHSBCA National Convention on December 5 in Fort Myers, Florida.

Pick Elementary brought Talk Like a Pirate Day to life with a swashbuckling Pirate Palooza! Media Specialist Deana Hooks turned the library into a high-seas adventure, complete with a pirate ship atmosphere where students dove into tales, uncovered book “treasures,” and discovered that every story holds excitement. Celebrations like this remind students that reading goes beyond lessons and textbooks, as it opens doors to creativity, sparks imagination, and makes learning fun!

Opelika City Schools was proud to be part of the Opelika Chamber’s Business Over Breakfast on Tuesday, August 19. Superintendent Dr. Kevin Davis, Opelika High School Principal Kelli Fischer, Athletic Director Craig Montel, and Head Football Coach Bryan Moore joined community and business leaders to share what’s ahead for the new school year. Dr. Davis reflected on the strong sense of pride and community he’s experienced since becoming superintendent. Principal Fischer highlighted how students are adjusting positively to Alabama’s new cell phone law, while Montel encouraged support for all student athletes and extracurricular activities. Coach Moore shared his excitement for the football season and the lessons students learn through teamwork and discipline. We are grateful to the Opelika Chamber for inviting us to be part of such a fun event and for their continued partnership!

Opelika City Schools welcomed its newest teachers during a three-day New Teacher Orientation held at Opelika High School. The orientation provided a detailed overview of instructional strategies, district expectations, and student support practices to help educators prepare for the year ahead. Teachers also had the opportunity to meet district leaders, collaborate with peers, and learn more about Opelika City Schools’ mission to educate every child, every day. The Opelika Chamber and local partners supported the event by providing a welcome breakfast and snack table. Cadence Bank hosted the annual New Teacher Luncheon, with additional meals provided by Edmentum and Chick-fil-A TigerTown, thanks to support from the Alabama Education Association.

Congratulations to Stella Rogers. She has been named the 2025 Auburn High School Homecoming Queen!

Auburn City Schools is excited to celebrate Mrs. Koontz, a third-grade teacher at Yarbrough Elementary, who was recently honored with the WSFA Class Act Award! Her dedication, creativity, and love for her students shine in and out of the classroom, and the entire YES family is proud to see her recognized for the incredible impact she makes every single day.

Mrs. Long’s second graders put on their paleontologist hats and traveled back millions of years to the Jurassic Era today! From dinosaur egg excavations to hands-on activities that blended science, reading, and problem-solving, students weren’t just learning; they were living the lessons. By tying academics to a theme that excites young minds, the classroom transformed into a prehistoric adventure filled with discovery, teamwork, and fun. When learning roars to life, students become explorers, scientists, and storytellers!

Craig Montel, Athletic Director at Opelika High School, has been named to the Opelika 20 Under 40 Class of 2025-2026, a prestigious program that honors rising leaders across sectors who are making meaningful contributions to the Opelika community. Montel’s leadership continues to shape a culture of discipline, character, and achievement in Opelika Athletics and its student-athletes. As part of the 20 Under 40 class, he will join a diverse cohort of young professionals to explore leadership in education, healthcare, economic development, and civic engagement over the next year.

Major renovations are in progress at West Forest Intermediate School and Southview Primary School, bringing long-awaited facility upgrades to both campuses ahead of the 2025–2026 school year. These projects were approved by the Opelika City Schools Board of Education during its regularly scheduled meeting in March. These campuses have not undergone any major renovations or structural facelifts since they were originally built in the 1980s. The current upgrades represent a significant and long-overdue investment in the physical learning environment for over 1,000 students.

Opelika City Schools held its annual OCS Institute, a district-wide event that brings all employees together to launch the school year. Superintendent Dr. Kevin Davis welcomed faculty and staff with a message about purpose, unity, and student impact. The keynote speaker was Opelika High School alumnus Jody Fuller (Class of 1990), who shared his experiences as a former OCS student, veteran, and comedian. His message emphasized the importance of perspective, humor, and connection in the classroom. Breakfast was provided by Flying Biscuit Cafe, sponsored by Stone Martin Builders and The Brown Agency. Institute is an energizing tradition that marks the official and exciting start of the school year for every Opelika City Schools employee.

Yarbrough Elementary School held a pep rally for faculty and staff to reveal which nest they belong to, complete with choreographed dances and cheers! The Nest System is inspired by the Ron Clark Academy House System and designed to build a positive and inclusive school culture. Each nest represents a core character trait, symbolized by a raptor and color. Later, students will discover their nest through a sorting ceremony. Fifth graders will participate in leadership meetings to discuss their role as leaders at YES before the 4th and 3rd graders join their respective nests.

Our 11th Grade Chemistry students explored the Law of Conservation of Mass, proving that mass remains the same before and after a chemical reaction. It’s one of our students’ favorite chemistry labs! Using acids and bases, they created a natural indicator by boiling cabbage leaves — and watched the colors change as the reaction took place!

Our AP Euro students got creative this year by bringing history to life! They decorated pumpkins to represent fascinating people, events, and topics we’ve studied. Each pumpkin came with an in-depth summary explaining why their choice mattered in history. This project was a fun mix of art, creativity, and AP Euro knowledge. We loved seeing the unique ideas and effort our students put into these amazing historical pumpkins!

The seventh grade class explored the concept of density in the science lab by observing an experiment involving variables. The students floated eggs in water, gradually increasing the salt content, which resulted in enhanced buoyancy

Congratulations to our Trinity Christian School Spelling Bee champions!
1st Place: Luke Pittman – 8th Grade
Runner-Up: Jackson Connerat – 5th Grade
We’re so proud of all our participants for their hard work and dedication. Luke will now represent TCS at the Lee County Spelling Bee—way to go!

Congratulations to Opelika High School’s 2025 Homecoming Queen: Jasmine Smith. We are so proud of the entire Homecoming Court for representing Opelika with grace, leadership, and school spirit.

The Opelika High School Choir had the privilege of performing at the opening ceremony of the Tunnel to Towers 9/11 Never Forget Mobile Exhibit at Southern Union. Students then toured the exhibit and heard firsthand accounts from retired NYC firefighters and first responders who served on 9/11.

Congratulations to our Varsity Girls Volleyball team on their 3–0 victory over Evangel! What an incredible way to celebrate Senior Night. We are so thankful for our six Seniors and their families—their dedication, leadership, and love for the game have left a lasting impact on Trinity Volleyball. Way to go, Lady Eagles!

The 10th Grade presented what they have learned about life during Shakespeare’s time! They skillfully presented their research while involving their audience with games, food and more!