CCSD Students Featured at Governor's Workforce Summit

Etowah High School senior Cadet Col. Keaton Spellacy presents his speech.

Cherokee County School District students’ success through the Career Pathways program was highlighted at the 2025 Governor’s Workforce Summit!

The Etowah High School U.S. Air Force Junior ROTC program presented the colors at the special event held at the Georgia World Congress Center, and senior Cadet Col. Keaton Spellacy gave a speech to the audience of workforce development leaders.

Congratulations to Keaton, Color Guard members Cadet Second Lt. Kane Barnard, Cadet Second Lt. Victoria Harper, Cadet Second Lt. Isabella Latham, and Cadet Second Lt. Calib Rogers, and teachers, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Stephen Bergey and Technical Sgt. (Ret.) Ciarra Malto, who lead Etowah’s Career Pathway in Air Force Junior ROTC - Government and Public Administration!  Thank you to our School Board for its longtime commitment to investing in career education and ensuring our students learn more, grow more, and achieve more in our classrooms than they could anywhere else.  

The summit gathers educators, business and industry leaders, government officials, and community partners focused on skills-based workforce development and showcases successful initiatives.  This year’s summit theme was “Top State for Talent,” and featured Governor Brian Kemp’s keynote address, “Georgia: Where Talent Meets Opportunity.”

Keaton was invited to speak on how the JROTC program has positively impacted his education and career path, and you can read his full speech online here.

“At its core, AFJROTC is about building citizens of character — but it’s so much more,” Keaton said during his remarks.  “It’s about preparing students from our foothills to our coast to become tomorrow’s leaders, innovators, and workforce.  Together, we are creating the next generation of leaders and innovators.  Together, this is where Georgia’s future begins.”

The Cherokee County School Board and Superintendent of Schools will recognize the students and their teachers at an upcoming School Board meeting.

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