<br />
GeorgiaBEST (Business Ethics Student Training) was implemented in Georgia high schools in the 2011-2012 <br />
school year through the efforts of Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler to help produce an emerging <br />
workforce that is prepared to face the challenges of a global marketplace. Because of the success of the soft <br />
skills certification program at the high school level, a pilot program was implemented this school year for <br />
middle schools. Commissioner Butler recognized a need for a middle school program understanding that soft <br />
skills training can never begin too soon. He also recognized the need to introduce middle school students to <br />
different careers available in Georgia as the state faces a skills gap in many occupations. Hall County Schools <br />
was part of the state's pilot. <br />
<br />
GeorgiaBEST Middle School is designed to introduce students to the soft skills needed to be successful in the <br />
classroom and in the workplace, and is aligned with standards addressed in the GeorgiaBEST high school <br />
program. However, it also stresses career exploration and goes hand-in-hand with the State Department of <br />
Education's career pathways, which requires students to choose a pathway of study prior to entering high <br />
school. The GeorgiaBEST Middle School certification program also builds on the character words students are <br />
introduced to in elementary school. <br />
<br />
Like the GeorgiaBEST high school program, the middle school program was embedded in a select number of <br />
Carnegie unit Career Tech high school courses being taught in the middle schools. The GeorgiaBEST <br />
standards were incorporated as part of the employability standards required in these course standards. The 10 <br />
Standards for Middle School include: Workplace Ethics, Time Management, Organization & Responsibility, <br />
Communication Skills, Decision Making/Problem Solving, Teamwork, Discipline and Character, Attitude, <br />
Initiative/Grade Point Average, and Attendance & Punctuality. Under the middle school program, students can <br />
earn up to 24 total points. They must receive at least 21 points to earn GeorgiaBEST certification, and must <br />
have at least one point in each category and all activities/standards must be met at an 80% proficiency level. <br />
Benefits to the students include: Become aware of work ethic components; Develop a sense of awareness of <br />
the importance of being prepared for the demands of the 21st<br />
century workforce and higher education; Be <br />
recognized as a Georgia BEST student in their class and Utilize the certificate to their advantage on résumés, <br />
college applications and at job interviews. <br />
<br />
Congratulations to the following middle school students who exceled in the standards: <br />
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Chestatee Academy: Emily Barnas, Alec Bornhorst, Ben Braun, Chris Bryant, Jacqueline Castillo-Ramirez, <br />
Kevin Contreras, Katelyn Lugo, Emily Mize, Megan Pendley, Olivia Quatro, Jennifer Rodriguez-Guevara, and <br />
Chloe Watson <br />
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Davis Middle: Lisette Alvarez, Caroline Anderson, Valentina Bedoya, Anna Kate Butterworth, Gracie Charlton, <br />
Emily Cooper, Olivia Correa, Elizabeth Darracott, Madison Delacruz, Michelle Deveau, Noah Edmondson, <br />
Giselle Flores, Rodolfo Flores, Tommy Fowler, Cameron Fraker, Gwendolyn Gomez, Madison Grabher, <br />
Gisselle Guerrero, Kelli Hammonds, Tori Hatch, Hannah Hendon, John Hollis, Joshua Huss, Marleigh Jones, <br />
Alexis Kent, Aubrey Killebrew, Skyler Kleinheinz, Tyler Knotts, Lexi Kriews, Nicole Lamp, Megan Lance, <br />
Brenna Martin, Lauren McGlone, Samuel McNabb, Kaitlyn Merck, Matthew Olmstead, Joshua Osborne, Kelly <br />
Payero, Jaylyn Pelcastre, Reed Petty, Megan Potter, Colin Reilly, Jordan Rule, Christian Russell, William <br />
Selesky, Carly Shaw, Allison Slowick, Matthew Spain, Nate Stiltner, Kelsey Tipton, and Melanie Valencia <br />
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East Hall Middle: Laura Abreu, Ingry Almendarez, Johana L Almendarez, Jorge F Almira, Graciela Aviles, <br />
Ranisha Bailey, Katherine Barton, Michael Black, Kevin Bran, Chris Broome, Larissa Camacho, Brandon <br />
Carmona, Luis Caudillo, A. Ariel Contreras, Andrea Corona-Gonzalez, J. Jonathan Cortes, L. Grace Cranford, <br />
Cameron Crawford, Miguel Delfin, Diego Esqueda, Cassandra Gonzalez, Brissa Gross, Kenneth "Nate" Guest, <br />
Juan Hernandez, Rut Hernandez, Elias Herrera, Jai-Quayla Howard, David Jiminez, David Kidd, Jr., Savanna <br />
Leach, Johnathan G Lopez, Moses Lopez, Isabel Luna, Jazmin Madera, Ana Martinez-Buendia, Hannah <br />
McKee, Ivan Mendoza, Katherine Merck, Abraham Muniz-Vega, Kailey O'Kelley, Joana Ordonez, Maria Otero, <br />
Aman Patel, Holly Poole, Giezi Portillo-barrientos, Carlos Pulido, Veronica Renteria, Eli Rivera, Andres <br />
Rodriguez, Guillermo Salcido, Fabiola Sanchez, Gracie Sellers, Jacqueline Sepulveda, Joshua Serrano, <br />
Cynthia Silva, Kendall Smith, Macy Thomas, Angel Torres-Nava, Brenda Vargas-Ortiz, Marcelina Villatoro, <br />
Katelyn Waldrep, Kristy Ward, Skylar Wilbanks, Tucker Williamson, Mariah Wilson, and Giselle Zuniga <br />
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North Hall Middle: Katie Allgood, Jacob Bennett, Jack Brown, Marino Campos, Hailey Gooch, Caleb <br />
Johnston, Ethan Kent, Alec LeBlanc, Michael McDaniel, Natalie Nixon, Alex Oliver, Starr Phipps, Caleb Poore, <br />
Andrew Reed, Shawn Reed, C.J. Smith, Madeline Stephens, and Myra Zimmerman <br />
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South Hall Middle: Kevin Alquicira, Josue Amador, Mason Barnes, Luis Carmona, Stacey Castrejon, Rosalio <br />
Cerda, Gerardo Diaz, Parker Dunagan, Casey Edwards, Alexandria Emerson, Quinton Fields, Franciso Flores, <br />
Betsy Frazier, William Hefley III, Jose Hernandez Jr., Maria Herrera-Cornejo, Jose Jaquez, Sarah Johnson, <br />
Esmeralda Juarez, Alejandro Madera, Jennifer Mendoza, Isaiah Mize, Rodrigo Murillo, Litzy Noyloa, <br />
Emmanuel Ortega, Neil Paris, Richard Evan Peebles, Kelly Pena, Alma Perez, Alexander Ramirez, Jovany <br />
Reyes, Anthony Reyes, Madelin Rodas-Espinoza, Veronica Rondan, Jonathan Sanchez, Brendy Santos-Cruz, <br />
Marcello Torres, Giselle Tovar, Sindy Vasquez-Garcia, and Julieta Villa. <br />
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West Hall Middle: Gisselle Amparo, Ashley Alverson, Lexxi Bagley, Sydney Bartunek, Brianna Blackwell, <br />
Alexa Benson, Amanda Burris, Anna Kate Clark, Selvin Funes, Vanessa Garcia, Anai Hernandez, Juan <br />
Hernandez, Aaron Hubbard, Alicia Leo, Nataly Mandujano Tinoco, Sydney Lovick, Karley Maynard, Jennifer <br />
Nguyen, Jessica Ortiz, Rudy Ramirez, Peyton Randazzo, James Rivett, Estefania Romero-Gomez, Herika <br />
Turcios, Claudia Valle, Jessica X. Velasquez, and Odalis Yebra, <br />
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World Language Academy: Sebastian Campos, Ana Contreras, Hector Garcia, Benjamin Head, Skyler <br />
Johnston-Hadaway, Steven Lopez, Thomas Pattillo, Alexander Sanchez, Nicholas Silva, Nathanael Silveira, <br />
Brandon Velazquez-Flores, John Vick, Justin Wade, John Wandrum, Braden Wayne, and Maksymus Zepeda <br />
