Students from Suwannee Elementary School (SES), Branford Elementary School (BES), and Suwannee High School (SHS) attended the Florida School Boards Association (FSBA) Conference in Tampa, Florida on November 28, 2018.
50 third graders from SES, under the direction of Tammy Michal and 69 fourth and fifth graders from BES, under the direction of Juettie Kelley, performed for over 400 Florida School Board Association Members at the annual conference. Accompanied on the keyboard by Susan Roush, the choruses delighted the audience and received a standing ovation after their performance. SES Music Teacher Tammy Michal says, “I am thrilled and honored that I was able to be a part of this amazing event. This was a once in a lifetime experience for our students. Their faces beamed with excitement at the response of the audience. I was told by many in the audience that they were brought to tears by the children's beautiful, pure voices.” BES Principal Dee Dee McManaway says, "After all the hard work the students put into preparing, the songs sounded beautiful. Suwannee Elementary and Branford Elementary chorus students only practiced together twice yet they sounded professional. I am so proud of the BES and SES Chorus as well as Tammy Michal and Juettie Kelley who worked together to direct such a lovely performance. No one left the room disappointed." Michal went on to say, “I want to thank Mr. Jerry Taylor for honoring us with this invitation and Superintendent Ted Roush, who worked diligently to make sure this trip could happen. I am truly blessed to teach in a county which supports music in our schools.”
SHS NJROTC Cadets performed the “Old Glory/Flag Passing” Ceremony in honor of Suwannee County Board Member Jerry Taylor swearing in as the President of the FSBA. The cadets consists of the Commanding Officer Marisley Leal, the Executive Officer Richard Adams, the Command Master Chief Merlin Leal, and the Chief of Staff Christian Dixon. The staff also includes the following officers: Hayley McClain, Robert Heflin, Levi Bass, Cindy Ceniceros, and Timothy Gibbone; as well as Chiefs: Courtney Anderson and Dylan Marlowe. The Flag Ceremony was lead by Lieutenant Debra Kleinsmith and Master Sergeant (MSGT) Douglas Aukerman. At the conclusion of the Flag Passing Ceremony, MSGT Aukerman presented the U.S. Flag to Jerry Taylor. The flag was flown over each Suwannee County school to honor Taylor for his accomplishments within Suwannee County and for all the future accomplishments he will make as the President of the FSBA.
Jerry Taylor says, “There’s thing that happen in our lives that you won’t ever forget. The flag ceremony and the kids singing had a profound impact on me. I could not be more proud of the students, Suwannee’s schools, and how the students represented the county so well.”