CARROLLTON, GA — With a passion for education, public health, and collaboration, Carrollton High School senior Julia Hume anchored her International Baccalaureate capstone project in community wellness. In partnership with the American Red Cross, Julia organized a blood drive event on April 1 in the Hall of Fame room at Carrollton High School. 

Each International Baccalaureate diploma candidate is required to plan and execute a Creative Activity and Service (CAS) project to complete their path of study. Students work with faculty sponsors to plan and facilitate the projects. Julia’s sponsor, CHS Healthcare teacher Shannon Bright, helped support her throughout the process. 

"Julia put her time, energy, and heart into making this blood drive a success,” said Bright. “From recruiting donors to organizing logistics and spreading the word, her dedication has truly brought our school and community together.”

Julia said her interest in hosting this event was sparked when she first learned the life-changing impact blood donations have in emergency medical situations. According to the American Red Cross, “one donation can save up to three lives,” highlighting the profound results even one donor can have. 

From organizing volunteers, managing parental consent forms, designing flyers for promotion, and even advertising the event on the morning video-broadcast, Julia set her mind to accomplish her goal. Sharing the power of donating with her peers and the Carrollton City Schools community at large, she registered 90 donors before the event, with walk-in appointments available. 

The collaborative effort made a tremendous impact. Not only did the blood drive provide an opportunity for students, staff, and community members to participate, but it also served as a learning opportunity for classes. A CHS health sciences course brought students to the event to learn more about the American Red Cross and discuss components of their cardiology unit shown in action. 

Julia said that her peers in the student organization for future healthcare professionals, HOSA, and fellow students and faculty from the IB program shared in her excitement and provided the support needed to make the event a success. 

“I’m especially proud of how I was able to involve so many people from different parts of my life in the project. This included holding recruitment sessions and a tour, involving plenty of CHS clubs, sharing on social media, speaking with my church, creating videos for University of West Georgia students, and reaching out to faculty at the elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as my job and the martial arts school where I help teach,” said Julia. “Each effort helped raise awareness and connect the community to an urgent public health need.”

With the goal of becoming a pediatric primary care physician, Julia takes every opportunity to learn more about the medical field. Last summer, she was selected from applicants across the country to attend the University of Georgia’s Foothills Health Careers Youth Conference, based on her transcript and a personal essay. Throughout the program, she worked alongside UGA faculty members to gain hands-on laboratory experience and learn more about different areas of the public health and medical fields. At the start of 2026, she began her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program, which she will complete this summer, and she is currently finishing her Basic Life Support (BLS) certification. In the meantime, she shadows healthcare professionals at Physicians Care Group of West Georgia as an intern. 

Whether she’s pursuing her CNA in her spare time or leading student organizations on campus, Julia is committed to making a real, positive impact on the lives of those around her.
 

CHS senior Julia Hume is pictured after her donation appointment, in front of the American Red Cross van advertisement for donors, at the blood drive event on April 1.
 

CARROLLTON, GA— Five Carrollton High School seniors, set to graduate in May, have been recognized as Georgia Scholars by the Georgia Department of Education. This year's accolades reflect the increasing competitiveness of the program, with only 162 students selected statewide.

CHS boasts an impressive number of scholars recognized this year, earning more honors than any other school or district in the West Georgia region. 

To qualify for this recognition, students must exhibit outstanding performance in all areas of academic achievement in addition to extracurricular and community involvement. The high school seniors who are finalists exemplify these characteristics.

According to DOE guidelines, Georgia Scholars are students who have carried exemplary course loads, exceptionally performed in all coursework, successfully participated in interscholastic events at their school and community events, assumed leadership roles throughout their four years of high school, and obtained a minimum combined score of 1360 on the SAT or a composite score of 31 on the ACT in one sitting. Scholars are distinguished at graduation with special seals for their diplomas.

The Class of 2026 honorees are Rory Camp, Carter Cates, Edward Fleck, Alana Lee, and Miguel Simon-De Feo.  

“The Georgia Scholars program is known for setting a competitive standard, and these seniors earned recognition among the top students in the state,” said CHS Principal Ian Lyle. “Along with the faculty and staff at CHS, I am excited to celebrate this achievement with our Scholars.”   

The program is coordinated by GaDOE’s Excellence Recognition Office and local coordinators in each public school system and private schools throughout the state.

Five Carrollton High School students have been recognized as Georgia Scholars. The recipients pictured top row, from left, are Rory Camp, Carter Cates, and Edward Fleck, and bottom row, from left, are Alana Lee and Miguel Simon-De Feo.

CARROLLTON, GA —  Three Carrollton High School students will be headed to Georgia Southern University in Statesboro this summer to participate in the Governor’s Honors program.

CHS sophomore Allie Grace Ashlock and juniors Tyler Clotfelter and Kaia Maggiano will be representing the district at the program.

The Governor’s Honors Program, known as GHP, is a four-week residential summer program for gifted and talented rising high school juniors and seniors.  Students who attend public, private, and home schools are eligible for nomination in one of 20 subject areas.

Allie Grace will compete in dance, Tyler in the woodwind music concentration, and Kaia in world languages, focusing on German, from June 14 through July 11, 2026.

CHS sophomore Yadiel Pilar Enriquez was chosen as an alternate for the program. If selected, Yadiel will compete in Spanish for the world languages category. Alternates will be notified in May if a slot becomes available in their area of concentration.

CHS has a strong legacy of producing GHP finalists. Over the last decade, more than 30 CHS students have been selected for the program.
 

Carrollton High School students Allie Grace Ashlock and juniors Tyler Clotfelter and Kaia Maggiano were selected as finalists in the Governor’s Honors program. CHS sophomore Yadiel Pilar Enriquez was chosen as an alternate for the program. Pictured from left are CHS counselor Shae Holland, Allie Grace Ashlock, Yadiel Pilar Enriquez, Tyler Clotfelter, Kaia Maggiano, and CHS Principal Dr. Ian Lyle.