Stem -

Huge congratulations to the first-place winners at the Northwest Georgia Student Technology Competition! Bartow County students truly shined, impressing the judges with their creativity and innovation. We're proud to announce that a remarkable 12 students from Bartow are advancing to the state level competition on March 14, 2026, in McDonough, Georgia!

Your hard work and dedication have paid off, and we can't wait to see you represent our region with pride. Keep pushing the boundaries of technology!

Sadie Nelson, 4th Grade, Digital Photo Production from Adairsville Elementary (Advisor: Victoria Williams)
Brinley Beck, 4th Grade, Animation from Taylorsville Elementary (Advisor: Mary Shannon Ashworth)
Greyson McClure & Timothy Gunnels, 4th Grade, Robotics from Adairsville Elementary (Advisor: Victoria Williams)
Emily Brock, 6th Grade, 3D Modeling from Woodland Middle (Advisor: Sabrina Price)
Ethan Patrick & Walker Davis, 8th Grade, Robotics from Cass Middle (Advisor: Cheryl Camp)
Ella Howe, 9th Grade, Multimedia Applications from Adairsville High (Advisor: Dr. Kelly Ratcliff)
Logan Hammontree, 10th Grade, 3D Modeling from Cass High & Bartow County College and Career Academy (Advisors: Melissa Womack & Mike Beavers)
*Keira Woodside, 11th Grade, Animation from Adairsville High & Bartow County College and Career Academy (Advisors: Dr. Kelly Ratcliff & Mike Beavers)
**Nathaniel Fortier, 12th Grade, Physical Computing from Adairsville High (Advisor: Dr. Kelly Ratcliff)

* Back-to-Back Region Champion
** 3X Region Champion

GaDOE Key to CTAE Success The CTAE Golden Key Award is a distinction granted to only three professionals by the Georgia Department of Education to honor individuals and districts for their contributions to career and technical education, focusing on values like innovation, student centeredness, employer involvement, and a focus on careers. Please join us in congratulating Paula Camp, the Director of Advanced Learning, STEM & Gifted Programs at Bartow County Schools. With over 32 years of experience, Paula has been a transformative force in education, pioneering innovative learning strategies and digital integration across K-12 classrooms. Under her leadership, Bartow County Schools has seen remarkable advancements, including the implementation of district-wide STEM programs in 19 schools and a College & Career Academy. Her efforts have led to 18 district STEM certified schools and three state STEM certified schools, with several more on the path to certification. Paula's vision has also revolutionized all school media centers into dynamic Learning Hubs, and she has spearheaded the creation of the Bartow County Schools STEM Innovation Center and Esports Arena. These initiatives have fostered interactive learning and exposure and exploration to multiple CTAE pathways for elementary and middle school students.

Bartow Uplink, the robotics team at the Bartow County College and Career Academy had a big day at Georgia's B.E.S.T. Robotics Competition. They earned Top Scoring Rookie Team and 2nd Place Robot Game! They also earned an invitation to compete at the Southeast Regional Competition next month!

INNOVATION IN ACTION: Tech-savvy students Javier Sierra and Rowan Stanfield noticed a challenge in their school community, and they’re stepping up to solve it! While enjoying the new Esports Arena, they realized that some students face difficulties using traditional game controllers due to limited fine motor skills. Inspired to make gaming more inclusive, they’re using their creativity and an invention kit called Makey Makey to build a prototype that could change the way these students experience video games. Way to go, Javier and Rowan! You're putting your STEM skills to work and making a real difference!

WOMEN IN STEM: A group of Adairsville High School students recently explored the exciting intersection of STEM and gaming during a Women in STEM field trip! Representing Magnet, WISE (Women in STEM), the Esports class, and the Esports team, these talented Tigers dove into workshops and panels led by women who lead, game, and create. They explored gaming ecosystems, from content creation and streaming to AI integration, game design, and digital art. The experience offered hands-on insight into what it means to be a creator in today’s tech-driven world! #betterinbartow #only1bartow #WomenInSTEM

Well, well, well… looks like the Red Top Mario Kart team decided to take a casual drive through Leicester, Massachusetts — and left the Mighty Chickens in the dust. Or feathers. Or whatever they were flapping.

In Round One, Jennah Garcia, Thomas Rodriguez, Jorge Juarez, and Annabelle Leatherwood didn’t just win — they obliterated the competition with a score of 95 to 34. That’s not a typo. That’s a landslide. The kind of score that makes you wonder if the Chickens were racing with blindfolds.

Then came Round Two, where Jennah, Thomas, Logan Buffington, and Annabelle Leatherwood said, “Let’s do that again,” and dominated with a score of 92 to 64. At this point, GPS couldn’t even find Leicester on the leaderboard.

As for individual glory:

Thomas snagged 1st place in one race — solid.
Jennah took 1st in two races — impressive.
And Annabelle? She went full Rainbow Road warrior and claimed 1st place in FIVE races. That’s not just winning. That’s main character energy.
So, if you see any of these racers today, give them a nod, a high five, or maybe just clear the hallway — they’re clearly on a winning streak.

Tellus Musueum
Heavy Metal in Motion
Saturday, September 27, 2025
10 AM - 4 PM
Tellus Members: FREE
Non-members: Regular Admission
https://tellusmuseum.org/our-events/heavy-metal-in-motion/

Come enjoy a day of fun with animal presentations, vendors, food, and fishing! If you are interested in becoming a vendor at this event, please reach out to Charlie Farmer at farmerc@bartowcountyga.gov

The Bartow County Library's first STEM Adventures is next Tuesday, the 9th from 4 - 5 p.m. "We will be talking about how rollercoasters works and will be making a paper rollercoaster of our own! Sign up via the Google form. See you at the library!" Ages 8-12 - https://forms.gle/8p42WGbbmktYmtzh6

Family Night- Raiders of the Lost Art! October 9, 2025 4 – 7:30 pm Grab Your Hats & Get Ready for Adventure! Join us for a thrilling Indiana Jones Family Night – an evening packed with action, fun, and surprises around every corner! Explore the galleries with Indiana Jones-themed activities, conquer your fear of snakes with a hands-on reptile show by Georgia Reptile Society, strike a pose at the selfie station, and unleash your creativity with art-making fun. Kids take home awesome prizes, and everyone can enjoy free food and drinks while they explore. Registration required. Registration deadline Monday, 10/6/2025. FREE admission for all – bring the whole family! Adventure awaits… don’t forget your fedora! boothmuseum.org/family-programming/

Kids Wonder Free Get a Free Kid Admission with a General Admission Ticket in September Looking for things to do with kids in Atlanta this fall? September is a perfect time to come for a visit to Georgia Aquarium and save! Get one free child admission with every Plan & Save General Admission ticket purchased for September visits.* Explore colorful underwater worlds, meet playful sea creatures, and discover fun, hands-on exhibits like our touch pools! It’s perfect for a weekday adventure, a weekend outing, or a fun surprise after school. Date: Sale Starts September 2nd and Ends September 30th Get one free child admission with every Plan & Save General Admission ticket purchased. *Offer valid for visits between September 2nd and September 30th. Limited to a maximum of 6 General Admission tickets per transaction, with up to 6 free kids tickets available. Applies to children ages 3-12. Children ages 2 and under are always free! Not valid with any other discount or offer. All sales are final. No retroactive pricing. Must be purchased online. https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/booking/kidsfree/?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=gai_2025-09-02_Kids-Free-1

Are you or someone you know a K-8 educator that demonstrates a passion and determination to provide students with innovative and challenging STEM experiences? If so, we encourage you to apply as a Don Cargill STEM Scholar. Teachers chosen for this distinguished honor will receive a $500 award to outfit their STEM classroom. Click the following link to be taken to the 2026 Application: https://gystc.org/georgia-stem-scholar-award/

Fifteen LEGO Robotics Teams from Bartow and Catoosa Counties kicked off the FIRST LEGO League "Unearthed" Robotics season at Georgia Highlands College in Cartersville on Friday, August 29. Students participated in sessions to learn more about Archaeology with guest speakers from Georgia Highlands College, Kennesaw State University, Etowah Indian Mounds, Tellus Science Museum, and Vulcan. There were also some coding sessions to increase skills using the LEGO Spike Prime robot. It will be an exciting season as teams "follow the traces of the past, uncover hidden treasures, mysterious artifacts, and forgotten stories."

The Cartersville Public Library is hosting a STEM Night on Thursday, August 21. See flyer for details.

The Bartow County Exceptional Education Lead Teachers had a great time experiencing everything our STEM Innovation Center and Esports Arena have to offer all students!