Dean Rusk Middle School Academic Bowl Team Ranks 12th in Georgia After Sweeping District and Regional Titles

They won the county. Then they won the region. Then they went to state and finished in Georgia's top 12.

The Dean Rusk Middle School Academic Bowl team capped a remarkable spring run by placing 12th at the PAGE State Academic Bowl, but to get there, the 10-member squad first had to sweep every competition in its path, claiming both the Cherokee County School District championship and the PAGE Regional Academic Bowl title along the way.

Coached by teachers Kim Dye and Courtney Jasman, the team earned its state berth by first winning the CCSD Middle School Academic Bowl, the district's internal competition among its middle schools, and then taking first place at the PAGE Regional Academic Bowl. That back-to-back championship run put Dean Rusk on the state stage against middle school programs from across Georgia, and the Knights held their own, finishing 12th statewide.

Team captain Ethan Chambley led a roster that included Gehrig Cheek, Julianna Kennery, Ethan Lindsey, Jace Millirons, Risa Pratish, James Rabel, Shri Sanevelly, Charvik Sirivella and Easton Smith.

The PAGE Academic Bowl is organized by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, the state's largest educator association. Unlike competitions that reward deep expertise in a single subject, the middle grades bowl challenges students across a deliberately wide range of knowledge, history, literature, science, fine arts, current events, sports and popular culture. There's no cramming one subject and coasting. A team that reaches the state level has to be genuinely well-rounded, with students who can pivot from a question about the American Revolution to one about a Grammy-winning album without missing a beat.

That breadth makes the achievement worth noting for Cherokee County families. Dean Rusk didn't win a specialized tournament or a single-subject competition, it outpaced every other middle school in the county, then every school in its region, then finished in the top 12 in a state that has no shortage of academically competitive programs. Cherokee County School District, one of the largest and fastest-growing districts in Georgia, serves tens of thousands of students, and moments like this one are a concrete measure of what's happening inside its classrooms.

For the neighbors and families of these 10 students, the takeaway is straightforward: Cherokee County kids can compete with anyone in Georgia, and this spring, they proved it.