CLAY COUNTY-Student-athletes here have enjoyed competition with Jackson County and Pickett County for years, but now all students at Clay County High School (CCHS) have their shot to beat both the Blue Devils and Bobcats thanks to the 2013-2014 school year being the inaugural year of the ExCEED Academic Challenge.

“These three schools have competed in athletic events for many years, but those competitions were limited to the students participating in sports,” CCHS principal Ms. Melissa White said.  “The quest for the ExCEED Academic Challenge Cup and the trophies in three other categories expands the spirit of competition to the entire student body at each school because the winners are based on academic testing required of all students.”

The overall winner of the competition, determined by the best results in the three competition categories, will host the ExCEED Academic Challenge Cup the next year.  In addition to the championship trophy, three smaller trophies will be awarded annually for each of the competition categories:

• the largest increase from the sophomore PLAN composite average to the junior ACT composite average,

• the highest ACT composite average, and

• the highest percentage of proficient/advanced scores on all eight EOC exams.

Besides those school-wide honors, individual students who perform well on the sophomore PLAN test, the junior ACT test, and/or the freshmen, sophomore, and junior End of Course (EOC) state exams will earn individual awards and will be recognized at an all-district academic banquet held at Tennessee Tech University next August.

“I know that everyone at CCHS, including students, faculty, and support staff, is committed to our winning the ExCEED Academic Challenge,” White said.  “I urge parents, families, friends, and the community to let our students know that they support them in this competition.

“A win for CCHS would be, in fact, a championship for our entire community.”