On Friday May 19, a celebration ceremony was held to congratulate dozens of fifth graders moving onto middle school, and to announce two students as this year’s recipients of the Johns’ Awards.
Winners of this year’s two Johns’ Awards are Avery Pough and Ethan Brown.
“We are ecstatic,” said mother Aliyah Pough. “She knows that we’re proud of her … I think it sets the tone for students’ educational career, and I think that transcends into being just a good person in general; I think it’s very important to be recognized on an elementary level, so it shows ladies that what they are doing is the right thing.”
Roosevelt and Aliyah Pough said they imagined receiving the award would propel Avery into continuing to be an upstanding citizen who hopefully leads others by example.
“I am so proud of myself. I’ve been here for so long, and I’ve always wanted this award,” said Avery Pough.
For over 50 years, the historic Johns’ Awards, a civic reward, has been sponsored by the Columbia County West Rotary Club in honor of local education pioneers, Otis and Johnnie Johns, to remind students the importance of doing the right thing even when no one else is watching.
“The motto of the Rotary Club is ‘service above self,’ and the Johns Award is an opportunity to recognize students who embody that concept, while honoring [two people] who were servants to the city of Grovetown and to Columbia County from the very beginning,” said Grovetown’s Director of Planning and Community Development Ronnie Kurtz and who also represented the Rotary Club representative. “What we hope to do by continuing this legacy and passing out this award is showing everyone that service does have value to its community, and that citizens can start contributing at a very early age.”
Kurtz also said he hopes this award will teach other students that everyone has something they can contribute to their school and that a life of helping others should be viewed as a lifestyle or healthy habit.
In 1928, Otis and Johnnie Johns were educators who first came to Grovetown to teach about 50 students within a run down building; the Johns not only served as teachers but also as the students’ principal, custodians, maintenance workers and lunch lady.
Later on, according to a press release from the Columbia County School District, the Johns created a school cafeteria after acquiring an old military barracks building from Toccoa, Ga. There, as well as making clothes for the children and mending their shoes, the Johns’ grew and harvested their own crops to help feed any hungry students and to create a truly “strong and educational environment.”
“The Johns were very instrumental in shaping education in Columbia County, especially the Grovetown area. They were passionate about education and helping people by providing a great education for their students,” said the press release. “Johnnie Johns is noted as saying, ‘It’s not really about making A’s or B’s – it’s about doing the right thing,’ and thus, the Johns Award was born.
After both Johns passed, the Columbia County West Rotary Club continued the tradition of bestowing the civic award to one fifth grade boy and girl, as well as one eighth grade boy and girl at each school in the district. Each year, the Rotary Club supplies plaques that display the names of all past Johns’ Award winners to encourage future students to do their best by those around them.
According to the club, “The award is for students who do their best. Those students who are doing the right thing when nobody’s looking, who are willing to lend a hand, work well with others and are just great overall citizens.”
Valerie Allen, principal of Grovetown Elementary School, said the awards have always been special to Grovetown, as a result of the extraordinary history both Johns had in educating the next generation.
“Grovetown is where the whole award began, and the Johns served as an example,” she said. “It’s important for us to recognize our students when they are young in order to encourage them to continue giving back and growing.”
The plaque, which has documented all those who have won the Johns Awards in the past, will be displayed at the elementary school to inspire the next batch of fifth graders, as this year’s set of fif grade graduates prepare themselves for entering into middle school.
