Superintendent Justin Hunt opened the meeting’s superintendent spotlight with a video and remarks highlighting Emma Cannon, a student who earned an associate degree and a certified nursing assistant (CNA) credential while completing her high school diploma.

“Associate's degree while you're still in high school is such an advantage,” Justin Hunt said as he introduced the segment. In a recording included in the spotlight, Emma Cannon described completing an applied science associate degree while enrolled in EPIC’s EPIC Collegiate Academy and concurrent-enrollment EPIC program. “I just completed my associate's degree... My degree is in applied science. I love to study the human body, and I love to help people,” Emma said in the video.

School staff said Emma began the associate-degree coursework in her sophomore year and used program guidance and personal tracking to complete required classes. The superintendent said the EPIC Collegiate Academy, launched about three years earlier, aims to have students graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate degree.

The spotlight also recognized other students and EPIC programs: the board heard that seventh grader Carter Dunbar was named MVP at a travel-basketball showcase and that Chloe Woodson, an EPIC student, was invited to the U16 USA Basketball Trials while maintaining a high GPA. The meeting also included a video about EPIC’s internship program, which staff described as offering community-based internships, department-based opportunities, virtual internships and industry certifications. Students in the internship video described gaining graphic-design and time-management skills and said internships help build resumes for college and the workforce.

The board did not take formal action on the superintendent spotlight; the segment was part of the superintendent’s report.