Clay County honors student artist, volunteers and principal of the year; Shadow Lawn Elementary showcases programs

Clay County District Schools used the Nov. 6 meeting to present several recognitions and a school showcase before the business agenda.

Art in the Capitol: Chris School, the district fine‑arts curriculum specialist, announced Athena Early, an eighth‑grader at Lake Asbury Junior High, as the county’s winner in Florida’s Art in the Capitol contest. The district said it will deliver Athena’s pen‑and‑ink with watercolor piece to the Florida Capitol for display during the legislative session.

Volunteer awards: Family and community engagement staff presented four outstanding volunteer awards for 2025–26 (youth, adult, senior and resiliency coach) and shared district volunteer data: more than 12,000 Level‑1 volunteers, over 2,000 Level‑2 volunteers, more than 225 school events and about 16,000 recorded volunteer hours this school year.

Principal and school recognitions: Superintendent Broski named Martin Aftuk, principal of Middleburg High School, as the district’s principal of the year, citing leadership, increased industry certifications and community engagement. The board also recognized Jennings Elementary School for a statewide "exceeding expectations" designation under the cited index, noting that only a small fraction of Florida schools receive that distinction.

School showcase: Shadow Lawn Elementary Principal Whitney Johnson introduced staff, highlighted programs (drama, chess, storybook parade, parent engagement events) and noted community partnerships that support incentives and activities. The Shadow Lawn singing falcons performed during the opening portion of the meeting.

These recognitions were presented before the board moved into the regular agenda; no formal action was required for the recognitions themselves.