Griffin-Spalding County School System -

First National Bank (FNB) of Griffin hosted the 40th Annual Outstanding Student Banquet and Breakfast events this week for Griffin High School (GHS) and Spalding High School (SHS) scholars. The FNB Outstanding Student Banquet is the longest-running program to showcase academic excellence in the Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS). 
 
The Outstanding Student Banquet was held on Thursday, March 16 at GHS for GSCS juniors and seniors who have a grade point average of 89.5 or higher. Students from both GHS and SHS and their families enjoyed a nice dinner. All of the students received a certificate and a $25 voucher to either open a new bank account or deposit into an existing account. STAR Students, GHS Senior Adam Smith and SHS Senior Clayton Vaughn, were surprised with a $1,000 check each from FNB.  
 
Jeff Manley, who was mentored by Chick-fil-A’s legendary Founder, S. Truett Cathy for more than 40 years and co-founder of The Rock Ranch, was the keynote speaker at the banquet.  
 
On Wednesday and Thursday morning, FNB honored GSCS freshmen and sophomores with a grade point average of 89.5 or higher with breakfast from Chick-Fil-A and a gift. 
 
“We believe our success, as a community bank, is dependent on the success of the community. We also believe that rewarding our students who are putting forth the extra effort to succeed academically is a critical step towards our community’s future success,” stated FNB President Chuck Copeland. 
 
GSCS Deputy Superintendent Dr. Donald Warren addressed the crowd of more than 500 students, parents and Partners in Education saying, "Griffin-Spalding County Schools is proud of these outstanding students and their accomplishments. We are grateful to be gathered again in person this year for the first time since the pandemic. We are so very appreciative of our Partner in Education First National Bank who has provided this recognition event for 40 consecutive years! Thank you, First National Bank for this investment in our students. Thank you to our parents for allowing us to serve you and your students and thank you students for working hard to make good grades and preparing yourselves for college and career success." 
 
GSCS Executive Director of Communications & Partnerships Adam Pugh said, "GSCS is thankful to have some amazing Partners in Education that provide resources, experiences, inspiration, motivation and opportunities that help prepare our students to succeed. First National Bank is one of these strong partners, as are many represented on their board of directors, such as Norcom Inc. Their positive influence on our students is a great example of the community working together to shape the future."