Gateway to the Okefenokee, Trainwatchers’ Paradise Serving Folkston and all of Charlton County 119th YEAR • ISSUE 49 • FOLKSTON, GEORGIA 31537 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017 • 12 PAGES, ONE SECTION • $1.00 (inc. tax) www.charltoncountyherald.com or follow us on facebook at www.facebook.com/charltoncountyherald © 2017 Charlton County Herald Inc. MEMBER OF THE GEORGIA PRESS AND NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATIONS Charlton County High School (CCHS) Se- nior Cason Howard was named the STAR Stu- dent for the Class of 2018 this week. Cason selected his agricultural science teacher, Mrs. Audrey Pickren, to be his STAR Teacher. The STAR program stands for the Student Teacher Achievement Recognition. The pro- gram was founded in 1958 by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and has been sponsored by the Professional As- sociation of Georgia Edu- cators (PAGE) since the mid-1990’s. Locally, the STAR Student and Teacher are sponsored by the Charl- ton County STAR Stu- dent Alumni Association. To be selected for the honor, the student has to have the highest SAT score in his or her gradu- ating class and be a mem- ber of the Top 10 percent academically. Rigorous minimum score require- ments must also be met. The STAR Teacher is selected by the student and is a teacher identi- fed by the student as be- ing one who has made a signifcant contribution to the student’s scholas- tic development. As a local winner, Ca- son will move on to the Regional STAR competi- tion for a chance to com- pete for the state STAR honor. According to Cason, “Mrs. Pickren convinced me to join FFA when I was a freshman, which convinced me to pursue a career in agricultural science. She also nomi- nated me for the Gover- nor’s Honors Program in ag science, a program that allowed me to make many connections state- wide and gain a deeper knowledge of agriculture. Mrs. Pickren has pre- pared me for a successful life after high school, sup- ported me tremendously in all my activities, and I greatly appreciate her.” Mrs. Pickren added, “I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to teach Cason and that he enjoys agriculture and the FFA. Cason is not only intelligent, but also inquisitive and has a great sense of humor and work ethic. I am so pleased that he earned the honor of STAR Stu- dent!” Cason was recently accepted to the Univer- sity of Georgia on early enrollment decision and plans to pursue a bach- elors and masters degree in poultry science and avian biology. He is the son of Josh Howard and Stacey Harris. CCHS STAR Student and STAR Teacher announced CCHS STAR STUDENT CASON HOWARD AND STAR TEACHER AUDREY PICKREN. St. George Christmas Parade and Festival this Saturday, Dec. 9 The 2017 St. George Christmas Parade and Festival is scheduled for Sat- urday, December 9. The parade will begin at 11:00 a.m. with festival booths opening at 9:00 a.m. There will be crafts, food and much more. After the parade Santa will be at the St. George Community Center tak- ing pictures and giving out goodie bags to the frst 100 children. The theme for this year’s parade is “Christmas In The South”. There will be a frst and second place prize for the best foats. For more information please contact Stacie Rozier at 904-772-5895 or Melissa Sweat at 912-281-1798, email [email protected] or look us up on Facebook by searching “Saint George Christmas Parade”. By Matt Gardner On November 11 the annual Williams Syn- drome Christmas Party was held at the Ronnie Pollock Lodge in Folk- ston. The annual event hosted families from Georgia, including Folk- ston, Florida and other surrounding states. The theme for this year’s event was Island Luau. During the event, those in attendance were able to enjoy a great meal, face painting, rides on a fre truck, the reading of Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer and the sing- ing of Christmas Carols. Santa Claus made a vis- it along with Mrs. Claus, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and others. About Williams Syn- drome Williams Syndrome (WS) is a genetic condi- tion that is present at birth and can affect an- yone. It is characterized by medical problems, in- cluding cardiovascular disease, developmental RIDING THE FIRE TRUCK DURING THE PARTY. A GROUP SHOT OF THOSE IN ATTENDANCE AT THIS YEAR’S EVENT. Williams Syndrome Island Luau Party held delays and learning dis- abilities. WS affects one in 10,000 people world- wide with an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 people in the United States. It See ‘Luau’ on 2