These nine students and two teachers attended the Georgia Women of Achievement ceremony in Macon. They are (right, front, l-r) Joel Fair, Macie Smith, and Tiara Tatum; (back, l-r) Janet Pharr, Ashley West, Marcie Whimbush, Jacob Davis, Alyssa Stewart, Lauren Chafin, Trista Black, and Steve Echols. Wilkes County's Sarah Porter Hillhouse and Eliza Frances (Fanny) Andrews now stand with Flannery O'Connor, Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, Ellen Axson Wilson, Margaret Mitchell Marsh, Nancy Hart, and other important women inducted into the Georgia Women of Achievement.

They were recognized in a special ceremony Thursday, March 16, at Wesleyan College in Macon. Ruth Knox, President of Wesleyan and Georgia Women of Achievement, presented the Certificate of Achievement to Celeste Stover of Washington and Charlotte Ford of Athens, nominators, and Irene Marshall of Sautee who represented the Andrews Family

As nominator of Sarah Porter Hillhouse, Mrs. Frances Greiff of Atlanta, and Hillhouse descendant Carolyn B. Timmann of Tallahassee, also accepted certificates at the 15th Anniversary Celebration. Certificates were also awarded for Grace Towns Hamilton of Atlanta.

Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court Leah Ward Sears addressed the audience with a thoughtprovoking speech about the key roles women have played in Georgia. Sears is herself a woman who has already achieved recognition as the first woman to become Chief Justice in Georgia and the first African American woman to become chief justice of any state supreme court in the country.

At the conclusion of Chief Justice Sears' remarks, tributes to all three women in the form of videography by Bright Blue Sky productions and dramatic readings from writings of each woman were presented. The video programs will soon be available at the Mary Willis Library.

Janet Pharr and Steve Echols accompanied nine students from Wilkes County to the celebration. From the Washington-Wilkes Elementary School were Lauren Chafin, Macie Smith and Tiara Tatum; Washington-Wilkes Middle School, Jacob Davis, Ashley West, and Joel Fair; and from Washington-Wilkes Comprehensive High School, Marcie Whimbush, Alyssa Stewart, and Trista Black.

The Washington-Wilkes Historical Foundation donated funds so that the students and faculty members could attend the event.

Others from Washington-Wilkes attending were Celeste Stover, Betty Slaton, Marion Slaton, Peggy Barnett, C. Carol Cartledge, Catherine Hessert, and Anna Gunter.