Proving that it is a state leader in providing innovative learning opportunities for students, Fayette County Public Schools has become one of the first recipients of the inaugural Leading Edge Award given by the Georgia School Boards Association. 
The award recognizes “out-of-the-box” practices by governance teams and school systems by highlighting those systems that are leading the way in ensuring students are competitive in an ever-changing global market. Specifically, the award focuses on innovative design and implementation of projects and programs by local governance teams that are having a significant impact on student engagement and achievement.
Fayette won the award for the implementation of the Community for Creativity program, which started last year at Rising Starr Middle and was added to Flat Rock Middle this fall. Generally, the aim of the program is to change the way students engage in the classroom, regardless of subject area, and is based on the belief that every student can create, developing new ideas to better themselves and the world around them. Partnerships with local professionals is a key component, providing students with real industry experiences to build the state’s next generation of inventors, dreamers, innovators, communicators, and thinkers. Each Community for Creativity has a different focus area that is combined with the general curriculum; at Rising Starr Middle, it is creative industries, and at Flat Rock Middle, it is innovative sustainable communities.
School systems throughout the state were invited to participate in the competition by selecting one of the seven components of the Georgia Vision Project that aligned to their innovative practice. Fayette entered in the “Teaching and Learning” component.
Applicants were required to provide a 750 word description of their entry, three to five artifacts supporting the description, and three to five community letters of support describing the impact of the program. Entries were rated and scored by a third party outside of the Georgia School Boards Association.
