< 2018 Excellence in Business Award Winners

Highest Level of Excellence - Don Hendricks Award

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On Friday March 9^th, more than 500 guests joined the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce and Forsyth County Schools for the annual Celebration of Excellence. This celebration of educators and community partners showcased the factors that make Forsyth County schools the best in the state. One award that stands out above the rest is the Don Hendricks Partnership Award. The recipient of this award was the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office.

The Hendricks family established this award in 2002 after the passing of Don Hendricks, a long-time member of the Board of Education. He believed in the Forsyth County School System and its quest for quality learning and superior performance for all.

The Sheriff’s Office is an integral partner with the school system, willing and able to help at a moment’s notice. The organization is involved in daily activities in all Forsyth County schools. They teach the CHAMPS program to fifth-grade students in 14 elementary schools and fund Seven Mindsets, a Social Emotional Learning program, in seven schools. Their involvement in alcohol and substance abuse prevention is unparalleled by their donation of 52 treatments of Narcan, alcohol awareness materials and participation in Ghost Out and Teen Maze. The Sheriff’s Office also serves on the Total Wellness Collaborative and sponsors KinderCamp for new students.

Most importantly, they support the district’s number one priority of providing safe and secure schools for our students and staff. They fund and have increased School Resource Officers in schools, partnered with the district to install Stop Arm cameras on school buses, built relationships with students, and recently, launched a joint School Safety Task Force with the district.

The impact they have made on Forsyth County Schools is lasting and unparalleled. Congratulations to the Forsyth Sheriff’s Office, the 2018 Don Hendricks Partnership Award recipient!

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