All eleven Tift County schools have earned the Georgia Department of Education’s John Hancock Award for demonstrating a strong commitment to cursive writing instruction and student proficiency.
The awards are being presented as part of the state’s observance of Constitution Week, September 17–23. The John Hancock Award recognizes elementary, middle, and high schools whose students demonstrate proficiency in cursive writing - a skill that supports literacy and writing fluency while enabling students to read historic documents in their original form.
Five Tift County schools earned the John Hancock Banner and Ribbon of Distinction, awarded to schools where at least 90% of students can write both their names and the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution in cursive:
Eighth Street Middle School
G.O. Bailey Elementary School
Len Lastinger Elementary School
Northeast Middle School
Tift County High School
Six schools earned the John Hancock Banner and Proficiency Ribbon, awarded to schools where at least 90% of students can write their names in cursive:
Annie Belle Clark Elementary School
Charles Spencer Elementary School
J.T. Reddick Elementary School
Matt Wilson Elementary School
Northside Elementary School
Omega Elementary School
“We are incredibly proud to see all 11 of our elementary, middle, and high schools recognized for their commitment to cursive instruction,” Interim Superintendent Jennifer Howell said. “This achievement reflects the intentional work of our teachers and the dedication of our students. Cursive writing strengthens important literacy skills while also giving students the ability to connect directly with the historic documents that have shaped our nation.”
To demonstrate proficiency, schools submit representative samples of students’ cursive writing and attest that at least 90% of their students meet the requirements for the recognition level sought.
During the 2025–2026 school year, 630 schools across Georgia earned John Hancock recognition. Of those, 323 received the Banner and Ribbon of Distinction, while 307 earned the Banner and Proficiency Ribbon.
Cursive writing is included in Georgia’s English Language Arts standards as part of the state’s commitment to developing strong, confident readers and writers. Cursive instruction helps students develop fine motor skills, strengthen spelling and writing fluency, support memory and cognitive development, and create a distinctive personal signature.
In addition to recognizing schools during Constitution Week, the Georgia Department of Education is distributing pocket Constitutions to Georgia students and encouraging schools and districts to continue commemorating America’s 250th anniversary throughout the 2026–2027 school year.
The recognition of every Tift County elementary, middle, and high school demonstrates the district’s continued commitment to providing students with foundational literacy skills while helping them build a deeper connection to the nation’s history.