Chattahoochee Technical College welding students excelled at the North Georgia Welding Competition sponsored by Xcel Strategies in Paulding County, placing first and second in the team project challenge, and placing first in the individual challenge. The competition was held Saturday, March 7, at the Paulding Northwest Atlanta Airport.

TRIO Student Spotlight Kennesaw State University’s TRIO Programs honored three high school students this month for their accomplishments within the Upward Bound grant programs offered at KSU’s Paulding Site through several area high schools. The three KSU TRIO Programs support the communities of Paulding and Polk counties – at Rockmart, Cedartown, East Paulding, and Hiram high schools.

The Kennesaw State Paulding Site will partner with the University’s College of Professional Education’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute to bring new courses to the Paulding County community.

The Paulding Rotary welcomed Dr. Kathryn Melton to our club meeting this past week. Dr. Melton is the founder and Director of Shepherd's Rest Ministries. Shepherd's Rest operates the county's women's shelter around the clock, 24 hours and 7 days a week to take and manage crisis calls from women and families need.

Sergeant Fred Berke, who works in the Juvenile Division at the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, was awarded the Paulding County Board of Commissioner’s Public Safety Award. Sergeant Berke was awarded the Commissioner’s Public Safety Award for his exemplary service to the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office.

The Chattahoochee Tech Foundation was presented with a $100,000 grant by the Verizon Foundation on Monday, Feb. 17, to fund a STEM education initiative for Chattahoochee Tech students needing help with completing the math courses required for graduation.

Each year, Master Gardener Extension Volunteers in Paulding offer a local scholarship, available to Paulding County residents that are incoming freshmen or students attending post-secondary accredited institutions. The group gives first consideration to Paulding County students in the following fields of study: Agriculture, Horticulture, Landscaping, Forestry, Botany, and Biology and students who are Paulding County Senior 4-H’ers.

Paulding’s Board of Commissioners approved a Bid Award during their February 11th session to Bayne Development Group in the amount of $1,539,707.00 for the construction contract to build Fire Station #12 in Post IV. The Fire Station will be funded through SPLOST.

Kindworks United is Paulding County's local support group for foster families that open their homes to provide stability for children in desperate need of a safe environment.