Talented young authors were recognized for earning first place at the District level of the Young Georgia Authors Writing Competition. This competition is an annual contest sponsored by the Georgia Department of Education that encourages students to develop their writing skills while celebrating the successful work of all students.

Any type of writing may be submitted, and one winning entry per grade level is submitted to the Georgia Department of Education. Winning entries were:

- McKenzie Foshee, third grade, Skyview Elementary, “What Animal Would I Be?”

- Aliayah Simmons, fourth grade, Ingram-Pye Elementary, “Detective Preacher and the Case of the Missing Rings”

- Christian Lee, fifth grade, Springdale Elementary, “The Day I Met Lincoln”

- Elizabeth Rodenroth, sixth grade, Howard Middle, “The Legend of Sonjay”

- Caleb Smith, seventh grade, Howard Middle, “Joutatsu (Advance)”

National History Day is an academic competition in which students conduct extensive research on a historical topic of their choice based on the year’s theme. Through their research, students must compile analysis and conclusions about the historical significance of the event they have chosen into one of five categories: papers, websites, exhibits, performances, and documentaries. Students compete in National History Day on local, state, and national levels.

The following students placed at the regional National History Day competition at Fort Valley State University on February 22. They will advance to the state competition at Mercer University on April 26.

Historical Paper:

- Virginia McArthur, Miller Magnet Middle School, first place junior level

- Jordan Lee, Howard Middle School, second place junior level

- Charles Jackson, Miller Magnet Middle School, third place junior level

ATLANTA (AP) - State education officials say Georgia's elementary and middle schools improved overall during the last two years. But high schools on average are struggling to boost their students' performance.

That's according to new data released on Monday. The state is releasing two years of scores for school districts, including an update to previously released 2012 numbers.

The original 2012 numbers were the result of a similar system, rating schools on a scale of 100.