Clarke Central's 'Odyssey' and Its Advisor David Ragsale Are Both First Rate

The news magazine at Clarke Central, , and its literary counterpart, the Illiad, both win statewide awards, year after year. Many students involved in contributing stories, editing the stories and producing the publications planning to continue an involvement in some type of journalistm.

 Carlo Nasisse, for example, was the photo editor of this year's Odyssey, and was named . In 2011, the magazine was named a finalist for the award, honoring the nation’s best high school news publications. In 2012,

David Ragsdale, an English and journalism teacher at Clarke Central who serves as advisor to the staffs of both the Odyssey and the Illiad, was named a teacher of excellence by the .

In an opinion piece in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, UGA education professor Peter Samogrinsky talks about what makes Ragsdale such a great teacher and community asset. He was Ragsdale teacher in graduate school, and he celebrates his student's success in the classroom.