Jackson County Comprehensive High School

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Jackson County Comprehensive High School is a high school in Jefferson, Georgia. The school competes in region 8-AAA. The mascot is a black panther, which is based on the legend passed down from Native Americans who used to inhabit the region. Former Superintendent Andy Byers decided on the mascot when the school was moved from Braselton to Jefferson in the 1980s. JCCHS is known for its FFA, music, softball, wrestling, and football programs.

[edit] JCCHS in the News

Jackson County High School has been the center of bomb threats through the years. The most severe one, however, was on April 11, 2007. During first period, Andrew Criswell went into the front office with a homemade bomb. He held two people hostage for several hours. The Georgia Bureau of Investigations, local police authorities, state police authorities, the S.W.A.T Team, and Bomb Squads came to JCCHS. After two hours of negotiations, Crisswell surrendered. The other 1,800 students and 250 faculty and staff evacuated to the Jefferson Civic Center. No one was hurt in the incident.

[edit] Panther Football

Jackson County has a rich football tradition. In recent years the Panthers have not been as successful, but this Fall looks promising under the leadership of promising talent. The mascot is a Black Panther, based on the legend passed down by Native Americans from the area. Some other traditions that have been held throughout the years is the rubbing of the panther statue and the pride monument before running down Panther Hill. Most of these traditions began during the tenure of Head Coach Brent Brock. The Panthers are currently being coached by Billy Kirk.

[edit] Panther Marching Band

Jackson County is probably most notable for their Fine Arts Programs, one which is the Band. During football season, the band students focus most of their time on improving their halftime shows, such as 2005's Latin Heat, ashow focusing on fiery, Latin tunes as well as Latin ballads, and 2004's The Road To Freedom, a show where they honored the armed forces in the show by playing several songs, one from each war era from the REvolution to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Tunes such as A Whiter Shade of Pale from the Vietnam Era, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy from the World War Two Era, and God Bless the USA from Desert Storm. In the song God Bless the USA, there was a solo piece performed by six euphoniums, Senior Josh Potts, Juniors Joel Head and Cory Epps, Sophomore Craig Wilson, and Freshmen D.J. Lamm and Stewart Elliott.

Being in North Georgia has not stopped the Marching Band's performances in other states, such as the Mid-South Invitational in Gadsden, Alabama. There the Panthers took home a Superior rating, the highest award given to a marching band in the Festival portion.

The band is currently directed by a husband-wife team, Miles and Helen Adams.