Danny Federico
reporter3.riverbendnews@gmail.com
During its regular meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 28, held at Branford Elementary School, the Suwannee County School Board, led by Superintendent Ronnie Gray, took a moment to recognize the Branford High School Beta Club. The club, which has been a consistent top performer at state competitions, returned from the Florida State Beta Convention in January with numerous accolades, including a first-ever state presidency win.
Lindsey Ramsey, the club's sponsor, shared that the school's chapter has attended the state convention for the past six years, consistently earning top placements in various academic, artistic and leadership competitions.
"This year was an exceptional year for our club," Ramsey said, noting that the club has a total of 83 members. She continued, stating that this year, the Beta Club sent 30 students to the convention, 25 of which placed in the top three in their respective events.
One of the club's most notable achievements came with John Wiesner's election as the 2025-26 Florida State Senior Beta Club President. Ramsey recalled the moment he first expressed interest in running for office. "When he first came to me, he said, 'I want to run,'" Ramsey recalled. "I thought, oh, he'll probably do secretary or vice president. Nope—president. We're going to go big or go home." Despite being from a small school with limited resources and despite the highly competitive field, Wiesner campaigned successfully, securing the position.
"I'm honored to serve as the 2025-26 Florida State Senior Beta President," Wiesner said, addressing the board. "Our members showcased the true spirit of leadership, service and academic excellence. From outstanding performances at our academic competitions to breathtaking talent and creative problem-solving in team events, Florida Beta students prove that hard work and dedication lead to success.
"But beyond the trophies and recognitions, what truly defines our success is the unity, resilience and leadership our leaders displayed. They supported one another, embraced challenges and represented our school district with integrity and enthusiasm. As we prepare for the National Beta Convention, we are more inspired than ever to continue our mission of leading by serving."
Among the club's winning individual students were:
- Brianna Barrs - (Division 1) - Pottery, Second Place
- Ashlyn Blalock - (Divsion 2) - Quilling, Third Place
- Maya Brown - (12th Grade) - Math, First Place
- Lily Cochran - (Division 1) - Painting, Third Place
- Ashlee Combee - (Division 1) - Speech, Third Place
- Marisol DeAnda - (Division 1) - Accessorized Design, Third Place
- AnaBella Dicks - (Division 1) - Creative Writing, Second Place
- Rae Finch - (Division 2) - Painting, Third Place
- Ava Floyd - (Division 1) - Woodworking, Second Place
- Elena Garcia - (9th Grade) - Agricultural, Second Place
- Callie Harris - (10th Grade) - Agricultural, Third Place; Black and White Photography, Second Place
- Ayden Humphries - (Division 1) - Recycled Art, Champion
- Ailine Morales - (9th Grade) - Biomedical, First Place
- Isaac Pitts - (12th Grade) - Science, First Place
- Mya Proesl - (9th Grade) - Language Arts, Second Place
- Liberty Ward - (Division 1) - Mixed Media, Champion; Onsite Painting, Champion
- Wren Wilkerson - (Division 2) - Speech, Third Place
- Ansleigh Young - (Division 1) - Onsite Cake Decorating, Second Place
Winning teams included:
- Marketing and Communication - Second Place. Members were Sophia McCall, Ryland Roush and Kasey Sapp.
- Campaign Skit - Second Place. Members were Luke Garcia, Ethan McCall, Sophia McCall, Isaac Pitts, Dante Rodriguez, Ryland Roush, Kasey Sapp and Tolby Terry.
- Living Literature ("Pandora's Box") - Third Place. Members were Brianna Barrs, Rae Finch, Elena Garcia, Luke Garcia, Ayden Humphries, Ailine Morales, Mya Proesl and Kaylee Thompson.
Looking ahead, the Beta Club will travel to Orlando at the end of June, where students will take on chapters from all over the country.
After each student was recognized, the school board proceeded swiftly through the remainder of its agenda items before adjourning for the evening. The next Suwannee County School Board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 28. The meeting will take place in the School District Administration Building, located at 1740 Ohio Ave. S, in Live Oak.