During their regular meeting Tuesday, the Haralson County Board of Education received a special gift from the Haralson County High School Literary Team: a song.

Members of the Team’s quartet sang “Not One Sparrow” for the board after their teacher Martie Abney highlighted the team’s recent accomplishments at regional competition. HCHS’s Literary Team swept the competition, taking first place in the Region 4AAA Literary Competition and coming out far ahead of their opponents in points.

“We had a great group representing Haralson County at regionals this year,” said Abney. “And now this group will be traveling to Warner Robbins this weekend in the state competition.”

Abney said the group brought home several first place and second place finishes, finishing the day with by far the most points of the teams there.

The awards the team brought home include:

• 1st place Boys Solo – LaRue Bowman

• 1st place Girls Solo – Kaitlyn Brown

• 1st Place Boys Quartet – Tyler Layton, Austin Winchester, Peter Abney and LaRue Bowman

• 1st place Girls Trio – Brooke Temples, Amber Wyatt and Kaitlyn Brown

• 1st place Girls Extemporaneous Speaking – Brianne Johnson

• 2nd place Boys Extemporaneous Speaking – Travis Wilson

• 2nd place Boys Dramatic Interpretation – Austin Winschester

• 2nd place Girls Dramatic Interpretation – Maggie Hahn

After the quartet performed their song, the board shook hands with and congratulated the entire Literary Team.

“This is a very proud moment for our school system,” said Haralson County Schools Superintendent Brett Stanton.

Also, during the Superintendent’s Spotlight, Stanton recognized local HCHS student Breanna Thornton, who won the silver medal in The Art Institute of Atlanta’s Best Teen Chef Competition for high school seniors.

During the cook-off competition, the finalists were asked to prepare and serve a two-course meal in just two hours. The meal consisted of an appetizer of Shrimp Cocktail and an entrée of Sautéed Chicken Breast with Creative Garnish, Rice Pilaf and Broccoli Sauté.

Competitors were judged on five technical skills including knife skills, safety, sanitation, organization, cooking techniques and clean-up, and five qualities of the finished dishes – temperature, taste, texture, portion size and presentation.

Breanna will bring home a $1,000 scholarship for her efforts.

In other news, the board approved the consent agenda, which included:

• A new employee dental plan with MetLife, who also holds the system’s employee life insurance plans.

• A proposal from Georgia State Trooper Gus Rampy to allow troopers to ride on school buses with children in an effort to issue citations to those who illegally pass school buses.

• Permission to allow the dental organization Help a Child Smile, which brings mobile dental units to schools across the state of Georgia to service children whose parents have no transportation to dentist appointments, to operate at those schools in the county who wish to participate.

• The 2013-2014 school calendar option No. 1, which was voted for by the most community members, and will not include a mid-winter break and will end school on May 23.

• The surplussing and liquidation of several pieces of computer equipment.

• 10 policies regarding personnel that are up for review.

• Improvements to wireless access across the school system to be implemented by Technology Director Dr. Marty Bray.