That one night a year for a treasured tradition

On Tuesday night, the Ledger-Enquirer will honor 198 outstanding seniors from 18 high schools in our Chattahoochee Valley circulation area during the annual Page One Awards at the River Center for the Performing Arts.

This is the 42nd year for this spectacular and uplifting event that showcases the best and brightest local education has to offer. In addition to the amazing students, we will also honor 17 remarkable teachers who have set the standard for excellence in their field.

More than 8,000 local students and teachers have received recognition from the Ledger-Enquirer for their scholarship, achievements and service to others since the Page One Awards program began 42 years ago. This year, approximately $19,000 in cash awards will be given on the night of the show; bringing the 42-year total to over $570,000.

It’s important to note that the Page One Awards program is entirely voluntary. Principals and headmasters at participating schools are asked to designate the most outstanding senior in each of 13 categories ranging from technology to citizenship. The students then are put through their paces in an interview session before a panel of judges. This year, 39 local leaders in business, politics, music, athletics, education, journalism and medicine critiqued the students. The judges look for records of scholarship, leadership, service and character.

The program comes to a rousing conclusion Tuesday at the River Center. All awards will be announced during the ceremony; winners do not receive advance notice. An overall Page One winner and a Runner-up will be announced in each of the categories. The process for naming the Sara Spano Top Teacher Award is similar to the student program. The group of teachers will be narrowed down to one Sara Spano Top Teacher Award and two runner-up awards.

All of us at the Ledger-Enquirer are proud to be a part of this program. We know it has had a positive impact on the lives of the honorees over the years, and we look forward to this night all year. I am delighted to announce that again this year our presenting sponsor for the Page One Awards is Columbus Regional Healthcare System. We are thankful for their generous support and contribution to the Page One Awards.

We invite you to join us at the River Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday night to witness the incredible accomplishments of these outstanding students and teachers. You won’t go home disappointed.

Rodney Mahone is president and publisher of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer; rmahone@ledger-enquirer.com.

This story was originally published April 28, 2017 at 3:10 PM with the headline "That one night a year for a treasured tradition."