Points of Pride
2025 Top Magnet School of Excellence
Elite Scholars Academy has been named a 2025 Top Magnet School of Excellence by Magnet Schools of America, the national association for magnet and theme-based schools. This is the highest honor bestowed upon a MSA Nationally Certified Magnet School! Mr. West received a National Magnet School of Excellence Merit Award on behalf of the school during an awards ceremony held during Magnet Schools of America’s National Conference on April 7-10, 2025, in Nashville.
Elite Scholars Ranked #5 High School in Georgia
Elite Scholars Academy has been recognized among the Top 50 High Schools in Georgia by U.S. News & World Report! Elite Scholars Academy earned a historic Top 5 ranking, and received national recognition among more than 24,000 public high schools evaluated across the country. “Elite Scholars Academy has once again shown that excellence is not only possible, but expected in Clayton County,” said Dr. Anthony W. Smith, Superintendent/CEO of Clayton County Public Schools. “Achieving a Top 5 ranking is a historic milestone that reflects the brilliance of our students, the dedication of our educators, and the pride of a community that truly believes in the limitless potential of our children.” These achievements demonstrate that Clayton County Public Schools is continuing to move forward with excellence, preparing students to succeed in Georgia, across the nation, and beyond.
Elite Scholars Academy exceeds Cambridge National Pass Rates
Elite Scholars Academy students have surpassed national pass rates on the 2024–2025 Cambridge International Assessments in Psychology, Thinking Skills, English Language, and English General Paper—an achievement that reflects both the dedication of students and the commitment of teachers to rigorous, high-quality instruction. Principal Samuel Wayne West praised the results as proof of the school’s mission to deliver world-class education and prepare learners for success on a global stage. For 2025–2026, Elite Scholars has expanded its Cambridge offerings to include Environmental Management, Global Perspectives & Research, and Spanish Language, reaching full implementation of the program and enabling students to pursue the prestigious Cambridge AICE Diploma, with several already close to earning the distinction. As both the first 6th–12th Cambridge International School in Georgia and the first Cambridge International Showcase school in Georgia , Elite Scholars continues to set the standard for academic excellence, affirming its place among the nation’s top-performing schools and equipping students with the knowledge, critical thinking, and communication skills needed for success in higher education and beyond.
#1 Middle School in State of Georgia US News and World Report
Elite Scholars Academy School is ranked #1 in Georgia Middle Schools. According to the report, linked below, this distinction is created using the students’ performance data on state-required tests, graduation, and how well the school prepares students for high school. U.S. News is cited to have analyzed nearly 103,000 pre-K, elementary, and middle schools in the creation of this report. Best Georgia Middle Schools: https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/middle-schools/georgia
National Blue Ribbon School in 2014 and 2021
Elite Scholars Academy has been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School. The first time the school received the award was in 2014 and the second time was on 2021. This program recognizes schools nationally and annually for overall academic excellence or in making progress in closing gaps among subgroups of students. Elite has been recognized twice with this national honor.
Topical Talk Festival Top 10 Global Placement
Our sixth- and seventh-grade students proudly represented our school in the Topical Talk Festival, a global program that connects young people with experts to explore today’s most pressing news and issues. Our 7th-grade team achieved an impressive 3rd place worldwide, 1st in the United States, and 1st in Clayton County Public Schools, while our 6th-grade team earned 6th place worldwide, 2nd in the United States, and 2nd in the district. These outstanding accomplishments highlight our students’ hard work, curiosity, and thoughtfulness as they engaged in meaningful conversations and activities throughout this seven-week global event.
Middle and High School County Reading Bowl Champions
Our Middle and High School reading bowl teams both won the county reading bowl competition. 27 elementary schools, 15 middle schools, and 7 high schools competed in our district-level competition, held Saturday, January 25, 2025, at Mundy’s Mill High School. Both teams are repeat winners for the district. Both teams moved on to compete at the regional level competition and represented Elite well.
Volleyball State Champions
The varsity girls volleyball team had an outstanding season as they went on to win the Class 1A GHSA State Championship. Under the direction of Coach Lawrence, Ellison, Hamilton, the Lady Knights put on a dominant performance winning with a 3-0 set victory on November 4, 2024. This is the first volleyball team in CCPS history to go on and win the state championship.
Girls 4x400 Team wins GHSA State Championship
The girls high school 4x400 team won the GHSA championship. The state champions include Sanieya Largent, Maya Valdez, Kahja Johnson, and Alina Forrest. Congratulations to these athletes on their dominating performance.