CONTRIBUTED
State Representative Floyd Griffin reads his proclamation to fourth grade students at Midway Hills Academy alongside Baldwin Superintendent Kristin Brooks.
With Midway Hills Academy leading the way, Griffin stated he hopes this accomplishment will inspire a broader movement throughout Baldwin County Schools.
“I hope it moves through the whole district,” he said. “You’ve got to start in elementary school like they’re doing and move on up.”
This award is part of the Baldwin County School District’s literacy mission, ensuring students have strong foundations in reading, writing, communication, and critical thinking. Superintendent Dr. Kristina Brooks and the BCSD Teaching & Learning team have worked intentionally to reintroduce high-quality cursive instruction, aligning it with state standards while emphasizing its relevance in a digital age.
Midway Hills Academy hosted State Rep. Floyd L. Griffin, Jr., former mayor of Milledgeville, Georgia State Senator, U.S. Army Colonel, and lifelong public servant, who returned to the school district to recognize students’ outstanding achievements in cursive writing.
MHA recently received the Georgia Department of Education’s John Hancock Award for Excellence in Cursive Instruction, a distinction given to schools whose students demonstrate exceptional proficiency and growth in reading and writing cursive. The award also acknowledges strong instructional practices and a districtwide commitment to preserving an essential literacy skill.
“I read about it in the newspaper, and I also saw it on the Baldwin website,” Griffin shared during his visit. “I was very impressed because I know how important it is for adults and everyone to be able to at least sign a name… I’ve seen so many professional people who cannot sign their name. They have to print it.”
In a formal proclamation from the office from the Georgia House of Representatives, District 149, Griffin wrote: “Whereas, Midway Hills Academy leads a structured program that introduces cursive in third grade with letter and word formation, reinforces the skill in fourth grade with sentence and paragraph practice, and culminates in fifth grade with full written composition; and “Whereas, this initiative has been embraced by students, who not only practice during class but also take pride in using their free time, including indoor recess, to improve their cursive writing and share it by writing names, addresses, and stories… “Now, therefore, be it resolved that Midway Hills Academy is congratulated upon receiving the John Hancock Banner and Proficiency Ribbon for the 2024-2025 school year as well as extended best wishes for continued success.”
Griffin visited a fourth-grade classroom, where students who began cursive instruction in third grade have continued building their skills. He watched students demonstrate their handwriting, read aloud the official resolution recognizing their achievement, and talk through what they’ve learned.
“Those young students seemed very excited about what they had done,” Griffin said. “To see them get up and write, ask thoughtful questions, and then read the resolution without messing up any words… I was very much impressed.”
For Griffin, the importance of cursive extends far beyond penmanship. It is about access to history, to identity, and to one’s own signature.
“You should be able to write in cursive, but you also need to be able to read it,” he said. “That’s very important, especially for historical documents like the Constitution and so many others. There are so many areas in life where you need to know how to do that.”
— Contributed