March 29, 2025
By JAMES EVANS
Rutherford County Schools
Eagleville eighth-grader Emily Byrd was named one of 12 finalists today in the Amazing Shake global competition being held in Atlanta today and tomorrow at the Ron Clark Academy.
The overall winner out of 412 competitors will be announced Sunday.
Emily is one of three Rutherford County Schools’ students spending their first weekend of Spring Break in the competition.
Addison Ramsey, a fifth-grader at Homer Pittard Campus School, and Leedie Vega, a seventh-grader at Rocky Fork Middle School, are competing as well. Vega made it to the top 50 in the competition today.
For the past few months, RCS elementary and middle school students have received lessons and competed in various "soft skills" as part of the annual Amazing Shake contest in Rutherford County.
Students learned about the importance of a firm handshake, maintaining a conversation, and presenting new information quickly.
The school-level competitions led to a countywide competition led by the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce and hosted by the Tennessee College of Applied Technology in Smyrna.
Three overall winners were selected for the global competition being held this weekend in Atlanta.
The international competition is presented by the Ron Clark Academy, an acclaimed nonprofit middle school. You can learn more about the competition here: https://www.theamazingshake.com.