New Principal Brings Experience to Renovated Campus
Anthony Brown is preparing to take over as the new principal of Mitchell County High School. Even though he’s not new to the school, the building he’ll be walking into will have the look and the smell of a whole new beginning.
He’ll be taking over a high school that has undergone several upgrades and improvements after a $22 million renovation, which includes improvements to the school’s interior and exterior, including the school’s roof, a new gym, a new weight room, a new turf football field, and a new track.
Brown can certainly appreciate the changes to the high school, both how it looked before and how it looks now. That’s because Brown has spent the past five years working in the school in different capacities as he worked his way up to being named principal for this upcoming school year. He spent one year as the school’s CTI coordinator and the past four years as assistant principal.
GEORGIA MATCH Helps Students Plan for Life After Graduation
While Brown is proud of the upgrades to the building and the facilities, he has a lot to be thankful for when it comes to the people and processes of educating the students of Mitchell County High School.
That includes preparing students for life after they leave high school.
That process can be overwhelming to a high school student who is trying to figure out what their next step is, what makes the most sense for them, and how to get there.
Brown said that’s where GEORGIA MATCH comes in and helps to make that process a bit easier for both students and parents.
“GEORGIA MATCH helps students gauge the next journey of their life after high school,” Brown said.
GEORGIA MATCH does this by helping students with all of the steps involved when they transition from high school to the next level of education, including financial aid, determining which colleges and other institutions are the best fit for each particular student, and easing any other obstacles involved in selecting the next step students take following graduation.
Brown said the process begins with every student as they prepare to enter their junior year of high school.
“Our guidance counselor Mrs. Kendra Johnson and our attendance team does a great job of helping the students get signed up for GEORGIA MATCH, and it also helps the parents understand the process of getting their kids into college and taking that next step in life,” Brown said.
“GEORGIA MATCH helps give students a vision of what they want to do when they cross that stage and are ready to take that next step in May when they graduate.
“It’s a great platform for our students.”
Enlisted, Enrolled or Employed
Brown said that whatever students decide on once they leave his school, there’s one simple edict he strives to prepare each student for when they graduate.
“I have my ‘Three E’s’ that I want every student to be prepared for when they leave Mitchell County High School,” Brown said. “I want them enlisted, enrolled, or employed.
“Every student is not a university student, and not every student that leaves here is cut out to be an electrician or some other blue-collar employee.”
Brown said that whatever it is students want to do, he wants to do everything he can to help them be prepared for when they make that decision.
Brown said that’s the advantage of having a service like GEORGIA MATCH to help guide students and their families to prepare for what lies ahead after high school.
New Head Coach Kaream Hess Brings Energy to Eagles Football
In addition to the major focus on academics, Mitchell County is preparing for the 2026 high school football season with a new head coach Brown is excited about.
Kaream Hess has been hired as the Eagles’ new head football coach, and Brown said he’s a special type of coach.
“Coach Hess has grit and a motor like I’ve never seen,” Brown said. “He has a different kind of energy that rubs off on these kids that keeps them motivated during these hot summer days of practice.
“He has done a great job of building camaraderie, and the players have completely bought into his message. There are about 45-plus players, and they have taken to their new coach, and it’s a great thing to see.”
Mitchell County’s football team will be playing on a new turf field and working out in a new weight room, which are part of the major renovations at Mitchell County High School.
There’s a lot to like in 2026 at Mitchell County High School.
