SYLACAUGA, Ala. – Sylacauga High School has been recognized as a Gene Bottoms Pacesetter School by the Southern Regional Education Board, earning a prestigious honor that highlights the school’s commitment to academic excellence and student achievement.
The award recognizes schools that have successfully implemented SREB’s Making Schools Work framework and demonstrated significant progress in student outcomes, instructional quality, and overall school improvement.
Sylacauga High School received the Gene Bottoms Pacesetter Award during the 2026 Making Schools Work Conference in Nashville, Tenn. earlier in July.
School leaders said the recognition reflects the dedication of the school’s faculty and staff to creating a supportive, high-performing learning environment for students.
Outgoing Principal Gary Rivers credited the achievement to the work of teachers and staff, as well as leadership development opportunities through the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools. Sylacauga High School was previously named a 2025 CLAS School of Distinction.
Rivers and Assistant Principal Rhonda Courson also expanded an ACT Boot Camp initiative developed through the district’s Teachers of Promise Sylacauga program. The effort, known as “Level Up,” was designed to help students improve their ACT scores and strengthen college and career readiness.
Assistant Principals Dr. Bennie Lewis and Courson joined Rivers in celebrating the recognition, which school officials described as a reflection of the school’s focus on continuous improvement and student success.
The award adds to a growing list of honors for Sylacauga City Schools. Indian Valley Elementary School received a Gene Bottoms Pacesetter Award in 2025, while the district was named the 2024 District Winner of the Gene Bottoms Pacesetter Award.
School officials said the latest recognition further establishes Sylacauga High School as a model for secondary education across the region.
