(left to right): Dr. Shelly Shope, headmaster; Kares Smith; Laura Beth Richardson, Dean of Intermediate Education.

The North Carolina Azalea Festival has announced that Kares Smith, an eighth-grade student at Pinnacle Classical Academy, finished in third place in the essay division of its statewide 2025 Middle School Writing Contest.
Smith's essay was entitled "A Springtime Wish: The Magic of the Azalea Festival."
"We are so proud of Kares for being recognized as one of the top middle school writers in North Carolina," said Dr. Shelly Shope, the school's headmaster. "Kares is our sixth student who has won a prize in an external essay contest over the last five years. We are grateful for the hard work of our teachers, who have helped our students to shine."
Founded in 2013, Pinnacle Classical Academy is a tuition-free K-12 public charter school in Shelby that attracts 1,174 students. U.S. News & World Report recognizes the school as one of the best elementary schools, best middle schools, and best high schools in America. For enrollment information, visit www.pinnacleclassicalacademy.com; the new student enrollment lottery for the 2025-26 school year will take place on March 10. Submitted by Jeff Ziegler