Hayes Students Excel at Global Amazing Shake Competition

Three students from Edythe J. Hayes Middle School recently represented the school at the prestigious Ron Clark Academy Global Amazing Shake competition, joining more than 515 students from across the world in a rigorous, multi-round leadership experience.

Seventh grader Piper Smith, sixth grader Kaitlyn Zeigler, and eighth grader Kathryn Floyd demonstrated exceptional professionalism, communication skills, and composure throughout the event. Their performance stood out among a highly competitive field of students.

Piper Smith earned a place among the Top 30 overall competitors, a significant accomplishment given the global scale of the event and her first time attending. Kaitlyn Zeigler also distinguished herself by placing in the Top 10% of participants in the gauntlet round, one of the competition’s most demanding components. Attacking this competition with our feeder school, Athens Chilesburg Elementary School, allowed for students to learn from one another throughout and cheer each other on, further building a strong feeder pattern.

The Global Amazing Shake is designed to develop essential life and leadership skills through real-world scenarios. While communication and interpersonal skills remain a central focus, this year’s competition also emphasized collaboration and strategic thinking, challenging students to work effectively with others while navigating complex tasks.

Throughout each round, Hayes students exhibited poise under pressure, confidence, and a positive attitude—qualities that reflect the school’s commitment to developing well-rounded, future-ready leaders.

This experience would not have been possible without the generous support of the Fayette Education Foundation, our private community donors, and the many community members who volunteered their time as judges. Their partnership and investment in our students are helping bring this vision to life and expanding opportunities for authentic, real-world learning.

Edythe J. Hayes Middle School is proud of Piper, Kaitlyn, and Kathryn for representing the school community with excellence on a global stage. Their success highlights the impact of intentional opportunities that prepare students not only for academic achievement, but for leadership in an ever-changing world.