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Effingham students receive honors from Elks
Raoul Hannah and Jared
Jared Curtis, Hannah Boyd and Raoul Rego display their plaques after the Elks Lodge Scholarship Banquet. - photo by Photo provided

When three Effingham County students received a letter from the Savannah Elks Lodge, they knew they were receiving an award.


However, they didn’t know they would take the highest honors of the night.


Effingham County High School seniors Hannah Boyd and Raoul Rego and South Effingham High School senior Jared Curtis attended an awards banquet at the Savannah Elks Lodge on Feb. 12. The banquet honored six students from the greater Savannah area — three girls and three boys — whose academic achievement, coupled with their school and community services, earned them spots in the Elks’ Most Valuable Student contest at the local level.


Curtis took second place in the boys’ division, while Rego and Boyd both placed first. They advanced to district level where Rego and Boyd won second place. They will now attend a second banquet to receive scholarship funds and a plaque.

Effingham School Board Approves $203M budget with Potential Property Tax Increase
2026 budget
This chart illustrates how the Effingham County School District’s $203 million general fund is allocated for fiscal year 2026, including spending on salaries, benefits, transportation, health services, and safety and security. (Courtesy of Effingham School District)
The Effingham County Board of Education approved a $203 million fiscal year 2026 budget Thursday night, reflecting an 11% increase over last year. The rise is largely due to an $8 million spike in health and retirement benefit costs for employees. To help cover the shortfall, the district may raise the property tax millage rate, potentially increasing homeowners’ taxes by up to 12 percent.
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