Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County Schools and Forward Rabun/Rabun County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting on Friday, July 31, to celebrate the opening of the new Rabun County High School Academic Building.
Monday, August 10, 2026
New beginnings are in store for students at Rabun County Schools as high schoolers get the opportunity to make new hallways of memories for decades to come in the new Academic Building.
Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Sky Valley’s National Night Out (NNO) event on Aug. 4 brought many local law enforcement and other public safety agencies together to build community relationships.
Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Aaron Hooker plays a worship set during the Choices Pregnancy Center Heartbeat Gala on Aug. 1 at Chota Falls. Gala guests sang along and praised God with hands in the air. The venue was beautifully lit and decorated.
Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County middle and high school students mingle in the cafeteria on the first day of school Monday, Aug. 3.
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Submitted photo. The Orozcos -- Isabelle, Adrian, Juliana, Chelsea -- are very happy to have Charlee, a 2-year-old Bernadoodle, back with the family after a self-led tour of Rabun County.
Robert Hatcher, Guest Columnist
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County’s JK Fruster (left) and Mack Williams celebrate after a sack by Fruster during the Wildcats’ second-round home playoff win over Berrien on Nov. 21, 2025. Fruster and Williams will headline the Wildcat defense this season. RCHS’s season opener is Aug. 28 at home.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County sophomore quarterback Cooper Kowalsky looks downfield for an open receiver in the Wildcats’ spring game versus White County on May 15. Kowalsky will be Rabun County’s starting quarterback this season.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap head football coach Derek White walks to the field ahead of his team's game versus Grayson in 2025.
Faces & Places
Jason Streetman
Lake Chatuge Recreation Department. Runners complete the Lake Chatuge Recreation Area loop along the Hiawassee Half Marathon route. The event this year is March 14.
Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County Schools and Forward Rabun/Rabun County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting on Friday, July 31, to celebrate the opening of the new Rabun County High School Academic Building.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County’s JK Fruster (left) and Mack Williams celebrate after a sack by Fruster during the Wildcats’ second-round home playoff win over Berrien on Nov. 21, 2025. Fruster and Williams will headline the Wildcat defense this season. RCHS’s season opener is Aug. 28 at home.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County sophomore quarterback Cooper Kowalsky looks downfield for an open receiver in the Wildcats’ spring game versus White County on May 15. Kowalsky will be Rabun County’s starting quarterback this season.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap head football coach Derek White walks to the field ahead of his team's game versus Grayson in 2025.
Submitted photo. In her last year as the head coach, Cristina Weber will have the RCHS varsity cheerleaders inspiring Wildcat Nation during football in the fall and basketball in the winter. Front Row: (From left) Kinley Burtch, Natalee Woodruff, Ella Weber and Mattie Dixon. Middle Row: Cayden Spivey, Kate Church, Kyleigh Kapherr-Coffey, Makayla Burrell and Bailey Weber. Back Row: Coach Katie Speed, Sophie Provance, Gracie Dunn, Peyton Jones and Emma Krivsky and Head Coach Christina Weber.
Submitted Photos. The Lady Cats cross country team is projected to again be led by Kinley Jones, who now is a sophomore. Front Row: (From left) Jayden Griggs, Esmerelda Antonio Hernandez and Saray Rodriguez. Middle Row: Teresa Ruiz and Kimberly Martinez-Lachino. Back Row: Kinley Jones, Elizabeth Hilson and Savannah Crouch.
Submitted Photo. Jessica Evans has begun her third season as the Lady Cat softball head coach. Front Row: (From left) Addison Patton, Kynzlie McCall and Mattie Scott. Middle Row: Jalynn Gragg, Charley Weaver, Kenlee Hedge and Capi Welch. Back Row: Coach Makenna Talcott, Kyla Shook, Cecelia Fields, Aubrey Colbert and Head Coach Jessica Evans. NOT PICTURED: River Evans.
Submitted Photo. The varsity Rabun County volleyball team will be under the direction of veteran head coach April Jones. Front Row: (From left) Georgie Herb, Maria Ramos, Barbara Vargas and Ava Hickel. Middle Row: Mia Potts, Rylie Coleman and Emme Cain. Back Row: Head Coach April Jones, Lydia Gergeni, Sayler Watson, Elexa English and Coach Abbye Carver.
Photo by Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap’s Jose Luis Carrillo (center) celebrates after a goal on a penalty shot in Rabun Gap’s first game versus Christ School last season, which was canceled early and finished on Sept. 30, 2025.
Enoch Autry/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County’s marching band will return the field at Frank Snyder Memorial Stadium on Aug. 28 when the Wildcats host Metter to open the football season. This year’s band has 85 members taking the field.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. The Rabun Gap girls volleyball team celebrates its first-round playoff win versus Cannon School on Oct. 14, 2025.
