The City of Smyrna rolled out the red carpet for the annual Mayor’s Education Awards dinner and ceremony on April 16, 2025 at the Smyrna Community Center. The annual awards honored 45 students from across the city for their academic performance and participation in their schools.

Each school in the city limits selects three students to honor at the event. This year, 15 elementary, middle, and high schools participated, honoring 45 students.

Smyrna Mayor Derek Norton said, “I am proud to lead the Mayor’s Education Awards, celebrating the dedication and achievements of our outstanding students. Their perseverance, leadership and commitment to excellence is an inspiration to all of us. I hope our entire community will join me in congratulating this year’s recipients as we recognize their success and the bright futures ahead.”

All of the students honored go above and beyond in their academics and their personal contributions to their schools and their classmates. Three examples include:

• Osvaldo Cortez, a 5th grader at Russell Elementary, was honored for the second year in a row. Principal Dr. Tammy Watson asks teachers to nominate students each year for this honor and his 5th grade teachers nominated Osvaldo not knowing his 4th grade teachers had previously selected him as well. His teachers say he exemplifies kindness, leadership and perseverance. Osvaldo is a role model to his peers, consistently making a positive impact on everyone around him.
  
  

• Addyson Cordy, an 8th grader at Griffin Middle School, is described as beyond kind, and a bright light who is very strong academically. She is currently in three high school-level credit courses, plays bass clarinet in the school band and is heavily involved in Unified Club, a volunteer student club working to help students with disabilities. 
  
  

• Whitefield Senior Hannah Crisp is a dedicated student taking high-level academic courses including AP and honors classes. She has been involved in Cobb Youth Leadership for two years, currently serving as a Senior Leader. Hannah has a special interest in computer science, technology and music, using her musical gifts to play acoustic guitar for the chapel worship team. She is described as optimistic, loyal, responsible, well-respected and a soft-spoken leader who leads by example. Hannah will be attending Texas A&M University.