Carlton J. Kell High School received its first students in August, 2002. The school was named for Carlton “Corky” Kell, a highly respected coach and athletic director for the Cobb County School District. In 1965, Coach Kell started the girl’s basketball program at Wheeler High School; he remained the girl’s basketball coach for eleven seasons and was recognized by the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association as the Girl’s Basketball Coach of the Year for 1972. Coach Kell is best remembered for his excellence as the football coach of Wheeler High School, where he coached for eight seasons.  Indeed, the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association named him as Georgia’s Football Coach of the Year four different times.  Shortly after leaving coaching, he was appointed the Athletic Director for the Cobb County School District and remained in that position until his retirement. 

The mascot is the LONGHORN. The mascot was chosen by Mrs. Carole Kell and student representatives in February, 2001.  A graphic artist was invited to the meeting, and she developed the official school logo pictured at right.  The mission of the group was to come up with something original that would be a distinguishing mascot and logo for the school.  The Longhorn and colors were picked for the following reasons:

  • There are no other Longhorn mascots in the state of Georgia.
  • No other high school in Georgia uses these colors.
  • The design is very unique (can you see the KHS?)
  • The color ("Texas Orange") is very similar to "Copper," and Corky Kell was born and is buried in Copper Hill, Tennessee.
  • Mr. and Mrs. Kell used to have a farm in North Georgia where they had cattle, including 3 Longhorn steer. 

Kell High School is located in northeastern Cobb County on approximately sixty-four acres. The school’s physical facilities and appearance are superb. In fact, the physical structure of the school has been used as a model for the Cobb County School District, as well as the State of Georgia.

The school affords its constituents a broad spectrum of learning opportunities. Core curriculum courses are complemented by an array of fine arts programs, vocational programs, foreign language courses, honors and advanced placement offerings, and athletic activities. The school’s outstanding faculty and staff provide exceptional educational experiences for its students.
Chris Coen - Class of 2005

After graduating from Kell in 2005, Chris enrolled at Georgia Tech as an Electrical Engineering major.  While there, he was the President of the Georgia Tech chapter of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and an officer in Tau Beta Pi, the Engineering Honor Society.  Chris spent two summers interning with Lockheed Martin where he tested code for a message processing system for the E-6B aircraft and wrote software testing code for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.  In 2008 he began conducting undergraduate research under Dr. John Cressler on silicon-germanium heterostructure devices and circuits.  Chris received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering with Highest Honor in 2009.  

Chris has continued at Georgia Tech and is currently pursuing a PhD in Electrical Engineering.  His current research involves developing high-frequency radar electronics to withstand the extreme temperatures and radiation-intensive environment of space.  The goal of this research is to exploit the unique capabilities of silicon-germanium electronics to enable a new generation of space-based radar systems for remote sensing which would provide a dramatic reduction in mission size, weight, and power.  In June 2011 Chris was awarded a NASA Space Technology Research Fellowship.  This fellowship is awarded to graduate students who are potentially the most highly skilled engineers and technologists in the country. The fellowship will completely pay for Chris’s doctoral studies and includes on-site research experiences at Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, CA.  Once he completes his PhD in 2015, Chris intends to join NASA full-time.
 

Since the school's founding in 2002, the faculty and staff of Kell have consistently been recognized for academic excellence.  They have also earned recognition for outstanding accomplishments in extra-curricular activities and for community service:

2002 - 2003

  • Inaugural season for Kell's Math Team
  • Inaugural year for Kell's Model U.N.
  • Organization of Kell's DECA Club
  • A total of 7 Latin students win awards on the National Latin Exam, including one Gold Medal earned by John Richards.
  • 3  All-State Orchestra
  • 6 Honor Orchestra
  • 1 Governor's Honor Program (Orchestra Emphasis)
  • Opening of the school store (the "Bull Pen")
  • State Championship in Fast-Pitch Softball
  • Boys Soccer - State Play-Offs

2003 - 2004

  • Math Team - Cobb County JV Champions:

    JV Elimination Champion - College of Charleston Math Meet
    Level I Exam, 3rd Place - College of Charleston Math Meet
    Level II Exam, 2nd Place - College of Charleston Math Meet
    Algebra II Exam, 4th Place - Dwight Love Tournament
  • American Mathematics Competition School of Merit (National Math Exam)
  • Students Christopher Cofelice and Amy Sands receive Gold Medals on the National Latin Exam.
  • 4 All-State Orchestra
  • 7 Honor Orchestra
  • Marching Band - winner of two local competitions
  • State Championship in Fast-Pitch Softball
  • Boys Soccer - State Play-Offs

2004 - 2005
  • Math Team - Cobb County JV 4th Place

    Level II Exam, 2nd Place - College of Charleston Math Meet
  • American Mathematics Competition School of Merit (National Math Exam)
  • Volleyball State Play-Offs
  • Inaugural year - Kell Robotics
  • Girls Soccer - State Play-Offs
  • A total of 15 Latin students win awards on the National Latin Exam, including one Gold Medal earned by Christian Rohling and one Perfect Score earned by Hannah Thalenberg
  • 4 All-State Orchestra
  • 4 Honor Orchestra
  • 1 GHP (Orchestra Emphasis)
  • Inaugural year of National French Honor Society
  • Winter Guard - 2nd Place in the World (Class A Finals)
  • German Club attended the Georgia State German Convention for the first time
  • Boys Soccer - State Play-Offs

2005 - 2006
  • Math Team - Cobb County JV 5th Place

    Level II Exam, 2nd Place - College of Charleston Math Meet
  • National Math Exam School of Merit
  • Volleyball State Play-Offs
  • A total of 33 Latin students win awards on the National Latin Exam. Zack Kirkman, Ricardo Alarcon, Charli Mason, Jill O'Rourke, and Laura Lewis earned Gold Medals. Hannah Thalenberg received a perfect score.
  • Boys Track - Region Champions (7th in the State)
  • Boys Track - State Champions - 4x100
  • Baseball - Runner-Up in Region 5AAAAA
  • Baseball - State Finals Runner Up
  • Baseball - Georgia Dugout Club Division Champs
  • 11 baseball scholarships
  • 3 All-State Orchestra
  • 3 Honor Orchestra
  • Marching Band - Winner of Lassiter Showcase Marching Competition.
  • Marching Band - Finalist at the Bands of America Regional
  • Winter Guard - SCGC Scholastic Open - Class Champions
  • National English Speaking Union - Shakespeare Competition - Regional Champions
  • German Club - 2nd Place in GSGC Skit Competition
  • DECA Bullpen receives Gold Award
  • State Wrestling Champions - 215
  • Wrestling Region Champions
  • Boys Lacrosse - First Play-Off Season
  • Football - State Play-Offs
  • Chorus - Winner of All American Music Festival Choir portion
  • Inaugural year of Cultural Diversity Club
  • Inaugural year of International Festival

2006 - 2007

  • Math Team - Cobb County Junior Varsity 4th Place
  • National Math Exam School of Merit
  • Volleyball State Championship
  • SGA begins participating in Relay for Life
  • A total of 25 Latin students win awards on the National Latin Exam. Tim Kimbrough, Hannah Thalenberg, and Joe Tribble earned Gold Medals.
  • Boys Track - Region Runner-Up (11th in State)
  • Boys Track - State Champs in 4x100
  • 2 All-State Orchestra
  • 5 Honor Orchestra
  • 2 GHP participants with an Orchestra emphasis
  • Marching Band - Winner of Lassiter Showcase Marching Competition
  • 24 students make District Honor Band
  • 3 students make All-State Band
  • Winter Guard - Southern Regional Champions
  • Wind Symphony performs at National Concert Band Festival
  • Percussion Ensemble performs at National Percussion Festival
  • German Club - 3rd Place in GSGC skit competition
  • DECA Bullpen receives Gold Award

2007 - 2008

  • Girls Lacrosse - State Play-Offs
  • Volleyball - State Play-Offs
  • Inaugural year for the Inkwell and Copperwire magazines
  • Math Team - Cobb County JV 2nd Place
  • Math Team - Cobb County Varsity 5th Place
  • Robotics - FIRST Peachtree Regional Chairman's Award
  • Robotics - FIRST Peachtree Regional Underwriters Laboratories Industrial Award
  • Baseball - Dugout Club Division Champions
  • Baseball - 2nd Round of State Play-Offs
  • SGA raises money for Relay for Life
  • Girls Soccer - State Play-Offs
  • A total of 18 Latin students win awards on the National Latin Exam. Tim Kimbrough earned a Gold Medal. Hannah Thalenberg received her 4th consecutive Gold Medal and also wins the Oxford Classical Dictionary Award.
  • Girls Track - Region Runner-Up (4th in State)
  • Boys Track - Region Champions (6th in State)
  • Boys Track - Justin Chambers, State Champion in 400 meters
  • 4 All-State Orchestra
  • 4 Honor Orchestra
  • Orchestra earned ALL SUPERIORS at GMEA Festival
  • Marching Band - Winner of Lassiter Showcase Marching Competition
  • 28 Students make District Honor Band
  • 2 Students make All-State Band
  • Wind Symphony performs at GMEA Music Convention
  • German - First GAPP exchange with  sister school in Chamnitz, Germany.
  • Chris Ringkamp attends GHP with an emphasis in Theater Arts
  • Inaugural year of Shop with a Longhorn program.

2008 - 2009

  • Volleyball - Final Four
  • State Finalist for "Poetry Out Loud"
  • Math Team - Cobb County JV 5th Place
  • Robotics - FIRST Peachtree Regional Chairman's Award
  • SGA Raises money for Relay for Life
  • A total of 16 Latin students win awards on the National Latin Exam. Tim Kimbrough earned a Gold Medal.
  • Inaugural year of the Kell's Angels service club
  • Model U.N. Delegation Award Winners
  • Girls Track - County Champions, Regional Runner-Up (5th in State).
  • Girls Track - Lauren Chambers makes All Class and sets new state record for shot put
  • Boys Track - County Champions, Regional Runner-Up (5th in State)
  • Boys Track - Eric Harris makes All Class and is State Champ in 100 meters and 200 meters
  • 3 All-State Orchestra
  • 4 Honor Orchestra
  • 1 GHP Participant with Orchestra emphasis
  • Orchestra earns ALL SUPERIORS at GMEA Festival.
  • Orchestra student is accepted at Julliard
  • Marching Band - 26 Students make District Honor Band
  • Marching Band - 4 Students make All-State Band
  • Beta Club raises $2028 for St. Jude Rally Against Childhood Cancer
  • DECA Bullpen receives Gold Award
  • German Club - 2nd Place in GSGC skit competition
  • Cherlee Rohling is named Youth Ambassador for the Congress-Bundestag Exchange Program
  • Mitch Turner is named Cobb County Male Swimmer of the Year
  • Girls Slow-Pitch Softball - State Champions
  • Kell nominated as Channel 46 "Cool School"
  • Haley Huang and Sean Zaragosa accepted into the Georgia All-State Orchestra
  • Newsweek names Kell as one of the top schools in the nation based on AP Class enrollment, AP Scores, and other criteria.

2009 - 2010

  • Girls Lacrosse - State Play-Offs
  • State Finalists - "Poetry Out Loud"
  • Osvaldo Martinez submits winning logo design for Cobb County Domestic Violence Task Force
  • Math Team - Cobb County JV 4th Place
  • Math Team - Cobb County Varsity 4th Place
  • Math Team - Lassiter Invitational Tournament, Most Improved Junior Varsity
  • Robotics - FIRST North Carolina Regional Chairman's Award
  • Baseball - 1st Round of State Play-Offs
  • SGA raises $1000 for Children's Miracle Network
  • A total of 28 Latin students win awards on the National Latin Exam. Kyle Egelhoff, Isaac Park, and Luke Buffardi earn Gold Medals. Tim Kimbrough receives his 4th consecutive Gold Medal and also wins the Oxford Classical Dictionary Award
  • Girls Track - 10th in State
  • Girls Track - Kendall Williams is State Champion in 100 meter hurdles and 300 meter hurdles.  She makes All-Class and sets new state records in both events.
  • 3 All-State Orchestra
  • 6 Honor Orchestra
  • 1 GHP participant with an emphasis on Orchestra
  • Orchestra wins 1st place at Disney Festival
  • Band - 32 Students make District Honor Band
  • Band - 7 Students make All-State Band
  • Percussion STOMP Ensemble performs at NEA Gala in Washington, D.C.
  • Sunday Scholars win Silver National Service Award
  • German - 2nd GAPP exchange with sister school in Chemnitz, Germany
  • German - 3rd Place in GSGC skit competition
  • DECA Bullpen receives Gold Award
  •  Swim Team - Avery Armstrong named First Team Diver
  • Swim Team - Ashley Montag, Anne Medved, and Elizabeth Medved earn Honorable Mention
  • Theater Arts - Geoff Newell attends GHP