Augusta Family Magazine March 2021

A U G U S TA

MARCH 2021

SCHOOL CHOICES FOR ATHLETIC AND ARTISTIC FAMILIES

HOW MUSIC AND ART GROW THE WHOLE CHILD augustafamily.com

M ARC H 2021

w ww. augustafamily.com

on the cover

As shown below: Xavier J. Abdon (10) and London Pace (10). Location: Westobou Gallery, Paintings by Billy S; Blue Roses, Red Roses, Violet Roses; Acrylic on canvas Photo by Randy Pace

PUBLISHER

Ashlee Griggs Duren

EDITOR

Aimee Serafin

ART DIRECTOR

Michael Rushbrook

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Lisa Dorn

ADVERTISING SALES Doressa Hawes Mary Porter Vann

CIRCULATION/MARKETING Kimberly Stewart

PHOTOGRAPHY Randy Pace

CONTRIBUTORS Paige Tucker Cammie Jones Dustin Turner

A Publication of MCC Magazines, LLC A division of Morris Communications Company, LLC | 725 Broad St., Augusta, GA 30901 Morris Communications Company, LLC William S. Morris III, Chairman MCC Magazines Tina Battock, Executive Director Scott Ferguson, Director – Finance & Operations Sherry Brown, Director of Manufacturing & Production Cher Wheeler, Publication Services Manager Veronica Brooks, Accounting Manager Michelle Rowe, Circulation Business Manager

Augusta Family Magazine is published 8 times per year and distributed throughout the Augusta and Aiken area. Send press releases, story ideas or comments to the editor at aimee.serafin@ augustafamily.com or mail to 725 Broad Street, Augusta, Ga., 30901.

For advertising information, call (706) 823-3702. For circulation/ distribution, call (706) 828-4391.

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We look forward to hearing from you; visit our website www.augustafamily.com and on facebook and twitter.

Is your child ready for their “close up?” If you think you’ve got a “cover kid,” submit their photo and information on our website or to aimee. serafin@augustamagazine.com and they may grace the cover of Augusta Family Magazine.

contents www.augustafamily.com

School Choices for Athletic and Artistic Families

Family Matters

—Dustin Turner

How Music and Art Grow the Whole Child—Aimee Serafin

18

08

4 � AUGUSTA FAMILY | MARCH 2021

TidBits

Kid-friendly News and Fun —Aimee Serafin

10

MARCH 2021

The Hurried [and Happy] Home Maker Juggling After-School Activities

Rooted and Growing

—Cammie Jones

—Paige Tucker

14

17

Soccer Shenanigans

6

Editor’s Page

23

Calendar

The Modern Perspective Camden Parada

26

AUGUSTA FAMILY | MARCH 2021 � 5

editor’s notes

by Ai mee Seraf i n

I

grew up in a home where arts and sports went together like spaghetti and meatballs. My mother was trained in classical ballet and my father was an ABA (the American Basketball Association later renamed the NBA) referee for more than 10 years. My grandfather was a National Baseball league umpire.

I remember starting ballet classes around age 8 and dribbling my first basketball in 4th grade. I continued both interests in middle and high school along with singing chorus and playing piano. Luckily, my parents never spoke of art and sports in separate circles, so I grew up with an understanding of the unique differences and diligent training each discipline requires. Learning both had personal advantages.

Modern research of art and sports shows enhanced coordination and cognitive function among those advantages. That is why we thought the theme of Arts and Sports for this issue of Augusta Family is of interest, particularly as we enter the academic re-enrollment season and gear up for spring sports. This issue explains the ways that art and music round out the whole child and how the public, private and magnet schools are helping provide options for families with artistic and athletic kids. We also share tips to avoid burnout for the shuttle heroes—those busy moms and dads who shuttle their kids to after-to-school activities every day of the week.

Along with the theme, you will see some fresh content changes to our magazine for 2021. Shortened articles, colorful graphics, and quick information for on-the-go readers are what’s new in Tidbits, The Hurried [and Happy] Homemaker and Family Matters. Young readers can look forward to coloring pages, riddles of the day, learning fun historical facts and searching for the sneaky Family Man hiding out in the magazine.

6 • AUGUSTA FAMILY | MARCH 2021

Westobou Gallery, Billy S exhibit

Each issue still includes our resourceful calendar and young student feature, the Modern Perspective.

We rolled up our sleeves to create a fresh editorial look for 2021 as something to look forward to from 2020. We hope you find these collective changes in the Augusta Family magazine refreshing, fun, informative and inspiring for the year ahead.

Here’s to hope in the future!

Aimee Serafin aimee.serafin@augustafamily.com

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family matters Ai m e e Se raf i n

8 � AUGUSTA FAMILY | MARCH 2021

How Music and Art Grow the Whole Child COLLABORATION ON PLAYGROUNDS On a playset, collaboration looks like a group of kids working together to manage the imaginary high seas of a fast-approaching Nor’easter by role-playing ways they must save the ship together.

The captain works with the crew to keep the make-believe boat from taking on water or running into obstacles. In a sandbox, collaboration looks like young bakers making “sand cakes” to host celebrities at their new restaurant opening. Imagined VIP guests and decorations for personalized cakes keep a pretend play hour loaded with creativity. Piles of imagination, creativity and collaboration on a playground is where educating the whole child starts.

Collaboration is a term trending in education right now and one focus of developing the whole child. The whole child learning approach enlarges the educational model to include the emotional, social, moral and physical parts of the whole person. It shows that a student’s confidence grows with proficiency in more than one interest. Confidence in many interests can lead to collaboration, and collaboration encourages out-of-the-box problem solving.

In grownup terms this is called innovation—something quite marketable in our increasing commercial world.

A REAL-WORLD SCENARIO Jazmyne enjoys science and art. She spends hours gathering things from her yard and doing experiments in the basement. She also enjoys making clay molds of toy animals that she paints with bright acrylics. Jazmyne joins the science club and drama team in middle school and continues her art classes in mixed media and pottery. In college, she earns a degree in science and continues to create art projects as a hobby. She is hired at a local university hospital as a pediatric nurse. A few years into the career, Jazmyne gets invited to join a special team that cares for kids with head trauma or underdeveloped skulls. The team is asked to create baby helmets to protect heads and make designs that are playful and personalized for small patients. Jazmyne uses her interest in art to collaborate with other students and they produce a helmet with a one-of-a-kind “Disney fashion” design to ease the concerns of parents and young children with skull problems.

THE BENEFITS OF MUSIC AND ART In the example, Jazmyne uses both her science and art interests to collaborate with others and make a quality and helpful product. Jazmyne’s knowledge in two subjects makes her valuable for discussions that fuse art and science. Another creative interest that can be fused into academics is music. One advantage of taking art or music is that the learning is individualized, unlike standard school subjects taught in large classes. If your student struggles to focus or is easily distracted in groups, music or art provides an alternative learning pace, one helping students gain confidence

through individual successes. A secondary advantage of a young student studying music or art is the emotional well-being benefit.

According to the National Education of Elementary Principals (www.naesp.org), students “feel empowered when their talents are accommodated, and when they feel recognized as being just as capable as their peers.” (“Arts Education and the Whole Child”, Hal Nelson, January/February, 2009, p.17). Art and music can be areas where abilities don’t have to fit standardized molds—students are free to express themselves in unconventional academic ways that earn them good grades.

Other positive aspects to signing your child up for piano lessons at Jessye Norman School of the Arts or drawing courses at the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art are memory improvement, brainpower and better reading and language skills. Recent studies associate music and language with the same brain locations.

“Children’s brains develop faster with music, particularly in areas associated with language acquisition and reading skills, according to a 2016 study at the University of Southern California’s Brain and Creativity Institute.” (“10 Reasons Why Kids NEED Art & Music”, April, 2019, www.artandmusiccenter.com/blog).

Perhaps one of the most surprising benefits of art and music is the time and discipline it takes to study each. It is a common misconception that art is easy. For growth in any subject practice and good instruction are key. It is the same with art and music which rely on daily discipline and commitment, much like learning an unfamiliar math concept or new vocabulary words. Lack of practice or lazy learning will not produce the best benefits.

Art and music educate the whole child by producing more confident and collaborative students in multiple areas of interest.

Learning music or art helps students expand their educational, emotional, social and personal wholeness. It provides stronger ways for students to navigate an ever-changing world and remain confident they have something valuable to add in the mix.

According to Americans for the Arts, a student involved in the arts is • • • •

4x more likely to be recognized for academic achievement 4x more likely to participate in a math or science fair 3x more likely to win an award for school attendance 3x more likely to be elected to class office

Source: www.artandmusiccenter.com/blog, April, 2019

Visit www.today.com/parents/artist-turns-babies-medical-helmetsworks-art-t106848 to read the inspiriting story of Paula Strawn, a 60-year-old artist who has changed the lives of families by painting personalized corrective baby helmets from her Washington home.

AUGUSTA FAMILY | MARCH 2021 � 9

tidbits MARCH 2021

Arsenal Soccer has specialized training in soccer programs for girls and boys aged 8 – 14.

Age-appropriate soccer programs that focus on character development are provided at Soccer Shots. Ages 2 – 8.

All branches of the Family Y are phasing in more sports like soccer, baseball and swimming under COVID regulations.

T-Mobile is covering registration fees for the 2021 spring season for kids at Masters City Little League, ages 3 – 18.

Jessye Norman School of Fine Arts is an afterschool fine arts program that offers instruction in dance, drama, music, art and creative writing.

At Artsy Me walkins are welcome to create a oneof-a-kind piece of fired and painted pottery.

Cubomania, designing your own watch, Lego flamingos and watercolor llamas are all creations with instructions at Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art’s website under Art to Go.

Columbia County, North Augusta, Aiken and Richmond County spring sports include baseball, soccer, softball, tennis and flag football.

Select and classic soccer training is available with Bull’s Soccer Program for youth 6 -19 years old.

10 � AUGUSTA FAMILY | MARCH 2021

Private and group art lessons in watercolor, photography, drawing and mixed media are offered at 4P studios in Evans.

Art Nook, in Aiken, has school year, seasonal and enrichment art classes for ages 4 and up.

February’s Createwith-me To-Go boxes at the Morris Museum will include art reproductions of legendary Augusta artist Philip Morsberger.

tidbits

Hey Kids!

We’d like to introduce you to Augusta Family magazine’s Family Fox. He is a sneaky little guy who enjoys hiding on one of the pages in the magazine.

With every issue, we need YOU to help find him! When you find him, quickly have your parents email the editor at aimee.serafin@ augustafamily.com with his sneaky location and your name.

We will post your name next to the Family Fox on Instagram at @augustafamilymagazine if you are the first person to find him!

You can join the race for finding Augusta’s Family Fox with each new issue!

Riddle of the Day

Fun Facts I ke’s Po n d a t t he A u g ust a N a tio n a l G o l f C o u rse is n a me d a fte r whic h A me rica n Preside n t?

The fish po n d was bu il t fo r t he n - G e ne ra l D wig ht D .

E ise n ho we r so he co u ld fish i n i t .

WHAT HAS MANY KEYS BUT CAN’T OPEN A SINGLE LOCK? ANSWER: A PIANO AUGUSTA FAMILY | MARCH 2021 � 11

tidbits

&

s t r A

12 � AUGUSTA FAMILY | MARCH 2021

! s t r o p S

Kid’s HIIT — High Intensity Impact Routine JUMP JACKS Do 3 sets

45 SECONDS*

15 second break between each set

ONE - Minute BREAK (Drink Water)

CRUNCHES Do 3 sets

45 SECONDS*

15 second break between each set

ONE - Minute BREAK (Drink Water)

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS Do 3 sets

45 SECONDS*

15 second break between each set

ONE - Minute BREAK (Drink Water)

PUSH-UPS Do 3 sets

45 SECONDS*

15 second break between each set TOTAL TIME: 16 Minutes

You should understand that when participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk and release and discharge Augusta Family magazine from any and all claims or causes of action, known or unknown, arising out of engaging in these exercises.

*Try to engage and work hard for each 45 second exercise. The goal is to be tired, but not so tired to not continue. In between the 3 sets of each exercise, you take a 15 second break. In between each color block of exercise, you take a one-minute break before starting the next block of exercises.

Visit www.augustafamily.com/kids-hiit-high-intensity-impact-routine for links on proper form and healthy snacks and smoothie recipes for post-workout.

BWBA

A U G U S TA

MARCH 2021

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SCHOOL CHOICES FOR ATHLETIC AND ARTISTIC FAMILIES

HOW MUSIC AND ART GROW THE WHOLE CHILD augustafamily.com

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AUGUSTA FAMILY | MARCH 2021 � 13

the hurried

[and happy] homemaker

photo by drobotdean on freepik.com

C a m m i e Jo n es

14 • AUGUSTA FAMILY | MARCH 2021

Juggling After-School Activities Without Burn Out

M

ultiple children equal multiple hobbies and afternoon and evening commitments. There are many ways to organize your after-school routine with kids so that you, as a parent, don’t burn out.

Here are some tips to keep the fire (and gas in your car) burning.

3. THE CALENDAR ADVANTAGE If trying to get more than one child to several places in the afternoon and early evening, you might need the calendar advantage. Keeping it all in your head begs for human error and confusion. Whatever works best for you, calendar-wise, is the way to go.

1. KEEP IT FUN Calendar reminders on your phone are a great way to remember drop off or pick-up times. A large whiteboard prominently displayed Hobbies and sports for your children are fun. Your child in your home shows a comprehensive should look forward to these afterlook at weekly activities. Allow your child, school programs. The first way to if old enough, to keep track of his/her burn out is to force your child to do schedule to promote responsibility and something of no interest that causes ownership. Having that second set of stress. The main point of extending eyes and brain is invaluable for managing learning after school is to enrich and maintaining a fun active schedule. your student’s experiences outside Effective communication among all of academics. This could be a sport, On-the-Go Protein Balls family members is key for a smooth week an art or music class or another of after-school fun and keeps everyone in organization that your student enjoys.

This healthy snack for active kids is full of the loop.

Remember, the end goal is to unwind, protein to maintain energy levels for physical get away for a while and learn or activities. Refrigerate protein balls for an hour 4. ME TIME develop something new. Be mindful before packaging in a container or a Ziplock that you and your child are accepting to enjoy on the car ride to after-school sports.

Get creative in carving out some time for the commitment. yourself. If you have an hour to wait after Ingredients: dropping your child at soccer and not 2. SMART SCHEDULING 1 C rolled oats 1/4 C honey enough time to head home, use the time 1/4 C cashew butter to hit the grocery store or stop off at a As parents, we are all guilty of over1/4 C peanut butter local coffee shop and catch up on emails. scheduling, especially when multiple 1/3 C raisins or craisins Bring a book or magazine with you to children are involved. Sam may need 1/4 C unsweetened coconut enjoy and spend that time relaxing. to be at karate at 4 p.m., but Shelly 1 tsp vanilla Make personal phone calls you have does cheer at 4:15 p.m., and there is 2 tbsp ground flaxseed or chia seeds been meaning to make. This is a great no way to get from one to the other 1/2 tbsp cinnamon time to call an old friend and catch up. in 15 minutes. Double-check when Pinch of salt committing to an activity. Verify the times and days of practices or Mix all ingredients in a bowl until combined. Roll 5. TAKE BREAKS meetings to make sure it is a realistic into ½ inch balls and refrigerate before eating. goal for your family. Use carpooling, Even with careful planning, you can hit a if applicable, with others or solicit wall and so can your child. If you decide the spouse for some evening driving. to miss a practice, game or meeting because you just need a little Hiring a babysitter to help transport kids is a good idea. downtime, it IS okay. You are not a machine, and sometimes a family Relatives in town? See if they would enjoy time with the dinner together without all the hustle and bustle grandkids by helping on busier days. provides family members the energy to return the next day with refreshed souls, minds and bodies.

One negative result of overscheduling is burnout by both the parent and child. Too much of a good thing can become too much. Pick and choose after-school activities based on interest, Cammie Jones is an Augusta freelance writer time constraints and general family well-being. and mother of three.

AUGUSTA FAMILY | MARCH 2021 • 15

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE FAMILY FUN AND NEWS!

rooted and growing Pa i ge Tu c ker

Soccer Shenanigans

Warm Water

Water Safety

Dolphin Team

After twelve years in local news, most recently as evening anchor of NBC 26, Paige Tucker is now a work-at-home mom and freelance journalist. She produces two series for NBC 26 TV, First Responders and 26 Women Today, and you can see those stories on Tuesday nights. Paige and her husband have one daughter, Julia Reynolds, who is five years old.

Small Class Size

S

nacks and sidelines. That pretty much sums up the soccer career of my Julia Reynolds. She was newly three and, looking back, not quite field ready! And calling August soccer in Augusta “fall soccer” ought to be illegal. It was brutally hot!

She carried the ball more than she kicked it and chose not to play a single minute of any game. She much preferred snacking in the shade at practice with several other girls on the co-ed team.

We wanted to join the Sharks team because so many sweet friends were playing that season. Off we went to get the cleats and the cute Umbros and the bright pink soccer ball. She certainly looked the part, and all of the tiny players were too cute for words. Her hot pink cheeks matched that ball well... and mine did too, on a couple of occasions.

My first face flush came mid-season on team picture day. It was an especially scorching afternoon. I got my little soccer girl suited up and we headed for the giant field where the entire soccer organization, it seemed, was gathered for pictures.

It was pure chaos! Kids running wild everywhere, melting down, mixing up between all the different teams. There was no sense of order. When it was finally the Sharks turn for a picture, Julia Reynolds had hit the wall, as toddlers do.

While the coaches were lining up the children, my baby shark took off running into the field. She would not stop running, and my chasing only encouraged her!

This went on long enough that we missed the picture! Flustered, I scooped her up over my shoulder and we got the heck out of there. Julia Reynolds went into full meltdown mode and my face was burning with a mix of embarrassment and heat exhaustion. I got plenty of knowing nods and sympathetic looks from other parents as we made our way to the parking lot.

When pictures were printed and distributed weeks later, I burst out laughing because I noticed the very tip of Julia Reynolds’s big bow showing in the background of the team photo. The camera had caught a glimpse of her as she sprinted through the field. A tiny piece of ribbon was the only shred of evidence of her time with the Sharks.

Needless to say, we did not return for the spring season! As she grows up, she loves trying new activities and figuring out what makes her happy.

Hopefully, another team sport is in her future, and if she wants to try soccer again, we’ll go for it. After totally forgetting to bring snacks on my designated day (huge #momfail!), I’d love a second chance at being a soccer mom!

AUGUSTA FAMILY | MARCH 2021 � 17

SCHOOL CHOICES FOR

ATHLETIC

Artistic AND

F A M I L I E S

Designed by pikisuperstar / Freepik

By Dustin Turner

18 � AUGUSTA FAMILY | WINTER 2020

chool choice isn’t reserved just for college anymore. When it comes to K-12, parents can choose public school, private school or charter/magnet school. What do you do if your child excels in sports or wants to focus on art? What do you focus on when choosing schools?

Dr. Ann Marie Taylor, the lead learner (aka executive director) of Horse Creek Academy in Aiken, says that a school’s vision or mission is an important factor.

“You need to understand where the school is going and what it wants out of its students,” she says. “Look at the people in the school. The thing that impacts student achievement most is the classroom teacher. I can be the best lead learner in the world, but if I don’t have great teachers rockin’ it out, it doesn’t work.”

Chris Gay, the communications director at Augusta Preparatory Day School, spent much of his career as a sports journalist and coaches the school’s varsity baseball team. It’s great if your child excels in and wants to focus on sports, he says, but academics still have to come first.

“So many kids want to focus on sports with the goal of being a professional athlete,” he says, “but the reality is that so few ever make it to the pros. I’d hate to see a student put all of his or her hopes into going pro but wind up sitting on the bench during recruitment because of an injury and have nothing to fall back on.”

He says Augusta Prep doesn’t like to pigeonhole students into one thing, whether it’s athletics, arts or anything else. “We feel like if kids come to Augusta Prep, they get a well-rounded experience. You get a quality education, and you’re also exposed to the arts and athletics.”

Columbia County Schools Superintendent Dr. Sandra Carraway says public schools afford students a “multitude of choices and opportunities” when it comes to arts and sports. “All of our high schools have strong athletics programs with a variety of sports, maybe some parents haven’t even considered because they didn’t know they existed. We even offer flag football for girls and fly-fishing teams.”

For the arts-inclined students, most public high schools offer a variety of programs, including drama and theatre, visual arts, chorus and show choir.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Carraway sees several advantages to attending public school, not the least of which is location. With few exceptions, which public school a child attends is determined by where the family lives.

“Your children can go to school with their neighborhood friends and still focus on their areas of interest in a quality educational environment,” Carraway says.

Another advantage is that parents are already paying for public school through taxes. “It’s a free, exceptional education we offer in Columbia County.”

Public schools are larger than most alternatives, but Carraway sees that as a good thing. It affords students more choices when it comes to participating in athletics or arts, she says, and gives them more athletic competition and scholarship opportunities.

“The beauty of it all is that Columbia County schools rank in the top 10 percent across the state, so our students can excel in every area, and it’s free to attend,” Carraway says.

Parents can call a school and ask to meet with a principal or counselor to get a tour, learn about opportunities there and get a feel for the climate of the school. “Our public schools are a lot like ice cream,”

Carraway says. “All ice cream is good but each school has its own flavor, so to speak.”

Public schools are representative of their communities, Carraway points out, serving children of all walks of life and giving them more ways to thrive in academics, athletics, arts or technical opportunities.

“I just can’t say it enough that before parents determine their children would be better off homeschooled or in a private school,” Dr. Carraway says, “they need to visit one of our public schools and see what all we have to offer.”

CHARTER SCHOOLS Charter schools are independently run public schools granted greater flexibility in their operations in return for greater accountability for performance. The charter establishing each school details its mission, program, students served, performance goals and methods of assessment.

Charter schools can have a specific focus. SAIL in Columbia County, for example, is the School for Arts Infused Learning, offering a focus on arts. In Richmond County, magnet schools, such as A.R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet School, operate similarly.

AUGUSTA FAMILY | WINTER 2020 � 19

Horse Creek Academy in Aiken County is an academic charter for grades 4K-9. Tenth grade will be added in 2021-22; 11th grade in 2022-23; and 12th grade 2023-24. It focuses on academics and, like public schools, offers many opportunities for students who want to explore arts and athletics.

“A big advantage of being a charter school,” says Taylor, the lead learner, “is that we get to make decisions locally, which cuts out a lot of red tape. We have a board of directors that is elected from our families. They make fiscal and policy decisions just for us, not an entire district.”

HCA places a heavy emphasis on relationships.

“Parents have better access to me than say to [Aiken County schools superintendent] King Lawrence or the district office. I’m here every day. Every administrator here teaches, too. I teach social studies and criminology.”

Taylor says that with a smaller student body and more flexibility, charter schools can focus on relationships.

For example, “we do restorative justice that tries to create relationships. If there’s a disciplinary problem, we try to make things right, especially if there’s a victim. We don’t just look to suspend or expel.”

Because students can start in 4K and go through graduation in one school, families with children of different ages don’t have to pick up their kids at two or three schools.

“It also fosters a feeling of family among the students, their families and the teachers,” Taylor says. “We’re all in it for the long haul.”

HCA offers a variety of programs in visual, digital and performing arts. As for athletics, students can choose from baseball, basketball, cheerleading, skeet shooting, cross country, track and field, soccer, softball and volleyball.

Most arts and athletics options are offered from elementary through high school.

As for transportation, all students have to be carriders. Families must provide transportation to and from school. Transportation for sports competitions is provided by teachers, coaches and parent volunteers. The school does thorough background checks on volunteers and vehicle inspections before allowing volunteers to transport students.

HCA is not restricted to people who live in a specific district. Students come to the Aiken County school from North Augusta and Lexington. The only residency requirement for SAIL, in Columbia County, is to live in Georgia.

“At the end of the day, we are moving and doing things.

There is a lot of excitement and energy,” Taylor says. “We had over 400 students on last year’s waitlist, so we know people want to be a part of it.”

20 � AUGUSTA FAMILY | MARCH 2021

PRIVATE SCHOOLS Gay, the communications director at Augusta Prep, says private schools are a “land of opportunity because you can do a lot of different things here. Even in high school, we have a motorsports engineering class.” The Upper School students even built a cart from scratch and drove it around the parking lot.

Gay’s children attend Augusta Prep and each has embraced different opportunities. One son plays several sports, and his daughter enjoys theatre.

Because private schools often have small class sizes, they have been able to weather the COVID crisis well. “We have been able to spread out and spend a lot of time socially distanced outside.”

Private schools also tend to allow more opportunities to participate in athletics. “I coach varsity baseball, and unlike public schools, we don’t have cuts. There are kids in many sports who play for Prep that wouldn’t have the opportunity to play in public schools.”

Like many private schools, Augusta Prep has students in K-12.

“We are a college prep school. Some people say that begins in high school, but we like to think it starts earlier than that,” Gay says. “Our goal isn’t to just get kids to college, though. It’s to prepare them to be successful, to understand and to be prepared for what’s out there.”

Augusta Prep has a state-of-the-art auditorium and performs theatrical and musical shows in the lower, middle and upper schools. There also are a variety of visual arts classes, including ceramics and other mediums, chorus and more.

At the varsity level, Augusta Prep is a member of the Georgia Independent School Association and Region 4-AAA and competes in 19 varsity sports, including baseball, basketball, clay target shooting, cheerleading, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and field and volleyball.

“No matter what, though, it still comes down to academics,” Gay says. “Augusta Prep is a great school to get a well-rounded education while participating in a variety of sports or arts programs.”

Dustin Turner is the Communications and Content Manager for Alison South Marketing Group. He lives in Aiken with his amazing, beautiful and very patient wife of 22 years, Jamie, and their artistic, sassy and fierce daughter, Abigail, 12. Dustin enjoys writing, shooting and editing video and acting and directing in community theatre.

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calendar MARCH 2021

Photo by Ralph (Ravi) Kayden on Unsplash

The past few issues of Augusta Family magazine have included a short-list calendar while we continue to hear of businesses reopening.

We are starting to see a slow up-tick in social events around town which is encouraging.

Tear out the calendar, toss it in your car or let the kids hang it up in their rooms—these weekly suggestions for getting together as a family will keep everyone engaged and in the game! Check our website for continued updates at www.augustafamilymagazine.com!

AUGUSTA FAMILY | MARCH 2021 � 23

calendar

MARCH SUNDAY

MONDAY

1

GOING...GOING...GONE EXHIBIT

7

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

3

2

DR. SEUSS DAY!

9

THURSDAY

4

JEFF ALLEN, “THE AMERICA I GREW UP IN TOUR”, 7:30PM

10

11

5

SATURDAY

6 VISIT AIKEN, HISTORIC TROLLEY TOURS

12

JOYE IN AIKEN: ANDERSON & ROE PIANO DUO

13

GIRL SCOUT DAY SCREEN ON THE GREEN’S SHOWING OF STAR WARS

14

15

21

22

DAYLIGHT SAVING – SPRING FORWARD

FRIDAY

16

17

23

24

WACKY WEDNESDAY STORY TIME

18

19

25

26

20

DUPONT PL ANETARIUM PUBLIC SHOWS AT 6, 7 & 8PM

27

JOYE IN AIKEN: THE PARKER QUARTET

NATIONAL PUPPY DAY

PACERS AND POLO, TRIPLE CROWN

28

29

30

GET FRESH PRODUCE AT THE AIKEN FARMERS MARKET

31

RECURRING EVENTS 3/1–3/19

3/1–3/31

3/2–3/30

3/2–3/31

3/6–3/20

3/6–3/27

The going…going…gone Art Exhibition supports wildlife conservation and education through art. The exhibiting artists are united by a passion for nature and wildlife conservation. Mon.Sat., 10am–5pm; opening reception on Feb. 4 from 6–8pm. Aiken Center for the Arts, 803.641.9094.

Hope for Hooves Rescue, North Augusta, is offering free weekly farm tours and Reading with Peanut the Pony. Kids can interact with horses, donkeys, mules and more. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, call 803.292.0496.

Get fresh local produce, baked goods and crafts from Aiken farmers and makers at the year-round Aiken County Farmers Market. Open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 7:30-11:30am, or until sold out. 115 Williamsburg St. in Aiken, between Park Avenue and Richland Avenue.

803.293.2214.

Augusta Canal Boat Tours lets you discover the Canal’s rich history through sightseeing and Civil War history boat tours. Sightseeing tours take place Tuesdays - Saturdays at 11:30am and 3pm; Civil War history tours take place Tuesdays Saturdays at 1:30pm. Visit www.augustacanal.com.

Learn about historic homes and churches, equestrian sites, the Civil War’s Battle of Aiken and much more on an Aiken Historic Trolley Tour.

Departs the City of Aiken Visitors Center & Train Museum at 406 Park Ave. SE at 10am each Saturday. Tours are two hours long and take place on a climate-controlled trolley. $15. Reservations are strongly encouraged. Masks required on the tour. 803.293.7846.

The University of SC/Aiken’s DuPont Planetarium features a state-of-the-art Digistar 6 system and presents public shows at 6, 7 & 8 pm every Saturday. Reservations are suggested. Social distancing protocols are in place, and face masks are required.

Visit www.usca.edu/rpsec/ departments/planetarium/ public-shows.

24 � AUGUSTA FAMILY | MARCH 2021

PHOTO BY ANNIE SPRATT ON UNSPLASH

ARCHERY AT MISTLETOE STATE PARK

DAILY EVENT INFO March 3-4 - Jeff Allen “The America I Grew Up In” Tour, Amentum Center for the Performing Arts, Aiken, 7:30pm. www. apagonline.org/seasons/2020-2021/jeff_allen.html.

March 17 - Wacky Wednesday Story Time. Barnes and Noble,

Augusta Mall. 11am. www.stores.barnesandnoble.com/store/2359.

March 18 - Crafty Thursdays online with Ms. Carrie from

March 6 - Archery at Mistletoe State Park, 1–3pm/2–3pm, ages 7 and up. $10/person. Call to register: 706.541.0321.

the Augusta Library. 10–10:15am at www.facebook.com/ augustalibrarychildrens.

March 6 - FREE Children’s Beginner Martial Arts workshop

March 21 - Rescheduled Mercy Me 20/20 Tour. James Brown Arena, 7–10pm. www.augustaentertainmentcomplex.com/aec_ events/mercyme-20-20-tour.

online, 10–11am. Premier Martial Arts Augusta. www. premiermartialarts.com/augusta/free-virtual-beginners-karatelessons.

March 25 - Grammy-winning chamber ensemble the Parker March 7 - The annual Joye in Aiken performing arts series sees a

new format this year, with events spread over a four-month period.

The first is the Anderson & Roe Piano Duo. 7:30pm, $50. U of SC Aiken Etherredge Center, 803.641.3305.

Quartet takes the stage as part of the Joye in Aiken performing arts series. Noon, $50. U of SC Aiken Etherredge Center, Aiken.

803.641.3305.

March 27 - Pacers and Polo is the third leg of the Aiken Triple

March 12 - Screen on the Green will provide a free showing of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, 6–9pm, Gateway Parkway. Bring chairs or blanket. www.facebook.com/events/413337969753349.

March 13 - Find rest and rejuvenation through prayer at the 2021 Women’s Day Retreat. Speaker: Karen McAdams, Worship Leader: Molley Moody. 9am–3pm, Trinity on the Hill UMC. $40 per person. Registration fee includes program, retreat materials and box lunch. 706.738.8822.

Crown. Festivities include an opening ceremony, 6 seven-minute chukkers and an awards ceremony. General and VIP admission tickets are available. Gates open at 10:30am; event starts at 1 pm.

803.641.3518.

March 27 - Pianist Andrew Tyson joins Dirk Meyer and the

Augusta Symphony Orchestra for Rachmaninoff & Sibelius, with pieces by Brahms, Rachmaninoff and Sibelius. 7:30 pm, Miller Theater. 706.842.4080.

AUGUSTA FAMILY | MARCH 2021 • 25

T H E

MODERN P E R S P E C T I V E

When did your interest in basketball start?

I’ve played basketball as early as I could remember. I used to play other sports, like baseball and football when I was younger, but I started focusing exclusively on basketball in the seventh grade.

Who has been the greatest mentor in your training of the sport and why?

Although I’ve had some incredible trainers and coaches, my greatest mentor in basketball isn’t a trainer or a coach. It is my dad. My dad first introduced me to the sport and passed down his love of the game to me. He was also my first basketball coach, teaching me the basics of shooting a jump shot, making a layup, and other important aspects of the sport. He continues to be there for me every day and has always been my biggest fan and supporter.

What is your proudest moment or memory from a game?

My proudest moment was scoring a career-high 31 points earlier this season in a varsity game against Hephzibah. The occasion marked the most points I’ve ever totaled in a single game.

Who is your favorite basketball player (college or NBA), why?

My favorite basketball player has always been Lebron James.

Born in Ohio, I was raised in a Cleveland Cavaliers family, but my favorite team has always been whatever team LeBron was playing for.

Camden Parada is a freshman and starter on the Varsity basketball team at Aquinas High School. He lives at home with two younger brothers, Lincoln (8th grade) and Mason (5th grade), who also play basketball. He enjoys working out in his free time when he’s not practicing. Due to his dad’s time in the Army, Camden has had the opportunity to live in Ohio, Washington, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and now in Augusta, Georgia. He plans to one day play collegiate basketball.

26 • AUGUSTA FAMILY | MARCH 2021

How do you channel your frustration in a game when a referee’s decision doesn’t go your way?

Whenever calls don’t go my way, I have to channel my frustration into leveling up my game instead of taking it out on my teammates, my coaches, or the referees, because otherwise, I’m hurting the team. After every loss, you hear plenty of outcries from fans and players of the losing team, many of which claim that “the refs lost the game for us,” or that “it was all the ref’s fault,” when, in fact, this is never true. Maybe the refs made a bad call down the stretch, but teams always have plenty of opportunities to win.

Instead of blaming others, I remember to focus on what I could have done better, not what others should have done.