CrossRoadsNews, July 19, 2014 - Section B

Family & Back-to-School Expo Saturday, July 26, 2014

Copyright © 2014 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

July 19, 2014

www.crossroadsnews.com

Section B

Get ready to hit the books

Useful information available at CrossRoadsNews’ 2014 Family & Back-to-School Expo Noon to 5 p.m., Lower Level, the Mall at Stonecrest ■ Free health screenings

■ Cooking demonstrations

■ Musical performances

■ Book-bag giveaway

■ Informative presentations

■ Door prizes

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CrossRoadsNews

July 19, 2014

“This is always a great event. It helps families to get in the mood for the school year and remind them of imminent deadlines.”

The two dozen expo exhibitors include Big Thinkers Science Exploration (at left), health care providers, colleges and DeKalb County officials.

2346 Candler Road Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.CrossRoadsNews.com editor@CrossRoadsNews.com The Family & Back-to-School Expo Special Section is a publication of CrossRoadsNews, Atlanta’s award-winning weekly newspaper.

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Graphics Editor Curtis Parker Reporter Jennifer Ffrench Parker Copy Editor Brenda Yarbrough Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

CrossRoadsNews is published every Saturday by CrossRoadsNews, Inc. We welcome articles on neighborhood issues and news of local happenings.

The opinions expressed by writers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, nor those of any advertisers The concept, design and content of CrossRoadsNews are copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without . the written permission of the publisher © 2014 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reprinted without written permission of the publisher.

Entertainment, resources for return to school The start of the new school year is almost upon us, and CrossRoadsNews’ annual Family & Back-to-School Expo will be at the Mall at Stonecrest on July 26 with two dozen exhibitors offering information, demos, health screenings and other resources to help families get ready for the first day of school on Aug. 11.

There will be performances by talented DeKalb Schools students Taylor Madison Rose and Zion Moore, healthy school lunch demos by Life Chef Asata Reid, miming by Antonio “the Chozen 1” Hinton, and line dancing by the lithe Beulah Boys.

Expo-goers who visit at least 15 of the exhibitors can enter the grand-prize drawing for a fabulous Back-to-School Gift Basket

from the Mall at Stonecrest.

And best of all, it’s free to attend.

The expo is made possible by sponsors DeKalb Solicitor General Sherry Boston and Kaiser Permanente and other partners like Children’s Healthcare at Hughes Spalding and Georgia Piedmont Technical College.

Our exhibitors include medical centers, colleges, dance teams, the DeKalb Board of Health, Big Thinkers Science Exploration, and DeKalb Sheriff Jeff Mann and Clerk of Superior Court Debra DeBerry.

The expo takes place from noon to 5 p.m. on the mall’s lower level between Kohl’s and Dillard’s.

Jennifer Parker, editor and publisher of CrossRoadsNews, says the newspaper

hosts the annual expo to offer residents a convenient one-stop shop to access valuable information and resources.

“This is always a great event,” she said.

“It helps families to get in the mood for the school year and remind them of imminent deadlines.”

The Family & Back-to-School Expo is one of four expos that CrossRoadsNews hosts annually at the mall. It will be followed by the Seniors and Baby Boomer Expo on Oct. 18 and the 10th Annual Health & Wellness Expo in January.

The Mall at Stonecrest is at I-20 and Turner Hill Road in Lithonia.

For more information, call 404-2841888.

.

2014 Family & Back-to-School Expo Exhibitors & Grand Prize Entry Form Visit at least 15 of these exhibitors* at the 2014 Family & Back-to-School Expo and enter to win a Back-to-School Gift Basket from the Mall at Stonecrest. Drawing takes place on July 26, 2014, at 4:45 p.m. at the Main Stage in front of Sears on the lower level of the Mall at Stonecrest. _____ Atlanta Gastroenterology

_____ DeKalb Co. Solicitor-General Sherry Boston

_____ Kaiser Permanente

_____ Big Thinkers Science Exploration

_____ DeKalb Co. Sheriff Jeff Mann

_____ Malik College

_____ Candler Pharmacy

_____ Dignity Memorial/Georgia Memorial Park

_____ Oakhurst Medical Center

_____ Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

& Funeral Home

_____ Organic Root Stimulator

_____ CrossRoadsNews

_____ Georgia Perimeter College Gateway to College

_____ Primerica Financial Services

_____ Compassionate Nurses Inc.

_____ Georgia Piedmont Technical College

_____ South DeKalb/Wade Walker Family YMCAs

_____ DeKalb Co. Board of Health

_____ Georgia Stars Academy of Dance

_____ Walgreens

_____ DeKalb Co. Clerk of Court Debra DeBerry

_____ Great Expressions Dental Care

_____ Woodruff Medical Training

_____ Green Pastures Christian Ministries Name ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City _____________________________________________ E-mail_______________________________________________________________________ Home phone _________________________________________________ Cell ___________________________________________________________ * Eligible entries must be validated by at least 15 exhibitors and must include your complete name, address, e-mail address and telephone number. Employees and immediate family members of CrossRoadsNews and the Mall at Stonecrest are not eligible to win. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. You MUST be present to win.

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July 19, 2014

Encouraging Perfect School Attendance to Build a Better Future { smart

prosecution for a better quality of life }

my goal is to: ➤ keep our community safe ➤ improve our quality of life ➤ keep our kids in school and out of trouble ➤ protect the vulnerable solicitor-General boston wants to help kids stay in school to ensure a brighter future for dekalb’s youngest citizens. our office works hard with families and school administrators to provide support and resolve attendance issues before they rise to the level of prosecution of parents and guardians.

Sherry Boston dekalb county solicitor-general

404.371.2201 www.dekalbsolicitorgeneral.org

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Expo-goers who visit at least 15 of the exhibitors can enter the grand-prize drawing for a gift basket.

2014 Family & Back-to-School Expo Program Highlights July 26, 2014 • Noon to 5 p.m. • The Main Stage in front of Sears Lower Level, The Mall at Stonecrest Noon

Expo Kicks Off

12:30 p.m.

Songstress Taylor Madison Rose 1 p.m.

Dancer Zion Moore Emcee Reggie Gay 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

1:30 p.m. Mime Artist Antonio

“The Chozen 1” Hinton Taylor Madison Rose

2 p.m.

Back-to-School Lunch Demo With Life Chef Asata Reid

Zion Moore

2:30 p.m.

DeKalb Solicitor General Sherry Boston

3 p.m.

Conservatory of Dance

4 p.m.

Beulah Boys

Conservatory of Dance

Chef Asata

4:40 p.m.

Grand Prize Drawing

5 p.m.

Expo Ends

“The Chozen 1”

Beulah Boys

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I wish everyone a safe and productive school year.

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“Did you know that about 90 percent of the inmates in the DeKalb County Jail never finished high school?”

The $630,000 mistake you don’t want your kids to make

By Sherry Boston

Do you need a new way to motivate your kids for the upcoming school year? Then tell them that not getting excited about school and their education could cost them $630,000.

That’s right. Kids who don’t earn a high school diploma can expect to earn about $630,000 less than graduates who work 40 years in their career, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Need more compelling information?

Data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that the unemployment rate of high school dropouts is 47 percent higher than graduates. And the U.S. Census Bureau reports that employees with a high school diploma earn 51 percent more than those who do not complete their education. Students who go on to graduate from a four-year college will make 235 percent more than a high school dropout.

You can see that the value of an education is measurable, much like putting money into a savings account. And like savings, regular investments are required in order to realize financial gain. But when it comes to an education, students must regularly invest time in studying. And parents must invest time in helping their kids stay focused and disciplined about school.

Unfortunately, some parents don’t always stay focused on their kids’ schoolwork and education. Perhaps they don’t realize how much a lack of involvement can cost their children in the long run. However, neglecting a child’s participation in school can also be a costly mistake for the immediate future.

The DeKalb County Solicitor General’s Office receives numerous cases of educational neglect each year from the DeKalb County School System. These cases involve students with more than five unexcused absences in the school year, some with more than 40 days of absences in just six months.

Georgia law requires my office to prosecute these cases that usually result in hefty fines, up to 30 days in jail or performing community service. However, I am more interested in encouraging parents to keep kids in school. That is why we offer a diversion program called the Attendance Review

Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Team to help these parents turn things around. Failure to complete the conditions of the program will result in criminal prosecution.

If you have no children of your own, or if your kids are now grown, supporting education in our community should still be a priority. Did you know that about 90 percent of the inmates in the DeKalb County Jail never finished high school?

We know that keeping children in school makes our community safer.

A study released last year by the Alliance for Excellent Education found that the nation could save as much as $18.5 billion in losses from criminal activity if the high school male graduation rate increased by only 5 percentage points. The same increase in graduates would result in approximately 60,000 less cases of assault, 37,000 less larcenies, 31,000 less vehicle thefts and 17,000 less burglaries. It could also prevent

DeKalb Solicitor General Sherry Boston, left, will offer students the opportunity to sign her perfect attendance pledge board at July 26, Family & Back-to-School Expos at the Mall at Stonecrest,

about 1,300 murders, 3,800 rapes and 1,500 robberies. The U.S. economy would also benefit from an additional $1.2 billion in annual employment earnings.

As you can see, education makes us all better off, now and in the long run.

As we start back to school this year, I hope you will join me in making education a top priority. Invest your time in your children’s schoolwork and make sure they are at school every day, ready to learn. Don’t allow them to make mistakes that could cost them $630,000 in the future. By working together, we can help our children achieve more while creating a safer community for us all.

Sherry Boston is the DeKalb County solicitor general. Bring your children to the Mall at Stonecrest for the 2014 Family & Back-to-School Expo on July 26 to sign her Perfect Attendance Pledge. The expo takes place noon to 5 p.m. on the mall’s lower level between Kohl’s and Dillard’s.

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July 19, 2014

“I would sing about the experiences I have had with God. … I would record them and then write it down.”

Singer-songwriter to showcase original song about t

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Taylor Madison Rose has been turning to pen and paper to express her feelings ever since she was in the third grade.

If she had a bad day at school, she penned a poem about it.

If she didn’t stand up in church when she should have, she wrote about it.

If everything was going really well for her, she wrote about that too.

“I loved to read,” she said last week. “After reading a book, I would be inspired.”

Since she had been singing at church and school “for as long as I can remember,” it was only natural that some of those poems became lyrics for her songs.

But her foray into songwriting began when she made up a song about a butterfly in the fifth grade, and inspired by eighth-grade English teacher Sahima Ise at DeKalb Academy of Technology and the Environment, her writing took flight.

Taylor said Ise was no average teacher teaching just out of a book.

“She had us writing poetry in class,” she said. “That’s where I fell in love with writing.”

Some of her poems made it into the class anthology and she also was published in the Voice of Youth, a national English journal. Two years ago, her mother, Charlotte Dudley, brought her a guitar and Taylor began making up songs on the fly as she strummed notes.

“I love to rhyme,” she confesses with a laugh.

She taught herself to play the guitar by watching how-to videos on YouTube, and after she mastered the basics, her mother paid for some lessons. Soon she was taping herself as she played and sang so that she could go back and write the words down. Today, she has a box full of poetry in her Lithonia bedroom closet.

“I write because it helps me get through life and get through my experiences,” she said.

Now 17 and a rising senior at DeKalb Early College Academy in Stone Mountain, Taylor is an accomplished singer, songwriter, poet and guitarist. She says that first she was reluctant to share her talent, but her church family at Light of the World Christian Tabernacle International in Stockbridge encouraged her to share her music with them.

“It became a good thing,” said Taylor, who is now worship leader for the church’s JOY youth ministry’s weekly 9 a.m. service.

Soon she was writing a song a week and performing them.

“I would sing about the experiences I have had with God, which is pretty easy to do,” she said. “I would record them and then write it down.”

Taylor will showcase some of that talent at the CrossRoadsNews 2014 Family & Back-to-School Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest on July 26. She will be on the Main Stage near Sears at 12:30 p.m.

Taylor says she has grown to enjoy performing, especially with her guitar in hand.

“Before, it was always nerve-racking,” she said. “Now, the guitar is like my best friend onstage.”

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Surprisingly, she has not yet given it a name.

“It hasn’t come to me yet, but I am sure it will,” she said.

At the expo, Taylor will sing two songs, “Make This World a Better Place” and “Destined for Greatness.” Her older sister, Hannah, will dance while she sings.

Taylor wrote “Make This World a Better Place” last May about the three R’s of sustainability – recycle, reuse and reduce – for an environmental science class project.

She said her teacher Danielle Armstrong asked her to write the song to encourage students to take steps to protect the environment. She performed it with her classmates for a YouTube video.

Taylor says her creativity comes from God, but she ac-

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Last school semester, Taylor was one of about 30 DeKalb high school students who produced and performed in the district’s cable TV show “The Bridge.” She also has performed her original songs on TV57’s “Atlanta Live” television show.

For the upcoming school year, she plans to be very focused on schoolwork.

“I plan to get all A’s and the best GPA I can have,” she said.

At this stage, she hasn’t settled on where she will go to college or even what she will study.

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“I want to spread my gift throughout the world and help other kids to show their gifts and follow their dream.”

the environment Taylor Madison Rose, 17, is a rising senior at DeKalb Early College Academy. She has been singing since since the third grade and writing songs since

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Taylor said she will take astronomy next semester at Georgia Perimeter College, where DECA students also attend classes.

In addition to singing at church and school, Taylor now also is singing at weddings, birthdays and other special events.

She says that every time she performs, she gets invitations to sing somewhere else.

For right now, her mother is managing her performance career.

She likes inspiring people through her performances but doesn’t yet know if it is something she will do in the future.

“I am going to ride it as long as I can,” she said.

Taylor will perform live at 12:30 p.m. on July 26 on the Main Stage near Sears on the lower level of the Mall at Stonecrest at Turner Hill Road and I-20.

‘Captivating’ dancer moves to any beat

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

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in Herschel Walker’s Raw Talent Search in Dublin, Ga. In the summer of 2013, he won first place and $500 in the Atlanta Bomb Squad Reunion competition.

In 2010, he and Zhani performed with Vickie Winans in Philadelphia, and in 2011 and 2012, they were regulars on “The Bobby Jones Gospel Show” that taped in New Orleans.

Last school year, Zion appeared on the DeKalb School District’s “The Bridge” teen show, and since June he has been doing his own blog on YouTube and at www.twitter. com/IamZionDaFro and on www.instagram.com/ZionDaFroShow. Fans can follow him at @ziondafroshow, at @iamziondafro and #teenswanttoknow.

In the video blog “Zion Da Fro Show,” he keeps kids and teens abreast of what’s going on in the world of sports and entertainment.

So far he has interviewed actor Emmanuel Hudson, whose credits include “Lunchtime Warfare,” “Ride Along” and “What Love Will Make You Do”; talked with Atlanta Hawks cheerleader Erica at the 2014 NBA Draft Party; and chatted socks with teen designer SixSox, who creates socks to match sneakers.

While views have ranged from 22 to 66 on his first three videos, Zion says he is working to build an audience and entertain people.

“I want to spread my gift throughout the world and help other kids to show their gifts and follow their dream,” he said.

As Zion sees it, he is just as talented as Chris Brown, Jason Derulo, Usher and Justin Bieber. The only difference: He hasn’t been discovered – yet.

Zion “Lil Wiz” Moore was 6 when he pulled some “hopping and ticking” dance moves that surprised his parents, Corliss and Arthur.

“My mom and mad were like, ‘Where did you learn to do that?’ ” 15-year-old Zion recalled last week.

As far as he knew, it came out of nowhere.

“I just woke up one day with the gift of dance,” he said.

Zion, a rising 10th-grader at Columbia High, thinks he got inspired by the 2004 hip-hop dance movie “You Got Served.” He has never looked back.

At Columbia Elementary, he danced in talent shows, and soon he and big sister Zhani, who was in the fifth grade, were the dancing duo Elementary Style.

When Zion got to the fourth grade, he and Zhani switched to gospel and for a year and a half, they danced with Miss Monique’s Visions, a group that did church events across metro Atlanta.

These days, Zhani, now 19, is in college, and Zion is going solo as Captivating, a word that also describes what happens to audiences when they watch him dance.

His lithe movements and ability to bend and twist his body also mesmerize those watching. He moves to any music with a beat – gospel, hiphop, pop, dub, rap and R&B. “It’s just a God-given talent” is how Zion explains it.

Along the way, he got help from Master Pop, a Decatur resident who was born in New Zion “Lil Wiz” Moore, 15, a rising 10thOrleans and is master of the grader at Columbia High. He will show hopping and ticking dance off off his “hopping and ticking” dance genre. moves at 1 p.m. on July 26 at the expo.

A friend of his brother, Zackary Noble, introduced the two.

“He became my mentor and helped me deZion says when he performs, he likes to leave velop my skill and techniques,” Zion said. a smile on the faces of the people watching.

Zion has performed on WSB-TV’s “Salute to the “I want them to say, ‘Man, this kid is going to be a star Troops,” and in February, he nabbed second place and $500 someday and I was lucky to see him before he blew up.’”

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July 19, 2014

Keep in mind that one-quarter of their lunch should reflect each of these food groups: protein, grains, vegetables and fruit.

The building blocks for delicious, nutritious school lunches For some DeKalb County children, picking out a new lunchbox is a sign that the end of summer is near. However, many parents dread the thought of trying to come up with healthy lunch choices that their kids will actually eat day after day.

I’ve pulled together some tips learned from my experience in cooking with kids in schools and after-school programs to ensure this year that lunchtime is delicious, nutritious and safe. By putting as much consideration into what goes inside your child’s lunchbox – as they do in choosing the popular color and style or favorite cartoon character – I hope you can have successful stress-free lunches.

Balance is key Using the examples presented at www. myplate.gov, you can be sure your kids have a balanced lunch every day. Keep in mind that one-quarter of their lunch should reflect each of these food groups: protein, grains, vegetables and fruit.

Lunch doesn’t have to be limited to sandwiches and chips.

Leftover dinner favorites can be packed up. Chicken wings and meatballs are a big hit, from what I’ve seen. If your kids have access to a microwave, that opens up a lot more options. Also having thermal containers and ice packs will allow for a more flexible menu.

Samples of Life Chef Asata Reid’s lunch options will be available during her cooking demonstration at the 2014 Family & Back-to-School Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest.

Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Here are some easy-to-prepare recipes

Pizza-dilla Keep it safe 2 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas Prevent sick day absences and the misery 3 tablespoons spaghetti or pizza sauce of food poisoning by making sure hot foods 8 slices turkey pepperoni stay hot and cold foods stay cold. Foods that ¼ cup mushrooms, bell peppers, olives contain proteins (deli meats, cheeses, yogurt) (optional) and foods that contain sugar (especially some ¼ cup spinach leaves fruits) are especially vulnerable to spoiling in ¼ cup shredded cheese hot temperatures.

Commercially prepared ice packs can help Spray the bottom of a nonstick skillet keep things cool. But many creative parents with cooking spray and preheat. have come up with other handy solutions, Place a tortilla in the pan. Quickly such as freezing wet, unused kitchen sponges spread on a few tablespoons of sauce. Add to help keep lunch items cold while keepa layer of pepperoni and the vegetables. ing the lunchbox lightweight. On the other Then top with spinach and shredded hand, simply putting hot food in a thermos cheese. Top it off with the second tortilla. doesn’t guarantee it will stay hot long enough Once the bottom tortilla is crispy and to make it to lunchtime. Before putting hot food in a thermal container, fill the container with hot water (from a teakettle, for instance) these issues is obviously multilayered, makand let it sit for 10 minutes. Quickly drain, ing sure your kids are properly hydrated is a dry and refill with your hot food. simple and inexpensive step in supporting their success.

Proper portions, please Pediatricians, dietitians and soccer coachIt’s easy to pack a lunchbox full of car- es all agree that water is the best hydrator. bohydrates. Many of them are shelf-stable While sports drinks and protein drinks have so you don’t have the hassle of trying to clever marketing and attractive packaging, maintain a hot or cold temperature. Items they also cost more and come with a heavy like breads, granola and cereal bars, chips, load of sugars and salt. If you’re worried crackers, cookies and sweet snacks are easy about your young athlete making up their to grab and toss into the bag. lost electrolytes after a hard practice, keep But wait a minute! Remember, only one- bananas, fruit, milk and coconut water availquarter of your child’s lunch needs to be able to replenish naturally. grain- or carbohydrate-based. If you pack a sandwich on two slices of bread, you have Plan for success already included two servings of carbohyThese days there’s a service for everydrates. So choose those snacks wisely and opt thing, and that includes several in the Atlanta for fruits and vegetables instead. metro area that are preparing healthy lunches for delivery to schools or for pickup by parStay hydrated ents. If adding another bill to your family’s Various studies have shown that an in- budget makes you balk, consider checking crease in water consumption leads to less out the Web site for some of these services sick days, better academic performance and and use their ideas for inspiration for your improved classroom behavior. While each of child’s lunches.

golden brown, flip the quesadilla over.

Continue cooking until the second tortilla is crisp on the edges and golden brown. To serve, transfer to a cutting board and cut into quarters.

Chicken Caesar Wraps

(Makes 2 wraps) 1 cup romaine lettuce, chopped ½ cup spinach or kale, chopped 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 1 cup cooked chicken, sliced 2-3 tablespoons Caesar dressing 2 whole-wheat tortillas Place first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Add dressing; toss lightly.

In fact, you’ll probably see some great and healthy ideas to incorporate into your lunches as well! Doing an Internet search reveals a lot of clever and interesting lunch ideas like quesadillas, vegetable sushi, barbecue sliders and more.

Plan your lunch menu just like the cafeteria lady does – well in advance. If you shop for your family for the week, make sure you’ve considered what you’ll be sending for lunch so you have all of the items on hand.

Also knowing what you’re going to make ahead of time allows you to get any prep done and makes assembling lunches that much faster. For example, wash all of the grapes at once, then parcel them into separate containers or bags for each day of the week.

Involve the kids In the classes that I’ve taught, I’ve seen time and again kids will eat 1) what they grow, 2) what they cook, and 3) what they have a say in deciding.

So applying that to lunchtime, you can entice young eaters by including items from

Spoon onto tortillas; roll up tightly. Wrap in plastic wrap or foil to refrigerate.

Curried Chicken Salad

1 grilled chicken breast, diced 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced ½ red apple, diced ¼ cup toasted pecans or walnuts, chopped ¼ cup golden raisins or dried cranberries ¼ cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt ¼ teaspoon curry powder ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper Salt and pepper to taste Combine all ingredients in bowl. Chill or serve on bread, pita or whole romaine lettuce leaves.

your home garden or items such as fruits from a you-pick-it outing to a peach or blueberry farm. Other tactics include letting the kids build their own sandwiches or pasta dishes with their favorite ingredients, allowing them to pick out the fresh fruits and vegetables for their snacks, and encouraging them to make dips and sauces.

Older children will benefit from the responsibility of packing their Chicken Caesar Wraps, hummus and baby carrots the night before and making turkey and cheese sandwiches for several days’ worth of lunches.

For more tips and to sample some tasty lunch options, join me at the CrossRoads­News Family & Back-to-School Expo on July 26 at the Mall at Stonecrest. My demonstration takes place at 2 p.m. on the Main Stage near Sears.

Chef Asata teaches healthy cooking for all ages and stages through Atlanta-based Life Chef LLC. For healthy cooking tips and recipes, follow her on Facebook and Twitter. For information on cooking demos, corporate wellness and group classes, visit www.LifeChef.net.

Get Your Child Ready for School Vision, nutritional, hearing and dental screenings • Required Immunizations The DeKalb County Board of Health offers Friendly, affordable health services at: Clifton Springs Health Center North DeKalb Health Center

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3110 Clifton Springs Road Decatur, GA 30034 (404) 244-2200 Dental (404) 244-4410

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East DeKalb Health Center

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2277 S. Stn. Mountain-Lithonia Rd. Lithonia, GA 30058 (770) 484-2600 Dental (770) 484-2623

440 Winn Way Decatur, GA 30030 (404) 294-3762 Dental (404) 508-7890

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The two-day back-to-school holiday will save Georgians up to $143 million.

Tax-free shopping offers parents needed break Back-to-school shoppers can take advantage of the Aug. 1-2 sales tax holiday.

Exempt items include clothing, school supplies, computers and data storage devices.

Oakhurst Medical, Walgreens and Compassionate Nurses Inc. will offer screenings for hypertension and blood sugar at the expo.

Screenings for blood sugar, hypertension The new school year is just around the corner, and preparing for the back-to-school rituals can be hectic and stressful on parents. There is shopping for school supplies, clothes and shoes.

There are immunizations to get and documents to gather for school registration.

Soon, blood pressure and blood sugar are soaring.

But not to worry – Oakhurst Medical Centers, Walgreens and Compassionate Nurses Inc. will offer screenings for hypertension and blood sugar at CrossRoadsNews’ July 26 Family & Back-toSchool Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest.

The expo takes place between noon and 5 p.m. on the mall’s lower level between Dillard’s and Kohl’s.

Oakhurst Medical will not offer immunizations during the expo, but Tarri Johnson, the center’s community outreach manager, says it will have information about its Aug. 2 Back-to-School Fair, where it will offer immunizations and hearing and vision tests.

The mall is at Turner Hill Road and I-20. For more information, call 404-284-1888.

Families shopping for back-to-school supplies and clothes will get a break from sales taxes on Aug. 1-2.

During the sales tax holiday, one of two this year, the following items will be exempt: n Clothing (including footwear) with a sales price of up to $100 per item. n School supplies with a sales price of up to $20. n Computers up to $1,000. The exempt items include electronic book readers and laptops, desktops, tablets and data storage devices like DVDs, CDs, flash drives, diskettes and memory cards.

A three-day ENERGY STAR and WaterSense appliance tax-free holiday is set for Oct. 3-5.

Gov. Nathan Deal signed House Bill 958 in April to extend the statewide back-to-school tax-free holiday and ENERGY STAR and WaterSense appliance tax-free holiday weekends for an additional two years. The bill continues the Georgia Jobs and Family Tax Reform Plan

originally signed into law in 2012.

Deal said the sales tax holidays will allow families to save money on necessary items for school and on appliances that will help conserve energy resources.

The state estimates that over the two-year time period, the two-day back-to-school holiday will save Georgians up to $143 million, and the energy-efficient household appliance tax holiday will save taxpayers $2.6 million.

The bill also provides a new sales tax exemption for Georgia’s food banks, an initiative that will help sustain the charitable service across the state, saving an estimated $2.5 million over two years. HB 958 extends the tax credit for video-game production companies and provides an extension of the project of regional significance sales tax exemption.

For the full list of covered and exempt items, visit https://etax.dor.ga.gov/salestax/holiday/2014_Sales_Tax_ Holiday_Back_to_School.pdf.

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“God just took me in that direction. Once I realized that was my calling, I embraced it.”

Mime ‘Chozen 1’ ministers through music, inspired movement

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

When Antonio “the Chozen 1” Hinton dances, spectators are just mesmerized.

“People tell me that I am not performing,” he said. “They say I touch them.”

Hinton, who mimes to songs like “When Sunday Comes,” “Make Me Over,” “More of Thee” and “The Best in Me,” believes he was chosen by God to interpret music and be a blessing to those viewing him.

“It’s an out-of-body experience,” he said Wednesday. “People tell me it’s in my face and my body movement.”

Though he had been singing, rapping, dancing and writing songs since he was 11, Hinton did not mime until his late 20s. It came quite by accident.

In 2005, while a member of High Power God Ministry in Jersey City, N.J., his late pastor, Thomas Williams, asked him to dance for a drama ministry performance.

Hinton did a dramatization piece to Smokie Norful’s “I Need You Now.” “I started out homeless with a trench coat, a wig and slippers on,” he recalled.

“Then as the song progresses, I came out of all that to reveal a person that had their life turned around.”

The reaction from church members convinced him that he had found his calling.

“They said I ministered to their soul,” he said.

During the performance, Hinton said that he “felt led by God.” Not long after, Hinton painted his face white, donned white gloves, and mimed to Daryl Coley’s “When Sunday Comes.” Soon someone had dubbed him the “Interpreter of Worship,” and he was performing every weekend at churches, wedding receptions, fu-

will perform Marvin Sapp’s “The Best in Me” on the Main Stage at 1:30 p.m.

Hinton says he wants his audience to feel blessed when he performs.

“When I minister to people, I want them to see the God in me,” he said. “I want the song to minister to their souls.” nerals and par ties across the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Hinton, who was a customer service representative at Newark Airport, said every time he performed, he would be get another booking from someone in the audience.

“God just took me in that direction,” he said. “Once I realized that was my calling, I embraced it.”

The first time he went into costume, he used Halloween makeup to paint his face white because he didn’t know better.

After deciding to make miming his ministry, Hinton’s research led him to clown makeup. He also educated himself about the genre of miming – a theatrical medium dating back to ancient Greece in which a performer acts out a story through body motions without use of speech.

Hinton, who relocated to Lithonia three weeks ago to join his fiancee, Jovan Balkum, said he had no formal mime training.

“It’s all God,” he said of his talent.

On July 26, he will showcase his talent at the Cross­Roads­News Family & Back-toSchool Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest. He

Antonio Hinton will mime Marvin Sapp’s “The Best in Me.”

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