Catching Up with Gwinnett County Native Lilly Hart

By Tana Poncsak

Lilly Hart played basketball growing up and throughout her school years. She even went on to play basketball while attending Birmingham Southern College. But as she was shooting hoops, there was another talent brewing in the Gwinnett County native and Parkview High School graduate – music.

Lilly started taking piano lessons at a young age. Later, she picked up a guitar, inspired by both her mother’s musical talent and her maternal grandfather’s musical talent and a pitch-perfect ear that she inherited. The girl who was once a star athlete at center court is now making a name for herself as a singer-songwriter in the music industry. And thanks to some help along the journey, she seems to be well on her way.

Having time on her hands during the recent pandemic, Lilly found herself looking to make some music. She set up a makeshift studio in her bedroom and started writing songs. And, as it turns out, they are good songs. The kind of songs that people want to listen to.

“I knew I had a musical background,” Lilly said. “I didn’t really know I could write like that. But I had all the time in the world, so I just wrote.”

She produced the music with a MIDI keyboard, a laptop, headphones, and a microphone, and then recorded some vocals.

“It wasn’t super professional or anything,” she added. “But it worked.”

Through the support of various people along the way including her family, a series of fortunate events, and the right people listening to her recordings, Lilly signed her first record deal about a year ago with Mick Music in Nashville.

But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. Lilly said getting her music out for people to hear hasn’t always been easy.

“From the time when I started writing to when I was actually able to figure out how to record and mix it, it took like a five-month span of trial and error,” she said.

And then finding ways to get her music to the right ears was another challenge.

“Again, it was a bunch of trial and error with how to figure out how to market myself and how to figure out who to trust when there are so many scams.”

Lilly also knows how fortunate she’s been. In April she had the opportunity to open for St. Paul and the Broken Bones at the Lyric Theatre in Birmingham, Alabama, and sing in front of about 750 people. It was during that performance she caught a glimpse of what could be in her future.

“It was the biggest gig I’ve had so far, and it was awesome,” Lilly said.

So for now, she’s put down the basketball and opted for a guitar while making some other pivotal changes in her life for the sake of a future in the music industry. After a busy summer, Lilly plans to attend Middle Tennessee State University in the fall to pursue music academically and where she’s closer to Nashville, so she can continue to pursue music professionally as well.

At her current age of 20, Lilly already realizes that wherever her musical journey takes her, she will always create music.

“I want this journey to take me as far as it’ll take me,” she said. “Obviously I want to be an artist. That’s the goal. But overall, I want to be a songwriter, so I can still be in the industry, even if it’s just writing for other artists.”

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Chess for Champs

By Traci Sanders

When Chris and Megan Suli formed Chess for Champs in 2021 – to offer socializing experiences and constructive activities for youth – they had no idea what it would become in such a short time.

Chris has played chess since childhood, having learned from his father and grandfather. However, he took a more serious interest in the game as a young adult and began playing in local chess clubs and competing against online players. His highest Elo rating so far is 2000, and he won second place in his division at his most recent tournament. Chris decided to study under Championship Chess instructors around the greater Atlanta area, and began teaching the game locally.

As a teacher at Lilburn Elementary School, Chris’ wife Megan became interested in the sport when she saw how well the chess students performed in Chris’ classes and how much fun they were having. Megan now attends every class to assist coaches and students. She even won a grant from Resurgens Charitable Foundation (and United Way funding) to build an all-inclusive playground for Lilburn Elementary School students and the local community to enjoy.

Chris and Megan have reached over thirty families thus far. They usually see around fifteen kids on a weekend, and they host a free chess club on the first and second Tuesday of each month from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Stone Creek Pizza.

“It’s a very family-friendly environment,” Megan shared, “and we typically have at least fifteen people per night, since we are one of the only active chess clubs near the metro Atlanta area.”

Classes are offered on Sundays from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Citizen Exchange for one-and-a-half-hour sessions from Coach Chris and another experienced mentor, Coach Jack. Snacks and prizes are provided, and students can enjoy playing at the park or inside.

“We’ve really watched these kids grow,” Megan said, “not only in chess, but socially as well, especially those for whom social skills do not come naturally.”

Saturday class is from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., and is open to ages seven and older, novice to intermediate skill level. Students can pay per class attended. No membership fees are in place.

Chess for Champs has been partnered with Salon Nine Seven from the beginning, which is where Sunday classes are held in the event of bad weather. Recently, they partnered with Citizen Exchange, The Nett Church at Berkmar, and Mosaic Minds Art Academy to offer more options for chess classes to the Lilburn community. Chris and Megan are in conversation with Lilburn Choice Preparatory Academy to offer yet another location soon.

Summer Chess and Art Camp is another program Chris and Megan offer. The camps are held at Music on Main Street, and students are taught tactics, strategies, and the basics of chess from Coach Chris and Coach Jack.

Megan teaches arts and crafts based on students’ interest levels, and draws inspiration for these activities from being an oil artist. Of course, there is always time allotted for socializing and free play.

“We have quite a few students with special needs,” Megan said, “whether they are on the spectrum or have sensory issues, and they flourish in our class because of our patient coaches and opportunities for free expression in play.”

Chris manages a disease called Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), which involves the peripheral nerves that control muscles and can cause pro-

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