January 2019 - Section 2 EDUCATION by Reporter Newspapers

JANUARY 2019 Sandy Springs Dunwoody Brookhaven Buckhead

20 20 UNDER

AROUND TOWN

His life changed, retiree finds new focus in helping kids P26

EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATOR

North Atlanta High teacher, orchestra to perform at Carnegie Hall P27

EDUCATION WWW.REPORTERNEWSPAPERS.NET

Honoring students who give back to the community

The question arises every year as we consider nominations for our annual 20 Under 20 honors: How do these students find the time to give so much back to the community? As you will see, this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s list is filled with young people who somehow manage to juggle their busy lives with doing extraordinary things to make Reporter Newspapers communities and the world a better place to live. As in previous years, we asked public and private schools along with service organizations and the general public to nominate students who have been active volunteers in their communities. These students have accumulated thousands of hours of volunteer time, traveled to other countries, created nonprofits and worked with the underprivileged as part of their service. We hope these uplifting stories will inspire you to find ways to give back to the community.

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SECTION TWO

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Joe Earle is editor-at-large at Reporter Newspapers and has lived in metro Atlanta for over 30 years. He can be reached at joeearle@reporternewspapers.net

His life changed, retiree finds new focus in helping kids Two moments changed Steve Wadley. Taken together, they convinced him to spend part of his retirement devoting his time, talents and experience to raising money for local organizations that support education in Atlanta’s innercity schools. The first moment came when Wadley was a boy. He played football then on a team based in Buckhead. His team played in a citywide league and when he and his teammates played away games in poorer Atlanta neighborhoods, he saw that those players had nowhere near the level of support — the new equipment, the uniforms, the practices — that benefited him and his teammates. “We would kill ’em,” the 61-yearold said. “It’d be 56-to-nothing. It just wasn’t a fair fight. It just wasn’t fair. It stuck with me.” His second insight arrived decades later, when, as a father, he was grieving the death of his son. By then, Wadley had founded and operated a few restaurants, including Café 290 in Sandy Springs, and moved on to create an internet marketing firm. In 2012, Wadley’s son, Nick, suddenly died from respiratory failure two weeks shy of his 25th birthday. “He died on a Friday. We buried him on a Tuesday,” Wadley recalled one recent afternoon. “On Wednesday morning, we were sitting at the breakfast table saying, ‘What the hell are we going to do now?’” He decided he should remember his son by helping others. Nick loved to play guitar, so Wadley looked into music-based charities. He found the Atlanta Music Project, which provides free music education to underserved Atlanta youth. Wadley joined the organization’s board and helped raise money for it, setting up events such as a golf tournament named for his son. Wadley’s fundraising work has made a significant difference for the group and made him one of the largest individual donors for the Atlanta Music Project, Co-founder and Executive Director Dantes Rameau said. “He works hard on behalf of our organization. He does it because of his love for the kids we serve,” Rameau said. “He’s one of our most dynamic board members.”

ATLANTAMUSICPROJECT.ORG

Through the music project, Wadley learned of another group working to improve education in Atlanta public schools, The Kindezi Schools, which operates charter schools. Kindezi says it takes its name from a Bantu word describing “the act by which a community educates, loves, and values every child.” Wadley began raising funds for Kindezi, too. He said working with the two organizations has convinced him there could be a better way to raise money for them and similar organizations. He’s now starting a new organization he believes will create a simpler way to raise money for local charities. He thinks his new group, called Think Local Atlanta, will broaden, and stabilize, fundraising for such small, local groups. His idea sounds a bit like a small-

Above, the AMPlify Choir at The Kindezi School West offers an intensive choral education with classes in vocal training, general music, and music theory. THINK LOCAL ATLANTA

Left, Steve Wadley, founder of Think Local Atlanta, a nonprofit that contributes to the Atlanta Music Project and The Kindezi Schools.

scale United Way: Instead of going to a few rich folks to give large chunks of cash through traditional fundraisers such as a charity golf game or auction, Wadley wants to convince large numbers of donors to pledge relatively small amounts of money so that, together, the effect will be large. Think Local Atlanta asks donors for a dime a day — about $3-plus a month or $36.50 a year — to be distributed to the charities it supports. “Every charity does the same thing. They try to raise a lot of money from a small number of people,” he said. “It kind of reminds me of a 6-year-old girls’ basketball team: they all were after the ball. Raising money like this means it

comes in fits and starts. … [We] try to get small amounts of money from large groups of people … 12,500 people giving 10 cents a day each is [nearly] $500,000 a year.” As of now, Think Local Atlanta is set up to contribute to the Atlanta Music Project and The Kindezi Schools. But Wadley thinks the fundraising could expand to support additional charities. Why shouldn’t potential donors give directly to the charities, rather than to Think Local Atlanta? Wadley argues that many people don’t give because they don’t know enough about which charities are effective and deserve support. The volunteers operating the fundraising group, he said, will do the legwork and get the word out. “I think if people are aware of what’s going on,” Wadley said, “they’ll have the ability to support it.”

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Stephen Lawrence, North Atlanta High Buckhead’s North Atlanta High School orchestra will perform at the world-renowned Carnegie Hall next month under the leadership of director Stephen Lawrence, the Atlanta Public Schools’ high school Teacher of the Year. “It was surreal! Having the chance to be recognized is beyond believable,” Lawrence said of the award. “There are so many inspiring educators out there. The fact that I was chosen is both humbling and exciting.” Lawrence, the director of orchestral activities and the chair of the Fine and Performing Arts Department, has been an educator for 11 years and has taught at North Atlanta High, his alma mater, for seven years. He is also involved in the orchestra program at Buckhead’s Sutton Middle School, which he typically visits once a week during his planning periods to help provide extra instruction.

Exceptional

Educator

Q: What are you most proud of in your career? A: Receiving this recognition has got to be the biggest moment thus far. The amount of support that has come from this is amazing. Being a part of this process has also made me reevaluate my own teaching for the better.

Q: Why do you think music is important for students to learn? A: Music is a skill that can go with you for a lifetime. When you think of some of the most important events of your life, music is there. It is a skill that teaches discipline and dedication. It involves elements of math, science, history and reading that all have to be utilized at the same time. While music may not be the career choice for many, having the opportunity to explore music will always have lasting effects.

Q: How common is it for public high schools to have orchestras? A: As budgets fall, the number of high school orchestras falls with them. Luckily in Georgia we have some of the strongest orchestra programs in the nation. The North Atlanta High School Symphony Orchestra will travel to New York in February 2019 to perform at the world-renowned Carnegie Hall. This is an exciting opportunity that most musicians do not get to see in their lifetimes.

Q: What do you hope students learn from you? A: Follow your dreams! At a young age, I did not think it was possible to have a career in

music that I, as a black man, could be successful in. Today, I stand proud to be a violinist with a thriving career in music. I get to wake up every morning and share a skill that at one point was only a hobby. I believe my dreams came true and have the ability to grow into opportunities that I never imagined I would have.

Q: Why did you decide to become an educator? A: In the sixth grade, I started playing the violin and immediately took an extreme interest in it. It became my passion and the one thing I dedicated more time to than any-

thing. Combining the love for education in my blood and the love for music that was in my heart made choosing a career easy.

Q: What keeps you going year after year? A: I meet my students while they are at Sutton Middle and get the opportunity to see them grow into young adults. Having this opportunity also comes with the commitment to help each student grow musically as well. Each school year brings a group of students that I make it my personal goal to see them through to the next phase of their lives. I have a special interest for the students here and use myself as an example of where dedication can take you if you work hard.

Q: What are the biggest challenges you face as a teacher? A: Every student has the ability to learn no matter their socioeconomic background or

skill level. While this is true, a big challenge currently being faced in education is the ability to reach low-income and minority students.

Q: What is your favorite memory at your school? A: Each year the spring concert is conceived and produced by the senior class. Last year’s theme was a music battle between an orchestra and a DJ. The battle was on oldschool versus new-school music. The orchestra played some of their favorite pop songs, and the DJ responded with some of his own. There was a flash mob, skits and surprise performances. This is the first orchestra concert where I’ve witnessed parents dancing in the aisles and students laughing uncontrollably. It was amazing!

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Honoring students who give back to the community

A REGINA MUNOZ, 18 Holy Spirit Preparatory School

or her Girl Scout Gold Award, Regina chose to address problems with self-image and self-esteem in young Latina girls. She created the program En La Amistad Nos Encontramos, or In Friendship We Stand. It offered 12 classes to middle-school-aged girls that focused on health, beauty, and professional development. Regina hopes to keep the program going once she graduates. “I was very blessed to have worked with these girls because they taught me to appreciate what and who I have in my life,” she said. “At the final meeting, one of the girls proudly told me that she had stopped inflicting self-harm and that she was in a happier place in her life. Another girl, who had been shy from the beginning, hugged me and thanked me for helping her move on from depression. These girls will forever hold a special place in my heart. My goal for my project was to help these girls avoid depression and not become another story on the news. After completing my project, I have a sense of how much can be accomplished by helping others, individually and in a community setting, and I will move forward in life knowing that I have the power to create social change.”

liza volunteers weekly with Friendship Circle to work with a young adult who is developmentally delayed. Aliza visits the girl at her home, takes her on outings and engages in her favorite activities. Aliza also volunteers with Friends of Refugees, tutoring elementary-aged refugee children in English, math and social studies in Clarkston. She serves on the advisory board of Peace by Piece, an interfaith alliance connecting Muslim, Catholic and Jewish high school students in Atlanta. She also leads workshops for her peers about sexuality and body image. Aliza recounts a story of seeing three women weight-

H-MAGDER, 18 ALIZA ABTheUSC Weber School ed down with groceries waiting for the bus in the cold: “I popped the trunk and I handed a sweater of mine to one of the women who was wearing only a T-shirt. Driving home, I began to process what had just happened and recognized that I could have, if only for a moment, bridged the gap of inequality that I had just witnessed. I turned around and came back to the three women and drove them each home, losing an hour of study time but gaining an immeasurable understanding of community, growth and God.”

M MALINI DESAI, 18 The Galloway School

20 20 UNDER

BROOKE STEVENS, 17 The Westminster Schools

nspired by a 3-year-old cousin born with Down syndrome, Brooke in 2017 started a chapter of Play Unified, a national organization through Special Olympics that encourages people to work with those who have disabilities. In 2017, the Westminster club attracted 54 members. It expanded to 62 members in 2018. Club members have joined with Top Soccer to play soccer with kids with special needs and volunteered with the North Atlanta High School Unified Basketball team to help at practices; with GiGi’s Playhouse, a development center for kids with Down syndrome, to teach science classes in the STEM program; and with Blaze Sports to play indoor sports games with special needs students. One of the club’s projects was to build three portable bocce courts for Atlanta Public Schools. “I was able to see the kids use the courts in a citywide bocce competition,” Brooke said. “It was so exciting to see that all of our hard work was bringing happiness and excitement to those that were competing. The athlete’s oath for the Special Olympics is: ‘Let me win. If I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.’ In my eyes, every athlete was a winner that day.

alini loves animals and has known since she was 7 that she wants to be a vet. She has logged hundreds of hours volunteering at Zoo Atlanta and local veterinarian practices. At Zoo Atlanta, she has served both as a representative to the public on conservation issues and has helped care for the animals by fixing meals in the kitchens or working in the petting zoo. She is also a certified wrangler and counselor for the Girl Scouts horseback riding program at Camp Meriwether and is a founder of The Galloway School’s Animal Welfare Club, which organizes fundraisers for local pet charities like Furkids. Malini also has interests in mentoring and tutoring younger students, which she does currently as co-president of Galloway Girl Talk, and as co-leader of Lead to Learn, a mentorship and tutoring program pairing Galloway high schoolers with Sutton Middle School students. She was selected to be part of Giving Point’s social innovators academy and was recently recognized through that organization with a Presidential Volunteer Service Award.

CARSON CALAHAN, 18

The Lovett School

arson, a soccer player himself, realized that many talented and deserving children couldn’t afford the fees associated with club soccer teams, so he set out to change that. Building on a partnership The Lovett School has with Agape Youth and Family Center, Carson created the Golden Goal Soccer Camp. He has run the camp for three years, pulling together volunteers, resources and equipment to provide students aged 8-11 with soccer clinics that teach fundamentals, teamwork and character. He has also established a plan for the camp to continue after he graduates from Lovett. Carson was recently honored as a Teen Volunteer of the Year Award by the Atlanta chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Carson recounts working with a young student at the camp who managed to score a gamewinning goal. “She had the biggest smile on her face and you could see how much it meant to her,” he said. “You could tell that she’d be telling everyone she knew about that goal for weeks. It was really incredible to see such a small thing made everybody so happy, and it capped off a fantastic end to the week and was a fitting conclusion to an incredible threeyear journey for me with the camp.”

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ast fall, Bailey earned her Girl Scout Gold Award for her Edgy Veggie project. She led workshops around Buckhead for kids, teens and adults to teach about healthy eating and body image. Through fun16 , ND MO draising, she was DIA Y ILE BA North Atlanta High School able to distribute printed reusable canvas bags to encourage environmental sustainability with her workshop attendees. She created a Clean Eating Club at North Atlanta High School and used leftover funds raised to donate to the Peachtree Road Farmers Market for supplies from their wish list. Bailey was honored as a 2018 Teen Volunteer of the Year by the Greater Atlanta Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals during National Philanthropy Day. “Throughout my Girl Scout Gold Award Project, I taught people about the importance of eating healthy food and treating your body right, and hearing about the way people were impacted was very meaningful to me,” she said. “On more than one occasion, people shared that they were struggling with eating issues and that my workshops helped them to develop a new mindset. Hearing that I had struck a chord with these people had a definite impact on me, and I’m so thankful that I could give back to them through volunteering.”

MATT BARTEL, 18 HANNAH HAGENAU, 18 Mount Vernon Presbyterian School

annah began her service work in the seventh grade, when she raised money to purchase soccer nets for a girls’ soccer tournament in Zambia. Once in high school, she began a scholarship fund for high school students in Lusaka, Zambia, and raised $3,000 in the first year to cover tuition costs for 18 students. During the past two years, Hannah has raised more than $5,000 to pay tuition for 22 students. She has also been active in helping to feed and provide necessities for the homeless and with Family Promise, an organization that houses homeless families in religious communities until they can get back on their feet. “My most memorable moment was when I got to meet the first graduate of the scholarship program for high school students in Lusaka, Zambia,” she said. “He just received a full-ride scholarship for college and started his own clothing line. His name is Steven and he is an incredible artist and very nice.”

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att is deeply involved in his community. He is in his second year as a member of the student board advising State Superintendent of Education Richard Woods, meaning he represents more than 100,000 DeKalb County students in discussions at the state Capitol on education. “The Georgia [Department of Education] is really good at listening to us,” Matt said, “and they even passed a couple bills last year in response to collaboration with this board.” Matt also has served as the youngest senior patrol leader of Troop 764 at St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church. For his Eagle Scout project, he planned and oversaw construction of the “Wildcat Pride” gazebo at Dunwoody High School.

BRETT ADAMS, 18

Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School

n the spring of 2016, Brett co-founded the Community Outreach Club at Holy Innocents’. The club organizes opportunities for students to volunteer their time in helping others. It has attracted more than 75 members and is one of the most popular clubs on campus. Members accumulate from 10 to 50 total hours of community service on a monthly basis. Brett also worked with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and most recently raised $1,800 for research. He also serves as a Peer Mentor, counseling and providing advice to freshman in weekly organized meetings, as well as in informal encounters whenever students need guidance. Brett has served as a camp counselor with the Dunwoody Nature Center and YMCA Camp High Harbor over the past three summers, and he is a three-year starter on the HIES varsity baseball team, playing a significant role in the team’s success during the past two seasons.

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hese three Westminster juniors created START, Inc. (Science to Action Road Trips), a nonprofit that offers experiential learning opportunities to students who might not otherwise receive them. Instead of the traditional method of teaching, Anup, Daven and Zander embrace hands-on learning and ask kids to connect math ANUP BOTTU, 16 and science with their ZANDER KASABIAN, 17 own lives, building positive connections between DAVEN YADAV, 16 science and fun in their The Westminster Schools brains. Last year, they took 70 students from Scott Elementary to Sky Zone, where they bounced on the trampolines and embraced Newton’s laws of physics. The group looks to build on that success this year with five field trips — involving more than 320 elementary school students — to places such as Sky Zone and iFLY to bring science to life for the students they work with. Daven said it has been “heartwarming” to how excited the young students are to connect having fun with learning about science. “The fact that kids can learn for fun fascinated and continued to drive my passion for my volunteering,” Zander said.

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CAROLINE GAR

FUNKEL, 18

Atlanta Jewish Ac

ademy

hen her mother successfully battled breast cancer in 2014, Caroline decided she wanted to do something to help others facing the illness. She paired with Sharsheret, a Jewish organization that provides support to women with breast and ovarian cancer, and to their families. Caroline co-chaired Pink Day, a nationwide two-day event designed to raise awareness and funding for Sharsheret. She also started a health-conscious food drive at her school to provide healthier options for people in need. After the food drive showed great success, she decided to continue this project into her senior year, and paired with a Jewish food donation organization, continuing her efforts to bring healthy food to those in need. “After the end of my first food drive, as I started packing the food into bags for each family, I was so incredibly happy,” she said. “I had spent countless hours planning the drive and hoping loads of healthy food would be donated, and my dream came true. Each bag was packed with a healthy meal and a fun greeting card. As I passed out the bags, I felt an extreme happiness, and I knew I had to continue doing this!”

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TAKE A TOUR!

SOFIA EIDIZADEH, 17

SIMONE DIXON, 16

Atlanta International School

ofia has positively impacted young students through her work with Aprendiendo Inglés Sólido, an organization that reaches out to support underserved Latin and Hispanic students. As one of the largest student service organizations at Atlanta International School, Sofia coordinates a group of 50-plus tutors who work with local public school students. She also works as a counselor at TEC Camp, offering attendees an introduction to technology, engineering and computing. Sofia was instrumental in bringing in female engineering professors to talk to AIS’s middle school students about the disparity between men and women in STEM fields. “The reason why I love leading the Aprendiendo Inglés Sólido service group alongside my peers at my school is because I get to witness the impact that a connection makes for the students that we tutor,” she said. “I believe that everyone, no matter their background, should have access to a high-quality education; by volunteering for this group, I have the opportunity to share my knowledge and excitement about education with other students.”

The Galloway School

imone’s goal is to showcase the importance of swimming as a life skill, not just a sport. As a lifeguard and competitive swimmer at The Galloway School, she started a group called A Swimmer in Every Girl to help girls aged 10 to 18 have a support system and the resources to get the basic skills of swimming. Last fall, participants in the Learn to Swim program received private lessons at a reduced rate and she helped girls begin the yearlong training session with her swim team. She does a monthly session to help prepare girls to transition into the swimming world. Simone plans to change the social norms of swimming “one stroke at a time.” She also is active in volunteering for other causes, having earned a Presidential Volunteer Service Award for service at Hands on Atlanta, Action Ministries, Social Change Foundation, Atlanta Community Food Bank and other volunteer organizations. Simone particularly remembers a volunteer event with Action Ministries when she was helping to collect food for Feed the Hungry. “The atmosphere of everyone wanting to give back to their community was uplifting,” she said. “This was the time when I truly became invested in giving back and helping others in any way.”

he seniors can’t escape the pull of the Dominican Republic city of Puerto Plata and an organization called Project Esperanza, which provides education, social aid and community development for the city’s Haitian immigrant population. Abigail and Davis participated in study tours in 2015 and 2016 and were so taken that they planned their own summer camp session in 2017 to teach vocabulary and music. They reDAVIS MATHIS, 17 mained connected to Proj18 , ND ABIGAILAcaLU ect Esperanza throughout Pace demy the school year by sponsoring a student through the organization, and they returned once again in 2018, this time incorporating STEAM and robotics into their camp’s curriculum. “Our time with the children in Puerto Plata has broadened our horizons, helped to put our lives into a global perspective and taught us to better understand cultural differences,” they said.

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LINDSEY REINA, 17

W LEARN & LIVE

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O, 17 CYNTHIAaratLIA ory School

Marist School

hen

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Lindsey

Reina

his past summer, Cynthia held an art exhibit titled “To Seek” in her hometown of Shenzhen, course she was takChina, to support the World ing called Leadership and Society told Wildlife Fund. She and a friend who of his work in the fight against human lives in Boston curated the exhibit with sex trafficking. During the same term, their own work, paintings and photographs with themes of nature and wildMarist students held a civil discourse life. Through sales of prints on postcards day that provided more information and bookmarks, Cynthia raised $1,000 about the topic. Lindsey was inspired for the fund. The idea for an art exhibit and decided to create her own nonprofto support WWF stemmed from her freit, called Stop the Madness HST, to raise quent visits to Zoo Atlanta, a place she awareness among youth and to combat feels is “personally important to [her] for inspiration.” She’s gone to the zoo with human sex trafficking in Atlanta. Proher art class and on her own to photoceeds from sales through her website, graph the animals for study and as the stopthemadnesshst.org, go to Wellbasis for paintings. In the future, spring Living, an Atlantashe hopes to work in city based organization that planning or landscape deseeks to transform the sign. This past summer, Cynthia interned in Beilives of human trafjing with the China Arficking victims. She UNDER chitecture Design and has raised more than Research group to create $6,000 so far. In addia design guideline for the tion to starting her own Beijing waterfront, taking nonprofit, Lindsey has into consideration the surrounding ecosystems and been involved in athletcommunities. She also attended a ics, the arts, student government three-week summer program where she and campus ministry. This year, Lindvisited hospitals and assisted living facilsey was selected to be a Teen Court volities to analyze their operating systems. unteer for the DeKalb County Juvenile For her final project, she created a design Court. for a shower spa for those who cannot shower by themselves. was a sophomore, one of the speakers in a

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are outperforming the top quartile of independent school students on standardized testing.

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Amazed by the Numbers? Join us for a Mechina Parent Information Session Monday, February 4, 2019 | 10:00 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11:30 am RSVP: davisacademy.org/events or 678-527-3300

Connecting learning to life at every level. APPLICATION DEADLINE FEBRUARY 1, 2019

8105 Roberts Drive, Atlanta, GA 30350 770-671-0085 | davisacademy.org

Monthly Forest to Farm Tours, check website for details

www.paceacademy.org/admissions

36 | Education

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JANUARY 2019

Success in School … Success in Life

UPCOMING OPEN HOUSE DATES Wednesdays at 9:00am January 23, February 13, March 13 RSVP: www.millsprings.org/OpenHouse

• Grades 1-12, Small Classes • Structured, Supportive Environment • College Prep • Laptop Program • Competitive Athletic Programs

• Extended Day Program • Art, Band, Chorus, Drama • SACS/SAIS Accredited • Participates in the GSNS/SB10 Program

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“If a student can’t learn the way we teach … we should teach the way a student can learn.” –Tweetie L. Moore, Founder

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Discover the blessings of a Catholic education. Learn about our academic excellence, STEM focused curriculum, certified teachers, service learning projects, enrichment programs, extracurricular activities, and athletics.

APPLY NOW 7171 Glenridge Drive NE | Atlanta, Georgia 30328 770.394.2880 x423 | www.saintjude.net/admissions

ISABELLA ‘ISA’ WILLIAMS, 17

E BALABAN, 18 ISABELLnta Girls’ School

Lovett School

Atla

rompted by her own experience, Isa Williams decided to address sabelle’s personal commitment to the deterioration of self-esteem social justice and service to others in middle-school girls for her has culminated with the creation Girl Scouts Gold Award project. Isa creatof her own nonprofit called Cycle of ed a mentoring program for girls transiChange, which raises money to purchase tioning to middle school at Agape Youth bicycles for the low-income children at and Family Center. The program Tongabezi Trust School in Livingproved successful, so she stone, Zambia, who must translated it into Spanish walk for hours to get an for five schools in Latin education. She also startAmerica. Isa said that ed a new service project each day of the week— called Books to Prison UNDER long program, she and — at AGS to collect books a group of other high and school supplies for school girls she selectinmates and children of ed and trained would inmates at the Arrendalead activities and share le women’s prison. “For personal experiences with me, the most memorable the younger girls. “The moment of giving back to goal of the program was to discuss somy community was delivering over 400 lutions to problematic situations surbooks and coloring sets to the Arrendarounding friendship, bullying, social mele women’s prison for the inmates and dia and stress ahead of time, in order to their children,” she said. “I have always minimize future conflict,” she said. “By been passionate about criminal justice the end of the program, the girls develreform and this was an amazing way to oped meaningful connections with their put a face to an issue that has meant a mentors and skills to successfully navilot to me.” gate middle school.”

20 20

Registering now for 2017 > Ages 12 mos. through Kindergarten > Ages 12 mos. through Kindergarten > Hours: 9:00 – 12:30; Kindergarten

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> Early Bird Drop off at 8:30am

> Discovery Days After School

> Discovery Days After School Program until 2:30pm for students Program until forclass students enrolled in2:30pm 3-yr old or older enrolled in 3-yr old class or older

> ASPIRE After School ages 4-11,

> Accredited by AdvancEd Until 6pm (formerly SACS)

> Accredited by AdvancEd

> Certified School of Excellence by (formerly SACS) N. GA UMC Preschool Association

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> Developmentally Appropriate N. GA UMC Preschool Association Curriculum

> Developmentally Appropriate > Community Registration for Curriculum 2017-18 in January 2017; tours begin in October! > Community Registration for 2019-20 in January;

Limited spaces available in the currentTours yearavailable!

For more information call 404-250-9455 85 Mt. Vernon Highway, Atlanta 30328 | www.ssumc.org | email: nnadolski@ssumc.org Limited space available. For information call 404-250-9455 6150 Sandy Springs Circle, Atlanta 30328 | www.ssumc.org | preschool@ssumc.org

Kindergarten Open House! Jan. 17, 9:30 am!

National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence 2003 | 2014

Education | 37

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SAINTS AND

SCHOLARS Holy Spirit Prep embraces the traditions of Catholic education to form students of deep faith, advanced intellect, and heroic virtue.

JANUARY OPEN HOUSES

Preschool Wednesday, January 23 Kindergarten Tuesday, January 15 K-7th grade Thursday, January 24 8th-12th grade Wednesday, January 16 RSVP at holyspiritprep.org/visit.

18 JULIA STAHLMAN, ter School

Riverwood International Char

ulia has successfully channeled her love of art into creating and directing Art for Art, a nonprofit that supports the arts in both developed and underdeveloped communities. Julia raised money by selling her own art and partnered with an international charity to provide art classes for over 100 children in underserved communities in Africa. A strong environmentalist, Julia also founded Action for Clean Tap Water in America (ACTWA.org) to address the health threat posed by specific chromium levels in tap water. Julia has gained recognition from the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards and the U.S. President’s National Volunteer Service Awards programs. “In creating Art for Art, I hoped to use my love of the arts to help communities in need around the world,” she said. “I am very proud of the work we have done and the funding we have been able to provide for positive, esteem-building art classes for children who live in poverty in communities without running water, electricity or sanitation.”

Read our other community publications

Pick up a copy or read online at ReporterNewspapers.net

TWENTY NEW SEATS

HSP’s Upper School is expanding its 9th grade enrollment for 2019-2020. Applications start at holyspiritprep.org.

An independent Catholic school in Chastain Park, forming students 6 months-12th grade. holyspiritprep.org

BEYOND LEADERSHIP Congratulations to Galloway 20 Under 20 Honoree visit gallowayschool.org Simone Dixon ’20!

38 | Education

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JANUARY 2019

ELINOR ‘ELLIE’ MUNSON, 18 The Atlanta Girls’ School

OPEN HOUSE

January 26 | 9 - 11 a.m. 2-year-olds - K January 27 | 2 - 4 p.m. 1st - 8th Grade Learn more about how we create a well-balanced educational experience for students: 2-year-olds through 8th grade Personalized attention and instruction  Unique opportunities to pursue interests and passions  Strong spiritual formation 

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stmartinschool.org | 404-228-0737

3110-A Ashford Dunwoody Rd. | Atlanta, GA 30319

llie has traveled to Honduras five times in the past five years to help doctors with medical exams, dentistry and providing hearing aids. She also has worked with the Georgia Epilepsy Foundation to give presentations about neurological disorders such as epilepsy and to inform her peers about first aid procedures involving neurological medical emergencies. She participated in a Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Explorers Program that shadows doctors and nurses to learn about the professions offered in medicine; in The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Students of The Year program, winning the mission awareness scholarship; and in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Circle of Hope Leadership Committee, which assists with youth programs. In addition to her medical-focused work, Ellie serves as a member of the Decatur Youth Council and serves on the United Way Youth Board.

20 Under 20 Runners-Up Baird Kazazian, 18: A senior at The Westminster Schools, Baird founded the Atlanta Junior Chapter of The Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief, serves on the executive committee of the UNICEF Southeast Youth Board and received the Congressional Gold Medal for his volunteer efforts in 2018. Alex Allen, 17: An active volunteer at the Center for Civil and Human Rights, the Pace Academy senior helped lead the creation of new teen programming at the facility. Nathan Posner, 18: Nathan serves as a volunteer photographer for the Human Rights Campaign and Atlanta Pride to document events and program. The We-

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JANUARY 2019 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net

ber School senior has also worked on anti-bullying efforts at the school.

thology, and culture to students age 4 to 15.

Elye Robinovitz, 18: He started the Weber Vols, a student volunteer organization to engage in service projects around Atlanta. He’s also worked with Breast Cancer Awareness, the Anti-Defamation League and volunteered at Aurora Day Camp.

Colette Blackmon, 18: The Atlanta Girls’ School senior teaches aerial dance and choreography and uses her talent to raise money for local organizations such as Grant Park Conservancy, Paint Love and Horizon Theatre.

Mary Elizabeth Marquardt, 18: Passionate about social justice, the Atlanta Girls’ School senior logged 330 hours campaigning for Stacey Abrams, interviewed Sen. Cory Booker for Facebook Live and is co-founder of the school’s Committee For Social Justice and Equity.

20 20 UNDER

Travis Harper II, 17: He has volunteered much of his time as Mock Trial Team Captain at Atlanta International School to recruit, mentor and coach younger members. He’s also been on the Student Council since 9th grade and currently serves as co-president. Christian Porter, 17: Christian is a leader within student government and Atlanta International School organizations like the Student Culture Club and Science Olympiad. He is co-captain of the varsity swim team, serves as an acolyte in his church, and teaches local children how to swim. Katherine Atkinson, 17: An actress, singer and director, the North Atlanta High School senior works with Sutton Middle School students on theatrical productions, including co-directing a recent production of “Mamma Mia!”

Aaron Yu, 16: The Westminster sophomore has volunteered with Meals on Wheels, tutors in mathematics, performs music at local retirement homes, and helped students hone their debate skills. Jessica Lao, 17: She co-directs the student-run nonprofit Circle of Women at Westminster that increases access for secondary education for girls around the world. She served as director of fundraising last year and helped the organization collect $15,000. Sydney Pargman, 17: The Riverwood senior received the Princeton Prize in Race Relations in 2018 for his RALI (Race Across Lines Initiative) Project. His goal was to better understand and ultimately improve race relations. Nadera Herbert-Bey, 17: The Atlanta International School senior works with A Better Chance (ABC), a national leadership program that places and supports high performing students of color in independent schools. She mentored prospective ABC students while she was in grades 9 and 10, and was selected to be a leader this year with ABC New Student Orientation.

Students at North Springs Charter High School will participate in a reading program made possible by a grant from the Sandy Springs Society. The $12,000 grant will provide funding for 130 students who are non-English speakers or in special education programs to participate in an online reading program, a press release announced. “We appreciate this grant from the Sandy Springs Society as a vital seed fund to launch and embed this program in our curriculum at North Springs,” Principal Scott Hanson said in the release. “We expect it to significantly help many students with this most important life skill.” This is the fifth grant the school has received from the Sandy Springs Society in the past five years, according to the release.

AU R O R A DAY C A M P O P ENS FIR S T O FFI C E AT DAV I S A C A DEM Y

The program that provides a free camp for children with cancer has opened its first office at the Davis Academy. The program, Aurora Day Camp, is run by the Sunrise Association and started a camp at the Sandy Springs school in 2018. Following the success of the inaugural summer, Aurora Day Camp has named the Davis Academy as its first office location, a press release announced. The camp will also be returning this summer, the release said. “The Davis Academy has been an incredible partner to Aurora Day Camp and has been instrumental in making our day camp a reality for the Atlanta community,” said Greg Hill, Aurora Day Camp’s executive director, in the release. “Our new office location will further our efforts to impact the lives of children affected by cancer in the metropolitan Atlanta area.” For more information, visit auroradaycamp.org.

FU LTO N TR ANSF ER A P P L IC AT IO NS DUE FEB . 2 8

Fulton County school transfer applications will be due Feb. 28. The deadline applies to students and parents seeking a hardship transfer for medical reasons, curriculum differences and child care situations or for employees’ children. To apply for a hardship transfer or to renew a current one, parents can use a form on the district’s website, at fultonschools.org. Hard-copy applications are only required for medical transfers, which require medical providers’ signatures and documentation. The deadline for submitting a transfer application is Feb. 28, 4:30 p.m., with no exceptions or extensions granted. For more information, call the school district at 470-254-5550 or visit fultonschools. org.

ATLANTA JEWIS H A C A DEM Y O P ENS NEW GY M

Atlanta Jewish Academy, a school in Sandy Springs, has opened its new gym. The school held a ribbon cutting for the Vivian Zisholtz Sportsmanship Center and Ida E. & Harry Minsk Gymnasium on Dec. 14, followed by the gym’s first basketball game the following day, the school said.

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Yannie Tan, 17: A gifted pianist, the Atlanta International School student has performed at multiple benefit concerts, including one to support the children of St. Jude’s Hospital. She also uses her music talent to give motivational speeches hoping to inspire students to appreciate classical music. She has spoken at many different conferences and music camps in the United States and Europe, reaching over 10,000 students and counting.

NO R TH SPR I NG S R EC EI V ES FUNDING FO R R EA DI NG P R O G R A M

a sit *Vi

William Schulman, 15, and Christian Rubio, 15: William and Christian created the Classics Club at Centro Catolico, a subsect of Holy Spirit Catholic Church that serves the Latino communities in Sandy Springs. The duo teaches about Latin and Greek language, my-

Albert Liang, 17: The Westminster student created Chess Buddies Foundation, a nonprofit that teaches the game in both English and Spanish. He’s also traveled to Guatemala to build homes and regularly volunteers to help tutor and mentor in Spanish.

Education Briefs

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Woodward Academy offers Summer Odyssey Day Camp as well as a wide variety of specialty camps including athletic, academic , and enrichment camps. C If you want your child to have fun, make friends, and learn somethin g new this summer, M Woodward Academy’s Summer Camps offer a broad range Y of experiences at two locations, Main Campus in College Park and Woodward North in Johns Creek. CM • Bus service available MY (seven metro Atlanta stops). • Swimming in a heated, CY indoor pool on Main Campus. CMY • Camps feature weekly themes and entertainment. K

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JANUARY 2019

At Mount Vernon, we believe

Children have BIG ideas

and when teachers know their students’ curiosities and passions, incredible things can happen. Now Accepting Applications Preschool - Grade 12 Apply today mountvernonschool.org/learn

Blessed Trinity Catholic High School - 11320 Woodstock Rd., Roswell, GA 30075 - (678) 277-9083 - www.btcatholic.org

SCHEDULE A TOUR TODAY

BLESSED TRINITY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

Tours can be scheduled at www.btcatholic.org/Admissions Blessed Trinity Catholic High School invites prospective students and their families to tour our facilities, meet our students, and speak with our teachers and coaches. Applications due February 1, 2019

28 Advanced Placement classes ~ Curriculum delivered on an A/B block schedule that maximizes instructional time ~

The 236 members of the class of 2018 earned more than $24.4 million in college scholarship offers in addition to Georgia’s HOPE and Zell Miller scholarships ~

A fully-funded Fine Arts program that includes a symphonic band, a theater program that performs four first-class productions each year, including a musical, and one of the most highly honored dance programs in the state ~ A student-teacher ratio of 13:1; average class size of 19 ~ A comprehensive community-service program where students average more than 100 hours of volunteer work during their time at Blessed Trinity ~ An athletic department that fields more than 50 teams in 22 sports, and has won numerous state championships