Southwest Atlanta elementary school earns distinction from Apple
On Tuesday, Tuskegee Airmen Global Academy became the first public school in metro Atlanta and the seventh in Georgia to earn the Apple Distinguished School designation from the technology company.
Representatives from the software company and Atlanta Public Schools hosted a ceremony to recognize the academy and their principal, Melanie Sithole.
Less than 900 schools in 37 countries have earned this distinction, which takes up to three years to complete, by demonstrating innovative use of the Apple platform in academic activities, showing proficiency among school faculty and leadership in iPad and Mac devices, and illustrating dedication to continuous improvement.
— Allison Joyner
BBBSMA executive selected for ARC regional leader institute class
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta (BBBSMA) announced that Upenda Dubose, their Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, has been selected for the 2024 cohort of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s (ARC) Regional Leadership Institute.
The program selected almost 60 metro Atlanta leaders in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to participate in an immersive experience with hands-on opportunities that connect active learning to real-world planning and policy.
Dubose has helped BBBSMA build alliances with local companies, school systems and stakeholders that are important to advancing its mission of focusing on financial growth and volunteerism.
Click here to learn more about BBBSMA.
— Allison Joyner
DCSD reacts to Stone Mountain Middle School teacher sexual misconduct allegations
On Tuesday, DeKalb County School District (DCSD) made a statement regarding the allegations of inappropriate or unlawful conduct against a minor.
“DCSD is aware of serious allegations against a Stone Mountain School teacher regarding sexual misconduct against a minor,” the statement said. “Due to the gravity of the circumstances surrounding these allegations, the teacher was immediately placed on administrative leave and banned from all DCSD schools and properties.”
The school board added that it takes the allegations seriously and prioritizes the safety and well-being of its students and staff above all else.
DCSD says it remains committed to upholding the integrity of the ongoing investigations. No additional statements will be released until all investigations have been completed and the District has had time to review the findings.
— Allison Joyner
The Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta hosts Green Mass at St. Thomas Moore this Saturday
The Archdiocese of Atlanta is hosting this year’s Green Mass at St. Thomas Moore Catholic Church on Saturday, Sept. 14. The mass is held yearly during the Catholic Season of Creation, which begins Sept. 1 and ends Oct. 4.
Drew Reynolds, a St. Thomas Moore parishioner and member of the Care and Creation team, is on the planning committee for the Green Mass. This will be his second Green Mass he is attending, though the first he has helped to plan.
“I think that it is so important for us as Catholics to respond to Pope Francis’s call to all of us to care for creation,” Reynolds said. “It was a call for us all to hear the cry of the Earth and cry of the poor, and to find ways as Catholics in our parishes and our communities — but also to state, local and world leaders — to interact differently with the environment that address the challenges of climate change and foster an understanding of the world as something that belongs to God and requires our attention and our care.”
This past year, the Care and Creation team started a composting program for the parish and school in an effort to reduce waste going to landfills and be good environmental stewards.
“This mass is a way for us as an archdiocese to come together and highlight that aspect of our faith, and to encourage everyone across the archdiocese who are engaged in work around environmental issues… to feel inspired and spiritually nourished and continue to work,” Reynolds said.
The Green Mass celebration will also be livestreamed on St. Thomas Moore’s Facebook page for those who cannot attend in person.
— Mark Lannaman
Eleven APS students were named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists
Yesterday, Atlanta Public Schools (APS) announced that 11 high school students were named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists.
The scholars from Maynard Jackson, Midtown, and North Atlanta High Schools fulfilled several requirements for this award, including having an outstanding academic record throughout their high school careers and earning high scores on the SAT or ACT tests. The semifinalists include:
Maynard Jackson High School
- Lewis Poma
- James Zimmerman
Midtown High School
- Henry Carter
- Lila Duke
- Charles Heydt
- Charlotte Keenan
- Ellalaine Sagarin
- William Thomas
North Atlanta High School
- Lela Ganske
- Joseph Nieves
- Alfred Ponder
Over 21,000 scholars applied this year, and less than one percent will be awarded this scholarship.
— Allison Joyner
Wall Street Journal ranks AUC schools in the top 500 universities
Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal and College Pulse announced the top 500 U.S. universities. Three of them are located inside the Atlanta University Center (AUC).
The rankings evaluated how well each college prepared graduates for financial success and how the school improved students’ chances of graduating and their future earnings.
Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College and Spelman College topped the list of private Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Savannah State University ranked high in the school rankings for public HBCUs.
The publication ranked these institutions based on student outcomes, learning environment and diversity.
— Allison Joyner
CHRIS 180 offers free suicide prevention workshops
As part of National Suicide Prevention Month in September, Atlanta-based mental health nonprofit CHRIS 180 has partnered with QPR Institute to offer QPR Gatekeeper Training throughout the month. The online live interactive webinars will be held from 12 to 1 p.m. Sept. 19, 23 and 27.
According to the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities, suicide rates in Georgia are higher than the national rate. Additionally, suicide is the leading cause of death for youth ages 10 to 14, and in the Metro Atlanta area, suicide rates are highest among ages 18 t0 24 years old.
“Suicide rates continue to increase and remain a focus and concern for youth in our community. Our goal is to provide training, so everyone can have helpful conversations with a child, teen or young adult who they are concerned about or suspect may be thinking about suicide,” said Anne Cornell, chief clinical officer at CHRIS 180. “We all have the ability to save a life by having the knowledge and tools needed to ask questions in a simple yet effective way.”
CHRIS 180’s workshops will focus on three simple steps — question, persuade and refer — that anyone can use with someone contemplating suicide. QPR is a nationally recognized training program that is offered across the nation.
— Derek Prall
Goodwill of North Georgia announces 2023 job placement data
Goodwill of North Georgia — one of the largest retail operations and workforce training agencies in Georgia — recently announced that in 2023, it served 48,205 job seekers and successfully placed 22,083 people into jobs across the state. The organization remains the number one Goodwill in the country for connecting jobseekers with jobs for the fifth year in a row.
“As we celebrate our 99 years of service, we are thrilled by the tremendous impact we continue to provide in communities across North Georgia,” said Keith Parker, president and CEO of Goodwill of North Georgia. “Our career centers allow individuals to obtain proper job training, gain life-changing employment opportunities, and contribute to the state’s growing workforce. In fact, we are pleased to report that just last month Goodwill of North Georgia placed more than 1,800 people in jobs — 80 percent of those being living wage positions. 2024 is gearing up to be one of our most groundbreaking years to date.”
— Derek Prall
Lenox Square and Livable Buckhead’s PARK(ing) Day returns
On Friday, Sept. 20 a portion of the Lenox Square parking lot will become an oasis of pop-up parks. This is the seventh year for Livable Buckhead’s PARK(ing) Day at Lenox Square, a project to temporarily convert parking spaces into creative places for art and play.
“It is our first PARK(ing) day since 2021, and we are thrilled to bring back this tradition,” said Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead. “Parks are a vital part of any community, and this event is a fun and interactive way to creatively remind us of that.”
PARK(ing) Day 2024 will bring together local businesses and community groups transforming standard-sized parking spaces into unique expressions of their respective organizations, and celebrating the exceptional establishments that make Buckhead a great place to live, work and play. This year’s event includes mini-parks with exciting and engaging features ranging from a pickleball court to a virtual reality simulator of the future Wieuca Road Roundabout to a boho Zen garden. Visitors will be asked to vote for their favorite mini-parks.
“We are pleased to celebrate the return of PARK(ing) Day to Lenox Square,” said Robin Suggs, general manager of Lenox Square. “This event offers a unique opportunity to transform our parking lot into a space that fosters creativity and community engagement. It’s a reminder that even a temporary park can inspire us to rethink and repurpose urban spaces, creating a lasting impact on how we envision the future of Buckhead.”
PARK(ing) Day will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Lenox Square parking lot along Peachtree Rd. In addition to the mini-parks, the Smash Hit Burgers food truck will be on-site for the Buckhead lunchtime crowd.
— Derek Prall
Atlanta nonprofit ‘Wonderfully Made’ launches to serve adults with intellectual disabilities
For metro Atlanta adults with intellectual disabilities who have aged out of K-12 schooling, there have been next to little options for building a community of friends. A new nonprofit wants to change that.
Launched as a ministry of Peachtree Church in Buckhead, Wonderfully Made is a new nonprofit aimed at cultivating community among adults with intellectual disabilities by creating an authentic environment to interact, gather and connect over baking and other enriching activities.
The nonprofit is helmed by Kitty Correll, co-founder and director of Wonderfully Made, co-founder Kelly Kannwischer who also serves as a Managing Director at Carter, a nonprofit consultancy firm, and Betsy Brown who owns a baking business and is a former elementary education and special education teacher. The organization aims to reflect the Bible verse Psalms 139:14, which states that all people are “fearfully and wonderfully made” by God, and adults who participate in the program are called “Wonder Makers.”
Inspired to form Wonderfully Made after recognizing a critical need for an engaging gathering place for adults with intellectual disabilities, Correll, Kannwischer and Brown are on a mission to alleviate the loneliness epidemic impacting Wonder Makers and their families.
“When my nephew with Down syndrome graduated high school, the place he once had to hang out with friends and participate in fun activities was no longer there. The feelings of loneliness many of us have experienced at some point are substantially stronger among those with intellectual disabilities because the opportunities for community are few and far between,” said Correll. “Wonderfully Made was founded because we recognized that adults with intellectual disabilities deserve a place where they can meet with others, be a part of a group, feel a sense of belonging, and know that like anyone else, they are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made.’”
Click here for more information about Wonderfully Made.
— Derek Prall
Kaiser Permanente Georgia partners with Chattahoochee Nature Center to enhance community health and engagement
Kaiser Permanente Georgia recently announced a significant partnership with Chattahoochee Nature Center to sponsor several of the center’s key initiatives, including the Unity Garden, volunteer program, senior programming, and annual Eco Challenge event.
“Our partnership is crucial to maintaining the garden and bolstering other initiatives across Chattahoochee Nature Center,” said David Van Voorhis, manager of strategic partnerships, sponsorships and events at Kaiser Permanente Georgia. “The shared values of active living and community service between our organizations reinforce our collective mission of staying active, being healthy and connecting people with nature. For us, it’s about more than just buildings or members; it’s about the entire community’s health. A healthier community means a healthier membership.”
— Derek Prall
Rescuing Hope launches new academy to empower sex trafficking survivors
Rescuing Hope, a nonprofit organization working to eradicate sex trafficking, recently held its seventh annual gala and announced the launch of the Hope Academy, a program designed to provide sex trafficking survivors with essential educational and vocational training necessary to secure livable wages and stable careers.
“The Hope Academy addresses a critical gap in survivor support, offering a comprehensive solution to the educational disruptions that many survivors of sex trafficking experience at a young age,” said Susan Norris, founder of Rescuing Hope. “Providing survivors with the education, training and resources to pursue livable wage careers not only benefits the individual survivors but also contributes to the larger fight against sex trafficking by empowering survivors to build independent, stable lives.”
Hope Academy offers both in-person and remote learning options, making the program accessible to a wider range of survivors, including those who need to balance their education with work or other responsibilities. Participants are able to learn professional skills, life skills and gain certifications, including high school diplomas or GEDs, that help them secure livable-wage careers.
— Derek Prall
Azúcar Music Festival returns to South Fulton
The City of South Fulton recently announced the return of the Azúcar Music Festival and Art Exhibit in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month.
The festival is a tribute to the cultural richness, diversity, and contributions of the Hispanic community to the United States. Inspired by the legacies of iconic Latino musicians Celia Cruz and Tito Puente, this festival aims to bridge cultures, promote unity, and foster a greater understanding of the Hispanic heritage within the City of South Fulton and surrounding metro community.
The festival will feature a lineup of live performances by artists Tito Puente, Jr. and Felecita, showcasing the rhythms and melodies that have made Latin music a worldwide sensation. Attendees can expect to dance the night away to salsa, merengue, mambo and more.
In addition to live music, the Azúcar Music Festival will offer attendees a chance to experience a taste of Latin America’s flavors. This celebration would not be complete without delicious food options representing various Latin American countries.
“Our Latino community continues to grow and it’s important that we embrace all citizens of the great City of South Fulton,” Councilwoman Pritchett, the festival’s host, said, “In addition, I’m thrilled to announce the opening of a new art exhibit right here in the City of South Fulton that will recognize my aunt and queen of salsa, Celia Cruz, who revolutionized music during her time and will be recognized for her contributions as the first woman of color on US currency. This is a moment to be loud and proud of our culture and communities.”
Held on Saturday, Sept. 28 at Wolf Creek Amphitheater from 3:30 to 10 p.m., the Azúcar Music Festival is free and open to the public. In addition, Wolf Creek Amphitheatre will showcase an exclusive art exhibit highlighting salsa legend Celia Cruz from Sept. 18 to 28.
— Derek Prall
Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center appoints Wesley Myrick as executive director
Seeking to expand its outreach, advocacy, and volunteer engagement efforts, the Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center’s (GIPPC) board of directors, a community of Georgia lay and ordained faith leaders, has appointed Wesley Myrick as executive director.
Founded in 2019, GIPPC is an ecumenical advocacy nonprofit that strives to unite Georgia’s people of faith to educate, empower, and advocate for the common good. It identifies issues of interest to people of faith, magnifies their voices, and mobilizes concerned citizens around common values of love, justice, mercy and hospitality.
“The Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center enables Georgians to put their values of love, justice, mercy, and hospitality into action,” said John Moeller, Jr., GIPPC board chair and president and CEO of Inspiritus. “We are excited to have Wesley Myrick join us as executive director and look forward to the leadership he will bring to the Center.”
As executive director, Myrick will be responsible for the organization’s overall management, strategic direction, and growth. He will work closely with the board of directors to advance the GIPPC mission and strategic plan. He will work to inspire and mobilize constituents, policymakers, coalition partners, and the public about issues important to the faith community and the organization’s mission.
“The state’s faith community has so much to contribute to conversations about issues of most impact to the future of all Georgians,” Myrick said. “I look forward to using my experience in government and expertise in managing strategic partnerships to build impactful coalitions that amplify the voice of Georgia’s community of the faithful through the work of the Center.”
— Derek Prall
