Setting Goals and Looking for Solutions through the Game of Chess

Challenging Students to Think Ahead or Fall Behind

Pine Ridge Elementary School in DeKalb County offered a morning of chess instruction to a small group of 5^th grade students. It was that time of the school year when standardized tests were being scheduled, and 5^th graders were facing the excitement and challenges of moving onto Middle School.

The students were introduced to Mr. Orrin Hudson of BeSomeone, Inc. Through a demonstration, sharing of his personal history and setting up games of chess for small groups, Mr. Hudson encouraged the participating students to focus, observe and form strategies for solving the chess problem in front of them. The teachers joined in by reinforcing the point that the skills students just used to be successful in their chess game are some of the essential skills needed for success in school

Mr. Hudson has received national attention for his motivational work in on the CBS Morning Show, Time for Kids and People Magazine. His efforts were also recognized by the Georgia State Legislature during their 2008 session.

Students Share Their Impressions of China and Their Upcoming Travels

Janelle, age 16, and the Director of the Paulding County Boys & Girls Club

This blog post is part of an on-going series that follows the selection, preparation and travels of seven Georgia youth who travel to China with the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta to participate in the opening of an international art exhibition.

The young people share what they know about this amazing destination and what they hope to learn from the trip.






Linden Longino and International Paint Pals provided the exciting news about The Beijing Program and student success:

On June 1, Youth Art Connection's art exhibition for the Olympic Games ("Peace, Friendship, and Goodwill through the Olympic Spirit") will open in Beijing's Millennium Monument Museum. Children from 65 countries (1/3 of those in the world) sent us paintings. Works by two (Rashad Sherman and Cedric Brown) of our Boys & Girls Clubs traveling kids are in the exhibit, and all members of our youth group will participate in the opening ceremonies along with Chinese kids.

Our partner, the Beijing Youth Federation, has invited Chinese government officials, Olympics officials, and ambassadors from participating countries to attend the event. June 1 is also National Children's Day in China.

Parents Support Students' Dreams of International Travel

Portia, age 15, Whitehead Boys & Girls Club

Your High School age child comes home and says that they have applied to a program that will take them to China. What do you say when you think of that same child being halfway around the world from you. How do you plan and prepare for such an experience? What do you celebrate? What do you worry about? Here exactly what the one group of parents did have to say to these and other questions when they were interviewed about their young people being accepted into The Beijing Program.



The journey of seven high school students to Beijing, China at the end of the 2008 school year actually began in December, 2007, when each young person was selected by individual clubs of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta. In addition to being nominated by their individual clubs, interested students had to apply in writing and successfully complete an interview process with project leaders and staff.

The Youth Art Connection is a program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta. Director Rebeca DesMarais provided the following description of The Beijing Program:
The Beijing Program includes an international children's art exhibition - "Peace, Goodwill and Friendship through the Olympic spirit"-, a trip to China in June, 2008, and the interaction with the Xi'an Terracotta Warrior at the High Museum of Art in fall/winter 2008-2009. International Paint Pals, a program of the Youth Art Connection and a part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta's Arts & Cultural Enrichment Program, is organizing the children's exhibition and is facilitating the overall Beijing Program. The trip to Beijing will coincide with the opening of the exhibition in Beijing, China on June 1, China's National Children's Day. Seven Boys & Girls club high school members have been selected to participate in The Program. The Beijing Program began in January, 2008 with monthly preparation meetings and extends into fall 2008 to coincide with the Terracotta Warriors Exhibition. On the June Trip, members will visit the ancient capitol of China, Xi'an, to the the terracotta Warriors firsthand and will then share their experiences with other Club members in the fall of 2008 as field trip "guides" on visits to the High Museum.

Students Practice Technology and Interview Skills

Students from the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Atlanta and it's Youth Art Connection used mp3 players provided by Georgia Public Broadcasting's Education Division to interview parents and friends about the students' June, 2008, trip to Beijing, China. The interviews were a chance for the students to practice interview and technology skills as well as gather impression of what others thought of the opportunity provided by the young people's participation in the Beijing Program.

The Youth Art Connection is a program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta. Director Rebeca DesMarais, provided the following description of The Beijing Program:
The Beijing Program includes an international children's art exhibition - "Peace, Goodwill and Friendship through the Olympic spirit"-, a trip to China in June, 2008, and the interaction with the Xi'an Terracotta Warrior at the High Museum of Art in fall/winter 2008-2009. International Paint Pals, a program of the Youth Art Connection and a part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta's Arts & Cultural Enrichment Program, is organizing the children's exhibition and is facilitating the overall Beijing Program. The trip to Beijing will coincide with the opening of the exhibition in Beijing, China on June 1, China's National Children's Day. Seven Boys & Girls club high school members have been selected to participate in The Program. The Beijing Program began in January, 2008 with monthly preparation meetings and extends into fall 2008 to coincide with the Terracotta Warriors Exhibition. On the June Trip, members will visit the ancient capitol of China, Xi'an, to the the terracotta Warriors firsthand and will then share their experiences with other Club members in the fall of 2008 as field trip "guides" on visits to the High Museum.

Chinese Food

New Experiences with Chinese Food and Video Cameras

Have you ever tried REAL Chinese food? Have you mastered the art of using chopsticks? What manners do you use in a country not your own?

Using Flip video cameras seven Georgia high school students spent an evening in a Chinese restaurant trying to master both the cuisine and the technology of video taping each other as they prepared for the upcoming trip to China.


The Youth Art Connection is a program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta. Director Rebeca DesMarais, provided the following description of The Beijing Program:
The Beijing Program includes an international children's art exhibition - "Peace, Goodwill and Friendship through the Olympic spirit"-, a trip to China in June, 2008, and the interaction with the Xi'an Terracotta Warrior at the High Museum of Art in fall/winter 2008-2009. International Paint Pals, a program of the Youth Art Connection and a part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta's Arts & Cultural Enrichment Program, is organizing the children's exhibition and is facilitating the overall Beijing Program. The trip to Beijing will coincide with the opening of the exhibition in Beijing, China on June 1, China's National Children's Day. Seven Boys & Girls club high school members have been selected to participate in The Program. The Beijing Program began in January, 2008 with monthly preparation meetings and extends into fall 2008 to coincide with the Terracotta Warriors Exhibition. On the June Trip, members will visit the ancient capitol of China, Xi'an, to the the terracotta Warriors firsthand and will then share their experiences with other Club members in the fall of 2008 as field trip "guides" on visits to the High Museum.

Sophomores Provide Leadership at GSMST

The Sophomores: Monica, Brian, Noor & Nikhil

Gwinnett School of Math, Science and Technology (GSMST) open as a charter high school in time for the 2007-2008 school year. The original Freshman Class is now the rising Sophomore Class and on track to be the first in everything at the school through their graduation as the Class of 2011.

Attending Boot Camp as mentors to the new students gave the Sophomores a chance to reflect on their first year in a school that had opened for the first time in 2007. They are very aware of there role as pioneers in shaping GSMST's potential. There were some days during the past school year that they found the demands of their studies to be overwhelming. There was high praise for the support offered to them by their peers and by the teachers. A high point of the year for this class was a TelePresence arranged to connect the GSMST student to students in Bangalore, India. The experience helped them realize just how technology is touching everything that is happening in the world. The message from the Sophomore Class is that GSMST is not a school for nerds. It is a school for students who want to work very hard in Science, Math and Technology while also enjoying opportunities in Foreign Language, Arts, Language Arts and Social Studies and all the clubs the school has to offer.


Thanks goes out to Mr. Chris Gegen and the members of GSMST's Digital Media Club, Asma, Noor & Bradley, for providing background on the school and for sharing their dreams.

Nikhil, GSMST's Student Government President, provided this quote:

Students who have an attitude for hard work and an aptitude for Math and Science will be successful at GSMST.

View video provided by GSMST website

Gwinnett School of Math, Science and Technology

Boot Camp for Freshman at GSMST

How do you measure a school or the success of a student? If you are an incoming Freshman at the Gwinnett School for Mathematics, Science and Technology (GSMST), the school part starts with an assignment in Boot Camp, a one-week summer intensive that orients new students to the expectations and rigor of this charter school.

Gathering the dimensions of the school is an actual assignment from Mr. Garrison, one of GSMST's math teachers. With mathematical guidance, simple tools and helpful partners, the students experience a typical assignment - hands-on, creative and technical.


One measure of success at GSMST are the stories of the individual students.

The Freshmen: Ning, Jeremy, & Ahanth

The Freshman Class has approximately 250 students who had a strong interest in Math, Science and Technology and were selected from a lottery of nearly 500 students. Boot Camp is designed for them. Transition from middle school to high school can be a challenge, but it is more so at a school where the courses are demanding at taught at an accelerated. Parents and students are on hand the first day of Camp to meet the teachers, understand expectations and experience a typical day. Members of GSMTS's Sophomore Class are on hand to serve as mentors to the new students. Their advice - know that the work will be hard, learn to manage your time, and get ready for an amazing experience.
By the end of the week, the Freshman were enthusiastically looking forward to the start of the new school year in August. The were eager to meet new friends who shared common interests and were looking forward to being challenged academically.





Thanks goes out to Mr. Chris Gegen and the members of GSMST's Digital Media Club, Asma, Noor & Bradley, for providing background on the school and for sharing their dreams.

View Video provided by GSMST website