Avondale & Blessed Trinity HS
Beyond the Game
Friday night is Football night for most Georgia high schools. Georgia Public Broadcasting and Score Atlanta are collaborating to cover the 2009 high school football season from the first game to the season championships at the Georgia Dome. Check out the Football Fridays in Georgia website for stats, interviews and live streaming of the game. We are all proud of our student athletes and their accomplishments on the field each week. Here are some facts and programs you might not know about our featured schools.
Avondale High School
1192 Clarendon Road
Avondale Estates, GA 30002
www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/Avondalehs
The origins of Avondale High School predate its current community of Avondale Estates. Avondale High School began in 1906 as The Ingleside School, located near DeKalb County's Scottdale community. The faculty numbered 7. Today's 2009 high school is a DeKalb County school with a student body of over 1,000 and faculty and staff of 77.
The mission of Avondale High School posted on the school's website is to prepare all students for college by blending rigourous academic and vocational studies, providing numerous opportunities for Advanced Placement courses, and creating a culture of high expectations.
Avondale students can participate in a long list of clubs and afterschool activities including the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer's Training Corps (AFJROTC). Cadets in this program participate in Aerospace Science Instruction as well as Leadership and Fitness training.
The Avondale High School Touchdown Club, a 501 (c) (3) Private Foundation, has been form
ed to honor the rich history of excellence displayed by the Avondale High School football teams between 1951-1989 and to ensure that the legacy comes alive in today's teams and young football players at Avondale High School.
Bob Burgess, an Avondale alum and former Blue Devils football team member, recalls his grandfather's story of attending The Ingleside School and his father's experience of playing football before it was an 11-man team. Mr. Burgess got his start playing football in the Midway community. Students as young as the 5th grade could start learning the game and earn the experience that would ultimatley create a "feeder" system for AHS. With these deep community roots, Mr. Burgess remembers Avondale's state championship teams, 6,000 fans in the stands every Friday night, scholarships for the players and young student athletes who grew into successful
adults.
This is the legacy that he and the current leadership of the Touchdown Club (Billy Bourn, Bruce Brown, Rick Brown, Calvin Lott, Flemm Mitchell, John Plagman, Johnny Lawson, Perry Stringer and Stacy Burnette) wants to to make sure is available to this new generation of of Blue Devils football teams. Whether it is football socks and shoes, helmets and uniforms, pre-games meals, field equipment along with any other of the many items a team needs, or a cheering fan in the stands, these young players will know what it means to be part of this new community of supports.
Mr. Burgess describes the new Blue Devils team as young men who want to play football, become winners on the field and in the classroom, and who need community help to reach those goals. Visit the website for the Avondale High School Return to Excellence Campaign to learn more about the 2009-2010 team and the efforts of the Touchdown Club to support it.
Blessed Trinity Catholic High School
11320 Woodstock Road
Roswell, GA 30075
www.btcatholic.org
The Class of 2003 was the Charter Class for Blessed Trinity Catholic High School, a co-educational college preparatory institution of Catholic Education of North Georgia, Inc. In the 2007-2008 school year, 8 houses were created at Blessed Trinity to create smaller communities for and to foster a sense of belonging for students. The 40 elected student leaders from each of the 8 houses make up Blessed Trinity's Student Government.
Frank Moore, Blessed Trinity Principal and faculty member, Kathy Hoffman wanted to share the story of Blessed Trinity's Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter. Blessed Trinity's Campus Chapter was initiated 6 years ago through the efforts of a Blessed Trinity Junior and her dad. Now Chapter Advisor Kathy Hoffman reports that over 200 students sign up on Club Day each year to be eligible to participate in the organized "builds" that take place on 3 Saturdays throughout the school year.
A special building project was held on March 21, 2009 when the moms and students from Blessed Trinity and Marist came together for Habit for Humanity Women Build. The group of volunteers were asigned the task of begininng construction on TWO homes in South Atlanta. Beginning with bare slabs of concrete, their efforts by the end of the day had the structures ready for roof construction.
These are just two examples of why Blessed Trinity's Habitat for Humity Campus Chapter has been named one of the top 5 Campus Chapter in the country for 2009. Ms. Hoffman explained that the "Campus" designation refers to more than 400 college and high schools, increasing the competition but also increasing the prestiqe of the award. Criteria for the award include education, advocating, building and fundraising. Ms. Hoffman and Emily Hogan, Student Body President, will accept the award in Chicago at the Habitat for Humanity Annual Youth Conference.
Blessed Trinity has received a $5,000 Matching Grant from State Farm as well as a $2,000 Sta
te Grant towards the school's goalof participating in the Habitat for Humanity Global Village Program.
Visit the website for more information on Habitat for Humanity International.
Remember, visit GPB's Football Fridays in Georgia website as your source for half-time interviews in the Press Box and streaming of the game.
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