Students Experience Homelessness in Atlanta

"HOMELESS FOR A WEEK"
STUDENTS EXPERIENCE A DIFFERENT LIFESTYLE

Students ages 12-14 who attend The Paideia School exchanged their classroom for the downtown urban environment of Atlanta, Georgia. The topic was homelessness, and the students wanted to know about a lifestyle different from their own and about people they see on the streets. These Middle School students spent 5 days and 4 nights based at Hurt Park armed with just $5.00 for the week, one set of clothes and shoes that did not fit and worn thin by someone else. They spent their days visiting area food banks and shelters.

Georgia Public Broadcasting Reporter Rickey Bevington and Videographer Charlene Fisk met up with the students and provided the video from the interviews. One of the young women reflected:
"It is sad to see homelessness. It is heartbreaking to know that you are riding in your car within your comfortable life while there are people out on the streets struggling".

What Will Middle School Be Like?

ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS

Is everything my older brother told me true? Will I have too much homework? Will the older students really stuff me in a locker?

Students at Stockbridge Middle School(SMS) worked with their Graduation Coach, Ronda Kustick, to create a video that addresses the fears and myths 5th grade students might have as they prepare for that all important transition from elementary to middle school. Mrs. Kustick knew the importance of these new 6th graders make a successful start to their middle school career. She created the project and worked with her current students to involve them with the full production, from script to filming, in a partnership with a team from Georgia Public Broadcasting to get out the important messages.

The student hosts for the video explain some of the differences from elementary school, i.e. changes classes, what homework is really like, the opportunity to take Connections Classes (Technology, P.E., Chorus, Band, Music and Art). No one in this group has ever been stuffed into a locker, and everyone at the school is ready and willing to help the new students. The Graduation Coach along with academic and sports advisors are just some of the folks available to answer questions. Advice from Robert, one of the actors: "Listen to what the teachers say because they mean well and they are preparing you for high school".

STUDENT AND PARENT REACTION
What did this year's SMS students think about the video project esperience?
Mandy:
"Filming a video is one of the most amazing things I have done. Our patience and acting skills were tested. There were many things we had to do, but it was enjoyable and exciting."

Imjei:
"I learned that it takes a lot to make one movie. It was all an amazing experience, one that was fun and interesting. It was tiring doing our lines over and over, but worth the experience. It's very cool to be a kid-celebrity in school. I enjoyed the chanllenge and the worth-while experience".

Mrs. Kustick reports that the video was well received by all the rising 6th graders and their parents who got to view the video in early May.

For more information on this project, contact:
Ronda Bowe Kustick
Middle School Graduation Coach
Stockbrige Middle School
770.474.5710

View the video.

Slide Show from Stockbridge Middle School

Georgia Students Named as New Gates Millennium Scholars

10th Anniversary Class Announced

The Gates Millennium Scholars Program (GMS) was begun in 1999 with a one billion dollar grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The goal of the Scholars Program is to promote academic excellence and to provide an opportunity for outstanding minority students with significant financial need to reach their highest potential. The program is administered by the United Negro College Fund (UNCF).

In April, 2009, 1,000 students from across the country were notified of their selection as the 10th Anniversary Class of scholars. Sixty four Georgia high school seniors were successful in the extensive application process to become part of this group. The award is a needs-based scholarship that can be used at the college or university of the student's choice. The amount is determined on an individual bases after other sources of college aid and scholarships are figured into a student's situation. The scholarship can be applied to tuition, books and room and board.

Georgia's 2009 Millennium Scholars attended the following high schools:
Atlanta Public Schools
Carver School of Health Sciences & Research
Douglass High School
Maynard Jackson High School
Mays High School
North Atlanta High School
South Atlanta High School
Terrell High School
Washington High School

Fayette County Public Schools
Whitewater High School

Richmond County Public Schools
Davidson Fine Arts

Note: This is an incomplete list. Please let us know of 2009 Gates Millennium Scholars in your high school.

High School Students Travel to Egypt

Carver School of Health Sciences and Research Students visit the Valley of the Kings at Luxor, Egypt. (photo by Dr. Darian Jones)


Promises Kept

Dr. Darian Jones made a promise to the first freshman class at Carver's School of Health Sciences and Research. Graduate in four years, and we will travel to Egypt. On May 2, 2009, 50 seniors who fulfilled their graduation commitment were joined by parents and faculty on the promised trip.

View the Atlanta Public School's press release for more pictures and exciting details.

Thank you to Joe Manguno, Media Relations Specialist for Atlanta Public Schools, for supplying the information to Georgia Graduation Stories blog.

Clarkston High School Student Presentations

Student Presentations at Clarkston High School

Students at DeKalb County's Clarkston High School are preparing for the spring round of their presentations. These presentations are based on an individual student's interests or career exploration and are developed over an extended period of the school year. The presentations may take the form of PowerPoint, speaches, demonstrations or fashion show just to list a few of the options. Clarkston High School Guidance Counselors and Graduation Coach advise the students and coordinate the presentations. Community members from such fields as the arts, medicine, law, engineering, and business are invited to serve as Judges over the week long schedule of student presentations.

Thank you to Joi L. Chester, Graduation Coach at Clarkston High for sending along the news of the presentations and the picture of students with Tom Roman, Communities in Schools of GA.

The Soloist: Preview Event at Georgia Public Broadcasting

Meet the Georgia Soloists

Communities in Schools and Georgia Public Broadcasting are hosting an empowering evening of student achievement. Preview exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes footage with host Chuck Faush from the movie, The Soloist.* Students will perform and receive recording masters of their performances gifted by GPB and nContrast. Pictured at a recent session at the GPB Performance Studio is Ramon Perez from CIS' Marietta City Performance Learning Center.

Thursday, April 23, 2009
6:30 Students' Red Carpet Entrance
7:00 Program
8:00 Reception

Click here to RSVP
by
Monday, April 13

*From The Soloist website:
The movie, staring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey, Jr., is based on a true story of a disenchanted journalist's transformation odyssey through the hidden streets of Los Angeles, where he discovers and builds a most unlikely friendship with a man from those same streets, bonding through the redemptive poser of music.

Recognizing Achievement: Communities in Schools

CIS Recognizes Student Achievement Month Winners

CIS of Georgia recently held an awards program to recognize the winners of the 2008 Student Achievement Month. This year's contest received over 500 entries from elementary, middle and high school students who receive CIS services and are described by that organization as being sometimes overlooked and often expected to to underachieve. Thank you to Catherine Broussard, Communications Manager, CIS of Georgia, for sharing the stories for this blog post.

Thirty-nine students became regional winners with eleven being selected as state winners. Students were judged in categories of Art, Essays, Poems, Songs, Speeches and PowerPoint presentations. The eleven winners are: From CIS of Fitzgerald/Ben Hill County - Jamie Hendley, Alasia Simpson, Dennis Lightsey and Steven Home; from CIS of Colquitt County - Caleb Paige, Shakia Lattimore, and Chazmin Signletary. Evergreen Reed (CIS of Troop Co.), Deylah McCarty (CISof Athens/Clarke Co.), and Antavious Grier (CIS of Douglas Co.) were also state winners.

Highlights

The following are highlights from the winners presented at the CIS Recognition Awards Luncheon Program held in Atlanta in March, 2009.

Deylah, pictured here with Cal Phelps (Wal-Mart Regional Director of Operations for GA and CIS Board Member), was a state winner in the Creative Expressions category. Her project is a 4-panel art project that traces the stages of her life and attitude about school. Click here to see Deylah's project and her description of its meaning.

Dennis was a state winner in the Computer Technology category. Click here to see his PowerPoint with a before and after theme that has him "Back in My Mind Right Side Up". Dennis is pictured here with his principal, Dr. Gail Stokes.

Antavious was a state winner in the Public Speaking category. The power of his story is the power of a committed mentoring relationship. Antavious and his mentor, Mrs. Judy Shaw are pictured here.

Here is his winning presentation:

Hello, how are you all today. My name is Antavious Grier. People watch my life, and might think that I’m living the life. You might think I have a great life, because I’m always smiling or having fun. My life was not always like that. I was a troublesome childe. I always got in trouble. I acted out all the time just to get attention. I was doing horribly in school.

In the third grade, I always fought at school. I always got in trouble. I lived in the principal’s office. I was a third grader reading on a first grade reading level. I hated to read. My parents were not in my life like they needed to be. My dad was never in my life and my mom was always tired. So I had no one to bounce my ideas off of. I had no one to talk to. When I was growing up, men around me always beat the women. That made me think that’s how you treat women. Some of the women around me acted like men. I was on the wrong track. It seem like I had nothing to live for as a kid.

CIS has had the biggest impact in my life. If it was not for them, I would not be the fine man that you see now. It was like an angel had come into my life by the name of Mrs. Judy Shaw. She was the sweetest person I knew. I am a senior in high school; Mrs. Shaw came in my life at a rough time. My parents were breaking up, and my grandmother was sick. My mother and I were always fighting. It seemed like to me that acting badly was the way I suppose to act, because that is the only thing I saw at home.

At the moment Mrs. Shaw came in my life, she was like the mother I never had. She came every week at her lunch just to talk to me. She gave up eating lunch just to talk to me. It was our thing; she would come every Tuesday or Thursday to my school. She used to always come and try to make me read books. I used to fight her everyday about reading books, but I always seem to read them to her. No matter what I had said to her she always came back the next week. It felt like she was not doing this because it was her job. She was this because she loved kids and she loved helping me.

She taught me how to read, and ten years later I read on a twelfth grade reading level. I was not the best math student either. She helped me, and now I am taking AP Statistics. I am on course for college. I have never failed a class thanks to her. I make all A’s and B’s. I have a 3.27 grade point average. She even helps me apply for college. Mrs. Shaw helped me in many different ways and aspects.

Mrs. Shaw was a lady. She dressed like a lady, she talked like a lady. She showed me how a lady is supposed to act. She showed me how a lady is supposed to be treated. She showed me how to say “yes ma’am,” “no ma’am,” “yes sir,” “no sir.” She taught me manners. She transformed a rough third grader into the fine man you see in front of you. You know you remember one person in your life that changed you for the better, Ms. Was that person. If it was not for the mentoring program and CIS, I would have never met her and I would have never been changed.

Self-Paced Public High School Graduates 16 in November

Independence High School Graduates Sixteen Area High School Students
Independence High School News Release 12.01.2008

Sixteen area high school students graduated from Independence High School this November - one of the strongest ever pre-Thanksgiving finishes by students motivated to deliver a much appreciated "graduation present" to their families for the holidays. Independence, located in downtown Alpharetta, is a Fulton County open-enrollment public high school which offers differentiated and teacher-assisted self-paced learning. The school processes graduation completions for each individual student within a few hours of completing the State of Georgia graduation requirements. Sixteen students have made it to the next level of academic achievement, their high school diploma, in November alone.

These Independence graduates have donned the traditional cap and gown to walk the halls in joyful same-day mini-graduation ceremonies on almost a daily basis this November. The graduation march plays in the background and each student's departing comments are read over the school's intercom. In addition, graduates may choose to receive their diploma from Independence or their original high school (Alpharetta, Milton, Roswell, Chattachoochee, Centennial, Northview, Riverwood or North Springs). They also have the option of choosing to participate in the May graduation ceremonies at both Independence and their original school.

Student Stories

"I got off to a bad start at my first few years of high school because I was sick so much. I didn't know how I was going to catch up to graduate with my friends. Independence made it possible for me to graduate and I will be able to participate in graduation cremonies at my home school this May -- with my original class and my friends:, commented one recent Independence graduate. Another wrote, "I couldn't stand listening to teachers talking so much at my old school. I am ADHD and I just wanted to get my work done. At Independence, I was able to work with freedom at my own pace and compete courses much faster. I was able to get indivdiualized attention and help from teachres whenever I needed it."

The School

Four years ago, the decison was made to break Independence High School away from the student population involved with discipline issues. Since then, any student who would rather work at his or her own pace in a stress-free environment can apply to enroll in this small, safe and comfortable accredited public high school to complete their Georgia high school requirements.

A typical Independence student might be excellent in Math, for example, but may need extra time in English. Independence allows this student to work at a faster pace in Math to complete Math courses rapidly. With his or her English classes, on the other hand, the student is encouraged to work at a pace with which he or she is comfortable. Independence High School graduations are evidence that this approach is a very effective breakthrough for many high potential students.

Like one of the recent graduates quoted above, some students get behind in their traditional school because they have health problems which cause them to miss significant portions of a semester or school year. Independence self-pacing allows these students to catch up and graduate on schedule. In addition, of concern to many medically fragile students, traditional high school classes march on while the student is recovering from any illness. At Independence, the medically fragile student doesn't have to worry about returning from an illness to find him or herself "out of it" or far behind. The student merely returns to Independence when their health improves, and the work is there from them to complete from wherever they left off. They can, of course, be provided work-at-home packages during their illness as well.

Other teenagers simply feel lost in larger traditional school environments -- with over two thousand students and maximum class sizes in bigger schools. Social pressures may be overwhelming, too. Independence has smaller class sizes and an enrollment averaging 300 to 400 students -- just like the high schools many students' parents enjoyed when they were teenagers. The environment is designed to be simpler and calmer. Students who need assurance that they are valued as individuals find Independence an excellent place to finish up their high school careers and move on to successful post-secondary education.

Today's economy, and the financial situations of most families, make it impossible for the great majority of students to afford a private school alternative. High potential students drop out simply becasue the traditional public high school environment and style is not a good fit for them. Fortunately, a public school alternative such as Independence high school exists for these North Fulton Students and their families. Sixteen new November High School Graduates are thankful for the opportunity.

More information:
Lee Nicholson
CTE Department Chair
86 School Drive
Alpharetta, GA 30009
404.909.3315

Thank you to Susan Hale, Communications Manager, Fulton County School System for submitting this information to Georgia Graduation Stories blog.

Young Women in Science & Technology

Young Women in Science and Technology (YWIST)

This is the tenth year that DeVry University has sponsored this daylong event as a service program for Georgia high schools. The goals of the program are to encourage and reinforce young women's interest in careers involving science and technology and to increase the number of young women pursing these careers. Over 400 high school juniors and seniors from all over Georgia along with their parents, teachers and guidance counselors had a day to explore career options, to be motivated by a panel of outstanding women professionals and to celebrate dreams for the future. The November 13th event was offered at no charge to the participants.

The students pictured to the left are in AP Computer Science at Centennial High School in Fulton County. They came to the YWIST event with ideas about careers in medicine and business. Their teacher hoped that they would be exposed to different aspects of technology and hear about additional new career options. The other adult with this group was a mother of one of the students. She was pleased to see how this program added to her daughter's long standing interest in technology and potentially provide some clarity on a path to a career. She was also pleased to see the theme of women in technology being promoted.

The next group of young women and moms were some of the representatives from the Center for Engineering and Applied Technology at Atlanta's Frederick Douglas High School. They talked enthusiastically about the process of applying as 8th graders with strong grades and written essays for selection into a program that now defines their high school experience.

The mothers' offered their own perspective on the day. They saw their participation in this event an another way to become informed and to be there for their daughters. A good education, good grades and GPA are all part of an overall plan that has to be in place to help these young women set goals and achieve success

Morgan County High School students along with Mr. Eric Hamilton, Assistant Principal started their day at 5:30 am in order to participate in the YWIST event. The students participate in the MCHS Math & Science Academy. The day's activities were part of a larger school strategy to encourage young women to follow careers of excellence, empower then to achieve and to formulate and follow their dreams. To have the MCHS students see women who have found success in a career of their choice and to hear the women's stories was a large motivation to make the trip.

The reflections of the students took shape in takeaway messages:
learned more about science and technology wants to persue careers in science broaden horizons always in style to be the best women should not feel inferior and can succeed you do not have to be a man to be powerful in this work

Panel Members provided equal portions of information and motivation through the stories of their own life stories and career goals. The Panel included:
Karen A. Albrecht, Engineering Site Director, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Rosemary Cloud, Fire Chief, East Point Fire Department
Lynn Do, President, RenovoData, Inc.
Sue Miller, Managing Consultant, MDI Group: President, WIT Foundation
Jacqueline Plair-Rushin, Director, Global Customer Care, InterContinental Hotels Group
Kanchana Raman, Founder, President & CEO Avion Systems, Inc.
Kim Ruple, Director of Contracts, Georgia Technology Authority


Visit the DeVry website to learn more about the University along with the YWIST program and sponsors.

Tell Your Students' Stories!

Share Successes and Challenges

Georgia Public Broadcasting, in collaboration with the Georgia Department of Education and Communities in Schools of Georgia, is gathering stories and interviews as well as video and audio clips that reflect the journey that middle and high school students make toward the goal of high school graduation.

We know that one story may not look like another. We welcome them all! We are particularly interested in user-generated content, especially student-created, multi-media videos, interviews, etc. of their academic struggles and successes. Let us hear the stories of those individuals or groups who have made a difference in the lives of the students.

If you would like to feature your students, your school and your efforts to impact the graduation rate across the state, please share this message with those in your school who can bring this project to life - especially the students themselves!

*Submissions can be sent in the following formats:
Digital Pictures: JPG, GIF or PNG
**Video Clips (30 min. or less): MOV, AVI, MPEG or WMV
Audio Clips: MP3

**Steps for Direct Upload for Video Content
GPB has now made it even easier for you to share your Georgia Graduation Stories.
Go to the link to directly upload your video.

Follow these simple instructions:
1. Register for an account. We will never share your information with third parties.
2. Log in
3. Fill out the simple form.
4. Done!

We'll receive a notification that you've uploaded a video. Once we approve it, you'll see it on this website!

The final product will be available in a variety of new media formats, including GPB's Georgia Graduation Stories blog:
http://georgia-gradstories.blogspot.com

Contact:
Barbara O'Brien
Curriculum Contnet Specialist
Georgia Public Broadcasting
bobrien@gpb.org
404.685.2545

*PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU FOLLOW YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL AND/OR DISTRICT'S PROTOCOL FOR MEDIA RELATIONS/MATERIAL PUBLICATION

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

Reading Camp at Grady High School

Demarkcus and Jacob Hackett Build Vocabulary Skills

Mastery Through Fluency is the theme of the Reading Camp held at Grady High School in Atlanta, Georgia. The four week camp offers remediation in reading skills using phonics, phrases and stories and a helpful dose of students coaching each other in the tasks set up by instructors, Jacob Hackett and Mecca Handy. "When fluency improves, comprehension follows", says Mr. Hackett.

The students spend four hours per day, five days per week in activities designed to provide a concentrated intervention to bring students up to reading on grade level. In line with the data driven approach and research-based methods that define Reading Camp, all students are tested at the beginning and at the end of the experience. Great Leaps curriculum is the major source of instruction.

A typical day at camp begins with two hours of reading instruction, lunch then afternoon activities designed to build personal confidence and cooperative team skills.

Student Intern, Stephen, provides assistance to the instructors and students along with what he calls peer motivation. He first came to this program to add to his Community Service Hours. He has come to see that not being able to read well does not mean that the students he is working with are not smart. Reading Camp participants report that they attend Camp to get more help with reading, to stay out of trouble, at the urging of a family member and respect for the Camp instructors.

Instructors and students alike are looking forward to a trip to Sapelo Island as the culminating activity of Reading Camp 2008. The students will see a part of Georgia new to them and explore the history, literature and culture of the island.

Additional funding for this project was provided by the Grady High School Foundation, the Grady High School PTSA, Walmart and Wolverine World Wide, Inc.

Reading Camp's most important resource are the young people who have the courage and make the commitment to become better readers.