Fayette merchants and restaurants have a wonderful opportunity to promote their business during prime holiday shopping season with the Fayette Chamber’s Holiday Village. The virtual shopping village is now online through December 31 and will allow businesses to post coupons and menus, advertise new products, announce holiday events and sales and more.
The Holiday Village is part of the Chamber’s Find it in Fayette!(R) Campaign to encourage consumers to buy local. Offering this promotional opportunity gives merchants and restaurants a low-cost way to attract the attention of holiday shoppers through this one-stop-shopping website. The Holiday Village is core to the Chamber’s mission of providing tools and resources to help local businesses succeed.
The Village is open to non-Chamber member as well as members; however, members can take advantage of a reduced rate. Interested businesses may sign up online at www.FayetteChamber.org or call the Chamber at 770.461.9983.
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Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Holiday Village Promotes Fayette Merchants
Monday, November 01, 2010
Local Legislator Honored for Keeping Teen Drivers Safe
State Representative Matt Ramsey of Peachtree City has taken action to keep teen drivers safe and is receiving the Graduated Driver Licensing Champion Award, presented by State Farm®. This award is given in recognition of Ramsey’s efforts to pass legislation that would ban the usage of cell phones by teen drivers last year. This bill plugged one of the major gaps in Georgia’s Graduated Drivers License (or GDL) laws.
“Rep. Ramsey has taken steps to help reduce the number of teen crashes and ultimately save lives here in Georgia“, said State Farm Agent Mark Gray of Peachtree City.
The award was presented to Rep. Ramsey by Mr. Gray at the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce Business after Hours on Tuesday, October 19th at the Dogwood Forest Assisted Living Community on Highway 54 in Fayetteville.
Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 killer of American teens. In Georgia in 2008, 233 young people were involved in fatal car crashes. Graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws have been proven to help prevent these tragedies. GDL is a system designed to introduce driving privileges in phases; this approach keeps new teen drivers out of high-risk situations, protecting them and others on the road while they gain driving experience. According to the National Safety Council, states with strong GDL laws have as much as a 40% reduction in crashes involving teen drivers.
State Farm has awarded legislators from four states with the 2010 Graduated Driver Licensing Champion Award. The honorees were instrumental in helping to enact stronger teen driving safety laws in their states. The winners include Senator Quinton Ross and Representative Mac Gipson of Alabama, Senator Jack Murphy and Representative Matt Ramsey of Georgia, Representative Hollis Downs of Louisiana, and Senator Tracey Eide of Washington.
Photo Source: Fayette County Chamber of Commerce
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Ike is the “Star” of Starr’s Mill
Ike Kamalu wraps up singing the National Anthem on day two of the Fayette County Special Olympics Basketball Tournament. The gym broke out in applause and cheers immediately following the performance, making Ike feel like a rock star.
After an awe-inspiring performance of the National Anthem at last week’s Fayette County Special Olympics Basketball Tournament, one student has claimed star status at Starr’s Mill High.
Ikenna Kamalu, who goes by Ike, is an 11th grader who has a passion for music. He uses singing as a form of expression and communication, according to his choral teacher Christy Todd, who collaborated with the Starr’s Mill Exceptional Children’s Department last year to start a music therapy class for students enrolled in the Community Based Vocational Instructional (CBVI) program.
“He can be having a hard day but the second he starts singing along to Rick Astley or Michael Jackson, his favorite artists, his demeanor immediately changes. Ike always smiles when he sings,” said Todd.
Ike is now taking his love for music to a new level as he learns how to sing and read music as part of the music therapy class that meets weekly. So impressed by his musical abilities, his teachers approached him in September about singing the National Anthem solo.
He was excited to show his pride about living in America; Ike is originally from Nigeria. He wanted to make his new country and school proud, so he practiced performing the anthem in music class, on the bus, and in elective classes. Concerned that not everyone would stand during the National Anthem, he even rehearsed asking people to stand and show respect for their country.
“We are proud to see Ike sharing his talents with classmates and teachers. His performance was awe-inspiring,” said Courtney Savage, a teacher in the Exceptional Children’s Services Department at Starr’s Mill.
Ike performed during the Opening Ceremonies of the Special Olympics Basketball Tournament held at Starr’s Mill High on October 21 and 22. After his performances, he said, “I liked singing the National Anthem. Everyone cheered and I felt like a rock star.”
Ike is an inspiration to his classmates and entire student body. The day he sang the National Anthem for the Special Olympics, he also sang it during the school’s morning announcements. His performance was embraced with cheers from his schoolmates.
“It was amazing because in the halls you could hear the classes cheering for Ike after he finished singing. Ike has shown the students of Starr’s Mill that with practice and hard work you can do any thing,” said Todd.
Ike’s singing of the National Anthem was his debut, but his performances are far from over. On December 7 he will perform again, along with his music therapy class, at the school’s annual Christmas Concert at 7 pm in the Duke Auditorium at Starr’s Mill High.
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Friday, October 29, 2010
Clayton State Instructor/Economist/Author Mark Rogers to Speak at Peachtree City Library, November 6
Clayton State University’s Peachtree City instructional site, Clayton State – Fayette, is co-sponsoring a presentation at the Peachtree City Library by Clayton State adjunct faculty member and author/economist Mark Rogers. The presentation will be on Saturday, Nov. 6 at 2 p.m.
A resident of Peachtree City, Rogers is the author of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Economic Indicators” (2009, Penguin Books). The book covers the how-to of market watching, major economic indicators for the U.S., and Fed Watching. Rogers has extensive knowledge of how to track the U.S. economy, thanks to 19 years of experience as an economist and forecaster for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. He has also authored the nationally-recognized “Handbook of Key Economic Indicators, Second Edition” (McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing, 1998; Chinese edition, 1999). He is currently senior U.S. economist for Econoday, providing current economic commentary on the web for traders and investors.
"We are fortunate to have such an accomplished instructor who can bring his real life experience into the classroom,” says Dr. Kevin Demmitt, Clayton State’s associate provost for Extended Programs. “Mark has a gift for presenting complex ideas in a way that they can be understood by students taking their first course in economics."
Demmitt also notes that Rogers’ abilities in teaching first-time economics students has been particularly valuable in Clayton State’s thriving Dual Enrollment program that allows high school students to take Clayton State courses for both college and high school credit.
“Economics is required for high school graduation, so Mark’s economics course is a popular one for our Dual Enrollment students,” he notes.
A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.
Graduation Rate at Top of Metro Atlanta School Systems
Fayette County has the highest graduation rate for metro Atlanta, according to figures from the Georgia Department of Education.
Fayette’s graduation rate for 2009-2010 is 94 percent, holding steady from the previous year. The county has increased its graduation rate by six points over the last seven years.
At 94 percent, the school system is soaring above other metro Atlanta systems by a point range of 4.3 to 27.7 percent. The other school systems include Atlanta, Cherokee County, Clayton County, Cobb County, DeKalb County, Forsyth County, Fulton County, and Gwinnett County.
In addition to outpacing surrounding school systems, the county’s percentage of graduates is 13.2 points above that of the state (80.8 percent), whose rate rose 2 percentage points this year.
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Thursday, October 28, 2010
Dr. Nobbie to Speak in Fayette Nov 16
The State of DD Services in Georgia Presented by: Dr. Pat Nobbie, Deputy Director of GA Council on Developmental Disabilities
ExceptionalOPS is pleased to announce that Dr. Pat Nobbie, Deputy Director of GA Council on DD will present information about the State of Services for people with Developmental Disabilities here in the State of Georgia. This may be the most important meeting you will attend this year. We need you to participate so that Dr. Nobbie can take our Fayette County needs message back to Atlanta. Please note, this meeting will take place on the THIRD Tuesday of November, the 16th!
Dr. Nobbie is the Deputy Director of the Georgia Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. She is responsible for conducting research on Council programs and initiatives, tracking state and federal budgets, coordinating the Council’s legislative agenda, and providing staff support to several Council contracts and projects, including Unlock the Waiting Lists which advocates for home and community based services and Partnerships for Success - a High School Inclusive Community project.
Dr. Nobbie will update us on the significance of the settlement of the recent lawsuit between the United States of America and the State of Georgia which resulted in the agreement by the State of Georgia to provide more community-based services for people with DD to be served in their local communities. Dr. Nobbie will also share information about the legislative budget and its effect on our population and is eager to hear our concerns and take them back to Atlanta for discussion.
Dr. Nobbie has worked on several policy initiatives in Georgia in the areas of healthcare, EPSDT, Direct Support Professional initiatives, Katie Beckett Program eligibility and funding issues, and the Champions for Children Initiative, a foundation created with state funds to provide relief for parents who are no longer eligible for Medicaid under Katie Beckett or other government programs. She has coordinated research on the impact of managed care on access to Medicaid. She also conducts several activities related to transition services and participates on the state DOE team that works on the state plan for transition. Because we hope that there will be a large attendance for this meeting, we have secured Grace Evangelical Church located at 164 Flat Creek Trail in Fayetteville as our venue for the evening. We’ll have signs out leading the way! For additional information call Janet Smola 770-631-1035 or 770-639-9169. Please consider attending this meeting. A large turnout will send an important message about the need for additional services in Fayette County.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Sandy Creek One of Top High Schools in State for College Football
If you play football and aspire to advance to the college level, your best chances of getting there might be if you play for Sandy Creek High.
That’s what Steve Slay, a Georgia high school football fan and researcher with the Georgia High School Football Historians Association found when he complied data on schools throughout the state to see which were sending the most players into college ball.
With a total of 26 college players, Sandy Creek ranked #9 overall in a list of the top 14 Georgia high schools.
Slay also lists the top 10 schools for each classification. Sandy Creek ranked first in Class AAA. Both Fayette County High and Whitewater High made the top 10 for Class AAAA with 21 and 19 collegiate players, respectively. Fayette County is ranked #5 with Whitewater at #8.
The data is being highlighted in the next several issues of the Georgia High School Football Daily. Slay gathered data from college rosters online, so the information may not reflect complete accuracy.
Slay is continuing to research and tweak his data. When finished, he will post it on the forums at www.gavsv.com.
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Fayette County Moves Up in Ranking of Tech-Savvy School Boards
The Fayette County Public School System moved up a place nationally in the seventh annual Digital School Districts Survey by e.Republic’s Center for Digital Education and the National School Boards Association.
The school system placed seventh in the large student population category with more than 15,000 students. The purpose of the survey is to showcase exemplary school boards and districts’ use of technology to govern the district, communicate with students, parents and the community, and to improve district operations.
"We are honored to receive this award. It is a team effort on the part of our technology department, the staff at the schools, county level and our students and parents," says Acting Superintendent Fred Oliver.
All U.S. public school boards/districts were invited to participate in the survey. Schools were placed in three categories based on size of enrollment. The top 10 districts from each category received awards. Winners reflected those school districts with the fullest implementation of technology standards in the evolution of digital education.
The study examined and documented school boards and districts’ 1) online presence; 2) technology applications that allow the public to interact with school board members, administrators and teachers; 3) the public’s access to information such as school board calendars and district policies; and 4) technology use in the district and classrooms.
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Tuesday, October 26, 2010
3rd Annual Hope Tea and Candlelight Service Honoring Breast Cancer Survivors to be Held at the Wyndham Peachtree Conference Center
The Breast Cancer Survivors’ Network, Inc. (BCSN) proudly announces the 3rd Annual Hope Tea and Candlelight Service, which honors and remembers those who have lost their lives to breast cancer and celebrates those who are fighting and beating breast cancer. The Hope Tea and Candlelight Service will be held on Saturday, November 20, 2010 from 1:00 to 4:30pm at the Wyndham Peachtree Conference Center in Peachtree City, Georgia. All proceeds from this event will benefit local breast cancer patients and promote the BCSN mission “to provide assistance, education, and positive support services to patients before, during, and after diagnosis and treatment for and recovery of breast cancer.”
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in Georgia, and it is the second most common cause of cancer death in women in the US. In 2009 alone, more than 186,000 women and 1,700 men were diagnosed with breast cancer, and another 41,000 women and men lost their battle with breast cancer.
For this reason, the BCSN is hosting this event to celebrate and remember those in our communities who have been affected by breast cancer. The 3rd Annual Hope Tea and Candlelight Service will feature a unique menu of tea snacks by the Wyndham chefs, specially-designed jewelry and breast cancer quilt raffles, silent auction, and door prizes. Entertainment will be provided by Eric Lanford, a multiple Southeast Emmy Award winner and former CNN Headline News presenter.
In addition, prior to the Hope Tea there will be a Holiday Bazaar showcasing hand- crafted jewelry, linens, and other holiday gifts by local vendors. At the close of the Hope Tea, the BCSN will present three special awards and honor the local men and women we have lost this year with the Candlelight Service.
The Holiday Bazaar will be open from 1:00 - 2:30pm and immediately following the event, and the Hope Tea and Candlelight Service will be held from 2:30 -4:30pm. Limited sponsorships and vendor booths are still available. Tickets are $30 and are on sale now. Tickets will NOT be sold at the door, so please call the BCSN Office to reserve your seat and order by credit card or check. Reserved tables of 8 people are for sale for a $15.00 discount off the total price.
You can have your loved one’s name listed on the program and read aloud during the “In Memory of” and “In Honor of” portions of the candlelight service for $5 per name. Members of the community can also support local Breast Cancer Survivors through this event by making a general donation to the BCSN or by making a donation to sponsor a Breast Cancer Survivor Ticket (for a local Survivor who would not otherwise be able to attend). All contributions are fully tax deductible, and all donors will receive a tax receipt.
The BCSN is a Georgia-based, volunteer-led 501-(c)(3) non-profit organization which provides cancer programs, services, and supplies to underinsured and underserved patients locally and across the state. With more than 35 support groups, we have the largest breast cancer support group system in Georgia. Additionally, we have eight “Hope Closets” to provide surgical and other supplies to patients, with the largest Hope Closet serving patients in the Southern Crescent.
To make a donation or for more information about this event or about the content contained here, please contact Janet Beebe or Chloe Maaske of the Breast Cancer Survivors’ Network, Inc. (BCSN ) at 770-487-4396.
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DECA Officers Elected at Whitewater High
(L-R, middle row) Erin Mahlbacher, Danielle Jordan, Mikayla Stewart
(Clockwise, back row) Alex Resnak, Drew Huelfer, Tanner Sweatman, Kayla Maxwell
Members of the Whitewater High DECA Club have selected their 2010-2011 slate of officers. The officers were elected based on their leadership, character, and devotion to the club.
The new officers are Drew Huelfer and Danielle Jordan (co-presidents); Erin Mahlbacher and Lia Poulson (vice presidents of social activities); Mikayla Stewart (vice president of communication); Alex Resnak (vice president of recruitment); Emily Layland (secretary); Yanna Banks and Kayla Maxwell (historians); and Tanner Sweatman (team assistant).
Each of these officers has completed the DECA officer-training program provided by Georgia DECA. The officers and their advisor, Krystin Glover (Georgia DECA Board President), will attend an officer retreat this fall at Camp Calvin.
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Monday, October 25, 2010
Fayette Schools and United Way Help Set a New World Record
A total of 3,000 Fayette students in grades kindergarten through fourth joined other students around the world on October 7 to read Ezra Jack Keats’ “The Snowy Day.” By doing so, they were among the more than two million children who helped break a world record of the most people reading the same book.
Spearheaded by the United Way and Jumpstart’s Read for the Record, the reading initiative brings together children and adults to read the same book, on the same day to emphasize the power of reading. Research shows that children who learn to read well at an early age will read more independently, achieve more in math, social studies and science; and are more likely to graduate from high school and pursue higher education.
The United Way of Fayette and Coweta Counties presented the school system with a certificate of recognition for students’ participation in the worldwide event.
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Friday, October 22, 2010
Sara Harp Minter Students Study Early Exploration
Fourth grade students at Sara Harp Minter Elementary have been studying Early Exploration of the Americas. Their studies culminated by choosing a minimum of 3 detailed projects on Early Exploration.
Projects reflected their understanding of challenges and problems solved by early explorers who had limited technology to guide them. Students created New World Menus, paper mache' globes showing routes taken by explorers, built ships reflective of the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria, and showed their artistic abilities by drawing monsters, giant creatures, and mermaids in the ocean.
Photo source: Sara Harp Minter Elementary School
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Fayette County School System Participates in Shoebox Project
Dignity, hope and confidence are what employees of the Fayette County Public School System have packed into shoeboxes for neighbors in need.
Human Resources Director Dr. Reaneé Ellis, serving as an ambassador for the United Way of Fayette County Shoebox Project, put out a call for help with collecting 200 decorated shoeboxes filled with personal care items for homeless women and children. It did not take long before the shoeboxes started pouring in countywide from teachers and staff members, parents and students, student clubs, cafeteria staff, bus drivers, after -school program groups, entire schools and departments, the superintendent-elect and the interim superintendent, board members, and so many more. Dr. Ellis even enlisted the support of her college classmates, family, personal friends and sorority sisters.
Many of the schools made this a teachable moment through their character education programs. Cafeteria staff sat down and packed shoeboxes after they finished serving nutritious meals to students. Bus drivers parked their buses and dropped off shoes boxes at the front desk. Teachers sent emails to Dr. Ellis telling her that more and more boxes were ready for pick-up. This was truly a superb collective show of support from a hugely benevolent family of school district employees.
“We have really given back to our community in a BIG way. Today, our shoebox donation total is 356 and we have promises of even more. I appreciate the effort our Fayette County Public School System family put into this project. It is such a blessing to be able to offer tangible support to our community in this way. It is an equally great blessing to work with people who care so deeply about those who are just a little down on their luck right now,” says Dr. Ellis.
She said that a statement from one donor who said, “I could have opted to just send you funds but the sacrifice of time made to actually do the shopping was, what I consider, a part of the blessing”, especially touched her.
Among the local organizations that will receive the shoebox care packages are Fayette Youth Protection Home, Fayette County Department of Family and Children’s Services, Fayette Care Clinic, Fayette Senior Services (Meals on Wheels), The Real Life Center, Promise Place, Exceptional Ops, and Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.
Photo source: FCBOE
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Oktoberfest Planned at Life Enrichment Center October 25
The public is invited to celebrate Oktoberfest at Fayette Senior Services Life Enrichment Center, Monday, October 25, 5 to 8 p.m. The festivities include a German polka band, authentic German foods prepared by Executive Chef Donnie Wuerl and Pastry Chef Lori Bean, as well as traditional beverages. Tickets are $15 per person and may be purchased at the Center located at 4 Center Drive, Fayetteville. Advance ticket sales only. Proceeds from the ticket sales will benefit Fayette Senior Services, a non-profit organization.
Guests will also be given the opportunity to help "grow" the future “Therapeutic Garden,” scheduled to be built adjacent to the Life Enrichment Center. Engraved memory bricks and pavers to be placed in the garden will be available for purchase, as well as a variety of unique gifts and traditional German pastries from the “Bavarian Bake Shoppe.”
For more information about the event call 770-461-0813 or visit www.FayetteLifeEnrichment.org.
Fayette Senior Services, Inc. (FSS), a non-profit, 501.c.3 organization, provides services that help Fayette County’s older adults maintain their independence and improve their quality of life. Programs include Meals on Wheels, Transportation, In-Home Personal Care/Homemaker Services, Case Management, Adult Day Care, Information & Assistance, Home Repair, and Medical Equipment Lending. For active older adults, Fayette Senior Services Life Enrichment Center offers a wide variety of social, leisure, fitness and recreational activities, the Ultimate Café, and more! FSS programs are focused on total wellness – body, mind, and spirit – to help older adults age well and live well in our community. For more information about FSS visit www.FayetteLifeEnrichment.org.
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Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Peachtree City's The Fred hosts Jack O'Lantern Contest, Halloween Event
‘The Fred’ is once again planning a spooktacular Halloween party and wants you to be a part of it. Kids and adults alike are invited to decorate or carve your best pumpkin design and enter into our second annual jack-o-lantern carving contest at the Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater. The contest is in conjunction with the “Not so Frightful” Storytelling and Halloween Party on Saturday, October 23 beginning at 2 pm.
Bewitching prizes will be awarded to the winners of the creepiest, funniest and most creative designs in the kids category (up to 12 years of age) and adults (13 years and older).
The pumpkins will be on display at the ‘Fred’ during the “Not so Frightful” Storytelling and Halloween Party. Judging will take place on Saturday morning, Oct. 23 and winners will be announced that afternoon at the event. All pumpkins must have the following information attached to the bottom: Name, address, phone # and age. We will begin accepting jack-o-lanterns at The Fred Box Office on Thursday, Oct. 21 with a deadline of 5 pm on Friday, October 22.
Kids and their families are invited to attend the second annual free storytelling event and take part in lots of fun activities including safe trick or treating, costume contest, storytelling and more. Performers include the return of well-known storyteller and folk singer Erik Litwin, magician Ken Scott, and a visit from My Reptile Guys.
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10th Annual Harvest Yard Sale & 3rd Annual Holiday Bazaar
Calling all bargain hunters! Visit over 50 yard sales in one location at the 10th Anniversary Harvest Yard Sale on Saturday, October 23rd from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Sponsored by the Fayette County Parks and Recreation Department, this community-wide sale will be held at the Activities House parking lot at 980 Redwine Road in Fayetteville. Shoppers at past sales have come from Norcross to Macon, Lithonia to Luthersville and everywhere in between. All booth space has been sold! FREE admission and parking for all bargain hunters! All vendor booths for the Harvest Yard Sale are SOLD OUT!
The Harvest Yard Sale will feature a fundraising booth for the Fayette County Special Olympics. The goal of the Fayette County Special Olympics is to help bring persons with intellectual disabilities into the larger society under conditions whereby they are accepted, respected, and given the chance to become useful and productive citizens. When we achieve this goal through our sports program, we demonstrate that Special Olympics has a unique value: to show the world that every person counts and that every person can be something good when we work together.
Also, the 3rd Annual Fayette Holiday Bazaar & Bake Sale will be held on November 13 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Kiwanis Center, 936 Redwine Road, Fayetteville. The holiday season just wouldn't be the same without a 3rd Annual Fayette Holiday Bazaar where handcrafted crafts and home-baked treats can be found, just in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Local crafters will put their unique homemade crafts on display and sell their wares to Fayette visitors and local residents looking for that special gift.
Homemade items at the Bazaar typically include handmade jewelry to knitted clothing, wooden toys, quilts, arts & crafts, gift baskets and holiday arrangements (cornucopias, wreaths, and centerpieces).....and don't forget the delicious home-baked confections and treats! Booth space will be available for craft & bake sale vendors. . Booth spaces are still available for craft & bake sale vendors for the Holiday Bazaar. Registration deadline is October 16 or until full.
For more information about the Harvest Yard Sale, Holiday Bazaar & Bake Sale or Fayette County Special Olympics, please call the Fayette County Parks & Recreation Department at 770-716-4320 or visit www.fayettecountyga.gov/parks_and_recreation.
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Monday, October 18, 2010
Africa Inland Mission U.S. Headquarters to Move to Peachtree City Pending Sale of Current Headquarters
Africa Inland Mission (AIM) announced this week that Peachtree City, GA, will be the new location for their U.S. Headquarters pending the sale of the current headquarters in Pearl River, NY.
In an email announcement to mission members AIM’s U.S. Director, Dr. Ted Barnett, said AIM’s U.S. Council decided unanimously on the new locale, a decision that came after more than a year of seeking God’s direction and researching potential locations. Peachtree City was the area that best fit the criteria set by AIM’s U.S. Council when the decision to move the headquarters was announced in May of 2009.
Factors contributing to the decision were access to the Atlanta International Airport, housing prices within the range set by AIM’s U.S. Council, and the identification of an office facility well-suited to the mission’s needs.
The Pearl River School District has contracted to purchase AIM’s current headquarters for use as its administrative offices, and a community vote to approve the bond to fund the purchase is scheduled for November 23, 2010.
“Should that vote pass, there are no other known hurdles to closing on the Pearl River property, which would be anticipated before the Christmas holidays this year,” said Dr. Barnett. “If the Pearl River property closes, it is anticipated that the Peachtree City property will close on or before December 31, 2010.”
The planned move of the Pearl River office is anticipated to be in August 2011.
“We would ask that you pray for each person affected by this transition -- particularly our staff,” said Dr. Barnett. “The date that most impacts on our future right now is the school district vote on funding the bond on November 23, 2010. Pray that God will be glorified in the entire process.
“We look forward to more effectively contributing to the establishment of churches among all the unreached peoples of Africa from Peachtree City, GA.”
Africa Inland Mission is an evangelical Christian mission agency serving in over 20 African nations and dedicated to seeing Christ-centered churches established and thriving among all African peoples.
Starr’s Mill High says: ‘Run and Tell That!’
What gives a girl power and punch? Is it charm? Is it poise? If you ask the cast of Starr’s Mill High School’s 2010 musical production, they’ll tell you, without a doubt, it’s “Hairspray”!
A diverse cast of more than 40 students, under the direction of David Spearman, SMHS’s longtime theatre teacher, will be singing and dancing their way through “Hairspray,” the award-winning Broadway musical comedy on Nov. 11, 13 and 14 at Duke Auditorium. Starr’s Mill has gained a reputation for producing professional caliber musicals, year after year, and this is one you definitely won’t want to miss!
Spearman, who is in his 10th year at Starr’s Mill, said he thought “Hairspray” would be the ideal musical to follow last fall’s “Guys and Dolls,” “Grease” (Spring 2009) and “Damn Yankees!” (Spring 2008).
“There is an abundance of talent here at Starr’s Mill,” Spearman said. “I thought ‘Hairspray’ would be the perfect outlet for all of our students, as it would provide the opportunity for our diverse student body to get involved and shine.”
With music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Scott Wittman, “Hairspray” the musical is based on the 1988 John Waters film of the same name. It tells the story of Tracy Turnblad, a pleasantly plump teenager in 1960s Baltimore whose one dream is to dance on “The Corny Collins Show,” a local television dance program. With spunk and determination, Tracy wins a role on the show and becomes a celebrity overnight, all the while trying to win the affections of teenage heartthrob Link Larkin. All is not smooth sailing, however. When Tracy realizes black teens are not allowed on the show, she leads her friends and family on a march against the TV station that lands them in jail.
Starr’s Mill students prepared songs and monologues during the summer, and auditions took place the first week of school. The students have been rehearsing every day since, as well as on weekends. All told, by the time the curtain opens on the first performance, the students and their teachers—director Spearman, along with choreography director Courtney Savage, music director Christy Todd and orchestra director Dr. John Odom—will have spent more than 150 hours in rehearsal.
In addition to the student cast, professional actress Kayce Grogan-Wallace, 30, will join the students to reprise her role as Motormouth Maybelle, who she portrayed in Atlanta Lyric Theatre’s production of “Hairspray” this summer at The Strand Theatre in Marietta. Fans of both the Broadway musical and the movie will no doubt be dancing in their seats as the cast performs more than a dozen songs from the award-winning score, including “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” “The Nicest Kids in Town,” “It Takes Two,” “Run and Tell That” and “Welcome to the Sixties.”
“Hairspray” performances at Starr’s Mill are scheduled for 7 p.m. on Nov. 11 and 13, and 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 14 at Duke Auditorium, 193 Panther Path, Fayetteville. Tickets cost $10 for students and $12 for adults.
On Oct. 26, SMHS “Hairspray” cast members will be on hand for a fundraising night at Chick-fil-A in Wilshire Pavilion on Highway 74 South. Purchases made between 5 – 7 p.m. will directly benefit the musical, helping to offset production costs. Everyone is invited to attend.
For more information, contact the school at 770.486.2710.
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Burn Headlights to Support After School Programs Oct. 21
Burn your car’s headlights on October 21 to support “Lights on Afterschool” and the nearly 1,400 elementary-aged students and their families who rely on the Fayette County Public School System’s After School Program (ASP) for a safe alternative to staying at home alone.
The Afterschool Alliance’s 11th annual Lights on Afterschool is a national event that calls attention to the importance of afterschool programs and the resources required to keep the lights on and the doors open to programs across the nation.
Celebrations will take place in after school programs throughout the county with family nights, poster design contests, and ASP tours.
Fayette’s ASP has been in operation since 1987 under the auspice of the Fayette County Board of Education and the guidance of various national organizations such as the National Afterschool Association, National Association of Elementary School Principals, and the Georgia School-Age Care Alliance. The program has grown from 250 students serving nine elementary schools at its inception to nearly 1,400 students today at 17 elementary schools.
ASP is not only a great alternative to daycare, but it also gives parents peace of mind. It is a safer option than entering a home alone, and has been shown to reduce opportunities for latchkey kids to engage in criminal, delinquent or inappropriate behaviors or become victimized by predators. It has also been shown to improve achievement and promote a better attitude toward school.
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Click to read MORE news:
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Twitter: @FayetteFP
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Blue Jeans Net Donation to FACTOR
Employees at the Fayette County Public School System love blue jeans and a good cause. A total of $3,000 was collected for Fayette FACTOR (Fayette Alliance Coordinating Teamwork, Outreach and Resources) during jeans days at schools across the county.
In exchange for wearing jeans to work on a non-casual day, employees gave a donation to benefit Fayette FACTOR. The organization’s mission is to bring all areas of the community together to build a safe and healthy county. The school system’s donation will be used to help support the non-profit’s initiatives including Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Prevent Child Abuse Fayette, Fayette Meth Task Force and ENCORE, a senior adult leadership program.
Donations made to Fayette FACTOR are tax deductible. Anyone wishing to help the organization can make donations payable to Fayette FACTOR, P.O. Box 142518, Fayetteville, GA 30214. Contact Executive Director Becky Smith for more information, 404-291-1602 (office cell).
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Click to read MORE news:
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www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Twitter: @FayetteFP
