• Norcross Elementary School students participating in Fifth Third Bank's Young Bankers Club wrapped up the 5-week program earlier this month with a graduation field trip to Kennesaw State University. Twenty-four fifth-grade students, along with teachers and volunteers from Fifth Third Bank, spent the day touring the campus, which included a graduation ceremony at the KSU Convocation Center. Launched in 2004, Fifth Third Bank's Young Bankers Club is a financial literacy course that teaches students the basics about money including what it is and how people get it, the importance of saving, and how education and career choices affect their future.
• Autrey Mill Middle School students celebrated Read Across America with an ambitious book drive and collected hundreds of books in just over 10 days. Students accepted enough new or gently used books from students and staff to provide every child at Hillside Elementary with at least four books. Autrey Mill Middle students also plan to send books aimed at older readers to Ridgeview Middle School. In addition to the book collection, staff and students dressed in Dr. Seuss attire and spent time reading in the school's front rotunda.
• The College of Continuing and Professional Education at Kennesaw State University received five awards at the 2016 Georgia Adult Education Association's Annual Conference held at the Brasstown Valley Resort. Barbara Calhoun, dean, said the honors are "a true testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire staff to ultimately help our students succeed." The Professional Achievement Award was given to Tamara Grooms, assistant dean, who has been part of the Continuing Education team since 1997 and manages programming, finance, HR and registration while serving on multiple campus committees. The Outstanding Adult Educator Award went to Jan Britt, an award-winning interior designer, published author, window treatment specialist and home stager who has been teaching at the college nearly 20 years. The Innovative Marketing Award was won for the "I Did It" marketing that showcases successful students through powerful testimonials. The Innovative Program Award for Gerontology recognized the only non-credit certificate program for professional development in gerontology at a higher education institution in Georgia. The Exemplary Service Contribution Award was given to instructors in fundamentals of residential property management, real estate and property management professionals who volunteer their services, teach on Saturdays, and provide hands-on learning and networking opportunities for students.
• Three Georgia teachers, who happen to be siblings, have been named 2016 AP Professionals of the Year for the Southern Region by the College Board. The three teachers, –Kimberly Heglund, John Jameson, and Joni Jameson all work at Archer High School.
• Raising $26,722 in just six weeks, Olivia McDonnold and Mira Shah, seniors at Fulton County's Centennial High School, won top-three recognition at the 2016 Georgia Student of the Year Awards Gala sponsored by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. McDonnold and Shah were two of only 15 students/teams accepted into the fundraising campaign, which ran January 14 - Feb. 26. The Student of the Year campaign is an opportunity for local area high school students who are enthusiastic about volunteerism, philanthropy, community outreach, and developing leadership skills to participate in the fight against blood cancers. Each team that raised the $10,000 minimum received a $1,000 scholarship.
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