Frederick Douglass High CTI students participate in State Leadership Conference

The CTI State Leadership Conference was held at the Macon City Marriott and Centreplex over the weekend. There were approximately 530 students from around the state entered in 34 competitive areas. The students were entertained by Keith L. Brown, aka “Motivator of the Millennium,” who delivered a strong but energized message about being the best. His message to the students was to turn the impossible to “I’m possible!”

DeMarius Cook and Rashawn Ware (pictured, top left) were in the Team Career Skills Events –Pro Foods. Both are members of the HTM community at Douglass and apsire to work in culinary arts. Krishuana Burgess (top middle) participated in Video Production. The three-minute video was based on the CTI state theme: “I Lead and Succeed with CTI.” Burgess is a member of the Center for Applied Technology SLC at Douglass and hopes to work in the communications field. Joshua Smith (top right) participated in Job Interview/ApplicationsSkills. His portfolio qualified him forthe state event then he made the top twelve and placed 3rdin thestate. Joshua is a member of the Communications and Journalism SLC at Douglass. He wants to be an auto mechanic and design cars for stars. Samuel Wright (bottom left) participated in Job Interview; however, he didn’t make the final 12 but learned some valuable leadership skills with Keith L. Brown, the motivational speaker. Shanese Scott (bottom left) participated in Occupational Creative Thinking teamed with David Parker. And finally, David Parker with his CTI coordinator, Angela Rucker (bottom middle). Parker was elected CTI State President for the 2010-2011 school year while at the conference. He is a member of the Business and Entrepreneurship SLC at Douglass.

APS ‘Honors’ its performing-arts programs

Each year, the Office of Fine and Performing Arts presents its district-wide performing groups in concert. Winter and spring concerts are held annually. Through collaboration with the Career and Technical Education Department this spring, a new and exciting dimension was added to the event. Students and teachers from the Career and Technical Education Department displayed and shared information regarding the various career pathways.

The groups performing included: APS Elementary Honor Band, Carver School of the Arts Harp Academy, Maynard H. Jackson Dance Company, APS Superintendent’s Jazz Ensemble, APS Honor Chorus, and APS Youth Orchestra.

Career & Technical Education Program Displays
New Schools of Carver – School of Health Science & Research – Emergency Medical Services
Alonzo A. Crim Open Campus – Graphic Communications Pathway and Business & Computer Science Pathway
Frederick Douglass High School – Business and Entrepreneurship Academy, Center for Engineering and Applied Technology, Communication & Journalism Academy, and Hospitality, Tourism & Marketing Academy
Benjamin E. Mays High School – Business & Entrepreneurship Academy
D. M. Therrell Educational Complex – Health Science & Research – Culinary Arts; School of Technology, Engineering, Math & Science – Engineering & Technology
Booker T, Washington High School – Senior Academy – Healthcare Science and Culinary Arts
West End Academy – Business & Computer Science.

For more images, check out the photo gallery here.

Children’s author Evelyn Coleman gets the words out at Adamsville Elementary

Students streaming into the media center at Adamsville Elementary were greeted by Atlanta children’s book author Evelyn Coleman — and a big screen. Instead of reading to the children from her various works, Coleman let noted actor James Earl Jones do the talking, through the Web site Storyline Online, as he read To Be a Drum. (A handful of students instantly recognized the story, illustrated by the great Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson. Using the large video screen, Coleman noted, allowed children to appreciate Robinson’s drawings.

Afterwward, Coleman inspired the students with an overview of her career, which included stints as a psychotherapist and martial artist before she settled on writing. “My father taught me when I was young that you need to learn to read, and to speak correct English — otherwise, people won’t know what you want!” she told students. “Now, education doesn’t always mean school, but everyone should learn about the people around them, and the world around them. Coleman later discussed her recent historical work, Freedom Train, based on the journey of the famous train through the 1940s-era Deep South. She also recounted such historical African-American figures as the great singer Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield and Civil War spy Mary Elizabeth Browser.