Community
Peachtree Corners Schools Celebrate the Class of 2020
Published
5 years agoon
By
Mark WoolseyA smiling, waving high school senior wearing a wide grin in the passenger seat. A proud, beaming family member behind the wheel. Their car cruising slowly past cheering, noisemaker-blowing faculty and staff. The inscription “Class of Covid 19” inscribed on a rear window.
That scene from Greater Atlanta Christian School (GAC) seemed to sum up a roller-coaster end of the year for graduating seniors from Peachtree Corners. Confronted with a deepening pandemic, school administrators scrambled for safer ways of honoring — and educating — students finishing their high-school careers and preparing to take on a vastly changed world. By all accounts, they succeeded.
Some Things Lost, Some Things Gained
“I don’t feel like we’ve missed out on anything crucial because we have been doing other things to make up for it,” said senior and Peachtree Corners resident Kaitlyn Williams.
From recorded, professional-grade virtual graduation ceremonies to at-a-distance video awards nights for academic and extracurricular achievements to parades to extracurricular club social media pages featuring check-ins and congrats, the Class of 2020 DID get its due.
“Sure, they’re disappointed they didn’t get to be with their friends,” said Dr. Eric Davidson, principal of Duluth High School. “That’s a lot of school anyway, time spent with friends, especially second semester of the senior year.” Missing out on in-person contact and encouragement from faculty members was another factor.
While that intangible buzz that courses through school halls prior to graduation this year was absent, along with proms, athletic competitions, senior day celebrations and other events, it was seemingly replaced by the students’ res olve to soldier through — and make a difference in the process.
As Gwinnett School Board member Dr. Mary Kay Murphy told graduates virtually, “you did not give into the uncertainty and fear caused by the pandemic. Instead, you went about your coursework with courage, common-sense and optimism.”
Administrators tasked with replacing “the real” with the socially distanced — whether coursework or senior recognition — got an A-plus for pivoting quickly and thinking creatively. The Greater Atlanta Christian School drive-through parade was one highlight.
“It was an opportunity for seniors to decorate their cars and drive through campus with an enthusiastic crowd of teachers from kindergarten through 12th grade and staff cheering them all the way,” said GAC School President Dr. Scott Harsh. The emotion was palpable…there were definitely tears…but all tears of joy.”
“It was fantastic,” said senior salutatorian Williams, who plans to head to Brown University in Rhode Island this fall to study applied math and play soccer. “We were sticking out of the windows and the sunroofs,” waving at the crowd and cruising past signs with their graduation pics.
The City Honors the Graduates
Out-of-the-ordinary kudos also came from the City of Peachtree Corners, which hired an outside firm to orchestrate a video tribute.
Mayor Mike Mason said the idea came from longtime resident Nancy Minor, who wanted special recognition of what he termed a “rite of passage.”
“We contacted 11 high schools, public and private, that serve our community asking for administrators to help get the word out,” he said in an email. The city also utilized social media and civic groups to spread the word.
City spokeswoman Judy Putnam said at least 140 students sent in photos and information, photos and footage from the schools was assembled, students were interviewed and information about congratulatory activities across the community at large was folded in.
The video was directed and produced by Jim Stone of Tytan Pictures, a production and media company that regularly works with the city.
Why all the effort? “The schools have gone to great lengths to make graduation special for their students,” explained Mason. “The city also thought it appropriate to do something special for these young people.”
The 2020 High School Senior Class video is available on the city’s YouTube channel, PCN Network. The video was also displayed May 29-31 on the big screen at the Town Green.
Virtual Graduations
The virtual high school graduations gave students perspective and context, a sense of gratitude and a challenge to do well in the world. They were viewable live and also archived on the district website.
It may sound like a contradiction in terms, but Norcross High School’s virtual ceremony, as did the others, worked on being “alone together.” Students pledged allegiance to the flag — individually — in videos submitted by their families. Technicians then assembled them into a group. Band members playing the National Anthem and a choral group got the same treatment.
Speeches from Principal Will Bishop, Supt. J. Alvin Wilbanks, the valedictorian and salutatorian were a prominent facet. The addresses then gave way to an alphabetically presented photo display highlighting each soon-to-be degree-holder by name and achievements.
The recorded graduations were set in a mold, but seniors at Paul Duke STEM High School added a lively touch: a senior class video which showed students hanging out with friends, dancing, skating, chowing down on pizza and mugging for the camera.
More sedately, Norcross Valedictorian and Peachtree Corners resident Luke Gries set an optimistic but cautious tone in his address: “Over the last month I’ve had an extraordinary amount of time to self-reflect while procrastinating on my digital work and here are a few of the things I’ve recognized. Number one, live each moment to the fullest because you never know when it might be taken away.”
And: “I don’t think I realized how important going to a graduation ceremony was to me until I couldn’t do it anymore.”
The Importance of Connection
Fellow Norcross grad and Peachtree Corners resident Feben Simeneh echoed the reflective mood as she told a reporter that yes, it was sad to lose a major part of the senior year, “but it didn’t stop me from connecting with the ones I love.”
Many ways to be recognized and connect came their way, she said. One such instance involved the track team. “Our coaches would have Zoom calls where we would all work out together and see each other twice a week. Then I’d go out on a run. We’d run together but not physically,” Simeneh explained.
Simeneh, who plans to attend UGA this fall and major in international affairs, also put her expressed love into action by helping her church prepare care kits (hand sanitizer, gloves, etc.) and deliver them to the elderly and needy.
At Paul Duke STEM High, Principal Dr. Jonathon Wetherington said they instituted a weekly conference call for the entire senior class, all 120 or so of them. Some 40 to 90 would take part each week utilizing the Google Meets platform.
He said they were opportunities for seniors to connect, recognize one another and share events in their lives as well as a vehicle for the administration to pass along updates on the school year and Coronavirus developments.
“One of the stresses with the students has been uncertainty, and by having regular meetings we were able to reduce a great deal of that uncertainty,” he said.
A welcome stressbuster came for Greater Atlanta Christian grads who were treated — as a surprise — to personal home delivery of yard signs celebrating their achievements, plus their caps and gowns. Jaws dropped. Addressing still another stressor, said administrators, counselors took time to talk to students feeling thrown for a loop by the pandemic. Some of them were left feeling lost by the cancellation of in-person events that couldn’t be converted.
Duluth High, by way of example, saw its senior day go by the wayside, where students gather outside to get their yearbooks signed, chow down on burgers, play games and hang out with each other faculty members.
“That’s a difficult thing to replicate virtually,” noted Principal Davidson.
The prom also was scuttled. And as for the time-honored senior skip day?
A chuckle. “That was every day,” said Davidson. And as Wilbanks noted while addressing graduates, ‘’It’s no fun skipping home.”
Facing It Together
This year’s Peachtree Corners seniors have faced other hurdles. Williams, for example, told of a friend’s father who passed away from COVID-19, sparking sadness and an outpouring of support. The school’s soccer team and others rallied around, she said.
At Paul Duke STEM, Wetherington said, there was also a come-together spirit as some families faced economic hardship.
“Many of our seniors wound up being the primary sources of income in their families, especially in a scenario where a single mom would get laid off,” he added.
Some worked 40-hour weeks while juggling academic requirements and “I think their character showed in that they didn’t quit school; they didn’t give up.”
Do students feel the events of 2020 took something from them?
Some may, but there’s a much vaster appreciation for the “makeup recognition work” their schools, friends, parents and others have done. And that disappointment may be tempered down the road — Gwinnett Schools and GAC are working toward a physical midsummer graduation, public health concerns permitting.
At GAC, Williams thinks the crisis has represented an exercise in personal growth.
“I think it’s taught us all to be hopeful and resilient…and to search for the good in seemingly bad situations.” ■
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Savannah State University’s inaugural 40 Under 40 list recognizes the achievements of young alumni
Cassidy Bass Jones, owner of LOL Burger Bar, was recently recognized as one of Savannah State University’s (SSU) inaugural 40 Under 40 award recipients.
The award recognizes the contributions of individuals who have excelled in their respective fields before the age of 40. This year’s recipients work in a wide array of environments from municipalities and universities to federal agencies and Fortune 500 companies.
The list includes company founders, executives, state representatives, doctors and lawyers.
“We’re overjoyed to share with the world what these young alumni have accomplished in just a few short years since graduating from this beloved institution,” said SSU Interim President Cynthia Alexander. “These alumni are the best and brightest and truly reflect the values we hope to instill in all SSU graduates.”
By highlighting the achievements of these alumni, SSU aims to inspire its current and future students to aspire to greatness and to emphasize the university’s role in shaping future leaders across various fields.
Each of this year’s honorees attended SSU and seeks to uphold their core values of collaboration, academic excellence, discovery and innovation, integrity, openness and inclusion and sustainability.
“As we honor these remarkable alumni, we celebrate not only their achievements but also reaffirm the value of an SSU education,” Alexander continued.
About Cassidy Jones and LOL Burger Bar
Originally from Newnan, Georgia, Cassidy Jones opened her first burger bar location in West Midtown in early 2023 and quickly gained public recognition and accolades. In 2024, LOL Burger Bar’s Patty Melt was named a Top 10 burger in Creative Loafing’s Burger Week competition.
Jones recently opened a second LOL location at the new Politan Row food hall at The Forum where her team is serving up signature burgers, fries, wings and shakes to the Peachtree Corners community.
For more information about LOL Burger Bar, visit lolburgerbar.com.
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Community
PCBA Accepting Scholarship Applications for Class of 2025 Seniors
Published
1 week agoon
February 14, 2025The Peachtree Corners Business Association (PCBA) continues their philanthropic work with an annual scholarship opportunity for local high school seniors who demonstrate community spirit and initiative and meet the requirements. The scholarship program was established to raise awareness among high school students of the need to give back to the local community and their school.
Applications are now being accepted for the 2024-2025 Student Scholarship Program. The PCBA will award one $1,000 scholarship to a deserving graduating high school senior.
Students are invited to apply now by completing the scholarship application. The deadline to apply is 5:00 p.m. on March 31, 2025.
Application details
Applications should be emailed to scholarship@peachtreecornersba.com.
Sealed transcripts may be sent to the PCBA office at
4989 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 200
Peachtree Corners, GA 30092
Click here for the current scholarship application for eligible graduating seniors.
Qualifications include:
Must be a graduating senior & meet at least one of the following to qualify:
– Resident of Peachtree Corners
– Senior at Norcross HS, Wesleyan HS, Paul Duke HS, or Duluth HS
– Child of PCBA member
Applications must include the application form, a copy of the student’s sealed or official transcript showing cumulative GPA and an essay of 500 words or less describing why you are the best candidate for the scholarship, including three (3) things you’ve learned that you believe will help you in the future.
A separate page listing any of the following the student has been associated with, along with a brief description of your involvement is also required:
- School organization affiliation
- Sports affiliation and extra-curricular activities
- Areas of community involvement
- Personal time donated to charitable/humanitarian causes
- Activities completed or participated in to support the community, healthcare workers, first responders and others.
“The PCBA is proud to continue this scholarship opportunity, which recognizes local students who have positively impacted the community,” says Donna Linden, PCBA board member. “In previous years, we were impressed at the dedication to community service we saw from applicants. We look forward to honoring the deserving student who receives this scholarship.”
Funds for the scholarships are raised throughout the year from PCBA membership, sponsorship and the organization’s annual charity event.
For questions regarding the scholarship program, please email scholarship@peachtreecornersba.com.
Related
If you drive a ‘Little Deuce Coup,’ a ‘Little Red Corvette’ or nothing at all, the Ride Lounge in Peachtree Corners may be the club for you.
If you’re someone who’s so fascinated with automobiles that casual conversations often turn into treatises about torque, transmission overdrive, throttle linkage and tread squirm, the Ride Lounge, set to open this year in Peachtree Corners, might be your utopia.
Founders Dave Codrea and Josh Friedensohn have envisioned the spot as a unique car storage facility and social club designed for car enthusiasts and their families.
Once complete, the 18,000-square-foot building will have indoor storage for about 65 cars as well as lounge areas, a conference room/presentation area for members to do group events, a car detailing area and a bar.
“There will be plenty of room for social events and stuff,” said Codrea.
Pre-opening fundraiser
Even though the establishment’s interior wasn’t completed at the time, the guys kicked off the first weekend in February with the first charity fundraiser of many to come. Pedal Fest took place on Saturday, February 1, with proceeds going to the Gwinnett County Public Schools Foundation.
Teams of three competed in pedal-powered drift trike races around a track set up in the parking lot.
“This is the kind of family-friendly stuff we like to do,” said Codrea. “We’ll probably have about one event a week — mostly related to different car events.”
The concept behind the Ride Lounge is more than just your old man’s garage. According to design firm Archie Bolden, the club will have “strategically integrated focal lighting throughout to enhance specific areas and create captivating visual focal points that invite visitors to explore highlighted zones or admire showcased feature cars.”
The look is described as masculine luxe with industrial accents.
Just a couple of gearheads
Codrea and Friedensohn don’t have anything to do with autos in their day jobs. They are partners in Greenleaf, a real estate company that buys, rehabilitates and manages long-term low-income residential properties and small business commercial properties to provide advancement opportunities for its residents, tenants, investors and communities.
“I started getting into cars when I was about 13 or 14 years old and as a little boy growing up with Hot Wheels,” Codrea said. “I got my first car, and I always enjoyed working on it. I took the whole engine apart and put in a turbo system. I’ve always loved cars.”
And he’s come across other “gearheads” who like to talk about cars, hang out around cars and work on cars as well.
So why a car club?
“You can do whatever you want to do with cars and it doesn’t matter what kind of car you have as long as it’s something you’re passionate about and like talking about it with other car people,” he said. “It’s a really good way to bring people together.”
Why here?
“That’s easy. I live in Peachtree Corners and I like it,” he said.
Building community
Codrea added that there’s so much diversity and growth that it’s kind of a no-brainer that there are many people who’d gravitate to the concept.
“Atlanta is a big city, but that also means there’s all sorts of interest in a lot of little segments,” he said. “You know what’s out there in cars and there’s definitely interest. As the area grows, we’re trying to bring people that like cars and their kids and families together.”
The storage spaces will allow owners to keep their prize possessions out of the elements or out the home garage in an environmentally-controlled area. But owning a car is not a requirement for membership in the club. There’s a level for just communing with like-minded individuals.
With so many “reality” shows based on restoration and enhancement, there’s no doubt that the interest is there. There’s a big screen ready for 24 hours of Le Mans, F1 races and anything else with a motor.
It looks like those with a passion for automotive performance have found their tribe.
To learn more about Ride Lounge or for early member access, visit ride-lounge.com.
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