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Expand Your Kids’ Knowledge with Great Field Trips

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Whether your family is full of history buffs, granolas, thrill-seekers or scientists, there is tons to do around Gwinnett County this fall to spark your kids’ imagination and expand their minds.

Southeastern Railway Museum
Location: 3595 Buford Hwy., Duluth 30096
Hours: Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1-6 p.m.
Website: train-museum.org

What makes it great: The Southeastern Railey Museum proudly stands as Georgia’s official museum of transportation history. It boasts the largest collection of locomotives in Georgia, including historically significant cars, buses and trains, as well as railroad artifacts.
Kids will enjoy the old, real, larger-than-life vehicles and train rides.

McDaniel Farm Park
Location: 3251 McDaniel Rd., Duluth 30096
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Website: exploregwinnett.org/directory/listing/mcdaniel-farm-park

What makes it great: Georgia’s rural farming history goes back 200 years at this location. It was owned and maintained by the McDaniel family for 140 years — and much of the property has been preserved as it existed in the 1930s.

When your family visits this farm, they’ll roam the fields of Gwinnett’s past, walk the halls that the McDaniels lived within and hear the chirping birds and gurgling water that generations of a farming family coexisted with for so many years.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Location: 767 Clifton Rd., Atlanta 30307
Hours: Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Website: fernbankmuseum.org

What makes it great: Well, what’s not great about Fernbank? As a nonprofit natural history museum, it shows indoor, outdoor and special exhibits related to dinosaurs, human culture and STEM subjects. Its giant screen theater plays award-winning science documentaries every day.

WildWoods and Fernbank Forest are 75 acres and open year-round, fascinating people of all ages with its natural diversity. And this is all without mentioning Fernbank’s themed events. If you haven’t been yet, you’re sorely missing out!

Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center
Location: 2020 Clean Water Dr., Buford 30519
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Website: exploregwinnett.org/directory/listing/environmental-heritage-center

What makes it great: With over 233 acres of property, there’s plenty to do at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center. Your kids can experience educational fun with the Water Ways diorama and Discover H2O.

For some adventure, try the Treetop Quest ropes course or wander on five miles of walking trails. Finish your trip with a tour of the charming 1850s Chesser-Williams Historic House.

Chattahoochee Nature Center
Location: 9135 Willeo Rd., Roswell 30075
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, 12-4 p.m.
Website: chattnaturecenter.org

What makes it great: “Get your nature on” at this 127-acre nature destination on the Chattahoochee River. With dozens of activities available to experience, everyone’s in for a natural, fun time.

Hike or canoe with your child down the river or take a walk and admire the beautiful scenery. Learn about backyard habitats and birds of prey together or zipline through the tree canopy. There are always special and seasonal events happening, so no matter when you visit, your family is sure to have a blast.

Tellus Science Museum
Location: 100 Tellus Dr., Cartersville 30120
Hours: Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Website: tellusmuseum.org

What makes it great: The Tellus Science Museum succeeds in making science exciting and engaging. In addition to the permanent fossil collection, the museum contains three special exhibits that change biannually: one for archaeology, the second for locomotives and the third for fun facts and brain games.

Right now, Gear Up: The Science of Bikes is displayed in the Discovery Garden, so you and your family can learn about the technology, history and cultural impact of bicycles. You can also learn about our solar system at the Bentley Planetarium and view the night sky in the state-of-the-art Tellus Observatory.

Illuminarium
Location: 550 Somerset Terrace NE, Atlanta 30306
Hours: Monday-Wednesday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.;
Thursday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. / 7 p.m.-11 p.m. (Illuminarium After Dark)
Website: illuminarium.com/atlanta/

Illuminarium

What makes it great: Illuminarium is an incredibly unique Atlanta attraction. Although entirely indoors, 4K laser projections, audio beams, in-floor haptics and scent effects combine to totally immerse visitors in realistic cultural experiences.

Depending on the show you choose to attend, you may fall down into Wonderland, adventure through an African safari or be transported beyond our world and into the amazing galaxy swirling all around us in the SPACE experience. The sensory features of these experiences are intense and enriching without being frightening, so it will be thrilling for all ages.

Bigger kids (ages 21+) can consider trying the After Dark or O’Keefe immersive settings for date night or an outing with friends.

Zoo Atlanta
Location: 800 Cherokee Ave. SE, Atlanta 30315
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Website: zooatlanta.org

What makes it great: For classic family fun, check out the zoo. Zoo Atlanta was opened in 1889, making it Atlanta’s first and oldest zoo, and it still stands up as an outstanding experience. Two hundred animal species from all corners of the world call this zoo home, bringing to life your childrens’ storybooks and dreams.

But Zoo Atlanta doesn’t stop at showing visitors these gorgeous creatures; the zoo works to protect them through various conservation efforts, including its notable commitment to giant panda conservation, and invites visitors to take action themselves. Still, there’s so much more to do at the zoo, like feed giraffes, engage with educational presentations and participate in scavenger hunts.

Coming up, Zoo Atlanta will host two Nightcrawler events, in August and October, where families with children ages six and up can spend the night at the zoo, play team challenges and interactive games, take tours and learn even more about wildlife. You don’t want to miss it!

Ivy Clarke is a nationally award-winning writer, editor, artist and aspiring literary activist currently studying English literature, creative writing and art at Mercer University. In addition to her work with Peachtree Corners Press, she writes and edits for The Mercer Cluster, The Dulcimer, Macon Magazine and Mercer University Press. She has also published poetry in Atlanta Review, Glass Mountain and The Allegheny Review.

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Education

Peachtree Corners Business Association Announces Annual Scholarship Winners

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The Peachtree Corners Business Association (PCBA) has announced its 2023 Scholarship winners: Zoe Hanson of Norcross High School and Sasha Tarassenko of Paul Duke STEM High School.  

Hanson was awarded $1,000 at PCBA’s April 27 Business After Hours event. Tarassenko will receive the $1,000 award at the organization’s May 18 Business After Hours Event. 

Zoe Hanson has been accepted to the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and will be studying Fashion Business Management. 

Zoe Hanson

“Pursuing the things I love has been a driving force throughout my life, one in which I intend on maintaining by following my dream of having a successful career in the fashion industry,” Hanson said. She shared that “it is important to be adaptive when faced with new difficult situations,” and stated that she is looking forward to seeing what the future will be. 

Sasha Tarassenko plans to major in Sociology and Flute Performance with hopes of continuing her research on under representation in classical music education and industry, sparked by the AP Capstone program at the Paul Duke STEM High School and her interest in the performing arts.

Sasha Tarassenko
Sasha Tarassenko

“The PCBA Scholarship program is an integral part of our PCBA Community Outreach program,” said Lisa Proctor, PCBA President. “We are so fortunate to be able to continue to invest in our future. The PCBA has awarded 17 scholarships over the last 10 years, and I continue to be so impressed with these outstanding scholarship winners.”

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Education

Pinckneyville Middle School Gets New Soccer Field [Photos]

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How do you reward a team with a seven-year consecutive championship streak? Pinckneyville Middle School’s answer is to construct a new soccer field. Well, not really. Although the girls’ soccer team has been undefeated for seven years in a row, the soccer field is to benefit everyone at the school as well as the community.

Financial backing from Peachtree Corners and support from Gwinnett County Public Schools made this possible. On Friday, May 5, school district administrators and city, county, and state elected officials celebrated the new grounds with a ribbon cutting.

The Pinckneyville Middle School PTA added a crowning touch by donating $17,000 for a scoreboard to be added to the soccer field.

The full feature story will be online soon and in our next issue of Peachtree Corners Magazine.

Photos by Tracey Rice

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Education

Greater Atlanta Christian School names Valedictorian and Salutatorian

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Cecile Nguyen and Sophia Nguyen (photo courtesy GAC)

During its Academic Awards Night, Greater Atlanta Christian School (GAC) named its Valedictorian and Salutatorian of the Class of 2023.

Sophia Nguyen of Duluth was named class valedictorian. She will attend the University of Georgia as a Foundation Fellow in the Fall and plans to pursue international law. She is the daughter of Ben and Kelly Nguyen.

During her time at GAC, Sophia has completed 11 honors courses, 14 advanced placement courses and one dual credit course. She was captain of the Varsity Academic Team for two years, leading the team to a state championship and qualifying for the High School National Championship.

Sophia was vice president and then president of the GAC Literary Magazine and serves as recording secretary of the Culture Club and was a Georgia Governor’s Honors participant in Communicative Arts last year.

Cecile Nguyen of Alpharetta has been named class salutatorian. She will attend the University of Georgia in the Fall and plans to double major in Psychology and Biology. She is the daughter of Paul and Tiffany Nguyen.

While at GAC, Cecile has completed 11 honors and nine advanced placement courses. She is the student manager of the Mock Trial Team and was selected to be the prosecutor for this year’s Gwinnett County case. Cecile is also a sought-after peer tutor.

GAC has 149 students graduating on May 20 at the Long Forum on the campus of Greater Atlanta Christian School.

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