Education
Local Students To Participate In International Creativity Competition
Paul Duke STEM HS Odyssey of the Mind team heads to ‘World Finals’ in Iowa at the end of this month.
A group of seven talented and determined young ladies from Peachtree Corners are off to conquer the world this month in a competition that requires creativity, wit, spontaneity and a whole lot of courage.
The Odyssey of the Mind World Finals is the pinnacle of a decades-old program that teaches youngsters to use creative problem-solving activities that require knowledge along with their imagination to build, fix and create what might have been unimaginable. Odyssey of the Mind was founded in 1978 to foster original and divergent thinking.
Through the Odyssey of the Mind program, organizers promote creativity by challenging teams to solve problems with more than one solution, according to its program guide. By working as one unit, participants learn teamwork, the appreciation and understanding of others and that a group is a more powerful thinking force than an individual.
The guide went on to add that the students develop a sense of self-respect and respect for others through preparatory activities such as brainstorming and role-playing. Many of the most successful teams are those with participants with a wide difference in interests such as dance and sports, math and poetry, etc.
The Paul Duke STEM High School Odyssey of the Mind team will head to Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa to take on youth from as far away as Europe and South America. This is the fifth year in a row for a team comprised of six high school freshmen who attend Paul Duke STEM and Norcross High School and one middle schooler from Pinckneyville MS.
Five of the seven members of this team have been to Odyssey of the Mind World Finals four times before. Each one competed on Pinckneyville Middle’s team for the last three years, which won fourth place in 2019 and first place in 2020 as well as first place in the World Finals Virtual and In-person competition. Five of the members won first place in 2018 on the team from Simpson Elementary.
The competition has three divisions for k-12 students that break down by age, but are generally elementary, middle and high school. And within the divisions, there are five different types of “problems” for students to tackle.
The Peachtree Corners kids always focus on Problem 5 – Performance, where scoring is based mostly on the performance and elements within the performance. It sometimes requires a specific character, sometimes humor, sometimes an original story, but it’s always supposed to be fun.
Unfortunately, the competition isn’t low-cost. While the participants are only allowed to spend $150 on materials for props and costumes, registration, transportation and lodgings for events can run into the thousands of dollars.
For that reason, the Paul Duke team has set up a GoFundMe page seeking donations for the May 25-28 trip to the Midwest.
Learn more about the Paul Duke STEM High School Odyssey of the Mind team here.
Good Samaritan Health Centers of Gwinnett (Good Samaritan Gwinnett) has received state authorization from the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (GNPEC) to officially launch Access Academy, a private, certificate-granting, low-cost postsecondary education program targeting students of low-income and/or minority households who aspire to pursue careers in healthcare but may lack the financial means to attend traditional college programs.
Access Academy is designed to meet the needs of students from underserved communities, providing healthcare-specific training at a fraction of the cost, thanks to charitable donations and volunteer-based faculty support.
Access Academy will initially offer a five-month medical assistant certification program. Graduates of the program will be able to enter the workforce without the burden of student loans, directly benefiting their household income and financial well-being.
“We are thrilled to launch Access Academy and open the doors of opportunity for those who need it most,” said Shameka Allen, CEO of Good Samaritan Gwinnett. “Our mission has always been to support underserved communities, and now, with Access Academy, we can extend that impact by helping students earn their medical assistant certificates and get their start in healthcare.”
A history of mentoring and education
Good Samaritan Gwinnett has a rich history of educating undergraduate and graduate students in health sciences. Since 2012, the organization has mentored nearly 450 graduate students pursuing medical and dental professional degrees. The cost of precepting just one midlevel student for an average of 168 hours amounts to $10,038, reflecting the organization’s dedication to training and education.
Greg Lang, chief financial officer of Good Samaritan Gwinnett, spearheaded the efforts to secure state authorization and launch Access Academy.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see Access Academy come to life after months of planning and preparation,” Lang said. “Access Academy is not just providing training — it’s offering hope, opportunity and the support needed to turn dreams into reality.”
An ongoing mission
The launch of Access Academy is part of Good Samaritan Gwinnett’s ongoing mission to expand its reach and make healthcare more accessible, both by providing direct patient care and by equipping future healthcare professionals with the skills they need to succeed. Since Good Samaritan Gwinnett’s inception in 2005, more than 52,300 patients have entered the clinic more than 300,000 times.
For more information about Access Academy, visit them at goodsamgwinnett.org/access-academy or email Greg Lang at Greg.Lang@goodsamgwinnett.org.
Pinecrest Academy, a private preK3–12 Catholic school serving north metro Atlanta, has once again been named to the College Board’s Advanced Placement® Program (AP®) School Honor Roll, earning Platinum distinction.
The AP® School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering results for students while also broadening access. Schools can earn this recognition annually based on criteria that reflect a commitment to increasing college-going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit and maximizing college readiness.
“We are so honored to have received this AP Honor Roll Award, as we strive each year to provide every student with a college preparatory experience, which includes the successful completion of challenging AP courses,” commented Amy Bowman, Pinecrest Academy high school principal. “The Platinum designation from AP speaks to the excellence that our faculty strives for in delivering challenging content that prepares our students for college.”
The numbers
During the 2023-2024 school year, Pinecrest had 89% of seniors taking at least one AP exam during high school, 82% of seniors scoring a three or higher on at least one AP exam and 58% who took five or more AP exams. Twenty-one AP courses were offered, representing 30 sections taught by 12 high school teachers at the school.
“Our Class of 2024 earned a 100% acceptance into the college/university of their choice,” Bowman said. “Since the school’s first graduating class of 2007, Pinecrest’s high school has maintained a 100% graduation rate every year.”
AP Access Award
Pinecrest Academy was also awarded the AP Access Award this year. Schools on the AP School Honor Roll may earn the AP Access Award, which recognizes schools that demonstrate a clear and effective commitment to equitable access to advanced coursework.
“AP represents an opportunity for students to stand out to colleges, earn college credit and placement and potentially boost their grade point averages,” said Trevor Packer, head of the AP program. “The schools have shown that they can expand access to these college-level courses and still drive high performance — they represent the best of our AP program.”
For more information, visit pinecrestacademy.org.
For more about the Advanced Placement® Program, visit ap.collegeboard.org.
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