Regents choose finalist to be subsequent president of Georgia State College

“With the incredible progress made over the past decade, Georgia State has an outstanding reputation combining excellence in both research and accessibility,” Blake said in a statement. “It’s built for the next generation of students, scholars and practitioners, and I would be delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to the next chapter of the institution.”

The Regents are likely to vote on Blake’s appointment within the next week.

Regent Neil Pruitt Jr., a Georgia State graduate who chaired the board’s Georgia State search committee, said in a statement Blake “will serve its campuses well.” Regents Chairman Sachin Shailendra said during Thursday’s meeting he believes they’ve selected “two strong presidents” in Blake and Stuart.

ExploreGeorgia State University’s president announces departure

Georgia State’s current president, Mark Becker, announced plans last year to leave by June. Becker has been in the job since January 2009.

Georgia State University President Mark Becker (right) talks with Traci Curney as her son and linebacker Ed Curney (center) looks during the 2019 Football Kickoff Luncheon at Georgia State Stadium on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2019. HYOSUB SHIN / HYOSUB.SHIN@AJC.COM

Georgia State has about 54,000 students, the largest enrollment in the state, and roughly 5,500 employees. Under Becker, the university has ramped up academic research, its football and basketball programs and efforts to use data analytics to improve graduation rates. Black students make up about 40% of its enrollment and by some accounts, more Black students earn their bachelor‘s degrees from Georgia State than any university in the nation.

The university’s work on increasing graduation rates has drawn visits for many educators in recent years, including then-U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. The university is working on a National Institute for Student Success scheduled to open this fall that will train educators to resolve institutional barriers to equity and college completion at their schools.

Georgia State’s next president will be tasked with completing its $85 million convocation center, continuing to increase faculty research and improving its three-year graduation rates on its perimeter campuses, which was 15% in 2019. That rate is up from 6.5% three years earlier. Georgia State’s overall six-year graduation rate is 62%.

Students navigate Georgia State University’s main campus in Atlanta, Tuesday, March 10, 2020, around the start of the coronavirus pandemic in Georgia. (ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM)

Credit: Alyssa Pointer

Credit: Alyssa Pointer

Kenneth Lockett, 21, an undergraduate political science major who is managing editor of The Signal, the university’s student newspaper, said classmates want more engineering programs on the downtown Atlanta campus and for Georgia State to find additional ways to help the homeless who live near that campus. Lockett wrote an article for The Signal last year asking that Georgia State’s next president be Black, but didn’t think it would happen.

“I was kind of shocked,” Lockett said of Thursday’s announcement. “It’s a pleasant surprise.”

Many Georgia State students and faculty say the university needs to increase its racial and gender diversity on the graduate student, faculty and administrative levels. While non-white students make up about 75% of the university’s enrollment, they are roughly 18% of its administrators.

ExploreGeorgia State faculty demand greater diversity and inclusion

Tanya Washington Hicks, a Georgia State law school professor who is president of the university’s Faculty of the African Diaspora Association, said her group is willing to help Blake tackle some of these issues.

“I hope he embraces that Georgia State is poised to fully embrace this idea of being an industry leader in diversity, equity and inclusion,” she said.

M. Brian Blake

Here’s a breakdown of Blake’s academic and professional credentials:

• Served in administrative roles at Drexel University, the University of Miami, the University of Notre Dame and Georgetown University.
• Authored or coauthored more than 200 journal articles, books or book chapters and refereed conference or workshop papers.
• Earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Georgia Tech, and a master’s degree in the same subject from Mercer University; a doctoral degree in software engineering from George Mason University.
• Served on five National Academies’ studies or committees and on the National Science Foundation’s Advisory Committee for the Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate.

Sources: University System of Georgia, George Washington University

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It shows full-time employment in the system declined by about 1,500 workers. Black employees were about 33% of the total job losses although they made up 23% of the total workforce in 2019. They shared their findings last week with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.”},{“_id”:”HLJH7FLGE5B3HJSAMZKYNV3N4Q”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621563430685},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Union leaders say their findings, compiled in a 14-page report, shows the University System schools should “chop at the top” when making job cuts. They demand in the report that the schools prioritize rehiring people of color and women whose jobs have been cut over the past year and said they’ll continue to advocate on these matters. 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They also said several alternatives the union mentioned to offset the budget cuts, such as dipping into institutional funds or taking out low-interest loans, are “uninformed.””},{“_id”:”LH2DI3R3ZNELFILUM2ACBY5FBQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621621438205},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“This report is wrong and misleading, based on flawed logic and a misinterpretation of facts,” system officials wrote.”},{“_id”:”OQUPQNEEYBEVDPWVGKVZ2ZP77Y”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621633130744},”type”:”text”,”content”:”System officials did not provide their own data in their response detailing how many job cuts were pandemic-related. Their response did note that the five schools with the highest percentage of workforce declines — more than 10% at four of the schools — also had enrollment declines.”},{“_id”:”K3BYZLGICNDJ5EROWV4KYF2LRE”,”additional_properties”:{“comments”:[],”_id”:”HXFG3AT7T5F5XM2FRCLGPHS3PM”},”type”:”raw_html”,”content”:”rn”},{“_id”:”BRPRISS5F5GGZNDFAIT7FWCEGY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621633130745},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Union leaders have criticized several decisions system leaders and college presidents have made during the pandemic, such as requiring faculty get approval from their supervisor if they wanted to teach remotely to avoid being exposed to someone with COVID-19. The union also raised concerns last year that non-supervisory workers would bear the brunt of any job cuts.”},{“_id”:”DHCMR5DWTRG5ZAVJNAL4L2IUJ4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621621438207},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The system had nearly 48,000 employees last fall, a decline of more than 1,560 workers from the prior fall, according to annual reports on its website. The biggest declines were among service/maintenance workers, secretarial/clerical staff and para-professionals.”},{“_id”:”DF33LQ4GFZAYFJOB4HZ5DW5K3Y”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621601736918},”type”:”text”,”content”:”More staff reductions occurred at some of the system’s largest schools, such as UGA and Georgia State, with more 500 fewer full- and part-time employees each, according to the union’s report. UGA, though, did not experience any layoffs solely related to the pandemic, system officials said.”},{“_id”:”EDSRHJ3J3VHFRJAYYZSHVTZHN4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621621438209},”type”:”text”,”content”:”For those who lost their jobs, the decisions still hurt.”},{“_id”:”6EMIE25X3FFUTBZ5RYEYZQ3IGQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621621438210},”type”:”text”,”content”:”At Kennesaw State University, which had an increase of 33 employees during the time period reviewed, some former workers believe they weren’t treated fairly.”},{“_id”:”B3Z4P4UADRF35HE6XAWZRJ4YQI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621621438211},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Melissa Monsibais, who worked at Kennesaw State for about three years as a catering sous chef, was told in October her job was being eliminated. Monsibais, 53, did not understand the rationale. The catering department, she said, was making a profit. An executive chef in another department asked if she could work for him. That wasn’t an option, she said an administrator told her.”},{“_id”:”PO5G54CSAZE2LC3W2GQJZXKEA4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621636414455},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Kennesaw State officials referred the AJC to the University System for response.”},{“owner”:{“sponsored”:false,”id”:”ajc”},”address”:{},”syndication”:{},”caption”:”Melissa Monsibais, 53, said her job at Kennesaw State University was eliminated last year. She believes her position was unnecessarily eliminated. 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(ALYSSA POINTER / ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM)”,”type”:”image”,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/EVL7Y4DWAB5BAVT4NX4GK7CEFM.JPG”,”height”:3648}},”_id”:”J7RIEWZDWNGMBMCXFGF5VZJAYE”,”teaseImageObject”:{“credits”:{“affiliation”:[{“name”:”ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM”,”type”:”author”}],”by”:[{“name”:”Alyssa Pointer”,”type”:”author”}]},”subtitle”:”Georgia State University”,”width”:5472,”caption”:”08/24/2020 – Atlanta, Georgia – Georgia State University Cabinet Shop Supervisor Barry Coombs (right) and Georgia State University Carpenter Ivan Franklin (left) place a plastic shield on the information desk inside the Student Center during the first day of classes at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Monday, August 24, 2020. (ALYSSA POINTER / ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM)”,”type”:”image”,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/EVL7Y4DWAB5BAVT4NX4GK7CEFM.JPG”,”height”:3648}},{“content_elements”:[{“_id”:”V4S47OO23REC7PPBCIL5ETE3SI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1594729076640},”type”:”text”,”content”:”A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that Georgia elementary schools that made teachers and other staff wear masks had a significantly lower rate of COVID-19 infection, a finding that could influence policies in the fall when younger children may still be ineligible for vaccination.”},{“_id”:”C5EQJOGIJJFNDIDUGSJSEWBZXE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621624789585},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The findings from the Morbidity and Mortality and Weekly Report released Friday say that, after accounting for community infection rates, the incidence of the disease was 37% lower in schools that required teachers and staff members to use masks and 39% lower in schools that improved ventilation by opening windows and doors, using fans or in combination with air filtration.”},{“_id”:”PSTKZXH7RVEI3MPLNJEBARV3OM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621627157130},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“Mask requirements for teachers and staff members and improved ventilation are important strategies in addition to vaccination of teachers and staff members that elementary schools could implement as part of a multicomponent approach to provide safer, in-person learning environments,” the authors wrote.”},{“_id”:”TUZG7WORXNHSJPYHEMHUZCG4V4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621624789589},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Universal mask use is still recommended by the CDC for adults and children in schools regardless of vaccination status. Georgia never mandated masks in schools, leading to inconsistent policies among its 180 school districts. Some required them and others did not, often angering some percentage of parents.”},{“owner”:{“id”:”ajc”},”address”:{“locality”:”Cartersville”,”region”:”Georgia”},”caption”:”Cartersville Middle School Spanish teacher Omar Nu–ez wears a face mask and a face shield while interacting with students in his classroom at Cartersville Middle School in Cartersville in this Thursday, August 20, 2020 file photo. (ALYSSA POINTER / ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM)”,”source”:{“system”:”photo center”,”name”:”AJC Freelancer”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/XKDSHEU72FG4HX2ASJUUB726EQ”,”source_type”:”wires”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[“5f3c24b1e6886d5550a80c35″],”seo_keywords”:[“AJC Freelancer”]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”custom”,”name”:”AJC Freelancer”,”category”:”wires”},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/XKDSHEU72FG4HX2ASJUUB726EQ.JPG”,”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“affiliation”:[{“name”:”ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM”,”type”:”author”}],”by”:[{“name”:”Alyssa Pointer”,”type”:”author”}]},”subtype”:”Wires”,”subtitle”:”Cartersville Middle School “,”width”:4915,”_id”:”XKDSHEU72FG4HX2ASJUUB726EQ”,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/PjLbDy-X5NiCiNw0u15Poi2_nys=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/XKDSHEU72FG4HX2ASJUUB726EQ.JPG”,”comments”:[],”iptc_job_identifier”:”5f3c24b1e6886d5550a80c35″,”keywords”:[“AJC Freelancer”],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/PjLbDy-X5NiCiNw0u15Poi2_nys=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/XKDSHEU72FG4HX2ASJUUB726EQ.JPG”,”takenOn”:”2020-08-20T16:21:33Z”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/XKDSHEU72FG4HX2ASJUUB726EQ.JPG”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/PjLbDy-X5NiCiNw0u15Poi2_nys=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/XKDSHEU72FG4HX2ASJUUB726EQ.JPG”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/A6TnShm5HzsRW8sjiR3SBRL8KNk=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/XKDSHEU72FG4HX2ASJUUB726EQ.JPG”,”version”:2,”originalName”:”s3://ajc-arc-photo-integration/Freelancer/AAJC 082320 SCHOOLS CORONAVIRUS_AP16.JPG”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”galleries”:[{“headlines”:{“basic”:”fixit — photo use do not publish”},”_id”:”MX7AZ7WKGJEX3JVLWQTA7JAW5U”},{“headlines”:{“basic”:”fixit — photo use do not publish”},”_id”:”JUJRAFU4F5HNZIKPX3D5FLPCWE”}],”_id”:”T4U2XNMIQBEHFNXP3VRGBURPC4″,”iptc_title”:”Visual Journalist”},”created_date”:”2020-08-20T20:48:25Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2020-08-20T21:08:12Z”,”slug”:”AAJC 082320 SCHOOLS CORONAVIRUS”,”height”:3277},{“_id”:”TUZG7WORXNHSJPYHEMHUZCG4V4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621624789589},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Verdaillia Turner, president of the Georgia Federation of Teachers, said schools are under growing pressure to fully reopen without social distancing, and many are abandoning mask mandates.”},{“_id”:”NHS37KSDXBHIFPDKR2CKJJ5RTQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621630465081},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“We think that’s a big mistake,” she said. “We are not out of the woods by a long shot.””},{“_id”:”ND2KMFC5WZBSBFM355XUE2GDJE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621627157133},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The organization is supplying its members with access to at-home COVID-19 testing kits to monitor for infection.”},{“_id”:”AWUHJHFXYZAKFIBJLOU4CESEK4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621627157134},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The new CDC study is based on a survey of 169 K–5 schools in 47 school districts. The schools had at least some students in person and reported COVID-19 cases from Nov. 16 to Dec. 11.”},{“_id”:”LRJAIL4MO5HERKRJFRSQFUV3TI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621624789593},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The CDC notes limitations in the findings, including that the infections were self-reported and the prevention strategies might have been implemented inconsistently. It said the data cannot be used to infer causal relationships, meaning that the researchers found a correlation between mask use and lower infection rates but can’t say that masks were the cause.”},{“_id”:”PTGYMVNKGNF75H2SQ4I4LWEGM4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621628263805},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Earlier this year, the CDC released the findings from a study of coronavirus transmission in a Georgia school district. It found three primary ways that COVID-19 had spread through schools in Marietta: indoor winter sports, staff-to-staff contact and in elementary school classrooms where far more students had returned in person. Teachers and staff were more likely to spread the disease when they planned lessons together or ate lunch together.”},{“_id”:”BR5PMQ7JEFBI7NR4T6PZX5YZYE”,”additional_properties”:{“comments”:[],”_id”:”LW6FKBMLPND4ZA72VWGXR5AA7U”},”type”:”interstitial_link”,”url”:”https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/cdc-study-teacher-interaction-indoor-sports-fueled-covid-19-spread-in-marietta-schools/MHC72IN2OZBRVI6HBQSZ4T2RNU/%3E/”,”content”:”Previous coverage: CDC study: Teacher interaction, indoor sports fueled COVID-19 spread in Marietta schools”},{“_id”:”6EJVNJDN7JB4PFZ2BGYEAXZHQM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621628263806},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Marietta Superintendent Grant Rivera reacted by spreading out desks in classrooms and limiting activities that involved gathering together, like reading on the classroom rug. Teachers’ meetings were to be held online and they couldn’t eat together indoors unless spread far apart.”},{“_id”:”LUDN7V2B4ND5FFW3YGYFHZSLKA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621628263807},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Rivera was among superintendents who relaxed mask rules after the CDC announced last week that it was recommending that vaccinated people no longer had to wear them in many settings. He has said he expects to start school in the fall with masks being optional.”},{“_id”:”7KIZJMF4EJHOVDBC4QKQSGTYCM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621628263808},”type”:”text”,”content”:”On Friday, Fulton County Schools announced that masks will be optional starting June 1.”},{“_id”:”ZKF22QTLOFFYBIG5JSWJ3IRO5M”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[]},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Correction: this article originally misstated when Fulton County Schools will make masks optional; it will be after the school year ends this week.”},{“_id”:”GBR3TZRLT5HLJD3LP62YATMKB4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621628263809},”type”:”text”,”content”:”
“}],”display_date”:”2021-05-21T20:54:20.008Z”,”headlines”:{“basic”:”CDC: Georgia elementary schools with teacher mask mandate had far lower COVID infection rates”},”first_publish_date”:”2021-05-21T20:42:30.025Z”,”taxonomy”:{“sections”:[{“path”:”/education”,”parent”:{“default”:”https://www.ajc.com/”},”_website”:”ajc”,”parent_id”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”name”:”Education”,”description”:”School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools”,”_id”:”/education”,”additional_properties”:{“original”:{“parent”:{“AmpNav”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”default”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”BottomNav”:null,”TopNavRedesign”:”/news”,”SectionMap”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”MainMenuRedesign2021″:”/news”,”TopNav”:”/news”,”ComposerNav”:”https://www.ajc.com/”},”site”:{“section_comments_enabled”:”Yes”,”site_description”:”School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools”,”site_title”:”Atlanta Schools: Education and School News”},”navigation”:{“nav_title”:”Education”},”inactive”:false,”node_type”:”section”,”_website”:”ajc”,”name”:”Education”,”_id”:”/education”,”ancestors”:{“TopNavRedesign”:[“https://www.ajc.com/”,”/news”],”SectionMap”:[“https://www.ajc.com/”],”MainMenuRedesign2021″:[“https://www.ajc.com/”,”/news”],”TopNav”:[“/news”]},”order”:{“AmpNav”:1014,”default”:1014,”TopNavRedesign”:2006,”SectionMap”:1006,”MainMenuRedesign2021″:2006,”TopNav”:2007,”ComposerNav”:1041}}},”_website_section_id”:”ajc./education”,”type”:”section”,”version”:”0.6.0″}],”tags”:[{“text”:”school-news.ajc”},{“text”:”georgia education”},{“text”:”georgia-news.ajc”},{“text”:”atlanta-news-metro.ajc”},{“text”:”atlanta-neighborhoods.ajc”},{“text”:”teamjanel”},{“text”:”coronavirus-schools-business”},{“text”:”georgia news”},{“text”:”ajc top news”}],”primary_section”:{“path”:”/education”,”name”:”Education”}},”type”:”story”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-24T13:19:40.104Z”,”canonical_url”:”/education/cdc-georgia-elementary-schools-with-teacher-mask-mandate-had-far-lower-covid-infection-rates/DBITVJLIVVFZDFN7FDWU5VHCOA/”,”promo_items”:{“basic”:{“credits”:{“by”:[{“name”:”Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com”,”type”:”author”}]},”subtitle”:”DEKALB REOPEN”,”width”:5031,”caption”:”John R. Lewis Elementary School principal LaShawn McMillan, right, greets students as their dropped off for the first day of in-person learning at John R. Lewis Elementary School in Atlanta, Tuesday, March 9, 2021. (Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com)”,”type”:”image”,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/HAGXOS7Q6PTWH5KE2K3XNSQVGI.JPG”,”height”:3648}},”_id”:”DBITVJLIVVFZDFN7FDWU5VHCOA”,”teaseImageObject”:{“credits”:{“by”:[{“name”:”Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com”,”type”:”author”}]},”subtitle”:”DEKALB REOPEN”,”width”:5031,”caption”:”John R. Lewis Elementary School principal LaShawn McMillan, right, greets students as their dropped off for the first day of in-person learning at John R. Lewis Elementary School in Atlanta, Tuesday, March 9, 2021. (Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com)”,”type”:”image”,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/HAGXOS7Q6PTWH5KE2K3XNSQVGI.JPG”,”height”:3648}},{“content_elements”:[{“_id”:”EVN36UIKUZHLHFXVI2A72YL6L4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1594734569707},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The graduating class of 2021 has had to adapt more so than any group of students in recent memory.”},{“_id”:”OXMDJPV3GFGA5DYBQCJEC5HJ4U”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620933145770},”type”:”text”,”content”:”For more than a year, they’ve taken some or all of their classes online due to the coronavirus pandemic. The shift forced major changes in classroom instruction. There were fewer lab sessions and office hours with professors. There were often poor internet signals that disrupted online learning. They missed their friends.”},{“_id”:”VGK6QOMJIBEEVNRVYKWQBNP3ZU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620987707130},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Despite those challenges, and others, they graduated.”},{“owner”:{“id”:”ajc”},”copyright”:”Jenni Girtman”,”address”:{},”caption”:”Kennesaw State University holds graduation Wednesday May 12, 2021 at the college’s stadium. Graduates are handed diplomas during the ceremony but will receive their specific diploma after graduation. (Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal Constitution)”,”source”:{“system”:”AJC Freelancer”,”name”:”AJC Freelancer”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/ND43RB3XPUWG2YLWJ6XIOFPGOA”,”source_type”:”wires”,”source_id”:”s3://ajc-arc-photo-integration/Freelancer/AAJC 051321 KSU GRADUATION PHOTOS-0008.jpg”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[“6095ac0a427fdc63c71161a3″],”seo_keywords”:[“AJC Freelancer”]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”custom”,”name”:”AJC Freelancer”,”category”:”wires”},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/ND43RB3XPUWG2YLWJ6XIOFPGOA.jpg”,”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“by”:[{“name”:”Jenni Girtman”,”type”:”author”}]},”subtype”:”Wires”,”subtitle”:”Kennesaw State University graduation”,”width”:3000,”_id”:”ND43RB3XPUWG2YLWJ6XIOFPGOA”,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/cCoiIvSVUt_q9nsV0hbJ2uts8Zw=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/ND43RB3XPUWG2YLWJ6XIOFPGOA.jpg”,”comments”:[],”iptc_job_identifier”:”6095ac0a427fdc63c71161a3″,”keywords”:[“210512″,”ajc”,”graudation”,”AJC Freelancer”,”Atlanta Journal-Constitution”,”College graduation”,”Jenni Girtman”,”KSU”,”Kennesaw State Univesity”],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/cCoiIvSVUt_q9nsV0hbJ2uts8Zw=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/ND43RB3XPUWG2YLWJ6XIOFPGOA.jpg”,”takenOn”:”2021-05-12T21:15:07Z”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/ND43RB3XPUWG2YLWJ6XIOFPGOA.jpg”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/cCoiIvSVUt_q9nsV0hbJ2uts8Zw=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/ND43RB3XPUWG2YLWJ6XIOFPGOA.jpg”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/-27Uh6P366fzkzWOAKm5YPzqc08=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/ND43RB3XPUWG2YLWJ6XIOFPGOA.jpg”,”version”:2,”originalName”:”s3://ajc-arc-photo-integration/Freelancer/AAJC 051321 KSU GRADUATION PHOTOS-0008.jpg”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”galleries”:[{“headlines”:{“basic”:”PHOTOS: Kennesaw State commencement 2021″},”_id”:”L3RJC62ITBG7JKODV7SEMEOUDM”}],”_id”:”C7LCJG24NBDSTAG7B6JI3H2BSA”,”iptc_title”:”photographer”},”created_date”:”2021-05-13T00:40:01Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-13T18:08:42Z”,”height”:2107},{“_id”:”5XY6OGAWSNHCPD53PS3SEJ2TQI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620992730101},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Some did so working multiple jobs while raising their children. Many produced award-winning research. Several had dual majors. All in some way overcame a personal obstacle or unforeseen barrier.”},{“_id”:”HFBZY6SKKRGOVD27ZZPNLPI7LQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620933145771},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently interviewed graduates from some of the region’s colleges and universities who emerged as leaders or impressed campus administrators.”},{“_id”:”MI5JLJIXBJALRFPIVXISRNPQVY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620987707131},”type”:”text”,”content”:”We met a student who won an Emmy. Another worked at a local hospital comforting COVID-19 patients. One student got her bachelor’s degree at the age of 73.”},{“_id”:”P3M6WPGF7NGZRJ5PS3ANYDUKRQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620992730104},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Here are their stories:”},{“_id”:”JFHUCL2EUZEIHGCVOMCG5GPC5U”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619722138842},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Yara Daou”},{“_id”:”QBT6UX4FQBEXDAVBULPSXCYQXU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619722138843},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Georgia Gwinnett College”},{“owner”:{“sponsored”:false,”id”:”ajc”},”address”:{},”syndication”:{},”caption”:”Yara Daou is a 2021 graduate of Georgia Gwinnett College. (Contributed)”,”source”:{“system”:”photo center”,”name”:”AJC”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/OJDYXR3ISZGB5EHJCN5II5GYTI”,”source_type”:”staff”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”reference”,”reference_id”:”8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019″},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/OJDYXR3ISZGB5EHJCN5II5GYTI.JPG”,”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“affiliation”:[]},”subtitle”:”Yara Daou”,”width”:2400,”_id”:”OJDYXR3ISZGB5EHJCN5II5GYTI”,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/nt0IMyAz9bJZHCRyM_pZEGACCbU=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/OJDYXR3ISZGB5EHJCN5II5GYTI.JPG”,”owner”:”eric.stirgus@ajc.com”,”comments”:[],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/nt0IMyAz9bJZHCRyM_pZEGACCbU=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/OJDYXR3ISZGB5EHJCN5II5GYTI.JPG”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/OJDYXR3ISZGB5EHJCN5II5GYTI.JPG”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/nt0IMyAz9bJZHCRyM_pZEGACCbU=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/OJDYXR3ISZGB5EHJCN5II5GYTI.JPG”,”ingestionMethod”:”manual”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/h0FfeF75aBGPK-XG-V4fid2Wxpo=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/OJDYXR3ISZGB5EHJCN5II5GYTI.JPG”,”version”:0,”originalName”:”Yara Daou GGC Cap and Gown 2_2400x1350.JPG”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”template_id”:594,”galleries”:[],”_id”:”4WXV4W4KX5GH5JFAOLDE7TU3F4″},”created_date”:”2021-05-11T15:11:12Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-11T15:11:12Z”,”height”:1350,”image_type”:”photograph”},{“_id”:”3VDPRZJ56VFDDJTIAJLIXBGY6E”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619722138844},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Daou, 22, originally from Beirut, Lebanon, moved to the U.S. with her family at age 17. She was president of the college’s Four Pillars Society, a student leadership program, as well as a student orientation leader and an intramural assistant. She majored in information technology.”},{“_id”:”XPOTCD2MNNFS5FGQ77QKEYCFV4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619722138845},”type”:”text”,”content”:”What was the biggest challenge you faced pursuing your degree? “My biggest challenge during my time at GGC was my personal growth and struggling to find my future self. I had to forget about my past (my friends, family, and home) so that I can focus on my present and future here in the U.S. Another challenge was trying to get involved because I am shy.””},{“_id”:”GCQ7GOUDEFGR7B32VKH4MVCDRI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619722138846},”type”:”text”,”content”:”How did you get through the challenge? “I pushed myself to start going to events with my friends, and I met a lot of students. I was also excelling academically, so the whole combination gave me a lot of self-confidence to try and do things that I always wanted to do.””},{“_id”:”QGANE32QUVGYRFO667GOIPUS6M”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619722138847},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Future plans? Daou will work a full-time job at VMWare, a cloud computing and technology firm based in California, and plans to pursue a master’s degree.”},{“_id”:”QUYC7OO7NVFQFGPHLYZCZX26RA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620660494050},”type”:”text”,”content”:”—“},{“_id”:”XWRG2O6WMZHABHSJCP32HIB3TY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620660494051},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Hope Didier”},{“_id”:”3NE6DYQBIBHUBBPJF3ERFYPA2A”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620660494052},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Kennesaw State University”},{“owner”:{“sponsored”:false,”id”:”ajc”},”copyright”:”@JenniGirtman.com”,”address”:{},”caption”:”Hope Didier is a Kennesaw State University student graduating this summer with degrees in dance and biology. Didier worked at a local hospital before the pandemic and adjusted to caring for COVID ICU patients rather than finishing course work this year. She will begin earning her master’s degree at Wake Forest after finalizing her biology degree this summer. (Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)”,”source”:{“system”:”AJC Freelancer”,”name”:”AJC Freelancer”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/JKIZOG2FSZDERONOBKKSJ5K2QY”,”source_type”:”wires”,”source_id”:”s3://ajc-arc-photo-integration/Freelancer/052321 SLA COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT-0003.jpg”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[“609a776ca4fef15f7ca8eb6a”],”seo_keywords”:[“AJC Freelancer”]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”custom”,”name”:”AJC Freelancer”,”category”:”wires”},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/JKIZOG2FSZDERONOBKKSJ5K2QY.jpg”,”geo”:{},”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“by”:[{“name”:”Jenni Girtman”,”type”:”author”}]},”subtype”:”Wires”,”subtitle”:”Hope Didier is a stellar KSU graduate”,”width”:3000,”_id”:”JKIZOG2FSZDERONOBKKSJ5K2QY”,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/A90tdS1afYTnGg_e86ROIY1pdrs=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/JKIZOG2FSZDERONOBKKSJ5K2QY.jpg”,”comments”:[],”iptc_job_identifier”:”609a776ca4fef15f7ca8eb6a”,”keywords”:[“210512″,”ajc”,”biology major”,”dance major”,”graduate”,”graduate school”,”student”,”AJC Freelancer”,”Atlanta Journal-Constitution”,”Hope Didier”,”Jenni Girtman”,”KSU”,”Kennesaw State Univesity”],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/A90tdS1afYTnGg_e86ROIY1pdrs=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/JKIZOG2FSZDERONOBKKSJ5K2QY.jpg”,”takenOn”:”2021-05-12T19:11:57Z”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/JKIZOG2FSZDERONOBKKSJ5K2QY.jpg”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/A90tdS1afYTnGg_e86ROIY1pdrs=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/JKIZOG2FSZDERONOBKKSJ5K2QY.jpg”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/h82sI6YUrOVe2A44C5YEoOuQuuY=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/JKIZOG2FSZDERONOBKKSJ5K2QY.jpg”,”version”:2,”originalName”:”s3://ajc-arc-photo-integration/Freelancer/052321 SLA COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT-0003.jpg”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”galleries”:[],”_id”:”NL6WFEAQ4RDEJNDKTTKMRH4BBE”,”iptc_title”:”photographer”},”created_date”:”2021-05-13T02:44:03Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-14T18:12:12Z”,”height”:2607,”image_type”:”photograph”},{“_id”:”2TCY4R6K4NGOVHY7EWOIJMOM3Q”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620660494053},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Didier, 23, from Peachtree City, has been extremely busy in recent months. The biology and dance major had a full academic load and has also worked 12-hour weekend shifts as a trauma surgery ICU technician at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, which has included helping COVID-19 patients.”},{“_id”:”3FTG5MVDMJDVDJ66F2UQBX6VCI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620672414981},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“It was downright terrifying at times, but I can definitely say that after every 12-hour night shift, I would still leave the hospital knowing it’s exactly what I want to do with the rest of my life,” Didier said of the work.”},{“_id”:”TKB4DI4DWZAKLJK2JMIWVB63I4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620672414982},”type”:”text”,”content”:”University administrators have been impressed with Didier for years. Her research on cervical cancer earned the top award at a 2018 symposium. Didier did a presentation on the research at a state Board of Regents meeting last year.”},{“_id”:”EPMQOFTX6JHYNN2PL6DLSAZG5Y”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620672414983},”type”:”text”,”content”:”What was the biggest challenge you faced pursuing your degree? “I’ve been putting off a back surgery to pursue (her passion to dance), but ultimately, I could no longer put it off. It was a massive challenge to overcome physically and mentally … and returning to a program when I couldn’t move like I wanted to.””},{“_id”:”T7IZKF3O3FH7PD3D63L46ZDKZI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620672414984},”type”:”text”,”content”:”How did Didier get through the challenge? Didier couldn’t dance for a semester and a half after the surgery. “Thankfully, I was able to take a number of classes that our dance department offered that were as interesting to me as a dual degree individual … I was growing as a dance scholar and it was a way to keep dance in my life.””},{“_id”:”7GH6EMP4GJBZRG3FV65MRKGBY4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620672414985},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Future plans? Didier will attend Wake Forest University to pursue a doctoral degree in molecular medicine and translational science and a master’s degree in medical science and physician assistant studies.”},{“_id”:”CW3XTZEE35ARPCXKIUR64ONO5I”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620348421217},”type”:”text”,”content”:”—“},{“_id”:”AB4LGR2HMFAPLH6WVD63JERMSU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620348421218},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Ashton Edmunds”},{“owner”:{“sponsored”:false,”id”:”ajc”},”address”:{},”syndication”:{},”caption”:”Clark Atlanta University graduating senior Ashton Edmunds is surrounded by some of the articles he’s written. Edmunds, an aspiring sports journalist, plans to pursue his master’s degree at Northwestern University. (Courtesy of Sean Bartley)”,”source”:{“system”:”photo center”,”name”:”AJC”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/D2YTEG3LURHQJN6QCCE7MF275U”,”source_type”:”staff”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”reference”,”reference_id”:”8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019″},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/D2YTEG3LURHQJN6QCCE7MF275U.jpg”,”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“affiliation”:[]},”subtitle”:”Ashton Edmunds CAU”,”width”:1773,”_id”:”D2YTEG3LURHQJN6QCCE7MF275U”,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/a8OWVGt2GTelB1xzhQwRBJpUK0A=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/D2YTEG3LURHQJN6QCCE7MF275U.jpg”,”owner”:”eric.stirgus@ajc.com”,”comments”:[],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/a8OWVGt2GTelB1xzhQwRBJpUK0A=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/D2YTEG3LURHQJN6QCCE7MF275U.jpg”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/D2YTEG3LURHQJN6QCCE7MF275U.jpg”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/a8OWVGt2GTelB1xzhQwRBJpUK0A=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/D2YTEG3LURHQJN6QCCE7MF275U.jpg”,”ingestionMethod”:”manual”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/mOHeoEGIbfTEDVIK8si-kFwkjgE=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/D2YTEG3LURHQJN6QCCE7MF275U.jpg”,”version”:0,”originalName”:”Ashton Edmunds1_1773x998.jpg”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”template_id”:594,”galleries”:[],”_id”:”TYC4YRAI6RGTDIKV5SMFQLIHX4″},”created_date”:”2021-05-06T16:43:19Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-06T16:43:19Z”,”height”:997,”image_type”:”photograph”},{“_id”:”VXWAAATBKJEFRFGZUTYMNL7YKM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620348421220},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Clark Atlanta University”},{“_id”:”VE6VGCGQHVGTTAFZYCOECEHDJU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620348421221},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Edmunds, 22, an aspiring sports journalist from Tallahassee, Florida, had “a dream come true” a few months ago when he interviewed NBA All-Star Chris Paul before the big game in Atlanta. “He’s relatable and chill in many ways, which made the interview flow really smooth,” Edmunds said. He made the dean’s list all four years at Clark Atlanta, was sports editor at the student newspaper and was the inaugural Turner Diversity Media Fellow at Warner Media.”},{“_id”:”XYYR2B223VFONKT57M4IFHW73M”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620348421222},”type”:”text”,”content”:”What was the biggest challenge you faced pursuing your degree? “My biggest challenge at CAU was finding my voice as a journalist. I came into college with no journalism experience, with my high school not having a school’s newspaper.” He also didn’t realize how much the profession entailed. “I knew that I was always great at writing and talking about sports but I had to learn the basics and foundation of journalism for everything to come together.””},{“_id”:”4ZAWPD6ALRHKTFZ6JJLKBGNK7A”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620348421223},”type”:”text”,”content”:”How did you get through the challenge? “I got through this challenge by stepping outside of my comfort zone and taking on the sports editor role for CAU’s student-led newspaper after my freshman year. The more I wrote and interviewed people, I started to figure out my voice as a journalist. I landed my first internship the summer after my sophomore year and from then on, things started to align perfectly.””},{“_id”:”QCS3CHJCMVD6TBKPGSX3T5Q6OU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620348421224},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Future plans? Edmunds will pursue his master’s degree at Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism through the sports media track.”},{“_id”:”IVBNDXV25VAXHHVBF2B2CER5G4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619726815566},”type”:”text”,”content”:”—“},{“_id”:”Q2GHSGHSUFAOTEUZT26GKMPX2M”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619726815567},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Christopher B. Edwards”},{“_id”:”QCC43ELYSNDCBCMV2X65APSYBE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619726815568},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Clayton State University”},{“owner”:{“sponsored”:false,”id”:”ajc”},”address”:{},”syndication”:{},”caption”:”Christopher B. Edwards was the student commencement speaker at Clayton State University for 2021. Edwards received his master’s degree in business administration. Edwards was a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, an international business honor society. (Contributed)”,”source”:{“system”:”photo center”,”name”:”AJC”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/OWIUMQ3PB5DELBOS5W7I64P4DQ”,”source_type”:”staff”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”reference”,”reference_id”:”8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019″},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/OWIUMQ3PB5DELBOS5W7I64P4DQ.jpg”,”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“affiliation”:[]},”subtitle”:”Christopher B. Edwards”,”width”:1369,”_id”:”OWIUMQ3PB5DELBOS5W7I64P4DQ”,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/GF2pzlIDG85JNAHmunmlvEmQL3s=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/OWIUMQ3PB5DELBOS5W7I64P4DQ.jpg”,”owner”:”eric.stirgus@ajc.com”,”comments”:[],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/GF2pzlIDG85JNAHmunmlvEmQL3s=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/OWIUMQ3PB5DELBOS5W7I64P4DQ.jpg”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/OWIUMQ3PB5DELBOS5W7I64P4DQ.jpg”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/GF2pzlIDG85JNAHmunmlvEmQL3s=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/OWIUMQ3PB5DELBOS5W7I64P4DQ.jpg”,”ingestionMethod”:”manual”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/5iHV0gHDS4fUKy75ULMiQU37cDc=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/OWIUMQ3PB5DELBOS5W7I64P4DQ.jpg”,”version”:0,”originalName”:”Christopher B. Edwards_1369x770.jpg”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”template_id”:594,”galleries”:[],”_id”:”WGZRC3BGYZBQFMWGPJEUMPYRSY”},”created_date”:”2021-05-12T14:56:20Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-12T14:56:20Z”,”height”:770,”image_type”:”photograph”},{“_id”:”VULJ5BYQSBCA5EKMSHGMGMTAIM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619726815569},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Edwards, 43, started his collegiate journey at Georgia Tech in 1996 as a football player, but didn’t complete his degree after mustering a 1.6 grade-point average by his senior year. His wife encouraged him in 2013 to try again. He enrolled at Georgia Perimeter College and earned an associate degree three years later with honors. In 2019, he graduated summa cum laude from Georgia State with a degree in business administration. That fall, Edwards began his graduate studies at Clayton State and has excelled. Edwards was a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, an international business honor society, and received his master’s degree in business administration.”},{“_id”:”YLOWCED6HNAQTFSBKY7CFNFZ3I”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619726815570},”type”:”text”,”content”:”What was the biggest challenge you faced pursuing your degree? “I was working 50 hours per week and taking four classes. During the second session, my sister in-law and grandfather died during the same week. This was a very difficult time for me and my wife. … During the second session I got sick and eventually was diagnosed with a blood clot in my lung. It took two weeks for me to heal. My professors were very supportive during this period. Because of their support, I was able to keep up and finish all classes with A’s.””},{“_id”:”F3CEFCSLHFBVVHAZWFZMY2GRWU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619726815571},”type”:”text”,”content”:”How did you get through the challenge? “I overcame these challenges by holding on to my faith in God and a lot of support from my wife, children, family, and professors.””},{“_id”:”SXRBPJQIBZGBVDH6XK6W3STJCM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619726815572},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Future plans? Edwards plans to apply for part-time positions teaching business courses, specifically in operations management. He’s also returning to Clayton State this fall to complete the Master of Strategic Leadership Development.”},{“_id”:”K34LTKIYD5HZBI2TOLONG5IJRA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619722138848},”type”:”text”,”content”:”—“},{“_id”:”FAA6DKLRUFDWZKQFLA7K3FXUUY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620690179189},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Riuki Gakio”},{“_id”:”M6Y5PFNSBVE6DMUIOIEKACVMZ4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620690179190},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Georgia State University”},{“_id”:”PZPXM4OV6RA3REA2EZNIS4X6E4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620690179191},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Born in the United States, Gakio, 24, spent much of his childhood in Botswana and went to high school in Kenya before moving back here to attend Georgia State. Gakio created a documentary, “Our Plastic World,” about the impact of plastic pollution on the environment. It included footage from Greece, Kenya and Vietnam and video shot by one of his professors while in Antarctica. The documentary won an Emmy.”},{“owner”:{“sponsored”:false,”id”:”ajc”},”address”:{},”syndication”:{},”caption”:”Riuki Gakio is a graduating senior from Georgia State University. (Contributed)”,”source”:{“system”:”photo center”,”name”:”AJC”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/K5P7NVQ3U5A6RENYS6WELZVLU4″,”source_type”:”staff”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”reference”,”reference_id”:”8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019″},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/K5P7NVQ3U5A6RENYS6WELZVLU4.jpg”,”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“affiliation”:[]},”subtitle”:”Riuki Gakio”,”width”:799,”_id”:”K5P7NVQ3U5A6RENYS6WELZVLU4″,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/jAciD8BhcivKpeuBmq8ck0gTw08=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/K5P7NVQ3U5A6RENYS6WELZVLU4.jpg”,”owner”:”eric.stirgus@ajc.com”,”comments”:[],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/jAciD8BhcivKpeuBmq8ck0gTw08=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/K5P7NVQ3U5A6RENYS6WELZVLU4.jpg”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/K5P7NVQ3U5A6RENYS6WELZVLU4.jpg”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/jAciD8BhcivKpeuBmq8ck0gTw08=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/K5P7NVQ3U5A6RENYS6WELZVLU4.jpg”,”ingestionMethod”:”manual”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/1xBpIgj7dRiWJqZVVpIgqeskZWA=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/K5P7NVQ3U5A6RENYS6WELZVLU4.jpg”,”version”:0,”originalName”:”20210430SAT_Riuki-Gakio_FI_800x450.jpg”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”template_id”:594,”galleries”:[],”_id”:”OEOANV2JHBBWPDEWXMPSCWNN3U”},”created_date”:”2021-05-11T15:30:41Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-11T15:30:41Z”,”height”:449,”image_type”:”photograph”},{“_id”:”ISUP433Q5FFNTJ6BVZQFPQNOIA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620690179194},”type”:”text”,”content”:”What was the biggest challenge you faced pursuing your degree? “The film was the biggest challenge at Georgia State. It was a huge undertaking … I knew this film had immense potential and that is what drove me forward to work long nights, many times straight through the night with editing and doing drafts and rewriting the script many times until the film looked fantastic in its final form.””},{“_id”:”QIK277HXZFAMXMIKHSDANC6OGI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620735314789},”type”:”text”,”content”:”How did you get through this challenge? “My spirituality and faith — the Baha’i Faith — helped me to stay grounded and centered. It helped me to think more selflessly and about service — that it is not really about me, but trying to serve the audience and by extension contribute to society with timely and extremely valuable information about our environment, and offer ideas from the experts on how we can improve our environment and by extension improve and create a better society. This helped keep me going and served as motivation.””},{“_id”:”AFXYOWONAJBDRM4XJHMZNPWRDQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620690179196},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Future plans? Gakio hopes to get a job in the television, media or film business.”},{“_id”:”ANQN4HISKJADBDZMLBMSIMMXCQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620672415004},”type”:”text”,”content”:”—“},{“_id”:”NGF4Q7HPSBHPVEQ5CUEFIG3LUY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620654973642},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Biya Haile”},{“_id”:”PTGJXIEWYBB5DNWW4QQWEPBDVM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620654973643},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Georgia Tech”},{“owner”:{“id”:”ajc”},”address”:{“street_address”:”Georgia Insitutte of Technology”,”locality”:”Atlanta”,”region”:”Georgia “},”caption”:”Georgia Institute of Technology graduate Biya Haile poses for a photo outside of the Marcus Nanotechnology Building on the university’s main campus in Atlanta, Thursday, May 13, 2021. Haile will graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering. (Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com)”,”source”:{“system”:”AJC Freelancer”,”name”:”AJC Freelancer”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/WGBWIIJ5ZEAUY6KEL4EBXWOBKM”,”source_type”:”wires”,”source_id”:”s3://ajc-arc-photo-integration/Freelancer/SLA COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT_AP1.JPG”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“seo_keywords”:[“AJC Freelancer”]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”custom”,”name”:”AJC Freelancer”,”category”:”wires”},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/WGBWIIJ5ZEAUY6KEL4EBXWOBKM.JPG”,”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“affiliation”:[{“name”:”Alyssa Pointer/Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com”,”type”:”author”}]},”subtype”:”Wires”,”subtitle”:”SLA COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT”,”width”:5472,”_id”:”WGBWIIJ5ZEAUY6KEL4EBXWOBKM”,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/84-p_0McPVX4Uzl5IVvZKf6kWJE=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/WGBWIIJ5ZEAUY6KEL4EBXWOBKM.JPG”,”comments”:[],”keywords”:[“AJC Freelancer”],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/84-p_0McPVX4Uzl5IVvZKf6kWJE=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/WGBWIIJ5ZEAUY6KEL4EBXWOBKM.JPG”,”takenOn”:”2021-05-13T14:33:56Z”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/WGBWIIJ5ZEAUY6KEL4EBXWOBKM.JPG”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/84-p_0McPVX4Uzl5IVvZKf6kWJE=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/WGBWIIJ5ZEAUY6KEL4EBXWOBKM.JPG”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/i1reRK1N7OCf8e5T8oO0wPnWjws=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/WGBWIIJ5ZEAUY6KEL4EBXWOBKM.JPG”,”version”:2,”originalName”:”s3://ajc-arc-photo-integration/Freelancer/SLA COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT_AP1.JPG”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”galleries”:[],”_id”:”MIVP3IOPLFCGJMTRB4ENXVRAPM”},”created_date”:”2021-05-13T16:20:53Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-21T01:16:13Z”,”slug”:”052321 SLA COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT”,”height”:3648},{“_id”:”G2CTVCWOEBCDPMKDBQKQHQ46QE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620756854442},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Haile has been very active at Georgia Tech.”},{“_id”:”XDOWB2OVFVCCPFVORQL5GVJTGE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620987707185},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The 22-year-old mechanical engineering graduate worked as an assistant mechanic at the Gwinnett County Airport while pursuing a pilot’s license. He published two research projects. Haile, who was 16 when he came from Ethiopia to Norcross, has volunteered at local refugee outreach organizations.”},{“_id”:”NVKBW7ZZSZBM7J7ATYDA5IKVUY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620992730162},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The honors have been many, including his recent selection as a National Science Foundation graduate research fellow.”},{“_id”:”4QGOPCRPDJCF3D6AVXYJEOMA4M”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620987707186},”type”:”text”,”content”:”A few days after graduation, Haile talked about an ongoing project. He’s working on creating a beekeeping program for people in parts of his homeland as an alternative revenue source to slow deforestation. Meanwhile, he’s in the process of becoming a U.S. citizen.”},{“_id”:”3AXFYVQS3FGSJNESG27ROBVSOY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620654973647},”type”:”text”,”content”:”What was the biggest challenge you faced pursuing your degree? “Finding a balance between school, work, and social life. The school’s rigorous and tough curriculum was overwhelming throughout my college career, which most students are well aware of. I never underestimated it, however, I had to juggle between work and classes to meet my financial needs along with work experiences to build up my career.””},{“_id”:”AYFP5ELRK5GXROQN762AJHMO2U”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620654973648},”type”:”text”,”content”:”How did you get through the challenge? “My willingness to seek help and mentorship from different faculty at Georgia Tech played a big role in overcoming the challenge. Despite various setbacks, I continued working in the lab, hit important milestones in my research, and presented at conferences.””},{“_id”:”AXXXIPB2YVHMLNMHLENODS2WDU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620654973649},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Future plans? Haile will be pursuing graduate studies in electrical and computing engineering at Georgia Tech.”},{“_id”:”5THZWMUX6NAZZB3RTV6VBMGBXA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620654973650},”type”:”text”,”content”:”—“},{“_id”:”TCMM27K4XVCFNNNXIJVOUYH3TI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620826767160},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Beverly G. Kelley”},{“_id”:”PJLPGP6UZFHYDO536KQ2EWIJLQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620826767161},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Mercer University”},{“owner”:{“sponsored”:false,”id”:”ajc”},”address”:{},”syndication”:{},”caption”:”Beverly Kelley, 73, graduated from Mercer University’s Henry County Regional Academic Center with a degree in liberal studies. (Contributed)”,”source”:{“system”:”photo center”,”name”:”AJC”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/X7WDR3M7SJG2JJIO2TL35QXODE”,”source_type”:”staff”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”reference”,”reference_id”:”8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019″},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/X7WDR3M7SJG2JJIO2TL35QXODE.jpg”,”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“affiliation”:[]},”subtitle”:”Beverly Kelley”,”width”:951,”_id”:”X7WDR3M7SJG2JJIO2TL35QXODE”,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/M-eQ_ArFZHb0lTxhDj1KUDwJ2P0=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/X7WDR3M7SJG2JJIO2TL35QXODE.jpg”,”owner”:”eric.stirgus@ajc.com”,”comments”:[],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/M-eQ_ArFZHb0lTxhDj1KUDwJ2P0=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/X7WDR3M7SJG2JJIO2TL35QXODE.jpg”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/X7WDR3M7SJG2JJIO2TL35QXODE.jpg”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/M-eQ_ArFZHb0lTxhDj1KUDwJ2P0=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/X7WDR3M7SJG2JJIO2TL35QXODE.jpg”,”ingestionMethod”:”manual”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/1XHY_3ZF-3gGW-bCumnyO94Q49s=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/X7WDR3M7SJG2JJIO2TL35QXODE.jpg”,”version”:0,”originalName”:”Beverly Kelley_951x535.jpg”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”template_id”:594,”galleries”:[],”_id”:”FBTORFBSRZC73CAWH2DMINOGX4″},”created_date”:”2021-05-13T21:29:26Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-13T21:29:26Z”,”height”:535,”image_type”:”photograph”},{“_id”:”SOD2QX5FUBGOPDPYRRZJI23QOI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620826767162},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Kelley’s family has many things to smile about this month. Two of her granddaughters are graduating from high school. The biggest celebration may be for Kelley, 73, who is receiving her degree in liberal studies from Mercer.”},{“_id”:”LAX5M7DURJFEFIXKGTNLTEAA4I”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620987707203},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“OMG, we did it!” says a small sign Kelley held in a recent picture, dressed in her cap and gown.”},{“_id”:”Z2XLUW3JVRGMPKJ25KREGTIKDE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620987707204},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Kelley, who moved in 2003 from New Jersey to Georgia with her husband, Harold, had trouble finding work a few years ago and decided to go to college. (Harold died a few years ago.) She studied at Mercer’s Henry County Regional Academic Center and was a student ambassador, worked as a library assistant and completed two internships.”},{“_id”:”Z2XLUW3JVRGMPKJ25KREGTIKDE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620987707205},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“I’m not the type of person who likes to sit around,” she said.”},{“_id”:”IVBRDXCSMVCVVE3PWM7X3ANPHY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620987707207},”type”:”text”,”content”:”What was the biggest challenge you faced pursuing your degree? “My biggest challenges at Mercer University were my critical thinking and my writing skills that I achieved in all my courses. We had to do a lot of writing. I should have a degree in penmanship by now.””},{“_id”:”ZQBFU6DVFFHRLP2GCCXJNJI3CI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620987707208},”type”:”text”,”content”:”How did you overcome that challenge? “I was able to overcome these challenges by applying my myself and staying focused on my education.””},{“_id”:”APKS6TIV6NHFRHPRNTK5DBC3GI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620987707209},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Future plans? Kelley plans to pursue a master’s degree, starting this fall, in human services.”},{“_id”:”4QU37JXFIRCLNMG6YSASBZILIA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620826767166},”type”:”text”,”content”:”—“},{“_id”:”R3UNXNNJDNGBRPHFPD3X3P4JJQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620660494079},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Alexandria Lin”},{“_id”:”A6IDNL2AVVBM7PJ75JWDCE34PM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620660494080},”type”:”text”,”content”:”University of Georgia”},{“owner”:{“sponsored”:false,”id”:”ajc”},”address”:{},”syndication”:{},”caption”:”Alexandria Lin is a member of the University of Georgia’s graduating class of 2021. (Contributed)”,”source”:{“system”:”photo center”,”name”:”AJC”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/2ELZ4TDTBVEO5GZX6OXNOTVUL4″,”source_type”:”staff”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”reference”,”reference_id”:”8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019″},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/2ELZ4TDTBVEO5GZX6OXNOTVUL4.jpg”,”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“affiliation”:[]},”subtitle”:”UGA Alexandria Lin”,”width”:2100,”_id”:”2ELZ4TDTBVEO5GZX6OXNOTVUL4″,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/ZUzl2miE9H_aCSANjewR2smIQbY=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/2ELZ4TDTBVEO5GZX6OXNOTVUL4.jpg”,”owner”:”eric.stirgus@ajc.com”,”comments”:[],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/ZUzl2miE9H_aCSANjewR2smIQbY=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/2ELZ4TDTBVEO5GZX6OXNOTVUL4.jpg”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/2ELZ4TDTBVEO5GZX6OXNOTVUL4.jpg”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/ZUzl2miE9H_aCSANjewR2smIQbY=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/2ELZ4TDTBVEO5GZX6OXNOTVUL4.jpg”,”ingestionMethod”:”manual”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/P-nKGT-W1z_MdfsrTuBytDEnvtg=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/2ELZ4TDTBVEO5GZX6OXNOTVUL4.jpg”,”version”:0,”originalName”:”alex-lin-IMG_2762-1_2100x1181.jpg”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”template_id”:594,”galleries”:[],”_id”:”OJ7N6YB3KRG2ZJH3TEA2XOLGEE”},”created_date”:”2021-05-11T15:36:49Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-11T15:36:49Z”,”height”:1181,”image_type”:”photograph”},{“_id”:”IDGHXG532ZHMFLT24ZJBIXBVLE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620826767170},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Lin, 22, a first-generation college student from Atlanta, was part of the team that put the university’s first satellite into space last year. The computer systems engineering major started writing flight software as an electronics team member for UGA lab’s NASA-sponsored mission during her sophomore year. A year later, Lin became the lead flight software engineer and assisted with additional testing and preparing the assembled satellite for handoff to the launch provider.”},{“_id”:”YO62HT2GTRBTND3QU5LX4TSU4M”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[{“pos”:190,”comment”:”around”}],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620660494083},”type”:”text”,”content”:”What was the biggest challenge you faced pursuing your degree? “For me, it was being able to find that right balance between school and extracurriculars (like the research lab!). When I was a freshman/sophomore, I was very into the work I was doing for the lab — more than I was into classwork — and would pour almost all of my time into my lab tasks. As a result, my schoolwork suffered a bit.””},{“_id”:”C4YF3APO5NDZJFSRFTD3ZYTU6Q”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620660494084},”type”:”text”,”content”:”How did you get through the challenge? “I learned how to manage my time better in the following semesters, both at first as just a member of a team and then leading a team, and knowing when to say no to doing additional work and my limits. I still struggle with this to an extent, especially when it comes to my third responsibility — taking care of myself — which can go out the window sometimes, but I’d imagine this will be a lifelong challenge.””},{“_id”:”SSZ4OHIGLRDJNMHVG5W5WUNGGU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620660494085},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Future plans? Lin will work at Northrop Grumman Space Systems as an embedded software engineer, writing flight software for a variety of satellites. Lin hopes to go to graduate school soon, pursuing either an aerospace or computer engineering degree.”},{“_id”:”ORTXKE3LZRC2RMPCDJBZDWV2QQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620660494086},”type”:”text”,”content”:”—“},{“_id”:”PGHKK4LWXFCCZMHB7R7HWJC45A”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620909305329},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Star Liu”},{“_id”:”BRNY56B4OBFFHGIJIVRN2UZTJI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620909305330},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Emory University”},{“_id”:”ICQJ4FEQRBHSTGLGM7643G2ZLQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620909305331},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Liu, 22, from Austin, Texas, is a part of the team that developed Emory’s COVID-19 Health Equity Interactive Dashboard, which tracks COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths in each state including by race and ethnicity. Liu, a quantitative sciences major, helped process data and conduct an analysis on the effects of mask mandates. A group of Emory’s alumni and students selected Liu as part of its annual list of outstanding students and campus leaders.”},{“owner”:{“sponsored”:false,”id”:”ajc”},”address”:{},”syndication”:{},”caption”:”Star Liu is part of Emory University’s graduating class of 2021. (Contributed)”,”source”:{“system”:”photo center”,”name”:”AJC”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/PWO3M5IBNJCL5KR4HE6F4HY7AA”,”source_type”:”staff”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”reference”,”reference_id”:”8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019″},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/PWO3M5IBNJCL5KR4HE6F4HY7AA.jpg”,”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“affiliation”:[]},”subtitle”:”Star Liu”,”width”:5741,”_id”:”PWO3M5IBNJCL5KR4HE6F4HY7AA”,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/VmsIsAJkXLz0EKbUhyKwnTVafNA=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/PWO3M5IBNJCL5KR4HE6F4HY7AA.jpg”,”owner”:”eric.stirgus@ajc.com”,”comments”:[],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/VmsIsAJkXLz0EKbUhyKwnTVafNA=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/PWO3M5IBNJCL5KR4HE6F4HY7AA.jpg”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/PWO3M5IBNJCL5KR4HE6F4HY7AA.jpg”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/VmsIsAJkXLz0EKbUhyKwnTVafNA=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/PWO3M5IBNJCL5KR4HE6F4HY7AA.jpg”,”ingestionMethod”:”manual”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/KTmcf1L-Z_jQxOztkE06ZRdHEzk=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/PWO3M5IBNJCL5KR4HE6F4HY7AA.jpg”,”version”:0,”originalName”:”Star Liu_5741x3229.jpg”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”template_id”:594,”galleries”:[],”_id”:”JYHRAAOQEFDBJAIZXZV6AYM6CM”},”created_date”:”2021-05-12T22:19:03Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-12T22:19:03Z”,”height”:3229,”image_type”:”photograph”},{“_id”:”3KBSPKXCBBDQ3GNRWA7V7EUTXA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619722138852},”type”:”text”,”content”:”What was the biggest challenge you faced pursuing your degree? “The biggest challenge that I have faced at Emory is juggling academics, leadership responsibilities, and leisure time and see how far I can push myself. I started joining student organizations, volunteer trips, etc. One at a time and one after another. By the end of my junior year, I had contributed meaningfully to five different initiatives/organizations and two work/research positions in the Rollins School of Public Health.””},{“_id”:”6O726LABHNDJ5ODMFUNVQ5UWLQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620909305334},”type”:”text”,”content”:”How did you overcome the challenge? “He learned by trying, which is very impressive,” said Yubin Park, an adjunct professor in the Department of Computer Science.”},{“_id”:”DQL3QWR2TRB6XNQVATRDNMZEJM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620909305335},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Future plans? Liu is going to Johns Hopkins School of Medicine for a master’s degree in health sciences informatics research.”},{“_id”:”GWNRYUOCJBGP7DNK2TL6XSQBTY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620909305336},”type”:”text”,”content”:”—“},{“_id”:”RMKENMONAND7RHDWM5KVFVPBN4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619722138849},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Ximena Luna”},{“_id”:”AF5L4BEHFBBEFGY24QLDRMM4XU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619722138850},”type”:”text”,”content”:”University of North Georgia”},{“_id”:”P5PJNHRKJBESZMSDUAAWSLLV4E”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619722138851},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Luna, 21, from Flowery Branch, is a first-generation student who won a Gilman scholarship to study in Spain in summer 2019. She also completed research-related projects and was recently named a Fulbright alternate. She majored in Spanish.”},{“owner”:{“sponsored”:false,”id”:”ajc”},”address”:{},”syndication”:{},”caption”:”Ximena Luna is part of the University of North Georgia’s graduating class of 2021. (Contributed)”,”source”:{“system”:”photo center”,”name”:”AJC”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/VTRPQDP2DRCHVN23RXRTWCQ3WA”,”source_type”:”staff”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”reference”,”reference_id”:”8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019″},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/VTRPQDP2DRCHVN23RXRTWCQ3WA.jpg”,”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“affiliation”:[]},”subtitle”:”Ximena Luna”,”width”:1124,”_id”:”VTRPQDP2DRCHVN23RXRTWCQ3WA”,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/ctkmm4_YS4-2JtBOynN-PRfgBy4=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/VTRPQDP2DRCHVN23RXRTWCQ3WA.jpg”,”owner”:”eric.stirgus@ajc.com”,”comments”:[],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/ctkmm4_YS4-2JtBOynN-PRfgBy4=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/VTRPQDP2DRCHVN23RXRTWCQ3WA.jpg”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/VTRPQDP2DRCHVN23RXRTWCQ3WA.jpg”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/ctkmm4_YS4-2JtBOynN-PRfgBy4=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/VTRPQDP2DRCHVN23RXRTWCQ3WA.jpg”,”ingestionMethod”:”manual”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/5fgJhATV2nBPc2fck_Bm0kfS2EI=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/VTRPQDP2DRCHVN23RXRTWCQ3WA.jpg”,”version”:0,”originalName”:”XimeaLuna_1124x632.jpg”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”template_id”:594,”galleries”:[],”_id”:”DU7O5SIF7NAHPGMNYJD2IOXYBM”},”created_date”:”2021-05-11T15:43:59Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-11T15:43:59Z”,”height”:632,”image_type”:”photograph”},{“_id”:”3KBSPKXCBBDQ3GNRWA7V7EUTXA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619722138852},”type”:”text”,”content”:”What was the biggest challenge you faced pursuing your degree? “One of the biggest challenges during my time at UNG was the lack of knowledge about the college experience. As a first-generation college student, I had no idea what college was like and was scared to fail and disappoint my parents and myself. It was challenging to learn how to prioritize tasks, manage time effectively and ask for help. During my four years at UNG, I learned to balance work, school, and family responsibilities.””},{“_id”:”ZDHUBA5KEBEJ7OH67G2L7KVHCM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619722138853},”type”:”text”,”content”:”How did you get through the challenge? “I started getting involved in school and asking questions. I learned to manage my time and started believing in myself and my potential.””},{“_id”:”PB32XA4ZYVEGFBJEJ7VD2IMHNE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619722138854},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Future plans? Luna will begin a master’s in Hispanic studies at the University of Georgia. “I hope to keep getting involved at school and keep helping the Latinx community. … My goal is to continue supporting students in higher education who, like me, did not think that they could reach their fullest potential.””},{“_id”:”RMKENMONAND7RHDWM5KVFVPBN4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619722138855},”type”:”text”,”content”:”—“},{“_id”:”C7O5JEGFSNGLXL2JDY6CVDPTVM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620841442473},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Angélica Martini”},{“_id”:”Q2XJUKPF7JCB3KNDWVRH7BJUFM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620841442474},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Agnes Scott College”},{“owner”:{“sponsored”:false,”id”:”ajc”},”address”:{},”syndication”:{},”caption”:”Angélica Martini is a member of Agnes Scott College’s graduating class of 2021. She took this photo in China during a study abroad program in 2019. (Contributed)”,”source”:{“system”:”photo center”,”name”:”AJC”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/4KUAMW233RED3ETN4HS5ME2XJI”,”source_type”:”staff”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”reference”,”reference_id”:”8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019″},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/4KUAMW233RED3ETN4HS5ME2XJI.png”,”geo”:{},”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“by”:[{“socialLinks”:[{“site”:”email”,”deprecated”:true,”deprecation_msg”:”Please use social_links.”,”url”:”eric.stirgus@ajc.com”}],”social_links”:[{“site”:”email”,”url”:”eric.stirgus@ajc.com”}],”name”:”Eric Stirgus”,”description”:”Eric Stirgus is a reporter who covers higher education issues, the Georgia Board of Regents and the Technical College System of Georgia.”,”_id”:”eric-stirgus”,”additional_properties”:{“original”:{“lastName”:”Stirgus”,”role”:”Education reporter”,”education”:[],”longBio”:”Eric Stirgus is a reporter who covers higher education issues, the Georgia Board of Regents and the Technical College System of Georgia.”,”org”:”ajc”,”affiliations”:”The Atlanta Journal-Constitution”,”bio”:”Eric Stirgus is a reporter who covers higher education issues, the Georgia Board of Regents and the Technical College System of Georgia.”,”author_type”:”Staff”,”type”:”author”,”firstName”:”Eric”,”books”:[],”podcasts”:[],”awards”:[],”custom_ajc_phone”:”404-526-7521″,”_id”:”eric-stirgus”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-03-30T13:16:40.456Z”,”bio_page”:”/staff/eric-stirgus/”,”byline”:”Eric Stirgus”,”email”:”eric.stirgus@ajc.com”,”status”:false}},”type”:”author”,”version”:”0.5.8″,”url”:”/staff/eric-stirgus/”}]},”subtitle”:”Angélica Martini”,”width”:1185,”_id”:”4KUAMW233RED3ETN4HS5ME2XJI”,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/P9rV_bdGxspUvl5bqzR3QegQeRk=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/4KUAMW233RED3ETN4HS5ME2XJI.png”,”owner”:”eric.stirgus@ajc.com”,”comments”:[],”keywords”:[],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/P9rV_bdGxspUvl5bqzR3QegQeRk=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/4KUAMW233RED3ETN4HS5ME2XJI.png”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/4KUAMW233RED3ETN4HS5ME2XJI.png”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/P9rV_bdGxspUvl5bqzR3QegQeRk=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/4KUAMW233RED3ETN4HS5ME2XJI.png”,”ingestionMethod”:”manual”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/nHvQKm7gdAztmMgX3op2xrodT5k=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/4KUAMW233RED3ETN4HS5ME2XJI.png”,”version”:1,”originalName”:”AMartini Screenshot (563)_1186x667.png”,”mime_type”:”image/png”,”restricted”:false,”template_id”:594,”galleries”:[],”_id”:”D4PEXROADJHY5FANUM4IFEOFG4″},”created_date”:”2021-05-12T16:18:00Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-12T17:46:52Z”,”height”:666,”image_type”:”photograph”},{“_id”:”AJIFAVINRRA4RFQCKYO5FHRL4U”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620672415029},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Martini, 22, who is legally blind, proudly says she beat the odds. Fewer than 35% of students with disabilities graduate from four-year institutions within eight years, according to the Hechinger Report, an education news site.”},{“_id”:”RBKUVR446FDXPJC62VPLRVQVDQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620909305350},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“Scholarly articles don’t come in large print,” said Martini, who returned to Memphis, Tennessee, to live with her family during the pandemic and completed her studies online.”},{“_id”:”UUBJN4QQNNCIPN7YQU7EB3NRDM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620909305351},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Martini, a first-generation student who majored in international relations and economics, served in several leadership positions on campus. She studied abroad in China and Ghana.”},{“_id”:”T72D36GWURHMJIWEUMHJ5XXLJA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620909305352},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“I want to be a lifelong learner,” she said.”},{“_id”:”STCP2OPBAVFL3GG5GH6IR3X57M”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620909305353},”type”:”text”,”content”:”What was the biggest challenge you faced pursuing your degree? “Finding my own confidence. I had to remind myself I don’t care what people think who see me or people think of me … I don’t need other people to help me validate my confidence. I have to believe in myself.””},{“_id”:”USQEDF6VHNDXDNQBY4H6EVBZGQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620909305354},”type”:”text”,”content”:”How did you get through the challenge? Martini credits strong support systems at Agnes Scott from faculty members, advisers and mentors who guided her to resources that could help her. “They told me the future belongs to people who believe in their dreams.””},{“_id”:”4TRMEDA6ORA7RKFZBTT2AJFEGU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620909305355},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Future plans? Martini will be an economic research analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. It’s a two- to three-year program that prepares students who want to pursue doctoral degrees in economics.”},{“_id”:”XVBJLS3C7BGQJLDCL4YUFNKOUM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620909305356},”type”:”text”,”content”:”—“},{“_id”:”UOTT4VR6Y5GPNCPLVJUJO4EZKI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621010551465},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Amari Parris”},{“_id”:”VOG7FXNZPFAJ7OHLUPQECB7LX4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621010551466},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Morehouse College”},{“owner”:{“sponsored”:false,”id”:”ajc”},”address”:{},”syndication”:{},”caption”:”Amari Parris is the salutatorian for the Morehouse College class of 2021. (Contributed)”,”source”:{“system”:”photo center”,”name”:”AJC”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/X4EPZ37ACBEZ5MDKO6P76EUE24″,”source_type”:”staff”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”reference”,”reference_id”:”8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019″},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/X4EPZ37ACBEZ5MDKO6P76EUE24.JPG”,”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“affiliation”:[]},”subtitle”:”Amari Parris”,”width”:2048,”_id”:”X4EPZ37ACBEZ5MDKO6P76EUE24″,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/RSv_eixEXDb1TOGXHgRUlDm8EPs=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/X4EPZ37ACBEZ5MDKO6P76EUE24.JPG”,”owner”:”eric.stirgus@ajc.com”,”comments”:[],”keywords”:[“”],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/RSv_eixEXDb1TOGXHgRUlDm8EPs=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/X4EPZ37ACBEZ5MDKO6P76EUE24.JPG”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/X4EPZ37ACBEZ5MDKO6P76EUE24.JPG”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/RSv_eixEXDb1TOGXHgRUlDm8EPs=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/X4EPZ37ACBEZ5MDKO6P76EUE24.JPG”,”ingestionMethod”:”manual”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/-1fly4mBl9gcG_TXIC7ffqc6Pmw=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/X4EPZ37ACBEZ5MDKO6P76EUE24.JPG”,”version”:0,”originalName”:”Amari Parris.JPG”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”template_id”:594,”galleries”:[],”_id”:”7JRZ4D5YEBF3ZFXBMWI6KTRHXA”},”created_date”:”2021-05-14T16:09:01Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-14T16:09:01Z”,”height”:1899,”image_type”:”photograph”},{“_id”:”2Q5BH7ML6FF2LFQ2YDXVXIH2QY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621010551468},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Parris, 22, a kinesiology, sports studies and physical education major from Silver Spring, Maryland, was the college’s salutatorian this year.”},{“_id”:”C7RXTRTRMFCANABMWSWIFWHK2U”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620933145886},”type”:”text”,”content”:”What was the biggest challenge you faced pursuing your degree? “I think, like many Morehouse students, I faced a ton of financial obstacles that at times hampered the experience for me. However, those same obstacles have played a huge role in my becoming who I am today. I was about $4,000 in the hole. I was fresh off a 4.0 GPA, and I had applied for scholarships. I thought I was being proactive and positioning myself to be able to pay for school. It was a tough time, but it was also a turning point for me.””},{“_id”:”2CICOVUWI5E3PPID2LX6U24YOU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621010551471},”type”:”text”,”content”:”How did you get through the challenge? “I wound up earning the money I needed through scholarships, focused on paid internships to support my education, and became a residential advisor to supplement any outstanding fees. When faced with uncertainty and doubt, I chose to bet on myself and worked harder to make things happen for myself.””},{“_id”:”TF2KFSBJW5FQPFNTQBH2D7PRKE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621010551472},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Future plans? Parris will pursue a master’s degree in sports management at Columbia University with the long-term goal of becoming an intercollegiate athletic director.”},{“_id”:”B4NX64VXXNEERBZZO3DMMQ4ZHE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621010551473},”type”:”text”,”content”:”—“},{“_id”:”6X7HNKAAIBFRZEEXN26VTYA4EE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620933145882},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Taylor Roberts”},{“_id”:”QVHIN6Z2C5CARC6LERVDT33PGA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620933145883},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Oglethorpe University”},{“_id”:”Y4IFLZVVINAG3MVW6VGH63DV2I”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620933145884},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Roberts, 22, an art history major, has been involved in several efforts to increase diversity in art collections on campus and elsewhere. Roberts helped lead a student-driven campaign to add artists of different racial backgrounds to the university’s Museum of Art. The Chicago native was also a Mellon Curatorial Fellow at the High Museum of Art, a two-year paid program that offers specialized training and mentoring in the curatorial profession for students from communities that are historically underrepresented in the museum field. Roberts was also Oglethorpe’s Student Government Association president.”},{“owner”:{“sponsored”:false,”id”:”ajc”},”address”:{},”syndication”:{},”caption”:”Taylor Roberts was Oglethorpe University’s student government association president and is part of the graduating class of 2021. (Contributed)”,”source”:{“system”:”photo center”,”name”:”AJC”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/HGZFLH3B3ZECFFQHTQ7DPSNJTY”,”source_type”:”staff”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”reference”,”reference_id”:”8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019″},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/HGZFLH3B3ZECFFQHTQ7DPSNJTY.JPG”,”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“affiliation”:[]},”subtitle”:”Taylor Roberts”,”width”:2221,”_id”:”HGZFLH3B3ZECFFQHTQ7DPSNJTY”,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/S9VwFduchoox3x_a8CKUCcMUx-U=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/HGZFLH3B3ZECFFQHTQ7DPSNJTY.JPG”,”owner”:”eric.stirgus@ajc.com”,”comments”:[],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/S9VwFduchoox3x_a8CKUCcMUx-U=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/HGZFLH3B3ZECFFQHTQ7DPSNJTY.JPG”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/HGZFLH3B3ZECFFQHTQ7DPSNJTY.JPG”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/S9VwFduchoox3x_a8CKUCcMUx-U=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/HGZFLH3B3ZECFFQHTQ7DPSNJTY.JPG”,”ingestionMethod”:”manual”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/33GRUgZzXz1F3bwxBQ9HgNnlrzA=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/HGZFLH3B3ZECFFQHTQ7DPSNJTY.JPG”,”version”:0,”originalName”:”Taylor Roberts_2221x1249.JPG”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”template_id”:594,”galleries”:[],”_id”:”TQFIVXKTRFD7HJMLCEDLBH2E4Y”},”created_date”:”2021-05-13T16:13:43Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-13T16:13:43Z”,”height”:1249,”image_type”:”photograph”},{“_id”:”C7RXTRTRMFCANABMWSWIFWHK2U”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620933145886},”type”:”text”,”content”:”What was the biggest challenge you faced pursuing your degree? “The biggest challenge I faced at Oglethorpe was trying to continue my education. The college fund that my parents saved only got me through my freshman year, so every consecutive year, I fought to secure funding to continue to grow and learn at Oglethorpe.””},{“_id”:”PTJL4BG64JDZPFP3N5JW73BG3U”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620933145887},”type”:”text”,”content”:”How did you get past that challenge? “I pursued scholarships, fellowships, and on-campus jobs that would allow me to pay my tuition. My Mellon Fellowship at the High Museum of Art both developed my skills as a museum professional and ensured funding that allowed me to continue school. I also became a Community Advisor in Residence Life to grow my relationships on campus and decrease my tuition.””},{“_id”:”CTM22YINQZB2PGL7VEBV4AH4RA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620933145888},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Future plans? Roberts will be a Lead for America Fellow serving BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) communities in Atlanta and Chicago. She will continue her work at the Oakland Cemetery, where she serves as a programming intern, with a focus on strengthening relationships with local universities and minority-owned nonprofits and businesses.”},{“_id”:”HLOAJCQU45BPBN3Y4TFSF4OOFQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620933145889},”type”:”text”,”content”:”—“},{“_id”:”RT6ENH6RBZDTLMKO4ZRKJM5G6Y”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620909305357},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Kayla Smith”},{“_id”:”VL7JYH6ZHJH3XMWCH3UHG36L6E”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620672415030},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Spelman College”},{“owner”:{“sponsored”:false,”id”:”ajc”},”copyright”:”Jenni Girtman”,”address”:{},”caption”:”Kayla Smith is a Spelman College student working to navigate COVID and her senior thesis as well as working to stay connected to her school. Smith spends time in Decatur Square on Friday, Nov 13, 2020. (Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)”,”source”:{“system”:”AJC Freelancer”,”name”:”AJC Freelancer”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/FI5M7QY5LXPQX2DE6DF6TG6WBI”,”source_type”:”wires”,”source_id”:”s3://ajc-arc-photo-integration/Freelancer/AAJC 120620 SLA SPELMAN-0001.jpg”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[“5fa498eef21bf025673ff627″],”seo_keywords”:[“AJC Freelancer”]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”custom”,”name”:”AJC Freelancer”,”category”:”wires”},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/FI5M7QY5LXPQX2DE6DF6TG6WBI.jpg”,”geo”:{},”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“by”:[{“name”:”Jenni Girtman”,”type”:”author”}]},”subtype”:”Wires”,”subtitle”:”Kayla Smith Spelman student”,”width”:2927,”_id”:”FI5M7QY5LXPQX2DE6DF6TG6WBI”,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/IG95EIP4YV4fD2U9XJGo5ed6X1E=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/FI5M7QY5LXPQX2DE6DF6TG6WBI.jpg”,”comments”:[],”iptc_job_identifier”:”5fa498eef21bf025673ff627″,”keywords”:[“201115″,”covid”,”AJC Freelancer”,”Atlanta Journal-Constitution”,”Jenni Girtman”,”Kayla Smith”,”Spelman”,”Student”],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/IG95EIP4YV4fD2U9XJGo5ed6X1E=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/FI5M7QY5LXPQX2DE6DF6TG6WBI.jpg”,”takenOn”:”2020-11-13T18:09:19Z”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/FI5M7QY5LXPQX2DE6DF6TG6WBI.jpg”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/IG95EIP4YV4fD2U9XJGo5ed6X1E=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/FI5M7QY5LXPQX2DE6DF6TG6WBI.jpg”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/v6nmp8CeXdWblsDzRVz16OOsEh4=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/FI5M7QY5LXPQX2DE6DF6TG6WBI.jpg”,”version”:3,”originalName”:”s3://ajc-arc-photo-integration/Freelancer/AAJC 120620 SLA SPELMAN-0001.jpg”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”galleries”:[],”_id”:”CZ422ASTSRHALCLRVGSCXXAJN4″,”iptc_title”:”photographer”},”created_date”:”2020-11-19T23:05:36Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2020-11-27T20:13:50Z”,”height”:3000,”image_type”:”photograph”},{“_id”:”UX5DJRGXTZHOVLH4JEB35YXTHM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620672415031},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Smith, 22, from Stone Mountain, started a podcast called “The Blue Record,” which explores the intersection of race and gender. She’s part of a group that mentors students at Dunbar Elementary School, located a mile away from Spelman. Smith was featured in an AJC series that examined how some students and faculty navigated through the coronavirus pandemic.”},{“_id”:”COXNBIM63RDK5MRNLSS22PPMQI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620832889856},”type”:”text”,”content”:”What was the biggest challenge you faced pursuing your degree? “The biggest challenge I faced at Spelman is being comfortable in charting my own path. You see so many people who are inspirational and influential student leaders and individuals on campus that you wonder how they charted their path. Who helped cultivate it? How did they get on this path?””},{“_id”:”YPUZVP52ZRDZLAOUNRXN7VHYVU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620832889857},”type”:”text”,”content”:”How did Smith get through that challenge? Smith said she embraced feeling comfortable with being uncomfortable about not knowing. “By not knowing, it allowed me to be open-minded … It allowed me to cultivate my own path, which is rooted in storytelling and intersectional race theory and justice work.””},{“_id”:”SPC6EGKS3RDYNM3QCRF7RW44SQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620832889858},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Future plans? Smith was selected as a fellow to the Charles Rangel International Affairs Program, named after the late, longtime congressman from Harlem, New York. She’ll be an intern this summer for U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas. Smith will pursue a master of arts degree at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.”},{“_id”:”XGZ6G7YUAZHNLH7MGIR6BCV5NA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620992730238},”type”:”text”,”content”:”—“},{“_id”:”DIJA3B5W3NGTZH2I47W5HDHOJU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620992730239},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Joey Ye”},{“_id”:”ZNIWEDUOBVETFFO4PLDZQUORBA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620992730240},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Emory University”},{“owner”:{“sponsored”:false,”id”:”ajc”},”address”:{},”syndication”:{},”caption”:”Emory University student Joey Ye has taken courses remotely for more than a year from his hometown in southwest China. Some of the classes require attendance and begin at midnight or later his time. (Contributed)”,”source”:{“system”:”photo center”,”name”:”AJC”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/4W2E4HTWSNGWDDCQUMMBM3Z25Q”,”source_type”:”staff”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”reference”,”reference_id”:”8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019″},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/4W2E4HTWSNGWDDCQUMMBM3Z25Q.jpg”,”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“affiliation”:[]},”subtitle”:”Joey Ye steps”,”width”:1908,”_id”:”4W2E4HTWSNGWDDCQUMMBM3Z25Q”,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/2VOGulbvIxAn8DCD6q2scVpmQyI=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/4W2E4HTWSNGWDDCQUMMBM3Z25Q.jpg”,”owner”:”eric.stirgus@ajc.com”,”comments”:[],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/2VOGulbvIxAn8DCD6q2scVpmQyI=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/4W2E4HTWSNGWDDCQUMMBM3Z25Q.jpg”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/4W2E4HTWSNGWDDCQUMMBM3Z25Q.jpg”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/2VOGulbvIxAn8DCD6q2scVpmQyI=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/4W2E4HTWSNGWDDCQUMMBM3Z25Q.jpg”,”ingestionMethod”:”manual”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/T-LPvujbZpdVc4wJyALlx9v1WYU=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/4W2E4HTWSNGWDDCQUMMBM3Z25Q.jpg”,”version”:0,”originalName”:”Joey Ye steps_1908x1074.jpg”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”template_id”:594,”galleries”:[],”_id”:”3OG5TSQXJNEOVEVFAYQ67VYPAY”},”created_date”:”2021-04-08T02:24:39Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-04-08T02:24:39Z”,”height”:1073,”image_type”:”photograph”},{“_id”:”JRC4ONNYFBEKDNMGQJLG56QAJI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620992730242},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Ye double-majored in neuroscience and philosophy. Originally from China, Ye returned to his homeland in March 2020 and completed his studies there taking online courses. Ye received several honors, including being inducted as a member of the national neuroscience Honor Society — Nu Rho Psi. The AJC met Ye a few months ago as part of its College & The Coronavirus series.”},{“_id”:”COXNBIM63RDK5MRNLSS22PPMQI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620832889856},”type”:”text”,”content”:”What was the biggest challenge you faced pursuing your degree? “The uncertainties that I dealt with throughout last year. Many of my plans were not settled until the last minute, and some of them were even conflicting, making it a more anxious circumstance for me to decide what I could do to make the most of my time. For example, last spring I applied for my internships and NGO programs, and some were hesitant to offer in-person/remote positions with delays due to the pandemic, and others were unable to determine the dates of start.””},{“_id”:”6CT4VUKCOVALDLLMUYX6TQIV44″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620992730244},”type”:”text”,”content”:”How did he get through the challenge? “I would say I overcame it just as most of my peers would have done. I did not allow myself to be waiting and eventually becoming anxious, but kept on regular exercise and occasional reading. But more importantly, it was very helpful just to seek backup plans, and lower my expectation, which reduced my anxiety. I talked to my friends, and I also made times to watch movies, YouTube, flower some tiny plants, help my family with chores. These daily activities diverted my attention and helped me avoid negative moods.””},{“_id”:”7FKGIZFBCRBJDMKJRV4GTVQBYQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620992730245},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Future plans? Ye has an internship lined up. He’s thinking about taking a year off before pursuing graduate school, possibly in the U.S.”},{“_id”:”KHRTQZJV4RFR7DZLZL442QAPXU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[{“pos”:0,”comment”:”——–“}],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621015591884},”type”:”text”,”content”:””},{“_id”:”AR3OGN65GJAMNAK4NWXJ6EWHNM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[{“pos”:0,”comment”:”Tatiana Edwards”}],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620672415002},”type”:”text”,”content”:””},{“_id”:”DP2D3GMLW5HQZFFLSFJHPBLJZI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[{“pos”:0,”comment”:”Georgia Northwestern Technical College”}],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620672415003},”type”:”text”,”content”:””},{“_id”:”R5OHRDYYAVFQFE5BAVURMWFU6M”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[{“pos”:0,”comment”:”Edwards, 38, from Rockmart, is a multitasker. She’s a mother of two sons, ages 6 and 15; she works as an electronic medical records consultant; she’s student government association president at her college and for the entire 94,000-student Technical College System of Georgia; she’s an officer in a student business organization and she’s a board member of the Tallatoona Community Action Partnership, which assists with job placement, Head Start and other services for low-income residents in an eight-county area of northwest Georgia that includes this small community of about 4,000 residents. The AJC met Edwards a few months ago for its College & The Coronavirus series.”}],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620842900100},”type”:”text”,”content”:””},{“_id”:”ISUP433Q5FFNTJ6BVZQFPQNOIA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[{“pos”:0,”comment”:”What was the biggest challenge? Edwards and her sons all tested positive for COVID-19 in early December at the end of the fall semester. She had the most severe symptoms, losing her appetite and shedding 8 pounds in one week. Still, she said the greatest challenge during the pandemic was feeling isolated.”}],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620690179194},”type”:”text”,”content”:””},{“_id”:”JRN4M5A4MJAJLB652RKSHRNKHQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[{“pos”:0,”comment”:”How did she get through it? Edwards said the ability to connect virtually with family and friends helped her through those difficult periods. “I’m thankful we have so much technology … I couldn’t imagine (the pandemic) happening 15 years ago,” she said in one interview.”}],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620992730146},”type”:”text”,”content”:””},{“_id”:”2DYZMOUEZFCTBADSINS3GZVSSE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[{“pos”:0,”comment”:”Future plans? 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The school board voted 4-1, with two abstentions, to approve a resolution to prohibit implementation of critical race theory and the 1619 Project, a New York Times project that put slavery and Black contributions to democracy at the center of American history, from being taught in Cherokee schools.”},{“_id”:”RAEQBGYQW5FKLBK2VUS7NXI2HU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621557296011},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“Our intentions have been wildly mischaracterized,” Hightower told the crowd, saying there was never an intent to use the academic theory in classrooms. He added that the district would not be implementing a “diversity, equity and inclusion” program as planned. But he said the district was committed to a social-emotional learning programming to address mental health and rising youth suicide rates.”},{“_id”:”IKRMWHSOE5COBF6VVPCPU3BKNM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621557296012},”type”:”text”,”content”:”As he spoke, people from the boisterous crowd booed him. “Liar,” one woman said.”},{“_id”:”6EQPI5JIDBFK7AGQTZWKN42QTI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621553466954},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Critical race theory, is a decades-old academic concept that seeks to highlight how race influences all aspects of society and how past inequities have continued to shape policies. The term and concept has become politicized with critics claiming it distorts history.”},{“_id”:”SNFZC23YAVG67KRHRT4UFQDPWY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621553466955},”type”:”text”,”content”:”By the time the meeting started Thursday evening, Gov. Brian Kemp and state Attorney General Chris Carr had already weighed in on the topic.”},{“_id”:”OUU5ORJLRNGMHADKUPSRJLKLCE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621545157133},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Kemp, who is aiming to build conservative support ahead of a tough re-election fight next year, urged the state Board of Education to take “immediate steps to ensure that Critical Race Theory and its dangerous ideology do not take root in our state standards and curriculum.””},{“_id”:”2ROOKCKCBRHIVHX7FRWKMP7XHI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621545157134},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Fellow Republican Carr had issued a statement Wednesday saying he was joining 20 attorneys general to urge the administration of President Joe Biden “to reconsider educational proposals aimed at imposing the teaching of critical race theory (CRT), the 1619 Project and other similar curriculum into America’s classrooms.” The statement asserted that such goals “are woven into” a U.S. Department of Education proposal involving grants in American history and civics education programs.”},{“_id”:”63R7IQCE6NCY3EUPS6M3UARAPM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621545157135},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The Georgia Department of Education does not mandate the teaching of any particular curriculum. Rather, the agency adopts standards about things students are expected to know and be able to do by certain grades, whether it’s addition in math or the history of the United States in social studies.”},{“_id”:”AWJBTSMR4BHN7JZVBWRLNPQ6RU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621545157136},”type”:”text”,”content”:”For instance, fourth-grade social studies students are expected to be able to explain the causes, major events and consequences of the Civil War. Some school districts adopt curricula. Others leave it to teachers to write their own. In some, it’s a mixture of both.”},{“_id”:”ANUUNS2JUBE6PAK2YB7PS6EGSE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621553466960},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The conservative backlash against teaching about systemic discrimination and its legacy of racial inequity has grown in recent months. As of mid-May, four states — Idaho, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Tennessee— had passed legislation restricting how race and racism are taught in schools; and lawmakers in several other states are attempting to do so.”},{“_id”:”PPUN46Z3XJDM7J2CHFABSM2ETI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621557296020},”type”:”text”,”content”:”And on Thursday at the Cherokee school board meeting, state Rep. Brad Thomas, R-Holly Springs, said he and other lawmakers were working on similar legislation that borrows language from several of those states plus Texas. A parent with in the district, he called critical race theory a “radical” Marxist agenda, echoing comments earlier this week in a nearby community.”},{“_id”:”EL3ZIN25QZDN7PLVB3OMDS7G3A”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621553466961},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The Forsyth County school board held a public hearing Tuesday on the district’s diversity, equity and inclusion plan, and critics tied it to critical race theory.”},{“_id”:”YMS3ICWTP5DU7F6CXNFDK4PVOY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621545157138},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“Let’s be totally clear on what diversity, equity and inclusion training is — a Marxist Trojan Horse disguised with sunshine, rainbows, and a bow on top,” said Hunter Hill, chairman of the Republican Party of Forsyth County, who said he was speaking as an individual.”},{“_id”:”WEV4V5KERBETJISW4SHXTP3DLI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621545157139},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Critical race theory is decades old. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, it is a loosely organized framework based on the premise that U.S. legal institutions “are inherently racist insofar as they function to create and maintain social, economic and political inequalities between whites and nonwhites, especially African Americans.””},{“_id”:”RQSXWC2DMNGGBBCAHS2BMSOUHM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621554280849},”type”:”text”,”content”:”In Cobb County, several parents spoke in opposition to critical race theory during public comments at that district’s Thursday school board meeting. One parent referred to the theory as “educational terrorism,” while another said it teaches white students that they are bad because they are oppressors and that Black students can’t get ahead because they are oppressed.”},{“_id”:”BBY4UN77GZAT7F436PEAJCCR7Y”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621555228839},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“As long as I am Superintendent – I will commit to keeping any theory or curriculum, which is not part of Georgia’s standards, out of every Cobb County School District classroom,” Cobb Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said in a statement sent to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Thursday evening.”},{“_id”:”3CX7NHBE5VCBTG4CGKCION2ZWE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621545157140},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Before Thursday’s school board meeting in Cherokee, the district was already on the defensive, after assigning an administrator to oversee “social and emotional learning” and “diversity, equity and inclusion,” or DEI.”},{“_id”:”DWHXL56S4NENBHDSCQMYPUFKEY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621545157141},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“There are no plans to introduce “critical race theory” – this is a complete fabrication created through rumor mongering on social media. CCSD follows Georgia Performance Standards of Excellence, which determine what lessons students will learn and when, and those standards do not include “critical race theory,” the district wrote on a a page on its website called “Fact vs Fiction.””},{“_id”:”22QTW4VYYBAABHOG2MUHLC72SQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621545157143},”type”:”text”,”content”:”As the crowd outside chanted their opposition to critical race theory, people inside took turns at the rostrums, some like John Peterson, 19, supporting the theory. He said the furor that drew people there was driven by “a rumor that was started by Fox News” and by social media posters associated with QAnon, a discredited far right conspiracy theory.”},{“_id”:”GJV5O7FZLZGTXCVG4GEST3L6IM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621557296032},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“We need to acknowledge the fact that some of the places this is coming from are dark,” he said.”},{“_id”:”DRDJQ7RQGRHPZOIBQG3L7PG55U”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621557296033},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Raucous applause met people who spoke against the diversity, equity and inclusion program. Several who spoke in favor of were booed so loudly, that an official had to interrupt the meeting, asking for calm.”},{“_id”:”Z6QTL6FADZG6JFXOM3DPA5ZZ2I”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621545157144},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Staff Writers Greg Bluestein, Maureen Downey and Kristal Dixon contributed to this article”},{“_id”:”ERQFTR3XURC5VJBTR4GPSXQBDI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621545157145},”type”:”text”,”content”:”
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The school has approximately 700 students, with an annual tuition for first-year students of about $45,000. On average, Black medical school students graduate with more debt than white students since they more frequently come from lower income households.”},{“_id”:”2M75N3YUGRBSDLNQUJIBEJFZNI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621449523750},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The school’s leaders say this effort is necessary to address the underrepresented percentage of Black physicians nationwide. While Blacks make up about 13% of the nation’s population, just 5% of doctors in the U.S. are Black, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.”},{“_id”:”5SZM22EC3VHVPFFZIYQYNJLR5A”,”additional_properties”:{“comments”:[],”_id”:”CYWRSPW5MRFN7FVC7OTZ4LTIEY”},”type”:”interstitial_link”,”url”:”https://www.ajc.com/news/seeking-remedies-for-lack-black-male-doctors/cPIVIpIduwWc4H4eLhBqTN/”,”content”:”Trend of fewer black male doctors has broader public health impact”},{“_id”:”VWFZZRSYPBCUDKOOXBK2R7GERY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621301448354},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“We are on a mission to change the world, a mission that is more important now than ever before, as society continues to struggle with the dual pandemics of racial injustice and COVID-19,” the school’s president, Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, said in a statement Wednesday to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “These pandemics have a disproportionately negative impact on disadvantaged communities. 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Rice points to studies showing that Black patients generally receive better care from Black doctors because they often more acutely understand their health challenges.”},{“_id”:”NLQNY6XS45HS3JP75I2IFVKWOI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621302201900},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Other organizations have contributed to the school’s goal to reduce the financial burden on its students. Bloomberg Philanthropies, the charitable organization founded by business titan and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, announced in September a four-year gift totaling $26 million designated to help Black students at the school receiving financial aid.”},{“_id”:”HEMCSYSHZ5EW7FMMO2LUL7GAXY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621440570440},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The school’s $225 million goal is one of the largest fundraising campaigns by any HBCU. In March, Spelman College, also in Atlanta, announced a $250 million campaign for a new technology and innovations building, renovations for its arts facilities and to enhance scholarships and bring in top faculty.”},{“_id”:”Z36SOMPP4VESPPEDYKG6WEBZHY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621449523757},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Morehouse School of Medicine officials said they have raised $114 million through an earlier part of the fundraising effort. Many colleges and organizations conduct similar “quiet” fundraising to show donors the strength of the effort before announcing the public phase of the campaign. The main $150 million campaign will likely continue through at least 2025, school officials said.”}],”display_date”:”2021-05-19T20:24:21.969Z”,”headlines”:{“basic”:”Morehouse School of Medicine announces $225 million fundraising campaign”},”first_publish_date”:”2021-05-19T20:24:21.969Z”,”taxonomy”:{“sections”:[{“path”:”/education”,”parent”:{“default”:”https://www.ajc.com/”},”_website”:”ajc”,”parent_id”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”name”:”Education”,”description”:”School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools”,”_id”:”/education”,”additional_properties”:{“original”:{“parent”:{“AmpNav”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”default”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”BottomNav”:null,”TopNavRedesign”:”/news”,”SectionMap”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”MainMenuRedesign2021″:”/news”,”TopNav”:”/news”,”ComposerNav”:”https://www.ajc.com/”},”site”:{“section_comments_enabled”:”Yes”,”site_description”:”School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools”,”site_title”:”Atlanta Schools: Education and School News”},”navigation”:{“nav_title”:”Education”},”inactive”:false,”node_type”:”section”,”_website”:”ajc”,”name”:”Education”,”_id”:”/education”,”ancestors”:{“TopNavRedesign”:[“https://www.ajc.com/”,”/news”],”SectionMap”:[“https://www.ajc.com/”],”MainMenuRedesign2021″:[“https://www.ajc.com/”,”/news”],”TopNav”:[“/news”]},”order”:{“AmpNav”:1014,”default”:1014,”TopNavRedesign”:2006,”SectionMap”:1006,”MainMenuRedesign2021″:2006,”TopNav”:2007,”ComposerNav”:1041}}},”_website_section_id”:”ajc./education”,”type”:”section”,”version”:”0.6.0″}],”tags”:[{“text”:”higher education”},{“text”:”coronavirus-schools-business”},{“text”:”teamjanel”},{“text”:”georgia education”},{“text”:”school-news.ajc”}],”primary_section”:{“path”:”/education”,”name”:”Education”}},”type”:”story”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-19T20:24:22.166Z”,”canonical_url”:”/education/morehouse-school-of-medicine-starts-150-million-capital-campaign/KHE4E46CDBFVVMOBPYJ62BQZK4/”,”promo_items”:{“basic”:{“credits”:{“by”:[{“name”:”Jenni Girtman”,”type”:”author”}]},”subtitle”:”Morehouse vaccinates civil rights leaders”,”width”:3000,”caption”:”Morehouse School of Medicine administers the first of two Moderna Covid-19 vaccines to civil rights leaders including Andrew Young and sets up reminders for the second dose Tuesday, January 5, 2021. 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There are nine accredited HBCUs in Georgia and approximately 100 nationwide.”},{“_id”:”K7LAK2LTARDJRLY4EPQKC76PWI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621332418046},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“Increased federal aid will only add to the job creating capacity of these institutions, and will support more students who will be able to reap the benefits of having a degree from an HBCU,” one passage of the four-page letter said.”},{“_id”:”LDN7S4Z42RHBLO5EEIYKM6XW2A”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621332418047},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The letter was shared with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution by the office of U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.”},{“_id”:”YGAWY7L23BALRCWCKPW7DSNYRM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621332418048},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Warnock and the Senate’s lone Black Republican, Tim Scott of South Carolina, are leading the charge, Warnock’s office said. Another Republican, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, also signed the letter.”},{“_id”:”7GNU7MD3WVG57CTWOPCGKHPAJ4″,”additional_properties”:{“comments”:[],”_id”:”SQ356NQBABHOXL7GBTQVJSIXR4″},”type”:”interstitial_link”,”content”:”May 17, 2021 letter to U.S. senators Patty Murray and Roy Blunt”,”url”:”https://www.warnock.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/FY22-HBCU-Approps-Letter.pdf”},{“_id”:”TRTJ4WRIWJHYVAD3B7OLPAQWHU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621332418050},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Top Georgia elected officials from both major political parties have been vocal in recent years about the need to support HBCUs because the schools have historically received less money in gifts from donors and enroll more lower-income students than predominantly white institutions. The lawmakers and HBCU advocates say the funding gap makes it tougher for the schools to maintain campus facilities and offer some academic programs.”},{“_id”:”OFMOD4LVINDTNCTQWHMYROCLGE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621332418051},”type”:”text”,”content”:”U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., who also signed the letter, noted the challenges in a visit earlier this month to Clark Atlanta University, where he and other Georgia lawmakers celebrated more than $30 million from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan passed in March that will go to three of Atlanta’s HBCUs: Clark Atlanta, Morehouse and Spelman colleges.”},{“_id”:”K7LAK2LTARDJRLY4EPQKC76PWI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621332418052},”type”:”text”,”content”:”
“}],”display_date”:”2021-05-18T10:00:00Z”,”headlines”:{“basic”:”Warnock, Tim Scott lead push for more federal funding for Black colleges”},”first_publish_date”:”2021-05-18T10:00:00Z”,”taxonomy”:{“sections”:[{“path”:”/education”,”parent”:{“default”:”https://www.ajc.com/”},”_website”:”ajc”,”parent_id”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”name”:”Education”,”description”:”School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools”,”_id”:”/education”,”additional_properties”:{“original”:{“parent”:{“AmpNav”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”default”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”BottomNav”:null,”TopNavRedesign”:”/news”,”SectionMap”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”MainMenuRedesign2021″:”/news”,”TopNav”:”/news”,”ComposerNav”:”https://www.ajc.com/”},”site”:{“section_comments_enabled”:”Yes”,”site_description”:”School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools”,”site_title”:”Atlanta Schools: Education and School News”},”navigation”:{“nav_title”:”Education”},”inactive”:false,”node_type”:”section”,”_website”:”ajc”,”name”:”Education”,”_id”:”/education”,”ancestors”:{“TopNavRedesign”:[“https://www.ajc.com/”,”/news”],”SectionMap”:[“https://www.ajc.com/”],”MainMenuRedesign2021″:[“https://www.ajc.com/”,”/news”],”TopNav”:[“/news”]},”order”:{“AmpNav”:1014,”default”:1014,”TopNavRedesign”:2006,”SectionMap”:1006,”MainMenuRedesign2021″:2006,”TopNav”:2007,”ComposerNav”:1041}}},”_website_section_id”:”ajc./education”,”type”:”section”,”version”:”0.6.0″}],”primary_section”:{“path”:”/education”,”name”:”Education”},”tags”:[{“text”:”higher education”},{“text”:”coronavirus-schools-business”},{“text”:”teamjanel”},{“text”:”georgia education”},{“text”:”school-news.ajc”},{“text”:”politics.ajc”}]},”type”:”story”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-18T17:35:04.136Z”,”canonical_url”:”/education/warnock-tim-scott-lead-push-for-more-federal-funding-for-black-colleges/W6ATK7HORNBTRBSUW5377UKACU/”,”promo_items”:{“basic”:{“credits”:{“by”:[{“name”:”Steve Schaefer”,”type”:”author”}]},”subtitle”:” Morehouse graduation”,”width”:3000,”caption”:”Graduates react after receiving their diploma during the 137th commencement that celebrates the classes of 2020 and 2021 on the Century Campus at Morehouse College on Sunday, May 16, 2021. 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(Photo: Steve Schaefer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)”,”type”:”image”,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/F6PBCY2JBRPGBQUTTLH3FDSTGE.jpg”,”height”:1876}},{“content_elements”:[{“_id”:”FOYUKPPITVDWXLJN4KLTH4MFSY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1594734569707},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Clark Atlanta University celebrated the academic achievements of two graduating classes this weekend, as well as some large donations totaling $5 million for three upcoming entrepreneurial, leadership and social justice projects.”},{“_id”:”QIDQZ6OYIFAEJGCLCAZQJ5CIDI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621255509480},”type”:”text”,”content”:”University officials said Saturday that Tucker-based House of Cheatham, home to several popular multi-cultural hair care brands, will donate $3 million to the school for a center to help increase the number of Black entrepreneurs. The center, scheduled to start this fall, will be named after the company’s late founder, former state senator Robert H. Bell, who died in December.”},{“_id”:”RQHME57CHNCSJPQISWM4EB43S4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621255509481},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“These significant new resources to fund entrepreneurial programming will enable Clark Atlanta University to continue to graduate our students with a competitive edge to become successful career leaders, innovators and social justice change agents,” Clark Atlanta’s president, George T. French Jr., said in a statement.”},{“_id”:”PV2MU6QKHBHKPPCK644HFTRG5I”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621255509482},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative announced Saturday it’s providing Clark Atlanta one of several Racial Equity Grants for the university’s Executive Leadership Institute, to train future presidents of historically Black colleges and universities. The grant is $1 million. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative was created and is co-led by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, a pediatrician and teacher.”},{“_id”:”DUCPBMOEFJB23C52OWXKNGPOCA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621274089743},”type”:”text”,”content”:”A 2017 study found the average tenure of a HBCU president is three years, which many educators believe creates instability. The average tenure of all college presidents is between six and eight years, according to more recent research.”},{“_id”:”JVRKNMTLFNGRJPRLRQBMGMUZNM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621255509483},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Also Saturday, Clark Atlanta and the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation unveiled plans to establish a social justice institute at the university with a $1 million investment. The center will be named after the coalition’s board chairman Thomas W. Dortch, Jr., a prominent business and civic leader in the Atlanta region.”},{“_id”:”XQWWALV72NENJD5ZG7ELJAQVYI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621255509484},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The university said in a news release the institute will focus on civics education, voting rights, racial, economic, gender and social justice policy research, youth civic leadership development, entrepreneurship and community outreach across the nation. The institute will also provide internships, research assistantships and fellowships annually to undergraduate and graduate students at Clark Atlanta and other HBCUs.”},{“_id”:”LUJIVQ3TS5BR5ICBDQVFUBLGDI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621263666531},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“The institute will provide a unique opportunity to invest in the next generation of civil rights, women’s rights and social justice leadership to continue the fight for racial, economic, gender and social justice that lies ahead,” said Melanie L. Campbell, the coalition’s president.”},{“_id”:”JVRKNMTLFNGRJPRLRQBMGMUZNM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621255509483},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Other organizations supporting the initiative include the Verizon Foundation, The Coca-Cola Foundation and the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame, university officials said.”},{“_id”:”X7BU5MLQCRHWNJOPQ273NDXTEU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621255509485},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Clark Atlanta is the largest, private HBCU in Georgia, with about 4,000 students. The university held commencements Saturday for the class of 2020 and 2021.”},{“_id”:”T2TFXO2TOVHBTKLIFTFJC4M5IE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[]},”type”:”text”,”content”:”
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“}],”display_date”:”2021-05-17T19:00:00Z”,”headlines”:{“basic”:”Clark Atlanta gets $5 million for new leadership, social justice projects”},”first_publish_date”:”2021-05-17T19:00:00Z”,”taxonomy”:{“sections”:[{“path”:”/education”,”parent”:{“default”:”https://www.ajc.com/”},”_website”:”ajc”,”parent_id”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”name”:”Education”,”description”:”School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools”,”_id”:”/education”,”additional_properties”:{“original”:{“parent”:{“AmpNav”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”default”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”BottomNav”:null,”TopNavRedesign”:”/news”,”SectionMap”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”MainMenuRedesign2021″:”/news”,”TopNav”:”/news”,”ComposerNav”:”https://www.ajc.com/”},”site”:{“section_comments_enabled”:”Yes”,”site_description”:”School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools”,”site_title”:”Atlanta Schools: Education and School News”},”navigation”:{“nav_title”:”Education”},”inactive”:false,”node_type”:”section”,”_website”:”ajc”,”name”:”Education”,”_id”:”/education”,”ancestors”:{“TopNavRedesign”:[“https://www.ajc.com/”,”/news”],”SectionMap”:[“https://www.ajc.com/”],”MainMenuRedesign2021″:[“https://www.ajc.com/”,”/news”],”TopNav”:[“/news”]},”order”:{“AmpNav”:1014,”default”:1014,”TopNavRedesign”:2006,”SectionMap”:1006,”MainMenuRedesign2021″:2006,”TopNav”:2007,”ComposerNav”:1041}}},”_website_section_id”:”ajc./education”,”type”:”section”,”version”:”0.6.0″}],”primary_section”:{“path”:”/education”,”name”:”Education”},”tags”:[{“text”:”higher education”},{“text”:”coronavirus-schools-business”},{“text”:”teamjanel”}]},”type”:”story”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-17T19:00:00.451Z”,”canonical_url”:”/education/clark-atlanta-gets-5-million-for-new-leadership-social-justice-projects/VVRMFTBNSBFANPQX7BXAYTXTFQ/”,”promo_items”:{“basic”:{“credits”:{“by”:[{“name”:”Steve Schaefer”,”type”:”author”}]},”subtitle”:”Clark Atlanta Graduation”,”width”:3000,”caption”:”Members of the Clark Atlanta University 2020 graduating class celebrate during the Saturday ceremony at the Harkness Hall Quadrangle in Atlanta May 15, 2021. The 2020 ceremony was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo: Steve Schaefer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)”,”type”:”image”,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/VGNKBIC344BI7HLXFIQC7NP4EI.jpg”,”height”:1836}},”_id”:”VVRMFTBNSBFANPQX7BXAYTXTFQ”,”teaseImageObject”:{“credits”:{“by”:[{“name”:”Steve Schaefer”,”type”:”author”}]},”subtitle”:”Clark Atlanta Graduation”,”width”:3000,”caption”:”Members of the Clark Atlanta University 2020 graduating class celebrate during the Saturday ceremony at the Harkness Hall Quadrangle in Atlanta May 15, 2021. The 2020 ceremony was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo: Steve Schaefer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)”,”type”:”image”,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/VGNKBIC344BI7HLXFIQC7NP4EI.jpg”,”height”:1836}},{“content_elements”:[{“_id”:”QCKKHVDCUVA45BFEEH5GRZUEIY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1594734569707},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Dr. Anthony Fauci has learned a lot during his decades-long professional career, particularly over the past year as the federal government’s point person on the coronavirus pandemic.”},{“_id”:”XQF7TLZVWVE6ZLBWQWWMREXJEQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621267397488},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Fauci talked about what he described as five important issues he’s learned since his graduation in remarks delivered remotely Sunday as the guest speaker at Emory University’s commencement ceremony.”},{“_id”:”2EDZMZJAFNDSZLCX3RAJJBN7JE”,”additional_properties”:{“comments”:[],”_id”:”IYFBWRMHLZBGBDAEY74KEJZYZI”},”type”:”interstitial_link”,”url”:”https://www.ajc.com/news/coronavirus/dr-anthony-fauci-and-dr-cameron-webb-address-georgias-vaccine-hesitancy/IZ2ES4ZDMZE7BOEQAVXY5F27WE/”,”content”:”Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Cameron Webb address Georgia’s vaccine hesitancy”},{“_id”:”ELY2EMPRFZHGBBM5ZA6RX7QAX4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621267397490},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Here they are in order:”},{“list_type”:”unordered”,”_id”:”ZGAQA2HSKNACZPHAVO7ZZBGRMQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[]},”type”:”list”,”items”:[{“_id”:”QZYWDO3BMNE6FF5IXPA4BXUKIU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[]},”type”:”text”,”block_properties”:{},”content”:”Expect the unexpected. Fauci recalled many experts said the war against infectious diseases had been won when he started his medical career in 1968. Pundits, he said, can be wrong. He noted the discovery of AIDS in June 1981 and, more recently, COVID-19. “Please believe me that you’ll confront the same types of unpredictable events that I’ve experienced, regardless of what direction your lives might take.””},{“_id”:”GITICK23UJE5XBQD5ZLRGDA7DE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[]},”type”:”text”,”block_properties”:{},”content”:”Society’s failings. Fauci said the pandemic has exposed health disparities among some racial and ethnic groups that must be better addressed, such as inadequate diets, lack of access to healthcare and “the undeniable effects of racism in our society.””},{“_id”:”H6XHZUDHYVBYHLXQU6NIUCDLGM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[]},”type”:”text”,”block_properties”:{},”content”:”Public Service and Social Responsibility. Fauci told the graduates they should and can find ways to help others, regardless of their career choices.”},{“_id”:”AZUTIA7FDBEDTLKLWT4XP2YJBM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[]},”type”:”text”,”block_properties”:{},”content”:”Leadership. Fauci said this generation has shown it values inclusiveness, embraces diversity and lauded them for using social media to address global challenges. He told the students they can address society’s issues in different ways. “You cannot do it alone,” Fauci said. “But it cannot be done without you and your leadership.””},{“_id”:”2YWHRSB57NCC7CK373WUBWCRRE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[]},”type”:”text”,”block_properties”:{},”content”:”Joy. Fauci insisted America will emerge strong from the pandemic and urged the graduates to “find your source of joy and happiness and fully embrace it.””}]},{“subtype”:”facebook-post”,”referent”:{“referent_properties”:{“additional_properties”:{“comments”:[],”_id”:1621284574762}},”provider”:”https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post/oembed.json/?url=”,”service”:”oembed”,”id”:”https://www.facebook.com/EmoryUniversity/posts/10160983801961982&locale=en_US”,”type”:”facebook-post”},”_id”:”UIXIAZ6OG5AFHMNZP75GTQAFMU”,”raw_oembed”:{“author_name”:”Emory University”,”author_url”:”https://www.facebook.com/42543126981″,”width”:552,”html”:”n

“Let us promise ourselves that our memory of this tragic reality – that an infectious disease disparately hospitalizes…

Posted by Emory University on Sunday, May 16, 2021″,”provider_url”:”https://www.facebook.com”,”_id”:”https://www.facebook.com/EmoryUniversity/posts/10160983801961982&locale=en_US”,”additional_properties”:{“comments”:[],”_id”:1621284574762},”provider_name”:”Facebook”,”type”:”facebook-post”,”version”:”1.0″},”type”:”oembed_response”}],”display_date”:”2021-05-17T17:09:11.362Z”,”headlines”:{“basic”:”5 guideposts Dr. Fauci shared with Emory graduates”},”first_publish_date”:”2021-05-17T17:09:11.362Z”,”taxonomy”:{“sections”:[{“path”:”/education”,”parent”:{“default”:”https://www.ajc.com/”},”_website”:”ajc”,”parent_id”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”name”:”Education”,”description”:”School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools”,”_id”:”/education”,”additional_properties”:{“original”:{“parent”:{“AmpNav”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”default”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”BottomNav”:null,”TopNavRedesign”:”/news”,”SectionMap”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”MainMenuRedesign2021″:”/news”,”TopNav”:”/news”,”ComposerNav”:”https://www.ajc.com/”},”site”:{“section_comments_enabled”:”Yes”,”site_description”:”School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools”,”site_title”:”Atlanta Schools: Education and School News”},”navigation”:{“nav_title”:”Education”},”inactive”:false,”node_type”:”section”,”_website”:”ajc”,”name”:”Education”,”_id”:”/education”,”ancestors”:{“TopNavRedesign”:[“https://www.ajc.com/”,”/news”],”SectionMap”:[“https://www.ajc.com/”],”MainMenuRedesign2021″:[“https://www.ajc.com/”,”/news”],”TopNav”:[“/news”]},”order”:{“AmpNav”:1014,”default”:1014,”TopNavRedesign”:2006,”SectionMap”:1006,”MainMenuRedesign2021″:2006,”TopNav”:2007,”ComposerNav”:1041}}},”_website_section_id”:”ajc./education”,”type”:”section”,”version”:”0.6.0″}],”tags”:[{“text”:”higher education”},{“text”:”coronavirus-schools-business”},{“text”:”teamjanel”},{“text”:”school-news.ajc”},{“text”:”georgia education”},{“text”:”georgia news”},{“text”:”georgia-news.ajc”}],”primary_section”:{“path”:”/education”,”name”:”Education”}},”type”:”story”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-17T20:49:57.956Z”,”canonical_url”:”/education/5-guideposts-dr-fauci-shared-with-emory-graduates/526PQ6ZYJRDRPJIXYMVUQHMPH4/”,”promo_items”:{“basic”:{“credits”:{“affiliation”:[]},”subtitle”:”Fauci Emory commencement”,”width”:681,”caption”:”Dr. Anthony Fauci, who has led the federal government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, spoke remotely at Emory University’s commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 16, 2021. 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I have to help her.” She hung up.”},{“_id”:”7VCBS54XIBGB5EUEFG43ETUV4Q”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619732410552},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Eight months later, Duke said she and her kids have grown comfortable with the technology and their Paulding County teachers have improved. “The teachers have it figured out. I think that they’ve learned a lot through this year too,” she said, adding, “I want to stay virtual forever.””},{“_id”:”G6XEYZ2QY5CH5OXBY5UQNQEA5A”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620170206265},”type”:”text”,”content”:”There are thousands of parents like her — families that tasted the flexibility that online study offers: freedom from wasted time on commutes to and from school, from classes that move too slowly or from distractions with fashion and other teen social pressures.”},{“owner”:{“sponsored”:false,”id”:”ajc”},”copyright”:”© Casey Sykes 2020″,”address”:{},”caption”:”Many schools initially moved classes online during the pandemic. Some families have chosen to continue online learning for their children. (Casey Sykes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)”,”source”:{“system”:”AJC Freelancer”,”name”:”AJC Freelancer”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/J7PGRGPFY6NT7HAPW3IZIOT6XY”,”source_type”:”wires”,”source_id”:”s3://ajc-arc-photo-integration/Freelancer/AAJC EV 122520 VIRTUAL LEARNING PREFERRED CS 4.jpg”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[“5FD781E6DDCAA069FBE46740″],”seo_keywords”:[“AJC Freelancer”]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”custom”,”name”:”AJC Freelancer”,”category”:”wires”},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/J7PGRGPFY6NT7HAPW3IZIOT6XY.jpg”,”geo”:{},”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“affiliation”:[{“name”:”Casey Sykes”,”type”:”author”}],”by”:[{“name”:”Casey Sykes”,”type”:”author”}]},”subtype”:”Wires”,”subtitle”:”Virtual learning preference”,”width”:5738,”_id”:”J7PGRGPFY6NT7HAPW3IZIOT6XY”,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/_cJPaDN0q66J_mnxmLCovNna7Is=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/J7PGRGPFY6NT7HAPW3IZIOT6XY.jpg”,”comments”:[],”iptc_job_identifier”:”5FD781E6DDCAA069FBE46740″,”keywords”:[“AJC Freelancer”,”covid; covid-19; coronavirus; pandemic; virtual learning; online learning; zoom; school;”,”covid; covid-19; coronavirus; virtual learning; online learning; zoom; school;”],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/_cJPaDN0q66J_mnxmLCovNna7Is=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/J7PGRGPFY6NT7HAPW3IZIOT6XY.jpg”,”takenOn”:”2020-12-14T16:45:22Z”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/J7PGRGPFY6NT7HAPW3IZIOT6XY.jpg”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/_cJPaDN0q66J_mnxmLCovNna7Is=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/J7PGRGPFY6NT7HAPW3IZIOT6XY.jpg”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/5pXf37QNcG5dGrSY3Dry3Fg7Pm0=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/J7PGRGPFY6NT7HAPW3IZIOT6XY.jpg”,”version”:2,”originalName”:”s3://ajc-arc-photo-integration/Freelancer/AAJC EV 122520 VIRTUAL LEARNING PREFERRED CS 4.jpg”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”galleries”:[],”_id”:”CPEL2MGHKJFY3P7C7JCTPXSDTA”},”created_date”:”2020-12-15T06:56:28Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2020-12-21T16:04:28Z”,”slug”:”AAJC EV 122520 VIRTUAL LEARNING PREFERRED”,”height”:3825,”image_type”:”photograph”},{“_id”:”K32PXHRKMNESRM6HC2ZVG3ZDYE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619813178000},”type”:”text”,”content”:”About 14% of middle and high school students nationally had taken at least one online course prior to COVID-19, said Jennifer Darling-Aduana, an online education expert at Georgia State University. Three-quarters of school districts across the country offered online learning.”},{“_id”:”VS5ZQQMNKNGV7MKHIG6X3TIOQM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620057549065},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“So it was increasing even without the pandemic,” said Darling-Aduana, an assistant professor of learning technologies and co-author of the new book, “Equity and Quality in Digital Learning: Realizing the Promise in K-12 Education.””},{“_id”:”VYDL4XJEVBHW7OJXNILBZMZB3U”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620057549066},”type”:”text”,”content”:”COVID-19 accelerated the pace, forcing many schools, especially in metro Atlanta, to improve their online game. The largest Atlanta area school districts will be opening permanent, full-time virtual schools this fall, in an experiment that could either define the future of education or create a new niche way of teaching.”},{“_id”:”6EEK3PRSSVCTNBSLRQUNL2SBYE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620135730161},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The students who will attend them constitute a tiny fraction of overall enrollment, typically less than 1% — for now.”},{“_id”:”RCDXFUNZEBAXLLSSVMT6XI4R5M”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619745684192},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“I think that it will grow,” said Gyimah Whitaker, the deputy chief academic officer for Fulton County Schools. Families have said they want “anywhere, any time school,” she said. “I think virtual is here to stay.””},{“_id”:”GYVMLBXCY5GJZDPPRYNXUJRDHE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620047039576},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Behind the screens”},{“_id”:”PH7CDVQFHFD2ZDQUSPA5JU6QPY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620170206278},”type”:”text”,”content”:”As it’s been throughout the pandemic in Georgia, each district has its own approach.”},{“_id”:”C7XJERJOG5DNRLQSURKPCFEB2Q”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620228372349},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Some plan to offer the online programs to students as young as kindergartners while others are limiting participation to third- to 12th-graders.”},{“_id”:”FLS6NSRIGFEWHJQXMIZJIMPI2U”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620228372350},”type”:”text”,”content”:”There will be virtual schools that are standalone operations, while others will be an online extension of an established district school.”},{“_id”:”EJQCQQ5O5NED3HJHRIMKLWVGX4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620228372351},”type”:”text”,”content”:”For instance, Atlanta’s virtual academy is a standalone school with its own name, staff and student body, as are virtual programs in Fulton and Paulding counties.”},{“_id”:”U6PG2OLI3JC2LIRKTY6EO6RJ2U”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620228372352},”type”:”text”,”content”:”But in Henry, Clayton and Gwinnett, the remote learning programs are attached to physical schools. For instance, in Gwinnett, students who live near Snellville Middle will enroll online through that school and be counted as students there.”},{“_id”:”BKEZ2RVFFBFVZAM4KBMWJ436BQ”,”additional_properties”:{“comments”:[],”_id”:”DNASON6MKJESRG73YKINTRUW4A”},”type”:”interstitial_link”,”content”:”Metro Atlanta superintendents say virtual option will continue in fall”,”url”:”https://www.ajc.com/news/metro-atlanta-superintendents-say-virtual-option-will-continue-in-fall/S5VOFEBRPVHGBLTDB4SZZ3APOM/”},{“_id”:”V77YVZ7YVNDPFNJSP37HLW6C2M”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620228372353},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Cobb splits its system. Elementary schools in the north metro community are tied to their physical schools, while its secondary schools are not.”},{“_id”:”CFDQJLRZVZGGTLKCKTWZAPCKHE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620772145942},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Cobb calls the online elementary schools a “geographic cluster model.” The benefit is that it builds strong bonds between online students and the home school, said John Floresta, Cobb’s chief of strategy and accountability.”},{“_id”:”BPDXR3Y6E5HTLJXO3H7HVLH2XM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620228372354},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“At the elementary age, that relationship between the teacher and the kid really, really matters,” he said.”},{“owner”:{“id”:”ajc”},”workflow”:{“status_code”:4},”caption”:”Permanent online learning programs are being created by the large metro Atlanta school districts to enroll students not planning to return to classrooms in the fall. (Jenni Girtman for Atlanta Journal Constitution)”,”source”:{“system”:”Methode”,”source_type”:”other”,”source_id”:”34f46bc6-859c-11ea-af90-a9e006d563c3″,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”reference”,”reference_id”:”8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019″},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/LKSWYNWBRN2HFDMRGWNQC7OJNM.jpg”,”licensable”:false,”display_date”:”2020-04-23T19:54:15Z”,”credits”:{“by”:[{“name”:”Jenni Girtman”,”type”:”author”,”byline”:”Jenni Girtman”,”slug”:”jenni-girtman”}]},”subtitle”:”Some metro Atlanta students locked out of virtual classrooms”,”width”:3000,”first_publish_date”:”2020-04-23T19:54:15Z”,”_id”:”LKSWYNWBRN2HFDMRGWNQC7OJNM”,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/wMUkg96NVhlmJAuy5AJ_VWaQjH8=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/LKSWYNWBRN2HFDMRGWNQC7OJNM.jpg”,”comments”:[],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/wMUkg96NVhlmJAuy5AJ_VWaQjH8=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/LKSWYNWBRN2HFDMRGWNQC7OJNM.jpg”,”takenOn”:”2020-04-23T19:54:15Z”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/LKSWYNWBRN2HFDMRGWNQC7OJNM.jpg”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/wMUkg96NVhlmJAuy5AJ_VWaQjH8=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/LKSWYNWBRN2HFDMRGWNQC7OJNM.jpg”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/ipbAHy2eN5Z7Y90JnVzRAdUqVXs=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/LKSWYNWBRN2HFDMRGWNQC7OJNM.jpg”,”version”:0,”originalName”:”https://www.ajc.com//rw/Pub/p11/AJC/2020/04/23/Images/042620%20cv%20school%20technology-0016.JPG”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”galleries”:[{“headlines”:{“basic”:”Photos: Some metro Atlanta students locked out of virtual classrooms”},”_id”:”SEM6GL4LQZ5L27XG5W4LJN7K4E”}],”_id”:”J22WV57KINBO3PCDVETWDCHZ4A”},”created_date”:”2020-06-30T00:22:45Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2020-06-30T00:22:45Z”,”publish_date”:”2020-04-23T19:54:15Z”,”height”:1834},{“_id”:”CFDQJLRZVZGGTLKCKTWZAPCKHE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620772145942},”type”:”text”,”content”:”In most cases, the virtual programs will be open to any student who prefers learning remotely. But in some districts, such as Fayette and Cherokee, students must demonstrate an ability to self-pace on school work to be accepted.”},{“_id”:”Q5FQ3EWHT5DMJKNHRLFDGUOPI4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620228372356},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Several districts say they will have to hire more teachers if they cannot find enough qualified internal candidates. All of those interviewed said they will have separate, dedicated staff attending to their online students. Schools found during the pandemic that it was too difficult for teachers to handle students both in-person and online.”},{“_id”:”ES3A4TMCYBARDA6MNKJV32W4LE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620135730172},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Online origins”},{“_id”:”44MY5TWKWJHZRPOWKWZILGDXSM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619732410557},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Many of Georgia’s larger school districts, such as Gwinnett, Cobb, Henry and Atlanta have had online schools for many years. Mostly those were for special cases — for students who wanted to take an advanced class not offered in their school or make up a failed class.”},{“_id”:”SUEFZZGL6JA43D7YKEYMWHDF5I”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619795209681},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Charter schools were among the pioneers of the full-time model. The state’s largest, Georgia Cyber Academy, opened for students from kindergarten through middle school in 2007 and soon expanded to include high school students. Last school year, about 9,200 attended there and another 4,600 attended a similar charter school called Georgia Connections Academy, in fifth grade through high school.”},{“_id”:”Y6DOI2L2VVG7XKTSEF5QZ54BYY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619732410562},”type”:”text”,”content”:”This fall, about 7,000 or so students will attend new full-time online schools in the five large Atlanta-area school districts queried by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.”},{“_id”:”5L3WBDJWORDGDAUZVIDUZ7JFGY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620070774615},”type”:”text”,”content”:”They are reacting to new interest from parents like Michelle Smith, who knew her daughter, Nichelle, was a fast learner but didn’t realize how bored she had been in the classroom. There was also the stress of the commutes between school and her extracurricular activities.”},{“_id”:”NPRTJJWSTFFEPFORFNJSYDOPAU”,”additional_properties”:{“comments”:[],”_id”:”DDOSIFIBVVEHNPDTOF2FCEPVPY”},”type”:”interstitial_link”,”content”:”Fulton County Schools names principal to lead new virtual academy”,”url”:”https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/fulton-county-schools-names-principal-to-lead-new-virtual-academy/KVDMSGN2F5G3LHIVIDCXSO56RE/”},{“_id”:”KCLGGCEKOZGLPCSNOETWXZSCMU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619795209687},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The new pace is more relaxed. On a recent day, Nichelle logged in for class, took a break for a dental appointment, and skateboarded during lunch.”},{“_id”:”DWYFNQPLANFTDHJHYQSHCUXA5Y”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619795209685},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Nichelle, 11, is teaching herself Japanese between classes when she’s not reading books. She plays the violin, dances and sings, and she makes art with resin in a new space her parents created for her in the basement.”},{“_id”:”RO6N57PQDREUJAUHANFHB5RNVY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619795209686},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“The virtual schooling just works,” Smith said. The self-described “‘60s baby” said that for her school had always meant a classroom. She never would have enrolled her daughter in something like the Fulton Academy of Virtual Excellence if the pandemic had not opened her mind to the possibilities. “I would never have looked at it until it hit me in the face,” she said.”},{“_id”:”GEKRNCGQDFDKDJ43EAPHZ67LVQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619732410614},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Duke, from Paulding, said she never would have considered virtual school for her four kids if not for COVID-19. She said they are excelling academically and she’s making the younger two stay online, while her older two chose it.”},{“_id”:”ZU6PAF6PPNBBHBFWZVQOHENFTY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619732410615},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The family socializes at church and by keeping all of them home, Duke, who used to homeschool them, said she doesn’t have to worry they will fall in with the “wrong crowd” as she did as a kid.”},{“_id”:”2RUJAOXS2BGNVEV4QU4WDIACAE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620070774621},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The enthusiasm is not universal. At Clayton County Schools, which spent most of the year all-virtual even as other districts began offering in-person instruction, only about 900 of the district’s 55,000 students signed up for virtual education next year, Superintendent Morcease Beasley said.”},{“_id”:”ZJWIAVYOMNCWPDHOYRQI4NYA34″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620070774622},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“I thought a lot more wanted a virtual option,” he said. “They still have time to change their minds.””},{“_id”:”GRST5HE5URHXRAA4ZZEQ4IONWI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620135730187},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Mapillar Dahn, a Clayton County parent, is leaning toward sending her youngest daughter back to school in-person.”},{“owner”:{“id”:”ajc”},”address”:{“locality”:”Hampton”,”region”:”Georgia”},”caption”:”10/12/2020 – Hampton, Georgia – Mapillar Dahn gives her daughter Hajar Tyler, 11, a snack during her virtual learning at Eddie White Academy at their residence in Hampton, Monday, October 12, 2020. (Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com)”,”source”:{“system”:”photo center”,”name”:”AJC Freelancer”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/4SUKGMOKEAF4TK3YYBN6HCJ564″,”source_type”:”wires”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[“5f80768383ff9d74e0e88cad”],”seo_keywords”:[“AJC Freelancer”]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”custom”,”name”:”AJC Freelancer”,”category”:”wires”},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/4SUKGMOKEAF4TK3YYBN6HCJ564.JPG”,”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“affiliation”:[{“name”:”Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com”,”type”:”author”}],”by”:[{“name”:”Alyssa Pointer”,”type”:”author”}]},”subtype”:”Wires”,”subtitle”:”CLAYTON DIARY”,”width”:4712,”_id”:”4SUKGMOKEAF4TK3YYBN6HCJ564″,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/ngyL-nTT4QnpAC49C6KPr9oaRbU=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/4SUKGMOKEAF4TK3YYBN6HCJ564.JPG”,”comments”:[],”iptc_job_identifier”:”5f80768383ff9d74e0e88cad”,”keywords”:[“AJC Freelancer”],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/ngyL-nTT4QnpAC49C6KPr9oaRbU=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/4SUKGMOKEAF4TK3YYBN6HCJ564.JPG”,”takenOn”:”2020-10-13T14:12:25Z”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/4SUKGMOKEAF4TK3YYBN6HCJ564.JPG”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/ngyL-nTT4QnpAC49C6KPr9oaRbU=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/4SUKGMOKEAF4TK3YYBN6HCJ564.JPG”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/PMZOmUvfOCavMnLy_HSXuD4Fa_o=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/4SUKGMOKEAF4TK3YYBN6HCJ564.JPG”,”version”:2,”originalName”:”s3://ajc-arc-photo-integration/Freelancer/AAJC 102520 LNX CLAYTON DIARY_AP6.JPG”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”galleries”:[{“headlines”:{“basic”:”Diary of an overworked, exhausted Clayton County mom”},”_id”:”MH2C6MMPEBCLHPLEZOHNRSR2ME”}],”_id”:”72AIM5UZUNEVBESDAIVF5RFZKM”,”iptc_title”:”Visual Journalist”},”created_date”:”2020-10-14T21:57:19Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2020-10-15T19:59:01Z”,”slug”:”AAJC 102520 LNX CLAYTON DIARY”,”height”:3141},{“_id”:”77RRK7YXYFEEPLCP4SN5F5AJUQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620070774607},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Her daughter, Hajar Tyler, 11, has been miserable learning from home. The sixth-grader struggled with focus and staying on task until she was moved to an online classroom with fewer students in the second half of the school year.”},{“_id”:”6ZV6AOEK65GIZIJZYLDZ2BHGUQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620070774609},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“She is so ready to be out of here,” Dahn said.”},{“_id”:”D4GEAYBOEBG7HAXDZKZQC3YHAI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620070774623},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Weighing the options”},{“_id”:”74WSM4ZL45GWLLIJGYIV5G622E”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619795209691},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Online school has its drawbacks. As a standalone entity, for instance, Fulton’s new online school with 725 students will have no sports teams, although there will be space at two new schools opening in the north and south parts of the county where the online students can meet for their own extracurricular activities. The district has been polling parents to gauge interest in particular activities.”},{“_id”:”VWLVB6CNSBD4RO5LRPFMSPXKXU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620135730192},”type”:”text”,”content”:”There appears to be little consensus around some key questions, such as age-appropriateness.”},{“_id”:”COOIXPM6RNB4PIJ76DSQGBPHRM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619795209693},”type”:”text”,”content”:”For instance, Fulton’s academy is enrolling children as young as third grade. Meanwhile, Paulding County’s Virtual Academy starts in kindergarten, but Cherokee County’s i-Grad Virtual Academy starts in ninth grade.”},{“_id”:”3SRJD3PAZNDZ7FWYAQXJHMXBDM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620070774627},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Some have expressed concern that kindergarten and Pre-K may be too young to start online learning. They insist socialization is crucial to that age and worry that children won’t develop those skills if they are not in the same room.”},{“_id”:”6RFIQYFZZNEFPMOHASFWMVK6EM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620766166485},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Decatur will open a permanent online school with 28 students enrolled, and three teachers guaranteed for the whole school year — two for the elementary school level and one for the secondary level. But one of the teaching slots in elementary school — the one for K-2 — may be eliminated after spring of 2022.”},{“_id”:”ZXJMSEJUF5HX7FMZUCKOOWNVRY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620766166486},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“I’m not sure that virtual for K-2 is developmentally appropriate, so we’re trying to pilot it due to COVID but we’ll see where that goes,” said Kristy Beam, Decatur’s executive director of curriculum and instruction.”},{“owner”:{“id”:”ajc”},”copyright”:”2021 Atlanta Journal-Constitution”,”address”:{“locality”:”Dallas”,”region”:”GA”},”caption”:” Paulding schools online Math teacher Barbara Miller teaches her students online at Paulding Virtual Academy in Dallas on Friday, April 30, 2021. (Hyosub Shin / Hyosub.Shin@ajc.com)”,”source”:{“system”:”AJC Freelancer”,”name”:”AJC Freelancer”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/7UAOMEGSFKAT3KU2NLPL6JCVWM”,”source_type”:”wires”,”source_id”:”s3://ajc-arc-photo-integration/Freelancer/050921 ONLINE SCHOOL HS03.jpg”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[“608987f054af2b0bcae0b41b”],”seo_keywords”:[“AJC Freelancer”]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”custom”,”name”:”AJC Freelancer”,”category”:”wires”},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/7UAOMEGSFKAT3KU2NLPL6JCVWM.jpg”,”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“by”:[{“name”:”HYOSUB SHIN / AJC”,”type”:”author”}]},”subtype”:”Wires”,”subtitle”:”Schools see a future online, Paulding Virtual Academy”,”width”:6192,”_id”:”7UAOMEGSFKAT3KU2NLPL6JCVWM”,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/-g2Uh_BUI5_8ccXlwqNIJ6eFlKU=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/7UAOMEGSFKAT3KU2NLPL6JCVWM.jpg”,”iptc_source”:”AJC”,”comments”:[],”iptc_job_identifier”:”608987f054af2b0bcae0b41b”,”keywords”:[“online”,”AJC Freelancer”,”School”],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/-g2Uh_BUI5_8ccXlwqNIJ6eFlKU=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/7UAOMEGSFKAT3KU2NLPL6JCVWM.jpg”,”takenOn”:”2021-04-30T14:16:14Z”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/7UAOMEGSFKAT3KU2NLPL6JCVWM.jpg”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/-g2Uh_BUI5_8ccXlwqNIJ6eFlKU=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/7UAOMEGSFKAT3KU2NLPL6JCVWM.jpg”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/_eHNEP4J_874EV0HtgSIlcZ5RF8=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/7UAOMEGSFKAT3KU2NLPL6JCVWM.jpg”,”version”:2,”originalName”:”s3://ajc-arc-photo-integration/Freelancer/050921 ONLINE SCHOOL HS03.jpg”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”galleries”:[],”_id”:”ZB2MDJI5UFDS5A72XKAM5FJTKI”,”iptc_title”:”staff”},”created_date”:”2021-05-01T16:31:07Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-13T00:36:29Z”,”slug”:”AAJC 050921 ONLINE SCHOOL”,”height”:4128},{“_id”:”IZEJUTIWWNFIRNQPA4PEI45TCE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620766166487},”type”:”text”,”content”:”But Aleigha Henderson-Rosser, executive director of instructional technology for Atlanta Public Schools, said online teachers are trained for all grade levels down to kindergarten. The school includes online social clubs, cyber movie nights and “tea time” featuring principals who read to children.”},{“_id”:”5BOI3VRUOREWNAYMU4THYNOQ6M”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620070774629},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“Our kids already socialize on technology outside of school,” she said. “We didn’t invent that part. We are just harnessing what that looks like.””},{“_id”:”7K5X22W2ZBARZA7SQCNCNCZAS4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619732410574},”type”:”text”,”content”:”An imperfect solution”},{“_id”:”NZ3TSZEBCJHZ5GACVNIPOKUQ7Y”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620047039580},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Although both of Georgia’s virtual charter schools — Georgia Cyber Academy and Georgia Connections Academy — technically serve the whole state, their attendance is clustered in metro Atlanta, according to the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts. Online schooling has been less popular in parts of the state with poor internet connectivity.”},{“_id”:”RBZPAZTCA5D4JJCSS3ABQA5W4M”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620057549089},”type”:”text”,”content”:”It is one reason rural school districts appear less likely to embrace the virtual model in the near term.”},{“_id”:”KMMCQNYFSRGFTELT6AZTJIMKBE”,”additional_properties”:{“comments”:[],”_id”:”FG7XAZNWA5GTLHMKYOBK75X6OM”},”type”:”interstitial_link”,”content”:”Rural schools have few options for reliable, high-speed internet”,”url”:”https://www.ajc.com/news/local/much-georgia-lack-makes-online-homework-harder/dGZCKwGk8HteIbU7ABkuCP/”},{“_id”:”VG3AI3HASZDNJBHY23V3NND6PI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619795209701},”type”:”text”,”content”:”In Vidalia, home of the world-famous sweet onion, online enrollment has fallen to about 12%, down from a high of 25% or 30% at the beginning of the school year as parents abandoned virtual school and returned their children to real classrooms, Superintendent Garrett Wilcox said.”},{“_id”:”QGYZYQNSMZG73LSAKWEXGTF76Q”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619795209702},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“We’re not totally against it,” he said. But he doubts online school will work below middle school, and he thinks there are inherent drawbacks when teachers are not in the same place as their students.”},{“_id”:”V6YX34YSDRAB3DE64V3J6EEIFQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619795209703},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“You can’t build those same relationships virtually,” he said. Also, some students may not graduate on time because they went off the rails without the “structure” that comes with a teacher hovering nearby.”},{“_id”:”JBXFKLTFV5G6PIPMAIMLRU6XRE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619795209704},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“The freedom that comes along with not having a schedule wasn’t good for everybody,” he said.”},{“_id”:”CWZG7WFWY5EHLM4DT6STHRXCRY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619795209705},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The Georgia Department of Education is not tracking how many of the state’s 180 school districts are planning to open online schools, so it is unclear how widespread this sentiment is.”},{“_id”:”PWBM5R7TKRD4XPMJDPWUOMBLXA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619795209708},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Robert Costley, a former school superintendent in Butts County south of Atlanta, said many of the superintendents he talks with want to keep a toe in the online world but worry that younger kids won’t learn to read if they attend online.”},{“_id”:”KMAARNHAKFAUHGXYWSH6ZACP6Q”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619795209710},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Interest will grow as broadband access expands, predicted Costley, the executive director of the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders.”},{“_id”:”KMAARNHAKFAUHGXYWSH6ZACP6Q”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1619795209710},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“All of these systems are in the birth, toddler stages of the new normal,” he said.”},{“_id”:”PUFHISLQVBDIPOK3KAFCDR23BI”,”additional_properties”:{“comments”:[],”_id”:”4XKEQM2CPBFKVKERYW4HQSP7UE”},”type”:”divider”},{“_id”:”BPRXQAIHY5BWBIKK6FNV5NSMUI”,”additional_properties”:{“comments”:[],”_id”:”WR3HH7PEF5BJRLAQ2SUYPTGEMQ”},”type”:”raw_html”,”content”:”rnrn.grm3HeaderCell{background:none;text-align:center;}.grm3TableCell{text-align:center;}.grm3ChartlyTableHeader{background-color:#1368b2;color:white;text-align:center;}.grm3TableRow{text-align:center;}.grm3ChartlyTableOddRow{background-color:#f0f0f0;text-align:center;}rnrnrnrnrnrnMetro Atlanta online learning optionsrnrnNOTE: Cobb enrollment number for secondary students. Elementary enrollment not provided. DeKalb enrollment and staffing not provided. Gwinnett staffing not provided.rnrnrnrnSource: School district responses to AJC questions”},{“_id”:”OVYIRR3S3ZHKPCEW6GOA5TAWYM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[{“pos”:0,”comment”:”Online learning”}],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621009460159},”type”:”text”,”content”:””},{“_id”:”ODPLZHCY7FHF7O5JC3APVWKB6U”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[{“pos”:0,”comment”:”Metro Atlanta’s core school districts will offer online learning options for students in the upcoming school year. Here is information on those options:”}],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620846802935},”type”:”text”,”content”:””},{“_id”:”5GWJXODE7NBK5EPJE5Y64YCHT4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[{“pos”:0,”comment”:”District – online program name, qualifications; enrollment next school year; staffing next school year”}],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620846802936},”type”:”text”,”content”:””},{“_id”:”PFQXHWQ27FCRDAKMCSF6H6Z36U”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[{“pos”:0,”comment”:”Atlanta – Atlanta Virtual Academy, open to all K-12 students; 300; staffing not yet determined”}],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620846802937},”type”:”text”,”content”:””},{“_id”:”CIHLPVWYBJFBTHDJVWNXVQYNJ4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[{“pos”:0,”comment”:”Clayton – School Based Virtual Learning Program; open to all K-12 students ; 900; staffing not yet determined”}],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620846802938},”type”:”text”,”content”:””},{“_id”:”E6F66RZM7RGMXHTJ4AAZ4R44RI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[{“pos”:0,”comment”:”Cobb – Cobb Online Learning Academy, open to all K-12 students; 1,200 secondary students (elementary count not provided); 75-100″}],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620846802939},”type”:”text”,”content”:””},{“_id”:”ULLKVPYFUVAS5LQ2ZZIG77ELVY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[{“pos”:0,”comment”:”Dekalb – FLEX Academy, open to 6th-12th-grade students, enrollment not provided, staffing not provided”}],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620846802940},”type”:”text”,”content”:””},{“_id”:”R7W7GA25OZB6RF2N7YQJXQODXY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[{“pos”:0,”comment”:”Fulton – Fulton Academy of Virtual Excellence, open to 3rd-12th-grade students; 725; 49″}],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620846802941},”type”:”text”,”content”:””},{“_id”:”WB7365TUABA2HDRB4W7C6XUEKY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[{“pos”:0,”comment”:”Gwinnett – Gwinnett Online Campus, open to 4th-12th-grade students; 4,006; staffing not provided”}],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620846802942},”type”:”text”,”content”:””},{“_id”:”QFGWXOM3H5ETRCOIOCZEZ2OKKQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[{“pos”:0,”comment”:”Source: School district responses to AJC questions”}],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620846802943},”type”:”text”,”content”:””},{“_id”:”VR7R6V7R3VG6BDTECGV24VWN2Y”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620846802944},”type”:”text”,”content”:”
“},{“_id”:”6SHTYOUU4RDBLLKEPQJDTSC34Q”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620846802945},”type”:”text”,”content”:”
“}],”display_date”:”2021-05-15T11:00:00Z”,”headlines”:{“basic”:”Metro Atlanta schools see a future in online education”},”first_publish_date”:”2021-05-15T11:00:00Z”,”taxonomy”:{“sections”:[{“path”:”/education”,”parent”:{“default”:”https://www.ajc.com/”},”_website”:”ajc”,”parent_id”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”name”:”Education”,”description”:”School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools”,”_id”:”/education”,”additional_properties”:{“original”:{“parent”:{“AmpNav”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”default”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”BottomNav”:null,”TopNavRedesign”:”/news”,”SectionMap”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”MainMenuRedesign2021″:”/news”,”TopNav”:”/news”,”ComposerNav”:”https://www.ajc.com/”},”site”:{“section_comments_enabled”:”Yes”,”site_description”:”School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools”,”site_title”:”Atlanta Schools: Education and School News”},”navigation”:{“nav_title”:”Education”},”inactive”:false,”node_type”:”section”,”_website”:”ajc”,”name”:”Education”,”_id”:”/education”,”ancestors”:{“TopNavRedesign”:[“https://www.ajc.com/”,”/news”],”SectionMap”:[“https://www.ajc.com/”],”MainMenuRedesign2021″:[“https://www.ajc.com/”,”/news”],”TopNav”:[“/news”]},”order”:{“AmpNav”:1014,”default”:1014,”TopNavRedesign”:2006,”SectionMap”:1006,”MainMenuRedesign2021″:2006,”TopNav”:2007,”ComposerNav”:1041}}},”_website_section_id”:”ajc./education”,”type”:”section”,”version”:”0.6.0″}],”primary_section”:{“path”:”/education”,”name”:”Education”},”tags”:[{“text”:”school-news.ajc”},{“text”:”georgia education”},{“text”:”georgia-news.ajc”},{“text”:”ga-government.ajc”},{“text”:”atlanta-news-metro.ajc”},{“text”:”atlanta-neighborhoods.ajc”},{“text”:”teamjanel”},{“text”:”clayton county”},{“text”:”cobb schools”},{“text”:”fulton schools”},{“text”:”dekalb schools”},{“text”:”gwinnett schools”},{“text”:”henry county”},{“text”:”fayette country”},{“text”:”cherokee county”},{“text”:”south fulton county”},{“text”:”north fulton”},{“text”:”paulding county”}]},”type”:”story”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-17T16:00:24.541Z”,”canonical_url”:”/education/schools-see-a-future-in-online-education/CUQ63KKNOZCYHN3YL4L23DBAQM/”,”promo_items”:{“basic”:{“credits”:{“by”:[{“name”:”HYOSUB SHIN / AJC”,”type”:”author”}]},”subtitle”:”Schools see a future online, Paulding Virtual Academy”,”width”:6048,”caption”:”April 30, 2021 Dallas – Paulding schools online English teacher Laura Buffington (foreground) and math teachers Barbara Miller (left) and Angela Haxton teach their students online at Paulding Virtual Academy in Dallas on Friday, April 30, 2021. (Hyosub Shin / Hyosub.Shin@ajc.com)”,”type”:”image”,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/TPPMNYN2OJDSF6J73C6ZPFZC4A.jpg”,”height”:3815}},”_id”:”CUQ63KKNOZCYHN3YL4L23DBAQM”,”teaseImageObject”:{“credits”:{“by”:[{“name”:”HYOSUB SHIN / AJC”,”type”:”author”}]},”subtitle”:”Schools see a future online, Paulding Virtual Academy”,”width”:6048,”caption”:”April 30, 2021 Dallas – Paulding schools online English teacher Laura Buffington (foreground) and math teachers Barbara Miller (left) and Angela Haxton teach their students online at Paulding Virtual Academy in Dallas on Friday, April 30, 2021. (Hyosub Shin / Hyosub.Shin@ajc.com)”,”type”:”image”,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/TPPMNYN2OJDSF6J73C6ZPFZC4A.jpg”,”height”:3815}},{“content_elements”:[{“_id”:”D3LLEPOK2BCFHBO6WJGHDUSO6E”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1594734569707},”type”:”text”,”content”:”For the second year in a row, presidents in the state’s public university system did not get raises.”},{“_id”:”4C6YQYU6P5EMPOO377ACPAJ4Y4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621025558777},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The Georgia Board of Regents met earlier this week to approve the salaries, deferred compensation and allowances for all 26 presidents, which take effect July 1. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution received the total compensations Friday through the Georgia Open Records Act.”},{“_id”:”UL7LBXI3PZCR3MXIPI74SSPB5Y”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621025558778},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The presidents at Georgia’s four research institutions— Augusta University, Georgia Tech, Georgia State and the University of Georgia — continue to top the list, all near or above total compensations of $1 million. Augusta University President Brooks Keel topped the list at nearly $1.2 million. Nearly all of the other presidents in the system will make between $200,000 to $300,000.”},{“_id”:”VAUMKSGJ2JGTXKNV25HR3P5UUI”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621025558779},”type”:”text”,”content”:”A few University System of Georgia presidents, like Georgia State’s Mark Becker, are leaving in the coming months and their replacements will negotiate their own salaries and compensation. System officials said Keel received the only increase, made to his deferred compensation. Keel did not have deferred compensation in 2019, the last year University System presidents received raises.”},{“_id”:”MEM73LDWKNCK5OE5IUKPUHKX5I”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621025558780},”type”:”text”,”content”:”System leaders decided in May 2020 not to increase the compensations of the presidents as they worked on a plan to make state-mandated budget cuts. The cuts were ordered due to revenue declines caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The Board of Regents voted last month not to raise student tuition and fees because of the pandemic’s ongoing impact on many students and their families.”},{“_id”:”VUXATFOGXBDBJNOXI7GLL764NU”,”additional_properties”:{“comments”:[],”_id”:”CCS3KLMM7JHE7DYUJS7XJ2R64M”},”type”:”divider”},{“_id”:”IO2SKWWCNZEZFB4ZVB4W2PZO6I”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621025558781},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Here is the breakdown of the five presidents with the highest compensation packages:”},{“_id”:”QAMJ52OYRJDVFFXS7NKSLURR6I”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621025558782},”type”:”text”,”content”:”President, University – Base Pay; Allowance; Deferred Compensation; Total”},{“_id”:”7T2VULGMPRESJD7HWO743RG2IQ”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621025558783},”type”:”text”,”content”:”1. Brooks Keel, Augusta University – $856,000.66; $43,300; $300,000; $1,199,300.66″},{“_id”:”2ASQI2JZC5GWXIQ5Y6ZNJPIPTU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621025558784},”type”:”text”,”content”:”2. Mark Becker, Georgia State – $594,102.90; $34,900; $500,000; $1,129,002.90″},{“_id”:”SKXOFWVVZVAEDMAOCMUIFVBHEU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621025558785},”type”:”text”,”content”:”3. Ángel Cabrera, Georgia Tech – $631,700; $43,300; $300,000; $975,000″},{“_id”:”6QTWYD3BYFHTPG4F5FLWN4QBK4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621025558786},”type”:”text”,”content”:”4. Jere Morehead, University of Georgia – $662,755.35; $23,900; $225,074.22; $911,729.57″},{“_id”:”E6Q6JLVAXZGWTCNQGQ6IS4JN3Y”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621025558787},”type”:”text”,”content”:”5. Kathy Schwaig,* Kennesaw State – $412,500; $41,200; $0; $453,700″},{“_id”:”MCNVKHEDRJCVLHRZI6CAG52DG4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621025558788},”type”:”text”,”content”:”* Schwaig becomes interim president on July 1.”},{“_id”:”I3SUX4FTKNDAXHKDMXHKKOKAVM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621026527096},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Source: University System of Georgia”},{“_id”:”3H6XP5DAVND45M7IQYTXUWXMEE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1621025558789},”type”:”text”,”content”:”
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System officials stressed in a two-page memo to the presidents that the guidance is subject to change based on recommendations from the Georgia Department of Public Health or executive orders from the governor’s office.”},{“_id”:”GUUX7YQQJJAYLIW2KUZQXJPLNU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620937363699},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“Through effective planning, (the University System of Georgia) in the current academic year succeeded in providing in-person instruction and serving students. We will take the same approach to the coming academic year,” the system said in a statement.”},{“_id”:”GVXYO5SC4JD4ZDIOXZJP2C5HNA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620938765268},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The statement added that thousands of COVID vaccine doses have been administered on the system’s campuses.”},{“_id”:”C2GOHAIEOZBENBHEKHFWXENPIA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620938765269},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“We strongly encourage faculty, staff, students and visitors to get vaccinated and will continue to do so. While the vaccines are safe and effective, it is an individual decision to receive one and will not be required to be a part of our campuses.””},{“_id”:”PGCQJBJVJND5ZABZNADTQUFARA”,”additional_properties”:{“comments”:[],”_id”:”JPLFFR57EJAL7LUA5WLQ3TVRHU”},”type”:”interstitial_link”,”url”:”https://www.ajc.com/news/coronavirus-atlanta-eases-restrictions/”,”content”:”How Atlanta is reopening public events and public gatherings as COVID limits are eased”},{“owner”:{“sponsored”:false,”id”:”ajc”},”address”:{“street_address”:”Kennesaw State University”,”locality”:”Kennesaw”,”region”:”Georgia”},”caption”:”08/17/2020 – Kennesaw, Georgia – Kennesaw State University freshmen Simone Wilson (left) and Zee Agnew (right) wear masks as they walk through campus during the first day of classes at Kennesaw State University’s main campus in Kennesaw, Monday, August 17, 2020. (ALYSSA POINTER / ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM)”,”source”:{“system”:”photo center”,”name”:”AJC Freelancer”,”edit_url”:”https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/7GIYYZW26WWB4DEAMARWZBV2ZU”,”source_type”:”wires”,”additional_properties”:{“editor”:”photo center”}},”taxonomy”:{“associated_tasks”:[“5f3495a795db5659732a8bf5″],”seo_keywords”:[“AJC Freelancer”]},”type”:”image”,”distributor”:{“mode”:”custom”,”name”:”AJC Freelancer”,”category”:”wires”},”version”:”0.10.3″,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/7GIYYZW26WWB4DEAMARWZBV2ZU.JPG”,”geo”:{},”licensable”:false,”credits”:{“affiliation”:[{“name”:”ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM”,”type”:”author”}],”by”:[{“name”:”Alyssa Pointer”,”type”:”author”}]},”subtype”:”Wires”,”subtitle”:”Kennesaw State University First Day 2020″,”width”:5472,”_id”:”7GIYYZW26WWB4DEAMARWZBV2ZU”,”additional_properties”:{“fullSizeResizeUrl”:”/resizer/KW-cgPgMrlk0lnlDr6A4v44OXhE=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/7GIYYZW26WWB4DEAMARWZBV2ZU.JPG”,”comments”:[],”iptc_job_identifier”:”5f3495a795db5659732a8bf5″,”keywords”:[“AJC Freelancer”],”proxyUrl”:”/resizer/KW-cgPgMrlk0lnlDr6A4v44OXhE=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/7GIYYZW26WWB4DEAMARWZBV2ZU.JPG”,”takenOn”:”2020-08-17T14:29:56Z”,”originalUrl”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/7GIYYZW26WWB4DEAMARWZBV2ZU.JPG”,”published”:true,”resizeUrl”:”/resizer/KW-cgPgMrlk0lnlDr6A4v44OXhE=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/7GIYYZW26WWB4DEAMARWZBV2ZU.JPG”,”thumbnailResizeUrl”:”/resizer/eHeB2xBSmmg4CBHSW9vA92vgKSM=/300×0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-ajc/public/7GIYYZW26WWB4DEAMARWZBV2ZU.JPG”,”version”:3,”originalName”:”s3://ajc-arc-photo-integration/Freelancer/AAJC 081820 DAY ONE_AP4.JPG”,”mime_type”:”image/jpeg”,”restricted”:false,”galleries”:[{“headlines”:{“basic”:”PHOTOS: First day back to school at Kennesaw State”},”_id”:”IO6MXME4GRCP3NGRMUM7FGY3H4″},{“headlines”:{“basic”:”PHOTOS: First day back to school at Kennesaw State”},”_id”:”FGSHFQ2A4BHJZEQRCJHCXAVKEA”}],”_id”:”NQEB3THD5RBR3EXMIAEWID3T5E”,”iptc_title”:”Visual Journalist”},”created_date”:”2020-08-17T16:25:30Z”,”last_updated_date”:”2020-08-17T18:43:13Z”,”slug”:”AAJC 081820 DAY ONE”,”height”:3648,”image_type”:”photograph”},{“_id”:”RUTZZWYRCJGBBLJYT7QVOV5HEE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620937363701},”type”:”text”,”content”:”State officials have gradually rolled back pandemic restrictions, and federal officials announced Thursday fully vaccinated people do not need to wear masks or practice social distancing, even indoors, except under certain circumstances.”},{“_id”:”KUUO2UYECFARLKQ3AVN62IAH3M”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620943280108},”type”:”text”,”content”:”In accordance with those federal guidelines, the system is recommending that fully vaccinated individuals can resume campus classes and other activities without wearing a mask. The system’s memo says unvaccinated individuals are strongly encouraged to continue wearing a face covering while inside campus facilities. Students, faculty and staff who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 are not required to quarantine if they have been fully vaccinated against the disease and show no symptoms.”},{“_id”:”AKPL7Y7KOBBIZO5EZ5A2UNCRWA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620937363703},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The University System will follow the state government’s rules on travel. Currently, a non-essential travel ban remains in place. The memo says the schools should follow their athletic conference guidelines and schools not affiliated with a conference should develop guidelines appropriate for their institution and its athletes.”},{“_id”:”RUTZZWYRCJGBBLJYT7QVOV5HEE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620937363701},”type”:”text”,”content”:”With limited exceptions, the memo says employees with COVID-19 related telework assignments should begin transitioning back to their prior work arrangements.”}],”display_date”:”2021-05-13T22:20:03.581Z”,”headlines”:{“basic”:”Georgia public colleges encourage but won’t require COVID vaccines this fall”},”first_publish_date”:”2021-05-13T21:09:27.873Z”,”taxonomy”:{“sections”:[{“path”:”/education”,”parent”:{“default”:”https://www.ajc.com/”},”_website”:”ajc”,”parent_id”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”name”:”Education”,”description”:”School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools”,”_id”:”/education”,”additional_properties”:{“original”:{“parent”:{“AmpNav”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”default”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”BottomNav”:null,”TopNavRedesign”:”/news”,”SectionMap”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”MainMenuRedesign2021″:”/news”,”TopNav”:”/news”,”ComposerNav”:”https://www.ajc.com/”},”site”:{“section_comments_enabled”:”Yes”,”site_description”:”School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools”,”site_title”:”Atlanta Schools: Education and School News”},”navigation”:{“nav_title”:”Education”},”inactive”:false,”node_type”:”section”,”_website”:”ajc”,”name”:”Education”,”_id”:”/education”,”ancestors”:{“TopNavRedesign”:[“https://www.ajc.com/”,”/news”],”SectionMap”:[“https://www.ajc.com/”],”MainMenuRedesign2021″:[“https://www.ajc.com/”,”/news”],”TopNav”:[“/news”]},”order”:{“AmpNav”:1014,”default”:1014,”TopNavRedesign”:2006,”SectionMap”:1006,”MainMenuRedesign2021″:2006,”TopNav”:2007,”ComposerNav”:1041}}},”_website_section_id”:”ajc./education”,”type”:”section”,”version”:”0.6.0″}],”tags”:[{“text”:”higher education”},{“text”:”coronavirus-schools-business”},{“text”:”teamjanel”},{“text”:”georgia education”},{“text”:”school-news.ajc”}],”primary_section”:{“path”:”/education”,”name”:”Education”}},”type”:”story”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-14T18:39:29.496Z”,”canonical_url”:”/education/georgia-public-colleges-encourage-but-wont-require-covid-vaccines-this-fall/KOXPUVPFIBFHJDLN2YEOFVEM3I/”,”promo_items”:{“basic”:{“credits”:{“affiliation”:[],”by”:[{“name”:”HYOSUB SHIN / AJC”,”type”:”author”,”byline”:”HYOSUB SHIN / AJC”}]},”subtitle”:”College and COVID: Fall semester so far”,”width”:5696,”caption”:”Class is taking place outdoor in the University of Georgia campus in Athens shortly after the start of the fall 2020 semester. (Hyosub Shin / Hyosub.Shin@ajc.com)”,”type”:”image”,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/3R4ZGXETFVDD3E7HHFIZQWUPAU.jpg”,”height”:3487}},”_id”:”KOXPUVPFIBFHJDLN2YEOFVEM3I”,”teaseImageObject”:{“credits”:{“affiliation”:[],”by”:[{“name”:”HYOSUB SHIN / AJC”,”type”:”author”,”byline”:”HYOSUB SHIN / AJC”}]},”subtitle”:”College and COVID: Fall semester so far”,”width”:5696,”caption”:”Class is taking place outdoor in the University of Georgia campus in Athens shortly after the start of the fall 2020 semester. (Hyosub Shin / Hyosub.Shin@ajc.com)”,”type”:”image”,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/3R4ZGXETFVDD3E7HHFIZQWUPAU.jpg”,”height”:3487}},{“content_elements”:[{“_id”:”T6V5ASIP3ZAZPKQ7IU7JPJWJWE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1594729076640},”type”:”text”,”content”:”A new study by Georgia State University finds that many students didn’t learn as much as they might have had the pandemic not occurred. But the results vary widely based on family wealth, race and other demographic factors, and also by grade level and subject.”},{“_id”:”UAP4UQTNSNFHLISPTRM7I3RS34″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620922050151},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The study, one of the first comprehensive local looks at the effect of the pandemic on learning, found what most observers have feared: the schooling disruptions over the past year caused many students to learn less than they would have, though some findings surprised one of the lead researchers.”},{“_id”:”POGNWOQ2AVAE3I6NVI33EAGIIU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620922050152},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“I would have thought students with disabilities would have been impacted more,” said economics professor Tim Sass. He also did not expect the extreme variation by grade level that his team found.”},{“_id”:”BIPFN3YEYZD3ZNVI64632K5IZE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620923619940},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Middle school students did worse in math and reading than younger students.”},{“_id”:”XTSET3A57BAHVF2TRH6SAU6TKE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620922050154},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The research by the Georgia Policy Lab in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies released Thursday used scores from proprietary “formative” tests used by three unidentified large metro Atlanta school districts. State standardized tests were canceled last spring and not taken by all students this school year. GSU says their study is one of two independent, multi-district studies to estimate the pandemic’s impact on student achievement in the United States.”},{“_id”:”4BMIW4WM7FAXNDBM5PATG5WKK4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620922050155},”type”:”text”,”content”:”While many talk of learning “loss,” GSU is describing their findings as a slowing of anticipated “achievement growth,” based on what would have been projected in a normal year from test score trends preceding the pandemic.”},{“_id”:”GHWORVNQMFG65GRBLCCK3HSI7I”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620922050156},”type”:”text”,”content”:”In some cases, that deceleration equaled what would have been learned over three-quarters of a normal school year. It was typically worse for students who remained home and online, but even those attending school in-person generally fell behind where they should have been. The most damage occurred this school year rather than last spring.”},{“_id”:”JQUZVQ3MQBHK7OWZHE24V6OP4A”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620923619944},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“Across most measures, students are three to six months or more behind where they would have been had the pandemic not occurred,” the researchers wrote.”},{“_id”:”K3D7HX5KW5FJDDIYWDJTTSRX4M”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620925619288},”type”:”text”,”content”:”For instance, in one of the school districts, eighth-grade students on average learned the equivalent of 6.9 months less than expected in math. In another, seventh-grade students learned an average of 7.5 months less in reading than projections showed they should have.”},{“_id”:”UZNOY5BWVBAQ7FSDJRKKQBGE7I”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620925619289},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Reading was down in varying amounts in all of the measured grade levels — four through eight. Math was more inconsistent, though. For instance, one district had test scores showing its eighth-grade students learned a month more than projected for math.”},{“_id”:”UANJGUHQ3RFW7E3FXEC76575CM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620925619290},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Poverty played a mostly predictable role, generally correlating with poorer performance. However, even here the results varied. In one district, eighth-grade students who qualified for free or reduced-price meals were behind by 1.6 months in reading while peers who didn’t qualify, presumably because their family income was too high, were 2.4 months behind.”},{“_id”:”FMHIOYQCCBCTDMBEQ2NSVEFQXY”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620925619291},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Sass said the findings may be instructive statewide as school districts plot their recovery from the pandemic. GSU is recommending targeted remediation using federal stimulus funds — tutoring, longer school days, summer school — for those who need it, rather than broad brush approaches affecting all students.”},{“_id”:”IGVWYX2JCVESLFAQUEODTIESWA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620925619292},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Clayton County Superintendent Morcease Beasley was among those watching the online presentation.”},{“_id”:”CRFQSWXGXVHH3HFFYJUOVPCFEM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620925619293},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“Tough year for all but really tough for those already negatively impacted by inequity in our society,” he posted in the “chat” rail. “The inequity was perpetuated through laws, policies, and discriminatory practices.” Schools should be “intentional” about eradicating those inequities, he wrote.”},{“_id”:”K4FW7XMB6FCBDBRFWY6Y6VLKWE”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620925619294},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Ryan Moore, a Fulton County Schools administrator, was among the presenters. He said his district was already following GSU’s recommendations, saying of Sass’s proposals, “It’s almost like you’re reading off the Fulton County recovery plan.””}],”display_date”:”2021-05-13T17:54:30.427Z”,”headlines”:{“basic”:”GSU study: Many students learned less during pandemic, but impact varies”},”first_publish_date”:”2021-05-13T17:54:30.427Z”,”taxonomy”:{“sections”:[{“path”:”/education”,”parent”:{“default”:”https://www.ajc.com/”},”_website”:”ajc”,”parent_id”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”name”:”Education”,”description”:”School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools”,”_id”:”/education”,”additional_properties”:{“original”:{“parent”:{“AmpNav”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”default”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”BottomNav”:null,”TopNavRedesign”:”/news”,”SectionMap”:”https://www.ajc.com/”,”MainMenuRedesign2021″:”/news”,”TopNav”:”/news”,”ComposerNav”:”https://www.ajc.com/”},”site”:{“section_comments_enabled”:”Yes”,”site_description”:”School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools”,”site_title”:”Atlanta Schools: Education and School News”},”navigation”:{“nav_title”:”Education”},”inactive”:false,”node_type”:”section”,”_website”:”ajc”,”name”:”Education”,”_id”:”/education”,”ancestors”:{“TopNavRedesign”:[“https://www.ajc.com/”,”/news”],”SectionMap”:[“https://www.ajc.com/”],”MainMenuRedesign2021″:[“https://www.ajc.com/”,”/news”],”TopNav”:[“/news”]},”order”:{“AmpNav”:1014,”default”:1014,”TopNavRedesign”:2006,”SectionMap”:1006,”MainMenuRedesign2021″:2006,”TopNav”:2007,”ComposerNav”:1041}}},”_website_section_id”:”ajc./education”,”type”:”section”,”version”:”0.6.0″}],”tags”:[{“text”:”school-news.ajc”},{“text”:”georgia education”},{“text”:”georgia-news.ajc”},{“text”:”ga-government.ajc”},{“text”:”atlanta-news-metro.ajc”},{“text”:”atlanta-neighborhoods.ajc”},{“text”:”teamjanel”},{“text”:”coronavirus-schools-business”}],”primary_section”:{“path”:”/education”,”name”:”Education”}},”type”:”story”,”last_updated_date”:”2021-05-14T15:52:53.388Z”,”canonical_url”:”/education/gsu-study-many-students-learned-less-during-pandemic-but-impact-varies/LXUK6Y47UJHVNLKI24DPBYAHOU/”,”promo_items”:{“basic”:{“credits”:{“affiliation”:[{“name”:”JOHN SPINK / AJC”,”type”:”author”}],”by”:[{“name”:”JOHN SPINK / AJC”,”type”:”author”,”byline”:”JOHN SPINK / AJC”}]},”subtitle”:”murphey candler elementary school closed”,”width”:5472,”caption”:”A sign at Murphey Candler Elementary School at 6775 S Goddard Road in Lithonia, DeKalb County on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. nJOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM”,”type”:”image”,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/KZXHCTJFOVGYVMAXIA3LLG2FRA.JPG”,”height”:3172}},”_id”:”LXUK6Y47UJHVNLKI24DPBYAHOU”,”teaseImageObject”:{“credits”:{“affiliation”:[{“name”:”JOHN SPINK / AJC”,”type”:”author”}],”by”:[{“name”:”JOHN SPINK / AJC”,”type”:”author”,”byline”:”JOHN SPINK / AJC”}]},”subtitle”:”murphey candler elementary school closed”,”width”:5472,”caption”:”A sign at Murphey Candler Elementary School at 6775 S Goddard Road in Lithonia, DeKalb County on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. nJOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM”,”type”:”image”,”url”:”https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/KZXHCTJFOVGYVMAXIA3LLG2FRA.JPG”,”height”:3172}},{“content_elements”:[{“_id”:”4KFVMAI5SJEM3K7JMHMYRRU2DA”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1594734569707},”type”:”text”,”content”:”A team from some of Georgia’s leading medical research institutions will soon embark on an effort to find new treatments and therapies for sickle cell disease.”},{“_id”:”YSOEFGJWVBHDBP7EZD7K3BWGIU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620906914452},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The Georgia Research Alliance, an umbrella organization that includes eight universities and medical schools, formally announced the five-year, $15 million campaign Thursday. Private funding of $7.5 million has been identified and an additional $7.6 million will come from the alliance’s state appropriations over a five-year period, according to the alliance.”},{“_id”:”YSOEFGJWVBHDBP7EZD7K3BWGIU”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620906914452},”type”:”text”,”content”:”The plan includes endowed chairs to participate in the research, laboratory infrastructure, and other assistance to boost research and clinical capabilities.”},{“_id”:”TKEZRCWG5RBORKN4CZXPBFMIOM”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620906914453},”type”:”text”,”content”:”“Sickle cell disease impacts over 100,000 people in the U.S every year, predominantly in the African American community,” Gov. Brian Kemp said in a statement. “The good news is researchers and clinicians here in Georgia know how to tackle some of the most challenging problems facing humankind.””},{“owner”:{“sponsored”:false,”id”:”ajc”},”address”:{},”syndication”:{},”caption”:”From left to right: Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Georgia Research Alliance President Susan Shows, state Rep. Calvin Smyre and Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, pose for a picture. The alliance is embarking on a five-year effort to find treatments for sickle cell disease. Kemp announced the upcoming fiscal year budget will include the funds to create an endowed chair in honor of Smyre, the longest-serving member of the Georgia Legislature. 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Its member universities are Augusta University, Clark Atlanta University, Emory University, Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, Mercer University, Morehouse School of Medicine and the University of Georgia.”},{“_id”:”4QPGFM3KWRB3HMNA2EOGQFEXG4″,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620906914454},”type”:”text”,”content”:”Kemp and the alliance also announced there will be funding in the upcoming state budget to create an endowed chair that will be named for state Rep. Calvin Smyre, D-Columbus, currently the longest-serving member of the Georgia General Assembly. The Calvin Smyre GRA Eminent Scholar Chair — a position with public and private funds — would provide funding for lab equipment and additional researchers, as well as resources to move discoveries from the university labs to clinics and markets.”},{“_id”:”6X6MULQ7AFD5LLEOSLP4Y3K54Q”,”additional_properties”:{“inline_comments”:[],”comments”:[],”_id”:1620908486691},”type”:”text”,”content”:”
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