Braelinn Elementary School in Fayette County Earns Award from "PTO Today"

It was all smiles recently at Braelinn Elementary School in Peachtree City when the announcement came from PTO Today Magazine. The Editor's Choice Award for Outstanding Major Project was presented to the Braelinn Elementary School PTO for the completion of a major renovation of the outdated gym floor.

Much of the capital for the project was provided through a string of ingenious fundraising activities spearheaded by the PTO. These activities included sales at a movie night, and an envelope drive, and matching contributions by a Braelinn family. Congratulations to PTO President Rebecca Bankey, Principal Wenonah Bell, and Coach Jill Collins for their dedication to this project.

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Georgia State: Children’s Defense Fund President to Speak at College of Education Lecture

Marian Wright Edelman, Founder and President, Children’s Defense Fund
20th Annual Benjamin E. Mays Lecture
6 p.m. on Monday (Oct. 13)
Rialto Center for the Arts, 80 Forsyth St.

Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the Children’s Defense Fund, will be the keynote speaker at the College of Education’s 20th annual Benjamin E. Mays Lecture.
Free and open to the public, the lecture will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday (Oct. 13) at Georgia State University’s Rialto Center for the Arts. During her talk, Edelman will discuss trends in urban education.

“It is crucial that we address today’s educational crisis that America’s children face,” Edelman said. “Many of our children can’t read at grade level and our schools are now arresting children for infractions that used to be dealt with in the principal’s office. This isn’t just a problem for students, but a problem that affects all of our communities.”

A book signing will be held after the lecture for Edelman’s latest publication, The Sea is So Wide and My Boat is So Small: Charting a Course for the Next Generation, in stores now. Edelman has been an advocate for disadvantaged Americans for her entire professional life. Under her leadership, the Children’s Defense Fund has become the nation’s strongest voice for children and families.

The annual lecture series, sponsored by Georgia State’s College of Education and Alonzo A. Crim Center for Urban Educational Excellence, began in 1989 to encourage the discussion of issues facing urban educational leaders. The annual event not only honors the memory of Mays, an Atlanta educator, but also promotes his philosophy of excellence in the education of those typically least served by society.

“Spanning over 30 years, Mrs. Edelman’s work speaks to the need for caring families and communities to give our children the best possible start in life that will insure a successful transition to adulthood,” said Gwendolyn Benson, associate dean of the College of Education.

A graduate of Spelman College and Yale Law School, Edelman began her career in the mid-60s when, as the first black woman admitted to the Mississippi Bar, she directed the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund office in Jackson, Miss. In l968, she moved to Washington, D.C., as counsel for the Poor People’s Campaign, which Martin Luther King, Jr. began organizing before his death. In l973, Edelman began the Children’s Defense Fund. She has received many honorary degrees and awards including the Albert Schweitzer Humanitarian Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Robert F. Kennedy Lifetime Achievement Award for her writings, which include eight books.

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UWG: New Vice President for University Advancement

Dr. Michael Ruffner, former vice chancellor of communications and university relations at Louisiana State University, has been appointed Vice President for University Advancement at the University of West Georgia. He began his new position Oct. 1.

Dr. Beheruz N. Sethna, UWG president, welcomed Ruffner as he came to UWG at a critical time in its history.

“We need to draw on Dr. Ruffner’s experience and expertise to enhance our regional and national image,” Sethna said. “He will work closely with our excellent colleagues, not only within University Advancement but across campus, on this exciting task.”

While at LSU, Ruffner had oversight of advancement, legislative and public affairs since 2005, and most recently assisted the president of LSU System as a special advisor. Previously, he served as the associate vice president for marketing and communications at Case Western Reserve University responsible for all marketing, branding, communications and public affairs activities.

Earlier in his career as a senior media executive, he was responsible for developing comprehensive communications, marketing and public affairs programs for some of the leading brands in the country.

As the inaugural head of the Office of Communications and University Relations at LSU, his advancement responsibilities involved coordinating the fundraising activities of three private foundations, and he was instrumental in the planning and launch of Forever LSU, the largest capital campaign in LSU history, which raised a record $122 million during the first year of the campaign.

During Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, he led all public affairs operations to establish communications and liaison between LSU and local, state and federal agencies. His office was instrumental in helping transition LSU into the largest temporary acute care facility in history.
In addition, his office wrote, produced and disseminated in six weeks the award-winning volume, LSU in the Eye of the Storm, as a model outlining how institutions can and should assist their state leadership during disasters.

As the head of marketing and public affairs at Case Western Reserve University, Ruffner was responsible for raising the visibility and prestige of the university among national and international audiences, supporting all philanthropic activities, providing marketing and
communications support to eight schools, and representing the university before all public forums and the media.

Ruffner was responsible for much of the planning and execution for the 2004 Vice Presidential Debate activities at Case. By creating a series of events called The Race at Case, they generated millions of dollars of media value for the university and the city of Cleveland.

Prior to his work at Case Western, he worked closely with senior management at CBS and NBC for nearly 20 years on brand management, and was responsible for representing the corporate and public affairs interests of both networks before Congress and numerous regulatory and special interest groups. He served as the chief advocate for CBS and NBC on healthcare advertising.

In addition, Ruffner pioneered the movement to advertise prescription drugs on network television , and was the founding director of a national policy and research consortium of 57 large corporations that lobbied Congress for healthcare advertising reforms.

Sethna expressed his appreciation to Dr. Andrew Leavitt, associate vice president for University Advancement, and Lisa Ledbetter, assistant vice president for University Communications and Marketing, for leading the Division for the past year.

“We have made substantial progress on a number of dimensions, including the work on the football stadium, during this period and we could not have done it without their help,” Sethna stated.

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High Expectations In School Science Programs

(NAPSI)-In addition to high tuition costs, many colleges and universities are also raising their admission standards. That means every student hoping to go to college should put two things high up on his or her "to do" list-build an impressive résumé and start saving for tuition. Yesterday, if possible.

The good news is, a program called ExploraVision, incorporated into many science curricula, helps students all the way from kindergarten through high school in both these important areas-and helps motivate them in science.

ExploraVision is one of the world's largest K-12 student science competitions. Last year, more than 14,000 students got involved in researching current technologies and imagining what they could be like in 20 years. Students on the four first-place teams receive $10,000 U.S. Savings Bonds and students on second-place teams receive $5,000 Bonds.

ExploraVision is sponsored by Toshiba and administered by the National Science Teachers Association. This year's contest deadline is January 28, 2009. For more information, call (800) EXPLOR-9 or visit www.exploravision.org.

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Tony Roberts of Georgia Elected Chairman of the State Leaders Council for the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools

PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Georgia State Charter Schools Chief Executive Officer Tony Roberts has been elected as the Chairman of the State Leaders Council of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, it was announced today. "We congratulate Tony Roberts on his election by the members of the State Leaders Council," said National Alliance for Public Charter Schools President and CEO Nelson Smith. "Tony has demonstrated tremendous leadership and a record for getting things done in Georgia. I know he'll bring to the Council that same kind of dynamic energy to build a strong working relationship with the Alliance."

"It is crucial that we be united in our efforts to advance the charter school movement on the state and national level," said Roberts. "We must use our collective organizational strength and experience effectively to ensure that charter schools have equitable funding, access to facilities and the capacity to deliver on the promise of a high-quality education for all students." Established by the NAPCS Board of Directors in June 2008, the Council serves as a liaison between state organizations serving the country's more than 4,300 public charter schools and the Alliance, the national organization dedicated to expanding school choice through high-quality charter schools. As Chair, Roberts will also serve on the Alliance Board.

As CEO of the statewide organization representing 71 public charter schools in Georgia, Roberts led the effort to help enact four important bills into law earlier this year, including the establishment of the Georgia Charter Schools Commission, a new public statewide authorizer for charter schools. Roberts also recently led the creation of "Georgia School Choice," a parent and student advocacy organization for charter schools.

Roberts received his undergraduate degree from Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. degrees from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He is a member of the American Society of Association Executives and the Association for Fundraising Professionals.

One of five candidates, Roberts received a first-ballot majority of the votes cast by members of the State Leaders Council. His term will expire in June 2010.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (www.publiccharters.org) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement.

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Shane Bell Awarded Clayton State Retirees Association Scholarship

Clayton State University graduate Shane Bell has been awarded the second graduate scholarship of the Clayton State Retirees Association (CSRA).

A 2007 graduate of Clayton State with a B.A. in History, Bell is currently enrolled in Clayton State’s Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program with a concentration in History. He is also an archives technician for the National Archives and Records Administration’s (NARA) Southeast Regional Archives, located adjacent to the Clayton State campus. A 1993 graduate of Mount Zion High School who now lives in McDonough, Ga., Bell is one of the outstanding success stories of the on-going relationship between Clayton State’s History Department and both the National and Georgia Archives.

“He is a student we can be proud of helping,” says CSRA President Dr. Joyce Swofford of the second recipient of the organization’s $1000 yearly scholarship.

“The breadth of the MALS program appealed to me from the start,” says Bell. “I liked the idea of a broad grounding in the liberal arts, especially in this era of almost extreme academic specialization. The kind of scope offered by the program will give me room to explore and find the right topic for my master’s thesis.”

Bell, who hopes to enter a Ph.D. program after earning his masters, credits current Clayton State History professors Dr. Adam Tate, Dr. Marko Maunula, Dr. Christopher Ward and retired professors Dr. Eugene Hatfield and Dr. Robert Welborn for their influence. Outside of History, he also recognizes the contributions of Clayton State English professors Dr. William Pasch and Dr. Gregory McNamara.

“Dr. McNamara was kind enough to organize and spearhead a trip in which several students presented papers at the Medieval and Renaissance Conference at the University of Virginia's College at Wise last fall,” notes Bell. “He was incredibly supportive; from critiquing our papers, to arranging the trip and getting us ready to present at our first academic conference.

“It was in Dr. Pasch's class that I really started thinking about going to graduate school. His comments about my work were always helpful and encouraging.”

“It's great to see such an outstanding student -- and human being -- realizing his potential -- and more!” responds Pasch, himself a retiree after more than 30 years at Clayton State.

Bell’s work outside of the classroom has also been exemplary. In conjunction with his position at NARA, he is a member of the University’s Martin Luther King Commemoration Committee, bringing considerable expertise on the Antebellum period, especially the Underground Railroad and the Atlantic Slave Trade. In fact, he recently returned from serving on a National Archives panel at the Network to Freedom Conference on the Underground Railroad in Philadelphia, where he spoke on NARA’s holdings on the Atlantic Slave Trade.

“Our conference panel was attended by about 40-45 people and NARA met with a good reception,” he reports. “Some of the records people knew about, but many were not aware of some of the more obscure stuff, like the illegal importation cases. My presentation highlighted several African-American related records, but my main focus was the illegal importation cases.

“Afterwards, I spoke with Underground Railroad enthusiasts, amateur historians, collectors, and even an artist who specializes in the period. It was a good experience, though I would [have been] much more nervous about speaking at this Philadelphia convention if it were not for Dr. McNamara.”

A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.
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Two Educators Get $25,000 Surprise DeKalb County and Marietta City teachers win Milken Award

A pair of Georgia teachers each got a $25,000 surprise on Tuesday.

Andrea King, from DeKalb County's Rock Chapel Elementary School, and Susan Grigg, from Sawyer Road Elementary School in Marietta, were named Georgia's 2008 National Milken Educators of the Year. The winning teachers receive $25,000 and other prizes. The Educator of the Year award is given by the Milken Family Foundation, of California.

State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox and Dr. Jane Foley, Senior Vice President of the Milken Family Foundation, made the surprise announcements at assemblies in each school on Tuesday.

"Andrea King and Susan Grigg are the kind of teachers that make Georgia proud," said Superintendent Cox. "They both work in schools where most of the students come from homes with serious economic challenges -- but they don't use that as an excuse. They combine high expectations, innovation and loving support to help their students achieve at the highest level possible. Congratulations to Andrea and Susan!"

The Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards provide recognition and unrestricted financial awards of $25,000 each to exceptional elementary and secondary school teachers, principals and specialists who are furthering excellence in our nation’s schools. This year, alone, a total of up to $2 million in Milken Awards will be presented to up to 80 of America’s finest elementary educators. New Milken Educators also receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Los Angeles to participate in the Milken National Education Conference focused on solutions to America’s pressing challenges in education today.

“Nothing in America’s K-12 schools has more influence on student learning that the quality of the classroom teacher,” said Lowell Milken, Chairman of the foundation. “Highly effective teachers are the bedrock in constructing a world-class education system that meets our challenges and opportunities in this 21st century. It is a national imperative that we attract, retain and motivate people of talent to the profession. America’s prosperity depends on it.”

Superintendent Cox thanked the Milken Family Foundation for being a great friend to education.

"For 22 years, the Milken Foundation has been showing people around the nation that teaching is one of the most important professions in the world," Superintendent Cox said. "I am so grateful that they have made this commitment of time, energy and resources to recognize our great teachers!"

Potential nominees for the award are gathered by the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) and presented to a blue ribbon panel of judges that includes members of GaDOE, the education community and other stakeholders. The finalists are sent to the Milken Family Foundation, which chooses the two winners.

ABOUT THE WINNERS

Susan Grigg
Ms. Susan Grigg serves as the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme Coordinator at Sawyer Road Elementary, in the City of Marietta. Serving as a teacher for ten years prior to that, she was selected for this role because she demonstrated exceptional instructional practices that yield positive results in student achievement. She was instrumental in helping open the new Sawyer Road Elementary school in Marietta and guided her school through the authorization process to become an International Baccalaureate School. She also co-authored the conversion charter and charter implementation grant. She relates well to every type of teacher, those in the first year and veterans. Her community involvement ties closely with the Oceaneer Theater Company at Sawyer. This is a theater group for students in grades 2-5. Her efforts include soliciting for theater space, costumes, advertising and props. Because of her work, the students have had the opportunity to perform in a real theater in front of their peers, families, and community. Her dedication and intimate working relationships with teachers has led students' scores to go up in every subject.

Andrea King
Ms. Andrea King is an exemplary teacher who embodies the true spirit of transformation education. Working with both gifted and special needs students, she is an expert at differentiation. Her creative ways of teaching and out of the box thinking have led to some positive results in the classroom, some of which include Papier-mâché dinosaurs and Egyptian costumes. Ms. King has the ability to teach children from diverse backgrounds. She has also been pro-active in changing inappropriate student behavior at lunch by displaying flowers, tablecloths and formal place settings on lunchroom tables. She eats with her students and teaches proper table etiquette. She always volunteers for school activities and takes special interest in putting together the "Father-Daughter" Dance at her school. Currently working on her Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction, Ms. King is a life-long learner who continually researches ways to improve her teaching. She serves as the Professional Learning Liaison for the school and always takes the time to help other teachers improve their teaching skills. Ms. King is dedicated to providing children with an emotionally-safe environment and quality education. Her self-contained students earned a 100% pass rate on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test.
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Fayette County's Whitewater High School Student Inventors Win $10,000 MIT Grant

GE Note: Congratulations to the Whitewater High School students who will be working on the prototype of their invention. All of Georgia is pulling for your success!

A group of high school students might have the solution to end the world’s shortage of clean drinking water. So impressed with their idea was the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) that it awarded them a $10,000 grant to develop a prototype.

Five students who make up the InvenTeam at Whitewater High are one of only 16 teams throughout the US and Canada to receive a Lemelson-MIT grant for the 2008-2009 school year. The students are Kavita Singh, Chris Sandwich, Jacob Cotton, Andrew Barth and Hendri deBeer.

InvenTeams are composed of high school students, teachers and mentors who collaboratively identify a problem that they want to solve, research the problem and then develop a prototype invention as an in-class or extracurricular project.

The Whitewater team decided to create a combination dehydrator and condenser that will preserve food while purifying the water that results from the dehydration process.

This team is the first in Fayette to win a grant. InvenTeam is expected to release a final list of grant winners later this month, but so far only one other Georgia team has won a grant since the program began in 2003.

Whitewater submitted an initial application for the grant last spring and received an Excite Award, an invitation to complete a final, more detailed application of the idea. The selection of the finalist teams is based on the inventiveness and feasibility of the proposed idea. A panel of MIT professors, staff and alumni, inventors, researchers, entrepreneurs and high school educators assess the applications.

The team will use the grant money to purchase materials and supplies needed to develop a prototype of their invention. They will have all school year to complete the prototype. The team will display and discuss their invention at the MIT EurekaFest this spring.

Whitewater teachers working with the InvenTeam students are Carolyn Smith, engineering and technology, and Dr. Ted Wansley, science.

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HAVE IT YOUR WAY® Foundation Raises Funds to Support Scholarships

(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Have It Your Way Foundation, Inc., the charitable arm of the BURGER KING® brand, announced today the launch of its annual Fall Fundraiser, the largest in-restaurant promotion hosted by the Foundation in support of the BURGER KING® Scholars Program, which provides scholarships to graduating high school seniors in communities across the nation.

For each $1 donation made at participating BURGER KING® restaurants from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31, 2008, guests will receive a coupon book containing eight value-sized french fry coupons. The net proceeds will be used to fund educational scholarships through the BURGER KING® Scholars Program.

The BURGER KING® system has long-supported education in the communities which it serves. All U.S. company restaurants and participating franchise-owned restaurants, along with corporate sponsor H.J. Heinz, have come together to help further support education in their local communities.

The BURGER KING® Scholars Program provides $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors with a minimum 2.5 GPA, who work part-time, demonstrate financial need and participate in community and/or extracurricular activities. Graduating seniors throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada are eligible for the scholarships and recipients do not have to be employed at a BURGER KING® restaurant. The BURGER KING® Scholars Program has granted more than $11.7 million in scholarships since its inception in 2000.

“The goal of the BURGER KING® Scholars Program is to help alleviate some of the financial burden of the rising cost of higher education,” said Ivette Diaz, executive director, HAVE IT YOUR WAY® Foundation. “Through the Fall Fundraiser, Burger King Corp., our franchisees and guests have the opportunity to help support education in the local communities where we work and live.”

Current high school seniors planning to graduate in the spring of 2009 may obtain more information on the BURGER KING® Scholars Program and apply online by logging onto www.bk.com/scholars or by calling 305/378-3186. The 2009 scholarship recipients will be announced in April of next year.

Scholarship funds come directly from the HAVE IT YOUR WAY® Foundation. In addition, company- and franchise-owned BURGER KING® restaurants throughout the country host a variety of fundraising activities, which also help fund scholarships each year.

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State Leaders “Read for the Record”

On Thursday, Oct. 2, Georgia is Reading for the Record – and much more!

On that day, Georgia First Lady Mary Perdue, State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox, Department of Early Care and Learning Commissioner Holly Robinson, and Fulton County Superintendent Cindy Loe will take part in Jumpstart’s “Read for the Record” campaign.
Superintendent Cox, Commissioner Robinson and Dr. Loe will be reading at Hillside Elementary School in Roswell at 11:15 a.m., while First Lady Perdue will read via a taped message on the Department of Early Care and Learning’s website, www.decal.ga.gov.

“Early literacy is an important building block to a child’s education,” said First Lady Perdue. “Jumpstart’s “Read for the Record” highlights the power of reading, and helps build strong relationships between adults and children encouraging life-long learning.”

Superintendent Cox said early reading skills set the path for successful learning.

“This is a fun and exciting way to emphasize the importance of reading skills to a child’s future,” said Superintendent Cox. “A child who loves to read early in life has a far better chance of being successful in school and in life.”

Jumpstart’s “Read for the Record” Campaign encourages reading events across the United States on the same day using the same book. Governor Sonny Perdue has signed a proclamation declaring Thursday "Read for the Record Day" in Georgia.

“By participating in this exciting event, we’re calling national attention to the importance of reading,” said Dr. Robinson, who oversees preschool and Pre-K programs in Georgia. “In Georgia, we are making wonderful progress starting in Pre-K preparing children to be life-long readers and learners. It is my hope this event will bolster our efforts even further.”

Research shows that most children in low-income communities have few, if any, age-appropriate books in their homes. Those without access to a quality preschool program arrive at kindergarten developmentally behind and have one-fourth the vocabulary of their mid-income peers by first grade.

“Students who come to school prepared to read are also prepared to learn,” said Dr. Loe, Superintendent of Fulton County Schools, Georgia’s 4th largest district. “By raising awareness through “Read for the Record,” we can give all students access to the reading skills they will need to be successful.”

Jumpstart – through the “Read for the Record” campaign and intensive early education programs – puts books in the homes of children who need them most and focuses on helping them make gains in crucial language and literacy skills.

“Focusing everyone’s attention on one book for a single day is a great way to highlight the critical task of preparing young people for a lifetime of reading and learning,” said Jumpstart’s President James Cleveland. “We hope Jumpstart’s Read for the Record will encourage others to consider this problem and help them to recognize the important role early literacy plays in the lives of young children everywhere.”

This year’s official Campaign book is the beloved children’s classic Corduroy. A special edition features an introduction from NBC's TODAY Show hosts Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira, a foreword by LL Cool J, and a collection of reading tips for parents of young children. The book is available from www.readfortherecord.org and at special retailers.

Visit www.readfortherecord.org to find information on how to register to participate, donate books to Jumpstart children, as well as host or join shared reading events across the nation. Jumpstart’s Read for the Record 2008 campaign aims to break the world record and make early education a national priority.

Jumpstart’s Read for the Record. One day. One book. For children everywhere. October 2, 2008.
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Gwinnett Tech Names 2008 Instructor of the Year

Dr. Bonnie Ballard, program director of Gwinnett Technical College's Veterinary Technology program, has been named the college's 2008 Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Education honoree.

The Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction honors technical education's most outstanding instructors. The award has been an ongoing statewide program since 1991 and is designed to recognize and honor technical college instructors who make significant contributions to technical education through innovation and leadership in their fields.

"Dr. Ballard has been an active champion of technical education and an innovative leader of Gwinnett Tech's Veterinary Technology Program. Under her direction, the program has earned accreditation by the American Association of Veterinary Medicine, and program graduates have earned and maintained a perfect 100 percent pass rate on the Veterinary Technician National Examination. She's a very deserving honoree," says Sharon Bartels, Gwinnett Tech president.

Dr. Ballard joined Gwinnett Tech in 1995 as an adjunct faculty member and became director of the Veterinary Technology program in 1997. Gwinnett Tech's program, which combines in-class education with active clinical site training, was the first of its kind in the nation that did not house animals on campus. A member of both the American and Georgia Veterinary Medical Associations, Dr. Ballard was also honored with the Rick Perkins Award in 2001 and with the Lighthouse Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2000. She earned a doctorate of veterinary medicine degree from the University of Georgia.

"I chose to teach in a technical college because I can help students achieve their dreams in a relatively short period of time. My proudest moments are when I reflect on knowing that our graduates are learning information and skills that will be directly applicable to a job in our field…I tell everyone that technical colleges are where the winners go!," says Dr. Ballard.

Gwinnett Tech offers an associate of applied science degree in Veterinary Technology. For more information on this program, or any of GTC's 140 program options, call 770-962-7580 or visit www.GwinnettTech.edu.
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Georgia Southern University to Host First Student Sustainability Summit

Georgia Southern University students are encouraged to “think global, act local” at the University’s first Student Sustainability Summit Oct. 23-25.

The summit, a partnership between Georgia Southern and the Pearson Foundation, is the first of its kind and will be a model for future summits across the country, according to Lissa Leege, director of the Office of Sustainability in the Allen E. Paulson College of Science and Technology. The Pearson Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Pearson PLC media company, chose Georgia Southern as the host because of the University’s reputation as a leader in environmental awareness.

“Georgia Southern University has a strong environmental science program, and the entire campus community is making a commitment to reduce its environmental impact through sustainability,” Leege said. “The Pearson Foundation considered Georgia Southern a great choice to host the summit since its students and faculty members are so knowledgeable on sustainability issues.”

The entire summit is free of charge to students, but pre-registration is required. Space is limited, so interested students are encouraged to register soon. To register, go to www.pearsonfoundation.org/sustainability.

The three-day summit begins Thursday, Oct. 23, with a keynote address by filmmaker Eric Flagg at 7:30 p.m. at the Nessmith-Lane Continuing Education Building. Flagg will screen his award-winning film Gimme Green, a humorous look at America’s obsession with the residential lawn and the effects it has on our environment, our wallets and our outlook on life.

The summit continues on Friday, Oct. 24, with each student spending the day working on one of two action tracks. Students can “think global” and create an environmental film, or “act local” and participate in hands-on community projects.

Students who choose to “think global” will work with Eric Flagg and the Pearson Digital Arts Alliance to plan, shoot and edit a short film on the environmental topic of their choice. The students will leave the summit with their videos, to share with others to make change.

“The students will have these films for the rest of their lives for educational purposes, so this could have a far-reaching impact,” Leege said. “It’s a very creative way to spread information far and wide about sustainability issues.”

The students who opt to “act local” will participate in an Ogeechee River cleanup on Friday and a Sustainability Fair in downtown Statesboro on Saturday morning. They will design a sustainability action plan to advise Statesboro City Hall, Copper Beach Apartments, the Town of Register and a local homeowner on creative solutions to reduce their ecological footprints. The students will team with Thatcher Young, an expert from the Department of Natural Resources, to identify ways these groups can become more energy, water and waste efficient.

The students will continue working on their projects on Saturday, Oct. 25. The summit concludes that night with a celebration at the Nessmith-Lane Building, where the students will show their films and unveil their action plans.

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