Georgia Kudos

Deal recognizes Georgians for acts of heroism in public safety

2011-12-13T16:39:00.000-08:00

Gov. Nathan Deal announced today the recipients of the Governor’s Public Safety Awards at a ceremony at the state Capitol, recognizing eight public safety professionals for acts of heroism and five for contributions to the profession. The recipients were given medallions and their names were added to the GPSA monument at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center.

“Georgia is proud to recognize our law enforcement officers and emergency responders for their commitment to Georgia’s public safety,” said Deal. “These individuals exhibit courage and dedication every day to keep us safe.”

The annual GPSA program began in 1998 to recognize the outstanding accomplishments and commitment of Georgia’s public safety community.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to pay tribute to Georgia’s public safety professionals who risk their lives daily and sacrifice time away from their families to protect our citizens,” said Timothy J. Bearden, GPSA committee chairman and GPSTC director.

The GPSA program recognizes public safety professionals in the following two categories:

Act of Heroism – Recognizes those who performed an exceptional deed which resulted in saving lives and/or protecting property.

Outstanding Contribution which Enhanced the Profession – Job performance which had an overwhelming positive effect on the overall profession.

Personnel from each discipline of public safety as well as state employees with public safety authority were eligible to receive the award. Nominations were submitted by local governments, state agencies, associations, police departments, sheriff’s offices, correctional facilities, fire departments, 9-1-1 communications, emergency medical services and emergency management agencies.

Recipients of the 2011 Governor’s Public Safety Awards are as follows:

Heroism Recipients

· Jonathan Barton, Hall County Fire Services

· J.A. Baileym, Gwinnett County Police Department

· D.J. Mitchem, Gwinnett County Police Department

· Jeremy Battle, Gordon County Sheriff’s Office

· Chad Phillips, Gordon County Sheriff’s Office

· Josh Cochran, Gordon County Sheriff’s Office

· Eric Wilkes, Georgia Department of Public Safety

· Jeff Shoemaker, Hall County Sheriff’s Office

Contribution to Profession Recipients

· Jimmie R. Murkerson, Early County Sheriff’s Office

· Tim Brogdon, South Georgia Medical Center

· John E. Harrison, Georgia Department of Public Safety

· Mark C. McLeod, Georgia Department of Public Safety

· Frederick D. Snellings, Jr., Georgia Department of Public Safety

For further details on each of the honorees, please visit the Georgia Public Safety Training Center’s web site at www.gpstc.org and click on the link marked Governor’s Public Safety Awards.

Gatorade® National Girls Soccer Player of the Year: Morgan Brian

2011-05-26T07:15:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- In its 26th year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, today announced Morgan Brian of Frederica Academy (St. Simons, Ga.) as its 2010-11 Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year. Brian was surprised with the news in a meeting with her teammates by Atlanta Beat (Women's Professional Soccer) and former U.S. Women's National Team defender Cat Reddick Whitehill, also a two-time Gatorade State Girls Soccer Player of the Year.

"It felt great to surprise Morgan with the Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year award and welcome her into one of the most prestigious legacy programs in high school sports," said 2004 gold medalist Cat Reddick Whitehill. "Gatorade has been on the sidelines fueling athletic performance for years, so to be recognized by a brand that understands the game and truly helps athletes perform is a huge honor for these kids."

As the recipient of the 230th Gatorade National Player of the Year trophy to be awarded since 1985, Brian becomes the first student-athlete from the state of Georgia to earn Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year honors. Only three other Georgians have earned Gatorade National Player of the Year recognition in any sport—highlighted by NBA superstar Dwight Howard of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy (2003-04, Atlanta) and 2011 WNBA Draft No. 1 pick Maya Moore of Collins Hill HS (2006-07, Suwanee).

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Brian as the nation's best high school girls' soccer player. A national advisory panel comprised of sport-specific experts and sports journalists helped select Brian from more than 356,000 girls soccer players nationwide. Brian is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade Female High School Athlete of the Year award, to be presented at a special ceremony prior to The ESPY Awards in July.

The 5-foot-7 senior midfielder led the Knights to a 17-2-1 record and a fourth straight Georgia Independent School Association Class AA state title. Brian scored 71 goals and passed for 30 assists this past season. A two-time Gatorade Georgia Girls Soccer Player of the Year, she was the 2010 National Soccer Coaches Association of America Youth Player of the Year for club competition and the 2010 PARADE National Player of the Year. She recorded 186 goals and 95 assists in her prep soccer career, which began as an 8th grader, helping Frederica Academy to five consecutive state finals. Brian has been a regular call-up to U.S. Soccer's youth national teams, playing in the 2008 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in 2008 and captaining the U.S. U-17s squad in 2010.

Brian has maintained a 3.81 GPA in the classroom, and served as Class President from 2008-10 and Class Secretary from 2006-08. She is also a co-founder and the one of the lead fundraisers for the Many Hearts One Goal Foundation, which won an AT&T National Sportsmanship Award in 2011 for the work done to benefit the Under-17 Haitian Women's National Team displaced by that country's 2010 earthquake. Brian has also volunteered locally on behalf of Habitat for Humanity, the Relay for Life and the Manna House, providing meals for the needy. A member of her local Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter and Sevenoseven Ministries, a faith-based youth mentoring group, she is also a licensed youth soccer coach, donating her time as an instructor for Florida's Clay County Soccer Club.

"I think she will be an important player with the U.S. Women's National Team moving forward," says Mike Dickey, Technical Advisor for U.S. Soccer. "Her brain is as good as anyone's we have playing that position right now. She's special. If she stays healthy, she's got a chance to be very influential in U.S. Soccer. Her commitment and make-up are tremendous and she continues to make great strides. There's nobody like her."

Brian has signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer on scholarship at the University of Virginia this fall.

"Without question, Morgan is deserving of recognition as the nation's best high school girls soccer player based on her statistics on the field and the impact her accomplishments have had on Frederica Academy's success," said Gatorade Senior Vice President of Sports Marketing Jennifer Storms. "But she is also a shining example to peers and aspiring young athletes of what a leader and a student-athlete should be. She represents everything we hope for in a Gatorade Player of the Year recipient."

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by ESPN RISE and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

For more information on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of former winners, and future announcement dates, visit the Gatorade Player of the Year web site at http://playeroftheyear.gatorade.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GatoradePOY or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Gatorade.

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Top 20 Finalists Selected in WFN: World Fishing Network's Search for the Ultimate Fishing Town USA Presented by Eagle Claw

2011-05-11T08:20:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- After a nationwide vote for more than 300 towns across the USA, 20 have earned a spot in the final round of voting for WFN's Ultimate Fishing Town USA which begins today. Online voting at www.WFNFishingTown.com closes May 31 and the winner will be announced in June at a ceremony in the winning community.

In addition to national recognition, the top town will earn a $25,000 community donation for fishing-related cause(s), 10 WaveSpin Reels and a feature about their town, airing on WFN: World Fishing Network, North America's only 24/7 fishing channel. The second and third place communities will earn a $5,000 and $2,500 donations respectively.

The Top 20 towns are: Annapolis, MD; Bainbridge, GA; Baudette, MN; Boulder Junction, WI; Bradford, PA; Denver, CO; Destin, FL; Florence, AL; Gladstone, MI; Gold Beach, OR; Grand Isle, LA; Hartsel, CO; Homer, AK; Kissimmee, FL; Richmond Hill, GA; Roscoe, NY; Seward, AK ; Waddington, NY; Winthrop Harbor, IL; and Zapata, TX.

"We were overwhelmed with the heartwarming photos, videos and stories sent in support of more than 300 towns," said Shauna Gosevitz, Sr. Director of Marketing for WFN. "Communities with barely 1,000 residents earned a spot alongside highly populated cities, underscoring the unique spirit and camaraderie of anglers from destinations both large and small. It is now up to the voters to determine WFN's Ultimate Fishing Town USA ."

The promotion is being supported by Eagle Claw, proud manufacturers of fishing gear and tackle in the USA since 1925 and WaveSpin Reels, the only reel with a tangle-free guarantee. Charter Communications is supporting the contest through multiple marketing tactics. In addition, Knology will promote WFN's Ultimate Fishing Town USA in various markets and AT&T u-verse will be supporting the contest by broadcasting promo spots on their barker channel.

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Two Georgia Youth Honored for Volunteerism at National Award Ceremony in Washington, D.C.

2011-05-03T11:24:00.000-07:00

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Two Georgia students, Andrew Mirolli, 18, of Acworth and Tiffani Alexander, 13, of Covington, were honored in the nation’s capital last night for their outstanding volunteer work during the presentation of The 2011 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. The two young people – along with 100 other top youth volunteers from across the country – received $1,000 awards as well as personal congratulations from Academy Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon at the 16th annual award ceremony and gala dinner reception, held at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.

Drew and Tiffani were named the top high school and middle level youth volunteers in Georgia last February. In addition to their cash awards, they received engraved silver medallions and an all-expense-paid trip with their parents to Washington, D.C., for this week’s recognition events.

“The Prudential Spirit of Community honorees have seen problems in their communities and around the world and have taken action,” said Ms. Sarandon. “Their compassion to help others should give us all a lot of hope for the future.”

Drew, a senior at North Paulding High School, launched an educational and fund-raising campaign to fight poverty both locally and internationally, built around an annual “challenge week” during which teens in his community voluntarily experience poverty by living on $2 a day. Three years ago, while listening to a presentation about displaced students in Uganda, “I was personally asked, “How far would you go to help children with no voice?” said Drew. He took the question very seriously. Drew and two friends put away their cell phones and car keys, gathered firewood, and lived in the woods for five nights to see what it’s like to survive on $2 a day – the amount that 60 percent of the world lives on. “I experienced five days of headaches, an empty stomach growling, my mind not being able to concentrate, and a sore body from sleeping on the ground,” he said. Nevertheless, Drew and his friends still attended school every day, while collecting donations for a charity serving children in Uganda.

After the experience, Drew researched poverty in Georgia and, disturbed by what he found, was determined to raise money and awareness to fight poverty both at home and abroad. He formed a leadership team to help plan a second week of self-imposed poverty and fund-raising, and challenged all of the students in his school to take part. Drew and his team found homes to host “ChallengeWeek” participants, created registration and permission forms, shopped for food, and set up a nonprofit organization, Operation Poverty, and a website at www.operationpoverty.com. Forty-seven students signed up, and during the week, Drew coordinated an all-school assembly focusing on poverty in Uganda, and held class competitions for donations. Last year, 97 students from area high schools participated in the challenge and all schools throughout Paulding County collected 32,000 canned food items for a food pantry along with 750 articles of teen clothing. In addition, Drew and his team have raised $12,480, with half going to a local food pantry, and the other half helping to rebuild a girls’ dormitory in Uganda.

Tiffani, a member of the Rockdale County 4-H and a homeschooled eighth-grader, created and presided over a “bug club” for children through Prevent Child Abuse Rockdale (PCAR), a family strengthening and abuse prevention program offered at a local church. Tiffani has been volunteering with PCAR in the church’s nursery since sixth grade. “There were 197 substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect in Rockdale County in 2008,” Tiffani said. “I am appalled at the thought of children being abused. I volunteer with PCAR to help combat this vicious abuse.” While she enjoyed being a nursery helper, she wanted to do more. As a teen leader in her local 4-H club, Tiffani has always been interested in entomology. So she decided to share her knowledge and appreciation of bugs with the children at the center in a club she calls “Butterflies, Beetles, and Bees, Oh My!”

After receiving permission for her club, Tiffani had to spend about three hours a week planning and organizing lessons that were age appropriate for children from 6 to 12 years old. She also caught insects in her backyard to share with the children and brought her pet beetles, Jersey and Huron. Some of the club’s activities included designing butterflies to reflect the children’s personalities, creating pictures of insects out of seeds, and learning the process of insect metamorphosis. In addition to learning how bugs affect the world and how to stay safe around them, Tiffani also attempted to teach the children to be more sensitive to one another through their gentle handling of the insects. “It is very rewarding to give back to your community,” said Tiffani. “There is no pay or accolades, just the joy of knowing that you made a difference in someone else’s life.”

“Drew and Tiffani represent young Americans who have a strong sense of community and who are dedicated to improving our neighborhoods, our nation and our world,” said John R. Strangfeld, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc. “With great anticipation, we look forward to their future achievements as they continue to spread the spirit of community.”

More than 29,000 young people participated in the 2011 awards program last fall through schools, Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs and affiliates of the Points of Light Institute’s HandsOn Network. The top middle level and high school applicants in each state were selected in February, and were flown to Washington this week with their parents for four days of special recognition events.

Conducted in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards were created 16 years ago by Prudential Financial to encourage youth volunteerism and to identify and reward young role models.

“The young women and men in America’s schools are nothing short of amazing, and nowhere is this more evident than amongst this year’s award recipients,” said NASSP President Jana Frieler. “They possess a keen intellect, servant hearts, capable leadership skills, and are filled with energy and ambition. NASSP and Prudential are honored to recognize them.”

More information about The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards and this year’s honorees can be found at http://spirit.prudential.com or www.nassp.org/spirit.

NASSP is the leading organization of and national voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and all school leaders from across the United States and more than 45 countries around the world. NASSP provides research-based professional development and resources, networking, and advocacy to build the capacity of middle level and high school leaders to continually improve student performance. Reflecting its longstanding commitment to student leadership development as well, NASSP administers the National Honor Society™, National Junior Honor Society®, National Elementary Honor Society®, and National Association of Student Councils®. For more information about NASSP, located in Reston, VA, visit www.nassp.org.

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial services leader, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudential’s diverse and talented employees are committed to helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth through a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds, investment management, and real estate services. In the U.S., Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit http://www.news.prudential.com/

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UGA announces 2011 Georgia Science and Engineering Fair winners

2011-04-28T10:41:00.000-07:00

Six-hundred-fifty Georgia middle and high school students won more than 400 awards at the 63rd Georgia Science and Engineering Fair hosted by the University of Georgia recently at the Classic Center in Athens. Prizes ranged from savings bonds and educational trips to an engraved geologist’s pick.
The highest honor, the Jackson Electric Membership Corporation Pinnacle Award, went to Spencer Wilson of Moultrie for his project “Construction of a Feasible Einstein-Szilard Refrigerated System.”

Four top students were selected to advance to the 2011Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles May 8-13. They are Raja Selvakumar, Alpharetta; Charles Ramey, Newton; Elliott Chung, Duluth; and Uchenna Anunobi, Conyers. Yash Mehta, Roswell, will attend as the Merial Biological ISEF Trip Observer.

Twenty-four other students selected directly from the State Affiliated Regional Fairs also will attend. These Georgia students will compete against winners from more than 1,600 high school students from all 50 states and 60countries, regions and territoriesto display their independent research.

In addition to the grand awards, entrants in the GSEF competed for prizes honoring best achievements in specific scientific areas. There were more than 100 special award donors from government, professional and educational organizations, colleges, universities, corporations and individual sponsors.

In other major prizes, Andy Kim, Athens, and Spencer Wilson, Colquitt County, were selected to represent Georgia at the 2011 National Youth Science Camp June 30-July 24 in West Virginia.

The Junior Division Student Choice Awards were new this year. Winners were selected by their sixth through eighth-grade peers.

The awards included Students’ Choice, received by Kyanna Simone Simpson, Chapel Hill Middle School. The I Never Would Have Thought of That Award was received by Austin Hyder and Trevor Ruhl, Carver Road Middle School, for “Electromagnetism of Nonmagnetic Metals Prove Lenz’s Law.” The Grossest Project Award was received by Akira Stobaeus, St. Francis Xavier School, for his project “Effectiveness of Two Different Dewormers in a Goat Population.”

Exhibits in the fair included projects in 17 categories, including animal behavior, biochemistry, engineering, physics and astronomy. Participants earned the opportunity to compete in the state fair by winning first or second place in their category in one of the 21 affiliated regional fairs.

More than 200 volunteer judges from the University System of Georgia, other institutions, contributing organizations and industry judged the projects on scientific merit and process, engineering goals, and presentation. Joe Hughes of Georgia Institute of Technology served as judging chairperson, supervising three tiers of judges.

Donors who presented awards included Christopher Hovorka with the Applied Prosthetics and Orthotics Award, Kay Parks of Jackson EMC, and Antonio Figueras with the National Aeronautics and Space Awards.

UGA has coordinated the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair since 1948. It is made possible by the support of the Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, Merial Inc., the Georgia Center for Continuing Education, Georgia Institute of Technology and dozens of other Georgia corporations and businesses.

Award	County	Student
Outstanding Sustainability Project Award	Baldwin	Kenneth Mcgill
Stockholm Junior Water Prize Regional Award - 1st Place Senior Div.	Baldwin	Kenneth Mcgill
Inspiring Excellence Award - Student	Baldwin	Geovic Jadol
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Barrow	Brooke Oxley
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Barrow	Charley Denmark
H. O. Lund Entomology Club Award 1st Place Senior	Bibb	Carolyn Krauss
American Association For Clinical Chemistry Se Region Award Junior Div.	Bibb	Kyrie Hugdahl
Ga. Academy of Aviation, Math, Engineering & Science Student of Promise, Junior Div.	Bibb	Kyrie Hugdahl
Regional Fair Director Honors Award Senior Div.	Brooks	Sunnie Dee Wynn
Merial Biotechnology Award 2nd Place Senior	Bulloch	Supriya Immaneni
National Association Of Biology Teachers Award Senior Div.	Bulloch	Supriya Immaneni
UGA Microbiology Department Award Junior Div.	Butts	Brianna Deraney
Ga. Microscopical Society Lucy B Mccrone Student Science Award Junior Div.	Camden	Irina Rochon
UGA Microbiology Department Award Senior Div.	Carroll	Jonathan Zot
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Chatham	Allen Charles Williams
National Aeronautics And Space Administration Award Junior Div.	Chatham	Allen Charles Williams
UGA Geology Department Award	Chatham	Grace Darling
American Meteorological Society Award	Chatham	Eric Lau
U.S. Air Force Achievement Award	Chatham	Eric Lau
U.S. Navy And U.S. Marine Corps Award - Senior Div.	Chatham	Eric Lau
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Chatham	Eric Lau
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Chatham	Eric Lau
U.S. Metric Association Award	Chatham	Grant Shillington
American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics Award 2nd Place Junior	Cherokee	Cameron Buice
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Award Junior Div.	Cherokee	Cameron Buice
Georgia Veterinary Medical Auxiliary Award	Cherokee	Kate Haruch
National Association Of Biology Teachers Award Junior Div.	Cherokee	Kate Haruch
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Cherokee	Yash Mehta
Merial Biological Isef Trip Observer Award	Cherokee	Yash Mehta
UGA Crop & Soil Sciences Department Agronomics Award Senior Div.	Cherokee	Mary Margaret Penniman
National Youth Science Camp Award	Clarke	Andrew Kim
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Clarke	Andrew Kim
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Clarke	Andrew Kim
American Water Works Association Georgia Section Award 1st Place Junior	Clarke	Evan Newman Marco Newman
UGA Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources Award Junior Div.	Clarke	Evan Newman Marco Newman
UGA Biomedical Health And Sciences Institute Award Junior Div.	Clarke	Angelina Choi
U.S. Navy And U.S. Marine Corps Award - Junior Div.	Clarke	Serena Mon
Inspiring Excellence Award - Student	Clayton	Quang Phuc Kieu N.
UGA Mathematics Department Award Junior Div.	Clayton	Quang Phuc Kieu N.
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Clayton	Emmanuel Ojo-Osagie
National Aeronautics And Space Administration Award Senior Div.	Cobb	Samantha Daigle
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Cobb	Caroline Poston
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Cobb	Praveen Doluweera
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Cobb	Connor Barre
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Cobb	Charles Sexton
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Cobb	James Sexton
UGA Crop & Soil Sciences Department Agronomics Award Junior Div.	Cobb	James Sexton
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Junior Div.	Cobb	James Sexton
Georgia Engineering Foundation Award Senior Div.	Colquitt	Spencer Wilson
National Youth Science Camp Award	Colquitt	Spencer Wilson
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Colquitt	Spencer Wilson
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Colquitt	Spencer Wilson
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair/Jackson Emc Pinnacle Award	Colquitt	Spencer Wilson
Stockholm Junior Water Prize Regional Award - 2nd Place Senior Div.	Colquitt	Stephen Bozeman
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Colquitt	Jacob Lynch
Inspiring Excellence Award - Student	Colquitt	Jacob Lynch
Inspiring Excellence Award - Student	Coweta	Charles Ramey
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Award Senior Div.	Coweta	Charles Ramey
U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Award - Senior Div.	Coweta	Charles Ramey
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Senior Div.	Coweta	Charles Ramey
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair/Jackson Emc Isef Trip	Coweta	Charles Ramey
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Coweta	Charles Ramey
Inspiring Excellence Award - Teacher	Coweta	Warren Bernard
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Senior Div.	DeKalb	Jessica Simon
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Senior Div.	DeKalb	Stephen Woolfitt
Broadcom Masters Nominee	DeKalb	Aomeng Cui
U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Award - Junior Div.	DeKalb	Kyanna Simone Simpson
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	DeKalb	Kyanna Simone Simpson
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Student Choice Award	DeKalb	Kyanna Simone Simpson
Georgia Biogeneius Challenge Award Alternate	DeKalb	Kathleen Dinapoli
Natural Resources Conservation Service Award of Excellence Senior Div.	DeKalb	Kathleen Dinapoli
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Senior Div.	DeKalb	Kathleen Dinapoli
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	DeKalb	Brian Song
Broadcom Masters Nominee	DeKalb	Conner Reinhardt
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	DeKalb	Conner Reinhardt
Advanced Academy of Georgia - Science/Creativity Award Junior Div.	DeKalb	Jonathan Yaeger
Broadcom Masters Nominee	DeKalb	Jonathan Yaeger
U.S. Navy And U.S. Marine Corps Award - Junior Div.	DeKalb	Jonathan Yaeger
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	DeKalb	Jonathan Yaeger
Broadcom Masters Nominee	DeKalb	Sang-Chan Kim
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	DeKalb	Sang-Chan Kim
Advanced Academy of Georgia - Science/Creativity Award Senior Div.	DeKalb	Joshua Traynelis
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Senior Div.	DeKalb	Joshua Traynelis
Association of Women Geoscientists Award	DeKalb	Mallory Larson
Broadcom Masters Nominee	DeKalb	William Moise
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Award Junior Div.	DeKalb	Alix Valcin Iii
UGA Artificial Intelligence Institute Award Junior Div.	Dougherty	Steven Feng
UGA Computer Science Department Award Junior Div.	Dougherty	Steven Feng
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	Dougherty	Steven Feng
Sapps Award For Excellence in Botany 1st Place Senior	Fayette	Omar Martinez-Uribe
UGA Physics & Astronomy Department Award Junior Div.	Fayette	Matthew Harmon
U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Award - Junior Div.	Fayette	Matthew Harmon
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Fayette	Nicholas Powell
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	Fayette	Jonathan Ciecka
Inspiring Excellence Award - Student	Fayette	Tommy Erbe Drew Halbert
Natural Resources Conservation Service Award of Excellence Junior Div.	Forsyth	Gabriel Shook
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Forsyth	Samantha Hudock
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	Forsyth	Samantha Hudock
Regional Fair Director Honors Award Junior Div.	Forsyth	Trent Wagner Zachary Williams
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Senior Div.	Fulton	Ananth Punyala
Georgia Microscopical Society Walter C Mccrone Student Science Award Senior Div.	Fulton	Keith Jones
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Award Senior Div.	Fulton	Jason Lathbury
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Award Senior Div.	Fulton	Zoe Schneider
Georgia Biogeneius Challenge Award	Fulton	Jessica Allison
Sapps Award For Excellence in Botany 2nd Place Senior	Fulton	Jessica Allison
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Award Senior Div.	Fulton	Anirudh Tadanki
Spie - International Soceity for Optical Engineering Award 3rd Place	Fulton	Anirudh Tadanki
Agricultural Research Service Award for Excellence in Ag Science Senior Div.	Fulton	Raja Selvakumar
Georgia Biogeneius Challenge Award	Fulton	Raja Selvakumar
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Fulton	Raja Selvakumar
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair/Jackson Emc Isef Trip	Fulton	Raja Selvakumar
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Fulton	Raja Selvakumar
Spie - International Society For Optical Engineering Award 2nd Place	Fulton	Samuel Eppstein
American Meteorological Society Award	Fulton	Ja’sharee Bush
American Water Works Association Georgia Section Award 1st Place Senior	Fulton	Julia Abelsky
Broad River Watershed Association Award	Fulton	Julia Abelsky
UGA Eco-Reach Environmental Achievement Award Senior Div.	Fulton	Julia Abelsky
American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics Award 1st Place Senior	Fulton	Anthony Chen Siva Movva
Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Atlanta Chapter Award Senior Div.	Fulton	Anand Srinivasan
Prosthetics and Orthotics Wearable Technology Award	Fulton	Anand Srinivasan
UGA Artificial Intelligence Institute Award Senior Div.	Fulton	Anand Srinivasan
U.S. Air Force Achievement Award	Fulton	Anand Srinivasan
Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Atlanta Chapter Award Faculty Sponsored	Fulton	Megan Nettuno
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Junior Div.	Fulton	Nicole Izmaylov
American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics Award 2nd Place Senior	Fulton Gwinnett	Kirill Psarev Brandon Whitlatch
American Chemical Society Georgia Section Award 2nd Place Senior	Futon	Raja Selvakumar
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Glynn	Jason Michael Bennett Jr.
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair “Grossest Project” Award	Glynn	Akira Stobaeus
UGA Foundation Scholarship Award	Gordon	Hunter Pruitt
UGA Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources Award Senior Div.	Gordon	Hunter Pruitt
American Association for Clinical Chemistry Se Region Award Senior Div.	Gwinnett	Vivek Patel
UGA Cellular Biology Department Award Senior Div.	Gwinnett	Vivek Patel
U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Award - Senior Div.	Gwinnett	Vivek Patel
UGA Cellular Biology Department Award Junior Div.	Gwinnett	Andrew Ford
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Gwinnett	Elliott Chung
UGA Foundation Scholarship Award	Gwinnett	Shawn Albert
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Gwinnett	Shawn Albert
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Gwinnett	Amanda Mayo
H. O. Lund Entomology Club Award 1st Place Junior	Gwinnett	Amanda Mayo
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	Gwinnett	Amanda Mayo
Ga. Academy of Aviation, Math, Engineering & Science Student of Promise Award Sr. Div.	Gwinnett	Sitan Chen
UGA Mathematics Department Award Senior Div.	Gwinnett	Sitan Chen
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Senior Div.	Gwinnett	Sitan Chen
American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics Award 1st Place Junior	Gwinnett	Marian Metzger
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Gwinnett	Marian Metzger
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Award Junior Div.	Gwinnett	Marian Metzger
American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics Award 3rd Place Senior	Gwinnett	Samuel Gauspohl; Daniel Ting
U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Award - Senior Div.	Gwinnett	Samuel Gauspohl; Daniel Ting
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Gwinnett	Vikram Varadarajan
U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Award - Junior Div.	Gwinnett	Vikram Varadarajan
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	Gwinnett	Andrew Ford
Intel Excellence in Computer Science Award	Gwinnett	Elliott Chung
UGA Computer Science Department Award Senior Div.	Gwinnett	Elliott Chung
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Gwinnett	Elliott Chung
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair/Jackson Emc Isef Trip	Gwinnett	Elliott Chung
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Gwinnett	Sitan Chen
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	Gwinnett	D. Ryan Bhowmik
Stockholm Junior Water Prize Regional Award - Junior Div.	Gwinnett	Emma Carlson
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Gwinnett	Evann Brantley
UGA Physics & Astronomy Department Award Senior Div.	Gwinnett Jackson Gwinnett	Guillermo Bautista; He Sun Kim; Sunyoung Wang
American Chemical Society Georgia Section Award 2nd Place Junior	Harris	Robert "Kyle" Newman
American Chemical Society Georgia Section Award 2nd Place Junior	Henry	Darius Cleary
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Award Junior Div.	Houston	Jacob Elliott
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Houston	Kenny Higginbotham
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Junior Div.	Houston	Kenny Higginbotham
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Houston	Cullen Shope
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Houston	Justin Saetina
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Houston	Sabina Banit
Agricultural Research Service Award for Excellence in Ag Science Junior Div.	Houston	Shivani Dhir
Georgia Health Sciences University Award	Paulding	Jamie Bingham
Merial Biotechnology Award 1st Place Senior	Paulding	Jamie Bingham
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair/Jackson Emc Isef Trip Alternate	Paulding	Jamie Bingham
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Paulding	Jamie Bingham
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Pin Design Award	Rabun	Sarah Barr
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Rockdale	Alexis Mack
Spie - International Society For Optical Engineering Award 1st Place	Rockdale	Ana Sofia Tuttle
U.S. Air Force Achievement Award	Rockdale	Ana Sofia Tuttle
Outstanding Sustainability Project Award	Rockdale	Faustine Li
UGA Biomedical Health And Sciences Institute Award Senior Div.	Rockdale	Lauren Reagin
American Chemical Society Georgia Section Award 1st Place Senior	Rockdale	Uchenna Anunobi
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Rockdale	Uchenna Anunobi
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair/Jackson Emc Isef Trip	Rockdale	Uchenna Anunobi
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Rockdale	Uchenna Anunobi
Georgia Biogeneius Challenge Award Alternate	Rockdale	Vander Harris
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Senior Div.	Rockdale	Vander Harris
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Top Ten State Recognition	Rockdale	Vander Harris
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best In Category Award Junior Div.	Rockdale	Carlan Ivey
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Rockdale	Mai Nguyen
Georgia Engineering Foundation Award Junior Div.	Rockdale	Mai Nguyen
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Junior Div.	Rockdale	Mai Nguyen
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair “I Never Would Have Thought of That” Award	Spalding Pike	Austin Hyder; Trevor Michael Ruhl
Merial Biotechnology Award 2nd Place Junior	Thomas	Jacob Rieber
Iota Sigma Pi Promethium Chapter Award - Women in Chemistry Junior Div.	Walton	Christina To
American Chemical Society Georgia Section Award 1st Place Junior	Walton	Christina To
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Walton	Christina To
Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Best in Category Award Junior Div.	Walton	Christina To
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Walton	Claudia Gaither
Merial Biotechnology Award 1st Place Junior	Walton	Annie Miller
American Chemical Society Georgia Section Award 3rd Place Senior	Washington	Elizabeth Layton
Iota Sigma Pi Promethium Chapter Award - Women in Chemistry Junior Div.	Washington	Elizabeth Layton
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Washington	Meghan Toler
Broadcom Masters Nominee	Washington	Stariel Oberry

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SCAD Wins 7th Equestrian National Championship

2011-04-20T06:39:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The Savannah College of Art and Design equestrian team captured their seventh American National Riding Commission's National Intercollegiate Equitation Championship that was held April 15-17 at the Ronald C. Waranch Equestrian Center.

The Bees have also won ANRC team titles in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010, making 2011 four-in-a-row. Members of the team were Kelse Bonham, Paul Frederick and Caroline Ingalls. SCAD also had two other riders - Lydia Todd and Henrietta Armstrong - compete as individuals.

The championship was divided into three phases – dressage sportif, hunter trials equitation, and hunter seat. The dressage sportif portion counted 40 percent of the total score while the hunter trials equitation and hunter seat equitation counted 30 percent each.

SCAD's Kelse Bonham bested 34 other riders to defend her individual title that she won in both 2009 and 2010. It's the sixth time a SCAD rider has won the individual title in the event. Armstrong also was named reserved individual champion in the event. It's the first time in the program's history that the Bees claimed the top two honors at the event.

SCAD's team in the novice division were also named reserve champions. Members of the novice team included. Taylor Brown, Hayley Bolton and Erin Hickey. Annie Patterson also competed for the Bees as an individual in the novice division.

SCAD returns to action May 5 when the Bees will compete in the IHSA National Championship in Lexington, Ky.

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Mountain View High wins Northrop Grumman scholarship in UGA TEAMS competition

2011-04-01T06:25:00.000-07:00

A team of students from Mountain View High School in Gwinnett County was awarded a Northrop Grumman scholarship in the Junior Engineering Technical Society’s 2011 Tests of Engineering, Aptitude, Mathematics and Science competition recently hosted by the University of Georgia.

Teams from Gwinnett School of Math, Science and Technology and Heritage High School joined the Mountain View High team in the academic competition that had the theme “Smart Energy. Clean Planet.”

The Northrop Grumman scholarship will fund TEAMS conference registration fees for Mountain View High.The Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company that provides innovative systems, products and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide

“TEAMS brings math and science to life for students, fostering creativity, critical thinking, teamwork and problem solving,” said John Mativo, an assistant professor in the College of Education’s department of workforce education, leadership and social foundations, and a member of theUGA Faculty of Engineering, who co-directed the competition.

The event featured high school students, grades nine to 12, participating in teams of four to eight members, using real-world applications of math and science to solve some of today’s greatest engineering challenges. There were two parts: a 90-minute, 80-multiple choice question session, and a 90-minute, open-ended, four-question session.

Approximately 30 participating students also saw demonstrations of and interacted with robotics in a presentation by Chi Thai, an associate professor in the department of biological and agricultural engineering and member of the faculty of engineering who co-directed the event. They also learned about and participated in the creation of a virtual reality scenario by Kyle Johnsen, a member of the UGA Faculty of Engineering. Cindy Crawford, a representative of the UGA Admissions Office, also made a presentation.

The TEAMS event was assisted by Nancy Vandergrift, a program coordinator with the UGA Office of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education and six UGA students from the department of workforce education, leadership and social foundations.

More than 14,000 students across the country participate annually in TEAMS competitions. Questions are aligned with national education standards. UGA is one of two sites hosting the competition in Georgia. The other site is the Atlanta University Center. The next Junior Engineer Technical TEAMS competition will be hosted at UGA on Feb. 22, 2012.

TEAMS competition site sponsors include Harvard University, Itasca Community College, National Education Partnership Alliance, Shell and Starbucks.

For more information about TEAMS, see www.jets.org/teams/. For more information about Northrop Grumman, see www.northropgrumman.com/. For more information about UGA College of Education see www.coe.uga.edu/.

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Congressman John Lewis to Receive the 2011 Louis E. Martin Great American Award from Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

2011-03-24T09:33:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies has announced that it will honor U.S. Representative John Lewis (D-GA) with the 2011 Louis E. Martin Great American Award at its Annual Dinner on May 3 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington.

Congressman Lewis will be recognized for more than 50 years of active service to the cause of human rights, civil liberties and the strengthening of the American community.

The award, named after the legendary journalist, presidential advisor and co-founder of the Joint Center, honors an individual who exemplifies Louis Martin's passion for justice, compassion and the bridging of racial and ethnic divides. Previous award recipients include former Presidents Jimmy Carter and William J. Clinton, Congressmen James E. Clyburn and Charles B. Rangel, Muhammad Ali, lawyer and civil rights leader Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., the late civil rights activist Dr. Dorothy I. Height, and the Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.

A member of the U.S. Congress for nearly a quarter-century, Congressman Lewis first came to national attention as one of the top figures in the civil rights movement, as well as an architect of and keynote speaker at the historic 1963 March on Washington. He has served in the House leadership as Senior Chief Deputy Whip for the Democratic Party since 1991 and has been a leading voice on a wide range of domestic and international issues. He has been referred to as "the conscience of the U.S. Congress" and "a genuine American hero and moral leader."

In announcing the selection, Joint Center President and CEO Ralph B. Everett cited Congressman Lewis' legendary courage and leadership in the struggle for full voting rights. "His refusal to flinch in the face of extreme adversity left an indelible mark on our history, and sent an unforgettable message to the world on the intrinsic value of the right to vote and the scope of sacrifice that is often necessary to secure it," he said.

"Today, Congressman Lewis continues to lead by example, working for racial harmony and to inspire all Americans to make the most of their right to engage in the nation's political and civic affairs," he added.

"Congressman Lewis fits well into the pantheon of leaders whom the Joint Center has recognized over the years with this high honor," said Roderick D. Gillum, Chair of the Joint Center's Board of Governors. "Few people in history have contributed more to helping America live up to its cherished ideals, and the difference he has made throughout his career is something that all of us can see and feel in our everyday lives."

Hosted by the Joint Center each year for more than a quarter century and with this year's theme of Forward Together – Engaging Our Future, the Annual Dinner is the organization's major fundraising event of the year and provides an opportunity for a broad range of elected officials, business, civic and community leaders from across the country to celebrate the success of the Joint Center and its impact on the lives of all Americans.

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UGA education researchers receive national award for developing measurement of math problem-solving skills

2011-03-15T06:13:00.000-07:00

A team of University of Georgia education researchers has received a national award for the development of a statistical method for measuring the growth of students’ problem-solving skills in mathematics. This new method enables researchers to simultaneously measure both the different ways that students can reason about individual questions on a mathematics test and their overall growth in mathematics ability.

The researchers were named recipients of the 2011 Award for an Outstanding Example of an Application of Educational Measurement Technology to a Specific Problem from the National Council on Measurement in Education.

The team included UGA College of Education professors Allan Cohen, director of the Georgia Center for Assessment, and Seock-Ho Kim; lead author Sun-Joo Cho, a UGA doctoral graduateand assistant professor of educational psychology at Vanderbilt University; and Brian A. Bottge, the William T. Bryan Endowed Chair in Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling at the University of Kentucky.

Current methods for detecting growth of students’ skills in math by score-level analysis may fail to reflect subtle changes that might be evident at the item level, said Cohen.This new method combines an analysis of individual performance on each test question, coupled with methods that provide a deeper analysis of the differences in reasoning that students use to answer each test question.

The team published two articles in 2010 describing how item-level changes could be measured using data from a multiwave experiment with a teaching method called Enhanced Anchored Instruction. EAI is a method specially designed for developing the math skills of low-achieving adolescents, including students with learning disabilities in math.

One article, “Latent Transition Analysis with a Mixture Item Response Theory Measurement Model,” appeared in the journal, Applied Psychological Measurement. A second article, “Detecting Cognitive Change in the Math Skills of Low-Achieving Adolescents,” was published in the Journal of Special Education.

The award will be presented to Cohen and his group at the NCME’s annual conference in April in New Orleans.

For more information on the UGA College of Education see http://www.coe.uga.edu/.

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Dalton Driver Examiner Honored for Customer Service

2011-03-02T17:05:00.000-08:00

Receives Examiner of the Year Award from National Organization

The Department of Driver Services (DDS) announced today that Mary Dillard, a Dalton native, has been named Georgia’s Examiner of the Year by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA).

Mary is a manager in the Dalton, Whitfield County, Customer Service Center (CSC) and has been serving customers there for over 21 years. She was selected for her excellence in adhering to the principles and recommended practices of driver examining and for a high level of conduct in her profession.

“I proudly commend Mary for receiving this award. It is fitting that she should be honored for serving the citizens of the State while upholding and demonstrating the highest standard of dedication to customer service,” said DDS Commissioner Gregory C. Dozier. “It is apparent to all who know her that she loves caring for people and helping others,” he added.

Mary began her state service at the Dalton center as a driver examiner on June 30th, 1990. DDS driver examiners are responsible for all driver’s license issuance procedures and regulations including receiving applications for and issuing Georgia driver's licenses. After several promotions, Mary has been managing the Dalton office since November 1st, 2009. As a center manager, Mary is responsible for the daily operation of the center. DDS District Manager Sheila Miracle has worked with Mary for a number of years and commented, “Mary is always willing to help whenever she is needed. She regularly sacrifices personal time to ensure that the Dalton center is operating smoothly and is in tip top shape!”

Miracle joined with the other DDS center managers in the Dalton area to nominate Mary for promoting the DDS core values of Communication, Accountability, Respect and Ethics (CARE). Mary works diligently and professionally to ensure that each customer feels valued. She frequently assists special needs customers with patience and compassion.

Mary has lived in Dalton all her life. She is very active at Liberty Baptist Church, where she is a church matron. Mary, her brother and sister all spend time caring for their 89 year old mother, Emma Barksdale. In her spare time, she loves to cook and read books.

Georgia Lake Sturgeon Restoration Project Receives National Recognition

2011-03-02T09:24:00.000-08:00

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division is one of four states recently recognized by the American Fisheries Society’s Fisheries Administrator’s Section for their efforts to provide the public with quality fishing opportunities and aquatic education programs. Other state agencies recognized include the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

“We had some excellent projects submitted for consideration this year and it is clear that state agencies are responding to both the needs of the anglers and the fish with Sport Fish Restoration Program funds” said Doug Nygren, president-elect of the American Fisheries Society’s Fisheries Administrators Section and the chief of fisheries for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

The Fisheries Administrator’s Section annually recognizes outstanding fisheries conservation projects and programs that are funded from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Sport Fish Restoration program, commonly known as the Wallop- Breaux or Dingell-Johnson grant program. The projects receiving recognition were selected from a score of outstanding proposals submitted from several state fisheries agencies.

Georgia received the “2010 Outstanding Sport Fish Restoration Access Award- Lake Sturgeon Reintroduction in Georgia.” This project benefits anglers in Georgia and Alabama with its far sighted and far reaching efforts to re-establish lake sturgeon in the Coosa River system.

Historically, the Coosa River supported a population of this prehistoric looking game species. However, none have been documented since about 1970. While the exact cause of the decline of this species in Georgia is not known, biologists believe that intense stocking efforts will result in a self-sustaining population in the future.   Lake sturgeon eggs are provided by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Warm Springs Hatchery in Georgia. Sturgeons have a slow growth rate, so biologists do not expect to allow anglers to harvest any fish until 2027. In addition to stocking, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources has also implemented an aggressive outreach effort to involve local school children with the project.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Sport Fish Restoration Program has provided more than $6 billion to state fisheries agencies since the program’s inception in 1950. The program provides critical funding to state agencies for their fisheries conservation and management programs. Additional information on this program can be found at http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/GrantPrograms/SFR/SFR.htm.

The American Fisheries Society is the nation’s leading organization of professional fisheries scientists. Its membership includes fisheries scientists from all 50 states as well as international members.

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Georgia Youth Named National Epilepsy Spokesperson

2011-03-02T07:31:00.000-08:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Marie Mayhan, 12, of Lilburn, Ga., will travel to Washington, D.C. to raise awareness about epilepsy and how it affects the life of a child who experiences seizures. Mayhan will participate in the Epilepsy Foundation's annual Kids Speak Up! event from March 27 through March 29, and become a part of the democratic process to make a difference for the nearly 3 million people coping with the disorder.

Kids Speak Up! is a national program that rallies young ambassadors with epilepsy between the ages of 8 and 18 to become advocates in their local communities and in the nation's capital. Their mission is to personally petition congressional leaders for aid in assuring better access to care, improved public education and awareness about epilepsy and more research toward a cure.

As one of 45 Kids Speak Up! spokespersons, Mayhan will participate in a three-day training to learn more about epilepsy, develop her public speaking skills, and learn the importance of advocacy. The highlight of the trip will be a meeting with her state representative.

"Children like Marie who experience seizures are often treated differently in their community and feel shunned by their peers," said Rich Denness, president and CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation. "Kids Speak Up! is vital because it connects youth who share the same dreams and face the same challenges, and it empowers the leaders of tomorrow."

Epilepsy is the most common neurological condition in children. It affects more than 326, 000 children under the age of 15 and each year approximately 45,000 children under age 15 are diagnosed with the disorder.

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Gwinnett County Commission Chair Candidate Will Costa Receives the George Washington Honest Government Award

2011-02-23T12:23:00.000-08:00

Gwinnett County Commission Chair hopeful Will Costa is honored for his life-long commitment to honest government by the State of Georgia Tea Party, LLC. The award is given to candidates that best embrace an understanding of our Founding Father principles of limited and honest government.

“The only legitimate function of government is to protect the Freedom and Liberty of the People. This is especially true of state and county governments, because these political entities are the most important to guarantee our Freedom and individual Liberty. Most citizens focus on the federal government apparatus, but county government touches the citizen far more intimately than the federal government. Gwinnett County is a large taxing authority that maintains dominion over your health and welfare in your home. We must control the growth of county government and nurture Freedom and Liberty at the grassroots level to truly achieve Freedom and Liberty.” Costa said.

Costa received an “A++” rating for his pledge of honest government.

Since May 2010, the State of Georgia Tea Party, LLC, a grass roots Tea Party services organization, has worked to give a voice to constitutional and fiscal conservatives living with the inspiration of the Founding Fathers. The organization has led a statewide movement to help elect constitutional and fiscally responsible Conservatives.

“I intend to make transparency in county government real. I will open the political process so that more Gwinnett citizens have ownership in their county government and as Chairman I want all to know their voices will be heard. I will shrink the size and scope of the Gwinnett County government without causing chaos in the institutions that protect our Life and Property -- the fire and police departments,” Costa says. “I’ll let the County Sheriff and Fire Chief determine the resources they need to protect the Life and Property of our citizenry and I will protect their Liberty by cutting non-essential government.”

Costa is the only candidate that has spent a lifetime in private industry and political advocacy. Costa served as the Legislative Director for the Libertarian Party assessing the impact of legislation on the Freedoms and Liberty of the citizens of Georgia. As Chairman of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, Will Costa will bring this vast knowledge and experience to serve all the citizens of Gwinnett County.

The State of Georgia Tea Party, LLC is proud to name Will Costa as our George Washington Honesty in Government Award recipient on behalf of the citizens of Gwinnett County Georgia.

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Publix Closely Eyeing Students’ Recruiting Ideas

2011-02-11T08:35:00.000-08:00

The ideas two Whitewater High students from Fayette County have for getting more Generation X and Y persons to apply for positions at Publix Supermarkets have captured the attention of the company’s top brass.

DECA students Yanna Banks and Lia Poulson are one of three teams, and the only one in Georgia, to make it through to the third and final round in the Publix Brand Champion Challenge, a competition open to DECA students that involves creating a fully integrated marketing program to attract 16-25 year-old applicants to the stores. DECA is a student organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management.

Publix is flying the students to its headquarters in Lakeland, Florida, all expenses paid, to make a formal presentation to top officials in March or April. The judges will pick first, second and third place teams, and award them cash and prizes totaling over $3,000 to more than $4,000.

The students began the competition by submitting a 10-minute video of their ideas based on a hypothetical budget of $250,000. Their video earned them one of 12 team semi-finalist spots along with an opportunity to submit a written plan of their employment branding program.

Having made the cut to round three, team Yanna and Lia are already winners, but they are ready to give their live presentation and nail first place in the competition.

“All three of these teams are special to be able to beat out the competition. Congratulations on their hard work and strong results. They should be proud of themselves,” says Patti Breckenridge, recruiting manager for Publix Supermarkets.

The Publix Brand Champion Challenge was open to students in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

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Georgia's Fayette County High Wind Ensemble Invited to Perform at Clinic

2011-02-04T07:33:00.000-08:00

The Fayette County High Wind Ensemble has the honor of being the only out-of-state school invited to perform at the 34th Annual University of South Carolina Band Clinic in February.

The ensemble is one of three invited as guest performers; the other two are local bands from Columbia, South Carolina. Fayette County High’s wind ensemble will perform “Toccata Marziale” by Ralph Vaughan Williams, “Ballade” by Darren Jenkins, “Third Symphony, Mvt. 4 Finale” by James Barnes, “Strange Humors” by John Mackey, and “The Black Horse Troop” by John Philip Sousa edited by Fredrick Fennell.

The performance will take place at the Koger Center Concert Hall in Columbia, South Carolina on February 19 at 1:30 p.m.

Since its inception, the school’s wind ensemble has received numerous invitational performances, including the University of Georgia’s January High School Music Festival in 2010 and the Georgia Music Educators In-Service Conference in 2009.

Dr. Myra Rhoden is the director of the Fayette County High Wind Ensemble.

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Music by UGA faculty, student and alumnus to be featured at Super Bowl

2011-02-03T07:12:00.000-08:00

The Declaration of Independence, a film created for broadcast before Super Bowl XLV on Feb. 6, features a score by Steve Dancz, University of Georgia professor and director of the Jazz Studies program in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music.

The score, which features UGA master’s student Chuck Arnold as trumpet soloist, will be released on iTunes this week as “Declaration Anthem.”

UGA alumnus Ben Leathers served as an assistant to Dancz on the score. Leathers, who earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a music business certificate in 2008, took several improv courses with Dancz. Prior to the Super Bowl, Leathers’ latest credit was as an orchestrator on the feature film, Rabbit Hole, starring Nicole Kidman.

“The Declaration of Independence” features an introduction and perspective from retired Army Gen. Colin Powell and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. It was filmed at The Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom at The National Archives in Washington, D.C., home of the Declaration of Independence.The reading features current and former NFL players reading excerpts from the document, with participants chosen for their extraordinary service to team and country.

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Rees Named Georgia SAR Teacher of the Year

2011-01-25T05:52:00.000-08:00

The Georgia Society Sons of the American Revolution has selected a Fayette County middle school teacher as their Georgia Teacher of the Year for the second consecutive time.

Salli Rees, an eighth grade Georgia history teacher at J.C. Booth Middle School in Peachtree City, has been selected from a pool of exemplary middle and high school history teachers throughout the state, both public and private, as an example of whose instruction on the Revolutionary War demonstrates educational efforts in the classroom that exceed and excel above current and accepted curriculum requirements. She will receive her award at a special program on February 5.

As the state winner, Rees will represent Georgia at the national competition for the Tom & Betty Lawrence American History Teacher Award. The national winner will receive an all expenses paid trip to one of four seminars. Each seminar provides a professional education opportunity to an educator who will bring back to the classroom a heightened level of creativity and enthusiasm about the American Revolutionary era.

Last year the Georgia Veterans of Foreign Wars named Rees the Georgia Citizenship Education Teacher of the Year for middle schools.

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Radio Disney AM 590 Atlanta and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia Announce Winners of the 'Get Active Get Fit!' School Challenge

2011-01-21T06:20:00.000-08:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Radio Disney AM 590 Atlanta, part of the number one radio network for kids, tweens and families, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGa) announce the winners of the "Get Active Get Fit!" School Challenge. The 20 Georgia schools with the highest percentage of participation in the program have won a special dance party hosted by Radio Disney AM 590. In addition, five schools were awarded new gym equipment valued at $500 for being the first to sign up and complete the program.

The "Get Active Get Fit!" School Challenge was designed to motivate kids and families to achieve fitness together by engaging in fun activities. The program has been implemented in more than 150 elementary schools in 127 districts throughout the Fall 2010, furthering a commitment to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle among 61,000 of Georgia's school-age children.

The winning schools with the highest percentage of participation are:

Adrian School of Performing Arts	Emanuel County
Bacon County Elementary	Bacon County
Brookview Elementary	Fulton County
Burnette Elementary	Gwinnett County
Cusseta Road Elementary	Muscogee County
Edgewood Elementary	Muscogee County
Glen Haven Elementary	Dekalb County
Hannah Academy	Muscogee County
Hubbard Elementary	Monroe County
Lake Oconee Academy	Greene County
Lamar County Primary School	Lamar County
Marlow Elementary	Effingham County
Social Circle Elementary	Social Circle City
Social Circle Primary	Social Circle City
South Dodge Elementary	Dodge County
Stonewall Tell Elementary	Fulton County
Tolbert Elementary	Gordon County
Venetian Hills Elementary	Atl Public Schools
Whitesburg Elementary	Carroll County
Whitlow Elementary	Forsyth County

The schools awarded new gym equipment are:

Lamar County Primary School	Lamar County
Social Circle Primary	Social Circle City
South Dodge Elementary	Dodge County
Stonewall Tell Elementary	Fulton County
Venetian Hills Elementary	Atl Public Schools

"It is truly amazing to see how many schools participated in this challenge," said Morgan Kendrick, President, BCBSGa. "They are all winners and we couldn't be more thrilled with the incredible success that Radio Disney's 'Get Active Get Fit!' program has experienced in engaging Georgia's children in healthy fitness activities."

Nearly 500,000 students nationwide signed up to participate in the "Get Active Get Fit!" School Challenge in states including California, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri, Upstate New York, Virginia, and Wisconsin. For Radio Disney, the network's involvement in the program demonstrates its commitment to inspiring healthier lifestyles for kids and families supporting Disney's Magic of Healthy Living effort.

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The Top 20 Most Frugal Cities of 2010 Revealed

2011-01-20T08:25:00.000-08:00

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Attention, shoppers: Atlanta residents are saving more money than you are. When it comes to whittling down that grocery bill and tackling rising food prices, Atlantans are doing it best by using coupons.

“Especially in the South and Midwest, shoppers know how to keep their pennies in their pockets, racking up substantial savings throughout the year.”

For the second year in a row, Atlanta takes the top spot on the ‘Most Frugal U.S. Cities’ list, according to the 2010 Savings Index1 released today by Coupons.com, the premiere Web destination for coupons and savings. On average, regular users of Coupons.com in Atlanta printed more than $1000.00 dollars in coupon savings from the site in 2010. That is almost twice as much as during 2009, when they printed $531 in savings.

Tampa cashed in with coupons and maintained its position as the city with the second most savings. On average, regular users of Coupons.com in Tampa printed $863.00 in savings. Following on the savings heels of Atlanta and Tampa are, in order, Cincinnati, Saint Louis and Minneapolis, according to the Index.

“Across the country Americans are incorporating couponing into their shopping routine to alleviate rising food costs and keep their grocery bill in check,” said Jeanette Pavini, Coupons.com household savings expert. “Especially in the South and Midwest, shoppers know how to keep their pennies in their pockets, racking up substantial savings throughout the year.”

The South is a mega-saver: more than one-third of the top 20 frugal cities are in the Southern region of the United States. In addition to Atlanta and Tampa, other Southland cities on the list include Charlotte (#6), Nashville (#7), Raleigh (#10), Oklahoma City (#13), Miami (#13) and Dallas (#14).

Once again, Ohio is the country’s most frugal state. The Buckeye state is represented three times on the ‘Most Frugal U.S. Cities’ list – Cincinnati (#3), Cleveland (#8) and Columbus (#19).

North Carolina is Ohio’s biggest challenger, climbing the penny-pinching ladder with two cities in the top 10: Charlotte and Raleigh.

For the first time it was raining green in the Pacific Northwest as Seattle (#18) joined the list. Seattle is the only city on the West Coast that made the cut.

In 2010, regular users of Coupons.com hailing from the top 20 most frugal cities printed or added more than $1023.00 in savings to their store loyalty cards, which is almost twice the amount from 2009 of $535.00. Nationwide, more than $1.2 billion in savings was printed or saved to loyalty cards from Coupons.com and the Coupons.com network during 2009.

The Top 20 couponing cities are below.

2010 Rank	Change Since 2009	City	State	Savings Index
1	—	Atlanta	GA	997
2	—	Tampa	FL	569
3	—	Cincinnati	OH	497
4	—	Saint Louis	MO	420
5	—	Minneapolis	MN	329
6	↑ 1	Charlotte	NC	303
7	↓ 1	Nashville	TN	291
8	—	Cleveland	OH	289
9	—	Pittsburgh	PA	250
10	↑ 1	Raleigh	NC	235
11	↓ 1	Kansas City	MO	233
12	↑ 3	Washington	DC	207
13	↓ 1	Miami	FL	202
14	↑ 4	Dallas	TX	198
15	↓ 2	Oklahoma City	OK	198
16	↓ 4	Boston	MA	192
17	—	Denver	CO	170
18	↑ 5	Seattle	WA	153
19	↑ 1	Columbus	OH	147
20	↓ 1	Wichita	KS	146

Table 1: Top 20 Frugal U.S. Cities

Most On-the-Go Frugal U.S. Cities

Super-savers are tapping into savings via mobile apps for their cell phones, including Coupons.com’s Grocery iQ and the Coupons.com mobile apps.

When it comes to saving on-the-go, the citizens of Atlanta have the most frugal fingertips, based on use of the Coupons.com apps according to the Index2, which is reflected in the city’s top position on the Most On-the-Go Frugal Cities list in Table 2. The rest of the South is also smart when it comes to cellular savings. In fact, the South is home to 10 cities represented on the top 20 cities using mobile apps to access, browse, print and save coupons.

“More and more, people are taking advantage of coupons using mobile devices,” comments Pavini. “People are not just clicking for coupons from their computer, they are accessing them on-the-go and even at the supermarket.”

Some cities have a higher propensity to access coupons via mobile phones. For instance, savers in Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Las Vegas and Philadelphia are quick to look to their mobile device to maximize savings and advance on the On-the-Go list relative to their position on the ‘Most Frugal U.S. Cities’ list.

While they’re on the couponing wagon, Minneapolis, Cleveland and Seattle missed the mobile train: these cities ranked high on ‘Most Frugal U.S. Cities’ list, but each moved down several pegs on the On-the-Go list.

Top 20 Most On-the-Go Frugal Coupon Cities are below.

2010 Rank	City	State	Savings Index
1	Atlanta	GA	906
2	Tampa	FL	531
3	Saint Louis	MO	490
4	Cincinnati	OH	374
5	Oklahoma City	OK	363
6	Dallas	TX	282
7	Charlotte	NC	280
8	Pittsburgh	PA	246
9	Tulsa	OK	241
10	Miami	FL	238
11	Minneapolis	MN	235
12	Washington	DC	232
13	Nashville	TN	226
14	Raleigh	NC	222
15	Wichita	KS	219
16	Kansas City	MO	214
17	New Orleans	LA	198
18	Cleveland	OH	196
19	Denver	CO	177
20	Memphis	TN	165

Table 2: Top Frugal U.S. Cities - Mobile

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GeoVax Labs CSO Dr. Harriet L. Robinson to be Honored at 2011 Georgia Bio (GaBio) Community Awards Ceremony

2011-01-20T08:13:00.000-08:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Harriet L. Robinson, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at GeoVax Labs, Inc. (OTCQB/OTC Bulletin Board: GOVX), a biotechnology company that creates, develops and tests innovative HIV/AIDS vaccines, is one of three recipients of the 2011 Georgia Bio (GaBio) Community Awards. Dr. Robinson will be honored at the GaBio Annual Awards Dinner to be held Thursday, January 20 at Atlanta's Fox Theater.

Dr. Robinson is the developer of GeoVax's HIV-1 AIDS vaccine technology. One of the world's leaders in AIDS vaccine research, she was Chief of the Division of Microbiology and Immunology at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center and the Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Emory University before joining GeoVax, of which she is a co-founder.

Dr. Robinson's early work with HIV vaccines demonstrated that DNA alone would likely not be sufficient to raise protective immunity for HIV. She combined DNA with protein boosters or live viral-vectored boosters to show that effective control might be achieved through a combination of DNA prime and viral-vectored boosters. It is these vaccines that GeoVax licensed for commercial development and now has in Phase 2 clinical trials. Dr. Robinson received her B.A. from Swarthmore College and her PhD in Microbiology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Commenting on the award, Robert T. McNally, Ph.D., President and CEO of GeoVax, said, "We are delighted that Georgia Bio has seen fit to honor Harriet this year. We at GeoVax have long been aware of her extraordinary talents, and we are lucky to have her on staff as we continue to pursue the development of our preventative and therapeutic HIV vaccines."

Each year, Georgia Bio recognizes individuals, companies or institutions for significant contributions to Georgia's life sciences industry with its GaBio Community Awards. Georgia Bio (www.gabio.org) is a private, non-profit association representing nearly 300 pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device companies, medical centers, universities, research institutes, medical centers, government groups and other business organizations involved in the development of products that improve health and well-being of people animals and the environment.

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Jim Lientz Honored for Service in Governor’s Office

2010-12-17T18:51:00.000-08:00

Former state Chief Operating Officer Jim Lientz has been named a 2010 Purpose Prize Fellow by Civic Ventures. Lientz was recognized as a social entrepreneur over 60 who, in his encore career, used his experience and passion to make an extraordinary impact on society’s biggest challenges. Now in its fifth year, the six-year, $17 million Purpose Prize program is the nation’s only large-scale investment in social innovators in the second half of life.

Lientz was named a Fellow due to his time serving as Georgia’s COO, where he helped Governor Sonny Perdue create a customer friendly, people-oriented state government through the leadership, management, and supervision of state departments, agencies, and their respective boards and commissions. Lientz was instrumental in Georgia’s growth as a best managed state including recognition from the Pew Center on the States and Governing magazine.

“Purpose Prize Fellows show what’s possible in our communities – and the world – when experienced adults apply their passion and skill to improve the lives of others.” said Alexandra Céspedes Kent, Director of The Purpose Prize. “Imagine the potential for society if tens of thousands of adults focused their know-how on the social causes they are most passionate about – it’s a tremendous opportunity.”

The 46 Purpose Prize Fellows of 2010 were honored at the Purpose Prize Summit in November in Philadelphia.

“I am honored that my passion towards building a more customer-focused, forward-thinking Georgia has earned me such recognition,” said Lientz. “I dedicated my life to success in the private sector and it was important to me to continue striving for results-oriented solutions in a public role.” The Purpose Prize, funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies and the John Templeton Foundation, is a program of Civic Ventures’ Encore Careers campaign (www.encore.org), which aims to engage millions of baby boomers in encore careers combining social impact, personal meaning and continued income in the second half of life. For more information, visit: www.encore.org/prize.
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The Office Depot Foundation Honors Mark Dobosz with Listen, Learn, Care Award

2010-12-13T15:48:00.000-08:00

The Office Depot Foundation presented the Listen, Learn, Care Award to Mark Dobosz, Executive Director of The SCORE Foundation and Vice President of Development at SCORE “Counselors to America’s Small Business”, for his outstanding creativity, innovation and achievement in serving the community of mankind.

Mark Dobosz received the Listen, Learn, Care Award at the Fourth Annual Office Depot Foundation Tropical Holiday Celebration on December 10, 2010. This annual event celebrated the outstanding work of the Office Depot Foundation and featured the presentation of the annual Listen, Learn, Care Award to five exceptional individuals.

Mark Dobosz has spent more than 26 years working in a variety of leadership roles and areas for non-profit organizations. He has been responsible for developing new fundraising programs as well as expanding several annual giving, planned giving and special event programs. Mark has helped raise more than $27 million for the organizations he has served.

SCORE CEO Ken Yancey says, “Mark Dobosz has demonstrated foresight and vision for SCORE’s future through his commitment to SCORE fundraising. He has tirelessly worked to ensure that the message of securing outside support becomes widespread across SCORE”. Yancey adds, “Mark has been integral to SCORE’s effort to expand its mission of serving small businesses across America and building the economic strength of local communities.”

Tift County 4-H declared national poultry judging champions

2010-12-08T08:19:00.000-08:00

On Nov. 19, the local sheriff’s department escorted four Tift County teenagers into Tifton, Ga. It might sound like a parent’s nightmare, but the escort actually made parents proud. The reason for the eventful arrival: poultry.

The Tift County 4-H Poultry Judging Team was named the national champion at the National 4-H Poultry & Egg Conference in Louisville, Ky., Nov. 18. The high school seniors were greeted with sirens and police cars on their homecoming.

'Cool' win

“It was pretty cool. People pulled off on the side of the road. It was an honor to have that much attention,” said Sarah Harrison, one of the team’s members.

Harrison received the highest individual score in the national contest, and her twin sister, Rachel, came close behind in second place. Other members of the team included T.J. Chestnut, who placed seventh, and Michael Corbin, who ranked in the top 25.

Not a first

Coached by Brian Tankersley, Andrea Milton, and George Lee, this was Tift County 4-H’s sixth national championship in poultry judging. Tift County teams won the national championship in 1988, 1991, 1992, 2003 and 2005, too. The team placed second in 2008. Georgia teams have won at least eight times in the history of the competition.

“They have really fallen in love with poultry judging here, they do well with it,” Tankersley said.
He attributes the county’s continued success to experience. Between the members, this year’s winning team carried 25 years of experience to the national competition. Offering multiple teams allows Tift County youth to begin participating in poultry judging as early as sixth grade and continue their involvement all the way through their senior year of high school.

Sarah Harrison began her poultry judging experience when she was in the sixth grade. “I was very active in many different 4-H activities, but poultry judging just happened to be something that I enjoyed and also was really good at,” she said.

Practice, practice and more practice

Starting the poultry team in 1987 with little experience in poultry, Tankersley has gained his knowledge by working with specialists and attending 4-H trainings. He says that their teams begin practicing for the local and state competitions in March with two practices each week through May.

Practices include simulated contests with eggs donated by United Egg in Blackshear, Ga. If a team qualifies for the national competition, then they take a break from May to September, when they begin six weeks of heavy practice before the national competition in November. Competition is keen, as teams come from all over the country including California, New York and Florida. This year’s competition included teams from 19 states.

Not just about chickens

Awards are not the only benefit of poultry judging. The event is designed to sharpen communication, leadership and decision-making skills. It spurs an interest in science, agriculture and nutrition. Alumni from Tift County’s poultry judging teams include two doctors, multiple veterinarians, many teachers and a few engineers.

Poultry judging competitions consist of three categories: production hens, market poultry and market eggs. All team members judge each division, and the three highest scores for each category are used to rank the team. This year the Tift County team won all three divisions.

Will Walker, who won the National Egg Preparation Contest, and Scott Walters, who placed seventh in chicken barbeque, also represented Georgia at the National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference. Walker and Walters are from Turner County and were accompanied by Lynn Davis, the 4-H agent in that county.

To learn more about 4-H in your county, contact your local UGA Cooperative Extension office at 1-800-ASK-UGA1.

By Kristin Strickland

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Channel 2 WSB-TV Announces Angel Poventud as Atlanta's 2010 Cox Conserves Hero

2010-12-08T07:44:00.000-08:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Channel 2 WSB-TV and The Trust for Public Land (TPL) have announced that Angel Poventud is Atlanta's 2010 Cox Conserves Hero. He was nominated for the program, selected as a finalist by local environmental leaders and ultimately named as the Hero after receiving the most votes in an online public poll. Poventud has selected Trees Atlanta to receive the $5,000 award.

He was nominated for his volunteer work within Atlanta's environmental community. Poventud's weekends are spent planting and mulching with Trees Atlanta. He also frequently volunteers for BeltLine clean-up projects and helps the group convert abandoned rail corridors into parks.

"I started volunteering to plant trees, and I quickly realized it's the most rewarding thing I can do in the city," said Poventud. "It's important to utilize vacant lots. When you do, trees start getting planted and birds start chirping. Before you know it, nature happens."

Poventud was named Atlanta's 2010 Cox Conserves Hero at a reception held at and sponsored by the Hotel Palomar. Each of the other four finalists received $1,250 to donate to their environmental nonprofits of choice:

* Bryan Holloway (Revive Atlanta)
* James King (Keeping It Wild)
* Bruce Morton (Park Pride)
* Kit Sutherland (Historic Fourth Ward Park Conservancy)

This is the second year Cox Conserves Heroes has taken place in Atlanta. Don Wells - an advocate for conserving and enjoying the open spaces of the North Georgia Mountains – was named Atlanta's 2009 Cox Conserves Hero. As Wells' environmental nonprofit of choice, Mountain Stewards received $5,000 that was used to build new public trails and connect students with nature through outdoor classrooms.

The Cox Conserves Heroes program was created through a partnership between The Trust for Public Land and Cox Enterprises, the parent company of Channel 2 WSB-TV, to honor everyday conservationists. The program also runs in New Orleans, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle. For more information, visit www.CoxConservesHeroes.com or find us on Facebook.

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Amerigroup Foundation Honors Georgia Career Center Manager as a 'Healthy Hero'

2010-11-05T07:01:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The Amerigroup Foundation today (November 4) announced that it is designating Woodstock Goodwill Career Center Manager Christine Rankin a "Healthy Hero."

Rankin is passionate about helping residents of northern Georgia find employment. She coaches them every step of the way -- from helping create resumes to practicing interviews. This year, Rankin helped more than 400 jobseekers find work. In addition, Rankin educates jobseekers about living a healthy lifestyle. She invites health care experts to speak at the career center, and she searches for health programs that benefit residents in her community.

"Christine Rankin exemplifies a 'Healthy Hero,'" said John E. Littel, chairman of the Amerigroup Foundation. "Christine recognizes that a healthy community is a strong community. She does an outstanding job helping residents in her community find jobs, all the while empowering them to live healthier lives. The Amerigroup Foundation is pleased to recognize Christine for her important contributions."

Rankin donated the $1,000 "Healthy Hero" award to Goodwill. "These people come into our career center with the weight of the world on their shoulders," said Rankin. "I'm proud to do anything I can to help."

The Amerigroup Foundation periodically honors "Healthy Heroes" who have made a difference in the communities served by its corporate underwriter, Amerigroup Corporation, which administers publicly funded health care programs such as Medicaid and Medicare for state and federal governments.

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Emory University Hospital Named Consumer Choice Winner for 13th Straight Year

2010-11-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

For the 13th straight year, Emory University Hospital has been recognized as one of the nation's top hospitals by the National Research Corporation's (NRC) Consumer Choice Awards.

The award identifies hospitals chosen by healthcare consumers as having the highest quality and image in more than 300 markets throughout the U.S. This is the 15th year NRC has awarded hospitals whose consumers have recognized them for providing the highest quality healthcare.

“Having an opportunity to once again share this tremendous honor with the men and women who care for our patients and visitors each day is certainly a special and rewarding part of my job,” says Robert Bachman, Emory University Hospital chief operating officer. “Being recognized for what you do – and how well you do it – by the very consumers you are in the business of serving each day is an accolade that cannot be topped. I want to thank our entire team of physicians, nurses, support and business staff, volunteers and vast network of stakeholders and donors who strive to make Emory University Hospital a great center for care and discovery. Our customers have again spoken, and we will use this award as motivation to continue improving service in a safe, patient- and family-centered environment of care.”

Ginny Martin, president of NRC's Ticker Division, says winners are determined by consumer perceptions on multiple quality and image ratings collected in the company's Ticker study. Of the 3,200 hospitals named by consumers in the study, the winning facilities rank highest in their Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. The Ticker study surveyed over 250,000 households representing over 450,000 consumers in the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia.

"Healthcare has become an increasingly important issue across the country and empowered consumers are making decisions for themselves and their families when selecting their healthcare facilities and services," Martin says. "As care options multiply and financial challenges remain strong, consumer perception of quality continues to grow in importance. Dedication to providing high quality healthcare has become essential for all hospitals. In the face of adversity, these Consumer Choice award winners exemplify the dedication it takes to provide quality healthcare to their communities, and we are pleased to honor them through the eyes of their patients."

This year, Emory University Hospital for the 20th time, joined the prestigious ranks of America's top medical institutions in the annual U.S. News & World Report guide to "America's Best Hospitals." The hospital is at the heart of one of the nation's leading university-based health systems, with nationally and internationally recognized faculty physicians in a broad range of specialty areas. The 573-bed adult, tertiary care facility is a component of Emory Healthcare -- the largest and most comprehensive health system in Georgia. The hospital is staffed by more than 950 practicing physicians who are also faculty members of the Emory School of Medicine.

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Governor Perdue Named One of GOVERNING Magazine’s Public Officials of the Year

2010-10-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

Governor Perdue only governor recognized by national magazine

GOVERNING Magazine today announced that Governor Sonny Perdue is among a group of eight state and local government officials from around the country who are being honored for leadership and excellence as GOVERNING’s 2010 Public Officials of the Year. In its 17th year, the annual awards program recognizes leaders from state, city and county government for outstanding accomplishment in their department/agency, community or state.

“These dynamic state, city and county public officials faced both economic and political challenges,” said GOVERNING Publisher Fred Kuhn. “Through their collective vision, these eight stellar leaders worked to better not only their communities but set an example for future leaders to follow.”

“I am honored that this respected magazine has recognized our efforts to make Georgia one the best managed states in the nation,” Governor Perdue said. “This recognition has truly been earned by the agency leaders, state employees and others who have worked with us to give Georgians an effective, efficient state government.”

In announcing the honorees, GOVERNING issued this statement about Governor Perdue: “Sonny Perdue, Governor, State of Georgia, used his business-savvy leadership skills to turn Georgia into one of the best managed states in the country and confronted two of the most difficult challenges facing Georgia – shepherding landmark transportation funding and water conservation bills through the legislature—while keeping the state’s fiscal house in order.”

In March 2008, The Pew Center on the States and GOVERNING ranked Georgia among the best managed states in the nation in the Grading the States 2008 report. Georgia’s overall grade of B+ is the highest awarded to any state in the Southeast. Only three states received a higher grade than Georgia's B+, and four other states received the same grade as Georgia. The national average among the 50 states was an overall grade of B-. Thirteen states earned grades above the national average and 19 states were below the national average.

The 2008 report emphasized the value and impact of improvements made by the Governor’s Commission for a New Georgia, an initiative Governor Perdue launched shortly after being sworn-in as Governor in 2003. The commission is made up of private sector business and community leaders who offer a fresh perspective on how to make government more efficient and effective.

“In 2003, when Governor Sonny Perdue decided to set up his Commission for a New Georgia, it sounded like a recipe for one more unread manifesto doomed to gather more dust than interest. But the Governor meant business,” said the report. “He ultimately pressed into service more than 300 private-sector representatives, promising to do everything possible to implement their recommendations. And since its creation, the commission has been slowly, quietly and deliberately infiltrating Georgia state government with best practices from private industry.”

Governor Perdue was the only governor honored as a Public Official of the Year by GOVERNING. The other recipients include: Mick Cornett, Mayor, Oklahoma City; J. Wm. Covington, Superintendent, Kansas City, Missouri Public Schools; J. Stephen Fletcher, Chief Information Officer, State of Utah; Ana Gelabert-Sanchez, former Planning Director, City of Miami, Florida; Rep. Diana S. Urban, State of Connecticut; and Sen. John Whitmire and Rep. Jerry A. Madden, State of Texas.

Public Officials of the Year are selected from nominations submitted by readers, experts in the public and private sectors and the GOVERNING editorial team. Among the qualities recognized are leadership, courage, innovation, creativity and good management. Award winners are profiled in the November issue of the magazine and on governing.com. They will also be honored at a dinner at the Willard InterContinental in Washington, D.C. on November 18. The event is hosted by GOVERNING and sponsored by Citrix, Motorola and Oracle.

Visit http://www.governing.com/poy/ ..

About GOVERNING
More than 75,000 public officials turn to GOVERNING for the trusted information they can’t find anywhere else. GOVERNING covers state and local government politics, policies and programs essential to this audience. GOVERNING is a division of e.Republic, a national publishing, event and research company focused on smart media for public sector innovation.

UGA Odum School of Ecology featured on National Geographic's "Great Migration" series

2010-10-22T09:14:00.000-07:00

A film crew from National Geographic spent three weeks in June 2009 at the University of Georgia Odum School of Ecology shooting video footage for “Great Migrations: Born to Move,” which will air on National Geographic Channel Sunday, Nov. 7 at 8 p.m.It features the life cycle and migration of monarch butterflies, and includes scenes filmed at the Odum School with help from ecology faculty, students and staff.

Professor Gary W. Barrett, who holds the Odum Chair in Ecology, helped the film crew capture scenes showing predation of monarchs by mice and arranged for video footage to be shot at UGA’s HorseShoe Bend Ecology Experimental Research Site.

Associate Professor Sonia Altizer’s students and laboratory staff assisted with sequences of the monarch life cycle. “People in my lab guided the photographers and assistants and provided materials to them to film monarch eggs, larvae, pupation, adults laying eggs, praying mantis eating monarchs, and more,” said Altizer, an expert on monarch butterflies.She has conducted substantial research on the variation among monarch butterflies across their worldwide range, and the ecological and evolutionary consequences of their long-distance migration, particularly as it relates to host-parasite interactions. Her study of the relationship between migration distance and monarch butterfly wing shape, co-authored with Andy Davis, assistant research scientist in the Odum School, was published in the journal Evolution in Feb. 2010.

Monarch butterflies that breed in the eastern U.S. migrate to central Mexico each fall. The video footage shot in the ecology building and at HorseShoe Bend will appear in the first episode of the series, along with footage shot in Mexico.

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Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue Honors TOTO

2010-10-19T08:39:00.000-07:00

Governor Sonny Perdue honored TOTO USA on October 6 with the 2010 Conserve Georgia Water Conservation Award. The award recognizes the company for leading the way in sustainable water use by developing water-saving plumbing fixtures, ensuring the highest levels of efficiency in its Morrow manufacturing plant, and educating employees, the community, and fellow businesses on the importance of water conservation and how to achieve it.

The Governor began the Conserve Georgia program in 2008 with the goal of encouraging a statewide “culture of conservation” that helps preserve and sustain the state’s natural resources for generations to come.

“Georgia is blessed with abundant natural resources. It’s important to the vitality of our state that we protect these resources for the future,” said Governor Perdue. “Businesses like TOTO are leading the way in creating a culture of conservation, and it is my pleasure to recognize them for their accomplishments.”

Chris Clark, Chair of the Conserve Georgia Council and Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, affirmed the governor’s statement: "We are proud to recognize TOTO USA with the 2010 Conserve Georgia Water Conservation Award, acknowledging their commitment to promoting water efficiency in their facility, products, and community."

Over the past several years, TOTO has garnered numerous conservation awards, both local and national, for its commitment to environmental stewardship. For example, Georgia’s Southface Energy Institute, the Southeast’s non-profit leader in the promotion of sustainable homes, workplaces, and communities, has recognized the company with its prestigious Argon Award for Sustainability for its outstanding environmental leadership. At the national level, TOTO is the only plumbing manufactured honored by the Environmental Protection Agency with its coveted Water Efficiency Leader Award.

The company actively shares its passion for environmental sustainability by serving in the leadership positions of organizations focused on energy and water-efficiency, such as the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green buildingrating system, and the Alliance for Water Efficiency, a national organization dedicated to water efficiency that is spearheaded by the EPA.“TOTO is continuously looking for ways to eliminate waste, create more efficient products, and improve people’s lives through all levels of social sustainability.

From product lifecycle analysis that ensures thesmallest carbon footprint possible to advocating water savings through end-user practices, TOTO is dedicated to natural resource conservation,” stated Bill Strang, Vice President of Operations at TOTO.In fact, all employees at TOTO’s manufacturing facilities are personally involved in the company’s conservation efforts. At its encouragement, they bring their recyclables to the plant, and TOTO ships to the appropriate recycling facilities. “At TOTO, conservation at all levels, including recycling, reducing waste, and manufacturing high-efficiency products is a part of our DNA. It is part of our manufacturing practices and our employees’ daily lives,” continued Strang.

Photo source: Toto USA, Inc
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Special Olympics Georgia Athlete Joins Law Enforcement Torch Run Executive Committee; Begins Her Own Fundraising Project

2010-10-19T07:25:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire-/ -- Even though Paige Copeland, a Special Olympics athlete, has faced many challenges, it's her outlook that has made the difference and helped her become the athlete ambassador on the state's Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) Executive Council.

Paige, recently appointed to the two-year term, will give feedback to LETR, the organization's largest grassroots fundraiser, about its annual plans. Her term officially started in August. She is the second only Special Olympics athlete to serve on the Executive Council. The first was Dekalb County Special Olympics gymnast Elena Weaver.

Paige, of Henry County, was selected through a nomination process by the LETR Executive Council based on her high community involvement and her previous role as Miss Special Henry County. She was also chosen based on her public speaking experience and good-natured personality. "Being special has brought many challenges into my life, and all special needs people have big challenges in their lives. We all face challenges. But whether or not you're special, you can face the challenges by seeing them as storms, or you can see them as rainbows. I choose to see mine as rainbows, and I challenge everyone to do the same," she said recently.

In addition to providing an athlete's perspective, Paige will make public presentations about the year-round LETR fundraising efforts for the 23,078 children and adults with intellectual disabilities registered in Special Olympics Georgia. Torch Run raises approximately $650,000 each year. Paige recently created her own fundraising page to contribute. Support Paige's new adventures with LETR by making a donation at www.firstgiving.com/paige_copeland.

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Georgia Natural Gas Honored by Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta for Dedication to Community Service

2010-10-19T07:23:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Natural Gas (GNG), the state's leading natural gas provider and a nationally recognized leader in corporate volunteerism, is the 2010 recipient of the IMPACT Award for Excellence in Corporate Community Engagement presented by the Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta (CVC). The award is in the medium to small category of companies, which includes companies with up to 500 employees. The IMPACT Award is the highest award given by the CVC.

"We are thrilled to honor Georgia Natural Gas as the winner of this year's IMPACT Award for medium to small business. Their exemplary volunteer program is truly part of their business culture and demonstrates their deep dedication to the Atlanta community, their customers and employees," said Lea Rolfes, CVC executive director.

In the eight years since GNG implemented its community service program, the company's employees have made a tremendous difference in the lives of Georgia citizens through volunteerism and philanthropy. In 2009 and 2010 the company's employees volunteered at numerous nonprofits throughout the metro Atlanta area. For the past six years, GNG volunteers have tutored at Centennial Place Elementary School.

In addition to their volunteer efforts, GNG employees have supported nonprofit organizations that offer services and programs to deserving Georgians, particularly children and seniors. For example, the company's employee volunteers, whose motto is "Working Together ... Serving Together," raised funds this summer for local charities such as Prevent Child Abuse Georgia, Senior Connections, and the Centennial Place School Foundation.

"We are so honored to be recognized by the Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta for our employees' dedication to giving back to the communities we serve," said Mike Braswell, GNG president and CEO. "All of the credit for this honor goes to our generous volunteers who prove day after day that a relatively small group of people can make a big difference in the community."

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Georgia's Woodlawn Elementary Takes 1st Place at World Championship Archery Competition!

2010-10-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

Georgia is home to a world champion elementary school archery team after this month’s National Archery in the Schools Program World Tournament. Woodlawn Elementary is the first Georgia school to compete on the World Competition level, which saw more than 950 student archers from 21 states compete in the elementary, middle and high school divisions.

“The students were awesome and really showed what hard work and determination can do,” said Coach Brad Bates, teacher and NASP coordinator for Woodlawn Elementary. “These kids haven't stopped practicing since try-outs for the state tournament a year ago. Each one on the team has a story and they pulled together in Florida to win a World Championship.”

Georgia School ranking:

Woodlawn Elementary School in Chatsworth finished first in the competition in the elementary division with a team score of 3,240. Woodlawn won the Georgia-NASP elementary school title during the state tournament in February 2010 and took third place at the NASP National Tournament in May 2010. Additionally, they were the highest scoring team at the State Tournament.

Georgia Student ranking:

Individually, Woodlawn Elementary’s Morgan Ray placed 1st in this competition by shooting a 291 in the elementary division. This score put her only one point behind the HIGH SCHOOL 1st place winner.

MORE ABOUT NASP

NASP is an in-school archery curriculum that meets all education department standards. Only schools that are certified in NASP through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources are qualified to compete. Schools in nearly 80 counties in Georgia are NASP certified.

The program promotes instruction in international-style target archery to improve educational performance and participation in shooting sports. Research has shown that the program, administered through a minimum two-week course during the school year, improves class attendance and behavior. NASP universal fit bows make it possible for students of all sizes and genders to succeed in archery while raising self-esteem levels and improving hand-eye coordination during physical activity.

NASP is taught in 46 states as well as Australia, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand. To date, more than 6 million students have gone through the program.

For more information on NASP in Georgia, recreational shooting sports opportunities or to find a range near you, visit www.georgiawildlife.com, or call (770) 918-6416.

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Georgia Diabetes Pilot Bridging Cultural Health Care Gaps for African Americans and Hispanics Gains National Recognition

2010-10-18T10:48:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- A health equities pilot developed for Blue Cross Blue Shield members is one of seven programs recognized this year with a Best of Blue Clinical Distinction Award. The pilot, in which Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGa) was a participant, was developed for Hispanics and African Americans with diabetes. The award was given for the pilot's innovative and successful approach to improving access to high quality, safe and affordable health care for consumers.

The Best of Blue Clinical Distinction Program was developed by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and the Harvard Medical School Department of Health Care Policy. The purpose of the Clinical Distinction Awards is to highlight the Blue Cross Blue Shield plans nationally that demonstrate innovation, efficiency and potential for replication.

The pilot, "Bridging Cultural Health Care Gaps: Diabetes," was submitted by BCBSGa's California affiliate, which also had participants in the pilot. Two other affiliated plans in Indiana and Maine also earned Clinical Distinction Awards.

"Research shows that ethnically diverse populations experience a higher prevalence of certain diseases and worse quality of care than whites regardless of the type of insurance they have or whether they have insurance at all," said Terri Amano, senior product manager of BCBSGa's parent company's Programs in Clinical Excellence. "With this pilot, our goal was to find ways to provide useful and relevant information to our Hispanic and African American members. This information helps them better control their diabetes and improve their quality of life."

In asking members their opinions and researching their behaviors and attitudes, it was discovered that aspects of culture—food, family, faith and fear of disease complications, such as amputations and blindness, were factors that may influence behaviors and attitudes toward health care among African Americans and Hispanics. These issues were explored in many of the educational materials.

The pilot focused on creative and culturally appropriate ways to communicate with members—including providing information on how members could reach out to local churches to share these messages with others and providing bilingual Spanish print Fotonovelas, a photographic comic strip version of a soap opera. The pilot also provided diabetes educational materials that included ways to substitute ingredients in favorite ethnic meals to make them healthier.

"Harvard is pleased to recognize this pilot that sets such high standards for its effectiveness in improving patient care," said Barbara J. McNeil, Ph.D., head of the Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School. "The Blues' focus on quality, safety and access plays a critical role in improving the healthcare delivery system and enhancing quality and value for consumers."

The randomized controlled pilot studied more than 4,000 African American and Hispanic members in California and Georgia.

"Even over the short term, we saw small but promising increases in disease management engagement among African American and Hispanic members," Amano said. "We see this pilot as an important first step in helping our diverse members make important changes to their health and helping to bridge the cultural care gaps that exist today."

BCBSGa's parent company plans to use this pilot in other states.

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Governor Perdue Announces Fourth-Annual Customer Service Awards

2010-10-12T17:47:00.000-07:00

Governor Sonny Perdue today announced the winners of state government’s fourth-annual Governor’s Customer Service Awards for 2010. Seven individuals and nine teams were recognized today by Governor Perdue.

“Part of making Georgia the best managed state is improving customer service and recognizing those employees who provide it,” said Governor Perdue. “These awards highlight exemplary employees and their commitment to changing processes and attitudes to provide faster, friendlier and easier service for the citizens of Georgia. Those recognized here represent scores of others who have found ways to produce and measure results.”

Winners in the fourth year of the Governor’s Customer Service Awards were selected from among more than 580 nominations from 42 different agencies across Georgia. Nominees demonstrate “above and beyond” service that is helpful, courteous and knowledgeable. Team winners dramatically shortened process times or responded quickly to customers. Awards were also given for Employee of the Year, Team of the Year, Contact Center Excellence, Leadership and Agency of the Year. Employees of state agencies and the University System of Georgia are eligible. Nominees were judged by a blue-ribbon panel of leaders from the business community and the public sector.

LIST OF AWARD WINNERS

Individual Excellence in Customer Service

This award recognizes those individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service to the citizens of Georgia over the last year. Their actions reflect all five of the state’s customer service commitments: HELPFUL, COURTEOUS, ACCESSIBLE, RESPONSIVE and KNOWLEDGEABLE.
Carleton F. Coleman, Aging Services Coordinator, Dept. of Human Services, Columbus
Jenna Miley, Associate Professor of Computer Science, Bainbridge College, University System of Georgia, Bainbridge
Bob Satterfield, Assistant Director of Maintenance, Georgia Building Authority, Atlanta
Eric Sellers, Warden, Burruss CTC, Georgia Dept. of Corrections, Forsyth

Customer Service Employee of the Year

This award is given to the individual who represents the most exceptional example of customer service in the state of Georgia.

· Dan Chan, Meteorologist, Georgia Forestry Commission, Macon

Team Excellence in Customer Service

This award recognizes those teams who have demonstrated outstanding service to the customers of the state of Georgia over the last year.

· Computerized Criminal History/Identification Team, Georgia Bureau of Investigation
· Financial Reporting Team, State Accounting Office
· Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Milledgeville, Dept. of Veterans Service, Milledgeville
· Hearing Examiners, State Board of Pardons and Paroles

Customer Service Team of the Year

This award is presented to the team which is the most exceptional example of customer service in the state of Georgia.

· Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism, Georgia Dept. of Community Affairs

Contact Center Excellence
The contact center excellence award is given to one call center based on outstanding performance and improvement in customer service.

· Motor Vehicle Citizens Help Desk Contact Center, Georgia Dept. of Revenue

Outstanding Process Improvement

The process improvement award is given to a division or program that has designed and implemented a planned process improvement or initiative that has resulted in a significant positive impact on their customers over the last year.

· Probation Reporting Contact Center, Georgia Dept. of Corrections, Atlanta

Customer Service Champion of the Year

This award recognizes the Champion who has successfully guided customer service improvements throughout his or her organization resulting in a significant, positive impact on customer service over the last year.

· Lisa Maier, Georgia Dept. of Public Safety, Atlanta

Outstanding Customer Service Leadership

The Customer Service Leadership Award recognizes a leader in an agency, division, institution or program who, through his or her leadership in customer service, has made a significant, positive impact on customer service to the citizens of the state of Georgia over the last year.

· Holly Robinson, Commissioner, Bright From the Start: Georgia Dept. of Early Care and Learning, Atlanta

Most Improved Customer Service Organization

This award recognizes the state organization or program that has demonstrated the greatest overall improvement in customer service during the previous year.

· Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources

Customer Service Agency/Institution of the Year

This award is given to the state agency or institution that has shown the highest commitment, the highest performance levels and the most improvement in customer service across the organization over the last year. · University System of Georgia

Spelman College Students Win 2010 AT&T Big Mobile on Campus Challenge(SM)

2010-10-12T08:02:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* is pleased to announce that Jonecia Keels and Jazmine Miller of Spelman College, a historically black liberal arts college for women, have won the 2010 AT&T Big Mobile on Campus Challenge(SM) with their next generation e-learning mobile application, HBCU Buddy.

HBCU Buddy is a mobile application created to educate and inform users, including both prospective and current college students, about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) across the United States. It is a fully-fledged mobile service application that provides detailed information about each and every HBCU in the nation and integrates all facets of college life.

The application opens with a directory profiling each HBCU with information on academics, admissions, research, student life, alumni, among other details. After selecting a school, students can navigate through the school – literally – by accessing virtual tours of buildings, on-campus videos, and local GPS and directions.

HBCU Buddy can also provide students with customizable social networking features to connect with each other, their school and community. The application connects to social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, and integrates tools such as chat and calendar to help students stay informed. Students can use the application to follow the latest on school club and campus happenings, local events, hot spots around the community, and more.

Jonecia Keels and Jazmine Miller were recognized and awarded a $10,000 scholarship (divided between them) and a mobile device of their choice each at the Higher Ed Board of Advisors Meeting in Miami, Florida, on October 7, 2010. The pair will be demonstrating their HBCU Buddy application in the AT&T booth #1433 at the EduCause National Convention in Anaheim, California, on October 12-14, 2010. Additionally, they will be invited to participate on the judging committee for the 2011 AT&T Big Mobile on Campus Challenge.

"HBCU Buddy is an outstanding mobile application, embodying everything this contest is about: providing a platform for higher education students to develop their innovative ideas into practical and useful e-learning mobile applications," said Chris Hill, Vice President, Advanced Enterprise Mobility Solutions, AT&T Business Solutions (ABS).

"No one can indentify higher education opportunities and needs better than the students themselves. Jonecia Keels and Jazmine Miller of Spelman College saw a need and created an application that truly enhances the college experience for HBCU students. The application provides students with access to the most relevant information in real-time."

AT&T Big Mobile on Campus Challenge for full-time college students was established in 2008 to recognize innovative and creative mobile applications that enhance the educational process for higher education students. For more information, please visit http://bigmobileoncampus.wireless.att.com.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

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Georgia Employer Receives Top DOD Award

2010-10-05T19:58:00.000-07:00

Southern Company received the 2010 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award for going beyond the federal law requirements in support of Guard and Reserve members. A Southern Company employee who is an Army Reserve First Lieutenant nominated his company for the award.

Southern Company, the only Georgia employer to top the list, competed against thousands of U.S. employers for this award.

Southern Company is the nation’s largest producer of electricity and serves more than 4.4 million customers in the Southeast. The company’s “Support our Troops” project has sent more than 500 pounds of personal care items to military members in Iraq and Afghanistan. After returning from deployment, the employees were honored at the company-wide dinner hosted by the chief executive officer. Southern Company and its subsidiaries have received numerous Patriot Awards, Above and Beyond Awards and the ESGR Pro Patria Award.

The Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award is the highest recognition given by the U.S. government to an employer for supporting employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve.

Since 1996, only 130 companies have been presented with the prestigious Freedom Award. Previous honorees from Georgia include Home Depot, Home Depot Southern Division, United Parcel Service Airlines and First Data Corporation.

About ESGR & the Freedom Award

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award instituted in 1996 under the auspices of ESGR. Nominations for the 2010 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award were accepted from November 2009 through mid-January 2010.

ESGR is a Department of Defense agency established in 1972 whose mission is to gain and maintain employer support for Guard and Reserve Service by recognizing outstanding support, increasing awareness of the law and resolving conflict through mediation. For more information, please visit www.FreedomAward.mil.
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Georgia DNRs Capt Doug Lewis Selected as Law Enforcement 2010 Supervisor of the Year

2010-10-05T06:37:00.000-07:00

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division recently selected Capt. Doug Lewis of the Brunswick Law Enforcement office as the 2010 Supervisor of the Year.

Until this past month when he was promoted to Captain of the Region, Lewis served as Administrative Sergeant for the DNR Law Enforcement office located in Brunswick, Georgia. This office oversees operations in ten coastal counties, including Chatham, Camden and Glynn. He is a 24-year veteran of the department and served 13 of those years as Sergeant.

“Capt. Doug Lewis exemplifies the outstanding leadership that we expect from our officers,” says Col. Homer Bryson, Chief of the Law Enforcement Section of Wildlife Resources Division. “His motto is that ‘you take care of your staff and your staff will take care of you’ and he absolutely does his best to make sure that his staff receives the best, and they support him 100 percent.”

During this past year, Capt. Lewis was key to the success of a pilot CAD project for this Region, including involvement with installation, implementation and troubleshooting. He also was involved in the procurement of equipment associated with a $1.4 million Port Security Grant awarded to this Region.

Lewis is involved with the administration of the Joint Enforcement Agreement and serves on the Grays Reef Advisory Panel. In addition to the recognition as ‘Supervisor of the Year’ with DNR Law Enfocement, he also received the “Wayne County Volunteer of the Year” award for his efforts with a local catfish tournament and other events.

Capt. Lewis previously received the James R. Darnell Award and additionally, was recognized as Ranger of the Year in 1989. Fellow law enforcement officers nominated for this award include Sgt. Steve Seitz, Sgt. Bo Kelly and Sgt. Butch Potter.

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Georgia Southern University Students Selected for Eagles in D.C. Congressional Internship

2010-09-27T06:56:00.000-07:00

Georgia Southern University has selected two students to intern in Washington, D.C. during the fall 2010 semester, as part of the Eagles in D.C. Congressional Internship Program. Following a competitive application process, the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management has selected Camille Daley from Kennesaw, Ga., and Joshua Combs from Dallas, Ga., to participate in the program.

“We are pleased that these two outstanding students have been selected to intern in our nation’s capital during the fall 2010 semester,” said Teresa Thompson, vice president of student affairs and enrollment management at Georgia Southern University. “The program provides students with a well-rounded educational opportunity to complement their traditional classroom learning while also allowing them to immerse themselves into a unique political, intellectual and cultural atmosphere. We are continuously expanding the Eagles in D.C. program and continue to explore new ways to showcase the quality of students that Georgia Southern University cultivates.”

Camille Daley, a junior history major from Kennesaw, Ga., will be interning in U.S. Congressman John Lewis’ office (http://johnlewis.house.gov). During the 2009-2010 academic year, Daley served as a Southern Ambassador, community leader at Centennial Place, vice president of administrative services for the National Residence Hall Honorary and was a consultant for the Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement’s INSPIRE program. Daley has donated more than 350 hours of community involvement and service to the University.

Joshua Combs, a junior political science major from Dallas, Ga., was selected to intern with U.S. Congressman John Barrow’s office (http://barrow.house.gov) during the fall semester. During his two years at Georgia Southern, Combs has been active on campus and most recently volunteered his time as a judicial advocate for the Office of the Dean of Students. In addition to his campus activities, he is also a member of two honor societies.

While working in our nation's capital, Eagles in D.C. interns are also making progress towards earning a Georgia Southern University degree. Students are provided with housing and a cost of living stipend during their time in Washington, D.C., making it one of the University’s most popular internship programs. To be eligible to apply, students must have completed 48 hours in residence at Georgia Southern University by the start of the semester in which they wish to intern and also have a GPA of at least 3.0.

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Amerigroup Foundation Honors Fulton County Women's Health Program's Karen Russell as a 'Healthy Hero'

2010-09-24T06:39:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The Amerigroup Foundation today (September 23) announced that it is honoring Fulton County Women's Health Program Coordinator Karen Russell by designating her a "Healthy Hero."

Russell has spent the past 18 years helping others, especially women and children in need. For the past five years, she has worked with underinsured and uninsured women to provide information on health screenings and referrals for The Women's Health Program.

"Karen Russell demonstrates a commitment and a passion to improving the lives of women and children who simply need a little help," said John E. Littel, chairman of the Amerigroup Foundation. "She offers a tremendous example of the meaningful impact one person can make on a community. The Amerigroup Foundation is pleased to recognize and actively support her continuing efforts and achievements."

Russell has provided health care and social services for residents of Fulton County while working with special needs children for the Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness. In the past, she has worked with Children 1st, Children's Medical Services and Babies Can't Wait to meet the needs of children and their families. She also has worked for six years as program manager with the Mental Health Program including CHOICES, a women's substance abuse inpatient residential facility.

Russell has been integral in health awareness campaigns, and she takes special interest in activities surrounding Cervical Cancer Awareness Month in January and Heart Month in February. She devotes time working on the National Women's Health Week Kick-Off Celebration in May and the Breast Cancer Awareness Month Celebration in October. With these events, Russell ensures that uninsured and underinsured female residents are invited and transported as her special guests.

"A lot of times, women who are underinsured or uninsured or are less privileged don't know about all the little tidbits out there that can help them take care of themselves," Russell said. "I want to make sure mammograms and self-exams are a regular occurrence, so I spend a good deal of my time getting the word out and educating them on the benefits."

When Russell is out in the community, she is a regular guest speaker at health fairs, churches, women's clubs and shelters.

To honor Russell's service, the Foundation presented a $1,000 contribution to The Breast Health Connections of Georgia at a ceremony Thursday morning at the Fulton County Health and Wellness Board of Health meeting. Breast cancer is the leading cancer among women in Georgia and the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women. The Women's Health Program provides eligible women with Pap tests, breast exams, women's health education and mammogram referrals.

The Amerigroup Foundation periodically honors "Healthy Heroes" who have made a difference in the communities served by its corporate underwriter, Amerigroup Corporation, which administers publicly funded health care programs such as Medicaid and Medicare for state and federal governments. Amerigroup Community Care of Georgia offers health care services to 259,000 people enrolled in Medicaid in Georgia.

"I'm just so humbled by this experience," Russell said. "I just do what I do because I am so passionate about women's health care issues and about getting the word out to women in need."

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Amerigroup Foundation Honors Georgia State Sen. Lester Jackson as a 'Champion for Children'

2010-09-21T05:41:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The Amerigroup Foundation today presented Georgia State Sen. Lester Jackson with its "Champion for Children" award for his tireless work and devotion to children's issues, both personally and legislatively.

The "Champion for Children" award is part of a national program by the Amerigroup Foundation to recognize outstanding public advocacy efforts by government and community leaders to improve the health and well-being of children across the country.

Sen. Jackson donated the $2,000 award to the Greenbriar Children's Center and the May Street YMCA of Savannah. Both organizations are devoted to the care of children, especially those going through difficult times.

"We are pleased to recognize Sen. Jackson for his positive impact on the youth in our community," said John E. Littel, chairman of the Amerigroup Foundation. "He shares our goal of building strong, healthy communities, while putting our children first."

Gena Taylor, executive director at the Greenbriar Children's Center, said Sen. Jackson has been instrumental in building and enhancing programs for children in the community.

"Sen. Jackson's donation to our center falls in line with his character," said Taylor. "His advocacy for children goes unmatched."

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Team Nutrena's Becky Holder Wins First Place in USEA American Eventing Championship

2010-09-16T18:15:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Nutrena® brand horse feed congratulates Becky Holder and her horse, Courageous Comet, on winning the 2010 United States Equine Association (USEA) National Championship.

Holder and Courageous Comet finished the event with a score of 45.5 and also took home the title of Gold Cup Champion in the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series. This is the second year the Nutrena® brand has sponsored Holder, and nutritionists worked closely with her to refine her feeding program.

"We are extremely proud of Becky and Courageous Comet," said Dan Limbaugh, Nutrena® brand consultant who works with Holder. "It was a tremendous event, and we're looking forward to continuing to work together to ensure Courageous Comet performs his best."

Fans can cheer on Holder at the World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Ky., Sept. 25-Oct. 10, as she and Courageous Comet have been named to the United States eventing squad. Throughout the Games, the Nutrena® brand will bring all the action to fans with daily updates on its blog, The Feed Room, at www.horsefeedblog.com.

A competitor in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Holder is originally from Mendota Heights, Minn. She now lives in Chattahoochee Hills, Ga. where she feeds Courageous Comet and her other horses Nutrena® SafeChoice®, a controlled-starch formula, and Nutrena® Life Design® Compete for peak performance.

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Couple Finishes All Three State Park Challenges

2010-09-10T06:25:00.000-07:00

Nat and Delene Broeckling of Bryan County are the first Georgians to complete all three recreation challenges sponsored by Georgia’s state park system. The couple earned bragging-rights t-shirts and the pride of knowing they completed the Canyon Climbers, Muddy Spokes and Park Paddlers clubs.

The Canyon Climbers Club entices hikers to complete trails at Amicalola Falls, Cloudland Canyon, Tallulah Gorge and Providence Canyon state parks, while the Muddy Spokes Club sends mountain bikers out to tackle 11 state parks. The Park Paddlers Club encourages canoers and kayakers to explore six of Georgia’s lakes and rivers, including George L. Smith State Park near Statesboro and Crooked River State Park in St. Marys.

Nat is a project engineer for Rayonier Performance Fibers in Jesup, and Delene owns Curves Fitness Center in Richmond Hill. Their daughter attends the University of Georgia. The couple moved from Whitehall, Arkansas in 2007 and decided that exploring state parks would be a good way to get acquainted with their new home.

“We have literally seen the landscapes and nature of Georgia from the ground up,” said Nat. “We have crossed the state hiking, biking and paddling, enjoyed breathtaking sights, and gained knowledge about the history of the state. Our experiences and memories will last a lifetime.”

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ State Parks Division created the Canyon Climbers, Muddy Spokes and Park Paddlers clubs to encourage people to exercise in the great outdoors. Many would agree that climbing a 1,000-foot canyon or biking a 12-mile trail is more adventurous and challenging than spending 30 minutes on a step machine.

“I think the park clubs are a great way to challenge residents to ‘Get out. Get dirty. Get fit’,” said Nat, in reference to the agency’s activity-inducing slogan.

Among their favorite paddles were Stephen C. Foster State Park in the Okefenokee Swamp and George L. Smith State Park near Statesboro.

“It was neat to paddle through the cypress trees at George L. Smith,” said Nat. “There’s a marked trail out in the lake, and you were in the middle of everything.”

To learn more about outdoor recreation at Georgia’s 48 state parks, call 770-389-7401 or visit www.GeorgiaStateParks.org. The website offers maps, photos and telephone numbers of each state park, as well as the recreation clubs.

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Georgia Dog Owner Wins Dream Dog Park Contest

2010-09-09T10:14:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- For Atlanta-area resident Pat McNeely and his dog Koda, doggie dreams really can come true. Today, McNeely and his four-legged best friend were crowned Grand Prize Winner of the Beneful® WagWorld® Dream Dog Park Contest.

To celebrate the special relationships we have with our dogs, the first-of-its-kind contest invited dog owners across America to answer the question: If you had $500,000 to create the ultimate dream dog park for you and your best buddy, what would you do? In addition to submitting a video that showed the many creative ways they would create their dream dog park, contest entrants were asked to write a short essay explaining how the makeover of a neighborhood dog park would enhance their daily adventures with their dog.

McNeely's winning entry will help serve as inspiration for a $500,000 renovation of the Newtown Dog Park in Johns Creek, Ga. In addition, McNeely won $5,000 cash and a year's supply of Beneful® brand dog food. The Beneful WagWorld Dream Team, led by dog lover, design expert and television host Jason Cameron, will manage the transformation of the dog park to create a dream dog park for the entire Johns Creek community to enjoy. Also on the team is pet expert and bestselling author Arden Moore, who will help manage the renovation from the dog's point of view. Plans will be reviewed and approved by the City.

"We were amazed by the creativity and quality of the entries we received in this contest - dog owners really know how to dream big," said Cameron. "While we received many outstanding entries, Pat McNeely's entry rose to the top and I am excited to manage the transformation of his neighborhood dog park into the WagWorld Dream Dog Park for his entire community to enjoy."

At a hometown celebration event today in Johns Creek, Ga., Cameron unveiled a preliminary blueprint design for the dog park renovation in front of a local gathering that included: McNeely and Koda; Johns Creek city officials; Mayor Mike Bodker; and members of the local dog community. A climbing structure, plastic tunnels, a doggie splash pad, lots of grass and shade trees, and running trails are some of the exciting features that will be included in the Newtown Dog Park makeover.

The contest entries were narrowed down to 10 finalists by an independent judging panel based on the following criteria: creativity of the dream idea (60%); feasibility of bringing the idea to life (20%); and demonstration of how life is better together with your dog (20%). Cameron and Moore then judged the 10 finalists using the same criteria, with their judging accounting for 90% of the final total score. In addition, the public was invited to vote for their favorites among the 10 finalists with the voting rank accounting for the remaining 10% of the final score. The nine runners' up each received a year's supply of Beneful® brand dog food.

"The Beneful brand recognizes that life is better when we are with our best buddies and we are delighted that so many dog owners across the country wanted to share their dreams for the ultimate dog park," said Joe Chatman, Beneful brand manager. "Going to the dog park is a fun adventure for many dog owners and their four-legged friends, and for one lucky community this adventure just got even better."

The much-anticipated unveiling of the renovated Newtown Dog Park will take place in Spring 2011. For more information on the contest and winning entry, please visit benefuldreamdogpark.com.

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Habitat for Humanity to Honor Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter for 27 Years of Service at Oct. 4 Gala

2010-09-09T06:21:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- In observance of World Habitat Day, Habitat for Humanity International will honor former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter at Habitat for Humanity's "Thanks a Million! A salute to the life and service of our most famous volunteers -- Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter" Gala in Washington, D.C., at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium -- Monday, Oct. 4, 2010.

The evening will include a memorable celebration of the Carters' 27 years of service to Habitat and of their lifetime commitment to strengthening democracy and alleviating poverty. Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Frank Blake of The Home Depot, Andrew N. Liveris of Dow, and Larry Stone of Lowe's Corporation are gala co-chairs. U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan will serve as the guest speaker.

The gala will kick-off Habitat for Humanity's 27th annual Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, where the Carters will lead 1,000 volunteers in a week of helping to build, renovate and repair 86 homes in six U.S. cities -- Washington, D.C.; Baltimore and Annapolis, Md.; Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn.; and Birmingham, Ala. -- and actively demonstrate the pressing need for stable communities.

"It has been an honor for Rosalynn and me to work alongside so many dedicated Habitat volunteers and partner families over the years," said President Carter. "By joining together, we can build better communities and change lives around the world -- including our own."

President and Mrs. Carter became involved with Habitat for Humanity in 1984 when they led volunteers in New York City to help renovate a six-story building with 19 families in need of decent, affordable shelter. That experience planted the seed for Habitat's Carter Work Project, which has been an internationally-recognized event ever since.

"As tireless champions for social justice, the Carters have set an example of public service that we should all aspire to," said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. "We're grateful for their volunteerism and servant leadership, which has brought hope and stability to families worldwide."

The gala to honor the Carters will include a program and featured entertainment.

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University President Elected as a New Geological Society of America Fellow

2010-09-08T06:08:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The Council of the Geological Society of America (GSA) has elected Southern Polytechnic State University President Dr. Lisa A. Rossbacher a new GSA Fellow.

The GSA is one of the largest and most prestigious organizations for professionals in geology and its recognition of Dr. Rossbacher's contribution to the discipline is a high honor. She will be recognized at the 2010 GSA Annual Meeting on October 30, 2010 in Denver.

GSA's mission is to be a leader in advancing the geosciences, enhancing the professional growth of its members, and promoting the geosciences in the service to humankind and stewardship of the Earth.

When Dr. Rossbacher was inaugurated as president of Southern Polytechnic State University in 1998, she was the first woman geologist to become a university president in North America.

She received a bachelor of science degree in geology from Dickinson College as well as a master of arts degree in geological sciences from the State University of New York at Binghamton. She also earned both a M.A. and Ph.D. in geological and geophysical science from Princeton University. Prior to moving to Cobb County, she held the position of Dean of the Faculty at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Penn.

She is the author of four books: Career Opportunities in Geology and the Earth Sciences; Recent Revolutions in Geology; Geomedia: A Guide for Geoscientists who meet the Press (with Rex Buchanan); Physical Geology: the Lab Manual (with geology faculty members at Princeton University and Whittier College).

Dr. Rossbacher was born and raised in Virginia. She is married to Dr. Dallas D. Rhodes, head of the Department of Geology and Geography at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Ga.

At Southern Polytechnic State University, students study the sciences and technologies in a unique, practical manner, as they pursue an education that is career-based and well balanced. SPSU is a residential, co-educational member of the University System of Georgia with approximately 5,200 students who study on the 198 acres of naturally wooded landscape in the historic and vibrant city of Marietta (just 20 minutes from downtown Atlanta). SPSU, through a fusion of technology with the liberal arts and sciences, creates a learning community that encourages thoughtful inquiry, diverse perspectives and strong preparation of our graduates to be leaders in an increasingly technological world.

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Zoo Atlanta Awarded Grant from the Institute Of Museum and Library Services

2010-09-07T09:49:00.000-07:00

Zoo Atlanta has received a prestigious grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to lead a multi-institutional effort to examine heart disease in great apes. The $92,000 grant represents an historic show of support for an area of ape health care that has until now been poorly understood by veterinarians.

Identified as a leading cause of death in great apes living in zoological settings, cardiovascular disease (CVD) requires advanced understanding of diagnosing, treating and monitoring affected individuals, as well as adapting techniques already in use for treatment of heart disease in humans and domestic animals. Under the leadership of Hayley Murphy, DVM, Director of Veterinary Services, the Zoo Atlanta Veterinary Team will use the one-year grant to design an innovative national program for investigating ape CVD and establishing state-of-the-art diagnostics, treatment and prevention. Additional partners are The University of Georgia (including Rita McManamon, DVM, one of the project’s principal investigators and former head veterinarian at Zoo Atlanta); Cleveland Metroparks Zoo; and more than 15 other zoos, universities and scientists.

“We are pleased and proud that IMLS saw the merit in a project that will have a positive impact on great apes in zoological collections throughout the world,” said Raymond King, President and CEO. “This is an important step forward that will allow experts from around the country to share knowledge and build on their individual strengths.”

Zoo Atlanta is a likely candidate for leadership in a great ape heart health initiative. The organization houses the nation’s largest collection of western lowland gorillas, with 23 individuals, as well as the largest zoological collection of orangutans in the U.S., currently with 11 individuals. Four of the Zoo’s great apes are over the age of 45.

“National Leadership Collaborative Planning Grants provide opportunities to conduct research and develop the framework to support future projects that have the potential to generate new tools, research, models, services, practices, or alliances that will positively impact museums, libraries, and the communities they serve. These projects encourage partnerships that address national issues of importance impacting education, scholarship, and public service and encourage the broad application of standards and models to improve professional practice,” said IMLS Acting Director Marsha L. Semmel.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, visit www.imls.gov.

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Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter Wins State Tourism Award

2010-09-02T18:34:00.000-07:00

Governor Sonny Perdue recognized the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter as the 2010 Tourism Champion Partner Agency. As Executive Director Ransom Moore accepted the award, it was noted that the Fairgrounds, in Perry, has attracted more than 15 million visitors since 1990 with an economic impact of more than $1 billion.

"We are extremely proud of this award," said James E. Sutherland, Chairman of the Georgia Agricultural Exposition Authority. "For 20 years, the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter has attracted Georgia's young agricultural exhibitors, horse and livestock show people, Fairgoers, and year-round building renters."

The Fairgrounds works with the Georgia Department of Economic Development's Tourism Division to encourage and enhance the tourism experience in Georgia.

"As part of our mission, the Fairgrounds attracts diverse events and activities which are entertaining, cultural, and educational in nature and also generate economic revenue for our state," Sutherland added.

Award recipients were nominated by the Georgia tourism industry. The Tourism Champion Award acknowledges the support and guidance given to the state's tourism industry by individuals and organizations who develop tourism opportunities across the state. Georgia's tourism industry ranks 8th in the nation and 2nd in the Southeast.

The Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter also is the proud recipient of the following:

Georgia National Fair
· 82 International Association of Fairs and Expositions awards for agricultural, competitive exhibits, and communications programs.
· 13 Southeast Tourism Society "Top 20" Event designations.
· 6 "Top 50 Fair" listings (Amusement Business and www.carnivalwarehouse.com).
· 1 "Special Events Directory and Events Business News Top 200 Event" award.
· 1 Southern Living's "Our Best 202 Things About the South First-Prize Fair."

Let's Go Play!: Non-Profit Organization KaBOOM! Announces List of 118 'Playful City USA' Communities

2010-08-18T09:04:00.000-07:00

Editor's Note: Kudos to the following Georgia communities for being a great place to play!
Albany
Atlanta
College Park
East Point
Richmond Hill
Savannah

A super kudos to Atlanta for being a four-time honoree!

/PRNewswire/ -- To ensure children in their communities are active and healthy, 118 cities and towns across the country earned recognition as 2010 Playful City USA communities despite difficult budgetary decisions and Park and Recreation department funding at its lowest levels in decades.

A recent National Recreation and Parks Association survey found that 55% of its members suffered budget cuts in 2010 and 60% expect more in 2011. These funding cutbacks persist despite findings from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey that only 20% of homes across the country have parks within a half mile.

Counteracting these issues, First Lady Michelle Obama announced the launch of the Let's Move campaign in 2010, which is geared toward solving the childhood obesity issue within a generation through a variety of ways, including unstructured play.

This massive undertaking coincides with objectives of Playful City USA - a national recognition program honoring cities and towns determined to prioritize play and ensure that children are healthy by providing the time and space for play. KaBOOM!, a national non-profit dedicated to saving play, recognized 118 cities across the country as Playful City USA communities.

Hailing from 36 states and ranging in size from San Francisco and Atlanta, to Ottawa, Kan. and Shirley, Mass., these Playful City USA communities are making a commitment to play and physical activity by developing unique local action plans to increase the quantity and quality of play in their community. In doing so, some of the most innovative ideas and cost-effective programs are being developed in Playful City USA communities - proving that parks and play are more important than ever.

Each of the 2010 Playful City USA communities demonstrated creative commitments to the cause of play. Playful City USA celebrates and highlights these unique initiatives developed by communities across the country. A primary goal of Playful City USA is to encourage cities and towns to share creative ideas, concepts and programs in an effort to increase play opportunities for children.

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MCG students receive medical illustration awards

2010-08-17T06:44:00.000-07:00

Medical College of Georgia medical illustration students and alumni collected 14 awards recently at the 65th annual meeting of the Association of Medical Illustrators in Portland, Ore.

“I am very appreciative of the support our program and students receive from the MCG administration and the deans, faculty and staff of all five schools,” said Dr. Steve Harrison, chairman of the Department of Medical Illustration. “Over the years, our students have collaborated with faculty to develop communication projects for varying audiences: medical specialists, students, patients and the lay public. It is through these collaborations that our students prosper in the profession and receive recognition and awards.”

The Lifetime Achievement Award, the organization’s highest award, was given to MCG alumnus William B. Westwood, Class of 1972, of Westwood Medical Communications in Albany, N.Y.

Student Salon winners include:

·         Paul Kim (’11), Orville Parkes Award for Student Best of Show and Award of Excellence for “Superficial Parotidectomy,” Instructional Line category

·         Douglas Walp (’10), Award of Merit for “Kidney Physiology: Reabsorption in the Proximal Tubule,” Animation

Professional Salon winners include:

·         Patrick Eckhold (’08), Award of Merit for “FDL Transfer for Drop Foot Using the Bio-Tenodesis System,” Instructional Color

·         Glen Hintz (’85), Award of Merit for “Pressure Ulcer Stages,” Instructional Color

·         Andy Rekito (’02), Max Brödel Award of Excellence for “Optimal Management of Malignant Epidural Spinal Cord Compression,” Instructional Tone, and Award of Merit for “Medical and Surgical Treatment of Movement Disorders,” Marketing/Promotion

·         Hardy Fowler (’07), Award of Excellence for “Severe Facial Laceration with Repair,” Medical-Legal, and Award of Merit for “Tension on Anastomosis Leading to Leakage,” Medical-Legal

·         Paul Gross (’86), Award of Merit for “Weakened Cough Allows Aspiration,” Medical-Legal

·         Nobles Green II (’05), Awards of Merit for “Colon Resection” and “Ovulation,” Animation

·         Birck Cox (’80), Award of Merit for “Spine Surgery Tricks of the Trade,” Illustrated Medical Book - Atlas

In addition, three corporate awards included MCG alumni on the production team.

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Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business Announces 2010 Bergeron Scholarship Recipients

2010-08-13T05:59:00.000-07:00

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Georgia State University's J. Mack Robinson College of Business today announced the recipients of the 2010 Bergeron Women in Technology Leadership Scholarship:

“The fund established by Sandra and Doug Bergeron enables us to make awards that will help these future leaders take full advantage of the resources available through Robinson College”

* Gayathri Kunapuli—a graduate student from Hyderabad, India, pursuing a Master of Science in Information Systems
* Natalia Long—a senior from Sao Paulo, Brazil, majoring in Computer Information Systems and Finance
* Lubna A. R. Memon—a graduate student from Mumbai, India, pursuing a Master of Science in Information Systems
* Rossita Presley—a rising senior from Riga, Latvia, majoring in Computer Information Systems and Business Economics
* Shavonne Verdree—a rising junior from Decatur, GA, majoring in Computer Information Systems
* Catherine Waquespack—a rising senior from Atlanta, GA, majoring in Computer Information Systems

The Bergeron Women in Technology Leadership Fund was funded with a $1 million endowment from Sandra and Douglas Bergeron and is awarded annually to female undergraduate or graduate students who have expressed or demonstrated high potential for leadership careers in technology. Since 2006, 21 women have been named Bergeron Scholars.

“These young women have great potential to advance into leadership positions in technology and we’re delighted to provide them with professional mentors and financial assistance to help them achieve their aspirations,” said Sandra Bergeron, a graduate of Georgia State University and chair of the mentorship committee.

The college’s Computer Information Systems Department is ranked in the top 10 for both undergraduate and graduate offerings by US News & World Report’s annual listings of best colleges and best graduate schools. This past year, the department partnered with the Atlanta-based Women in Technology (WIT) organization to recruit information technology executives to mentor Bergeron Scholars.

“If there is one consistent theme among our most successful women in technology, it is the impact of mentoring,” said WIT Executive Director Heather Rocker. “WIT is pleased to support the Bergeron Scholars program by connecting these students with the female technology leaders in our community - providing both a powerful mentoring experience and meaningful volunteer opportunity.”

The Bergeron Scholarship program rewards significant academic achievement and is the largest dollar award available to students in the Robinson College of Business.

“The fund established by Sandra and Doug Bergeron enables us to make awards that will help these future leaders take full advantage of the resources available through Robinson College,” said Robinson College Dean H. Fenwick Huss. “The mentoring program promotes diversity in the technology industry and will help the students prepare to exploit their leadership qualities in the professional world.”

Sandra Bergeron is one of the most highly regarded female technology leaders in Silicon Valley. She is a Venture Partner with Trident Capital. She is also chairman of the board of TraceSecurity Inc. and serves on the boards of ArcSight Inc. (NASDAQ: ARST), Qualys Inc. and TriCipher Inc.

Douglas Bergeron is CEO and largest individual shareholder of VeriFone Systems, Inc. (NYSE: PAY). He also is a member of the Listed Company Advisory Committee of NYSE Euronext. VeriFone, based in San Jose, California, is the world's largest provider of electronic payments systems and employs more than 300 high-technology professionals in Georgia.

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GaDOE School Nutrition Director Named 2010-2011 School Nutrition Association President

2010-08-10T06:42:00.000-07:00

Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition Director Nancy Rice was recently named the 63rd president of the School Nutrition Association (SNA). During the closing session of the SNA's 64th Annual National Conference, over 5,000 members and participants welcomed Ms. Rice to her new post.

"I congratulate Nancy for this distinguished honor and am proud to have one of our own be selected for this prestigious position," said State Superintendent of Schools Brad Bryant. "As a past president of a national advocacy association, I understand the importance of such a position and the perspective that it brings to the individual and state. I appreciate her willingness to serve the school nutrition community in this capacity."

Rice has held a distinguished career in the school nutrition arena for 25 years. In 2008, Rice accepted her position as State Director, School Nutrition Division at Georgia’s State Department of Education, where she oversees child nutrition programs throughout the state, serving approximately 1,188,000 lunches and 516,000 breakfasts daily.

Prior to joining the Department, Rice successfully managed three school nutrition programs, working as Nutrition Services Director for the Clayton County Board of Education (2006–2008), the Griffin-Spalding County Board of Education (1996–2006), and the Pike County Board of Education (1993–1996). Nancy Rice has also worked as an Adjunct Professor at the Georgia State University (2001-2009), teaching classes in Nutrition Services and Food Service Management.

Rice has earned numerous awards throughout her career, most notably receiving the Dr. Josephine Martin Award of Excellence in 2000, the highest honor from the Georgia School Nutrition Association. Rice, a Registered Dietitian who launched her career in the field of clinical dietetics, has also received awards from the Georgia Dietetic Association.

Nancy Rice earned her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics and Institution Management and her Master of Education in Nutrition and Food Service Management from the University of Georgia.

"I am honored to serve as president of the School Nutrition Association and to represent the state in this position," said Rice. "I am continuously inspired and motivated by school nutrition professionals in Georgia and the rest of the nation. We have made great strides to improve the variety of healthy foods offered to our students and customers, and during my term of office we will continue to strengthen and build upon that important work."

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Hawk Claims Championship Title at Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Lanier

2010-08-09T07:10:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Kevin Hawk, originally of Ramona, Calif., but recently of Buford, Ga., crossed the stage with a five-bass limit weighing 14 pounds, 13 ounces Sunday to claim the title of Forrest Wood Cup champion on Lake Lanier. Hawk, with a four-day total of 20 bass for 50-14, won by a 2-pound, 6-ounce margin over Cody Meyer of Grass Valley, Calif., who caught five bass weighing 9-13 for a four-day total of 20 bass for 48-8. Sunday's final weigh-in marked the finale of the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup, which featured 78 of the world's best professional bass anglers.

Hawk, who would have earned $500,000 for his Forrest Wood Cup victory, was pleasantly surprised when T. Boone Pickens, a new equity partner in FLW Outdoors, personally contributed $100,000 to the champion. With that, Hawk took home $600,000 for his victory on Lake Lanier.

"I'm super happy," Hawk said. "If I'm not showing it, I'm blowing up inside right now. It's probably not going to set in realistically until the next few days. I'm still kind of in shock. I'm just going to savor the moment. When it all calms down I'll have time to reflect on the moment, for sure."

Hawk relocated from California to Georgia in November 2009 after he qualified as a pro for the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup through the 2009 FLW Series National Guard Western Division. He said the clear western waters he was used to are very similar to Lake Lanier.

"In southern California, the lakes I grew up on are deep, clear reservoirs, so when I came to Lanier I felt right at home," Hawk said. "They were set up exactly the same way -- light line and finesse tactics. So I felt comfortable from the day I got here."

Hawk said he concentrated on fishing between Brown's Bridge and the dam on the south end of the lake.

"Today they started biting the (Swarming Hornet) Fish Head Spin really good and when they started doing that, I knew I had to set down that spinning rod and cover as much water as I could and hit as many brushpiles as I could with the Fish Head Spin, because the Fish Head Spin is going to catch you better quality fish on average than a drop-shot (rig) by far," Hawk said.

Hawk said he threw the 1/2-ounce Albino Fish Head Spin on a cranking rod and 10-pound-test fluorocarbon line paired with a white Zoom Super Fluke Jr. Hawk said his drop-shot setup consisted of a Morning Dawn Roboworm paired with a 3/8-ounce drop shot weight on a 12-inch leader and 7-pound-test line fished from a drop-shot rod.

Hawk said he did not plant any brushpiles of his own because he felt there was enough brush in the lake; all he had to do was find it with his electronics.

"I didn't feel that I needed to go as far as to put out my own brush," Hawk said. "You need a boat that you're not going to tear up doing it with, and it takes a lot of time and work, and I felt with as much pressure as there was on the lake, every single point and every single hump has brush on it. So I felt that I could ride around and hopefully find enough.

"As far as where the brush is placed, it's generally placed on dropoffs," Hawk added. "Whether it be a point or a hump, wherever you get that good depth change, it's usually right on the edge of that."

Rounding out the top-six pros for the Forrest Wood Cup were:

3rd: Chevy pro Larry Nixon, Bee Branch, Ark., 19 bass, 47-3
4th: National Guard pro Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 19 bass, 46-8
5th: Troy Morrow, Toccoa, Ga., 18 bass, 41-13
6th: Ronald Hobbs Jr., Orting, Wash., 15 bass, 35-3

Overall there were 21 bass weighing 48 pounds, 7 ounces caught by five pros Sunday. The catch included two five-bass limits.

Dereal Rodgers of Camden, S.C., won the Co-angler Division on Saturday with 14 bass weighing 27-3. The win earned Rodgers $65,000 and comes on the heels of being crowned the 2009 FLW Tour Co-Angler of the Year.

Hawk and Rodgers each won a $5,000 gift card as part of the Cabela's Angler Cash program. In 2010, Cabela's offered pro and co-anglers the opportunity to register and win a $2,500 gift card for being the highest qualified finisher in each division at all FLW Tour events, making the stakes even higher in an already rich payout.

Coverage of the Forrest Wood Cup at Lake Lanier will be broadcast in high-definition (HD) on VERSUS. "FLW Outdoors," will air Oct. 10 from 12:30 to 1:30 ET. "FLW Outdoors," hosted by Jason Harper, is broadcast to approximately 500 million households worldwide.

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President Honors Georgia School for the Deaf Parent with 2010 Citizens Medal

2010-08-09T06:58:00.000-07:00

On August 4, President Obama awarded Kimberly McGuiness, a Georgia School for the Deaf (GSD) parent, and 12 others with the 2010 Citizens Medal, the nation’s second-highest civilian honor.

“What unites these citizens – what makes them special – is the determination they share to find a wrong and right it; to see a need and meet it; to recognize when others are suffering and take it upon themselves to make a difference,” said President Obama. “These honorees’ lives stand as shining examples of what it means to be an American. And today, we have an opportunity to tell their stories; to say thank you; and to offer them a small token of our appreciation.”

The Citizens Medal was established in 1969 to recognize American citizens who have performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens. This year, President Obama chose to use the 2010 Citizens Medal to recognize Americans whose work has had a significant impact on their communities but may not have garnered national attention. In a video message in January, the President called on members of the public to nominate people in their lives who have performed exemplary deeds of service, including:
• individuals who have a demonstrated commitment to service in their own community,
• who have helped their country or their fellow citizens through one or more extraordinary acts,
• whose service relates to a long-term or persistent problem, and/or
• whose service has had a sustained impact on others’ lives and provided inspiration for others to serve.

GSD director Lee Shiver was eager to nominate Ms. McGuiness.

"Kimberly McGuiness has been a true champion for deaf students," said Shiver. "Her persistent letters, phone calls, and visits to state legislators helped spur the passage of the Deaf Child's Bill of Rights in Georgia."

McGuiness has led workshops, counseled parents, and changed lives by raising awareness and support for deaf education. McGuiness received the Citizens Medal for demonstrating the results one citizen can achieve for an entire community.

"I am grateful for Kimberly's advocacy for deaf students," said Superintendent Brad Bryant. "Her involvement and influence have helped make GSD a school of choice for deaf and hard of hearing students."

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Hawk Leads Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Lanier

2010-08-06T11:03:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Pro Kevin Hawk of Ramona, Calif., crossed the stage with a five-bass limit weighing 14 pounds, 12 ounces to lead day one of the Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Lanier. Hawk now holds a four-ounce lead over pro Jason Christie of Park Hill, Okla., who weighed five bass weighing 14-8 in a tournament featuring 78 of the world's best professional bass anglers.

"Today went really, really well," said Hawk, who has fished most of his FLW Outdoors career as a co-angler. "I had a fairly good practice, but I didn't expect to catch the weight I did today."

"In practice I had a lot of fish but I was shaking them off," Hawk said. "I didn't want to stick them and have the chance of them not biting during the tournament. I thought I was on about 12 pounds a day. I came out here today and had a little milk run of 30 or 40 (spotted bass)."

Hawk said he would fish an area for five or 10 minutes then pick up the trolling motor and head to another spot. Hawk said he used this method to fill his limit by 10:30 a.m. He began culling and said he had the limit he weighed by noon.

Hawk qualified for the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup as a pro through 2009 FLW Series Western Division competition and soon after moved to the Lake Lanier area. Hawk also fishes the FLW Tour as a co-angler.

"I have confidence in the fact that I think I know what the fish are doing," Hawk said. "I'm a little worried that I hit a lot of my big fish spots today, so I don't know if I can get the same quality tomorrow."

"I started on a place that I really didn't catch any fish on in practice," said Christie, who has won more than $314,000 in FLW Outdoors events. "I caught a 2 1/2-pounder and then went a while without another fish. About 10 o'clock I ended up catching three more pretty quick. I pretty much had what I weighed in by 11:30."

"I'm really surprised," Christie added. "My practice was terrible. I think I figured out something today that really helped me for the next couple of days."

Christie said he relied on the YUM Dinger and the YUM Houdini Worm for his bites on the first day of competition.

"I've got three rods on the deck and that's pretty much all I'm fishing," Christie said.

Rounding out the top-10 pros after day one on Lake Lanier are:

J.T. Kenney, Palm Bay, Fla., five bass,
3rd: 14-6
Cody Meyer, Grass Valley, Calif., five
4th: bass, 14-3
Ott Defoe, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass,
5th: 13-10
Jason Meninger, Gainesville, Ga., five
6th: bass, 13-3
Brian Travis, Conover, N.C., five bass,
7th: 13-2
Chevy pro Larry Nixon, Bee Branch, Ark.,
8th: five bass, 12-10
National Guard pro Brent Ehrler, Redlands,
9th: Calif., five bass, 12-9
Castrol pro David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va.,
10th: five bass, 11-14

Overall there were 253 bass weighing 537 pounds, 7 ounces caught by 72 pros Wednesday. The catch included 27 five-bass limits.

Pros are competing for the title of Forrest Wood Cup champion, the most prestigious award in professional bass fishing, as well as a top award of up to $600,000 -- the sport's biggest award.

J.R. Wright of Truckee, Calif., leads the Co-angler Division with five bass weighing 12-5 followed by Brandon Hunter of Benton, Ky., in second place with five bass weighing 9-5.

Rounding out the top-10 Co-anglers are:

Dearal Rodgers, Camden, S.C., five bass,
3rd: 8-15
Frank Divis Sr., Fayetteville, Ark., three
4th: bass, 8-12
John Niedosik, Avondale, Ariz., three
5th: bass, 8-7
Gayle Janes, Bermuda Dunes, Calif., five
6th: bass, 8-0
Taylor Thompson, Half Moon Bay, Calif.,
7th: five bass, 7-14
Kevin Koone, Greenbrier, Ark., four bass,
8th: 6-12
Paul Mueller, Southbury, Conn., four bass,
9th: 6-11
Jeff Grant, La Mirada, Calif., four bass,
10th: 6-9

Overall there were 113 bass weighing 216 pounds, 13 ounces caught by 56 co-anglers Thursday. The catch included five five-bass limits.

Co-anglers are fishing for a top award of $60,000 this week.

Daily takeoff ceremonies will be held at Laurel Park, located at 3100 Old Cleveland Hwy. in Gainesville, Ga., each morning from 6:30 to 7 a.m. Takeoffs will commence at 7 a.m. Weigh-ins will be held daily at 5 p.m. at The Arena at Gwinnett Center located at 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy. in Duluth, Ga.

The FLW Outdoors Expo will be held in conjunction with the Forrest Wood Cup at the Gwinnett Convention Center on Friday from noon to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. FLW Outdoors Expo includes Ranger boat simulators, angler seminars, the opportunity to meet professional anglers, see and test the latest outdoor equipment, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by sponsors, and learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities. All activities are free and open to the public.

Fishing fans can register to win a Ranger boat that will be given away after the champion is crowned. Fans can register to win at ForrestWoodCup.com and must be present to win.

Visit ForrestWoodCup.com for Forrest Wood Cup details and updated information.

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Student food scientists win national title

2010-08-03T06:42:00.000-07:00

The University of Georgia can add a new national title to its academic lineup. At a university often known for its sports, it was food science students who brought home top honors on July 19 at the annual international Institute of Food Technologists conference held in Chicago.

After winning the southeast regional IFT Student Association competition in March in Huntsville, the team continued its undefeated streak through the national competition. They faced off against the University of Delaware team twice – once in the preliminary rounds and again in the final round after Delaware cleaned up the loser’s bracket.

It’s tradition to celebrate any national title win, and this one was no exception. UGA topped off its win with a chant of “UGA, UGA, UGA” across the grand ballroom at conference center McCormick Place, led by UGA food science and technology graduate coordinator Mark Harrison.

“The winning’s very nice, but, realistically, being able to meet my colleagues both current and future and being able to test myself against my peers, is a wonderful thing,” said George Cavender, a food science and technology doctoral student with UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Cavender both coached and led the team as captain. Other members were graduate students Amudhan Ponrajan and Kathryn Acosta and undergraduates Jessica Highsmith and Winnie Lim. UGA assistant professor Ron Pegg was the team’s faculty adviser.

It took the UGA students four consecutive years of winning at the regional level to finally pull together their national title. Now they’re ineligible to ever compete in the college bowl again.

Cavender is okay with that.

“If you’re going to retire from national competition, that’s the best way to retire,” he said of their win. Plus, he plans to graduate in December.

Georgia history

Twenty-five years ago, the IFT Student Association College Bowl was first held in Atlanta.
“UGA has never won an event until now,” Pegg said. “And on the 25th anniversary, they brought the win back to Georgia.”

Besides the four wins that Cavender has been apart of, UGA has two other regional titles.

In the southeast region, they compete against Clemson University, Louisiana State University, University of Florida, Alabama A&M University, Mississippi State University and Auburn University.

Big event

More than 21,000 people from more than 70 countries attended the IFT10 meeting. According to Pegg and Cavender, it’s the food industry’s premier organization.

“It’s a phenomenally powerful networking tool,” Cavender said of the conference. And as for the college bowl, “I think it’s a very helpful thing. It encourages the retention of knowledge, and it increases students’ ability to speak in front of a crowd.”

Being drilled with questions by IFT judges makes later public speaking easier, he said.

Questions at the college bowl ranged from identifying an unshelled almond to determining whether certain bacteria are gram positive or gram negative (most of the more harmful bacteria, like E. coli, are gram negative).

More awards

The UGA team wasn’t the only UGA representative to bring home awards. Recent UGA graduate Ashley Hart won second place in the IFT Undergraduate Student Paper Competition. She co-wrote her winning paper, “Blackberry polyphenolic inhibition of proinflammatory mediators released from murine RAW 264.7 macrophage cell lines,” with Pegg and Phillip Greenspan, an associate professor in the UGA Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences.

“It felt amazing doing so well at a national competition like the IFTSA undergraduate research competition,” Hart said. “Even being one of the six finalists was an honor, so when I won second place, it was an extremely rewarding experience, definitely worth all that hard work.”

Hart is finishing up a summer internship with PepsiCo in New York and plans to attend graduate school.

By Stephanie Schupska
University of Georgia

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Piedmont Hospital and Piedmont Fayette Hospital Named 2010 Most Wired

2010-07-20T12:50:00.000-07:00

Piedmont Hospital and Piedmont Fayette Hospital are two of only four Georgia hospitals to be recognized as the nation’s MOST WIRED according to the results of the 2010 Most Wired Survey released in the July issue of Hospitals & Health Networks magazine. This is Piedmont Hospital’s seventh consecutive year and Piedmont Fayette’s sixth consecutive year to receive the honor.

Hospitals understand the importance of health information technology (IT) and the benefits of its widespread adoption, yet as a field still face significant barriers to implementation according to a newly released survey of America's Most Wired hospitals and health systems.

“We are proud the Most Wired Survey has recognized Piedmont Hospital and Piedmont Fayette Hospital, two of only four in Georgia” said R. Timothy Stack, president and CEO of Piedmont Healthcare. “This recognition shows our dedication to quality and excellence in the use of information technology to improve patient care and safety.”

This year’s survey reveals continued progress for hospitals in patient safety initiatives:

* Fifty-one percent of medication orders were done electronically by physicians at Most Wired hospitals, up from 49 percent last year.

* Over half (55 percent) of Most Wired hospitals match medication orders at the bedside through bar-coding or radio-frequency identification, up from 49 percent in 2009 and 23 percent five years ago.

* Additionally, Most Wired hospitals have made improvements when it comes to sharing information during care transitions. For example, new medication lists are electronically delivered to caregivers and patients 94 percent of the time when a patient is transferred within the hospital, 98 percent at discharge, and 86 percent when transferred to another care setting.

“The survey results highlight that continued progress is being made, but the full potential of health IT has not been meet,” says Rich Umbdenstock, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association (AHA). “Hospitals embrace health IT and recognize the many benefits it can provide to patients, but even Most Wired hospitals face barriers to adoption. We have asked that the federal government stimulate greater adoption by making Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments more widely available to hospitals and physicians so more hospitals can move in this direction.”

The 2010 Most Wired Survey is redesigned this year to reflect two years of work with an advisory group to continually improve the Most Wired Survey. The 2010 Most Wired Survey represents a new structure and methodology with an increased use of analytics and reporting. The advisory group was comprised of leaders from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME), chief information officers, Most Wired staff and vendors. Additionally, the new methodology was made available to the entire CHIME membership for review and comment.

Hospitals & Health Networks conducted the 2010 survey in cooperation with McKesson Corporation and CHIME. The July H&HN cover story detailing results is available at www.hhnmag.com.

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About the AHA
The AHA is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the improvement of health in their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, which includes more than 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, and 38,000 individual members. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends.

About the Most Wired Survey
Hospitals & Health Networks, the journal of the AHA, conducts the voluntary Most Wired Survey annually which uses the results to name Most Wired hospitals and health systems. It is based on organizations’ level of achievement in four focus areas: Business and Administrative Management, Clinical Quality and Safety, Care Continuum and Infrastructure.

McKesson Corporation is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes, and improving the quality and safety of patient care.

The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is an executive organization dedicated to serving chief information officers and other senior healthcare IT leaders. CHIME provides a highly interactive, trusted environment enabling senior professional and industry leaders to collaborate; exchange best practices; address professional development needs; and advocate the effective use of information management to improve the health and healthcare in the communities they serve.

About Piedmont Healthcare
Piedmont Healthcare (PHC), a not-for-profit organization, is the parent company of Piedmont Hospital, a 481-bed acute tertiary care facility in the north Atlanta community of Buckhead; Piedmont Fayette Hospital, a 143-bed, acute-care community hospital in Fayetteville and one of the 100 Top Hospitals® in the nation; Piedmont Mountainside Hospital, a 42-bed community hospital in Jasper; and Piedmont Newnan Hospital, a 143-bed, acute-care community hospital in Newnan. Piedmont Healthcare also is the parent company of the Piedmont Heart Institute (PHI), comprised of more than 85 cardiovascular specialists in Piedmont Heart Institute Physicians with over 30 locations across north Georgia and North Carolina; the Piedmont Physicians Group, with more than 100 primary care physicians in over 30 offices throughout metro Atlanta; the Piedmont Clinic, a 600-member physician network; and Piedmont Philanthropy, the philanthropic entity for private fundraising initiatives. Three Piedmont Healthcare hospitals—Piedmont Hospital, Piedmont Fayette Hospital and Piedmont Mountainside Hospital—have received top ratings from patients among metro Atlanta hospitals according to the HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey results for the past two years. For more information about Piedmont Healthcare, visit piedmont.org.

Premier Middle School Science Competition Announces Student Semifinalists

2010-07-13T08:06:00.000-07:00

Editor's Note: Super Kudos to Erica Kim of Cumming, Georgia! Good luck as you continue on in the competition!

PRNewswire -- Today, Discovery Education and 3M announced the top 47 middle school students from across the country as semifinalists in the 12th annual Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge.

The semifinalists were selected based on their science communication skills exhibited in a short video explaining the science behind issues millions of Americans face in everyday life, including preventing the spread of germs, ensuring food safety and sun protection. All video entries were evaluated by a panel of judges and assessed on creativity, persuasiveness, classroom suitability and overall presentation -- not on video production skills.

Each semifinalist will receive $250 and a prize package including a plaque honoring their science teacher or mentor. Judges will announce the top ten finalists in August, each of whom will be awarded an all-expenses paid trip to New York City to compete in the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge finals on October 5, 2010. The winner will receive $50,000 in U.S. Savings Bonds ($25,000 cash value), the title of "America's Top Young Scientist" and a trip to St. Paul, Minnesota to work alongside 3M's top scientists and visit the 3M Innovation Center.

"We are extremely pleased with the quality and ingenuity exhibited by the 2010 Young Scientist Challenge entries," said Bill Goodwyn, President of Global Distribution and CEO of Discovery Education. "These semifinalists have demonstrated their ability to successfully communicate a variety of scientific ideas, and Discovery Education, together with our partner 3M, is pleased to recognize their outstanding efforts."

As the nation's premier science competition for middle school students, the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge targets students in the years when research indicates their interest in science begins to fade and encourages them to explore scientific concepts and creatively communicate their findings. For more information on the challenge, including the full list of 47 semifinalists, their hometowns and ages, go to www.youngscientistchallenge.com.

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Newnan Hooters Girl Ashleigh Dunn Received Second Runner Up at Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant

2010-07-13T07:05:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Ashleigh Dunn, a Hooters Girl at the Hooters of Newnan, GA, returned home $10,000 richer after placing 2nd runner up of the top 10 finalists at the Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant on July 10th in Fort Lauderdale. She was selected from 100 Hooters Girl contestants that traveled from as far as Australia to represent the 455 Hooters restaurants around the world.

"Ashleigh is a stand out Hooters Girl and always carries a smile on her face," stated Beth Taylor, Pageant Director. "Newnan was well represented with Ashleigh who caught the judges' eyes and stood out amongst the competition."

The contestants received a cumulative score from Hooters photographers and a panel of 5 celebrity judges. The Hooters Girls that competed in Fort Lauderdale were selected from over 17,000 Hooters Girls by either advancing through local and regional contests or were selected by their management team to represent their market.

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Youth Organization Founder Wins 38th Annual World Open Speed Chess Competition to Inspire Youth to Be Someone

2010-07-12T12:22:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Atlanta Be Someone founder Orrin Checkmate Hudson celebrated Independence Day by taking first place in the 5-Minute Blitz Chess Championship at the 38th Annual World Open International Chess Tournament in King of Prussia, PA. Hudson, the creator of the award-winning leadership chess program for kids and parents, also finished first place last year in the 10-Minute Blitz. These important wins prove Hudson's message is correct when he tells his students, "Nature is neutral. If you make the right moves you get the right results." Be Someone is a nationally acclaimed crime prevention program that uses chess to teach at-risk youth self-esteem, as well as responsibility and analytical thinking.

"Winning two consecutive years in a row where the best in the world compete is the greatest feeling in the world. I am living my dream. If I can do it, anyone can. It was exciting to win in both the 10-minute and 5-minute speed categories. These high-profile victories enable me to show the youth of America that making the right choices can make you a champion at life and at chess," said Hudson. "I've devoted more than a decade of my life to teaching children to play the game of chess and apply the same rules to the game of life."

Hudson uses similar quick-response techniques when he teaches chess to large audiences of kids, often in at-risk communities. Repeating catchy phrases such as, "Think it out, don't shoot it out" and "Push pawns, not drugs," Hudson teaches kids that the game is a metaphor for making good decisions and taking charge of their education and lives. Through Be Someone, he inspires communities to start their own chess programs to give young students a stimulating and healthy after-school activity.

"Orrin is a real champion because he is giving our children the greatest gift they could receive, the ability to think, act, and solve problems. It was a great honor to award someone who is truly making a difference," said Brenda Goichberg of Continental Chess, the organization that organized the tournament, which brought together more than 1,200 players from 25 countries. Hudson took honors in the side event G/5 Blitz Under 1800 section.

A former state trooper and Air Force veteran, Hudson turned his focus from detention to prevention. He started using the game of chess as an educational tool after he learned of an incident in which seven Wendy's employees were shot -- five of whom died -- for a mere $2,400. This tragic incident compelled Hudson to start Be Someone because children need to understand that the life we save is our own. Be Someone also offers inspirational programs for corporations and parents, designed to foster teamwork and encourage participation in the lives of children.

Today, Hudson is an internationally recognized speaker and advocate for helping at-risk youth. He travels the globe teaching children to value KASH - Knowledge, Attitude, Skills and Habits - over cash. Since its founding, Be Someone has touched the lives of over 20,000 students internationally. Hudson's mission is to positively impact the lives of one million young people.

"I am very encouraged and excited," says Hudson. "I had some discussions with the Mayor's office in Philadelphia, and Mayor Nutter will be participating in the 2011 World Open at the Sheraton Hotel, downtown Philadelphia, June 30-July 4."

Continental Chess has organized chess tournaments in America, including the World Open, for more than 40 years. For more information, please visit http://www.chesstour.com/

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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2010 Award Winners in Alabama-Georgia and Tennessee Announced

2010-07-05T05:04:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Ernst & Young LLP is pleased to announce the winners of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® award in the Southeast region. This group of leading entrepreneurs was selected by an independent judging panel made up of regional business, academic and community leaders. The winners were revealed at a gala event on June 24, 2010 at the InterContinental Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia.

"Ernst & Young believes in the power of entrepreneurship," said Joseph A. King, Ernst & Young LLP Entrepreneur of the Year Program Director for Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. "These Entrepreneur Of The Year award winners have made substantial financial and civic contributions, and we are proud to honor their outstanding success."

The Alabama/Georgia/Tennessee award recipients for the Ernst & Young LLP Entrepreneur Of The Year award in 2010 are:

James A. Haslam, III Pilot Travel Centers LLC Knoxville, Tennessee
Michael F. Mansfield Sr. Mansfield Oil Company Gainesville, Georgia
Michael McMenamin Access Insurance Holdings Atlanta, Georgia
John C. Portman, Jr. Portman Holdings Atlanta, Georgia
David R. White IASIS Healthcare Franklin, Tennessee
Mark Wilson Ryla, Inc. Kennesaw, Georgia
R. Halsey Wise Intergraph Corporation Huntsville, Alabama

The Entrepreneur Of The Year® program honors entrepreneurs regionally in June, leading up to the national awards in November. Additionally, venture-backed companies that win an Entrepreneur Of The Year® award regionally are also eligible for the Venture Capital Award of Excellence on a national level. The overall national US winner then moves on to compete for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year title in June.

This year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year awards program celebrates its 24th anniversary. The program has expanded to recognize business leaders in over 135 cities in 50 countries throughout the world. Awards are given to entrepreneurs who demonstrate extraordinary success in the areas of innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Entrepreneurs are nominated and evaluated by those in each region, including local business, academic and community leaders.

All regional honorees are invited to the national Entrepreneur Of The Year® gala, hosted by Jay Leno, on November 13, 2010 in Palm Springs, California. The gala is the culminating event of the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum®, the nation's most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies. For more information on the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum, please visit www.ey.com/us/strategicgrowthforum.

Sponsors

Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year awards are pleased to have the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and SAP America as national sponsors.

In Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee, the regional sponsors include King & Spalding, SolomonEdwardsGroup and Bowne.

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Georgia Students Win 2010 State-Fish Art Contest

2010-05-12T11:05:00.000-07:00

Wildlife Forever is proud to announce the winners of the 2010 StateFish Art Contest. A distinguished panel of wildlife artists and honorary judges selected the following winners for their outstanding artwork:

Grades 4-6: Karen Ye - Lilburn
Grades 7-9: Giun Shin - Suwanee
Grades 10-12: LAlita Pitthong - Cleveland

“Wildlife Forever is pleased to honor the talented young artists, educators and parents who make the StateFishArt Contest such a successful program,” said Douglas H. Grann, President & CEO of Wildlife Forever. “Together, we are using art to empower a new generation of conservationists. By sharing their fish art with family, friends and the general public, our young people are becoming ambassadors for good stewardship of fish and wildlife habitat.”

The winning entries from each state can be seen at: www.statefishart.com and also at: www.facebook.com/StateFishArtContest .

Each state’s winners will have the opportunity to join talented young artists from across the country at the StateFish Art Expo July 16 th and 17 th at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center. All winning artwork will be on display and an awards ceremony will recognize the winners before a large crowd. Each winning artist who attends the Expo will receive great prizes, goodie bags, and fishing supplies from Rapala.

National awards to be announced at the StateFish Art Expo include ‘Best of Show’ honors for the top three pieces of artwork in each grade category from across the United States. The national “Best of Show” winner in grades 10-12 will receive a $2,500 scholarship to The Art Institutes International Minnesota. The first runner-up in grades 10-12 will also receive a $1,000 scholarship to the college.

The People’s Choice Award will be determined by a worldwide public online vote at the StateFish Art Contest fan page on Facebook: www.facebook.com/StateFishArtContest. Online voting will begin on May 17 th and conclude on July 5 th with additional votes collected in person at the StateFish Art Expo.
One outstanding piece of artwork will win the ‘Art of Conservation’ Stamp Award and be reproduced as a conservation stamp. Proceeds from the stamp will be used to fund the StateFish Art Contest and children’s outdoor education.

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Clayton State Student Orientation Leaders Win Case Study Competition at SROW for Second Year in a Row

2010-03-25T13:29:00.000-07:00

For the second year in a row, Clayton State University’s student orientation leaders won first place in the case study competition at the Southern Regional Orientation Workshop (SROW) conference held from Mar. 12 to Mar. 14, at the University of Louisville.

SROW is a three-day workshop geared towards student leaders and professionals who work directly with their campus orientation programs and services and is sponsored by the National Orientation Directors Association (NODA). The conference provides education, leadership and professional development in college orientation, transition and retention. Highlights of the conference include best trends/practices educational sessions, song/dance/skit categories competition, and the case study competition.

Unlike the other competitions at SROW, competitors in the case study competition cannot do advance planning for the activity. Competitors receive the information when they arrive to SROW and have approximately 10-12 hours to access a multi-faceted scenario, prepare a response and present the information within seven minutes during the competition. Clayton State Team Leader Stacie “Jenay” Arnold (Atlanta) and Coordinator of Volunteer Relations, Burien “Lance” Mealer (Stockbridge) participated in the case study and received the First Place Overall Award out of 30 teams for their case study presentation.

Clayton State University also participated in the song division of skit competition, t-shirt and banner competitions. Clayton State students competing in those competitions included; Christina Greenwood (Columbus, Oh.), Martha Andrade (Fairfax County, Va.), Kai Mosley (Atlanta), Jeleciah Franklin (Atlanta), Tabitha Martin (Conyers), Sarah Accelin (Long Island, N.Y.), Ryan Pugh (Fayetteville), William Parks (Decatur), Chanielle Lee (St. Andrew, Jamaica), Stephen Francois (New Orleans), Thomas Brown (Atlanta), Edward Parks (Decatur, and William Parks' twin brother), Christian Reynolds (Atlanta), Iesha Little (Radcliff, Ky.), Brittany Webb (Kansas City, Ks.), and Adelle Smith (Atlanta).

Orientation teams from universities, colleges and community colleges in the Southern region include the following states; Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Institutions with varied enrollment sizes (500-30,000+) participate and compete at SROW.

“We are honored to have represented Clayton State University with tons of enthusiasm and school pride,” says Director of Orientation & New Student Programs Celena Milner.

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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Grady Hospital's Avon Breast Center Earns National Accreditation

2010-03-16T07:21:00.000-07:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Grady's Avon Foundation Comprehensive Breast Center has been granted a full accreditation designation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons. According to the NAPBC, accreditation is granted only to those centers that have voluntarily committed to provide the highest level of breast care and undergo a rigorous evaluation and review of their performance. During the survey process, the center must demonstrate compliance with standards established by the NAPBC for treating women who are diagnosed with the full spectrum of breast disease. The standards include proficiency in the areas of: center leadership, clinical management, research, community outreach, professional education, and quality improvement. A breast center that achieves NAPBC accreditation has demonstrated a firm commitment to offer its patients every significant advantage in their battle against breast disease.

The Avon Foundation Comprehensive Breast Center is a key component of the Georgia Cancer Center for Excellence at Grady Health System. The Center is a multi-disciplinary breast care program, offering a full spectrum of clinical and support services, from screening and diagnosis to treatment and survivor care. The patient care team, comprised of Emory & Morehouse physicians and Grady personnel, include specialists in medical, radiation and surgical oncology, breast imaging, pathology, nursing, pharmacy, social work, mental health services, nutrition, community outreach and navigation, palliative care and other specialties. The Center has treated more than 1,000 newly diagnosed women since opening in 2003 and has increased its mammography services by more than 60 percent.

"The team at the Avon Breast Center works tirelessly to ensure our patients obtain the best possible care and services," said Sheryl Gabram, MD, director, Avon Comprehensive Breast Center at Grady and professor of surgery, Emory University School of Medicine. "It is because of their dedication and hard work the Center was awarded this recognition. The accreditation will benefit our patients, our community and our collaborative efforts in the future."

The American Cancer Society estimates that 5,370 women in Georgia were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009. Receiving care at an NAPBC-accredited center ensures that a patient will have access to:

-- Comprehensive care, including a full range of state-of-the-art
services
-- A multidisciplinary team approach to coordinate the best treatment
options
-- Information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options
-- Quality breast health care close to home.

"The Avon Breast Center at Grady provides cutting edge care and as a result has decreased breast cancer outcome disparities for women treated at Grady," Gabram added. "It is because of the extensive support from The Avon Foundation that we are able to accomplish this and make a significant difference in the lives of thousands of women."

About Grady Health System

Grady Health System is one of the largest public health systems in the United States. Grady consists of the 953-bed Grady Memorial Hospital, nine neighborhood health centers, Crestview Health & Rehabilitation Center - and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding, which is operated as a Children's affiliate.

With its nationally acclaimed Emergency Care Center and Burn Unit, Grady Health System has the only level I trauma center in the region and serves as the ambulance provider for the city of Atlanta. The state's only Poison Center is housed at Grady, as well.

The Diabetes Detection & Control Center, Georgia Cancer Center for Excellence, Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, Primary Stroke Center and Avon Foundation Comprehensive Breast Center are also notable components of the health system. Moreover, Grady's Infectious Disease Program was named one of the top three HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics in the country.

Other exceptional medical services include Grady's Regional Perinatal Center and its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the Primary Care Center, a dedicated 60 Plus service line for older adults, Teen Services, the Rape Crisis Center and a 24-hour Advice Nurse Line.

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