Boden

Monday, July 12, 2010

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

/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/

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter:  @GAFrontPage

Monday, July 5, 2010

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

/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.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter:  @GAFrontPage

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Georgia Students Win 2010 State-Fish Art Contest

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.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter:  @GAFrontPage

Thursday, March 25, 2010

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

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.
---
Community News You Can Use
Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.ReadMyLipstickNetwork.com
Twitter: @readmylipstick
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
www.Hummingbird-Hollow.com
Twitter: @hhpotterystudio
---

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Grady Hospital's Avon Breast Center Earns National Accreditation

/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.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter:  @GAFrontPage

Friday, March 12, 2010

Brian D. Lamkin Named Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Atlanta Division

Director Robert S. Mueller, III has named Brian D. Lamkin special agent in charge (SAC) of the FBI’s Atlanta Division. Mr. Lamkin, a 23-year veteran of the FBI, most recently served as assistant director (AD) of the FBI's Training Division in Quantico, Virginia.

Mr. Lamkin entered on duty as a special agent with the FBI in February 1987. Upon completion of training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, he was assigned to investigate white collar crime in the Norfolk Division and was a member of the Norfolk Division’s SWAT team. In July 1990, he was transferred to the Dallas Division, where he was part of the Dallas Bank Fraud Task Force, which addressed the largest savings and loan failure crisis in U.S. history. During his tenure in Dallas, Mr. Lamkin refined his skills and expertise in white collar crime investigations.

Mr. Lamkin was promoted to supervisory special agent in the Financial Institution Fraud Unit at FBI Headquarters in May 1997, where he was a national program manager for bank fraud investigations. During his time there, he developed and instructed on financial crime matters, including the FBI's international course module on financial crime investigations used by the International Law Enforcement Academy in Bangkok, Thailand. In May 1999, Mr. Lamkin was transferred to the Baltimore Division, where he served as the coordinator for the White Collar Crime Program and supervised the White Collar Crime Squad in the Maryland Metropolitan Office in Calverton.

In September 2002, Mr. Lamkin was appointed assistant special agent in charge of the Louisville Division, where he was responsible for national security and criminal investigations as well as the day-to-day operations of the FBI in Kentucky. In December 2003, Mr. Lamkin was appointed to the ranks of the FBI’s Senior Executive Service as the chief of the Financial Crimes Section in the Criminal Investigative Division at FBI Headquarters. In that role, he was responsible for the White Collar Crime Program and provided senior leadership to the Financial Crimes Program, where he oversaw numerous high-profile cases involving corporate fraud, health care fraud, and international economic crime matters. He served as co-chair of the Department of Justice's (DOJ) National Bank Fraud Working Group and was a senior member of the DOJ Corporate Fraud Task Force and the DOJ/Health and Human Services Health Care Fraud Working Group.

In August 2005, Mr. Lamkin was appointed SAC of the Columbia Division. As SAC, he led a number of high-profile investigations, including violent gang disruptions, public corruption cases, and national security incidents in South Carolina. In August 2007, he was named AD of the FBI's Training Division in Quantico, Virginia, where he was responsible for developing and delivering high-quality training programs to the entire FBI workforce. During his tenure, Mr. Lamkin oversaw the expansion of training facilities at the FBI Academy, the expansion of new agent and intelligence analyst training programs, and the introduction of cutting-edge technology into the FBI’s varied training programs. He also led the world-renowned National Academy, which provides executive development and leadership training to federal, state, local, and international police executives.

Mr. Lamkin is an active instructor and lecturer to law enforcement, non-government groups, and corporations. He has conducted domestic and international training on a variety of white collar crime topics, major case management, and intellectual property crimes, and is an FBI certified firearms and general police instructor. Mr. Lamkin has written articles for the ABA Banking Journal (1994) on advance loan fee schemes and Butterworth's Journal of International Banking and Financial Law (1995) on the criminal exploitation of emerging banking systems in Eastern European countries. In November 2004, he was featured in the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Journal for his leadership of the FBI's White Collar Crime Program. Mr. Lamkin is a current member of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation board and a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police Education and Training Committee.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter:  @GAFrontPage

Georgia Archery Students Aim High at 4th Annual NASP State Tournament

While Woodlawn Elementary School (Chatsworth, Ga.) may have captured the highest overall score at the 4th Annual National Archery in the Schools Program State Tournament on Feb. 12 at the Perry Fairgrounds and Agricenter, all of those who participated showed exceptional skill.

The tournament, coordinated by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division, is an annual event open to all state schools enrolled in the National Archery in the Schools Program.

Woodlawn’s score of 3,145 also won the elementary division and qualified them for an automatic berth to the NASP National Tournament scheduled for May 7-8 in Louisville, Ky. Nearly 6,000 student archers are expected to compete at the national level, making the competition the largest archery tournament in the world.

Morgan County Middle School (Madison) won the middle school division with a 2,852 score and Bishop Hall Charter School (Thomasville) won the high school division with a score of 2,981. Those three schools, along with nine others in the state, qualify to join schools from across the country to vie for scholarship money and prizes at the national tournament.

Dodge County Middle School’s Joshua Peterson won a $1,000 college scholarship by posting the highest overall individual male score with a 286 (out of 300). Woodlawn Elementary’s Morgan Ray won top individual female honors and a $1,000 scholarship with her score of 277.

Individual Division winners (male and female) include:

· Elementary School – Male: Jordan Priest (Woodlawn Elementary) won with a score of 271.
· Elementary School – Female: Morgan Ray (Woodlawn Elementary) won with a score of 277.
· Middle School – Male: Joshua Peterson (Dodge County Middle) won with a score of 286.
· Middle School – Female: Shelby Carter (Marion County Middle) won with a score of 251.
· High School – Male: Josh Broxton (Miller County High) won with a score of 280.
· High School – Female: Ariel Beheeler (Bishop Hall High) won with a score of 258.

Other schools which qualified for NASP Nationals based on their score were: Bay Creek Elementary (Loganville), Youth Elementary (Loganville), Lake Park Elementary (Albany), Lee County Elementary (Leesburg), Funston Elementary (Funston), Dodge County Middle (Eastman), East Laurens Middle School (East Dublin), Marion County Middle School (Buena Vista) and Miller County High School (Colquitt).

More than 450 archers throughout the state participated in the annual state tournament. Archers shot three rounds of five arrows each from 10 and 15 meters. Teams of 16-24 students from each school competed in three separate divisions: elementary (4th-6th grade), middle (7th-8th grade) and high (9th-12th grade).

For a complete list of winning archers and schools, visit www.georgiawildlife.com (select “Education” “Shooting Sports Programs” and “NASP”).

The 4th annual state tournament was sponsored by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division, the Georgia Wildlife Federation, Mathews, Inc. and Morrell Targets.

More on 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 in the State Tournament. Schools in nearly 70 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 five million students have participated in the program.

For more information on assisting schools bound for the NASP National Tournament with funding or NASP in Georgia, call Jennifer Pittman at (770) 918-6416 or e-mail jennifer.pittman@gadnr.org.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter:  @GAFrontPage