Erinn Gardner

BY ERINN GARDNER

North Cobb High School started September with a bang as Brain Food held its first club meeting of the school year. Brain Food is a Psychology 101 club for students who take an interest in psychology, social science and human behavior. Although the club started in 2019, President Allison Castaneda and Vice President Alison Bolanos, both seniors, strive to carry on the dynamic of the club and expand its membership. Nothing beats meeting on the first Thursday of every month to discuss topics ranging from cognitive behavior to sleeping patterns. Castaneda and Bolanos lead the club with games and activities centered around psychology and sociology to create a fun learning environment.

Castaneda followed in former President Ochuwa Garuba’s footsteps as she graciously took over as president. She joined the club her sophomore year with an avid interest in educating herself on a topic about which she had little knowledge. In addition to serving as president of Brain Food, she also organized Warriors of the World (WotW), a club that promotes diversity and inclusion within the student body.

“I’ve been involved since my sophomore year, so I was able to get very connected to Ochuwa,” Castaneda said. “I really liked our team last year; there was a lot of leadership. I just started coming to every meeting, and, eventually, I would be the one who made the PowerPoint, so when it was my turn, leading it was easy for me. It’s tough balancing this club and WotW because WotW takes place once a week, while this club takes place once a month. I guess it’s more lenient, but it’s still a lot.”

Bolanos, on the other hand, is heavily interested in neuroscience, as she wants to pursue neuroendocrinology after graduating from college and graduate school.

The club's first meeting of the 2022-23 school year was in September. Photo by Erinn Gardner.

Similar to Castaneda, she joined the club her sophomore year in hopes of exposing herself to her possible career path. These longterm aspirations inspired her to start North Cobb’s medical club, which feeds her desire to involve herself in STEM-based clubs and to educate others.

“I feel like being involved in high school activities that have to do with your interest is a great way to expose yourself to the fields,” she said. “Anybody can join Brain Food because we try to include everyone. I mean sociology, psychology and neuroscience relate to everyone in every aspect of our life, so we really recommend you get exposed.”

The club serves as a safe space for students who want to kick off the day on a light note by playing games like trivia and Jeopardy and doing informative exercises. Fortunately, Brain Food caters to those who possess prior knowledge about these various sciences, as well as those who do not know the first thing about the brain. The inclusiveness of the club provides a positive environment and a learning opportunity for all students. Additionally, members form friendships and bonds with people who share similar interests.

Erinn Gardner is a senior at North Cobb High School who joined The Chant due to her passion for writing and creativity. She plans to attend college and eventually pursue screenwriting.

Cobb Graduation Rate Among Best

Cobb Schools saw 87.4% of its seniors in the Class of 2022 graduate, giving the district the second-highest rate in metro Atlanta and topping the state’s all-time high rate (84.1%) by 3.3%.

The three high schools in Kennesaw had graduation rates in the 90% range. Harrison recorded the highest rate in the district, at 97.2%. Kennesaw Mountain’s rate was 93.6%, and North Cobb had a rate of 92.6%.

Top Classified Employee Honored

At its October meeting, the Cobb County Board of Education recognized Ann Ellis, school secretary at North Cobb High, as the district’s Classified Employee of the Year (CEOTY) for the high school level during the 2020-22 school years (due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 winners carried their school title for two years). Ellis found out she’d been chosen as the districtlevel winner for high school for those years at a recent recognition ceremony at Roswell Street Baptist Church. This was the first time since 2019 that the district was able to celebrate the CEOTY honorees.

Preschoolers at Primrose School of Wade Green collect diapers.

Primrose Donates Diapers, Wipes

As the season of giving approaches, families at Primrose School of Wade Green collected and donated nearly 1,700 diapers and 2,500 wipes to the Division of Family and Children Services and Foster4Love, two organizations that support the foster care system in Georgia. The diaper drive is one of the many events the school participates in to give back to the community.

Kathy Schwaig

Schwaig Invested as President

Kathy S. Schwaig formally was invested as the sixth president of Kennesaw State University last month. In a speech before faculty, students, staff and community leaders, the new president outlined her vision for the institution, the commitment needed to help students succeed and the positive impact the university can have on the lives of students.

“At KSU, we all have the opportunity to influence — to be a part of the process of helping students shape and build their lives,” she said, after being presented the presidential chain of office from University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue. “Putting students first means that we care equally about their academic success and their KSU experience. We must be more deliberate in our work to engage and support students and ensure that they are on a path to graduate in four years.”

Schwaig also said her passion and commitment to helping students succeed was formed as an undergraduate student who found her first experiences in higher education difficult.

“I struggled in every dimension and almost didn’t graduate,” she said. “When I look back on that time in my life, I remember the faces and the words of those who encouraged and supported me. They influenced me profoundly, and, somehow, I did graduate.”

@the Library

Cobb County Public Library System • www.cobbcat.org

WEST COBB REGIONAL LIBRARY

1750 Dennis Kemp Lane, Kennesaw • 770-528-4699 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Wednesdays • 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays • 1-5 p.m. Sundays Nov. 8, 15, 22, 29, Dec. 6

The Dungeons & Dragons Group, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Ages 13-17 of all skill levels are welcome to come discover the world of Dungeons & Dragons.

Nov. 9, 16, 23, 30, Dec. 7

Open Play and Family-Style Chess Instruction, 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Tournament-style chess sets will be set up in the open library, or learn fiveminute mini games that introduce chess two pieces at a time, along with basic rules and etiquette, family-style. Black-light chess is available the first Wednesday.

Nov. 10, 17, Dec. 1, 8

Join the West Cobb Craft Club, 10 a.m.-noon Thursdays. Do you knit, crochet, needlepoint or create jewelry? Or do you want to learn how, while making friends? Join the group to craft and get inspired. All skill levels are welcome (especially beginners). Bring your craft supplies.

Nov. 12

My First Book Club, 11-11:45 a.m., is for kids ages 4-7. Parents should register their kids and check out this month’s picture book, then have them read it at home and attend the program for a brief discussion and a craft related to the story.

Nov. 14, 21, 28, Dec. 5

The West Cobb Pokémon Club, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Mondays. Pokémon enthusiasts ages 6-12 are invited to battle and train with each other, using their favorite Pokémon video game, Pokémon GO or 60-card Pokémon deck.

Nov. 17

Thursday Explorers, 3:45-4:30 p.m., offers children in grades pre-K-second grade a different type of program (storytime, STEM, seasonal craft) on the first and third Thursdays of each month. Registration is not required.

Nov. 28

The West Cobb Fourth Monday Book Discussion meets 6:30-7:30 p.m. and covers a variety of literature, including fiction, nonfiction, classics and new releases. The November book will be “Red Lotus” by Chris Bohjalian.

Nov. 29-30

Toddler Process Art, 10:30-11:10 a.m., focuses more on exploring new materials than finishing the perfect art project. Toddlers will use different mediums to make one-of-a-kind works of art. Registration is not required.

Nov. 30

Preschool Process Art, 11:30 a.m.-12:10 p.m., focuses more on exploring new materials than finishing the perfect art project. Preschoolers will use different mediums to make one-of-a-kind works of art. Registration is not required.

Libraries offer more than just books and programs. Here are eight ways to use your Cobb library card.

1. Take the internet with you. Check out a hotspot for seven days or a Chromebook for three weeks to use anytime, anywhere. cobbcat.org/ connectingcobb 2. Read a newspaper. You can find local, national and international newspapers in the library’s many databases. cobbcat.org/databases 3. Tackle vehicle maintenance and repair. Find online automotive repair and maintenance guidance or prep for the Delmar ASE technician test with available quizzes to help with the ASE certification exam. cobbcat.org/databases 4. Grow your business. Entrepreneurs can grow their business with learning resources, such as LinkedIn Learning, Business Source Complete and DemographicsNow. cobbcat.org/ businessincubator; cobbcat.org/ databases 5. Go on an adventure. Library cardholders have access to free passes to Georgia state parks and historic sites, the Chattahoochee Nature Center, Go Fish Education Center and Zoo Atlanta, as well as discounted entry to the Georgia Aquarium. cobbcat.org/ outdoor-adventures 6. Learn through art. Museums and theaters are great for learning about history and cultures, and library cardholders have free or discounted access to the Alliance Theatre, Center for Puppetry Arts, Southern Museum, William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum and more. cobbcat.org/ outdoor-adventures 7. Stream movies, TV shows and concerts. You can access streaming content for all ages straight to your mobile device 24/7. cobbcat.org/ streamingvideo 8. Cook your way around the world. Learn about international cultures through online cooking classes taught by professionals in The Great Courses. cobbcat.org/streamingvideo