School News Georgia Trade School Honors History Last month, Georgia Trade School (GTS) unveiled a new display in the school’s lobby that celebrates the history of the building. Located on Southside Drive, next to the Cowan Historic Mill, the building was part of the mill complex. According to Abbie Parks’ article in the May issue of Around Acworth, the mill changed names many times and was used for producing fine textiles under several owners and names, including Elizabeth Bartlett Mills (1921), Cherokee Mills (1927) and finally the Acworth (Rothschild) Mill (1941), which continued operations until 1972. GTS instructor Andrew Little adapted a bench from an old loom frame that Olan McCray held onto when the Cherokee Mills closed. McCray’s son, Moose, presented the quilt on display to GTS last year. It was made by his mother, Ruby, from end runs and tapestry pieces his father, who worked at the mill, would bring home. The plaque in the lobby reads, “The Elizabeth Bartlett Mills was established in 1928, the most advanced in Georgia’s manufacturing tapestry, bedspreads, draperies and other fancy weavers. In 1941, David Rothschild bought the mills and the plant consisted of a large weave room and three warehouses. At its height, Rothschild had distribution centers in Los Angeles; Highpoint, North Carolina; and Columbus, with five sales offices in the U.S. and three internationally.”
Mount Paran class of 2021 graduates Sophie Passantino, Caroline Pugh, Audrey Weaver, Kennedy Crenshaw, Jada Crowell, Rainey Hill, Gracie Dinsmore and Logan Watson are part of the school’s strong community.
Mount Paran Recognized Nationally During the 2020-2021 academic year, Mount Paran Christian School (MPCS) won several prestigious honors in recognition of its diversity initiatives, as well as its digital publishing campaign for COVIDresponse tactics. The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District III/Southeast Awards presented Mount Paran with the top honor in the Diversity and Talent Management: DEI Initiatives category. MPCS won the gold award for its Campaign for CommUNITY: Building Equity On Campus. Auburn University earned the silver award, while the University of Florida got bronze. The 2021 CASE District III Institutional awards represent the best in advancement across the Southeast. More than 700 entries were submitted in the 70-plus awards categories. MPCS was one of only eight independent schools in the district to win a CASE award — the majority of the awards were presented to colleges and universities. The focused CommUNITY campaign has assisted the school with its goal of being a more diverse school family. Since the formation of the CommUNITY Task Force in 2012, MPCS has seen a 100% increase in diverse enrollment, doubling diversity within the student body. MPCS also won three awards from the 36th annual Educational Advertising Awards:
• Gold award — COVID Response Materials for family reunion plan. • Gold award — Equality and Diversity Promotion for Campaign for CommUNITY. • Merit award — COVID Response Materials for “What to Expect: A Return to Campus After COVID” video.
The awards, which are sponsored by Higher Education Marketing Report, are the largest, oldest and most respected educational advertising awards in the country. This year, more than 2,000 entries were received from more than 1,000 colleges, universities and secondary schools from all 50 states and several foreign countries. Gold awards were granted to 313 institutions. Judges for the Educational Advertising Awards consisted of a national panel of higher education marketers, advertising creative directors, and marketing and advertising professionals. 34
AROUND ACWORTH | September 2021
