Family & Back-to-School Expo Saturday, July 21, 2018
Copyright © 2018 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.
July 14, 2018
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Info, Fun For All The Ages
13th annual expo offers resources for families preparing for school year Noon to 5 p.m. • Lower Level • The Mall at Stonecrest ■ Free health screenings ■ Fashion show ■ Entertainment ■ Book Bag giveaways
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The expo takes place noon to 5 p.m. on the mall’s lower level between Dillard’s and First Class Barber Shop.
Annual expo is here to help families get ready
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The 2018 Stonecrest Section is a publication of CrossRoadsNews Inc., South DeKalb’s awardwinning weekly newspaper. Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Staff Writer Jennifer Ffrench Parker Editorial Interns Rosie Manins Bryce Etheridge Multimedia Editor Sharif Williams The content, design and concept for CrossRoadsNews is copyrighted and no parts of it should be copied, reproduced or duplicated without the express written permission of the publisher.
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Yes, we know. It feels like school just let out for the summer, and here we are trying to remind you that the new school year is just around the corner. Well it is, and it’s time to start preparing, and here comes CrossRoadsNews’ 13th annual Family & Back-to-School Expo on July 21 to help you do it in style. Helping us stage the popular expo this year are our title sponsors, DeKalb County School District and Kaiser Permanente. They will be joined by nearly two dozen exhibitors – private and prep schools, medical centers, head start and tutoring programs, dance schools, the YMCA, and county government departments, a theater group, among others – who will have information and resources to help families execute a successful school year kicking off on Aug. 6 . Dr. R. Stephen Green, DCSD superintendent and CEO, who has not missed a Family & Back-to-School Expo since he joined the district in 2015, will bring greetings. Sponsors and exhibitors will share information about upcoming events they have, registration deadlines and specials and discounts for after school programs and extra-curricular activities. There will be book bag and school supplies giveaways and other prices and surprises. Expo goers who visit 15 or more of our exhibitors can enter to win a “fabulous” Back-to-School Gift Basket from the Mall at Stonecrest. Door prizes will include two boxes of groceries from the First Afrikan Church Food Pantry. The expo takes place noon to 5 p.m. on the mall’s lower level between Dillard’s and First Class Barber Shop. The Main Stage in front of Footlocker will feature performances by talented stu-
Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews
Kaiser Permanente, a title sponsor of the 2018 expo, will give away 200 book bags on a firstcome, first-served basis, as well as other school supplies.
dents including singers, authors, dancers, and cheerleaders from across metro Atlanta. Some of them are featured on the next seven pages of this section. The must-see Icon Models & Talent Fashion Show starts at 12:30 p.m. featuring kids from preschool to college in DeKalb, Fulton, Rockdale, Newton, and Gwinnett counties. If your kids don’t wear uniforms to school, you will get some ideas about how to keep stylish on a budget. Chef Asata Reid, who is passionate about
feeding growing bodies fresh and tasty foods, will be demonstrating one of her easy to make dishes from the Main Stage at 2:30 p.m. Kaiser Permanente Educational Theater will host a one-hour “Name That Stress!” game show from the Main Stage at 1:30 p.m. There will be fun, laughter and prizes. Kids and adults can take photos with DCSD mascots The Reading Ram and McGruff the Crime Dog. The mall is at I-20 and Turner Hill Road in Lithonia.
2018 Family & Back-to-School Expo Exhibitors & Grand Prize Entry Form Visit at least 15 of these exhibitors* at the 2018 Family & Back-to-School Expo and enter to win a Back-to-School Gift Basket from the Mall at Stonecrest. Drawing takes place on July 21, 2018, at 4:40 p.m. at the Main Stage in front of Footlocker on the lower level of the Mall at Stonecrest.
_____ AAA Auto Club South
_____ DeKalb County Tax Commissioner
_____ Kaiser Permanente of Georgia (Sponsor)
_____ Arete Preparatory School
_____ Discover DeKalb Convention & Visitor’s Bureau
_____ Kilombo Academic & Cultural Institute
_____ Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates
_____ Dream Stories Inc.
_____ MIMS Youth Association
_____ CDI Head Start Serving DeKalb and Rockdale
_____ First Afrikan CDC Food Pantry
_____ South DeKalb Family YMCA
_____ Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
_____ Georgia Stars Academy of Dance & More
_____ Oakhurst Medical Centers, Inc.
_____ CrossRoadsNews
_____ Icon Models & Talent
_____ Organization of DeKalb Educators
_____ DeKalb County School District (Sponsor)
_____ Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre
_____ World Financial Group (WFG)
_____ DeKalb County Solicitor General Name ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City _____________________________________________ E-mail_______________________________________________________________________ Home phone _________________________________________________ Cell ___________________________________________________________ * Eligible entries must be validated by at least 15 exhibitors and must include your complete name, address, e-mail address and telephone number. Employees and immediate family members of CrossRoadsNews and the Mall at Stonecrest are not eligible to win. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. You MUST be present to win.
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2018 Family & Back-to-School Expo Program Highlights July 21, 2018 • Noon to 5 p.m. • The Main Stage in front of FootLocker Lower Level, The Mall at Stonecrest Noon
Georgia Stars Tiny Stars Dance Team & Jr. Dance Company
12:30 p.m.
Icon Models & Talent Back-to-School Fashion Show
1: p.m.
Amari & Alana Johnson, vocalist & authors
1:30 p.m.
Kaiser Permanente Educational Theater
2:20 p.m.
MIMS Youth Association
2:30 p.m.
Healthy Food Demo with Chef Asata Reid
3: p.m.
Kingdom Worshippers Dance Ministry
3: 15 p.m.
Jr. M.G.T Drill Team
3:30 p.m.
Georgia Stars Academy of Dance Dazzling Gems Majorettes
4:p.m.
Conservatory of Dance
4:15 p.m.
Dr. R.Stephen Green, DeKalb County School District Superintendent & CEO
Jan Martin Emcee Chef Asata Reid
Georgia Stars Dance Team
Back-to-School Fashion Show
Kingdom Worshippers Dance Ministry MIMS Youth Assn.
4:40 p.m. Grand Prize Drawing 5 p.m.
Expo Ends
Jr. M.G.T Drill Team
Conservatory of Dance
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“We started dancing at family reunions. I was the one with the big family so we began entertaining everyone.”
Talented sisters to sign books, sing, read excerpts of their work
By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
Amari and Alana Johnson may be just 11 and 9, but please, don’t let their young years fool you. The sisters, who are rising seventh- and fifth-graders at Brookhaven Innovation Academy, are already published authors. Amari is also an accomplished singer who can belt out Whitney Houston’s “The Greatest Love” with the best of them. Both will perform from the Main Stage on July 21 at CrossRoadsNews’ annual Family & Back-to-School Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest. The noon to 5 p.m. expo will be on the mall’s lower level between Dillard’s and First Class Barber Shop. Big sister Amari’s book, “Set Free By Truth,” is about how Aleah and her friends survive an attack of robots in New York. She already has ideas for more books she plans for a series. Alana’s tome is “The Pig Who Became
Amari (right) and Alana Johnson, who attend Brookhaven Innovation Academy, are both published authors.
Special to CrossRoadsNews
President: A Story about Courage and Friendship.” It is about Freddy, a shy thirdgrader growing up on a farm in Gabby
Dance ministry to bring it at expo Some of Kingdom Worshippers Dance Ministry’s 100 members will perform at the annual Family & Back-to-School Expo on July 21.
Kingdom Worshippers Dance Ministry does not discriminate on talent and that is why its company is made up dancers who are 5 to 80 years old. Sabra Simon, who leads the ministry and is director of workshop arts at Living Faith Tabernacle in Forest Park, said 10 of the liturgical dance troupe’s 100 members will perform at CrossRoadNews’ annual Family & Back-to-School Expo on July 21 at the Mall at Stonecrest. Kingdom Worshippers Dance Ministry began three years ago at the 3,000-member church led by the Rev. Jeremy Tuck, but Simon and the 11 children she raised have been dancing for years. “We started dancing at family reunions,” she said. “I was the one with the big family so we began entertaining everyone.” From there, the family, which danced
under the name Third Generation, began performing at homeless shelters, at Toys for Tots events, and at pastors’ anniversaries. Her six boys and five girls are now 18 to 42 years and no longer perform. But daughter Crystal is Kingdom Worshippers’ choreographer. From the expo’s Main Stage in front of Footlocker on the mall’s lower level, Kingdom Worshippers dancers will perform to Tasha Cobbs’ “Your Spirit” and to Jekalyn Carr’s “Young People Cry” mixed mime piece, and “Trust You” by Anthony Brown. The Family & Back-to-School Expo takes place noon to 5 p.m. between Dillard’s and First Class Barber Shop. The mall is at I-20 and Turner Hill Road in Lithonia. For more information, call 404-284-1888.
Land, who believes that if he could become president of Calpernia, he could really bring a positive change his community. The dynamic duo, who live in Southwest Atlanta with their parents Alan and Veronica, penned their books in 2017. Both were published in May 2017 by Atlantabased The Solid Foundation Group and are available in paperback and on Kindle at amazon.com.
The Johnsons said Amari began reading at 22 months old. An “A” student, she grew up making regular entries in her journals, and when she is not writing, she plays three instruments: violin, piano and recorder. A member of the Junior Beta Club and Duke University’s Talented and Gifted program, Amari wants to be a judge when she grows up. She also sings in the youth choir at Elizabeth Baptist Church in Atlanta and will pay tribute to Houston from the expo Main Stage in front of Footlocker at 1 p.m. Often described as “mature beyond her years,” Amari is passionate about helping those who are less fortunate and she volunteers around metro Atlanta. Little sister Alana, who will read an excerpt from her book at the expo, loves “family nights,” card games and all forms of electronics. The Family & Back-to-School Expo, which is in its 13th year, showcases talented students singing, dancing and more, and will get kids excited for the start of the 2018-2019 school year, which begins Aug. 6 in DeKalb County. The mall is at I-20 and Turner Hill Road in Lithonia. For more information, call 404-2841888.
Book bag, school supplies giveaway Kaiser Permanente will give away 200 book bags on a first-come, first-serve basis, as well as pens, pencils, crayons, notebook paper and other supplies.
Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews
Clear book bags and school supplies will be available at CrossRoadsNews’ annual Family & Back-to-School Expo to help parents stretch their dollars. Kaiser Permanente, a title sponsor of the July 21, 2018, expo, will have 200 book bags available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
6th Annual
SENIORS
It will also offer pens, pencils, crayons, notebook paper, composition books and hand sanitizer to students preparing for the new school year, which starts Aug. 6. The expo, which is in its 13th year, takes place noon to 5 p.m. on the lower level of the Mall at Stonecrest.
October 13, 2018 Noon - 5 p.m. at the Mall at Stonecrest
Exhibitors • Screenings • Entertainment
Limited number of sponsorships available. Call 404-284-1888 to confirm your participation.
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Reynolds also teaches basic and advanced modeling classes at the Lou Walker Senior Center in Lithonia.
Fashion show to offer stylish ideas for dressing kids for school The Back-toSchool Fashion Show models come from 19 elementary, middle and high schools and colleges from across DeKalb, Fulton, Rockdale, Newton and Gwinette counties.
Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews
Curtis Parker/ CrossRoadsNews
The Back-to-School Fashion Show on the Main Stage in front of Footlocker on the mall’s lower level, will feature dozens of students from preschool to college.
Parents can get fresh ideas about dressing their kids for the new school year at CrossRoadsNews’ 13th annual Family & Back-to-School Expo on July 21 at the Mall at Stonecrest. One of the highlights of the noon to 5 p.m. expo is the Back-to-School Fashion Show, choreographed by Icon Models & Talent director Jan Reynolds. The show, which kicks off at 12:30 p.m. on the Main Stage in front of Footlocker on the mall’s lower level, will feature dozens of students from preschool to college showcasing the latest fashions from Dillard’s and Ashley Stewart stores at the mall. Reynolds, a former Miss Black Missouri, said the fashion show will offer parents stylish and affordable ideas to dress their children for school, if they don’t wear uniforms to school.
Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews
The models, who come from 19 elemen- Icon Models & Talent director Jan Reynolds will choreograph her fifth fashion show for tary, middle and high schools and colleges CrossRoadsNews’ community expos. from across DeKalb, Fulton, Rockdale, Newton and Gwinette counties. Some have graced the expo stage in 2017 and 2016. “We will also have some new models this year,” Reynolds said. Reynolds who runs modeling, choreography and pageant courses for men and women ages 3 to 80, also teaches basic and advanced modeling classes at the Lou Walker Senior Center in Lithonia. This is her fifth time choreographing fashion shows for CrossRoadsNews Community Expos. She will also choreograph the Oct. 13 Senior/Baby Boomers Expo. The Mall at Stonecrest is at Turner Hill Road and I-20. For more information, call 404-2841888.
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During the fast-paced, interactive workshop, the audience will learn why we have stress and ways to manage it.
Live game show to help take on Do you know how much stress with laughter and prizes Sugar is really in that drink Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre focuses on topics such as stress, healthy eating and active living, grief management, and social/ emotional learning
Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews
Kids and adults can learn strategies to cope with stress with a fun game show at the July 21 Family and Back-to-School Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest. The hourlong “Name That Stress!” – presented by Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre Programs – will be on the Main Stage across from Footlocker at 1:30 p.m. During the fast-paced, interactive workshop, the audience will learn why we
have stress, how our bodies react to it, and ways to manage it – all while earning prizes and having a few laughs. Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre Programs, a community service of Kaiser Foundation Health Plans, was founded in 1995. It educates, motivates and entertains audiences through theatre and health education. The program has reached 2 million people, from preschool through senior adults.
Oakhurst offering free screenings Oakhurst Medical Centers will offer free screenings for diabetes and hypertension at CrossRoadsNews’ 13th annual Family & Back to School Expo on July 21 at the Mall at Stonecrest. Both diseases disproportionately afflict African Americans. Hypertension, which often has no symptoms, is called the silent killer. The only way to determine if your blood pressure is high
is to test it. Physicians say that prolonged hypertension can lead to stroke. The expo, sponsored by DeKalb County School District and Kaiser Permanente, takes place noon to 5 p.m. on the lower level of the Mall at Stonecrest between Dillard’s and First Class Barber Shop. For more information, call 404-2841888.
The amount of sugar in bottled and can drinks can vary wildly. Expo patrons will get to guess just how much sugar are in their favorite beverage at CHOA’s table.
Soft drinks are popular, but do we really know how much sugar we are consuming when we down a can of soda or a bottled juice? Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding will help parents and kids get to the bottom of the sugar mystery with its Sugar Sweetened Beverage Demonstration at CrossRoadsNews’ Family & Backto-School Expo on July 21 at the Mall at Stonecrest. The demonstration from their table on the mall’s lower level will show just how much sugar is in popular drinks, even those people think of as healthy.
Participants may just walk way from the demo convinced that plain water and milk are the best drinks to keep them hydrated and energized. CHOA is one of more than a dozen exhibitors who will offer information and resources to help get children excited about the new school year, and help parents prepare for sending children back to school in a few weeks. The expo is noon to 5 p.m. The Mall at Stonecrest is at Turner Hill Road and I-20. For more information, call 404-2841888.
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