Keeping the Smiles Coming

businesses. “When you fly over now, you see all these brightly colored homes, crime is down, businesses are attracting tourists. Paint makes such a difference.”

Another of the great effects paint has on remote areas is with the schools. Emotion is heard in Rony’s voice as he tells of a school in Honduras that was so run down that parents had stopped sending their children. Once the school was painted, more improvements followed and the graduation rate began to go up. “Paint improves the conditions of the building and the way the community looks at it.”

When Rony is asked about how Global Paint is able to take someone’s leftover paint from Gwinnett County in Georgia and do the most good with it all around the world, his response is hardly complicated. “I came to this country, I had an idea, I went to the people in the county who I thought might help me with that idea – and they did,” explains Rony. “I knew these people in waste management meant business, so I took this chance and worked so hard and we were able to do it. We were able to collect paint, recycle it, and package it for use where it is needed.”

“Rony and Global Paint for Charity are definitely a bright light, both locally and abroad – changing the world one color at a time,” says Schelly. “I am truly blessed to call him a community partner and a friend.”

Each year, Global Paint for Charity holds paint collection events. The next major collection event will take place in May at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds. Individuals and businesses are encouraged to collect paint for recycling. Monetary donations are also needed to pay the shipping costs as well. When asked why it is less expensive to ship recycled paint instead of buying it overseas, Rony explains that it is very expensive in many of the places Global Paint for Charity serves. “Most people make less than a dollar a day,” says Rony. “Paint can cost anywhere from $30 a gallon or more. It is something they cannot afford, but does so much good. It lifts people up.”

Each gallon makes a huge difference in Gwinnett and all around the world. So take a look in the basement or garage for your unused paint and help Rony and Global Paint for Charity splash some world-wide color.

More information at www.globalpaints.org

By Kristen Eleveld

Choosing a dentist isn’t always an easy decision. You need a qualified dentist who is conveniently located, and who places a priority on making patients feel at home. If this sounds like all the boxes on your dentist checklist, you can stop searching, because the perfect answer is waiting for you at Smiles by Simmons, where two of Gwinnett’s best dentists are ready to make your smile bright.

Dr. John Simmons grew up in the Atlanta area, and has called Gwinnett home for over three decades. Shortly after graduating from dental school in the early 80s, Dr. Simmons joined the Navy and practiced as a dentist there. Three years later, he found himself in Snellville at the recommendation of a friend who thought a local dental group would be a good fit for Dr. Simmons’ expertise.

Eventually, Dr. Simmons discovered that he had both a talent and a passion for cosmetic dentistry and opened his own practice to help his patients find their best smile. Now, Dr. Simmons is one of only nine dentists in Georgia to be accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. But for Dr. Simmons, the biggest accomplishment is giving patients a positive experience filled with excellent care.

Continued on page 20

Continuing to serve Brookwood, Camp Creek, Craig, Gwin Oaks, Knight and R.D. Head Elementary Schools. Serving our community since 2005. We have fun learning.

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only a matter of discovering how their brain works and what their process needs to be. She also encourages the kids she teaches to use the information they learn to continue to better themselves in all aspects of their lives – school, home, even future jobs can all be affected by understanding these key aspects of how they learn.

“It takes a village, especially when it comes to helping a child learn,” said Keyanna. “We are not here to judge – we are only here to help.”

It is this community-oriented philosophy that makes Choice Educational Academy a wonderful place for children with all types of abilities to not only learn, but to thrive.

“We care about the kids here,” said Nancy. “When they have the right tools, they can all succeed.”

More information at www.choiceeducationalacademy.com.

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Starting a family and watching your kids grow up can be one of life’s biggest milestones. New parents look forward to discovering who and what their child will become and experiencing major events in their lives: prom, graduation, college, career, wedding…the list goes on. But what if you knew your child, not by choice, would not be able to participate in these time-honored milestones? Parents of children with special needs deal with the all too harsh reality that their child won’t be able to participate in the conventional way. They must prepare for a different lifestyle and expectations for their children. And while most parents traditionally plan for their children to grow up and be independent, successful adults, these parents must plan beyond the normal range of expectations. Depending on the severity of the child’s needs, parents must plan on how to support their child beyond their own lifetime. Enter DJ Jeyaram – a practitioner of healthcare corporate and regulatory law and Special Needs Estate Planning, Guardianship, and Medicaid Benefits areas.

Growing up in southern New Jersey, Jeyaram received his degree from Boston University and went on to attend Emory University School of Law. He has been practicing healthcare law for the past twenty-two years and has specialized in the Special Needs concentration for the last decade. He is also currently a Magistrate Judge for Gwinnett County.

While Jeyaram practiced healthcare law long before he and his lovely wife, Cassandra, began a family, it was the birth of their son, Kai, that truly cemented their need to help families of differently-abled children. Jeyaram explains, “My inspiration is my son Kai. Kai is ten years old and was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called Williams Syndrome and a few years later with Autism.” It was then that Jeyaram saw his profession through the eyes of a parent instead of a barrister. “Many children with disabilities need Medicaid in order to receive medical and therapeutic services necessary to help them with their daily lives and overall health,” he says. “Thankfully my unique career path provided me with significant experience in the Medicaid Waiver programs even before my son was born. However, after Kai’s birth, I experienced the Waiver programs from a parent’s perspective and realized how complicated the appeals process is and how desperate families were for good legal help.”

And it was that personal insight which led him to reach out to the community through free presentations. “We offer between six to ten free legal seminars a year to differently-abled families and nonprofits.” In these sessions, Jeyaram helps families learn what options are available to ensure the wellness and security of the differently-abled child and give families a peace of mind concerning their child’s future. And should families need Jeyaram’s assistance with the Medicaid benefits appeals “We serve these clients on a sliding scale because we know these kids desperately need this funding in order to have a quality life and receive the medical care and services they need.”

Jeyaram explains, “The range of challenges faced by our clients is extremely broad. We will see clients who are very high functioning but may have some social challenges all the way to clients that are completely incapacitated, wheel-chair bound and non-verbal. We mostly work with the parents on behalf of their differently-abled child.” He further clarifies, “My clients have all sorts of diagnoses. Autism is very prevalent as is Down syndrome, Phelan McDermid syndrome, SATB2 Associated Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, and various syndromes that are so rare that they have not been named yet.” With all of these considerations, the work Jeyaram does helps give families control over at least some aspects of their child’s wellbeing. For him, empowering those families is the best part of his service. He feels most satisfied “when I see a parent connect all the dots of a Special Needs Estate Plan and tell me ‘thank you for explaining that to us. Now I know what we have to do.’” But it goes even further. “It’s also knowing that I’ve helped a family put into place a plan for their child that will ensure their well-being even after the parents have passed. As a parent of a special needs child, I worry just like they do about what will happen when I’m gone. So when we put into place a Special Needs Estate Plan, I love knowing that their child will be cared for in the best way possible.” Our Town Gwinnett would like to extend a special thanks to Mr. and Dr. Jeyaram and to their son, Kai, and their daughter, Emmy Rose, for the work they do for our community and the services they provide for our families. More information at https://jeylaw.com.

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“We are not about turning these kids into professional artists or actors,” said David. “We are really more about treating the whole citizen. Schools take care of left side brain development, and sports, but do always not address the creative side.”

The creative side is certainly evident in the dozens of different artistic works you will find inside the ART Station. In fact, you can see them for yourself. The ART Station has dozens of theatre productions every year, and changes out the art in their gallery just as regularly. You will even find creativity in the gift shop, which showcases items that are specific to the artistic process.

If you’re not sure where to go, it’s easy to find – just look for the old Trolley Station in Historic Stone Mountain Village. Don’t miss your chance to check out this amazing mecca of arts that is right in the heart of Gwinnett. More information at artstation.org ART Station in Stone Mountain Continued from page 5 By Harper Randolph, Parkview High Junior

Last summer, my family had our first experience as foreign exchange hosts. The experience began when Lilly, a girl from Germany, came to stay with us. She was a junior while I was a sophomore, and it was the first time there was someone else my age in our home. As an only child, having a sibling took some getting used to, but it was by far one of the best experiences of my life. We explored a bit of the US when we went to Texas to visit family, we attended a big American wedding in the Georgia mountains, and we loved our visit to Sapelo Island. We also lived through some serious TV drama and cooked quite a few random recipes, though we do not recommend trying Japanese cheesecake. Hosting Lilly didn’t just give me a new experience for my college applications, but I gained a sister and a best friend over the course of the year. From our first hug to our final goodbye, I knew that hosting was something that I had to do again. As a family, we planned on signing up for another student when I was a senior.

However, our plan changed when we got a call asking to help a student from Spain. We ended up inviting this new student into our home only six months after Lilly left. His name is Iker, and like me, he is a junior.

Iker was originally placed in Cordele, Georgia, but then some things went awry. He was faced with the decision of getting placed with a different family in a different school system, or being sent back home to Spain a whole semester before he had planned. The coordinator for exchange students in our area reached out to us and asked for help. That is how Iker came to live with us over the holiday break, and I got a brother for Christmas.

Iker arrived with hopes of playing a sport and making friends in his new school. He came to Georgia from a small school in Spain with about a thousand students, ranging from Kindergarten to Twelfth grade. A leader on his soccer team, Iker was always busy with friends, visiting restaurants, and spending time together. He also enjoyed his family time with his parents. His shift to Gwinnett county schools didn’t just mean a new family to break in, but he also had a new school to try to fit into and figure out. His arrival for the spring semester did create some challenges. Schools in Gwinnett County only accept five exchange students per year, and Parkview was all filled up. They only had openings in Grayson. My father works in the Grayson cluster, so he could get Iker to school every day. Naturally, sending him so far from Lilburn wasn’t our first choice. As a family, we wanted him to attend Parkview. It would be easier for us to get to and from school, and I would have been able to drive him around. We had to follow Gwinnett rules, so, sadly, Parkview was not an option. This meant my new brother would attend Grayson and I would be at Parkview.

Our job now as a family is to make sure Iker has a good year. We plan to help him be successful at school and make new friends outside of our family. His English is great so that isn’t a problem. We hope this is a year Iker will remember and look back on with smiles and laughter when he’s back in Spain waiting for a visit from his American sister.

live it. love it.

THE SHERIDAN

Downsizing & Maximizing Your Money TUESDAY, MARCH 10TH AT 11:00AM Come hear Jason Arnold with Edward Jones speak on downsizing and maximizing your assets while enjoying light refreshments and a tour. Taste & Tours WEDNESDAYS AT NOON Reserve your seat at the table! Enjoy a fine dining experience prepared by Chef Richard followed by a tour of our community and apartment homes.

Happy Hour & Live Music THURSDAYS IN MARCH AT 4:00PM Enjoy live music, drinks and fun conversations with our residents, followed by a tour of Snellville’s newest retirement community. Yoga with Naomi FRIDAYS AT 10:15AM Find your Serenity with our Yoga Class hosted by Naomi Foshee. Learn how to increase your strength while reducing stress. Followed by a tour and healthy refreshments.

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