Atlanta Intown - January 2023

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A new year’s hat trick

Editor’s Letter

Collin Kelley

has been editor of Atlanta Intown for two decades.

He’s also an award-winning poet and novelist.

collin@AtlantaIntownPaper.com

Since I celebrated my 20th anniversary as editor of Atlanta Intown back in August, I’ve put on a couple of additional hats.

In November, I officially took over as editor of our Atlanta Senior Life publication. I’m not quite a senior yet, but I do have my AARP card and I do love a discount. And to kick off the new year, I’ve been named editor of Reporter Newspapers. How’s that for a hat trick?

Technically, I guess I’m “executive editor” or “editor-in-chief” of all our publications, but I don’t particularly like titles that confer more power than I have. Since the inception of all our pubs, teamwork has been our hallmark and I’m happy to be leading that content team into a new year.

Sammie Purcell has been named our new Associate Editor and will focus on our newsletter products and covering arts and entertainment, including her weekly movie reviews. I’ll be working closely with Sammie going forward as we strive to bring timely, newsworthy, and entertainment content to you on a daily basis.

Like most media outlets, we’ve embraced a “digital first” approach, so be sure to visit ReporterNewspapers.com for more news and features in a timely manner. Along with our team of writers and contributors, you’ll find fresh content from our media partners, including GPB, Capitol Beat, Georgia Recorder, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. From breaking news to more in-depth features, our website is a daily must-read.

We are also investing a lot in our email newsletters, all of which are free. Rough Draft has become a morning favorite for subscribers, along with Sketchbook, Side Dish, and Silver Streak. Be sure to subscribe at RoughDraftAtlanta.com or by scanning the QR code on this page.

Our loyal readers and advertisers continue to make all our publications possible every month. Please feel free to reach out at collin@atlantaintownpaper.com if you have story ideas, comments, or concerns.

While we have a busy year ahead, I’m thrilled to be back on a more “normal” production cycle for our print issues. We did the December and January issues back-to-back – including choosing our annual 20 Under 20 honorees featured in this issue – so I actually feel like I can take a breather.

I had a very quiet holiday, catching up on some binge-worthy shows (“Wednesday” on Netflix is amazing!), catching up with friends, and working on my next poetry collection, which is out this fall.

Since we don’t like to cook, my friends and I had Thanksgiving dinner at Hobnob in Atlantic Station (delicious!), and for a little kitsch/nostalgia, we rocked around the Christmas tree for lunch at Hard Rock Café on Christmas Day. Definitely not your typical holiday, but I like that.

Happy New Year and on with the show!

Light rail, BRT presented for Clifton Corridor

By Dyana Bagby

MARTA is proposing one light-rail line and two bus rapid transit routes options for its Clifton Corridor transit line that would connect Buckhead’s Lindbergh Center Station to the Avondale station near downtown Decatur.

The three options presented to the public last week were narrowed from 10 options presented over the summer.

The options are:

• Bus rapid transit (BRT) from Lindbergh to Avondale.

• BRT from Lindbergh to Avondale plus an arterial rapid transit (ART)

branch to Decatur station. The ART route would put buses in regular traffic for a stretch on Clairemont Avenue but utilize traffic signal priority. ART branches also have enhanced amenities, like shelters, seating, and real-time arrival screens.

• Light-rail transit (LRT) from Lindbergh to Avondale.

All of these options would include a new shuttle connection to the Atlanta VA Medical Center.

“Now that we’re down to three, we’re going to get a little bit more in-depth to what we’re looking at,” said Bryan Hobbs, Clifton Corridor project manager, during the Nov. 17 Zoom meeting.

These details include everything from

News RoundUp

At press time, Atlanta was on track to surpass its 2021 homicide rate of 158 victims. The high-profile murders of 77-year-old Eleanor Bowles in Buckhead and the shooting deaths of two teens on Thanksgiving weekend in Midtown were just three of the 156 homicide investigations handled by the Atlanta Police Department in 2022 as of midDecember.

mobility improvements, environmental benefits, congestion relief, costeffectiveness, economic development, and land use to ensure ridership, he said.

A final option is expected to be presented to the public in early 2023 for input. The plan then would be for the MARTA board to vote on the final recommendation in the spring to apply for federal funding. Completion of the project is not expected until 2036.

MARTA’s Clifton Corridor Transit Initiative has been in the works for years as a crucial connection between two existing heavy rail lines through a major employment and institutional corridor in the Southeast that includes the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC), Emory University, Emory University Hospital, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta – Egleston, Lindbergh Center and Atlanta VA Medical Center.

The Clifton Corridor is home to more than 30,000 employees and 15,500 students. More than 2 million patients visit medical facilities in the area each year.

“This project is trying to solve a need a need and a purpose to provide frequent and reliable transit, better transit access and connectivity, and then improve access to the MARTA rail system in one of the most populous corridors from a standpoint of jobs and education in the Southeast,” Hobbs said.

The Atlanta Streetcar in Downtown is out of commission until March as MARTA completes safety repairs to wheels and tracks. The shutdown comes as the transit agency is exploring extending the streetcar up the BeltLine and Ponce City Market.

Little Five Point’s mainstay Star Community Bar has been spared from the wrecking ball after plans for a mixed-use development on the site were canceled by Third & Urban.

Economists predict the nation will experience a recession in 2023, but the effects in Georgia are expected to be blunted by a strong labor market and major business investment.

A MARTA bus travels on Clifton Road near the Emory campus (Courtesy MARTA)

Eleanor Bowles

‘Same as it ever was!’

By Collin Kelley

If you lived or grew up in Atlanta during the ‘90s or early aughts, then alternative radio station 99x will be nostalgically familiar.

On Dec. 5, the station took over

News

99x returned with the ironic “Video Killed the Radio Star,” The Buggles’ song from 1980 that heralded the long, slow

demise of radio at the dawn of MTV.

99x returns to Atlanta radio airwaves on Rock 100.5’s former frequency Buckhead

With the majority of music consumers streaming these days, 99x and its owner, Cumulus Media, are at least self-aware enough to know that the glory days of radio are behind us. But with ’80s and ’90s nostalgia hotter than ever (“Stranger Things” boosting Kate Bush’s 35-yearold “Running Up That Hill” to number one on the global music charts, comes to mind), there might be a sweet spot for 99x yet.

Village

that on-air talent will return on Jan. 3, plus there are links to old 99x live concerts and interviews from Coldplay, Dave Matthews Band, and Foo Fighters.

While the stations venerable “Morning X” team – Steve Barnes, Leslie Fram, and Jimmy Baron – have moved on, it will be interesting to see who could possibly fill their shoes and if the nostalgia trip translates into advertising.

It might be hard to believe now, but starting in 1992, 99x was “appointment radio” and sponsored some of the best concerts and special events the city has ever seen.

The station didn’t completely disappear in 2008 when it famously signed off with Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life),” but was relegated first to online only then eventually brought back to the airwaves on weaker signals.

The 99x website (99xatl.com) indicates

A letter to listeners on the station’s homepage sorta sums up the new mission: “It’s been 20 years since we parted ways. You’ve changed, We’ve changed. But we’ve heard you loud and clear during this – the 30th anniversary of when we first met. You want the station you discovered in 1992. And nobody puts Baby in the corner.”

Now, pardon me while I go dig out my old “I am 99x” t-shirt.

anchor, entrepreneur, poet

Cynthia Good finds new outlet for her unique voice

By Collin Kelley

Cynthia Good has been using her unique voice for decades, first as a well-known news anchor, then as an entrepreneur, and now as a poet.

Many Atlantans will remember Good as one of the faces of Fox 5 Atlanta’s news anchor team. In the late ’90s, she pivoted and launched Atlanta Woman magazine, and then in the early aughts as the founder of Little PINK Book for women in business.

Now, she’s released her first collection of poetry, “What We Do with Our Hands,” via Finishing Line Press. Good said the poems poured out after a five-week period where her 27-year marriage disintegrated, she was kicked out of her home, and her mother died.

The confessional poems are both eloquent and heartbreaking in their directness and observation of a life at a crossroads.

“The structures I had relied on began to crumble,” Good said. “I had this long marriage, was living in Buckhead, and thought I was living the dream. No one knew what was going on, but I felt like I was losing it.”

Good said her grappling with life and death issues led her back to an outlet she hadn’t tapped in many years.

She started writing poems around age 9, but never considered herself a poet. That began to change when Good took a poetry workshop with award-winning poet Memye

She went on to get an MFA in poetry from New York University and worked with noted local poet Travis Denton to shape her debut collection. Most of the poems in the collection previously appeared in literary journals.

Good said she’s “not trying to change the world or sell books,” but hopes that her poetry will resonate with others facing similar life-altering circumstances.

Good says she’s also found new freedom in writing poetry. “I’m being more honest and genuine and writing whatever I want to write without self-censoring.”

The poetry of Sylvia Plath, Toi Derricotte and Gwendolyn Brooks informed much of Good’s understanding of poetry, but she’s also become enamored with more contemporary poets like Ocean Vuong and Ada Limon.

While promoting “What We Do with Our Hands,” Good is also shopping a fulllength collection and a second chapbook to publishers. And doing a lot of writing.

“I’ve got notes for new poems everywhere,” she said.

Find out more and order a copy of Good’s poetry collection at poetcynthiagood. com.

What We Do with Our Hands

He invites me in, his feet bare on the cold tile. In a Saturday fog, we sit across a table. He is a forest at midnight, birdwings, the cry before an avalanche, pull of the moon. He is wind, the silence of space, the thirst of cactus, hunger of wildfire. He moves to my side, his leg pressing mine. My awkward arm around his shoulder. Words stay in the lines on his face, welled up, sunken, an Aitken crater. When morning purples the low mountains from grey clouds in a swath, it’s like that moment before a storm, the sky hovering like a truce.

Rock 100.5’s frequency broadcasting Nirvana, R.E.M., Foo Fighters, The B-52’s, Green Day, Kate Bush, and Simple Minds.

Curtis Tucker at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center.

Chabad Intown Menorah Lighting

Cozy up with a winter white

Women + Wine

Rhône Valley Whites

Located along the Rhône River in Southern France, this valley has ancient winegrowing roots and is known mostly known for its red from regions like Chateauneuf-duPape and Côtes-du-Rhône, but their white wine grapes Marsanne, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Viognier produce wines that vary from tart and mineral to honeyed and richly round. For that special occasion, regions such as Condrieu builds Viognier that is savory and seductive but relatively hard to come by. Instead try the Domaine de la Janasse Côtes du Rhône Blanc. This grenache-based blend has citrus and apricot notes with a beautiful round mouth feel that goes perfectly with a roasted chicken.

We have all heard the saying: “No white after Labor Day!” Luckily this doesn’t apply to wine because there is nothing like sitting in front of a fire on a cold evening with some sugar cookies and a cool glass of rich white wine. We’ve put together a list for those who want to skip the red.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay has gotten a bad rap over the years by being overproduced, overly oak-aged, and the full butter that comes from malolactic fermentation (a process where tart, bright malic acid converts to creamy, rounder lactic acid.) Many Chardonnay exist on the shelves that are tropical and full-bodied, but with balanced acidity that are perfect for a winter’s evening. Look for wines from Burgundy, France – regions like the famous Chablis which is traditional with seafood but matches pork tenderloin perfectly. Try a2019 Domaine Coulaudin-Bussy Chablis. For a domestic offering, Katie has been drinking a 2020 Brea Chardonnay from Broc Cellars that hails from California’s central coast and does see oak aging and malolactic, but with the heavy mineral soils and cool climate the ripe acidity balances out the light vanilla creaminess.

Chenin Blanc

Another grape that has seen a huge resurgence in recent years, especially in the wine nerd world is Chenin Blanc. This grape was born in the Loire Valley of France in regions like Vouvray and Anjou but is being planted all over the world and is especially thriving in South Africa. Taste profiles vary but you can always count on Chenin’s acidity, pear and peach notes, and earthy undertones. For an OG Chenin, reach for Vigneau-Chevreau’s offering called Cuveé Silex – a wine that ages in a little oak and then on its lees giving fruits like quince and apple backed up by mineral undertones. Try with roasted mushrooms for a great umami experience. For a New World offering, pick up Kumusha’s Chenin. This wine was described as “Liquid Sunshine” by winemaker Tinashe Nyamudoka. It is acidic and tart and a perfect cure for the lack of sunshine.

For the next months of chilly weather, look no further than the arms of a comforting white wine, you may not even miss the reds!

Nobu opens in Buckhead

By Collin Kelley

Nobu restaurant is now open in the lobby of its eponymous hotel adjacent to Phipps Plaza in Buckhead.

Celebrated for its Japanese cuisine, Nobu’s Atlanta outpost is 10,000-square-foot and seats 272 people. Designed by the Rockwell Group, the restaurant was influenced by traditional Japanese garden pavilions often used for ceremonies and rituals. An open kitchen allows guests to watch the culinary team at work

Diners can expect iconic Nobu menu items, including Black Cod with Miso, Rock Shrimp Tempura with Creamy Spicy Sauce, and Yellowtail Jalapeño.

“It’s an honor to lead the Nobu Atlanta culinary team as we open our doors to the Buckhead community and travelers from all over the world,” said Executive Chef Brandon Chavannes in a media statement/

Nobu’s bar and lounge feature a backlit, white-onyx bar highlighted by a 12-footlong river rock art installation. Located adjacent to the main dining room, the bar and lounge will serve light bites alongside exclusive cocktails, including the Buckhead Cooler—only available at Nobu Atlanta.

Guests also have the option to dine in privacy—the Private Room can accommodate up to 24 guests while the Sake Room can accommodate up to 12.

Reservations can be made at nobu.com/ atlanta/reservations or via OpenTable.

Katie Rice & Sarah Pierre Rice owns VinoTeca in Inman Park and Pierre owns 3 Parks Wine Shop in Glenwood Park.

▲The iconic Polaris, the Hyatt Regency’s rotating blue dome, has finally reopened after the pandemic. The restaurant remains committed to serving meats, cheeses, and produce from local farms and food purveyors, while the bar highlights liquor from minority-owned distilleries. Get more information at facebook.com/PolarisAtlanta.

A new Korean and Japanese fusion restaurant, Jinbei West, has opened in Peachtree Corners. Details at jinbeiwest.com.

Morty’s Meat and Supply is now open in The Village on Chamblee Dunwoody Road in Dunwoody featuring daily specials like a pastrami sandwich or barbecue lasagna alongside regular menu items, including meatloaf, brisket, smoked chicken wings, and assorted sides. See the menu at mortysmeatandsupply.com.

TKO, a Korean-American street food concept, has opened its first brick-and-mortar location at the Southern Feedstore in East Atlanta Village. Find out more on Instagram @ tko_thekorean1.

Postino Wine Café is opening a new location in West Midtown soon after receiving positive responses from its Buckhead flagship. Get updates at postinowinecafe.com.

The Belvedere Plaza Shopping Center is getting a new Dunkin’ née Dunkin’ Donuts, in the former Sonic spot—plans have been submitted, but no opening date is set.

The Australian-inspired “all-day café” Isla & Co is open in Buckhead featuring brunch, lunch, and “elevated” dinner options, including charred octopus. Find out more at isla-co. com.

◄Tyde Tate Kitchen, a new Thai concept along South Downtown’s Historic Hotel Row, is projected to open in Spring 2023.

Cameli’s Pizza in Little Five Points closed in December after nearly 30 years, while Floataway Café on Zonolite Road closed after 25 years.

Atlanta area housing market expected

strong while market normalizes

By Kathy Dean

he last few years have been full of trauma and change. Economically, we’re facing real challenges across the country and around the world. That’s been particularly apparent in the housing market. But it’s not as bleak as all that. Local real estate professionals point out that the market is now getting back on a healthy footing. They’re also quick to add that Intown, Buckhead and areas like Brookhaven, Dunwoody, and Sandy Springs are particularly strong.

Despite economists predicting a recession this year, Georgia is poised to weather the headwinds thanks to a strong

labor market and major developments bringing investment to the state, which means more jobs.

Still a strong market

“We are currently experiencing monthover-month average sales prices decreasing. However, year-over-year sales prices are still 5% above 2021 values,” said Chase Mizell, Global Real Estate Advisor | Atlanta Fine Home Sotheby’s International Realty. “Our inventory is less than three months, and our average days on market are fewer than 20.”

Figures from the Georgia Multiple Listing Service, which tracks home sales in metro Atlanta, show the median sales price in the region in November was $370,000, an increase of 4.2% from November 2021, but down 2.6% compared to October.

Mizell noted that Atlanta has a leg-up on the national market as it continues to be a top-five city nationally for corporate relocation. “Generally speaking, we’re expecting the normalization of the real estate market to continue,” Mizell said.

“Interest rates are more than double where they were at the beginning of 2022; however, inventory levels remain very low.”

Mizell said Atlanta needs new developments that are attainable by first-time homebuyers. “The rate of appreciation has forced most of our firsttime homebuyers to the suburbs, so any developments with more approachable pricing, such as Summerhill, will lead the pack in demand,” he said.

Molly Carter Gaines, Ansley Real Estate | Christie’s International Real Estate, said she expects to see continued growth, but at a slower rate than previous years, “which is how a normal market functions. I strongly disagree with the negative prognostications, mainly because we still have an influx of buyers moving to Atlanta coupled with very limited inventory, and this won’t change any time soon.”

She added that Druid Hills, Morningside and Virginia Highland

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Chase Mizell

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Continued from page 14

continue to be highly sought-after neighborhoods, and the demand for areas like Candler Park and Lake Claire has skyrocketed. “We’re also witnessing the push and pull between historic landmark districts and new commercial construction Intown, which will be a hot topic in 2023,” Carter Gaines said.

“We will continue to see low inventory and interest rates at 6%,” predicted Robin Blass, The Robin Blass Group, Harry Norman REALTORS, adding that the current interest rates are not out of line with historical rates.

She said that first-time buyers are at the lowest level in years, down by 6% according to the National Association of REALTORS. “We do feel that they will be back in the market as home prices stabilize, sellers become more motivated, and buyers find ways to work with the interest rates.”

Blass said that Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, and Brookhaven are expected to remain strong, with their accessibility to highways and the new job growth coming to the Perimeter area.

Good things ahead

Ken Covers, a Private Office Advisor with Engel & Völkers Atlanta with over 20 years of experience, also sees good things in the coming year. “The shifting interest rate certainly has a big effect on the market, but at the same time, we have a really robust city with people moving in and out,” he said. “I expect the Intown market to stay strong.”

From a big-picture perspective, buyers are still trying to understand what life is really like after the pandemic, Covers said. “People can live in almost any part of the country and still have stimulating, interesting careers. I see them weighing their options and making their choices very carefully.”

Since Atlanta still has low inventory in sought-after Atlanta neighborhoods, multiple offers are not necessarily a thing of the past, according to Kim Boyd, Broker Associate, Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty. “Demand has slowed some, but so has supply. We are only seeing a very slight downward trend on prices with this market shift, particularly with high-end homes.”

She concluded that sellers can still expect a successful profit, but they can expect to give on inspection items when needed repairs or defects come up.

Atlanta continues to top the lists as one of the best places to do business and live, Boyd said, adding that many buyers love being close to the city. “The areas, year after year, that are hot will continue to be Buckhead, Brookhaven, Sandy Springs, Morningside, Virginia Highland, and Ansley Park.”

Ken Covers

Atlanta Fine Homes, LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each franchise is independently owned and operated. Intown Office: 1555 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 100, Atlanta, Georgia 30309. 404.874.0300. atlantafinehomes.com | sothebysrealty.com Luxury is defined by a level of service. Scan to view this month’s collection of featured properties exclusively represented by our firm. NOTHING COMPARES.

HomeServices Georgia Properties. “If the Feds slow the increases to a half basis point and then, in second quarter, no hikes, this will bring mortgage rates down to the mid to upper 5% and we should be in a much-improved market,” he said.

Murray believes that townhomes will continue to be a strong segment of the market. He shared that his focus is on Doraville, the Westside Quarry area and neighborhoods along the yet-to-be-developed sections of the BeltLine.

“Home ownership is still an excellent way to build wealth,” Murray stated. “Higher mortgage rates are just a cost of building your real estate wealth.”

Mizell also had some encouraging words to share. “We are experiencing a normalization of the market which will be healthier for both buyers and sellers in the long term.”

Older adults active in the housing market

Murray said that he’s seen an increase in seniors in the housing market, especially those who want to downsize and find lowermaintenance properties. He noted that it can be a challenging time for some older adults,

who have seen their retirement accounts drop, requiring them to look at different price ranges.

Carter Gaines has a different experience. “I’m intrigued to see that instead of downsizing, I have several older adult clients upsizing and pursuing opportunities with larger lots and more square footage, she said. “These clients like the idea of having a hub for their children and grandchildren to gather for holidays and family get-togethers.”

She added that, in her experience, it’s been an ideal time for active seniors to buy. “My senior clients rely less on financing, which gives them a more competitive foothold in multiple offer situations,” Carter Gaines said.

Blass reported that many older clients feel their large homes and yards are too much to take care of – or they’d rather spend their time and money with travel and other things.

“You’d think that they are looking for smaller, but it’s really something different that they’re looking for,” she said. “They need everything on one floor, but still want lots of square footage with some availability on another level for the family to visit. They’re also looking for developments with smaller lots that are maintained by someone else and that have a sense of community.

Bill Murray

‘Drastic changes’ proposed for Cumberland Island

assured to monitor, and then adaptively manage, the impacts of more visitors (up to 700 daily ferry passengers and more private boaters) and new development. One hundred of these ferry passengers would be allowed to dock, for the very first time, at Plum Orchard mansion on the edge of the wilderness.

Why is the NPS proposing to dramatically increase visitation now?

Currently, more than 100,000 people are allowed on the island every year: double the number of visitors logged annually over the past decade. I read hundreds of pages of NPS documents, seeking clear, fact-based answers to this essential question. I found only vague references to recurring stakeholder debates, possible socioeconomic barriers, and the need to enhance access to the wilderness.

Wilderness Protection

Above the Water Line

Sally Bethea

Sally Bethea is the retired executive director of Chattahoochee Riverkeeper and an environmental and sustainability advocate.

comprehensive and doesn’t appear to meet federal requirements.

Longtime island resident Carol Ruckdeschel – a biologist, environmental activist, and author – believes the proposal is “far out of bounds.” A fierce protector of Cumberland for nearly sixty years, Carol has dedicated her life to studying sea turtles on the island, as well as its ecology and natural history. She told me: “We have a giant mess on our hands here with a terribly destructive visitor management plan. If accomplished, it will drastically change the island as we know it.”

park to limit the number of daily visitors, Cumberland was always intended to be managed differently from most other units of the park system.

In 1984, the NPS approved a general management plan for the island with a visitor limit of approximately 300 people per day: the maximum number that two large ferries can carry to the island; purposefully, there is no bridge. Many years of studies and heated debate led to this decision, bolstered by literally thousands of letters from the public saying, in essence, “leave the island alone.”

The proposed visitor plan opens the door for more expansive use of electric bikes near wilderness areas, potentially violating federal law. E-bikes were approved for national lands by the Trump Administration; however, a recent judicial order requires the NPS to review potential user conflict and damage to the environment and allow public comment. It is premature for Cumberland’s new plan to promote the use of motorized bikes, zooming down beaches and near wilderness areas at 25 miles per hour.

Drone shot from Piedmont Park by Luis Gaud (@jerrito1 on IG).

Iwas looking forward to spending the final weeks of this particularly difficult but also joyful year doing virtually nothing: walking, reading, and getting ready for the new year. That is, until I learned the National Park Service has proposed to dramatically alter the way a beloved barrier island on Georgia’s coast has been managed for decades. Cumberland Island National Seashore, a unit of the national park system, is threatened by an overdue but fatally flawed new management plan. The deadline for the public to make comments is Dec. 30.

Most glaringly, in its draft visitor use management plan, the NPS proposes more than a doubling of the number of visitors to the wilderness island with no clear explanation of what is driving this action at this time. An environmental assessment explores the potential impacts of allowing more people and development on Cumberland, but it is not sufficiently

Conservation and Conflict

The U.S. Congress established Cumberland Island National Seashore in 1972 and President Nixon signed the legislation into law to be managed and protected by the NPS. The enabling legislation states: “the seashore shall be permanently preserved in its primitive state, and no development… for the convenience of visitors shall be undertaken which would be incompatible with the preservation of the unique flora and fauna or the physiographic conditions now prevailing.”

A decade later, half of the island, which is about eighteen miles long and averages several miles in width, was designated as federally-protected “wilderness” or “potential wilderness.” As one of the largest remaining barrier island ecosystems on the Atlantic Coast and the first national

Hans Neuhauser, former coastal director of the Georgia Conservancy, was actively involved in the planning for Cumberland. He says there was little evidence in the early days – or now – to suggest that the general public wants any change. “To protect the special quality of a visitor’s experience, the island’s ‘carrying capacity’ was determined through experimentation and adopted in official policy; the ferry became the mechanism to control the number,” he said. As a management tool, Hans believes the restricted ferry access has worked well for the 50,000-plus people who visit annually.

Private boats and cruise tours also regularly visit the island; however, the NPS is unable to monitor the number of people who arrive in this fashion, given the minimal funding and staffing available to enforce use limits and other laws. This is a serious problem. Astonishingly, under the proposed plan, no additional funds are

There is no doubt that fact-based management plans must be developed for Cumberland Island National Seashore to offer solutions to real problems and opportunities to enhance park goals. Many of the suggestions in the proposed visitor use plan are positive. The plan’s visitor capacity analysis for a dozen key park destinations is helpful, with the exception of the wilderness section. How can visitor capacity in wilderness areas be calculated without the required stewardship plan?

The NPS must prepare a full-blown EIS, or environmental impact statement, to comply with federal law and answer the many questions posed here and by others. I plan to make that recommendation in comments submitted to the NPS by December 30. Will you also make your views known? There will be plenty of time to rest and plan for the new year, once we’ve given a voice to the pristine maritime forests, saltmarsh, and beaches of Cumberland Island.

Review the draft Cumberland Visitor Use Management Plan at https://www.nps. gov/cuis/index.htm and please comment by the extended Dec. 30 deadline. Wild Cumberland offers helpful comments at www.wildcumberland.org.

Cumberland Island (Photo by Charles Seabrook)

An Evening with Fred Hersch and esperanza spalding Thursday, Jan. 19 | 8 p.m.

Emory Jazz Fest 2023

Warren Wolf and the Emory Jazz Fest All-Stars Friday, Feb. 10 | 8 p.m. Emory Big Band Saturday, Feb. 11 | 8 p.m. Tickets and information at schwartz.emory.edu

Two towers rising at Centennial Yards

groundbreaking event.

Centennial Yards “is uniquely Atlanta” by bringing about public-private partnerships and nonprofit sectors together to “dream big” and bridge the gap between the east and west sides of the city, Dickens said.

One tower will be the 18-story Anthem Atlanta hotel with 292 rooms, a pool deck, and an 8,000-square-foot ballroom. The other tower will be an 18-story apartment building with 304 units ranging from studios to three bedrooms. Together, the two towers will have 21,000 square feet of ground-level retail and restaurant space. A public green space is also part of the project.

The overall site plan is designed by a global team led by world-renowned architecture firms Foster + Partners and Perkins&Will.

City leaders for decades have tried to redevelop the downtown eyesore. In 2018, the city selected Los Angeles-based CIM Group to redevelop the 50 acres in a deal that included $1.9. billion in public subsidies.

CIM Group’s co-founder is Richard Ressler, brother of Tony Ressler. Tony Ressler and NBA Hall of Famer Grant Hill own the Atlanta Hawks.

By Dyana Bagby

Two high-rise towers are soon to rise from the gaping hole in the heart of Downtown Atlanta as part of the $5 billion Centennial Yards project to transform the area into a vibrant mixed-use district.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Nov. 17 for the two towers — one a hotel and the other an apartment building — to

Nightclub

be constructed across from Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena. The area, once known as The Gulch, includes dozens of acres of parking lots and train tracks that lay 40-feet below street level.

“The first two high-rise towers in Centennial Yards, formerly known as The Gulch, what has been a massive 50-acre hole in the ground generating zero revenue, will now serve as a catalyst for future revitalization of Downtown Atlanta,” Mayor Andre Dickens said at the

MJQ

Both are slated to be completed by 2025 and open for business when the 2026 World Cup comes to MercedesBenz Stadium. The towers are designed by Atlanta-based architecture firms Goode Van Slyke Architects (GVSA) and TVS Architecture + Design.

Centennial Yards is expected to span some 12 city blocks and include 4 million square feet of new residences when completed. An additional 4 million square feet of commercial space with a mix of hotel, retail, restaurant, and office space is expected to create one of the largest sports entertainment districts in the Southeast.

The groundbreaking comes a year after the city signed a community benefits agreement with CIM Group. The agreement includes $28 million planned for affordable housing, $12 million in citywide economic development, and $2 million for workforce training.

The overall development plans to deliver 20% affordable housing for 99 years; 38% goal of minority and femaleowned business participation in the project including design, development and property management; and 25% of entry-level construction jobs at Centennial Yards — and 10% of all construction jobs — are targeted for workers from around Downtown Atlanta, with hundreds of jobs.

to move as Ponce development looms

By Collin Kelley

A longtime Atlanta nightclub announced Friday that it will move to a new location as redevelopment looms for a stretch of Ponce de Leon Avenue.

MJQ Concourse posted on social media that 2023 will be its last year at 736 Ponce in VirginiaHighland. The club has been at that location for 25 years, originally opening in the basement of the old Ponce de Leon Hotel (now The Wylie) in 1994.

“No we are not closing our doors, but will relocate to another space… that announcement is soon to come,” the social media post said.

In the meantime, the popular nightspot was slated to host its annual New Year’s Eve celebration and plans to bring back popular events from the past and special guests throughout 2023.

The announcement comes after Portman Holdings said it plans to redevelop the block where MJQ is located with a new apartment building and two office towers at the intersection of Ponce de Leon Avenue and Ponce de Leon Place.

Renderings of the hotel (right) and apartment building at Centennial Yards.

Courtesy MJQ Concourse

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Carputty startup is challenging the car loan status quo

By Maija Ehlinger

The auto loan space was ripe for innovation, says Atlanta-based entrepreneur Joshua Tatum.

“Consumers currently have to apply for an auto loan each and every time they wish to purchase, refinance, or buy out their current leases. On top of that, consumers are given different rates based on the car they wish to have. Finally, the entire financing stage of the car buying process is time-consuming, frustrating, and expensive for consumers,” he explained.

But that won’t cut in a post-COVID, online-focused consumer world. That’s where Carputty comes in.

“The shift to digital is one that will remain in a post-COVID landscape as consumers are continually doing more online and looking for the ease-of-use benefits that come with it. Carputty’s technology and business model not only allows consumers a quick and easy online experience but also helps our business partners to fast-track their own capabilities to meet this growing demand for digital ecosystems,” Tatum added.

Tatum, co-founder and CPO of Carputty, describes the startup as a “technology platform in which consumers can manage their vehicles much like they would manage their stock portfolio.”

The platform

brings “transparency to the automotive world,” he added. That is important, given that the US Census Bureau finds that the average American household has 2.5 cars. The majority of car loans originate at a dealership, which adds to the lack of transparency.

How Carputty Drives Innovation

Carputty has two key tools to help consumers, V3 Valuation and Flexline.

V3 brings together data from auctions, dealerships, and private sales to get the most accurate representation of a car’s value. Flexline works as an “evergreen line of credit” members use to finance their vehicles. Flexline accounts have a maximum of $250,000 and can be used to purchase new or used vehicles, buyout leases, or refinance existing auto loans.

Carputty’s “stickiness” in the market has attracted customers and investors alike.

The team just closed a $12.3 million Series A, from Atlanta-based TTV Capital, Michigan-based Fontinalis Partners, Michigan-based Grand Ventures, Utah-based Kickstart, and Germany’s Porsche Ventures.

Carputty is connecting two business areas where the Atlanta business

Atlanta Intown has partnered with Hypepotamus, the go-to source of startup and technology news in the Southeast. hypepotamus.com

Carputty cofounder Joshua Tatum

Atlanta Intown and Reporter Newspapers have once again joined forces to select honorees from our coverage areas for 20 Under 20. As in past years, we are in awe of these students’ abilities to juggle their education while giving back to the community in such significant and meaningful ways. From creating nonprofits and fundraising to mission trips and mentoring, the 2023 honorees have gone above and beyond to bring positivity and leadership to the metro. While narrowing down this year’s honorees and runners-up wasn’t easy, we think these students will inspire and motivate you to give back to your communities.

– Collin Kelley

As vice president of the 21st Century Leaders chapter, Salaam creates service projects that students can partake in to help the greater community. Over the past three years, she has organized food and clothing drives, as well as opportunities where students can volunteer. The senior also organized a Community Service Fair that brought representatives from multiple nonprofit organizations to Midtown High to connect with students for volunteer opportunities. “I think this event was especially cool because this type of project has a domino effect in our community; it allowed many students to learn about the service opportunities they can each be a part of to give back to our community and speak with their respective service organizations first-hand,” she said. Salaam’s goal is to get her law degree, work for the United Nations, and specialize in human rights.

The senior served as a program assistant with the Emagination Tech Camp at Mercer University and Georgia Institute of Technology for four years where he assisted elementary/middle school age students with coding. One of the first cohort of students to be accepted to the SMASH program at Morehouse College, Hunter spent the last three-plus years engaged in team building, data science, and analyzing solutions for 21st-century geo-global issues. He’s also a member of the Future Business Leaders of America and won first place in their annual competition for a public service announcement he created on mental health. He plans to attend either Georgia Institute of Technology or Morehouse College after graduation.

Salaam Awad, 18 Midtown High School

Hunter Graves, 17 Midtown High School

Midtown High School students Salaam Awad and Hunter Graves. (Photo by Isadora Pennington)

James and his sister are cofounders of Double Play, which collects sports equipment to underserved athletes both locally and internationally. He has been the “muscle” behind the scenes, collecting and transporting the gear and creating a scholarship program. Since 2017, Double Play has now donated 90,000+ pieces of gear in partnership with 35 organizations, including Nike and Dick’s Sporting Goods. In 2021, James founded Triple Play in partnership with Bank of America and Merrill Lynch to educate underserved students on money management. “More than anything, I learned that teamwork is critical to make things happen and to surround yourself with amazing role models,” he said. “My sister and I started a small gear collection, and I can’t believe it has grown so much and in diverse ways. None of this would have been possible without our team and community.”

As part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Caring for Caregivers, Mariana organized a donation drive to support the caregivers of pregnant, incarcerated women in Georgia prisons. The senior partnered with the nonprofit Motherhood Beyond Bars, organized a collection of baby items through an Amazon wish list, and encouraged HSPS parents and faculty to donate. Within a month, she collected over 500 baby items, including cribs, diapers, formula, wipes, clothing, toys, and more. Mariana said she received a photo of a father holding one of the care kits collected during her project. “I smiled ear to ear and realized that because I was determined to help, it made a difference in a family’s life. That feeling is one of the greatest and unforgettable,” she said.

James Rhee, 17 The Westminster Schools

Mariana Munoz, 17 Holy Spirit Preparatory School

Arthi Devineni, 17 Riverwood International Charter School

The senior played a critical role as coordinator for Riverwood’s Big Questions Debate Tournament and is also the captain of the school’s speech and debate team. Arthi is a member of the Fulton County Youth Commission, where she leads efforts to reduce homelessness in the community by distributing school supplies, care packages, and other essentials to youth struggling with uncertain housing. She’s also played an active role in Solidarity Sandy Springs, a community movement to help families who have been overlooked or in need. “Giving back to the community through volunteering for me is an effective way to contribute and make a difference in enhancing society,” Arthi said. “It allows me to make connections from toddlers to the elderly, creating change and driving the causes I advocate for.”

As one of the leaders of AIS Against Human Trafficking, Charlotte drove outreach for a campaign that resulted in getting two billion impressions on social media in over 140 countries for CNN’s #MyFreedomDay. She hosted a global webinar with panelists from more than 40 countries and was included in CNN’s panel of students discussing human trafficking. Charlotte was also invited to be a speaker by 3Strands Global Foundation and Rotary International where she spoke on behalf of student leadership and educating for prevention alongside the White House’s council on human trafficking. When AIS adopted the anti-human trafficking curriculum, PROTECT, she trained herself and then made the training videos to deliver to fellow classmates. “Being able to deliver this training to my peers, I was able to serve my community by providing meaningful information about human trafficking, which can affect us all,” Charlotte said.

Charlotte Dixon, 17 Atlanta International School

Leah and Samar worked together to create Lovett’s Mental Health Liaisons with the goal of bringing attention to student mental health and training peer liaisons who can create student-directed programming around mental health and serve as links between students and counseling staff. In addition, Leah coordinates Lovett’s Tanzania Tutoring program in partnership with the Buckhead Rotary Club and worked hard phone banking and registering young people to vote as a member of the statewide board of students for Stacey Abrams. Samar is an active member of the debate team and organizes Lovett’s Model UN team. The duo said about the creation of the Mental Health Liaisons: “In 2020, mental healthrelated doctor’s visits for adolescents ages 13-18 increased sharply.

Leah Cox, 16 Samar Kibe, 17 The Lovett School

Teenagers going to these appointments were most frequently diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and adjustment disorder. There has never been a time more important to address these issues. We need to take action now, in order to be proactive instead of reactive when tragedy strikes.”

Flemming, 16 The Westminster Schools

Leo co-founded Flavor Forward, which collaborates with chefs to deliver fresh and nutritious meals to those experiencing food insecurity in Atlanta. He had the idea for Flavor Forward after seeing that his dad’s business, Punk Foodie, built extensive relationships with Atlanta-area chefs, and how they might be a resource to help the community. Flavor Forward identifies volunteering chefs who craft 50-100 meals, and the organization covers the cost of the ingredients and provides the containers, packing, and delivery of the food to organizations such as Free99Fridge and Ronald McDonald House. In just a year, the organization has delivered over 4,500 meals. He’s even gotten Westminster involved. “Through working with my friends from my school to help with volunteering, I realized that I could bring Flavor Forward (IG: @flavorforward.atl) to my school community and potentially utilize resources such as the cafeteria to create a club or organization within my school,” he said.

Blind since birth, Raveena has not let her sight limitation get in the way of giving back to the community. As co-leader of the school’s Community, Service Club, she spearheaded the Period Project two years in a row by collecting feminine hygiene products for Atlanta GLOW and My Sister’s House at Atlanta Mission. Ravenna also worked in the community with Partnership for Southern Equity, Intown Collaborative Ministries, organized food drives for Meals on Wheels and volunteered via Zoom with SUKRUPA, a nonprofit school in Bangalore, India serving underprivileged youth.

“For me, giving back fulfills me and is one of the ways I find purpose,” she said. “It allows me to connect with new people and to learn new insights into what our community needs and how I can do my part to support and be a part of the solution. Serving others has always been a passion of mine and reminds me daily of the abundance I have been blessed with to share with my community and beyond.”

Asenior at Cristo Rey, Amelia has worked on projects as a member of the Girls Scouts, including organizing canned food drives, care packages, and Christmas cards for the needy. She also partnered with SeaQuest to paint murals that educate children about marine environments and created an alliance with PaintLove to use artistic expressions to bring awareness to mental health. Amelia said meeting a homeless man who shared his “life lesson” with members of the school’s Labre Ministry for the Homeless has stuck with her. “He told us his life story and emphasized the importance of education, confidence, and being true to yourself. We gave him his food, he thanked us and said that he would forever pray for our success,” she recounted. “It helped me realize the importance of giving back to your community and showing empathy towards others.”

From Pre-K through 12th grade, creating opportunities for each child to thrive is

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Leo

Raveena Alli, 16 Atlanta Girls’ School

Amelia Wilson, 17 Cristo Rey Jesuit High School

Avi Narula, 16 Pace Academy

Avi has been volunteering with Intown Collaborative Ministries since he was in seventh grade to help prevent homelessness and hunger, including collecting hundreds of items of cold-weather gear shared with various other organizations over the last three years. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he created an online wish list of food items and then delivered them to those in need. Avi also delivered weekly groceries to individuals who are unable to travel to the ministry’s food pantry and picked up excess freshly grown produce from area farmer markets for distribution. In the fall, he organized a service initiative with the Georgia High School Water Polo Association to get toiletry donations for the nonprofit Rapid Rehousing Program. “I started volunteering at the Intown food pantry five years ago when I was in seventh grade,” he said. “I keep coming back because I can see the impact I can have.”

Chandler serves on Woodward’s Service Leadership Board, an organization that plans and provides volunteer opportunities for students to support the needs of College Park and the broader Atlanta community. As a ninth grader, she began volunteering at Horizons Atlanta, an affiliate of Horizons National, a summer enrichment program that lessens the educational disparity gap for underserved students through high-quality academics. As a teaching assistant, Chandler was responsible for ensuring that young students retained knowledge from the previous school year and did not fall behind in reading and math.

“I believe that every child, regardless of their socioeconomic status or race, should have the same opportunity at making a positive impact on their community,” she said.

“Having served in the Horizon program for four years, I have had the opportunity to witness the children grow into themselves, advance academically, and excel in their extracurricular activities.”

Chandler Warden, 16 Woodward Academy

The senior dedicates most of her free time to studying, supporting, and educating the community about Atlanta’s animal welfare challenges. Irene has helped organize schoolwide service projects benefiting local shelters and volunteered countless hours both in and out of the DeKalb County Animal Shelter. She recently helped find a forever home for an emaciated dog named Scarlet, who was found on the roadside by a teacher. Irene said the time and energy to help the dog brought tears, but also determination to help animals. “Volunteering and having an internship at the DeKalb County Animal Shelter has been the most rewarding experience,” she said. “The number one question I get asked by people is, ‘How do I do it?’ or ‘How do you not take every dog home?’ I remind them, “If I do not stay strong, what example am I setting for others that want to pursue their passions?”

Irene Sharon, 17 The Weber School

Stinnett, 18 Academe of the Oaks

During her 9th grade year, Naomi participated in the Hope Education Project, which connects Academe of the Oaks students to the refugee community. She worked every Sunday with refugee children, helping them with schoolwork and making them feel welcome. After this program ended because of the pandemic, she found new ways to reach out to her community. Naomi volunteers at the Carter Center regularly, at the nonprofit daycare Our House, and as a camp counselor. She has also taken classes and attended events for the Dunwoody Teen Police and is a police cadet, which includes volunteering as a public safety advocate. “I’ve gained knowledge in different ways that I can best help communities, which has given me a chance to become a confident leader,” she said. “Being a leader requires you to give an excellent representation of everything our society should be doing and help guide followers to become leaders with you.”

Sheza has been volunteering with youth development nonprofit Pebble Tossers since 2015. She has helped collect, sort, and distribute school supplies and books to over 10,000 students in 24 countries. Through Supplying Hope Around the Globe (supplyinghopearoundtheglobe.org), which she established in 2014, Sheza has worked with the Isdell Center for Global Leadership at Pace Academy, and other partners to collect and distribute 4,200 pounds of gently used school supplies and 4,000 children’s books, keeping them out of landfills and placing them in the hands of underprivileged and refugee school students. Since 2020, she has been leading weekly virtual English classes for disadvantaged girls at a residential high school in Pakistan. “Interacting with my global peers through Supplying Hope Around the Globe has helped me understand that the desire to learn is universal and that education is the true equalizer as it leads to opportunities,” she said. “I feel incredibly fortunate to have witnessed the sparks of hope when underserved students receive a book or even a seemingly simple pencil.”

In 2022, Sophia created ReTakeOut (retakeout.com), a nonprofit whose mission is to reduce plastic pollution by collecting used plastic takeout containers and repurposing them by donating them to individuals and organizations that reuse them to help feed the hungry in the metro Atlanta area. So far, ReTakeOut has partnered with The Elizabeth Foundation, Hope Atlanta, Eye Believe Foundation, Free99Fridge, FoodCommune, and Food4Lives. Sophia recently formed a second nonprofit called the Southern Youth German Education Association, Inc (sygea.org) whose mission is to promote and preserve a high degree of community and education, student interest, support and sponsorship of German language and culture for 4th-12th graders in the southeast. The nonprofit has applied for a grant to help cover expenses for local German teachers to attend a conference in Boston and to help cover expenses for a summer study program in Germany for 15-20 students. “The sheer number of people who had already donated or were willing to donate to ReTakeOut really brought a heartwarming feeling to me, and the messages I received about the actual nonprofit itself also made me feel like I was truly making a difference in our community,” she said.

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Naomi

Sheza Merchant, 18 Pace Academy

Sophia Wang, 17 Chamblee High School

School

During his sophomore year, Max started the Atlanta ID Project to help housing-insecure individuals obtain government-issued IDs. He submitted his idea to the Dr. Siva Kumari MYP Student Innovators program. Max was selected as a winner from an international pool of applicants to receive a grant to further his project. He then connected with Intown Collaborative Ministries, which has generously provided time and mentoring, enabling Max to build a process to help people obtain IDs. He also tutors at-risk youth with the Sandy Springs Mission and has created two award-winning documentaries on issues challenging the world today. “Across a big city like Atlanta, it might be expected for its citizens to have more differences than similarities, but we actually have a lot in common,” he said. “We share joy over Braves World Series victories, burning hatred for the traffic, and a sense of pride to hail from the former hub of the Civil Rights Movement. That pride inspires me to uplift our geographically bonded community through service.”

Food security first caught Catherine’s attention in junior high. She and her classmates volunteered at the Paideia school farm to help grow and harvest food for a local food pantry that served hundreds of families. To learn more, she volunteered at the Atlanta Community Food Bank and attended the Youth Food Summit for two consecutive years. Last summer, she volunteered at the Clarkston Community Center to support young children whose families do not have access to healthy food and also gathered food with Concrete Jungle. With help from chefs, teachers, and students, Catherine organized in-school cooking classes to preserve all this fresh food for food-insecure people in her community, including a women’s prison facility. “I felt an unforgettable sense of community and support working with this group and knowing that students took something away from this experience,” she said. “I learned just as much from this experience as the younger students, and I was excited to find that the women at the facility were grateful to receive the preserves.”

Landon launched a website and initiative called FiveStar Comeback (fivestarcomeback.com) to help provide high school studentathletes everywhere with mental health resources and inspirational stories of their comeback from injury. The initiative started as a project in his Ethical Leadership Class after he saw teammates mentally struggle during physical rehab and recovery and wanted to help them. The website has been shared with all Georgia High School Association member schools and Landon has been invited to speak to children and athletes about the values of hard work, determination, commitment, and teamwork, which have helped athletically and in the classroom. “Sports are so important to students because they teach them individual responsibility and being part of a team,” he said. “High

Max Dinerman, 18 Atlanta International

Catherine Dwyer, 16 The Paideia School

Landon Denker, 16 The Lovett School

The senior is a Chapel Leader and Core Leader within the GACS Student Ministries program, where she acts a mentor to the student body. As a member of the Beta Club, she assembles holiday care packages for the nonprofit Samaritan’s Purse. In the community, Kate has made healthy lunches for undernourished children during the summer and collected canned and dry foods in the fall to restock local food pantries. She was also a mission student in El Paso, Texas for Casas Por Cristo, which sends building supplies to Guatemala and builds homes for poor underprivileged families. She’ll be heading to Guatemala herself in February to build one of the homes. “I am excited to now travel to Guatemala and actually build a home from the ground up for a family,” she said. “It will be so rewarding to have seen this process through from start to finish. I also cannot wait to meet the family that will be blessed with this wonderful new home.”

Schedule your family’s tour at gallowayschool.org/visit!

GREATER EDUCATION IS WITHIN REACH

Rachel Joseph, 19, Georgia State University

Jordan Polain, 18, Douglass High School

Tsumari Patterson, 17, City Springs Theatre Conservatory Fernanda J. Morales, 17, Midtown High School

Christopher Martinez, 19, Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation

Ivy Holland, 17, Greater Atlanta Christian School

See bios of each runner-up at reporternewspapers.com.

We are only a short drive away! Plus, GAC has 11 bus routes (with Wi-Fi & A/C) across the Atlanta area.

Congrats to Kate Hidell (GAC ‘23) for winning the 20 Under 20 Award and to Ivy Holland (GAC ’24), selected as runner-up!

Galloway students confidently embrace challenges while developing the knowledge, skills, and cultural competence to thrive as enlightened contributors in their chosen pathways.

Kate Hidell, 18 Greater Atlanta Christian School

Achieve Atlanta and partners increase college persistence and completion

By Clare S. Richie

Research by Georgia State University’s Georgia Policy Labs shows Achieve Atlanta Scholars who receive scholarships and support services persist in college at much higher rates than similar peers without those resources. T

The scholars are 11 percentage points more likely to continue from freshman fall to spring semester with similar results in subsequent semesters. The findings were most concentrated among scholars with 80-90 high school GPAs, many of whom were not eligible for Georgia’s merit-based HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships.

“We placed our bets on this belief that to change big social problems, you’ve got to have cross-sector collaboration with a common vision, common goals and a lot of accountability,” said Tina Fernandez, Achieve Atlanta founding executive director.

The nonprofit partners with Atlanta Public Schools (APS), 10 colleges and universities and numerous nonprofit and community organizations to help APS students access, afford and earn postsecondary credentials.

“To have an outside evaluator

validate that what we’re doing is having a significant impact on the students we serve, really affirmed our work,” Fernandez said.

In 2015, when Achieve Atlanta was founded, only 1 in 7 APS students was predicted to earn a postsecondary degree in six years. Yet by 2025, data shows that more than 60% of Georgia’s jobs will require some form of postsecondary education or certification, according to the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education.

To disrupt this trend, Achieve Atlanta set out to connect eligible APS students – who meet income requirements, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and graduate with a 75+ GPA – to financial, academic, and social-emotional support. To date, this collaboration has served 5,100+ Scholars, 94% of whom are Black or Latinx, at 300+ institutions across the U.S.

“Achieve Atlanta has provided me with the best resources that helped me during my 4-year college experience. Not only did they provide financial support with scholarships and emergency grants, but they supplied me with a college coach who I built a strong bond with,”

Jazzmyne Dennis (Photo by Elevated Perceptions Photography)

said Jazzmyne Dennis, Valdosta State University ’22.

Achieve Atlanta prepares high school juniors and seniors for postsecondary education with a free SAT offering during the school day plus college application and financial aid advising. It also provides a need-based scholarship of $5,000 per year for scholars pursuing a bachelor’s degree and $1,500 per year for an associate or technical degree. Scholars can also apply for a one-time emergency grant of up to $500 to weather unexpected financial challenges. To help navigate campus life and resources, all scholars attending a Georgia institution are assigned a coach and those at one of Achieve Atlanta’s 10 partner institutions also have access to a peer advisor.

“We think the data makes a good case for state need-based aid,” said Korynn Schooley, Achieve Atlanta’s vice president of college access. “The results were most promising at that GPA range right below HOPE eligibility. Last session, the state did pass a small pilot program for completion grants for students with need. We are hoping to build off of that. Needbased aid is not just helpful for students at the end of their college career … our research shows it’s an important factor in helping students persist in college from the start of their college career.”

As Achieve Atlanta advocates for more state need-based aid, the nonprofit will also embark on a strategic planning process this spring as it prepares for a

leadership change following Fernandez’s departure. The evaluation results along with the ongoing support from the Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation and a recent $8 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott will aid Achieve Atlanta on how to expand its impact.

“We are now in a position to be thinking about growth and how do we support all of our college graduates to a strong first job,” Fernandez said.

With 1,000+ college graduate scholars to date, Achieve Atlanta is working with Georgia State University, Spelman College, the Metro Atlanta and Georgia Chambers of Commerce, and a national nonprofit, Braven, on a series of interventions to help scholars connect to internships and first jobs.

Over the next three years, Georgia Policy Labs will continue to monitor Achieve Atlanta’s influence on postsecondary education persistence and completion while also examining its scholars’ student debt and financial wellness.

“We have started to harvest the fruit of seeds we planted eight years ago,” Fernandez said. “What I’m excited about is that it is going to continue to grow over the next phase of this organization’s life. We are going to see more and more the impact of what happens when a community rallies around its students.”

Visit achieveatlanta.org for more information.

On

Oglethorpe University Scholars (Courtesy of Oglethorpe)

Virginia-Highland Elementary to debut this year

By Dyana Bagby

Virginia-Highland Elementary School is the name of the new Midtown Cluster school set to open in August 2023.

The name was approved by the Atlanta Board of Education at its Dec. 5 meeting. The name was recommended by an Atlanta Public Schools naming committee after several meetings with community feedback.

Michelle Olympiadis, board member and chair of the naming committee, told the board that Virginia-Highland Elementary School was recommended because it is a location-based named, similar to Morningside and Springdale Park elementary schools and Midtown High School.

The site of the new elementary school is the former Samuel M. Inman Middle School on Virginia Avenue. The middle school closed in 2020 after David T. Howard Middle School reopened in the Old Fourth Ward following a $52 million renovation. The building was also the temporary home of Morningside Elementary, while its campus underwent renovations.

Inman, who died in 1915, was a prominent Atlanta businessman in the 1800s. Inman Park is named for him. He was also instrumental in the founding of Georgia Tech and served as board chair of Agnes Scott College.

A few people spoke during public comment to urge the board members support the Virginia-Highland Elementary School name. They said they needed a name as soon as possible so the new parent-teacher group could apply for nonprofit status and begin raising money before the school is slated to open on Aug. 1.

One parent, Elizabeth Adams, noted that Samuel M. Inman was a cotton merchant who served as a lieutenant in the Confederate Army during the Civil War.

“The whole purpose of renaming was to make the school an elementary school instead of a middle school,” Adams said.

“And then we decided in that process to replace the name Samuel Inman, who was a cotton merchant and a Confederate lieutenant,” she said. “The name VirginiaHighland Elementary meets this purpose. It’s a clear improvement upon the Inman name.”

Adams said that out of a survey of nearly 1,000 people, roughly half of the community selected Virginia-Highland Elementary School as the top choice and over 80% of the community selected the

name as one of the top three choices.

“I know that there are a handful of people against the name change, and I appreciate open debate, but any further delay will have a huge impact on the resources we have available for our kids on opening day,” Adams said.

Transforming the Inman building into a new elementary school was a controversial decision approved by the school board in August. Hundreds of elementary school students in the Midtown area are being rezoned, with the new Virginia-Highland ES expected to have about 600 students on opening day.

The school district said the new elementary school is needed to alleviate overcrowding at Morningside and Springdale Park elementary schools and to increase diversity and accessibility.

The new school has had a “rocky start,” as reported by the Atlanta JournalConstitution.

Superintendent Lisa Herring was forced to withdraw her pick for principal after parents complained about her work history. The complaints led to an internal investigation of the district’s hiring g process, resulting in the suspension of three senior administrators. One Human Resources director eventually left the job, according to the AJC.

Terry Harness, principal at Springdale Park, was finally selected to be VirginiaHighland’s first principal.

former Inman Middle School is being transformed into Virginia-Highland Elementary.