UPW
URBAN
PRO WEEKLY
8 - 21, 2024
Game, set, Mach!
The Diamond Lakes Park tennis section features newly-painted courts and an improved clubhouse. Gabrielle Henderson, a sophomore at Alabama A & M University (Huntsville) and a Hephzibah High School graduate, sharpens her skills while attending MACH’s High Performance Summer Camp. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
Diamond Lakes Tennis Center set for summer ‘24 with new look
USTA $51K grant provides Mach Academy with fresh courts
The tennis courts at Diamond Lakes Park have been renewed and the pro-style instruction provided by Mach Academy Inc. continues unabated. The nationally recognized organization secured a grant from the United States Tennis Association which allowed them to work with Augusta Parks and Recreation to re-do the tennis courts at Diamond Lakes Tennis Center.
A few months ago, the courts were in pretty rough shape and were actually deemed not playable by the United States Tennis Association. Now, thanks to a $51,000 United States Tennis Association Foundation/National Junior Tennis & Learning grant, that has changed dramatically. The grant allowed Diamond Lakes to clean up, repair the cracks and resurface and repaint the courts.
MACH Academy Inc. is a non profit that teaches kids to play tennis with the goal of keeping at-risk youth out of trouble. They use the Diamond Lakes tennis courts for classes and camps and in June hosted the Nike Tennis Camp.
PUBLISHER
M.A.C.H. stands for Mentoring, Academics, Computers, and Healthy Recreation
MACH Academy, Inc., established in April of 1992, provides year round classes and camps at the Fleming Tennis Center in Augusta, GA, The Diamond Lakes Tennis Center in Hephzibah, Georgia and satellite locations throughout the Central Savannah River Area. The organization is affiliated with the United States Tennis Association-Community Tennis Association & National Junior Tennis & Learning (USTA/CTA/NJTL). Programs and services focus on teaching the extracurricular skills of the sport of Tennis. Services are provided in the hours after the customary school day for all children, ages 5 to 18 regardless of age, race, gender, disability, or financial income. The focus demographics are at risk youth, disadvantaged youth, and low and moderate income families.
SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS ARE OUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT. We provide children with opportunities for healthy social, emotional, and educational development to serve as an alternative to negative peer pressure which often leads to low self-esteem, poor behavior, violence, substance abuse, crime and teenage pregnancy. Programs and services provided act as an ounce of prevention by providing organized after school and summer camp sessions for at-risk children and youth. We also support Home Ownership for low and moderate-income families.
Our Program and Services Programs and services provided include: As a Non Profit 501 C 3 organization hosting its program at a public facility, we provide an After School Tennis Program for at-risk youth who are 5 years and older for 4 1/2 hours per day during the fall, winter and spring and 7 hours a day during the summer when children are out of school. Our programs & services are part of the USTA CTA/NJTL National membership. We provide a single skill instructional Tennis Program that is recognized Nationally.
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CONTRIBUTORS
• K.L. Gordon • Saundra Kelly
• Vincent Hobbs
• Felina Martin
• F/Benjamin Sr.
Layout/Design : UrbanProMedia
The Diamond Lakes Park tennis section features newly-painted courts and an improved clubhouse. Photos by Vincent Hobbs
The Diamond Lakes Park tennis section features newly-painted courts and an improved clubhouse. Morgan Henderson, 14, hones her skills as she prepares for the USTA Level 1 National Clay Court Championships, to be held in Plantation, Florida. Players from MACH Academy improve their skills on the new courts while attending MACH’s High Performance Summer Camp. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
The Diamond Lakes Park tennis section features newly-painted courts and an improved clubhouse.
Photo by Vincent Hobbs
EDUCATION NOW by Saundra Kelly
You can call me on my cell phone
— not during instructional time
We all love the idea of being connected with our parents, children, loved ones, etc. Thanks to the invention of cell phones and other communication technologies, this has happened. Moreover, advanced communication devices have made it possible for students to experience the world at their fingertips and become more distracted during instructional days.
Can you imagine sitting in a class lecture and learning about the geographical structure of Central America, but feeling perplexed because it’s seemingly difficult to visualize or make a connection? Suddenly, with the aid of your cell phone or iPad, you swiftly research the information for visuals- then all of a sudden it becomes more understandable. Now, you have made the connection with the remainder of the lecture. Wait! Did you just disrupt the class? Perhaps your child is the student with the color-coded calendar reminder app with repeated alarms that keeps them organized prior to the assignment due date. Furthermore, I can recall my son using his cell phone to voice record the lecture then coming home to transcribe the lecture in his notebook. Was recording the class lecture a violation of privacy? Perspective matters when closely reviewing beneficial usage or disruptive usage of the communication device during instructional
time.
On the contrary, the advancements in communication technology have begun to cause disruption in the educational environment. Disruptions can include a ringing/ vibrating cell phone, offtask internet browsing, text messaging classmates and unauthorized video recording. Moreover, what happens when a parent aids in the cell phone disruption at school? Should parents call during the school day to inform the child the routine has changed or the key is under the mat; the mere call or simple text may distract the student. However, policies could possibly be the guiding perimeters in keeping the benefits of the communication device, but eliminating the disruption in the instructional setting.
States such as California, New York, Maine and Massachusetts have implemented policies at state or district levels to govern the usage of cellphones. As for Georgia, each school district has the right to implement or not implement cell phone policies. Some districts have included policies pertaining to both students and staff personnel. Recently, Richmond County School System, local school board, disseminated surveys to the community, parents, students and teachers to utilize responses in guiding the implementation of cell phone and electronic communication policies. According to the June
Richmond County School District Update on Belair
Middle
AUGUSTA
18, 2024 survey informational report presented by Horace Dunton, Deputy Superintendent, 79% of the response indicated cell phones can have a negative impact on students social interaction at school. Furthermore, the survey concluded 27% of instructors request 1-5 times for students to put away their cell phones. The board has concluded communication devices usage during the instructional day will be limited and violation of the policies will have potential consequences. Consequences range from confiscation of the device for the day to more severe consequences such as Out of School Suspension for noncompliance to include refusal to surrender his/ her phone.
Ultimately, both students and teachers may benefit from cell phone policies that will reduce distractions, protect privacy and decrease cyber bullying. Therefore where there are benefits of the communication devices along with disruptions that can occur, policies will assist to ensure the usage of cell phones and other electronic devices remain useful and keep the focus on learning in the instructional setting. We can be assured that the new or revised policy won’t be problematic; rather the systematic implementation and enforcement of the policy across grade levels and most importantly individual schools.
School Construction MEETINGS
The Richmond County School District is committed to keeping families informed about important developments that may impact the upcoming school year. We are writing to provide an update on the construction of the new Belair Middle School, located at 150 Potential Way, Augusta, GA 30909.
Due to unforeseen construction delays, there is a possibility that Belair Middle School may not be ready to accept students by the first day of school on August 6. We are making this announcement now to ensure families have ample time to prepare for any potential adjustments.
- The plan remains for all students to attend Belair Middle School next school year. However, if construction delays prevent this from happening, we are prepared to temporarily send students to another school until Belair Middle is adequately prepared to accept students.
- We are actively coordinating with transportation staff, cafeteria workers and vendors, and faculty, teachers, and principals to ensure a smooth transition, regardless of the circumstances.
- We are working diligently to meet our goal and will do everything possible to adhere to
our ambitious timeline. In the event that we determine Belair Middle School will not be ready for students at the beginning of the 2024-25 school year, we will notify all affected families with at least 2 weeks’ notice.
-We understand the importance of this new facility for our students coming from Bel Air K-8, Copeland, and Langford middle schools, as well as rising 6th graders from Sue Reynolds Elementary School. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to provide the best possible learning environment for our students.
Augusta offering a 2nd Downtown location of EV chargers
Augusta teamed up with Georgia Power to offer a second EV Charging station in Downtown Augusta. The new EV chargers at the Augusta Utilities Department facility at 452 Walker Street continue to underscore the Green Augusta Initiative, which is the City’s commitment to embracing environmentally friendly technologies to provide eco-friendly solutions to citizens and visitors. The charging stations at the Augusta Utilities Department facil-
ity are the City’s third installment of EV chargers, with the City’s first EV chargers being located at the Diamond Lakes Regional Park in collaboration with Jefferson Energy Cooperative and the second location at the Augusta Municipal Building in partnership with Georgia Power.
The current charge to use the chargers at the Augusta Utilities Department facility is $2 per hour with an additional cost of $.14 per kilowatt hour (kWh).
The following public meetings for the RICHMOND COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION will be held on the dates listed below at 864 Broad Street, Board Room Auditorium, Augusta, Georgia 30901:
•Tuesday, July 9, 2024 – Called Board Meeting – Personnel and Policy – 3:00 p.m. – Richmond Hill Elementary School – Media Center – 2160 Mura Drive, Augusta, Georgia 30906
•Tuesday, July 9, 2024 – Called Building Committee Walk-Through at 4:00 p.m. –Richmond Hill Elementary School, 2160 Mura Drive, Augusta, Georgia 30906
•Thursday, July 18, 2024 - June 2024 Committee and Regular Board Meeting –4:00 p.m. (Regular Board will immediately follow the Committee Meeting)
•Tuesday, July 30, 2024 – Called Board Meeting – School Reopening Update & Personnel – 3:00 p.m.
AGLBA MONTHLY MEETING
Date: Wednesday – July 10, 2024
Time: 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Location: Enterprise MillFirst Floor Conference Room 1450 Greene Street Augusta, GA 30901
BEST OF BOTH WORLDS FASHION SHOW producers, Cedric Fleming (left) and KyddJoe (right) with UPW Lifestyle Contributor, Felina Martin.
THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS Fashion Show
On June 30th, show producers KyddJoe and Cedric Fleming teamed up once again for the return of their Augusta fashion show, The Best of Both Worlds. The event was held at the Sacred Heart Cultural Center and showcased five fashion designers and four hairstylists.
In addition to the show, nearly 200 guests enjoyed shopping with various vendors and complimentary wine. One of the highlights of the evening was the grand finale, featuring a performance by the Created to Play band.
Co-producer Cedric Fleming expressed his pride in the support from local vendors and his happiness in bringing the show back to Augusta. Despite a wardrobe malfunction and some lighting issues early in the show, it was an incredible evening of diverse designs, ranging from streetwear to resort wear. I can’t wait to see what KyddJoe and Cedric have in store for 2025.
– UPW Lifestyle Contributor, Felina Martin
Mistresses of Ceremony, Tee Jay and Melanie Taylor along with show producers, KyddJoe and Cedric Fleming.
173133 - Tri. B. E owner, Sylvia Marie, taking a pose in her vendor space that was filled with accessories and kimonos
193835 - Model Candi P garnered cheers from the audience in a design by Uncut/Brani B
172225 - Sydia’s Fashion Boutique macrame and crochet collection of clothing and handbags.
191207 - Tee Jays Closet showcased an assortment of shoes.
Coffee & Cars
Photos by Rchard Dunn
Car enthusiasts gathered at the Augusta-Richmond County Judicial Center for the Coffee and Cars Augusta car show. The car show welcomed all makes, models, and anyone interested in showing off their rides.
The proud owner of a 1972 Plymouth Barracuda. Photo by Richard Dunn
Augusta Symphony hires a new executive director
The Augusta Symphony is proud to announce the appointment of Becky Dearden as the new Executive Director. Dearden brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to community engagement, promising to lead the Symphony to new heights. In her new role, Dearden will oversee the Symphony’s operations, programming, and outreach initiatives. Her extensive background in community service and leadership makes her an ideal fit for this position.
“I am thrilled to join the Augusta Symphony and contribute to the cultural enrichment of our community,” said Dearden. “I look forward to working with the talented musicians, dedicated staff, and passionate supporters to continue the Symphony’s legacy of excellence.”
Dearden graduated from the University of South Carolina and was previously the Marketing Director at SME CPAs. Her community involvement is extensive, demonstrating her dedication to various organizations and initiatives. She is currently serving as the Chair of the North Augusta Chamber, asa Past Board Member and VP of Communications for the Association of United State Army Fort Eisenhower Chapter (AUSA), and she is a proud alumna of the Leadership Augusta Class of 2022 and the Leadership Columbia County Class of 2020.
In recognition of her professional achieve -
ments and community service, Dearden has received several prestigious awards, including the2021 Augusta Magazine Top 10 in 10 Young Professionals to Watch and the 2021 AUSA Third Region Outstanding Achievement Award.
“We are excited to welcome Becky Dearden to the Augusta Symphony family,” said Beth Morrison, President of the Augusta Symphony Board. “Her proven leadership and passion for community engagement are invaluable assets as we continue to grow and innovate.”
Now in its seventieth season, the Augusta Symphony is the primary professional orchestra for the Central Savannah River Area and pursues its mission ”to share the joy of great musical performance with our community-together we are music” through annual symphonic,pops, and family concerts that reach approximately 20,000 people each year. Through its Community Chords education and outreach programs, the Symphony further strives to foster broad accessibility to live classical music performance and a lifelong appreciation of the art form among people of all ages, backgrounds, and means. The Symphony’s Community Chords programs currently serve thousands of youths and adults in communities within a seventy-five mile radius of Augusta. To learn more about the Augusta Symphony, visit AugustaSymphony.com.
The Augusta Symphony announces the appointment of Becky Dearden as the new Executive Director.
