Author: On Common Ground News

DeKalb County is gearing up for its 33rd Annual DeKalb Senior Olympic Games. The county is inviting senior citizens in DeKalb and surrounding counties who are ages 50 and older to compete in a variety of games. The registration deadline is April 26. The 10-day games will kick off on May 1, 10 a.m., at Porter Sanford III Performing Arts Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur. The Olympic-style sports festival, which runs through May 10, will include free-throw basketball, bowling, track and field, billiards, swimming, table tennis, line dancing, water volleyball and more and will be held at various venues across…

Watchdogs for Justice Team will conduct a free seminar, “Keeping Kids Out of Prison,”  on May 4, 2 to 4 p.m., at the Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown Library, 2861 Wesley Chapel Road, Decatur.  The seminar will consist of interactive skits and a question-and-answer session involving the following topics: What your constitutional rights are and how to safely exercise them Four primary reasons youth end up in the system What to do if stopped by the police When to talk and when to keep silent What “3 strikes and you are out” means Watchdogs for Justice is a nonprofit whose mission…

DeKalb County is celebrating National Park RX Day on Sunday, April 28. Park RX Day is designed to promote outdoor activities and good health across the nation. DeKalb has planned an array of free activities on this day including yoga, tai chi, guided walking tours, planting, dancing, blood pressure screenings, health education and food The DeKalb County Board of Health is coordinating the county’s observance of Park Rx Day. The following county parks are participating:   Mason Mill Park (Flagship Event) 1340 McConnell Drive, Decatur, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Activities: Yoga, cardio, guided walking tour, kid-focused fitness, health education…

The Stonecrest Citizens Coalition will host its monthly meeting on Tuesday, May 14, 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Stonecrest Library, 3123 Klondike Road, Stonecrest. The featured speaker will be Attorney Gina Mangham, who has a depth of professional experience as a Chief of Staff at the DeKalb Board of Commissioners; a legislative aide with the Georgia House of Representatives; managing attorney at Legal Aid; corporate experience in financial analysis, and marketing and training with IBM. Mangham is currently advocating for the extension of MARTA rail to southeast DeKalb County. The Stonecrest Citizens Coalition invites the community to join in…

This month, DeKalb County’s District Attorney Office and Parks and Recreation Department are hosting a shoe drive to commemorate National Child Abuse Prevention Month, recognized annually each April. The agencies are raising awareness about child abuse through the inaugural children’s shoe drive, “A Mile in their Shoes,” a figurative and literal acknowledgement of the plight of children suffering from abuse. New and gently-used shoes will be accepted at donation sites throughout the county beginning April 22.  The shoe drive runs through May 10. The shoes will be donated to the DeKalb County Division of Family and Children Services to benefit…

The Greater Lithonia Chamber of Commerce(GLCC) honored six students from the DeKalb County School District with scholarships at the Chamber’s April 17 luncheon. DeKalb Schools Superintendent R. Stephen Green, who served as keynote speaker for the luncheon, helped present the awards to four seniors who will graduate from Arabia Mountain High School: Miles McDaniel, Daija Jackson, Nya Childress and Jerry T. Myers, III. The superintendent also presented scholarships to Emoni Coleman of Miller Grove High School and Rebecca Zhang of Lithonia High School. Each student received a $500 scholarship and were selected based on essays they submitted. The topics covered…

Nearly 200 metro Atlanta middle and high school students participated in the “CodeHouse Day of Code” tech conference, which was held at Morehouse College in Atlanta on April 18. The conference showcased STEM careers and motivational sessions led by black engineers and was held to inspire black students to consider careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Four computer science majors from the Atlanta University Center, in partnership with Google, Microsoft, Dell, Adobe, and IBM worked with the students. Several public schools, including KIPP Academy, a member of a national network of charter schools, attended the conference. Organizers said they hope…

This year, five students from Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) have been selected to attend the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program (GHP) hosted at Berry College in Rome, Georgia this summer. The students selected to attend are: Robert Boone – Music Brass: Tuba (Heritage High School);
Brandon Gignilliat – Agricultural Research, Biotechnology, and Science (Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology); Elizabeth Lee – Communicative Arts (Heritage High School);
Amaya Sommer – Music Voice: Treble (Heritage High School);
and Shivam Vohra – Mathematics (Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology). “I congratulate our students for being selected for such a prestigious educational program,” said…

On March 25, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) and Grammy nominated hip hop artist “21 Savage” teamed up to educate students on the importance of financial literacy and following their dreams. Savage and Congressman Johnson made two stops in Georgia’s Fourth District to connect with more than 100 students and introduce them to the rapper’s financial literacy programs. “Learning the invaluable lessons of financial literacy at an early age is critical to helping our young people grow and thrive as adults, and close the wealth gap with their peers,” said Congressman Johnson. “Last year, I had the privilege of participating in…

Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS)’ Carlos Hernandez, eighth grade social studies teacher at Gen. Ray Davis Middle School (DMS), was named a top ten finalist for Georgia Teacher of the Year. “We are thrilled to have Mr. Hernandez recognized by the state as a Teacher of the Year finalist,” said RCPS Superintendent Dr. Terry Oatts. “He is an exemplary teacher who builds relationships with his students and truly cares about meeting their individual needs. We wish him well as the selection process continues for the Georgia Teacher of the Year.” The 2020 finalists, announced by State School Superintendent Richard Woods,…