What's New
3-D sidewalk art being created
at Town Center Park
As part of Arts in the Park, artist Truman Adams of Sarasota, Florida, is in the midst of creating a 57-foot-long, 3-D sidewalk painting in Suwanee's Town Center Park.
The interactive painting of a mountain stream includes a beaver, duck, and butterflies as well as stepping stones and is designed to appear 3-D when looked at through a camera lens. The artist explains that in order for the painting to appear 3-D in photographs, it cannot look multidimensional to the naked eye.
"It's all about perspective," says Truman. "The 3-D illusion is based on angles. I'm putting a vertical picture on a horizontal surface, and then the painting will be viewed from a vertical perspective."
The interactive aspect of the painting relates to the stepping stones. When someone steps on the painted stones and someone else takes their photograph from the designated spot, it will appear as if the first person is actually crossing a gurgling mountain stream.
Adams has created street art over the past four years and loves the scale of it. "I fell in love with doing larger work," he says. "It's very Zen to work outside and do this. I feel like a Zen master making a garden on the street."
Doubleheader events planned
Memorial Day weekend
The City of Suwanee will host back-to-back events Memorial Day weekend.
First up on Friday, May 24, is the University of West Georgia Concert Band, which will perform a free concert as part of the City's annual Memorial Weekend celebration. The band, comprised of the most advanced woodwind, brass, and percussion players at West Georgia, will take the stage around 7:15 p.m. at Town Center Park.
Before the band's performance, the Aero X aerial demonstration team, made up of active duty, veteran, and civilian personnel, will "drop in" via parachute at Town Center Park at approximately 7 p.m., weather permitting. The Silver Wings out of Fort Benning, who usually perform at this event, cannot appear due to federal sequestration budget cuts.
The following evening – Saturday, May 25 – come back to Town Center to cheer on the Upton brothers and other Atlanta Braves as they travel to New York to take on the Mets. The Braves are bringing the big screen as well as inflatables, activities, and Homer to Suwanee for Game on the Green. Activities begin about 6 p.m. with a performance by the Full Circle band; first pitch is at 7:15.
Also, on May 25, the Berlin Wall section currently on temporary display in front of City Hall will be auctioned at 4:30 p.m. by the Auction Management Corporation. Bids may be submitted onsite or online via live webcast at www.auctionEbid.com.
New SculpTour unveiled
Scheduled to be officially unveiled at the May 18 Arts in the Park festival, the 2013 SculpTour pieces offer artistic interpretations and reflections on a broad range of topics, from nature to the human body, from love of family to an appreciation for well-worn tools.
This recently installed SculpTour features sculptures arranged in a walking tour in and around Town Center Park. The exhibit will remain on display through March 2015. A walkable art encounter, Suwanee SculpTour is part of the City's public arts initiative. The program is coordinated by the Public Arts Commission and is funded through private donations.
The artists in the exhibit hail from seven different states. Several are from Georgia with the remainder coming from Florida, Kentucky, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
"Whether people see one or two pieces at a time as they visit Town Center or see all 15 at once as they take the approximately one-mile walking tour," says Economic and Community Development Director Denise Brinson, "we hope that the accessibility of public art in Suwanee will make them pause, reflect, connect, and maybe smile."
Find more information about the sculptures and artists participating in the 2013-15 SculpTour and vote for your favorite by clicking here.
Be part of Suwanee Day
30th celebration!
This year's September 21 Suwanee Day festival marks the 30th celebration of community in Suwanee. You can be an important part of the celebration!
Exhibitor/vendor and entertainment applications for this year's festival are now being accepted through June 1. Applications are available at www.suwaneeday.com.
Each year, nearly 200 vendors display and sell handmade arts and crafts items or offer palate-pleasing foods at Suwanee's "celebration of community" while up-and-coming performers along with established favorites provide a variety of free performances.
The theme for this year's Suwanee Day parade is: 30 Years of Celebrating Suwanee – Remembering the Past, Celebrating the Present, Looking to the Future. Parade participants are encouraged to decorate floats and design performances that fit in with the theme. Parade entrants are eligible for cash prizes in a variety of categories, including best reflection of theme and most creative.
Food trucks, 'Spider-Man' coming
first weekend in June
The first Friday of June will bring food trucks back to Town Center Park, and the following night Movies Under the Stars will present The Amazing Spider-Man.
Suwanee's first Food Truck Friday in May drew a large crowd, despite the cool, overcast, rain-threatening weather conditions. The City is inviting additional trucks for the June event; eight trucks are scheduled. The food trucks expected to serve up Friday night dinner June 7 are Bubble Tea, Champion Cheesesteak, Freckled and Blue, Hail Caesar, King of Pops, Mac the Cheese, Nana G's Waffles and Chicken, Tex Tacos, and Yumbii. The event begins at 7 p.m., but some trucks may be set up a little earlier.
Also being served up that evening is a free performance by Funk Sandwich and Nathan Angelo, a band based at Gwinnett Church. The performance will begin at 7 p.m.
Food Truck Fridays will take a break in July and return in August and September.
On June 8, Movies Under the Stars will screen The Amazing Spider-Man. Released in 2012 and rated PG-13, The Amazing Spider-Man stars Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. Movies Under the Stars is free and open to the public. The screening will begin at Town Center Park shortly after dusk. Bring snacks, blankets, and lawn chairs, but no alcohol may be brought into the park.
History meets art
It's a piece of concrete. It's a piece of art. It's a piece of history. It's a section of the Berlin Wall, and it currently is standing in front of Suwanee's City Hall at 330 Town Center Avenue.
This iconic symbol of the Cold War era stands approximately 13 feet tall and weighs 8,000 pounds. The once-western-facing side of the concrete section features graffiti artwork that depicts a building, people, and the American flag. The wall section is anticipated to be on display in Suwanee over the next couple of months while Auction Management Corporation prepares to auction off the four-ton historic/artistic marker.
"We're thrilled to be able to exhibit this section of the Berlin Wall," says Suwanee's Economic and Community Development Director Denise Brinson. "It's a cool way to bring an important piece of art and history to area residents. This display fits in well with Suwanee's goal of making art accessible."
The historic wall section will be auctioned to the highest bidder regardless of price at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 25. Bids may be submitted onsite or online via live webcast at www.auctionEbid.com.
Cars, equipment, etc. available
via online surplus auction
The City of Suwanee is offering more than 100 items – including six vehicles, dozens of pieces of office equipment, and even a chicken coop – via an online surplus auction. The auction begins at 9 a.m. tomorrow (May 3) via the GovDeals website; to see and bid on City of Suwanee items, go to www.govdeals.com/cityofsuwanee. Bids will be accepted until the evening of Monday, May 13.
The vehicles being auctioned are former police vehicles. The minimum bid for each is $500. In addition, lawn equipment, office printers, computers, file cabinets, and other miscellaneous items, including a former chicken coop, will be offered, for which bidding may begin as low as $5.
Star 94 throws a paw-ty
Star 94 Radio will unleash the fun – for both two-legged and four-legged creatures – when it hosts its annual Woofstock event from 12-7 p.m. Saturday, May 11, in Suwanee's Town Center Park. The event will include dog exhibitions, pet contests, live musical entertainment, inflatables for children, and a variety of vendors, including pet adoption and rescue groups.
Musical performances will be presented by Departure, a Journey tribute band, Gareth Asher, and the Dave Matthews Tribute Band. See the full event schedule.
Admission to Woofstock is free. Dogs, cats, birds, and ferrets are welcome; all animals must be on a leash.
Food and beverages, including beer and wine, may be purchased from event vendors as well as Town Center restaurants, but no alcohol may be brought into Town Center Park.
Limited parking is available at Town Center behind the businesses. Additional parking may be available along Main Street, from which patrons can access Town Center via the pedestrian tunnel. Click here for additional and updated information.
Farmers Market, Food Truck Fridays
coming to Suwanee in May
Farmers markets and food trucks have become two of metro Atlanta's most popular ways to access fresh ingredients and ready-made meals. And, the City of Suwanee is serving up both in May.
Beginning Saturday, May 4, the Suwanee Farmers Market will open for the season. Through the twice-weekly market, area residents may purchase fresh produce as well as jams, breads, honey, meat products, eggs, flowers, and more from a variety of vendors.
The market is open at Town Center from 8 am-noon Saturdays through October 5 (except September 21) and from 4-7 p.m. Tuesdays through August 6.
On the first Friday of May, June, August, and September, Suwanee will host some of Atlanta's favorite food truck vendors. "We've had an extraordinarily enthusiastic response to our Food Truck Fridays announcement," says Events Manager Amy Doherty. "It seems everyone wants to be in on this trend."
Food truck vendors on May 3 will include Chay J's New Orleans Candies, King of Pops, Mac the Cheese Truck, Mighty Meatball Mobile, Nana G's Chicken and Waffles, One Love Jerk Grill, and Pressed for Time. Dinner will be served up about 7 p.m., and the Peachtree Ridge, North Gwinnett, and Collins Hill high school jazz bands will perform on the Town Center stage.
Suwanee goes out on a limb
with annual art program
Suwanee's annual finders-keepers, month-long Art on a Limb program will bloom along the Suwanee Creek Greenway as well as Sims Lake and White Street parks throughout the month of May. Through this perennial program, which is designed to bring attention to Suwanee's arts efforts as well as its parks, two pieces of original artwork are hidden each day; those who find a piece of art along one of Suwanee's trails get to keep it.
This year's Art on a Limb pieces are clay birds and tiles created by Suwanee artist Judy Isaak. On the tiles are representations of nature and Suwanee landmarks. The pieces are created from red clay, which Isaak chose to represent the ubiquitous red Georgia soil.
"Suwanee's doing a great job of promoting the arts," says Isaak. "I'm very honored to be part of the Art on a Limb program." Visit Isaak's website.
B at the movies
B at the Movies Saturday, May 4, when B98 brings Men in Black 3 to the big screen at Town Center Park. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, this time along with Josh Brolin, confront aliens-gone-bad once again and, along the way, save Earth as well. Released last year, this time-travel, sci-fi comedy is rated PG-13.
"This mostly solid sequel is a return to form for the series and just stellar enough to make it a must-see for fans of summer popcorn fare, no matter your age," writes We Got This Covered critic Kristal Cooper on www.rottentomatoes.com. Men in Black 3, adds Scene-Stealers.com critic Eric Melin, "deepens the relationship between J and K, but it's still really a showcase for more of the same offbeat humor and imaginative special effects…."
The movie screening will begin shortly after dusk. Bring snacks, blankets, and lawn chairs, but no alcohol may be brought into the park.
Suwanee keeps two 2012 SculpTour pieces
Wind Sculpture Weathervane by Al Garnto
Suwanee's Public Arts Commission (PAC) has purchased two pieces from the 2012 Suwanee SculpTour exhibit, which closed in March. The sculptures, purchased with private donations made to the public arts program, are now part of Suwanee's permanent collection and will be exhibited at Sims Lake Park.
Audubon Watcher by Jim Collins
The PAC purchased Audubon by Tennessee artist Jim Collins and Wind Sculpture Weathervane, which was the People's Choice winner, by Blairsville artist Al Garnto.
Public art pieces like those exhibited and acquired through Suwanee SculpTour, says Economic and Community Development Director Denise Brinson, "makes our community more interesting."
"SculpTour has given us a jumpstart on our public art collection," she adds. "It gives us a way to test out pieces before we buy them, to figure out how well they hold up and what it takes to maintain them."
Heart of Stone
Heart of Stone, the final movie in Suwanee's 2012-13 Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers, will be shown at 7 p.m. Monday, April 15, at Movie Tavern, 2855 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road. Tickets are $6 and available at the theater or www.movietavern.com.
Heart of Stone chronicles the efforts of Principal Ron Stone to restore order and learning at one of the most violent schools in the country, Newark's Weequahic High School. The documentary demonstrates how disparate groups, including gangs, can work together to rebuild and revitalize older communities.
On the Rotten Tomatoes website, on which the film scored a 100 percent on the tomatometer, Los Angeles Times critic Kevin Thomas writes: "Heart of Stone is a portrait of a dedicated man – smart, articulate, strong, and tough-minded yet warm and compassionate, willing and able to reach out and communicate with his students on an individual basis."
Ticket price includes refreshments and an opportunity to interact with filmmaker Beth Kruvant.
The Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers is a program of South Arts. Southern Circuit screenings are funded, in part, by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
Take two: Video competition redux
Make Suwanee the star of your original 1-3 minute video and you could be the winner of up to $1,000. The deadline for submissions to the City of Suwanee's 2013 video competition is May 24.
"Videos, especially ones that are funny, unique, or little bit off somehow, have become part of our social media-fueled culture," says Public Information Officer Lynne Bohlman DeWilde. "We'd love for a Suwanee video to be an intentional part of that conversation. We'd love to have folks around the country buzzing, asking: 'Did you see that funny video about living in Suwanee?'"
Videos must be submitted in WMV or MOV format on a DVD along with an application. Submitted videos may be posted to the City's YouTube channel and Facebook page.
The City hosted its first video competition last year and received seven entries. See Suwanee residents Paul Johnson's and Dave Hansen's winning videos by clicking on their name.
Snap Suwanee
The 2013 Snap Suwanee winning photographs are now on exhibit at Suwanee City Hall, 330 Town Center Avenue. Ten winning photographs were selected from among 66 entries received from 18 photographers.
The annual exhibit includes photographs of Suwanee-related people, places, and scenes.
"It's always interesting to see what events each year capture photographers' attention and imagination," says Public Information Officer Lynne DeWilde. "It's fun to get a glimpse of the community through the eyes – and lenses – of area residents."
The 2013 Snap Suwanee exhibit will remain on display at least through the end of the year.
Art on a Limb blooms in May
Suwanee's annual finders-keepers, month-long Art on a Limb program will bloom along the Suwanee Creek Greenway as well as Sims Lake and White Street parks throughout the month of May. Through this perennial program, which is designed to bring attention to Suwanee's arts efforts as well as its parks, two pieces of original artwork are hidden each day; those who find a piece of art along one of Suwanee's trails get to keep it.
This year's Art on a Limb pieces are clay birds and tiles created by Suwanee artist Judy Isaak. On the tiles are representations of nature and Suwanee landmarks. The pieces are created from red clay, which Isaak chose to represent the ubiquitous red Georgia soil.
On her website, Isaak says: "I'm making and selling pottery from my studio and enjoying the creativity that some jobs don't allow! I have the association of many other types of artists, and learning from them and becoming inspired by them makes this a very rewarding artistic endeavor."
"Through Art on a Limb, 62 pieces of art will be claimed by area residents," says Suwanee Events Manager Amy Doherty. "Being out enjoying the Greenway or one of Suwanee's parks in May has its own benefits, but this program takes park perks to a whole new level."
Artists wanted for two festivals
Exhibitor applications are now being accepted for both the May 18 Arts in the Park festival and September 21 celebration of Suwanee Day. Exhibitors at both festivals are selected through a jury process.
Arts in the Park, hosted by the North Gwinnett Arts Association, is a festival that celebrates art in all its various, wonderful forms – from fine arts to performance arts. The festival is particularly interested in artists who are willing to demonstrate their craft onsite or to educate the public about their art form. Applications from artists and food vendors are due April 30.
Exhibitor/vendor and entertainment applications also are being accepted for the 30th celebration of Suwanee Day. Applications are available at www.suwaneeday.com. Nearly 200 vendors display and sell handmade arts and crafts items or offer palate-pleasing foods. The deadline for exhibitor applications is June 1.
Each year at Suwanee Day, up-and-coming performers along with established favorites take to the main festival and children's stages, offering a variety of free performances. The deadline for entertainment applications is May 15.
Suwanee events: fun & award-winning
The City of Suwanee's events are not only fun, they're also award-winning. The City received six Kaliedoscope Awards from the Southeast Festival and Events Association (SEFA) during its annual conference in Auburn, Alabama, in February.
Suwanee's Super Incredible Race, a mind-bending, heart-racing team scavenger hunt/race through downtown Suwanee, was named Best New Event. The inaugural Super Incredible Race was held last spring. This year's event will take place April 20; applications are due April 5.
The City's Suwanee Day festival won five awards, including:
- Best Sponsor (gold) – Lewis Expo and Logistics
- Best Event Photo (silver)
- Best T-shirt (bronze)
- Best Creative Idea (bronze) for the festival volunteer pocket guide
- Best Vendor/Supplier (bronze) – FunFare.
"I was really excited that Suwanee won more awards than any other city or organization," says Events Manager Amy Doherty. "We take a lot of pride in putting together creative, fun events that help enhance our sense of community."
Resident ratings put Suwanee at the top
Photo by Dick Goodman
For the third time, Suwanee residents have been asked to rate community characteristics and government services through the National Citizens Survey. For the third time, residents have rated Suwanee highly, generally above and often much above ratings received from residents in some 500 other jurisdictions across the country.
In the 2012 National Citizens Survey, conducted in November, residents' ratings placed Suwanee among the top 10 performing communities in 32 of 117 questions addressed – that's 27 percent. Residents' responses made Suwanee #1 in four areas: land use, planning and zoning; preservation of natural areas; city parks; and availability of affordable quality child care.
Suwanee conducts the National Citizens Survey every two years. The survey allows the approximately 500 participating communities across the country to benchmark themselves against one another and to identify local challenges, evaluate improvements, and monitor services and amenities. The statistically valid and scientifically administered survey is managed by the National Research Center (NRC) and International City/County Management Association (ICMA).
Suwanee residents continue to be pleased with overall community quality. Ninety-nine percent of survey-takers rated Suwanee as an excellent or good place to live and would recommend living in Suwanee. Ninety-seven percent rated the overall quality of life as excellent or good. "What we're really pleased with," says Mayor Jimmy Burnette, "is how we've stayed strong. Our numbers have stayed consistently high across the board and across time." See more highlights. See the full reports from NRC/ICMA.
Super incredible fun
The City of Suwanee is bringing back its super incredibly fun Super Incredible Race on April 20. The race is a scavenger-like hunt, a la Amazing Race meets small-town America, in which teams of two or teams of family members receive a series of clues that require them to complete a variety of high-energy mental and physical challenges. During last year's event, contestants slurped spaghetti noodles, danced, raced on hippity-hops, solved a multi-step math equation for which the answer was 30024, and told a joke, among other activities.
The City is extending the fun this year by presenting the spring concert immediately following the race. Departure, a Journey tribute band, will perform at Town Center at 7 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.
Race participants may compete on foot or bike and will travel to a variety of locations throughout the Town Center and Old Town areas. Participants should expect that they may walk (or run) or bike up to 5 miles, and completion of the race course is expected to take between one to three hours. The race will begin at 3 p.m. at Town Center Park.
Pre-registration is required; the deadline to register is April 5. The registration fee is $25 per two-person team plus $10 per additional participant for family teams. All registrants will receive a 2013 Super Incredible Race t-shirt. Contestants will need to bring a camera, smart phone or other means of Internet access, and at least one canned good per team member. Prizes will be awarded to winning teams in both the pedestrian and bike categories. Prizes also will be awarded for best costume/themes.
Police dept. earns state re-certificaton
Photo by Koko Warner
The City of Suwanee Police Department has once again received statewide certification from the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police. State certification, which the Suwanee law enforcement agency first earned in 2000, confirms that agency practices are consistent with progressive professional standards. State certification is valid for three years.
"State certification helps us to be vigilant in maintaining efficient and effective operations and practices," says Chief Mike Jones. "It helps to keep us on task."
In 2010, the Suwanee Police Department was nationally accredited for the first time by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). Suwanee is scheduled to be reviewed by CALEA for re-accreditation later this year.
National accreditation is based on an agency's ability to meet more than 450 standards. State certification encompasses more than 100 standards, 21 of which are unique to the state and not included in national standards.
Make reservations for splish-splashin' fun
Even before the Big Splash fountain is turned on for the season on April 1, daycares and other organizations will be able to make reservations for summer splashin' fun.
To ensure accessibility and safety for all, the City of Suwanee established last year a required reservation system for daycares and other organized groups of 10 or more. That same system will be used this year.
During the 2013 summer season, Big Splash at Town Center Park will be available to daycares and other groups by reservation only from May 28-August 1. The fountain will not be open to groups on holidays or Fridays, which are designated as community days.
Daycares located in the City of Suwanee may reserve the fountain up to four times during the season. Reservations from City-based organizations will be accepted beginning March 11. Daycares outside the City limits may make reservations beginning March 18 and may schedule the fountain twice during the season.
Please check the fountain calendar before making reservations. Reservations may be made by calling Billie Marshall at 770/904-7669 or sending an email to fountainreservations@suwanee.com.
Reservations do not allow for exclusive use of the fountain. Big Splash is open during all hours of operation (9:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.) to non-group users. See more reservation guidelines.
'Dunderheads' coming to Suwanee
If you like your comedy dark, you'll enjoy the Dunderheads' March 18 visit to Suwanee via the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers.
Starring big-name actors Olympia Dukakis and Haley Joel Osment, The Misadventures of the Dunderheads follows an eccentric Montana family: a grandmother who can't read, a 17-year-old who accidently kills his best friend, and his 18-year-old sister who is several degrees off kilter. The trio is on the run to Canada, but end up in Mexico, in this funny and poignant fable of the human family.
This film was directed by DG Brock, who has worked with legendary film producer Roger Corman and as a Disney screenwriter, and produced by Bruce Stubblefield, whose sound credits include three Academy Award winners. Misadventures won Best Feature Film at The Big Apple Film Festival at Tribeca Center.
The movie will be shown at 7 p.m. Monday, March 18, at Movie Tavern, 2855 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road. Ticket purchase includes an opportunity to interact with filmmakers. Tickets are $6 each and available at the theater or online at www.movietavern.com.
2013 event calendar unveiled
The 2013 City of Suwanee event calendar includes six races, seven festivals, three movies, at least four concerts, and a variety of other traditional favorites including Woofstock, Trek or Treat, and the 30th celebration of Suwanee Day.
Among the more than 30 events on the calendar are a handful of new ones being organized by private groups as well as two sponsored by the City: a September unveiling of the artistic, permanent setting for Suwanee's 9/11 artifact and an event series being called Food Truck Friday.
On Food Truck Fridays, to be held the first Friday of the month in May, June, August, and September, several trucks, offering a variety of ethnic foods, will pull up at Town Center Park. The community is invited to come enjoy a casual dinner and musical performances from the Town Center stage. On the first Food Truck Friday on May 3, local high school jazz bands will perform.
See the full 2013 event calendar.
WANTED: Farmers, butchers, bakers…candle-makers
As the Suwanee Farmers Market gears up for its ninth year, farmers who can provide fresh produce as well as vendors with other items – including jams, breads, honey, meat products, eggs, flowers, and more – are invited to apply to participate in the 2013 season.
Applications are due by March 18, on which date the Suwanee Farmers Market Annual Meeting will be held. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at Suwanee City Hall, 330 Town Center Avenue.
Typically, the City receives more applications than can be accommodated by available vendor space. All products sold at Suwanee markets must be grown or made by the applicant; no re-selling of goods is permitted. In addition, vendors who sell products requiring state licenses must possess current licenses issued by the appropriate agencies.
The 2013 Suwanee Farmers Market will be open at Town Center Park from 8 a.m.-noon Saturdays, May 4 through October 5, and from 4-7 p.m. Tuesdays, May 7 through August 6.
Art blossoming in Suwanee
It may be the middle of winter, but public art pieces are blossoming in Suwanee. Over the past few months, several new art pieces have been installed throughout the City, many by private businesses and individuals.
Two new businesses along Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road have installed artwork. Hammer & Nail, created by Atlanta artist and 2011 SculpTour participant Andrew T. Crawford, was installed at the new Ultra Car Wash. Advance Auto purchased and is displaying Amne, a 2011 SculpTour piece created by Harry Zmijewski.
At Sims Lake Park, yet another 2011 SculpTour piece, Sunset, was installed this fall. The sculpture, created by Gus and Lina Ocamposilva, was purchased by Cathy and Rob Rohloff in memory of her sister and donated to the City. Recently, Arachnid by Damon Lusky was installed near the park's restroom facility.
Setting an example and following the 1% (art-to-construction cost) standard it strongly encourages private developers to follow, the City purchased Instinctual Center, by Aaron Hussey, for the front of the new police training facility in the Suwanee Gateway.
Says Economic and Community Development Director Denise Brinson: "Public art is making Suwanee even more remarkable."
Giving myself away…making a difference
Drew Johnson, left, and Ben Brink were among the 60 Level Creek Elementary students who participated in "Giving Myself Away" projects.
Sixty fifth-grade students in the FOCUS program at Level Creek Elementary have learned a powerful lesson that has little to do with solving algebraic equations or summarizing a story but everything to do with making a positive difference in the lives of others.
Through their individual, and occasionally dual, efforts, each of Nancy Haman's 60 FOCUS students undertook a semester-long "Giving Myself Away" project that culminated in early December. The projects were designed to inspire students to have a positive impact at home or school or in the community or the world.
Through these students' efforts, a kindergarten brother learned to play the piano, soldiers in Afghanistan received care packages, a flower garden was planted at a local Montessori school, orphans in Haiti got toys for Christmas while those in Cozumel received socks, and more than $2,500 was raised for the International Myeloma Foundation in memory of one student's grandmother.
"It really gets to me," says Haman. "They come up with such wonderful ideas of what they want to do."
Drew Johnson, who, along with classmate Ben Brink, collected jerseys, cleats, gloves, shin guards, and soccer balls for children in Kenya, says that he learned "not everything is about you, and we should help people without being asked."