Student’s poem to be published

Woodward Academy sixthgrader Kaiden Dye’s poem “Be the Difference Maker” was selected in a national writing contest for publication in “The Super Chronicles: Stories About the Power to Make a Difference,” by Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Kaiden is a member of the Greater Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter of Jack and Jill, an organization dedicated to nurturing future African-American leaders by strengthening children through leadership development, volunteer service, philanthropic giving, and civic duty. “The Super Chronicles” was released July 31 and is available on Amazon.

Student magazine earns national honor

The Blade , Woodward Academy’s Upper School student-run newsmagazine, was recently named a 2016 Newspaper Pacemaker Finalist ,the National Scholastic Press Association’s highest award. The category includes traditional broadsheet newspapers as well as newsmagazines. Fifty finalists were selected nationwide out of 266 entries. One judge noted a successful entry combined clean designs with dominant photos and solid writing. Director of Student Publications Rebekah Goode-Peoples said, “This recognition is a sign that we are building a real national model student journalism program here at Woodward.”

Church gives supplies to Woodstock Elementary

Woodstock Elementary School recently received a generous donation of school supplies from Woodstock City Church. The church, which hopes to make the school-supply drive an annual event, collected the following supplies from its members to donate: notebook paper, spiral notebooks, pencils, crayons, markers, colored pencils, glue bottles, glue sticks, Sharpie markers, hand sanitizer and scissors.

Student musician wins prestigious scholarship

Jonathan Paul, a senior at Wheeler High School, was awarded a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music. Jonathan participated in Berklee’s Performance Program this summer in Valencia, Spain, where he auditioned with the admissions committee visiting from Boston. He is one of only three musicians who were awarded a scholarship out of the 125 participants from 35 countries. He is an alto saxophone player with Wheeler’s Wind Ensemble, plays alto and tenor saxophone with the Wheeler Jazz Ensemble, and is president of the Wheeler Tri-M Music Honor Society. Jonathan has been a member of the All-State Concert Band five years and played alto sax and lead tenor sax in the All-State Jazz Band for one year.

Proctor Square demolition progressing

The Residential Group Builders report they have reached 75 percent completion of the demolition of the former Proctor Square site on Buford Highway in Duluth and expect to be finished by the end of August. Grading of the site is slated to start mid-September.

The development of this site to become the Village in Duluth includes talks with Google to bring Google Fiber internet and HD video to the property. Architectural drawings have been submitted to city officials for permitting and the first round of comments will be reviewed shortly.

Council members will run unopposed this fall

Qualifying for Norcross municipal elections concluded Aug. 19. Incumbent council members Josh Bare, Andrew Hixon and David McLeroy successfully qualified with no opposition. As a result, Norcross will officially cancel the scheduled November municipal election as part of the next city council agenda.

Candidates elected to office in the November election, or in this case incumbents running unopposed, take office in January of the following year to serve twoyear terms.

Norcross City Council members are elected at-large and are responsible for adopting the city’s annual budget, enacting ordinances and resolutions, establishing the tax levy, and “taking such actions as are necessary for the security,