January 5, 2010

Updated! Upper Division Students Explore Atlanta

By Lynne Grigelevich

Category: Academy Headlines | Community News Headlines

Tags: Students, Upper Division

Thirty-seven of our most adventurous Upper Division students boarded a bus to Atlanta at 5:30 AM on Thursday, November 19, 2009. The four teacher chaperones – Mr. Sullivan, Ms. Grigelevich, Ms. Klaeren and Mr. Vo – held their breath as they embarked on an eight-hour bus ride with some surprisingly wide-awake teens. It turned out to be the start of one of the most exciting, educational, highly praised UD trips these Academy students and teachers had experienced.

Students explored Atlanta through the eyes of artists, educators, college students, dancers, singers, news anchors, mountain climbers, and veteran citizens of this remarkable city. A trip to the High Museum of Art provided us with a glimpse into the vision of Leonardo DaVinci as we perused his many sketches and drawings, which shed new light on his role in the development of Renaissance sculpture and the work of artists who followed him. A tour of the CNN studios gave us an inside look at how a story makes its way to the nation. A visit to Martin Luther King’s memorial gave us pause as we walked by the home where he was born, the Ebenezer Baptist Church where he served as co-pastor, and the tomb where he and his wife lay peacefully. Each setting we explored gave us new insight into this remarkable corner of our country.

Following tradition, we explored yet another wonderful university, offering our Upper Division students an up close look at college life. On our admissions tour of Georgia Institute of Technology, we learned of the students’ application process, the school’s selection process and the myriad of opportunities provided by one of the nation’s top research institutes. (Visit www.gatech.edu if you would like to learn more about GA Tech).

Our adventures continued for four days. We rode the summit sky ride to the top of Stone Mountain, graced with an extraordinary carving that took the artists forty-seven years to complete. The views were breathtaking, and the numerous outdoor attractions allowed us to enjoy the beautiful cool Georgia weather. We ate lunch at the famous Varsity and sipped our way through the Coca Cola Factory. Whale sharks, manta rays and beautiful tropical fish swam over our heads in the largest aquarium in the United States. And the holiday spirit took us over as we sat in the “Fabulous Fox Theatre” and watched as the Rockettes danced and kicked their way into our hearts. Our eight-hour return home was filled with laughter, reliving highlights, and the pronouncement that this close-to-home adventure was one of the best yet for Academy’s UD students.