Georgia Magazine - September 2011 - (Page 8)

Compiled by Jennifer J. Hewett Georgia PE teacher, student recognized by NFL Network The NFL Network’s Keep Gym in School program, part of the NFL PLAY 60 initiative, promotes healthy lifestyles and the continued support of physical education in public schools, and helps fund improvements to gym facilities and equipment. As childhood obesity rates climb, the NFL Network looks out into the community to find students and educators committed to this goal. The program recently named its first PE Teacher of the Year from here in Georgia. Dana Griffith is a middle school health and fitness teacher from Berkmar Middle School in Lilburn. Griffith received a $10,000 cash prize and an additional $10,000 grant for Berkmar’s PE program. The NFL PLAY 60 program encourages schools and educators to value the importance of gym class; the program also gets kids excited about fitness through pep rallies featuring NFL players NFL Network Analyst Deion Sanders, right, congratulates and in fitness challenges. Berkmar Middle School health and fitness teacher Dana In a recent six-month Griffith, of Lilburn, who won the NFL Network’s 2011 Physichallenge, middle-school- cal Education Teacher of the Year award. er Caylin Newton, from Camp Creek Middle School in At- York City, where the two were recoglanta, was one of only four students nized for their dedication in a special in the nation to display the most ceremony. marked physical improvement and For more information, visit www. win the challenge. Newton joined keepgyminschool.com. Griffith at the 2011 NFL Draft in New —Amy Saxon COURTESY OF NFLN taking pollution down to zero Activist, author and “superhero,” Brooklyn Wright has been acknowledged by the Captain Planet Foundation, Action For Nature and several other environmental organizations for her efforts to keep the Earth clean and beautiful. Wright, a Powder Springs native, is only 8 years old. Wright’s 20-page book, “The Adventures of Earth Saver Girl,” tells the story of a young girl name Layla who discovers that she has superpowers. Layla’s first mission as Earth Saver Girl is to rid the Earth of trash and pollution. Young Brooklyn Wright is impacting her community by encouraging others to recycle. More online at www.georgiamagazine.org “People kept littering, and I thought it was really bad and looked really ugly in our Earth. So I wanted to do something,” says Wright on a video posted on her website, earthsavergirl. com. Her site, incidentally, gets more than 40,000 hits per week. Wright’s book has been added to the curriculum for the Cobb County School district, and she now travels to schools and events as both herself and Earth Saver Girl to talk to kids about the environment and what they can do to keep it clean. The second annual A Day With Earth Saver Girl event will take place on Sept. 17 at the Ron Anderson Recreation Center in Powder Springs. There will be interactive games, exhibits, a “litter-catching booth” and more. Wright challenges all of us to take the Earth Saver Girl pledge: “I promise to show the Earth some love. I won’t be a litterbug.” —Joey Hane GEORGIA MAGAZINE KELLY WRIGHT 8 http://www.keepgyminschool.com http://www.keepgyminschool.com http://www.earthsavergirl.com http://www.earthsavergirl.com http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - September 2011

Georgia Magazine - September 2011
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Picture This?
Georgia News
Calendar of Events
Currents
Georgia’s Energy Outlook
A Bountiful Harvest
The Coupon Mom
A Spirit of Cooperation
The 2011 Washington Youth Tour
Georgia’s Higher Learning
Higher education listings
Around Georgia
Ramble around Dahlonega continues
My Georgia
Georgia Gardens
Vince Dooley’s tips on growing hydrangeas, more on artist Steve Penley
Georgia Cooks
Second helping: More apple recipes and fall apple festivals
Snapshot
More Snapshot submissions
Money-saving websites
Gardens plant of the month; Liberty notes
Energy-efficiency tips

Georgia Magazine - September 2011