Michael Hollis’ entrepreneurial legacy to live on at Atlanta airport
The Atlanta City Council on March 18 unanimously passed legislation to name Concourse D at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport after Michael Hollis, founder of popular business airline – Air Atlanta.
The ceremonial naming of Concourse D was supported by well-known Atlanta leaders, including Robert Franklin, a former president of Morehouse College; former U.S. Sen. Wyche Fowler; U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson; Carlotta Harrell, chair of the Henry County Commission; among others.
Leading the effort was Michael’s older brother, Julius Hollis, an entrepreneur in his own right who has helped make sure his late brother’s accomplishments are not forgotten. For example, his name lives on with the Michael R. Hollis Innovation Academy, a pre-K to 8th grade Atlanta Public School specializing in science, technology, engineering and mathematics on the Westside.
“The unanimous vote is one of the greatest testaments to the inspiration of Michael Hollis to build a world-class airline here in Atlanta,” Julius Hollis said after the City Council vote. “I don’t do it for him, and I don’t do it for myself. I want young kids – whether they are Jewish, Black, Asian, Latino — to know what they can achieve. That’s what Atlanta is all about — aspiration and inspiration.”
Michael Hollis, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2012, was also involved with the saving of Grady Hospital as well as numerous business ventures.
Both Hollis brothers could thank their mother, Virginia Robinson Hollis, for their entrepreneurial spirit.
“Our mother told us the word ‘impossible’ does not exist,” Julius Hollis said. “All you need to do is put a hyphen in the word, and it becomes ‘I’m-possible.’”
— Maria Saporta
City Schools of Decatur’s teacher of the year named top 10 state finalist
Alicia Reno, City School of Decatur’s 2023-2024 teacher of the year at Tally Elementary School, received a surprise visit from State Superintendent Richard Woods, who announced that she is a finalist for the 2025 Georgia Teacher of the Year award.
As the school’s teacher of the year and, later, as the district’s earlier this school year, Reno and nine other finalists will move forward in the next phase of the top honor selection process, which includes delivering formal speeches and participating in interviews with a panel of judges.
Click here to learn more about Reno and the other finalists.
— Allison Joyner
Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta event raises $350,000 to support ‘girl leadership’
Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta (GSGATL) raised nearly $350,000 during its 11th annual Second Century Luncheon on March 14. This funding helps address the inequality of charitable giving to female-serving organizations, representing only 1.8 percent of all charitable giving. Funds raised at the luncheon ensure every girl can participate in the Girl Scout leadership program regardless of financial means.
Kim Greene, chairman, president, and CEO of Georgia Power received the “Changing the World” award in front of an audience of more than 350 of her peers at the Fox Theater in Atlanta. For more than a decade, the ‘Changing the World’ Award has been presented annually to a woman achieving incredible professional success and making a significant impact in her community.
Both Greene and Girl Scout of Greater Atlanta Interim CEO Kat Marran spoke on the need for girls’ STEM programming as women are vastly underrepresented in the plentiful and more lucrative STEM career fields.
“As one of the largest youth-serving nonprofits in Georgia, the largest female STEM pipeline in the state, and with our core program focusing on leadership development, Girl Scouts is an important part of the solution,” Marran said.
“Girl Scouts will be evolving to ensure that girls continue to have incredible opportunities…and become unstoppable in whatever path they choose,” Greene added.
Previous Changing the World awardees include Roz Brewer, former CEO, of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Soon Mee Kim, chief DEI officer, Porter Novelli and Wendy Stewart, president, Global Commercial Banking of Bank of America.
— Derek Prall
Agnes Scott receives $50,000 grant to build physician assistant workforce in metro Atlanta
Earlier this month, Agnes Scott College announced receiving a $50,000 grant from the Truist Charitable Fund to help develop a physician assistant (PA) program to meet the growing healthcare needs in metro Atlanta.
The Winston-Salem Foundation administers the fund, whose mission is to inspire and build better lives by investing in local community organizations that support initiatives and programs in educational equity, leadership development and community service.
Studies show that the demand for PAs is expected to grow to 34.5 percent in the Atlanta metro area, over 9 percent national average.
The new program will enroll 40 students to practice medicine through a 24-month curriculum. The gift from the fund will support the launch of the critical healthcare education and workforce development initiative, helping to build a pipeline of practitioners representing the diversity of communities across Georgia.
“We are immensely grateful to the Truist Charitable Fund for their early investment in our physician assistant program at Agnes Scott College. We look forward to working with the community and trusted partners like Truist to answer the demand for a qualified, diverse pipeline of healthcare professionals,” said Leocadia Zak, President of Agnes Scott College.
The program is slated to begin in 2025.
— Allison Joyner
ArtsBridge Foundation announces nominees for 2024 Shuler Awards
In a special online presentation in partnership with Georgia Public Broadcasting, the ArtsBridge Foundation announced the nominees for the “Sweet 16” 16th Annual Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards (GHSMTA) for the 2023/24 school year.
GHSMTA winners and nominees are recognized as the best of the state’s high school musical theatre students and schools. The complete nominees list is available later in this press release and online in the GHSMTA section of ArtsBridgeGA.org.
Also known as the Shuler Awards or The Shulers — named for the Marietta-born stage and screen star Shuler Hensley — the GHSMTA will be celebrated at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre and via live broadcast on GPB-TV on April 18 at 8 p.m.
“This year we maintained focus on encouraging and celebrating how programs across Georgia create inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible theater spaces where all students feel honored, understood, seen and heard,” said Elizabeth Lenhart, director of arts education for ArtsBridge Foundation. “This focus aligns directly with ArtsBridge Foundation’s commitment to our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (I.D.E.A.) Policy, as well as our mission and vision.”
— Derek Prall
Leadership transition coming to MAP International
One of the most inspiring leaders in Atlanta, Steve Sterling, will retire as president and CEO of MAP International later this year.
Sterling, who has led the global health organization since 2014, contracted polio in South Korea when he was only 2 years old. Abandoned by his parents at 5 years old, Stirling lived in an orphanage for six years before being adopted by an American family.
MAP International, with headquarters in Brunswick and Atlanta, is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year.
The global nonprofit’s board chair, Susan Roeder, credited Stirling for his dedication in “propelling” MAP’s mission to save lives.
“He has laid the groundwork that will enable MAP to continue to soar to even greater heights while improving health outcomes for millions around the world in nearly 100 countries,” Roeder wrote in an email to supporters of MAP. “Our hope is to have a new president and CEO selected by mid-summer. In the interim, I want to assure you that Steve’s steady hand continues to guide us to make this transition seamless while maintaining the stability and integrity of our operations throughout this time.”
In the same email, Stirling said he was thankful to God for his journey at MAP and the work it has done for the past seven decades. “Here’s to 70 more years!” Stirling wrote.
— Maria Saporta
ARCHI Appoints Aisha Williams as Deputy Director
Aisha Williams has been named deputy director of the Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement (ARCHI), a collaborative of more than 115 organizations aligned to change the system and solve inequities.
Williams joined ARCHI in February 2022 as a senior innovation manager and has consistently demonstrated expertise in operations management, program development, implementation and evaluation. During her tenure, she has led ARCHI’s efforts for workforce development and the capacity building of the Georgia Community Health Worker Network, a professional network for Community Health Workers to receive training, support and peer-to-peer opportunities and managed the statewide Community Health Worker Summit in 2022 and 2023.
“Aisha brings a depth of experience that will be invaluable to her new role,“ said Jeff Smythe, ARCHI executive director. “Her compassion, incredible experience, and commitment to positive change will continue to be an asset to our organization as we assess programs through an equitable and inclusive lens.”
— Derek Prall
Vision screenings, eyeglasses given to Deerwood Academy students
Last week, the Pre-K – 5th-grade students received vision screenings and, if necessary, glasses at no cost due to the contribution from the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation (GLLF).
A $50,000 donation from Kia to GLLF made the gift possible, as the screenings will be provided to students at Title I schools across metro Atlanta.
According to reports, 52 counties in Georgia currently have little or no access to eye care and 30 percent of those counties lack eye care services. Sufficient vision is critical for students in preventing educational, emotional, social and psychological issues.
GLLF provides this service through education, detection, prevention and treatment and works with organizations, like Atlanta Public Schools, across the Atlanta metro area, to transform comprehensive vision care for children.
— Allison Joyner
Atlanta Pride now accepting applications for 2024 festival marketplace and parade
Atlanta Pride, the country’s largest free Pride festival, is now taking applications for its 2024 festival marketplace and parade. Atlanta Pride welcomes individuals, businesses, and community organizations to participate in this vibrant and inclusive celebration.
This year’s Atlanta Pride Festival, which will be held Oct. 12 to 13, 2024, aims to be a joyous occasion filled with unity, diversity, and empowerment. The 2024 festival will feature a bustling marketplace where vendors will showcase a diverse array of products, services and resources catering to the LGBTQ+ community and its supporters.
“We’re excited to invite businesses and organizations from every aspect of our community to join us in celebrating love, equality, and acceptance,” said Chris McCain, Executive Director of Atlanta Pride. “The festival marketplace is not only a space for commerce but also an opportunity for connection, education, and advocacy.”
To apply to be part of the celebration or to learn more, click here.
— Derek Prall
Town Center community partners with Smith-Gilbert Garden on Art Hatch project
Town Center Community recently announced a collaboration with Smith-Gilbert Gardens to install 12 egg-shaped wooden displays along the scenic Noonday Creek Trail as part of its Art Hatch event. The event will debut in Smith-Gilbert Gardens on March 23 and continue with the art installations along the trail during the week of March 25.
The “Art Hatch” eggs, designed and painted by students from Cobb County schools, measure 36 inches by 24 inches. With the theme “Perspectives” guiding artistic vision, students employed a diverse array of art movement styles to breathe life into each egg. These artful displays will serve as waypoints in an engaging self-guided hunt, with clues leading adventurers through the lush landscapes of Smith-Gilbert Gardens and the scenic Noonday Creek Trail.
“The Art Hatch project exemplifies the transformative power of collaboration and creativity,” said Jennifer Hogan, director of community for the Town Center Community. “We are proud to play a role in bringing people together, showcasing the talents of our youth and fostering connections that will endure far beyond this exhibit. This promises to be an immersive experience that weaves together the vibrant threads of art, nature and community.”
For more information on the Art Hatch event, visit the Smith-Gilbert Gardens website.
— Derek Prall
The post Reporter’s Notebook: Decatur teacher Honored, Concourse D renamed, Agnes Scott receives grant appeared first on SaportaReport.
