Bronzed Horse Statue Honors Late Arborist and Miltons Equestrian Heritage A custom bronzed horse statue now stands tall in the new roundabout at the intersection of Mayfield Road and Charlotte Drive Extension, within sight of the Milton library, paying tribute to the citys rich equestrian heritage after being purchased at no expense to taxpayers. The roundabout was funded through TSPLOST, an additional 0.75-cent sales tax for local transportation initiatives approved by voters in November 2016. But the horse statue was paid for entirely through donations made to the Milton Arts Council to fulfill a dream of Mark Law, the Citys late arborist. Law started working for Milton shortly after its incorporation in 2006, becoming one of the Citys most beloved and respected employees, ambassadors, and stewards of nature. Whether guiding citizens in the tree permit process, helping beautify roundabouts, or codesigning the Citys first gateway signs, Law always went the extra mile for Milton, its environment, and its citizens before he died in February 2019. He also brimmed with ideas. One of them was to have art on display in places people were most likely to see it specifically, roundabouts that have popped up (and continue to be constructed) around Milton. Early last year, Laws family teamed with the Milton Arts Council to set up a GoFundMe campaign to create a special memorial to him. They established a goal of $6,900 and soon surpassed it, eventually raising more than $11,000. The remaining funds will be used for other projects Law envisioned.
STAR House Foundation Seeks Community Contributions STAR House Foundation is a Roswell mainstay, having provided free, educational, after-school care for more than 26 years to some of the most economically disadvantaged children in the community. The nonprofit hosts programs inside five local schools, providing safe places with access to snacks, homework help, and mentorship to students. When schools closed due to the health threat posed by COVID-19, hundreds of families lost access not only to free childcare, but also to crucial academic support that many parents are unable to provide. STAR Houses ongoing commitment to the long-term success of these children has led the organization to pivot away, temporarily, from an educational focus and toward ensuring that these children and their families are getting adequate nutrition in this time of financial crisis. If you are able and interested in contributing toward the effort, please contact STAR House through its website STARHouseFoundation.org.
Summer Burn Ban The Georgia Environmental Protection Divisions annual Open Burning Ban is now in effect in 54 Georgia counties. The ban on open burning prohibits the burning of yard and land clearing debris from May 1 through September 30. The summer open burning restrictions help us improve Georgias air quality during the hot summer months, said Karen Hays, chief of the Georgia EPD Air Protection Branch. Recreational activities such as campfires and grilling are exempt from the open burning ban. To access more information, visit EPD.Georgia.gov and click on Open Burning Ban under quick links.
Roswell HS Announces New Football and Baseball/Softball Coaches Roswell HS Principal Dr. Robert Shaw and Athletic Director Ben Sutter are pleased to announce that Chris Prewett will be taking over the helm as head football coach and Matt McCarthy as head baseball/softball coach. Prewett is a native of Warner Robins, Georgia, and graduated from Houston County HS. After playing high school football, he went on to play at LaGrange College. He holds a bachelors degree in mathematics and a masters degree in teaching. Prewett is not new to Roswell HS, having served as the Hornets defensive coordinator since 2017, producing some of the top defenses in the state in each of his years at RHS. Before coming to Roswell, Prewett was in the same position at Johns Creek HS for two seasons and one season at Pope HS. McCarthy is an Alpharetta native and a graduate of Chattahoochee HS where he was part of the 2005 State Championship baseball team. He went on to play college baseball at Jefferson State Community College before finishing up at the University of Georgia with a major in health and physical education. McCarthy also earned a masters degree in kinesiology from Georgia Southern University. Having taught and coached in Fulton County for seven years, McCarthy served as head baseball/softball coach at Centennial HS for three of those years. During this time, he has been part of many summer programs, working with athletes from all over Georgia. McCarthy will also teach physical education at Roswell HS beginning this fall.
Fifth Annual Art Around Roswell Exhibit Roswell Arts Fund is thrilled to introduce the 10 temporary sculptures featured in the fifth season of ArtAround Roswell, which is a public art sculpture collection, hosted in various outdoor sites throughout the Citys acclaimed park system, historic district, and private businesses. This free museum without walls features sculptures from the Citys permanent collection and temporary pieces loaned by the artists for 11 months (April to March). All the temporary pieces are available for purchase. The sculptures were selected by a public art panel based on criteria including quality, diversity, and how the art would spark conversation and activate spaces. Visit RoswellArtsFund.org to view these sculptures online or for more information. 2020 ArtAround Roswell Temporary Sculptures and Sponsors Fish Tender by Jim Collins, located at Roswell Mill Oraiste Agus Liath by Aisling Millar, located at Riverside East Park, sponsored by Van Epps, LLC Cloud 9 Under Scrutiny by Justin Desiter, located at Big Creek Park Turning Seasons by Mark Kruke, located at City Hall, sponsored by Synovus Fold by David Landis, located at and sponsored by Variant Brewing Company Continuum by Nathan Pierce, located at East Roswell Park, sponsored by ALDI, Inc. Lost Horizon by Mike Wsol, located at Riverside West, sponsored by Carl Black Buick GMC Roswell Jack Was Optimistic* by Chris Plaisted, located at Roswell Area Park, sponsored by the Hagan Family Foundation Lunar Eclipse* by Hanna Jubran, located at Don White Park Earworm Whisper Bench* by Jim Gallucci, location TBA, sponsored by Turner Construction Company * Installation for these sculptures has been temporarily delayed due to COVID-19.
North Fulton School News Alpharetta High Robotics Club member and junior Aditya Singh qualified to be a state finalist in the FIRST Technical Challenge (FTC), having won the Deans List Award. Singh is scheduled to advance to the FTC World Championships in Houston, Texas, this month. Chattahoochee High School junior Caelyn DeSouza was honored as the National Center for Women in Technology 2020 Georgia Affiliate Winner. Pam Whitlock, FCS Teacher of the Year and Chattahoochees AP computer science teacher, nominated DeSouza because of her passion and work in the computer science field and ability to work with Java and Python computer languages. Her mission is to create amazing projects with technology that will help people all over the world and develop apps for under-resourced children to assist in learning. Additionally, DeSouza shadowed Fulton Superior Court Judge Rachelle Carnesale for a day as part of the Student Leadership Johns Creeks Secretary of State Ambassadors program. The group is planning a judge forum for the public with over 15 Superior Court judges. Chattahoochee High School Principal Mike Todd has been chosen to present at the National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence Conference, December 8-11, in Orlando, Florida. He will speak about implementing a strategic response to intervention program (RTI), a just-in-time instruction plan to assist students who are not making adequate progress in classroom studies and skills deficits at the high school level.
Roswell Girl Scouts Go for GOLD World Water Day Gold Award Project Approximately 785 million people worldwide 1 in 9 lack access to clean water. Each year, the global water crisis causes nearly 1 million deaths and a loss of $260 million in economic opportunities (Water.org/our-impact/water-crisis). Julia Haley, Roswell High School junior and Girl Scout ambassador, was particularly interested in how the global water crisis affects women and girls. In many countries, women and girls spend millions of hours gathering water for their families, which limits their ability to obtain an education or work. In addition, the water they gather is often dirty and must be filtered before it can be used for drinking or cooking. Haleys passion for this issue led her to pursue her Girl Scout Gold Award by educating her local community on the global water crisis and informing them of ways they can help. She will be holding several events in Roswell this spring that will incorporate family-friendly activities, informative videos, and a one-mile water walk that will give participants a hands-on understanding of some effects of the global water crisis. Events are free and open to the public. Haley is just one of the girls in Troop 3000 pursuing a Girl Scout Gold Award, which is the highest honor a Girl Scout can earn. Girl Scout seniors and ambassadors who earn a Gold Award honor the Girl Scout commitment to make the world a better place by completing a sustainable project that will make a lasting difference. Girls identify an issue, plan, build a team, present their project for approval to Council, and then take action. Additional problems the girls in the troop hope to address include water safety at swimming pools, communicating the importance of handwashing to young children, and improving experiences for girls in hospitals. To learn more about the global water crisis and ways you can help, visit Water Is Life (WaterIsLife.com) to donate straw filters, bucket filter systems, or other sanitation materials to communities worldwide who lack access to clean water. For more information about Haleys Gold Award project, visit WaterGoldAward.Weebly.com.
Census 2020 Everyone counts in north Fulton, so thats why EVERY household needs to fill out the 2020 Census! The postcards were mailed in mid-March; you can fill them out and mail them in or enter your information online. The Census provides vital community information, including: Determination of district boundaries and how many representatives each state gets in Congress. Annual distribution of federal funds; in Georgia, each person is equated to approximately $1,600 per year in federal funding for his/her city or town. Statistics to plan for new roads, schools, and emergency services. Data to help businesses determine where to open. For more information on the 2020 Census, visit 2020Census.gov.
Roswell HS Welcomes Stacey Abrams for Black History Celebration Georgia politician Stacey Abrams was the guest speaker at a recent Black History Celebration hosted by the Black Student Union (BSU) of Roswell High School. Abrams, a 2018 Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former Minority Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives, is an advocate for free and fair elections. During her presentation, Abrams discussed the importance of voting and celebrating black history. She also engaged in a question and answer session with audience participation. In her remarks, Abrams discussed her time growing up in Georgia and her work in the states political arena. I grew up in a community that didnt see me, but I grew up in a family that believed in me, she said. Abrams urged new voters and those who are registered to vote but may have skipped voting in previous elections to make their voices heard. Voting is power, she said. We have to work together to make democracy work. Following her loss in the gubernatorial election in 2018, Abrams launched several voting initiatives including Fair Fight 2020. While I didnt get the job I wanted, Ive been privileged to do the work just the same, she said. The BSU is an organization founded to serve as a safe haven for African Americans to grow and succeed while establishing a strong presence in the community through service. The organization has over 25 members and is active in community events. I wanted to host and plan this event this evening because, oftentimes, African American History is limited to one paragraph in history books, explained Roswell High School senior Michael Henderson, president of Roswell High Schools BSU organization. Our stories are unheard. Therefore, I felt that this event could be a vehicle to educate our Roswell community about our significant contributions to America.
Summer Jobs The City of Roswell is now accepting applications for more than 200 summer positions within its Recreation, Parks, Historic, and Cultural Affairs Department. A wide variety of positions are available including camp counselors, lifeguards and aquatics coaches, sprayground attendants, and athletics and arts instructors. Positions are open to applicants ages 16 and older including high school students, college students, teachers, and retirees. For more information, contact Kristen Sparrow at 770-641-6741 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..