Jewish High Holy Day Services

Marietta.com

Reform Jewish Congregation Ner Tamid invites you join them for the High Holy Days this year, to be held this year at 1349 Old Hwy 41, Suite 220, just east of the Kennesaw Mountain Visitors Center. Tickets will be open to the public for $90 per person for all Holiday services, which may be applied to membership. Services begin with Erev Rosh Hashana on Wednesday evening September 24th and end October 4th with Yom Kippur and a community potluck Break Fast. Childcare for ages 2-6 is available for a small additional fee for daytime services. Full details and tickets can be found at www.mynertamid.org . Tickets must be purchased in advance at the website. No tickets will be available at the door. Call 678.264.8575 with questions.

Congregation Ner Tamid, a Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) member, established in 2006, has held services and religious school in various West Cobb locations and has just moved into its own space in the Kennesaw Mountain Business Park. Its Religious School follows the Institute of Southern Jewish Life curriculum.

Date:
Wednesday, September 24, 2014 through Saturday, October 4

Admission:
$90 per person includes all services and can be applied to membership.

Address:
1349 Old Hwy 41, Suite 220, Marietta GA 30060

Parking:
FREE

For more information, please call 678.264.8575 or visit www.mynertamid.org

Tour New Religious School & Synagogue at Open House

Marietta.com

Congregation Ner Tamid Reform Jewish Synagogue is opening its new home to the public August 10, 2014 from 10AM to 12 NOON and invites all families to tour their Synagogue & Religious School.

Founded in West Cobb in 2006, the Congregation has held Religious School in rented space while holding worship services in a variety of locations. A member of the Union for Reform Judaism, Congregation Ner Tamid’s Religious School, grades K thru 12 includes Hebrew instruction, as well as Confirmation Class and B’nai Mitzvah program. Utilizing an Institute of Southern Jewish Life curriculum, the dedicated staff of teachers will be on hand to answer questions about the fall program. Congregation Membership is not required the first year of Religious School.

Their new home is in the Kennesaw Mountain Business Park, just east of the Kennesaw Mountain Visitor Center, at 1349 Old Highway 41, Suite 220, Marietta, GA. For more information about the Congregation, High Holy Days, Religious School or an individual appointment, visit www.mynertamid.org , e-mail info@mynertamid.org or leave a message at 678-264-8575

Date:
Sunday, August 10, 2014 from 10am to 12 NOON

Admission:
FREE

Address:
1349 Old Highway 41, Suite 220, Marietta, GA 30060

Parking:
FREE

For more information, please call 678-264-8575 or visit www.mynertamid.org

Beaches of Cobb

Cassie Kaye

It’s no secret that Georgia summers are some of the hottest around. Rising temperatures have Cobb County residents searching for a way to let loose and cool down in the dog days of summer, and the county is home to plenty of activities for the whole family.

Six Flags Over Georgia’s Hurricane Harbor brings a whole new element of fun and relaxation to the theme park. The park is home to four water slides, a state-of-the-art wave pool and an exciting play area for younger children. Six Flags White Water, the largest water park in the southeast, gives families a more varied water park adventure, while Lake Acworth and the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area provide a reprieve from the heat the old-fashioned way. With temperatures routinely encroaching triple-digits, there’s no better time to discover the various water adventures Cobb has to offer.

Six Flags Over Georgia

Hurricane Harbor at Six Flags Over Georgia marked the largest expansion in the park’s history. Cobb families can escape to their own mini-getaway in this tropically landscaped park that features a 38,000-square-foot wave pool, the multi-slide Bonzai Pipelines, a children’s play area and the Tsunami Surge, the world’s first hybrid zero-gravity slide. The park also includes shopping and dining experiences, as well as extensive lounging and shade areas.

“We’re happy to expand our offering to guests of the park as part of our commitment to contribute to Cobb County,” says Dale Kaetzel, park president, “but the pure joy and relaxation on people’s faces is why we built Hurricane Harbor.”

The water park spans seven acres across the area formerly occupied by the Southern Star Amphitheatre in Austell and is included with the admission to Six Flags Over Georgia.

Six Flags White Water

Marietta-based Six Flags White Water also continues to be a favorite stop for Cobb families looking to beat the heat. The park features more than 20 rides for children, families and thrill-seekers, including relaxing lazy rivers, wave pools and multiple slides. There’s something for everyone, and a day at the park can be as exciting or laid-back as you want it to be.

Lake Acworth

The City of Acworth, aptly nicknamed “The Lake City,” is home to Lake Acworth and three family-friendly parks perfect for escaping the sultry weather. Entry into these parks is free for all Acworth residents, and non-residents only pay a small parking fee for the day.

The lake area’s Dallas Landing Park has a pavilion, volleyball court, horseshoe pit, multiple grills and picnic tables and public beach access for a full day of fun and is open from 8 am to 9 pm. Proctor Landing Park, also located in that area, is open from 8 am to 9 pm during the season, and visitors will have access to the same amenities found at Dallas Landing.

Lake Acworth’s Cauble Park allows families to take advantage of multiple fishing points, a public beach and two playgrounds for children to enjoy, as well as a boating ramp for those who want to venture a little farther from the beach. It is open from 6 am to 10 pm, and non-residents pay a small parking fee.

Chattahoochee River Parks

The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area consists of 17 distinct park areas along 48 miles of river, and four of these parks can be found in Cobb. These areas are perfect for those looking to cool off in the river and enjoy the beautiful scenery the Chattahoochee has to offer.

The Johnson Ferry North park, located at the corner of Johnson Ferry Road and Columns Drive in Marietta, and Paces Mill park area are popular for visitors to rent rafts, tubes, kayaks, canoes and other water equipment. Johnson Ferry North is also a popular put-in spot for those with their own boating equipment, and Paces Mill is the last chance to leave the river at an official boat ramp before leaving the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.

Cochran Shoals, a three-mile trail located between Columns Drive and Interstate North Parkway, is a great location for runners, walkers and cyclists to enjoy the peaceful views of the Chattahoochee. The Akers Mill Road stretch contains Sandy Point and Diving Rock Beach, two very popular locations for people paddling down the river. “Although the river seems serene at this point, it is 15 feet deep and the water temperature is rarely above 60 degrees,” cautions Rudy Evenson, chief of visitor services at the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. As with all outdoor water activities, visitors to this location should exercise caution and use common sense to avoid injuries.

To learn more about these areas and/or additional features or costs visit:

Cobb: Your New Home of the Braves

Lindsay Penticuff

“We are excited! We all think that the Braves are a home run for Cobb County,” says LOUD Security Systems owner John Loud, who is also one of many local residents that formed the group Cobb Home of the Braves in support of the Atlanta Braves organization’s decision to move to Cobb County.

Last November, the Braves surprised the nation, and definitely Cobb residents, with its announcement that the Major League Baseball team would be moving its organization north from the current home at Turner Field in downtown Atlanta to a nearly 60-acre spot in the Cumberland area near where Interstates 285 and 75 intersect in southeast Cobb. The $672 million development and 30-year agreement, which was given the green light on May 27 by the Cobb County Board of Commissioners after months of discussions, will be funded partly by the Braves—55 percent, or about $372 million—and Cobb County—45 percent, or about $300 million. Businesses near the new stadium will bear a substantial portion of its construction costs and the team itself will invest $280 million up front and another $6.1 million annually for 30 years. These figures exclude the estimated $400 million the team plans to spend by creating an entertainment district around the new stadium.

“We are grateful to the citizens of Cobb County and the leadership in the community who have worked tirelessly to bring this to fruition,” said Atlanta Braves President John Schuerholz shortly after announcing the move. “I truly believe that this partnership will yield what will become one of the finest baseball and entertainment facilities in the country.” The organization picked Cobb because so many north metro Atlanta residents are Braves ticket holders, access to the site is ideal and there is plenty of land to build a mixed-use development that will be vibrant and full of activity, allowing fans to come early, stay late and enjoy the area year-round. The stadium, scheduled to open in time for the 2017 baseball season, will be built by American Builders 2017, a group of four contracting companies that joined together to build the development—Birmingham-based Brasfield & Gorrie, Alpharetta-based Barton Malow Company, Atlanta-based New South Construction and Minneapolis-based Mortenson Construction.

For Cobb Commission Chair Tim Lee, the process for the Braves’ move to Cobb began last July when he was introduced to Braves Executive Vice President of Operations Mike Plant. Prior to that, Lee says he had never heard the idea of such a move. “I was really surprised that [the Braves] were interested in Cobb,” Lee says. “I had no idea they were looking to move. Looking back it really makes sense now. We had a great site, lots of good infrastructure in place and apparently a lot of Braves season ticket holders live in Cobb and the surrounding counties.”

Lee’s colleague on the commission, JoAnn Birrell, who represents District 3 in northeast Cobb, says when she first heard the news, she too was surprised and excited. “I believe this will be the biggest economic boost the county has seen in a long time,” she says. “The benefits come in the way of additional tax revenue for county and schools, thousands of jobs, additional business opportunities to locate in Cobb, just to name a few!”

Right off the bat, Lee says benefits to Cobb include around 5,000 construction jobs and another 3,000 ongoing jobs as the area develops. “The real win for Cobb is the resulting investment by the Braves around the site,” he adds. “They have purchased more than 80 acres and plan for commercial and retail development worth $400 million that would generate $3 million in annual revenues for the school system, $489,000 to the county fire fund and $1.2 million towards county government operations.”

When asked if Lee or Birrell had any concerns about the development or had heard from any community members, Birrell says traffic seems to be the main one, but that there are projects currently underway that could help deter potential issues—the widening of Highway 41 and the Diverging Diamond interchange at Windy Hill Road. There is more to come with an additional $10 million for transportation projects from the Cumberland Community Improvement District (CID) and $14 million from county SPLOST. Both also say that citizens have asked about incentives promised to the Braves and property tax increases, but Lee says that the Braves have agreed not to seek any local development incentives for commercial development as a result of this move, and they will not increase property taxes for Cobb homeowners. “There will be an increase on commercial property around the stadium site, which is also the area that will benefit the most from the new development,” Lee says.

“I think this is a real win for the entire community,” Lee concludes. “The positive feedback has been amazing and despite the huge effort it has taken to get this far into the process, it feels good to see so many people excited about the new stadium. I never imagined we could have this incredible opportunity to work with such a great group like the Braves.”

Business Community Jumping on Board

Commissioners and representatives from the Braves aren’t the only ones supporting the team’s relocation. Business owners throughout Cobb, especially those living or working near where the stadium will be built, are looking forward to the move. “We have received incredible support from numerous Cobb businesses and residents,” Plant says on behalf of the Braves. “Their support and involvement have meant a lot to us. It is not often in this day and age that citizens feel passionate about something to make time to support, so we are honored and thrilled that residents from across the country and from various professions would take time from their own busy lives to publicly support this effort.” Plant went on to say that they look forward to the long-term partnership with Cobb and its residents and have appreciated the feedback because they want to be good neighbors.

Hugh H. Scott III, whose business SK Commercial Realty off Circle 75 is located directly across the street from where the stadium will be built, says he’s optimistic about the project. “We believe the office tenants at Circle 75 will have a world-class sports and entertainment facility right outside their front door,” Scott says. “It should be a wonderful live/work/play environment that is so crucial in recruiting and keeping workforce talent.” He says it presents a wonderful opportunity for the Braves to participate and have a say in the development directly surrounding where they play and an exciting catalyst to the economy of Cobb County. “It appears to be a win-win-win for the Braves, Cobb County and the fans,” Scott says.

He also says this construction is a catalyst for growth in the Cumberland/Cobb Galleria area that should revive the area that has needed new investment. “I don’t believe that any other use of the land where the stadium is going would have been able to generate the excitement and quality of project that the Braves mixed use development will bring,” Scott says. “I believe this development has the potential to be uplifting to the area.”

Tracy Techau, Scout Executive/CEO of the Atlanta Area Council for the Boy Scouts of America, agrees. “Ten years ago, the Atlanta Boy Scouts moved our offices to Cobb County because we knew it was the most convenient place in the Atlanta area to serve the tens of thousands of local families involved with Scouting,” Techau says. “We are excited to have the Braves as our new neighbors, and look forward to working with them to provide fun, educational and active experiences for as many young people in Atlanta as possible.” Council offices are located just down the street from where the stadium is relocating.

Like Scott and Techau, Robert Feldberg, the president of Repro Products, Inc. and The Color Spot, Inc., and co-owner of Fur Bus, which he is looking forward to using as a convenient and fun way to transport fans to and from games, is very excited about how this opportunity will revitalize the area. “The planned entertainment district surrounding the stadium … will provide a community feeling and entertainment options extending beyond the baseball season,” Feldberg says. “The stadium and surrounding development will provide tremendous economic benefits. Not only will the stadium be a haven for our ‘national pastime,’ but the plans for the surrounding play and stay will create new vitality.”

However, each of these business owners do have some concerns about the development, but trust that the county is working to negate those. “There are 14 options for ingress and egress and I know the Cobb [Department of Transportation] will be working diligently to make the experience better than what we experienced at Turner Field,” Feldberg says. “Creating a play-and-stay environment around the complex will also have a positive effect on the congestion before and after the game.” Scott agrees saying that the Braves organization seem to be very cognizant of the importance of creating a destination that is first class and easy to get in and out of. “If the Braves and Cobb County can develop a thoughtful traffic plan that utilizes all 14 local access points allowing easy ingress and egress to the project on game days, then this project should be a huge hit,” he adds.

“I’ve not heard much negative at all,” Loud adds. “I think 99.7 percent of people are positive … There are not many moments in life that I’ve heard a piece of news that was so positive.” With the support of other business leaders in the Cobb community, Loud created a website, ran commercials, spoke at commission meetings, held rallies and printed T-shirts boasting support for the move. “This is a grand slam for Cobb County and the Atlanta Braves. This is about community pride,” he adds. “When we in Cobb County have the opportunity to host the longest running franchise in Major League history that’s going to move here, how exciting is that going to be? … We are looking forward to the Braves coming here in a few more years.”

To learn more about the Braves’ move to Cobb, including information about the finances, economic impact, parking and transportation, visit homeofthebraves.com or the county website at cobbcounty.org and click on the “Braves” tab on the right-hand side of the web page.

C-130 Hercules Turns 60

Lindsay Penticuff

The Diamond Jubilee

Even though it’s only been four years since I moved to Cobb County, I can’t even begin to muster up the number of times I’ve met someone who either works at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Marietta, retired from there and/or moved to this area because of the company. Additionally, most of those current or former employees have been such a pleasure to meet and hear their great stories from working there. It’s those kind of people who you know love or loved their jobs and appreciates their company, in my opinion.

Lockheed began operations here in 1951, and it’s where some of the best engineers in the world design and build some pretty impressive military aircraft for clients all over the world. Specifically, Lockheed’s Marietta site assembles the C-130 Hercules transport and F-22 air dominance fighter, and this location is also responsible for the C-5 Galaxy and P-3 Orion program operations, including the new wing production line and the center wing assembly for all three variants of the F-35 Lightning II.

While each of the programs and creations at Lockheed are quite stunning, this years marks quite an important one for the C-130—it’s 60 years old! The first production of this massive aircraft was built in our own backyard at 86 South Cobb Drive. I’ve had the pleasure of touring the site, and I can honestly say that it was one of the highlights of my career as a writer. Just imagine a production line the length of multiple football fields with these extraordinarily GINORMOUS planes, approximately 113 feet in length and almost 40 feet tall, lined up one after the other in a production line. I felt like a kid in a toy store for the first time—in the back of my mind wondering if I could take a ride in one of them some day. It’s one of those images that’s pretty tough to get out of your head, and the fact that these beasts are built right here in the heart of Cobb is pretty cool, especially for this small-town girl whose idea of aviation is a make-shift airport where crop-dusters land.

In hopes to get a little more insight into this “diamond jubilee” celebration, I asked two of the Marietta-based company’s top execs what it means to them, Lockheed and, most importantly, Cobb County for the C-130 to call Marietta home. “Since its debut in 1954, the C-130 has proudly lived up to its reputation as the world’s airlifter workhorse by supporting the needs of the 70 operators who fly it around the world,” says George Shultz, vice president and general manager of the C-130 programs. He has worked at Lockheed for more than 30 years.
“From dirty landing strips in war zones to hurricane-ravaged airports, the C-130 has always been there and will continue to go wherever it’s needed to support our customers and the missions they fly. Hercules’ first 60 years have been defined by a commitment to the customer, to the men and women who have built and maintained its worldwide presence and to humanity as it has saved many thousands of lives. I’m excited to reiterate this commitment for the next six decades of Hercules’ operations.”

Shan Cooper, vice president and general manager of the Marietta Lockheed site, agreed that it’s been extraordinary to be a part of the local team building the C-130. “The heritage and promise the C-130 Hercules embodies represents the spirit of innovation our employees pledge every day to our customers around the globe,” she says. “We’re proud to call Cobb County home and thankful for more than 60 years of great support from our community friends and neighbors.” Cooper has been with Lockheed for 12 years.

So, if you know someone who has worked or works at Lockheed, congratulate them on being a part of a team that’s celebrating six decades of designing and building a product that’s served not only the service men and women in our country, but those all around the world.

Happy 60th Birthday, Hercules!

Making it Work(out)

Jacqueline Frasca

Even the most active among us are well aware how tough it is to start a fitness regime, or simply to keep one up. Between your other responsibilities and what you feel drawn to recreationally, it’s easy to let fitness fall by the wayside—even if this causes immense guilt. While habits are often hard to break, they’re also hard to make; a study by Dr. Maxwell Matz in the 1950s cited that it takes 21 days to form a habit, but health psychology researcher Phillippa Lally found in 2009 that her 12-week study of 96 people showed it actually took much longer. On average, it takes more than two months before a new behavior becomes automatic. Sixty-six days, to be exact—and this is subject to vary widely depending on the behavior, circumstances and the person.

Luckily for Cobb County residents, there is no shortage of options when it comes to finding time to work out. Despite your busy schedule and your other demands, the opportunity to take your fitness fate into your own hands is all around you, from accessible outdoor areas like the Silver Comet Trail to the county’s outstanding fitness facilities. Sometimes it takes more than a little motivation, and knowing there’s always a way may be just what you need.

Expectations and Goals

It’s important when trying to form a good habit that your goals and expectations not only match but also are realistic and forgiving of your other responsibilities. Each person has a million reasons to skip their run today and say they’ll catch the next class or move the workout to tomorrow, but one good reason not to can make all the difference. “A fitness routine takes proper planning and effort to establish,” says Exercise Physiologist Sean Morgan with Northside Hospital. “Once the routine is broken, we often find it easier to regain momentum for maintaining the routine. Having short-term goals can help keep us on the right path.”
Camille Jones, owner of FitATL, agrees that starting small is the key to success. “The only thing harder than starting a fitness routine is restarting one!” she says. “For most of us, it takes a lot of effort and preparation to begin a workout routine. As you build momentum, it becomes a habit and a part of your lifestyle. If you break that routine, old habits rear their ugly head; that extra sleep in the morning feels really good or watching that reality TV show at night is so entertaining. That’s why I recommend starting small—even if it’s a half hour twice a week, you can most likely keep that up long-term and can go longer and more frequently as things progress.”

Once we realize we’ve fallen off the fitness wagon, it’s easy to make promises of grandeur about making up for it, especially if we’ve previously worked hard to get to where we were. Knowing what you want long term from your fitness regime is important, but something’s always got to give. Rather than promising yourself to make your own meals every night, take five new classes and clock in 20 miles a week. Start with smaller, more attainable fitness goals that are sensitive to the schedule of work and life you’ve already established. Go for a walk on your lunch break, park at the far end of the lot from the store or the office or challenge your coworkers to a round of push-ups every hour. “Research has shown that 10-minute exercise sessions have positive health benefits,” Morgan adds. “It may be more practical for a person with a busy schedule to exercise 10 minutes at a time throughout the day rather than taking up 30 minutes (or more) of their schedule.” These small breaks through the day are good for body and mind and can add up to make a big difference.

Jones also recommends trying to wake up 35 minutes early for one week to take five minutes to wake up and get dressed and the other 30 to walk or run, turn on an exercise DVD or try an online workout. You may mourn the extra sleep at first, but be your biggest fan—try to plan your sleep cycles so you wake up easier, drink plenty of water and avoid caffeine in the afternoon. After that first week is over, opt to do another, then another. Before you know it, your entire morning routine has been transformed for the better.

Jeff Wade, fitness general manager at Riverside EpiFitness Club in Austell, says missing a day or two isn’t the end of the world—or of your routine. “Our bodies need to get adequate rest between workouts to ensure that we stay fully energized and well hydrated before the next physical challenge!” he says. “It’s when we start missing a week or months that we should realize that we have a problem.” Wade has found that many will get discouraged by their unrealistic expectations of what results their hard work will return and decide it’s not worth the effort, but that small, achievable goals are the key. “Let’s face it, we are all busy,” he adds. “Even retired people are busy! If you want success at something you must make it a priority by allotting some time in your day for the activity. One common excuse I hear often is, ‘I am just too tired to exercise!’ Then, I find out that the person goes to bed at 12:30 a.m. every night and rises at 5 a.m. The first goal may be to try and go to bed at 9 p.m. and get a good eight hours of sleep for two weeks. Then, let’s see if they have more energy.”

Change Your Mindset

“The key to making daily exercise a habit is to have fun doing the activities, get results, be held accountable and preventing injuries along the way,” says Andy Berman, manager at Iron Tribe Fitness in east Cobb. “If missing a day or two of exercise makes it more difficult to get back into the routine then the routine or exercise program you were using was not very effective.” It’s hard to make excuses to get out of what you look forward to, and we should all look forward to being active throughout the day.

“As Aristotle once said, ‘We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.’ While creating a new habit can be hard, in time they will become easier until they are naturally integrated into your life,” Berman says. “I do think anyone could argue that taking care of yourself should be at the top of the list. This includes a proper diet and an effective weekly exercise schedule. These activities will then have positive effects on the rest of your life.”

One way to help “find the time” to work out every day is to incorporate activities you find enjoyable—ones that help you get out of bed in the morning. Maybe you find a class with a great gym buddy who holds you accountable and always makes it fun, or you activate your competitive nature with group boot camp classes. “A well-rounded exercise program will include 10 characteristics: strength, endurance, stamina, flexibility, agility, accuracy, balance, power, speed and coordination,” Berman says. “You just can’t get all of these elements from small bouts of activity throughout the day. By working on all these elements through a fun exercise program, you will see amazing results.”

What’s Best? For Whom?

The secret’s out: There is no perfect, absolute concoction to achieve fast total fitness that will work identically for each person. However, we do know the basic tenants of feeling and looking your best: Get moving and eat a diverse diet rich in fruits and vegetables, opt for whole grains and monitor your protein consumption depending on how much you’re exercising for the best recovery. Is working out in the morning better than working out after leaving the office? “I like to think of this as a trick question,” Morgan says. “The best time of day is whatever time you exercise. Some people are early risers while others are not. Finding what is best for you is the best time of day.”

Always reassure yourself that something is better than nothing, but don’t settle on that. “Activity and exercise are two very different things that most people confuse,” Jones says. “Taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking far away from the mall to increase your walking distance and playing in the backyard with the kids are examples of activity. Swimming multiple laps, taking a kickboxing class or hiking up a mountain are in the exercise category. You need both to improve overall health.” Often when you get into your routine, becoming more active in other areas of your life becomes natural—let it. “Don’t be a ‘sedentary athlete,’ who exercises multiple times per week but sits all day at work and in front of the TV at night,” Jones adds. “You also shouldn’t rely solely on activity, thinking that extra flight of stairs is all you need. It’s been proven that metabolism slows when you’re immobile. When in doubt, just get up and move!”

When you’re in the middle of production, have meetings scheduled back-to-back and need to be out of the office to get the kids before cooking dinner every night, knocking out a solid 60-minute cardio session can be unimaginable to fit in. “I know folks that work on developing their core strength [doing moving planks] for 10 minutes in the early morning while the coffee is brewing. During their lunch break, they lift weights at the health club nearby their office for 20 minutes. After work, they do a brisk three-mile walk with their spouse. This physical activity [and calories burned] all adds up!” says Wade.

“If exercise becomes an important part of your life, because you enjoy it, see the benefits and are part of a great community, then you can find 45 minutes at least three times a week for an effective program,” Berman assures. “We make time for what we feel is important. If we exercise, feel better and have more energy then the rest of our lives benefit, and we will actually gain more usable time in the day along with the exercise time. Taking time to exercise will equal even more time in my day? You bet!”

No matter your obligations, distractions, responsibilities or excuses, you have to help yourself be successful. “If you think you are too busy to exercise then you should re-prioritize your schedule. Our bodies are meant to move! The bottom line is you have to want it,” Wade says. “Want to get your blood pressure down so you can get off medication. Want to lose 50 pounds in order to have more energy. Want to be stronger. Want to just feel better!”

Be Your Best Student

Laura Apperson

For students, summertime means long days at the pool, play dates and camps. After a summer of fun and relaxation, the school year—and the routine that comes along with it—often creeps up on students and parents. The transition from summer vacation to the first day of school can be a difficult one, but with a little bit of exercise, a balanced diet and a summer routine, students can easily fall back into the school schedule.

“Get in some type of routine, saying ‘this is your normal time each day when you’re going to do this,’” says Eric Bradley, high school principal at Mount Paran Christian School in Kennesaw. “Having some type of routine pattern would help dramatically.” Establishing a routine with your child can be as simple as establishing certain times to read a book, complete math problems or just watch a movie. Bob Montague, high school principal at Mt. Bethel Christian Academy in east Cobb, stresses the importance of giving students a break from the school routine but emphasizing the importance of learning. “Whether they’re involved in summer camps, jobs, internships, volunteering or whatever interests them, they need to be active and involved in something of value to themselves and others,” Montague says.

Mount Paran hosts summer camps, such as Camp Wannago, that promote activity and socialization between students. Both Mt. Bethel and Mount Paran have mission trip opportunities available for children of all ages.

Tawanna Rusk, lower school principal at Mount Paran, agrees that summers should be productive but also emphasizes the importance of summer relaxation. “You want to make your summer time productive and you want to have some sort of a schedule but it is a time to rest. It’s okay to schedule nothing. In my opinion, that’s what the beauty of summer is. There’s a lot of benefit in just resting,” Rusk says. “You don’t want [your children] to feel like school never ended. It shouldn’t be so intense that there’s no break whatsoever. You have to make it somewhat fun.”

Sue Errera, a guidance counselor at Whitefield Academy in south Cobb, says parents should schedule time for students to indulge in summer fun, but to take time to be productive. “It’s important to bear in mind that children are still students during the summer months,” she says.

Here are some tips from administrators and teachers on how parents can help their students establish a schedule that will make the transition to fall easier:

Get Enough Sleep

Students often go to sleep later and sleep in during the summer—and that’s okay, but getting enough sleep is crucial for children to be rested and ready for the school days. “Even on a more relaxed schedule, you’re going to allow your kids to stay up a little later, sleep in a little longer, but still trying to have some structure,” Rusk says.

It’s important to establish a time when your children must go to sleep and must wake up—even if it is a little later than normal. “Sleep affects so much for a child; 7 – 12-year-olds require 10 – 11 hours of sleep a night,” says Marie Black, second-grade teacher at Mt. Bethel. “The average child receives only 8 – 9 hours of sleep a night. We see, as teachers, that children with a lack of sleep are affected academically, socially and physically during the school day.”

Montague and Nicole Hankamer, with admissions/marketing at The Wood Acres School in east Cobb both agree that transitioning from summer to school sleep schedules can be difficult. “If parents help students to get back into their early bedtimes about a week before summer ends it helps tremendously,” Hankamer says.

Travis Mozingo, director of sports performance at Mount Paran, emphasizes the importance of sleep, but also the time of the day that children do finally put their head on the pillow. “Turn off your Xbox, get off of Snapchat and sleep 8 – 10 hours,” he says. “[Students] think 10 hours is sleeping from 2 a.m. to noon, which is not the same as sleeping from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.”

With a structured sleep schedule and a transition right before school starts, students can be prepared for the first day of school wake-up call.

Eat a Balanced Diet

Eating well shouldn’t only be a rule during the school year; students need to eat a balanced diet during the summer, as well. Mozingo suggests making sure your children stay active, which speeds their metabolism and encourages movement. “At my house, I don’t throw a fit about my kid having a handful of cookies if they’re being active,” he says. “They don’t need to be miserable as far as their diet goes. ”But, Mozingo stresses that it’s important to eat balanced meals. “We try to educate kids about what they’re consuming.”

The most recommended advice from teachers and administrators: Avoid packaged foods, drink more water and eat breakfast every day, which Rusk says middle and high school kids sacrifice most often. “You can tell. The kids don’t have any energy,” says Steve Shelton, middle school principal at Mount Paran. “Our kids who don’t need sugar get sugar, and we can tell that. I would like parents to partner with us a little bit better about their children’s nutrition, because we definitely see the effects in the classroom.”

Errera suggests that students be in control of their diet and to establish structure. “To engage children in healthy eating patterns, ask children to choose a healthy recipe, then shop for and prepare the dish as a summer activity,” Errera says. “Employing a somewhat structured schedule during the summer months lends itself to keeping a healthy eating routine.” It’s recommended to educate children about why hydrating, eating a balanced meal and eating breakfast is important to staying healthy.

Stay Active

Student-athletes are not the only ones who should stay active during the summer. Spending time outside, going to the pool and joining summer sports leagues are all great ways to get students moving. Errera suggests limiting summer lounging and encouraging activities that keeps students active. “Only permit children to lounge for extended periods of time during vacation weeks, and be creative during the remaining weeks!” she says.

Being creative can mean anything from outdoor activities to family outings that students don’t typically get to participate in during the school year. “You may choose to sign up for an event as a family, invest in passes to an indoor rock climbing wall or encourage swimming, biking and hiking,” Errera adds. “Since children may not have an opportunity to participate in these more time-consuming activities during the school year, being able to enjoy them during the summer months can seem more like a treat than required exercise.”

Above all, make sure that your children are enjoying their summer activities. “Work with your child and a friend or two to establish a way for them to get involved in something that interests them,” she says.

Read Every Day

Whether or not students are required to read over the summer, setting aside a time to read every day greatly benefits the student. “Reading is the best way to stay on track during the summer months,” Hankamer says. Reading daily—whether it be a book for pleasure or required reading—is an excellent way to promote critical thinking and spend more time with parents.

Mt. Bethel first-grade teachers Christi Meara and Lindsey Neuman suggest that parents read out loud to their children and make sure their child reads to themselves every day. Parents are also encouraged to ask comprehension questions afterward. “Reading daily should become an enjoyable habit for every child,” Black says. “Watching their parents read is the best way to model a love for reading. Make reading a priority in your home every day of the year.”

Promote Critical Thinking

Just because your kids are out of school doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have meaningful conversations. For high school students, that can mean a chat about future plans and college. For younger students, inspire conversation after going to see a movie or listening to a sermon. “I think kids benefit from being made to think and resolve and figure things out. I think that conversation should be challenging, whether on vacation or going to the grocery store or church or wherever,” Shelton says. “Spark conversation that keeps them engaged.”

This type of conversation can happen anywhere and anytime, and for juniors and seniors in high school, it could lead to meaningful conversation about the future. “If you go on a family vacation, check out whatever local university,” Rusk suggests. “Touring college campuses leads to really great conversation with your kids about what are they thinking they might want to do.”

Encouraging critical thinking not only works your student’s brain but also gives you a chance to have quality conversations. “The summer months provide parents with an opportunity to teach their children life skills, to discover new interests together and how to make the most of extra time and rest,” Errera says. “This may require parents to reroute their energies, but the memories and outcomes from your lesson plans will make it well worth it!”

SafePath Children’s Advocacy Center Elects New Board

Marietta.com

SafePath Children’s Advocacy Center, a Cobb nonprofit whose vision is a community free of child abuse, welcomes its new Board of Directors. Joining the board is Lori Brown-Jackson, manager of Belk at Town Center mall; Robert Jackson, senior vice president of Military Housing at Balfour Beatty Construction; Lisa Olens, Georgia Power area sales executive; Peggy Peitras, vice president of United Community Bank Lost Mountain/Powder Springs; and Kevin Rogers, district manager and vice president of Wells Fargo North Cobb. To learn more about the organization, visit safepath.org.

Curing Kids Cancer Completes $1.5 Million Endowment

Marietta.com

Curing Kids Cancer, a Cobb nonprofit started in memory of 9-year-old Killian Owen, has completed its $1.5 million endowment at the Aflac Cancer Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Today the young man, who lost his battle to cancer in 2003, lives on as the Killian Owen/Curing Kids Cancer Clinical Research office.

“After Killian died, we dedicated ourselves to finding new cutting-edge therapies for childhood cancer,” says his mother Grainne Owen, who is also the founder and executive director of Curing Kids Cancer. “Endowing the Clinical Research Office at the Aflac Cancer Center means that research can take place in the same hospital where he was treated.”

Since it was founded, Curing Kids Cancer has raised more than $4 million for pediatric cancer research through partnerships with sports teams at local and national levels, community involvement, corporate sponsorships and support from national sports figures. To learn more about the nonprofit, visit curingkidscancer.org.

Cobb High Schools Get Artsy

Kate Ramsey

Cobb County is home to more than 40 high schools, both public and independent, and serves more than 40,000 students in ninth through 12th grades. Faculty and staff in these schools place a high value on the education of their students and are extremely devoted to making sure each student is given the opportunity to excel, expanding far beyond the core curriculum classrooms.

Each school offers extensive fine arts programs to its students, allowing them exposure to a variety of learning opportunities and courses they otherwise would not have. These classes include band, orchestra, chorus and visual arts; some schools even offer dramatic arts and dance programs to its students. Several of these opportunities lead to the groups traveling for competitions and performances—often with award-winning results.

As budget cuts in schools continue to plague the nation, though, the fine arts programs are often the first to feel the pain. Because these programs are not a part of the core curriculum and not considered to be “essential” or “necessary” to a student’s development or for the requirement of completing a high school diploma, they are first to be considered in the subtraction of allocated funds. However, due to a combination of faculty member devotion and the students’ desire to continue their fine arts education, these programs manage to stay afloat—and with impressive facilities and technologies.

Fine Arts in Cobb’s Public Schools

Mark Hoskins, band director at Wheeler High School in east Cobb, explains that in order to afford the various trips and competitions their band program attends, the students and their parents contribute much of their time and effort. “Our booster organization is very, very active,” Hoskins says. “We have a pretty comprehensive band program—just in band alone we have a marching band, three class bands and a jazz ensemble. Our boosters pretty much cover all of those.”

Hoskins also says band students at Wheeler sell Papa John’s pizza at various events at the Georgia Dome, have an annual fruit sale and participate in an electronics salvage fundraiser to help earn money for their budget. Through these fundraising events, Wheeler has been able to travel to several states, including Tennessee, California, Illinois and New York, and in March the marching band performed in a Walt Disney World Parade in Orlando.

Nathan Autry, Sprayberry High School’s fine arts department chair and choral director, says that much of his program’s funding for the fine arts comes from booster clubs and student fundraising. Autry adds that Sprayberry, also located in east Cobb, was very fortunate to have been able to fund the renovation of its main theater through an education special purpose local option sales tax, or ESPLOST. This renovation consisted of a new stage, seats, lighting and sound equipment. Autry says it was completely renovated inside.

Sprayberry is also home to a new fine arts building, which was completed three years ago. “The new wing is a state-of-the-art facility with brand new rehearsal rooms, a technology lab for music and music production, a black box theater, lighting grid and state-of-the-art sound,” Autry says. Sprayberry offers full programs in chorus, band, orchestra and visual arts. The school also offers courses in drama, guitar, music technology, music appreciation and music theory.

Fine Arts in Cobb’s Independent Schools

While public schools are able to have booster clubs and fundraise for their various programs, independent schools are required to stick to a fixed budget given to them. There are, however, exceptions to the rule when donors come into play.

Cary Brague, director of Arts at Mount Paran Christian School in Kennesaw, says the school has been very blessed with a tremendous facility in the Murray Arts Center, which was the result of a matched donation by both the Murray family and an anonymous foundation, amounting to $20 million total. “The entire building is a professional grade facility for performance,” Brague says. “It is a three-story building. The first floor has all of the educational facilities for band, orchestra and chorus, and the second floor is where the black box theater and three dance studios are located, as well as the Kristi Lynn Theater. The third floor holds the administration offices and a recording studio.”

Brague says the facility is often rented out to music artists for shows, and the recording studio has been used by big names in the entertainment industry. “We can’t stop imagining how many things we can do in this facility,” she adds.

Leigh Ann Geter, marketing and communications coordinator at North Cobb Christian School, which is also located in Kennesaw, says they offer a specialized arts program to their students with the Academy of the Arts Program for ninth through 12th graders. Those who enroll in the program have the opportunity to audition for a spot in the academy, and after auditions can move on to complete academic core classes with intensive training in their chosen art field. This program allows for students to expand on their talents and experience training in a program uniquely designed for them to excel in their chosen art.

“Arts in high school engage and challenge students in a way that no other discipline can,” Geter says. “Students are encouraged and connected with their peers and professors on a level not possible in other disciplines. The oratory nature of the classroom lecture gives way to a cooperative, dynamic collaboration that empowers students to lead, perform and embrace their individuality. In short, the arts foster success and display nothing less.”

The courses of study in this program include three tracks: visual arts, vocal arts and theater arts. Each track has several options for the students to choose from to further their fine arts education and prepare them for the courses they will encounter if they choose to continue in college.

Stacy Quiros, fine arts director at south Cobb area Whitefield Academy, says the philosophy and focus of the education of students attending Whitefield is somewhat different from the typical independent school. “We are a Christ-centered school. [We believe] there is biblical intervention in everything,” Quiros says. “Every child, every human is a creative work of God, and He has blessed every one of us with a creative gift. Our goal is to return that creativity back to God.” Students at Whitefield frequently go into the community to spread their creativity and talents with others, Quiros explains. “Sometimes we hang artwork at the library or hospital, or the band or orchestra will visit a nursing home and play music for them. Our goal is to love others and serve others with our God-given creativity.”

Practice, Progress, Results

Despite the obstacles sometimes posed with budget cuts in the educational system, what creates that drive and determination for students and teachers to continue is knowing that their practice will turn to progress. This is made possible by the encouragement given to each individual student by not just their parents, but also by teachers and peers at school. “I believe [encouraging students] is extremely important,” Autry says. He also says among the entire fine arts department, there are nearly 900 of Sprayberry’s 1,800 enrolled who participate in the various programs offered. “[Being involved with fine arts] helps build friendships and leaderships,” he says. “It gives students opportunities to be leaders not just in their class, but in the whole program.”

Brague says he believes the encouragement of students at a high school level is crucial because without it, students miss the opportunity to become creative thinkers. “The arts help students learn habits of creative thinking; the skills they learn transfer to how a student thinks in an academic setting,” he says. “My role as an arts educator is not just to try to create the next superstar performer but to create educated consumers of the arts and to grow and cultivate better thinkers in our country.”

While other districts may be struggling with maintaining quality arts programs, the halls of Cobb’s public and private high schools are alive with the sound of music and seemingly will be for years to come.

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