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SNELLVILLE – Ready for a howling good time?

Snellville Parks and Recreation and the Gwinnett Humane Society are hosting a Canine and Kids Carnival from 12 to 4 p.m. Oct. 29 at T.W. Briscoe Park, 2500 Sawyer Parkway.

The free event will feature a Community Halloween Trunk or Treat for all kids – those with both two and four legs.

Attendees are asked to wear costumes to this old fashioned fall carnival.

Scheduled events include:

•Canine carnival games such as Treat Toss and Best Howler.

•Halloween costume contests for kids and pets with prizes awarded for first, second and third places.

•Cake walks and inflatables

•Carnival food and music

•Best Trunk or Treat display

•Low-cost pet vaccines from 12 – 1 p.m.

For more information, visit www.gwinnetthumane.com, www.snellville.org or email events@gwinnetthumane.com

SNELLVILLE – Brookwood Elementary School teacher Sharon Smith is one of 15 nationwide finalists vying for six $100,000 educational grants and she needs your help to win.

Smith's proposal to improve math and language arts standards through experiential learning with an entrepreneurial focus went through a competitive review process. The proposal was selected to move on to the public voting phase of the Dream Big Teacher Challenge.

With the $100,000 grant, Smith said she would implement a tuition-free after-school program for the lowest achieving 10 percent of third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students at Brookwood and Meadowcreek elementary schools.

This program would provide remediation on the students' weakest math and language arts standards by providing a real-life application of their skills to construct a community garden and maintain an aquaponics system. Through this interactive learning experience, students would learn about entrepreneurship, apply and interview for garden jobs and sell produce at a local farmer's market.

To vote for Smith's proposal, visit ThankAmericasTeachers.com. The public can vote for any of the 15 teacher proposals, but a person can only vote once for the same teacher proposal per day. Winners of the grants will be announced in December to those proposals with the highest vote count across the country.

"Winning the Farmers Insurance Thank America's Teacher $100,000.00 grant would truly be a life changer for academically at risk students at Brookwood Elementary and Meadowcreek Elementary," Smith said. "This tuition-free, innovative intervention would help strengthen students' weakest math and literacy standards through explicit instruction that would be applied to the building and maintaining of a community garden and aquaponics system. Students would also learn about entrepreneurship as they realized jobs that needed to be filled, completed job applications and interviewed for these jobs. As a result of this grant, we would be providing engaging intervention that feels more like enrichment and is one of a kind."

Upcoming Senior Center Events

Upcoming Parks and Recreation Events

SNELLVILLE – Snellville has a long history of helping people who are struggling to put food on the table.

For a number of years, Snellville residents and businesses have contributed food and financial donations through their churches, schools and the "Give Hunger the Boot" program.

City residents and businesses will be participating in a new program known as the "GwMA/GDOS Food Drive." Organized by the Gwinnett Municipal Association, in cooperation with the Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services' "Great Days of Service" initiative, the food drive will culminate Oct. 21 and 22, the official "Great Days of Service."

"For many families in Gwinnett County, hunger is an ongoing problem," GwMA Executive Director Randy Meacham said. "Helping those families through their local co-ops is nothing new for our member cities so the GwMA/GDOS Food Drive is just the latest effort to not only raise donations, but to increase awareness of needs throughout the county. Those needs exist year around and GwMA will be launching other new programs to help provide year around support."

Considering the prosperity that is found throughout Gwinnett County, many people are surprised to learn that families are still struggling to put food on the table. Fortunately, food co-ops throughout the county offer assistance. One of the most efficiently run co-ops is the Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative which serves families in Snellville. Participants in the GwMA/GDOS Food Drive include the cities of Berkeley Lake, Duluth, Grayson, Lawrenceville, Loganville, Norcross, Peachtree Corners, Snellville, Sugar Hill and Suwanee. In addition to local volunteers, councilmembers Keith Roche of Lawrenceville, Rey Martinez of Loganville, Dave Emanuel of Snellville, Marc Cohen of Sugar Hill and Linnea Miller of Suwanee are serving as coordinators for their respective cities.

"In addition to raising donations, it's also important to increase awareness that throughout the county, many families are still struggling financially, and that hunger is still a problem," Emanuel said. "I'm honored to have been asked to chair the GwMA/GDOS Food Drive and have the opportunity to work with representatives from other cities who are helping their communities."

In Snellville, food donations can be dropped off at a number of locations including City Hall, the Public Works Department, United Community Bank and Gwinnett Animal Hospital. Give Hunger the Boot financial donation boxes are located at Main Street Restaurant, Fast Signs, United Community Bank, Mellow Mushroom and SarahCare.

SNELLVILLE – The sign outside Bill Rhodes Bakery reads, "A Family Tradition," so it's only fitting the owners of the Scenic Highway shop will appear on "Family Feud" next week.

The Williams Family will appear on the popular game show at 7 p.m. Sept. 27 on the CW network.

The journey to television screens started more than a year ago when Karen Williams shot an email to the producers of the show who were looking for families to be on the program. Two weeks later the Williams Family – Becky Evans, Karen and Tom Williams, Taylor Gagnon and John Evans – were at the Atlanta Civic Center auditioning for the show.

"They just wanted to see how you interacted with each other and your enthusiasm," Williams said.

But the family had a secret weapon. John Evans created a Lego replica of the family on the set complete with a mini Steve Harvey, the host of the show. It was a prop that helped the family stand out.

Apparently it worked. Months went by and Williams received an email with a list of dates the family could pick to have another audition to be on the show. She picked April 20. Then a clothes shopping marathon began and the Williams Family started "Family Feud Nights" during which they would practice answering questions and play the Family Feud board game. Two nights before they were to head to the studio, they had a dress rehearsal.

The Williams Family arrived back at the Atlanta Civic Center again at 8 a.m. and took part in mock games with music and lights on the famous set. Then they waited to see if their name to be called. Each game takes two hours to film. After nine-and-a-half hours, the Williams Family was called.

So how did they do? You'll have tune in to find out because they're not allowed to say.

"All I'll say is it's hard when you get up on stage," Williams said. "It's not like sitting in your recliner at home."

"It did bring our family together," said Becky Evans. "We got together to practice twice a week, when we'd otherwise be busy."

For more information on the bakery visit billrhodesbakery.com.

SNELLVILLE – Sept. 12 was named Amanda Riley Day in the city.

On Monday, Mayor Tom Witts named the day after the young Brookwood High School student who passed away following her battle with cancer in 2010.

"From this day forward, in honor of her courage, selflessness and inspiration to other children, Sept. 12 shall be known as 'Amanda Riley Day' in the city of Snellville," Witts said. "I commend the Amanda Riley Foundation and (parents) Barbara and Steve Riley for their dedication to fighting childhood cancer and bringing smiles to kids with cancer. I encourage all of Snellville's citizens ... to help bring a smile to the face of a young person fighting childhood cancer."

Amanda was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 16 and after a courageous 405-day fight, she passed away April 9, 2010. Her fight and legacy became a symbol of childhood cancer. Known for her kindness, beautiful smile and generosity, she was a three-sport varsity athlete at BHS.

Last year it was announced the basketball courts at T.W. Briscoe Park will be named after Amanda. A dedication ceremony will take place in the upcoming months, city officials said Monday.

The Amanda Riley Foundation, a Snellville non-profit, was founded by Amanda's parents in her honor. The foundation has helped countless children with cancer. Her parents were on hand to accept the proclamation Monday.

Nationwide, September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month with the hope it will increase awareness about the issue of childhood cancer, including the need for early detection, prompt treatment, new medications, continued research and attention on the late term effects of treatment on childhood cancer survivors.

For more information about Amanda and the Amanda Riley Foundation visit amandarileyfoundation.org.

SNELLVILLE – A joint student entrepreneur venture between local schools and the city got a big boost in the form of a $250,000 award from Gwinnett County Public Schools.

"One of the primary purposes of this award is to recognize the behaviors we want exhibited in our schools and classrooms," GCPS Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks said in letter informing Brookwood High School officials of the award. "Therefore, the $250,000 awarded to the Brookwood Cluster Schools is to further the innovative and engaging practices you have been using to educate out students to the highest possible level."

The Brookwood Cluster Schools' Integrated Entrepreneurship program will now expand to the elementary and middle school levels and other facets of the program will be bolstered after the 2016 Innovation and Transformation Award was given to the cluster. Brookwood schools have offered the successful business experience-based education program in partnership with the city's Office of Economic Development for a number of years.

"Success is rewarded. For the last five years the City of Snellville has partnered with local schools to create a workforce that meets the needs of a 22nd century business," said city Economic Development Director Eric Van Otteren. "The Brookwood Cluster has embraced the concept of entrepreneurship as a learn-by-doing pathway to meet the future."

The funds open the door for Brookwood Elementary School to further grow its student entrepreneur programs, the first of its kind for an elementary school in the county, program officials said.

"I am so thankful to GCPS for providing the Innovation Award," said Cindy Quinlan, GCPS Entrepreneurship Program Specialist Work-Based Learning Coordinator. "Now, more than ever before, students need skills to create their own opportunities and to develop soft skills crucial for a successful future. We must continue to innovate in our classrooms to meet the demands in an ever changing world. With this funding, we will continue to go grow our entrepreneurship education programs within the Brookwood Cluster Schools."

Now, in the Brookwood Cluster, the following business experience-based education programs will be offered, allowing a student to engage in business throughout their school career:

Elementary School Level

• Token economy and class jobs
• Market Day
• School-based enterprise

Middle School Level

• Small group "Shark Tank" pitches
• Soft skills development
• Focus on social entrepreneurship

9th Grade Year

Focus: Building foundational knowledge

• Honors or CP 9th grade language arts
• Marketing principles
• Intro to business and technology
  

10th Grade Year

Focus: Launching a business

• Honors or CP 10th grade language arts
• Entrepreneurship

• Public speaking (language arts elective)
  

11th Grade Year

Focus: Operating a business

• Honors or CP 11th grade language arts
• Legal environment of business
• Marketing management

12th Grade Year

• Work-based learning
• Business expansion
• Leadership opportunities mentoring younger entrepreneurship students

Upcoming Senior Center Events