Changing lives!
The C5 Georgia Youth Foundation recently received a $225,000 Chickfil- A True Inspiration Award to expand the five-year leadership program that serves under-resourced middle and high school youth. “In addition to being able to expand to the Westside, it helps support C5 Georgia alumni in college and careers,” Executive Director Jackie Cannizzo says.
Up to 72 high-potential seventh graders with at least a B average are selected from partner schools in metro Atlanta, including Path Academy in Brookhaven. “We work with our kids through 12th grade,” Cannizzo says.
The intensive program takes place after school and on weekends, but the core experience is the 30-day summer camp at Camp Adahi in Menlo, Georgia, during the first two years. Students are unplugged from technology and focus on leadership development, social awareness, community service and career readiness. “Our kids report that the camp experience is transformational,” Cannizzo says.
In their fourth year, students tour Georgia and surrounding states to visit the colleges they may want to attend, and during summers of their last year, seniors attend sessions on the Emory campus where they choose a topic of study and learn to apply critical thinking skills.
“We have a 100% high school graduation rate, and 95% either attend post-secondary schools, join the military or start careers. Our students have earned over $10 million in scholarships,” Cannizzo says.
For more information, visit c5georgia.org.
