atlanta falcons

Transcription

atlanta falcons
DEKALB
COLLEGES:
AN OVERVIEW
THE SHADOW PROJECT:
ATLANTA
FALCONS’
HEAD TEAM
PHYSICIAN ON
DOING WHAT
HE DOES
DEVELOPING
LEADERS AT
STEPHENSON
HIGH SCHOOL
AHIMSA HOUSE
FIESTAS PATRIAS
FEATURES
18 DEKALB COLLEGES: AN OVERVIEW
By Norma Stanley
A spotlight on our colleges and universiƟes.
10 OGLETHORPE: OFFERING GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO
DEKALB AND BEYOND
By Laurence M. Schall
The President of Oglethorpe University highlights
extraordinary things that are happening at the DeKalb
based college.
14 EASTER SEALS ASQ QUESTIONNAIRE ALERTS PARENTS
TO POSSIBLE DELAYS IN CHILDREN’S DEVELOPMENT
By Norma Stanley
What every parent of a child under five years old needs to
know about.
28 BUSINESS MINDED COLLEGE STUDENTS FORM FUTURE
ENTREPRENEURS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
By Norma Stanley
A Chamber for our youth.
32 AHIMSA HOUSE HELPING PEOPLE WITH PETS ESCAPE
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
By Maya Gupta
The ExecuƟve Director of AHIMSA House discusses how
saving animals can also save their owners.
34 DEVELOPING LEADERS IN DEKALB
By Sharon Barnes SuƩon
Commissioner SuƩon on invesƟng in our kids.
Photo: Stephenson High School “back to school” message.
Publisher
Photographer
Features Editor
Public Relations
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Advertising
Joey Johnson
Johnny Mapp
Norma Stanley
Heidi B. Fuller
Graphic Mechanic Design Studio
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Issue:
Education
August/September 2012
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WeAreDeKalb
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ISSN 2164-6244
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DEPARTMENTS
CULTURE
07 DCG in Avondale
08 Fiestas Patrias
EDUCATION
16 Golf and Tennis: Mind and Body
Sports for Youths and College Kids
26 The Shadow Project: Spero G.
Karas, MD, Atlanta Falcons Head
Team Physician
FOOD
38 Ted’s Montana Grill CelebraƟng 10
Years and a Recipe for Success
42 It’s Always the Season for Grilling
Photo: Image from the AJC Decatur Book Festival. This fun, educational event will be held August 31- September 2, 2012.
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culture
Photos: Cindy M. Brown, cbrownphoto.com
DCG IN AVONDALE
By Mary Gowing
FOR THE SINGERS OF THE DEK ALB CHOR AL GUILD (DCG) “BACK TO
SCHOOL” MEANS A FRESH CONCERT SEASON OF NEW AND EXCITING MUSIC
TO LEARN AND TO LOVE.
I
t also means new singers in the group as auditions
in August yield new voices for this 35 year old,
professionally led volunteer, SATB community chorus.
The DCG is a nonprofit, non-religious organization that
has recently moved its rehearsal and concert home to
Avondale First Baptist Church on Covington Highway.
Singers in the DCG audition for accompanist
Leanne Elmer Herrmann and music director Edgar Scruggs (who
has led collegiate choral programs at Belmont University, the
University of Georgia and most recently the inaugural choral
program at Georgia Perimeter College) but don’t need to have
music degrees or have been professional singers (although some
do and some have been). What they do need is a learner’s mind in
order to hone vocal techniques and listening and music reading
skills in order to prepare their music at the highest level possible.
“I’ve learned so much singing with the DCG. It’s a challenge but
when all the voices come together and express the music and the
audience shares in that experience it’s the best feeling there is” says
a 10 year DCG veteran.
In concerts, the DCG educates the audience about the music
using a heart and head approach. They let the music speak for
itself without much interruption during concerts (heart) but also
provide informative and thorough program notes (head) written
by noted musicologist and DCG alto Michaelene Gorney. Besides
being applauded for its quality of choral singing, the organization
is often requested to share these wonderful notes with other choirs.
The DCG is concerned about the future of this beautiful art
form. To encourage the field of choral arts the DeKalb Choral
Guild collaborates with young singer choruses such as HarmonyAtlanta’s International Youth Chorus and choruses from The
DeKalb School of the Arts, to learn from and inspire each other
and provide a wider audience and broader venue opportunities
(such as Spivey Hall) for the younger choruses. Also, the DCG
offers the Georgia Young Composers Festival. Two festivals have
been held thus far, the fi rst in 2009 and the second recently in
April of 2012. The GYCF challenges Georgia college students to
compose music for chorus and submit these compositions to be
judged in its competition. The festival concert features the DCG
chorus singing the top 4 compositions. An emcee interviews each
of the composers about their life and their featured composition.
After the work is sung by the choir, a panel of renowned judges
questions the student composers about their musical choices. It
is an educational experience for all involved, audience included.
Not only does the festival name a winner and award a scholarship
prize, on the festival weekend it also has workshops for the top
fi nalists led by prominent Georgia professional musicians.
In this, its 35th season, the DCG’s current concert schedule
includes an Oct. 27 concert at Avondale First Baptist featuring
Michael Haydn’s Requiem with string quartet. For full
information visit dekalbchoralguild.org.
Mary Gowing is a DCG singer and trustee.
August/September 2012 • wearedekalb.com • We Are DeKalb Magazine
7
culture {GATHERINGS}
FIESTAS
PATRIAS
By Stephanie Stevenson
U
nivision 34 Atlanta and Plaza Fiesta are delighted to
announce the upcoming “Fiestas Patrias,” a celebration
of Hispanic Heritage Month, to be held on Sunday,
September 16 from 12-7 p.m. at Plaza Fiesta.
The Fiestas Patrias event kicks off Hispanic
Heritage Month, celebrated nationally from September 15 - October
15 annually. First observed in 1968, Hispanic Heritage month
highlights the history, culture and traditions of the U.S. Latino
population. September 15 marks the anniversary of independence of
the Latin American countries of Costa R ica, El Salvador, Guatemala,
Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their
independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively.
The 2012 Fiestas Patrias celebration will include a day filled with
live Latin music including performances from Regional Mexican
artists, a children’s play area, crafts, giveaways and traditional Latin
food tastes. The headliner will be K-Paz de la Sierra, a
popular band out of Chicago . Some of their biggest hits
are “Un Buen Perdedor” “Mi Credo,” and “Volveré.”
The Mexican Consulate of Atlanta has named the
Plaza Fiesta event the “official” Mexican Independence
Day event for Atlanta. There will be a ceremony to
honor the occasion during the festival.
Over the last seven years, the Fiestas Patrias event
at Plaza Fiesta has become a tradition for the Atlanta
community. Plaza Fiesta and Univision 34 Atlanta
have created a family-friendly, free event and the
largest festival of its kind in the city. Plaza Fiesta is
conveniently located in a heavily-populated Hispanic
area, making it an easy destination for families.
The event begins at noon on Sunday, September
16 at Plaza Fiesta, located at 4166 Buford Highway,
Atlanta, 30345. There is ample parking at the venue.
Stephanie Stevenson is Marketing/Research Director
at Univision 34 Atlanta.
Visit wearedekalb.com to
READ THIS ARTICLE ONLINE
Photo: Courtesy of Univision 34/Atlanta
FEATURE
OGLETHORPE:
OFFERING GREAT
OPPORTUNIES TO
DEKALB AND
BEYOND
By Lawrence M. Schall
SUMMER BR EAK IS COMING
TO AN END, STUDENTS
AR E ARRIVING BACK ON
CAMPUS, AND ANOTHER
YEAR IS BEGINNING—MY
EIGHTH AS PR ESIDENT OF
OGLETHORPE UNIVERSITY.
Photo: Courtesy of Oglethorpe University
education
THAT DOESN’T SEEM POSSIBLE. THE TIME HAS GONE
VERY QUICKLY FOR ME, BUT WHEN ONE LOVES WHAT
YOU DO FOR A LIVING, THAT CAN HAPPEN.
T
his year promises to be another great
one for the University, if last year is
any indication. Last fall, we welcomed
the largest fi rst year class in our history
and this year, we shatter that record.
Our students come from more than
30 states and 30 countries. As a result of a trip I took to
Central America with one of our admissions staff, we have
almost a dozen students arriving from Honduras. I don’t
know of any American university that can claim a similar
yield. In total, almost 5000 high school seniors applied for
admission to Oglethorpe this year, competing for one of
300 or so spots in the fi rst year class. That’s a 500% increase
in applications in five years.
Almost one-third of
our students are firstgeneration scholars; that’s
one of the things that
makes our student body so
exceptional.
T he yea r a lso broug ht a mazi ng ph i la nt h ropic
commitment to Oglethorpe. In June, the Coca-Cola
Foundation announced it was awarding grants to 17
universities across the country to enable fi rst-generation
students to attend college—the fi rst in their families to do
In fall 2011, the entire incoming Class of 2015 volunteered at seven nonprofits
around Atlanta, including at nearby Silver Lake, during OU’s annual
Orientation Day of Service
so. Oglethorpe was not only among those 17 universities,
but Oglethorpe’s $1 million gift was the largest awarded by
the foundation. Almost one-third of our students are fi rstgeneration scholars; that’s one of the things that makes our
student body so exceptional. But this extraordinary gift was
not the only one of its kind this year. We received a historic
$5 million gift from the Lett ie Pate Evans Foundation,
which has served as the lead gift for our new campus center
project, scheduled to open in the summer of 2013.
What has brought this kind of success to Oglethorpe?
In 2012, we celebrated the 177th year since our founding;
we have been providing an exceptionally rigorous and
August/September 2012 • wearedekalb.com • We Are DeKalb Magazine
11
education {OGLETHORPE OFFERING GREAT OPPORTUNITIES...}
relevant education to our students for a very long time. But
in recent times, evidenced by our strategic plan adopted by
the Board of Trustees in 2010, our vision has boldly moved
beyond the gates of our beautiful campus to engage the
community in which we live—local, regional, national and
Oglethorpe is a liberal arts university. What exactly
does that mean? One thing it does not mean is that our
students lack focus. We have engineering graduates
through our joint program with Georgia Tech. We
successfully send our students off to law, medical, business,
We successfully send our students off to law, medical,
business, education and other graduate schools.
international. An Oglethorpe education in 2012 includes
not only intensive interdisciplinary studies inside our
walls, but also work and service experiences in the city of
Atlanta and opportunities for study abroad for each and
every student.
education and other graduate schools. But at the same
time, whether a student is an accounting, communications,
business or history major, every Oglethorpe student
graduates with the ability to think independently, to
reason critically, and to communicate effectively. It is those
skills, combined with a host of real world experiences, that
make our students successful in the real world.
We invite you to come visit us during this new school
year. Come see one of our exhibitions in the Oglethorpe
University Museum of Art. Take in a play produced by our
professional theatre-in-residence, Georgia Shakespeare
(you’ll likely see a couple OU students on stage). Come see
one of our 16 intercollegiate athletic teams compete in the
newly formed Southern Athletic Association. (We love to
beat our cross-town rival Emory!) There are music and art
shows galore, lectures and movies each week. There’s more
to do than you can possibly attend. You’ll fi nd all this on our
event calendar at oglethorpe.edu. I hope to see you soon.
Dr. Lawrence M. Schall is President of Oglethorpe University.
Oglethorpe University President Larry Schall (left) works alongside students
and staff at the Montgomery Food Bank in Alabama following the devastating
tornados in spring 2011.
Visit wearedekalb.com to
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August/September 2012 • wearedekalb.com • We Are DeKalb Magazine
13
FEATURE
EASTER SEALS
ASQ
QUESTIONNAIRE
ALERTS PARENTS TO
POSSIBLE DELAYS
IN CHILDREN’S
DEVELOPMENT
By Norma Stanley
IF YOU’R E A PAR ENT WITH A YOUNG CHILD WITH
DELAYED DEVELOPMENT, YOU’VE PROBABLY
ALR EADY DISCOVER ED HOW CRITICAL EARLY
INTERVENTION DURING THEIR FIRST FIVE YEARS OF
LIFE IS TO THEIR FUTUR E DEVELOPMENT.
W
ell, Easter Seals, the nation’s
largest provider of early
inter vention ser vices and
disability community support,
is educating parents about the
“Make Every Five Count”
Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ ), designed to assist
parents in recognizing delays early.
“Every year, more than one million children under
the age of five who have a disability or who are at risk
for development delays, go unidentified,” says Donna
Davidson, president/CEO of Easter Seals of North
Georgia. “The ASQ is a screening tool that can help
“Out of about 452,000 children, more than 60,000
children are at risk for delays because they just aren’t being
identified early enough,” says Davidson. “There aren’t a
lot of developmental pediatricians and parents don’t know
what milestones to look for. As a result, many children
are around four years-old before they’re diagnosed with a
delay, such as autism” she continued. “As a former speech
pathologist, I always get nervous when I see a two year-old
who isn’t talking, because by the age of four, a child has
learned all the rules of their language.”
In effort to keep all kids from falling through the cracks,
Easter Seals urges all parents of children under five to
complete the questionnaire and sign an online petition so
“Out of about 452,000 children, more than
60,000 children are at risk for delays because they
just aren’t being identified early enough,” says
Davidson.
parents, day care centers providers and care givers,
signal any delays in a child’s development by identifying
development milestones and potential concerns to discuss
with their child’s health provider,” she continued. “We’re
also working to let congress know how critical increased
funding is because programs that diagnose and treat
children with development delays early, are historically
under funded on the state and federal level,” she said.
Davidson says that of the nearly 500,000 children
under five in Georgia, fewer than 20 percent have been
identified as being at risk for development delays, which
adversely impacts minority communities and families with
low incomes the most.
government officials can take action by providing additional
funding for early education and detection services.
The ASQ is free, takes only 20 minutes to complete
online and results are emailed within two weeks. For
more information about the Make the First Five Count,
Ages & Stages Questionnaire or to sign the petition, visit
makethefi rstfivecount.org.
Visit wearedekalb.com to
READ THIS ARTICLE ONLINE
August/September 2012 • wearedekalb.com • We Are DeKalb Magazine
15
education {SPORTS}
GOLF AND TENNIS:
MIND AND BODY
SPORTS FOR YOUTHS
AND COLLEGE KIDS
By Kimberley Lyles-Folkman
SUGAR CR EEK GOLF
AND TENNIS CLUB
HOSTS STRONG SUMMER
PROGR AMMING FOR
THE YOUTHS. THER E
AR E SUMMER CAMPS
HELD EVERY SEASON
DURING JUNE AND JULY
TO INTRODUCE JUNIORS
TO THE WORLD OF GOLF
AND TENNIS.
T
he basics of each sport, skills, etiquette
and general rules and strategies are taught
in a dynamic way so that your child can
experience golf or tennis during their
summer season.
Th is 313961
season, Sugar Creek Golf and Tennis accommodated
over 500 kids and many were exposed to competitive
and professional opportunities under the guidance of
PGA Lifetime Member, Leonard Jones and PTR, James
Harrell. Two of the Junior Academy golf youths, Miles
Bizzle and Sarah Kuranga actually attended the Jr. Ryder
Cup. Additionally, two of the tennis youths won the North
Druid Hills “10 and Under” Junior Tournament Division
representing DeKalb County, one winner was Eythan
Ward. Earlier in the spring season, a group of junior golfers
also attended the Masters.
Golf and tennis can support life skills, self-esteem
improvement, sportsmanship, and the opportunities and
benefits of both sports can be abundant for your child. Golf
or tennis as an option for camp is a good choice to offer
your child and the “active” sports typically, expand beyond
standard summer camp programming.
Sugar Creek Golf & Tennis Club is an 18-hole
championship golf facility with a lighted driving range
and a tennis facility with 10 hard courts and 4 clay courts.
Programming accommodates groups and organizations,
youth teams, junior golf and tennis, summer camps,
individual as well as group golf and tennis lessons, and a
wide variety of family-friendly programs. Marie Dunovant,
President and Board Chair, Sydmar Golf and Sports
Management Inc., and operator of Sugar Creek Golf &
Tennis Club, states that she is excited to watch the growth
and development of the youth that attend the
sessions and camps and wants to now invite
college youths to explore the sport as she
announces that in 2013, Sugar Creek
will host the 1st Golf and Tennis
Collegiate Invitational.
Visit sugarcreekga.com or call the
Pro Shop at 404-241-7671 for more
information on youth opportunities and our
calendar. Be sure to also see the new clubhouse
coming this fall.
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FEATURE
DEKALB
COLLEGES:
AN ByOVERVIEW
Norma Stanley
N
o matter what their innate abilities,
diverse interests or particular skill,
students entering one of DeKalb
C ou nt y ’s c om mu n it y s c ho ol s of
higher learning, can find what they’re
looking for in preparation of pursuing and securing the
career and job of their choice.
Whether it’s in the area of business administration,
healthcare, law, justice, information technolog y,
culinary or fine arts, fashion or funeral direction, there
are nearly 15 colleges and technical institutes located
in DeKalb County offering the academic programs
that satisf y the educational needs of incoming and
current students.
The following is an overview of some of DeKalb
County’s colleges and institutes and the courses they
offer students both on campus or online:
AGNES SCOTT COLLEGE
141 E. COLLEGE AVE., DECATUR, GA 30030 | 404-471-6000 | AGNESSCOTT.EDU
FOUNDED IN 1889, AS AN INDEPENDENT NATIONAL LIBER AL ARTS
COLLEGE FOR WOMEN LOCATED IN THE METROPOLITAN ATLANTA
AR EA AND IS AFFILIATED WITH THE PR ESBYTERIAN CHURCH (U.S.A.).
The school has nearly 900 students enrolled and is
primarily comprised of female students (98.8 percent).
Agnes Scott undergrad students represent 41 states
and territories and 29 countries. Historically, Agnes
Scott College students have earned academia’s
most prestigious scholarships incuding the Marshall,
Rhodes, Fulbright, Goldwater, the Pickering Fellowship
and the Gates Millenium Scholarship. In addition,
approximately 40 percent of students study abroad
upon graduation
Academic programs include 34 undergrad majors and
31 minors incuding programs in pre-law, pre-medicine
and dual degree programs in computer science,
engineering and nursing. The college also offers postbaccalaureate degrees in pre-med.
AGNES SCOTT COLLEGE
ART INSTITUTE OF ATLANTA
ART INSTITUTE OF ATLANTA
6600 PEACHTREE DUNWOODY RD., 100 EMBASSY ROW, ATLANTA
770-394-8300 | ARTINSTITUTES.EDU
THE ART INSTITUTE OF ATLANTA WAS FOUNDED IN 1949 AND HAS A
STUDENT ENROLLMENT OF OVER 3,000 STUDENTS.
The school offers 23 degree programs and 10 diploma
programs and prepares students for careers in design,
media arts, fashion and culinary arts by providing a
challenging educational environment. In addition to its
115,000 square foot location in Dunwoody, the Institute
also has a location in Decatur, which opened in 2008.
The school also offers general education courses
aiming to enhance technical studies by stimulating
the imagination. The school takes a holistic approach
to learning, connections between all subject matters,
their relevance to historical and cultural contexts and
the careers that lie ahead.
BROWN MACKIE COLLEGE
4370 PEACHTREE RD., NE., ATLANTA, 30319 | 404-799-4500 | BROWNMACKIE.EDU
BROWN MACKIE COLLEGE’S AR EAS OF STUDY INCLUDE NURSING,
HEALTHCAR E AND WELLNESS, BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY, LEGAL
STUDIES, VETERINARY TECHNOLOGY AND EARLY CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION AND HAVE AN AVER AGE ENROLLMENT OF
1,416 STUDENTS.
For returning college students, the college puts an
emphasis on support services and personal attention.
It offers diploma and certificate programs that can
be completed in as little as 12 to 15 months when
taking one class per month, enabling students to have
a consistent weekly routine important to juggling
multiple responsibilities.
BROWN MACKIE COLLEGE
EMORY UNIVERSITY
EMORY UNIVERSITY
1364 CLIFTON RD., NE, ATLANTA, 30324 | 404-712-2000 | EMORY.EDU
LOCATED IN GEORGIA’S HISTORIC DRUID HILLS SUBURB AND OVER 175
YEARS OLD, EMORY UNIVERSITY IS A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY AND ONE OF
THE SOUTH’S MOST RESPECTED INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING.
Emory is consistently ranked among the nation’s top
universities by U.S. World and News Report. Emory
University has nearly 14,000 students enrolled in its
undergraduate and graduate programs, offers about
70 majors and is recognized for its outstanding liberal
arts colleges and professional schools. It is also one of
the Southeast’s leading health care systems.
Among the its many professionals schools of
study are the Emory College of Arts and Sciences,
Oxford College, Goizueta Business School, James T.
Laney School of Graduate Studies, Emory School of
Law, Emory School of Medicine, Neil Hodgson School
of Nursing, Rollins School of Public Health and the
Candler School of Theology. The university maintains
an uncommon balance for an institution of its
standing: it generates more research funding than any
other Georgia university, while maintaining its traditional
emphasis on teaching. The University is also renowned
for its competitive and winning athletic programs.
DEVRY UNIVERSITY
5775 PEACHTREE DUNWOODY RD., NE, 30342 | 404-236-1310 | DEVRY.EDU
THIS ACCR EDITED, 80 YEAR-OLD UNIVERSITY IS DESIGNED TO
HELP STUDENTS WITH CURRICULUM THAT MEETS THE NEEDS
OF TOP BUSINESSES.
The school has 95 locations across the United States
and Canada where students can receive bachelor’s
de gre es in accounting, business information
systems, criminal justice, finance, health information
management, hospitalit y management, human
resource management, small business management
and entrepreneurship.
Among the six colleges and areas of focus that
comprise Devry University, are the Colleges of Business
Management, Engineering and Information Sciences,
Health Sciences, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Media Arts
and Technology, as well as the Keller Graduate School
of Management. Graduates of Devry are hired by major
corporations such as AT&T, Bank of America, HewlettPackard, Motorola, GE, IBM, Boeing, etc. Students can
also earn post graduate degrees including a master’s
of business administration, project management and
public administration.
DEVRY UNIVERSITY
EVEREST INSTITUTE
EVEREST INSTITUTE
2460 WESLEY CHAPEL RD., 30035 | 866-453-5027 | EVEREST.EDU
EVER EST INSTITUTE HAS GR ADUATED OVER 200,000 STUDENTS FROM
ITS 102 CAMPUSES, INCLUDING 85 IN THE US. AND 17 IN CANADA.
Everest Institute prides itself on offering students
real world environments and interactive, personal
participation in courses that will enhance their career
choices. Among the areas of study and careers offered
are healthcare, business administration, information
technology, trade skills, accounting, medical assistant,
massage therapy, nursing, medical billing and coding,
pharmacy technician and surgical technologist.
GEORGIA PERIMETER
COLLEGE
3251 PANTHERSVILLE, DECATUR 30034 | 678-891-2300 | GPC.EDU
. GEORGIA PERIMETER COLLEGE (GPC) HAS FIVE LOCATIONS
IN METRO ATLANTA INCLUDING THR EE IN DEK ALB (DECATUR,
DUNWOODY, AND CLARKSTON).
The school has approximately 27,000 students enrolled
and offers career programs that include dental hygiene,
nursing, radiological technology, fire management,
library and information science technology and sign
language interpreting.
GPC was founded by citizens of DeKalb County and
the DeKalb County Board of Education and became
a college in 1964. It is the largest associate degree-
granting college and the third largest institution in
the University System of GA (USG). In addition, its
international students account for 15 percent of the
total student population representing 157 countries.
GEORGIA PERIMETER COLLEGE
GUPTON JONES COLLEGE
GUPTON JONES COLLEGE
5141 SNAPFINGER WOODS DR., 30035 | 770-593-2257 | GUPTON-JONES.EDU
GUPTON JONES COLLEGE IS DEDICATED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF
FUNER AL SERVICE EDUCATION AND THE FUNER AL
SERVICE PROFESSION.
The college has an average enrollment of about 250
students and offers an associate of science degree
only. Since 1920, Gupton Jones College has been
a non-profit corporation offering post high school
education to people interested in funeral direction
and embalming as a career. Founded in Nashville,
TN., the DeKalb County location opened in 1991.
Among the courses offered are anatomy, chemistry,
embalming, microbiology, pathology, restorative art,
accounting computer in funeral service, small business
management and mortuary law and ethics.
GEORGIA PIEDMONT
TECHNICAL COLLEGE
495 INDIAN CREEK DR., CLARKSTON, 30021 | 404-497-9522 | DEKALBTECH.EDU
FOR MERLY DEK ALB TECHNICAL COLLEGE, GEORGIA PIEDMONT
TECHNICAL COLLEGE HAS FIVE CAMPUSES.
The school celebrated its 50th year in 2011 and is
one of the oldest and most respected of Georgia’s 33
technical colleges. Georgia Piedmont offers Associates
of applied science degrees in business information
Systems, health and professional services, industrial
technologies, public safety and security. It also has
a division of economic development, which includes
commercial truck driving and electrical line work. The
college has more than 8,000 students enrolled in credit
programs and more than 9,000 in adult education and
continuing education classes.
GEORGIA PIEDMONT TECHNICAL COLLEGE
INTERACTIVE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
INTERACTIVE COLLEGE OF
TECHNOLOGY (ICT),
AND INTERACTIVE
LEARNING SYSTEMS
5303 NEW PEACHTREE RD., CHAMBLEE, 30341 | 770-216-2960 | ICT.ILS.EDU
An accredited school of technology with approximately
400 students, ICT is ranked by the U.S. Department
of Education as one of the most affordable schools
in the nation. ICT offers associate and certificate
programs for high demand careers. Each program is
combined with real world training preparing students
for the future, via their externships. Students can
receive associate degrees in the areas of computer
information technology and diplomas in accounting
a n d a u to m ate d o f f i ce, b u s i n e s s i n f o r m at i o n
management; administrative suppor t systems;
information technology, medical billing and coding,
medical administrative assistant specialist and HVAC.
LE CORDON BLEU COLLEGE
OF CULINARY ARTS
1927 LAKESIDE PARKWAY, ATLANTA, 30084 | 770-938-4711 | CHEFS.EDU
AN INTERNATIONALLY R ENOWNED CULINARY ARTS SCHOOL, LE
CORDON BLEU’S NAME MEANING “BLUE RIBBON” ORIGINATED IN
THE TIME OF KING HENRY THE III, WHER E SUMPTUOUS BANQUETS
WER E PR EPAR ED FOR THOSE BEING AWARDED SPECIAL R ECOGNITION
WITHIN AN EXCLUSIVE ORDER OF THE CHURCH.
These honorees were given a blue ribbon called
the “cordon bleu’s” and these celebrations became
legendary and over time, became synonymous with
excellence in culinary art.
Le Cordon Bleu has over 30 schools worldwide,
spanning five continents and 17 campuses in the U.S.
The school primarily offers certificates and associate
degree programs in the areas of culinary arts and
baking and pastry arts. The school offers master chef
classes, as well as an online culinary program when
students can receive a bachelors of arts in culinary
management.
LE CORDON BLEU COLLEGE OF CULINARY ARTS
OGLETHORPE UNIVERSITY
OGLETHORPE UNIVERSITY
4484 PEACHTREE RD., NE 30324 | 404-364-8555 | OGLETHORPE.EDU
FOUNDED IN 1835 ATLANTA’S OGLETHORPE UNIVERSITY ENROLLS
OVER 1,000 STUDENTS R EPR ESENTING 34 STATES AND 28 COUNTRIES
IN IT LIBER AL ARTS AND SCIENCES UNIVERSITY.
It is one of America’s most selective liberal arts
institutions. It is consistently listed among the
best colleges in the Princeton Review and Forbes.
Oglethorpe University prides itself in offering its
students what it calls the “Core.” This Core is a set
24
of requirements students have to take in order to
graduate, which examines life’s most vexing questions
and building an intellectual foundation for a life, not
just a job.
We Are DeKalb Magazine • wearedekalb.com • August/September 2012
MERCER UNIVERSITY,
CECIL B. DAY GRA DUATE AND
PROFESSIONAL CAMPUS
3001 MERCER UNIVERSITY DRIVE, ATLANTA 30341 | 800-MERCER-U | MERCER.EDU
THE CECIL B. DAY GR ADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL CAMPUS OF
MERCER UNIVERSITY IS LOCATED ON 200 HEAVILY WOODED ACR ES
INSIDE THE ATLANTA PERIMETER AR EA AND IS AFFILIATED WITH
THE PR ESBYTERIAN CHURCH (U.S.A.).
This campus is home to the University’s College of
Pharmacy and Health Sciences, McAfee School of
Theology, Georgia Baptist College of Nursing, College
of Continuing and Professional Studies, Eugene W.
Stetson School of Business and Economics, College of
Education and English Language Institute.
O n e o f A m e r i c a’s o l d e s t a n d m o s t d is t i n c t i v e
institutions of higher learning, Mercer University offers
rigorous programs that span the undergraduate liberal
arts to doctoral-level degrees. The school has more
than 8,200 students and 11 schools and colleges in
Macon, Atlanta and Savannah.
MERCER UNIVERSITY
WESTWOOD COLLEGE
WESTWOOD COLLEGE
2309 PARKLAKE DR., NE, ATLANTA, 30345 | 404-962-2999 | WESTWOOD.EDU
WESTWOOD COLLEGE, FOUNDED IN DENVER, CO IN 1953, HAS MOR E
THAN 14 CAMPUSES ACROSS THE NATION, WITH MOR E THAN 13,000
STUDENTS ENROLLED.
The DeKalb County’s campus is located on LaVista Rd.
near Northlake Mall. The college offers more than 35
diploma, associates, bachelor’s and master’s programs
including schools of design, technology, business,
justice, healthcare and industrial services. Westwood
College also offers a fast track program that can earn
an associate degree in 17 months or a bachelor’s
degree in three years.
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August/September 2012 • wearedekalb.com • We Are DeKalb Magazine
25
education {CAREER PATHS}
THE SHADOW PROJECT:
SPERO G.
KARAS, MD
Career Title
NFL Team Physician/
Sports Medicine Specialist
Education Required
College/Pre-med (4years)
Medical School (4 years)
Orthopedic Surgery Residency (5 years)
Sports Medicine Fellowship (1 year)
Natural Skills/
Talents Required
People skills, organizational skills,
capacity for hard work over long hours,
good dexterity for surgical procedures,
life-long learning with reading and
ongoing education and a love for sports.
Photo: Courtesy of NFL
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READ THIS ARTICLE ONLINE
What advice would you give
people who are interested in
this career?
It’s a long, competitive, road. Initially, you have to be a “ top 10
percenter” in the first 8 years. Excellent grades are key to get into
medical school, then an orthopedic residency. After that, showing
expertise in your orthopedic rotations and getting a good sports
fellowship is key. Once you’re in practice, developing a strong
reputation in your community first, and then nationally, will put
you in a position to be sought after by a professional sports team.
Taking care of high school and collegiate teams are required to get
you the experience necessary to break into the pro ranks.
26
About Dr. Karas
Dr. Karas joined the Emory Orthopaedic & Spine Center in
2005 as Director of the Emory Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
Fellowship Program. In addition to this role, he currently
serves as the head team physician for the Atlanta Falcons, a
consulting team physician for Georgia Tech University, Emory
University, Oglethorpe University, Georgia Perimeter College,
and Lakeside High School. Prior to this, he served as chief
of the Shoulder Service, team physician, and director of the
Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowship at the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Orthopaedics.
We Are DeKalb Magazine • wearedekalb.com • August/September 2012
DeKalb Chamber’s
8th Annual
golf &c tournament
l a s s i c
Smoke Rise
Country
Club
4900 Chedworth Drive
Stone Mountain, GA 30087
September 24, 2012
Register online at:
dcocgolf2012.eventbrite.com
DeKalb Chamber of Commerce
Two Decatur Town Center
125 Clairemont Avenue, Suite 235
Decatur, GA 30030
FEATURE
BUSINESS MINDED
COLLEGE
STUDENTS FORM
FUTURE ENTREPRENEURS
CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE
By Norma Stanley
SIX EXTR EMELY FOCUSED,
SELF MOTIVATED AND
HIGHLY IMPR ESSIVE YOUNG
COLLEGE STUDENTS
WHO EACH HAVE OR
INTEND TO HAVE THEIR
OWN BUSINESSES, HAVE
JOINED FORCES TO FOR M A
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
business
UNLIKE MANY OTHERS THIS CHAMBER HAS BEEN DESIGNED
TO ENCOUR AGE, EMPOWER AND ENLIGHTEN YOUNG PEOPLE
THROUGHOUT GEORGIA, ABOUT BECOMING ENTR EPR ENEURS.
T
he Future Entrepreneurs Chamber
of Commerce (FECC), has only
been in ex istence since Febr uar y
of t h is yea r, however, t h is
group of young business men
and women, has already caught the attention
of leading business, civ ic and government key
inf luencers throughout metro-Atlanta, including
the president of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.
T he founders of the FECC have much in
common. T heir parents were good friends, they
a ll grew up together, they were home schooled,
they’re a ll bet ween the ages 19 and 21, they’re
either in col lege now or about to attend col lege,
a nd t h e y a l l a r e d e t e r m i n e d t o no t w o r k f o r
someone else.
“I’ve had four jobs since I was 17 and noticed
when work ing for and w ith others, that they didn’t
seem to have the same mindset of being the best at
what they did, and sometimes seemed robotic in
their approach to work,” says Uriah Bul lard (22),
president of the FECC and a Georgia Piedmont
Tech student. “However, entrepreneurship gives
you freedom to be the best, be your ow n boss,
enjoy your work and eventual ly reap the al l the
benef its,” he said.
Bullard, along w ith his brother Dav id (21),
who ser ves as V P/Parlimentarian of FECC and
attends Georgia Perimeter Col lege, ow n Digitize
M I I (pronounced Me), a company that conver ts
old cassettes, V HS tapes and records into CD’s, as
well as builds websites and prov ides IT consulting.
T he other founders include Daveenaw McK inney
(19), Uriah and Dav id ’s sister, just graduated f rom
her home school program, but plans to attend
Georgia Perimeter Col lege. In the meantime, she
he is identif y ing ways to volunteer her ser v ices to
non prof it organizations while sharing w ith other
young adults the signif icance of volunteerism. She
ser ves as the FECC’s treasurer.
T here’s also Joshua R ansby (20), V P/Economic
Development and a golf instr uctor, who attends
Georgia State and teaches both beginning and
advance golf to al l ages; Simeon Jenk ins (20), V P/
Marketing and Membership, also just graduated
and who is also in the process of choosing a college,
is the CEO of Photo-Guy Productions, which
prov ides among other things, photo management,
v ideo production, v isual documentation, etc.;
and Av a Jen k i n s (21), a l so st i l l dec id i ng on a
col lege, ow n s a n a lterat ion bu si ness a nd ser ves
a s F ECC ’s Sec ret a r y.
“Since we were young , our parents taught us
about entrepreneurship,” says Dav id Bullard.
“T hey encouraged us to become entrepreneurs
rather than get a job, so we could prov ide jobs for
others,” he continued. “T hey a ll taught us how
impor tant it was to have our ow n businesses.”
So by the time they were out of high school
they al l had decided to become business ow ners
and began attending business events to net work
w ith other business ow ners.
“ We found that whenever we attended business
events, we tended to be the only young people
August/September 2012 • wearedekalb.com • We Are DeKalb Magazine
29
business {BUSINESS MINDED COLLEGE STUDENTS FORM CHAMBER...}
there and we wanted to do something about
that” ex plained Dav id Bul lard. “ We decided to
form the FECC so we could inspire other youth
to see entrepreneurship as an option for life,” he
continued. “Even if they choose not to become
a business ow ner, the net work they develop w il l
help them in their careers. We a lso want to show
youth the sk ills and character traits needed to be
successf ul business ow ners or just have success in
their lives, such as integrit y, creativ it y, hard work,
conf idence, etc.”
A l l of the parents of the FECC founders are
either educators or business executives. Uriah,
Dav id and Daveenaw’s mother, Hadassah, is
a teacher who home schooled them, and their
father, is the Executive Director of the Business
Development Institute, where they’ve been
attending the last t wo years. T he institute was
created by Creed Pannel l, publisher of T he Atlanta
Business Journal and Atlanta News Leader.
Joshua Hansby’s mother, Melanie, is a f inance
director for Toyota and his father is a recr uitment
manager for Tech Systems, an IT staf f ing company.
Simeon and Ava Jenk ins’ mother, M heeraw, is a
teacher who home schooled them, and their father
is the distribution center manager for Huddle House.
T he founders of the FECC are proud of what
they’ve accomplished thus far. Since its inception
in Febr uar y, they’ve been work ing on ensuring
they understand and develop the sk il ls needed
for all their duties as a chamber, and are in the
process of successf ul ly executing their goa ls.
“ We have been inv ited to various programs
to speak to youth f rom elementar y school
through col lege,” says Uriah Bul lard. “ We’re
getting in f ront of established entrepreneurs to
share our v ision and we’re work ing on building
the chamber’s membership, bridging the youth
gap bet ween chambers, par ticipating in youth
summits, interacting w ith other business ow ners,
and holding monthly luncheons for students and
their parents to encourage parents to begin the
30
process of encouraging entrepreneurship sooner
rather than later.
T he FECC has been so ef fective, that Chris
Clark, president of the Georgia Chamber of
Commerce, recognized them at the recent DeK alb
Chamber of Commerce Regional Power Lunch,
held in July.
“T hese are ex traordinar y young people and
we want to incor porate their v ision into our
plans to work w ith the indiv idua l chambers and
develop curriculums for teaching young people
about developing entrepreneurship mindsets and
becoming f uture business ow ners, which w il l help
our economy by creating jobs,” said Clark .
T he FECC’s of f ice are located at 2533 Wesley
Chapel Rd. in Decatur and can be found on
Facebook under its name or fol lowed on Tw itter @
of f icia l_FECC.
We Are DeKalb Magazine • wearedekalb.com • August/September 2012
FEATURE
AHIMSA
HOUSE
HELPING PEOPLE
WITH PETS
ESCAPE
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
By Maya Gupta
health
IT MIGHT BE A VETERINARIAN WHO FIRST
SUSPECTS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WHEN HE OR
SHE SEES SIGNS OF ABUSE IN A PET AND REALIZES
THAT THE FAMILY MAY BE IN DANGER TOO.
T
he vet needs to be able to provide
information or resources to help
victims seek safety — sooner once
they know the animal will be cared for.
Ahimsa House is in the vanguard
educating human ser v ices
professionals, veterinarians and
animal welfare groups about the connection between animal
abuse and domestic violence. Straddling the DecaturAvondale Estates border, we are the only organization in
the state that arranges for the transportation, veterinary
care and emergency safe housing of animals — any
species — who are endangered by domestic violence in
any of Georgia’s 159 counties.
We know that half the clients we serve delayed gett ing
to safety because they feared their abusers would harm
their pets. And because most shelters will not take animals.
We’re a small non-profit fueled by volunteers who help
us present our story to professional groups at the local,
state and national level. We train police departments, bar
associations, humane societies and family crisis centers.
We speak to service groups and colleges. Volunteers
also help get the word out at our information booth at
community events. We want people to take animal abuse
seriously, not only as a crime, but as a red flag for other
dangerous behavior that may be lethal.
One in four women will be affected by domestic violence
in her lifetime. Ahimsa House has a mission to make sure
that everyone in Georgia knows about our services — whether
you need them someday, or know someone who does.
Call volume to our 24-hour crisis line has tripled since
2009. In the fi rst half of 2012, our animal transports were
up 50 percent compared with the same time the previous
year, and we provided 44 percent more nights of animal
shelter — 2,260 nights. Th irty-two percent of our clients
said that their abuser had threatened or actually harmed
their pet in front of their children. And we’re told by 92
percent of our clients that our services made it easier for
them to get to safety.
Recently, our crisis line took a call from a police
department after officers responded to a 911 emergency.
The abuser was taken to jail and the victim was taken to
the hospital. Officers debated what to do with the victim’s
tiny dog, who was shaking in terror. They couldn’t leave
her without a caregiver, so they considered taking her to
Animal Control.
But when they called their precinct for guidance, an
officer there knew about Ahimsa House, thanks to one
of our outreach events. She told the officers at the scene
to bring the dog to the precinct while she called us. We
got the dog to a vet for evaluation, and she is now safe in
an undisclosed location. She’ll stay there until her owner
recovers from her injuries and has found a safe place for
both of them.
Maya Gupta, Ph.D. is Executive Director of Ahimsa
House, Inc.
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August/September 2012 • wearedekalb.com • We Are DeKalb Magazine
33
FEATURE
DEVELOPING
LEADERS
IN DEKALB
By Sharon Barnes Sutton
I CR EATED THE DEK ALB
COUNTY YOUTH
LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
(YLA) BECAUSE I SAW THAT
DEK ALB COUNTY NEEDED
TO MAKE A GR EATER AND
MOR E COMPR EHENSIVE
INVESTMENT IN
OUR YOUTH.
Students of at the DeKalb County Youth Leadership Academy on the last day of the program
listen to a presentation by Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton at Stephenson High School.
politics
I SURVEYED THE VARIOUS PROGRA MS AND INITIATIVES
THAT WERE OUT THERE, SERVING MANY NEEDS, AND SAW
THAT THERE WERE NEEDS NOT BEING ADDRESSED.
S
o I started The DeKalb County Youth
Leadership Program because I was audacious
enough to believe that I could offer that help.
After all, I had spent a decade teaching
public school students the career skills to
prepare them for life. As Vice President of the
DeKalb County Council of Parent Teacher Associations, I
organized new PTAs, trained officers to be effective advocates,
and encouraged parents to get involved in their children’s
schools. As district director for Organization of DeKalb
Educators (ODE), I fought to reduce class sizes, block unfunded
Development: Seven Habits of Effective Teens; Dressing for
Success; Today’ Teens Tomorrows Leaders, Job Training and
Positive Parenting with a Plan.
The Youth Leadership Academy has seen 100 percent of
the students who completed the program go on to college or
other post secondary training. The students created a DeKalb
Teen Crime Prevention Coalition and developed curriculum
to implement in all DeKalb County High School. By involving
families and their children in community ser vice and
leadership development opportunities, family interactions
and expectations are increased.
When I was elected, I made a promise that I would take my
commitment to uplift ing communities to the next level. I’m
dedicated to leveraging resources and relationships to help
our youth, our seniors and our families.
mandates, and limit standardized testing. As a member of
the Coalition of 100 Black women, I supported the Legacy
program, which enriched the lives of girls in DeKalb County.
I founded the DeKalb County Youth Leadership Academy
in 2008 to provide academic and life skills to local youth. The
initiative keeps kids off the street and prepares them for success
with training for interviews, job applications, public speaking,
academic enrichment, and life skills coaching. That was three
short years ago. In 2011, the program graduated its first class
with students from DeKalb County High Schools.
Our initiative meets the needs of youth through education,
enrichment, and community service and leadership
development. We introduce the students to Leadership
What we’ve been able to achieve wouldn’t be possible
without our partners.
One of my proudest moments was Saturday, July 9, 2011,
when nearly three hundred DeKalb leaders, students and
parents gathered for the second annual Youth Empowerment
Breakfast at Decatur Hotel and Conference Center. The theme
was “Releasing the Power Within…Accepting the Charge!”
The host committee included DeKalb Sheriff Thomas
Brown, District Attorney Robert James, Commissioners Larry
Johnson and Lee May, Judges Gregory Adams, Mark Anthony
Scott, and Nellie Withers, The Cornelius Group and Crunk
for Christ Radio.
August/September 2012 • wearedekalb.com • We Are DeKalb Magazine
35
politics {DEVELOPING LEADERS IN DEKALB}
Commissioner Sutton alongside students and faculty members of the DeKalb County Youth Leadership Academy on the last day of the program.
Congressman John Lewis District offered a spirited
keynote address at the fundraising breakfast, recalling his
experience as a Freedom Rider in the 1960s. 11 Alive news anchor
Karyn Greer emceed the program for the 2nd consecutive year.
When I was elected, I made a promise that I would take my
commitment to uplifting communities to the next level. I’m
dedicated to leveraging resources and relationships to help our
youth, our seniors and our families.
And while launching this program was a new challenge,
I’ve long been working to help our youth in other capacities;
sponsoring the 2010 Clean Hands for Kids campaign to collect
and provide hand sanitizer in DeKalb elementary schools during
the flu epidemic.
I’m dedicated to leaving an indelible mark in the lives of the
youth in DeKalb County. That’s why I launched the DeKalb Youth
Leadership Academy Program, and that’s one of the reasons why
I’m proud to serve as a DeKalb County Commissioner.
Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton.
36
Sharon Barnes Sutton is Commissioner for DeKalb County’s
District 4.
We Are DeKalb Magazine • wearedekalb.com • August/September 2012
TED’S MONTANA
GRILL
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS
AND A RECIPE FOR
SUCCESS
By Claudia D’Avanzo
food
Ted’s Montana Grill is the real deal. From its
inception in 2002, the restaurant set out to take
its guests back to a simpler time by welcoming
them in the door as friends, making them feel
right at home, charming them with good service
and wowing them with delicious meals.
T
his year marks the 10th anniversary of
yesterday that Ted and I literally jotted our dream of a new
the Atlanta-based restaurant company
restaurant down on a napkin during a trip to Montana. We
founded by Ted Turner and George
wanted to create a restaurant that was inspired by the Great
McKerrow i n 2 0 0 2 . T he compa ny
West, was truly different and actually served a purpose.”
now has 44 locations around the U.S., including 12 in
What they wrote on that small napkin evolved into a
metro Atlanta with a location in downtown Decatur.
restaurant company that would specialize in bison. To
All of Ted’s 44 restaurants around the country
support local charities and organizations, from
schools and education to local food banks, hunger
and the environment.
So what makes Ted’s unique? The answer is in its
protect this great American species from what ultimately
recipe, from its exceptional leadership to its continuous
could have been extinction and rebuild the herds,
com m it ment to ser ve good food , g uest s, loc a l
Ted’s focused on educating guests about bison’s flavor
communities and the environment.
and nutritional and environmental value. Turner, an
While traveling through the Great West in 2001,
acclaimed environmentalist and philanthropist, has been
Turner and McKerrow came up with the idea behind
lauded worldwide for his efforts to grow and preserve the
Ted’s Montana Grill. The concept was simple, met
bison population.
personal goals for both entrepreneurs and best of all, had
Service of every kind is at the heart of Ted’s Montana
never been done before. Says McKerrow, “It seems like
Grill – from serving delicious food that’s cooked to order,
August/September 2012 • wearedekalb.com • We Are DeKalb Magazine
39
food {TED’S MONTANA GRILL}
to serving guests, to serving local communities and even
anniversary and create a lasting impact, Ted’s Montana
Mother Nature. Every restaurant serves food, but not every
Grill has pledged to raise $150,000 for the Share Our
restaurant serves fresh food, made-from-scratch and always
Strength No Kid Hungry™ campaign help end childhood
prepared to order. Nothing is pre-anything at Ted’s. There
hunger in America.
are no pre-made salads or appetizers, entrées , no pre-
“Ten years ago when we fi rst opened our doors, we
packaged fries, potato chips or onion rings. In fact, you can’t
set out to create a restaurant experience that captured
even fi nd a microwave there. The friendliness and warmth
the spirit and hospitality of the Great American West,”
guests experience at Ted’s is part of what the team calls
said McKerrow. “For our 10th anniversary we wanted to
their “Big Sky Spirit, which extends into local communities.
celebrate in a special way, and do something that would
All of Ted’s 44 restaurants around the country
have a lasting impact on future generations. Our team
support local charities and organizations, from schools
members have taken the No Kid Hungry Pledge to end
and education to local food banks, hunger and the
childhood hunger in America, and we encourage others to
environment. This year, to commemorate its 10th
visit NoKidHungry.org and join us in this important effort.”
Ted’s Montana Grill also has been recognized in the
Adds Turner, “I’m an environmentalist and have been
restaurant industry for its commitment to the environment.
for my whole life, since I was a litt le boy. It just comes very
Restaurants are built to conserve energy. They use energy-
natural to me to try to conserve and encourage people
efficient light bulbs, recycled and recyclable paper table
to be as efficient as they can possibly be. It makes good
covers and menus, to-go ware made from corn starch, and business sense and it’s the right thing to do for the planet
biodegradable take-away containers. Early on, Turner and the people on it.”
and McKerrow also decided that they would avoid using
plastic wherever possible. One example? The paper straw
–a product that had not been manufactured in this country
since the 1970s.
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food {CREATIVE EATING}
IT’S ALWAYS THE
SEASON FOR
GRILLING
By Norma Stanley
Although summer is close to an end and we are rapidly
moving towards fall, there’s no reason to put away those
grilling tongs. the aromatic, tongue teasing ecstasy that
comes with eating grilled food knows no ending to
the grilling season.
I
absolutely love eating grilled food. However, my
because barbequed ribs were among my favorite foods.
problem is I absolutely hate grilling food! How
So imagine my relief and excitement when I found a
can that be from someone who loves cooking as I
product that infuses ribs with flavor and tenderness, whose
do? I don’t know. It’s just not something at which
manufacturer shares some easy tips for grilling them on its
I’m very good. Some people have grilling down
website. I’m also going to share with you one or two other
to a science, but I’m not one of them. I can’t seem
favorite grilled dishes that go wonderfully with my own award-
to light the grill without burning off my eyebrows, and I can’t
winning Caribbean potato salad.
seem to cook the meats any other way but blackened on the
But fi rst, the ribs. I’ve got to tell you about an amazing
outside (not my original intention), and not thoroughly cooked
product I discovered when going shopping at the Litt le Giant
on the inside.
Farmer’s Market in southeast Dekalb. As I walked to the store,
I used to relegate the actual grilling duties to other
I noticed a line of people waiting for a man dressed in his
family members and friends, while I made the side dishes.
barbeque gear making rib sandwiches. As a lover of barbecue
Grilling ribs were especially challenging for me, but that didn’t
ribs, I decided to buy one on the way home and discovered
mean I had given up on learning how to grill them myself,
he was giving samples of ribs made with a special marinade
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We Are DeKalb Magazine • wearedekalb.com • August/September 2012
and rub that he’d created himself, which he said flavored and
“One day I found a special ingredient that I added to the rub
tenderized ribs in one hour.
and put a few stacks of ribs on the grill after rubbing them with
Skeptical, I took the rib sandwich home and ate it, loving
the ingredients,” says Square. “I came back within 30 minutes,
its flavor and how the meat just fell off the bone. Despite my
picked up a rack and it broke in half. It was then that I realized
challenges with grilling ribs, I decided to try it for myself,
it was because of that one new ingredient and that I was on to
following the instructions found on the bott le exactly and
something,” he said.
voila! My ribs turned out great!
As a result, Square patented and bott led Tenda Rub, which
I had to learn a litt le more about this Tenda Rub product,
and went back to speak with this grill master.
marinates and tenderizes ribs within an hour and over the past
couple years, has developed a huge following of people who
Percy Square, a patent attorney and the creator of Tenda
come for miles in search of his ribs and his Tenda Rub.“I
Rub, says he just happened upon the secret ingredient for
still do demos around metro-Atlanta, but I am planning on
Tenda Rub while researching the ingredients used to make
opening some restaurants in DeKalb, Smyrna and Gwinnett
a Peruvian rotisserie chicken, which he described as the “best
in the near future, featuring Tenda Rub ribs and Peruvian-
chicken on the planet.” Square’s goal was to open a restaurant
style chicken,” he said. “My goal is to get to the point where we
featuring this Peruvian-style chicken with his wife, after
will become a franchise and have our restaurants all over the
noticing how highly successful these restaurants were in the
nation,” he said.
Washington, D.C/Virginia area, where he lived at the time.
Tenda Rub can be found in southeast DeKalb at the Litt le
Curious, he did some research and found the restaurants
Giant Farmer’s Market and the Kroger on Wesley Chapel
were making enormous amounts of money daily, and decided
Rd., in addition to other Kroger stores in selected locations
to open one in Georgia. He and his wife were well on their
throughout metro-Atlanta. It can also be found at the Super
way to doing so, when the economy went bust and the bank
Save Supermarket on Redan Road in Decatur. Find some tips
changed its mind about the loan. So they had to fi nd another
on grilling tender, juicy ribs using Tenda Rub, by going to
way.“We went to work trying to figure out the ingredients of
tendarub.com.
that Peruvian chicken and eventually we were able to do so, but
I wanted to see if it would also work on ribs,” shared Square.
August/September 2012 • wearedekalb.com • We Are DeKalb Magazine
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