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Two Students Writing In Journals

Meet Our Partners: Paint Love

You may have heard of Paint Love from last year’s Poetry Slam at Renfroe Middle School. DEF supported Paint-Love’s collaboration with the school through its Zara’s Arts Infusion Fund. Besides partnering with DEF through several Zara’s Fund projects, Paint Love is also our new neighbor! They moved in down the hall from the DEF offices last year. Paint Love was founded in 2014 by Atlanta artist Julie McKevitt with the mission of bringing extraordinary arts programming to youth, especially those…

Go on a Treasure Hunt!

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DEF is celebrating 20 years with a treasure hunt around Decatur! It’s fun and it’s FREE, and it’s something the family can do together anytime. The first 20 families to complete the hunt will be entered to win some cool prizes like a week of summer camp at Little Shop of Stories or ColorWheel Art Studio and more! To get started, click HERE.

People On The Bus

Catching a Ride Towards a Bright Future

For the group of DHS students who enrolled in college classes at Georgia State University (GSU), the course material should be the most challenging aspect of taking these classes, not finding transportation to the nearby college. GSU offers an Early College Program that provides dual enrollment opportunities for minority groups, specifically students of color, low income students, and first-generation college students. While dozens of DHS students are a part of this program, their participation was limited by transportation barriers. Career…

Blue And Gold Squad Group

The Blue & Gold Squad Establishes Community Between Staff and Athletes

What started as a way to show a little extra support to the school’s varsity football team when they moved from division 3A to 5A a few years ago has blossomed into a “support squad” of 113 faculty and staff who sponsor 123 student athletes. These adult sponsors include a wide range of positions at CSD – from the School Superintendent to the entire cafeteria staff, as well as custodians, the SRO officer and our teachers. The Squad has expanded…

Tutoring Pair Continues Their Work Together

Everyone could use a little extra help sometimes. In response to the needs of our students as a result of virtual learning, DEF established the Virtual Pals Tutoring program to provide that help. We pair 2nd-8th grade students with an adult volunteer tutor. One hour per week, the pairs meet virtually to work on homework, organization, or practice skills like reading and math problems. The program has been successful, and even though City Schools of Decatur has returned to in-person…

CSD Among 15 Schools Chosen to Participate in National Safe Supportive Schools Learning Collaborative

We are excited to announce our district’s participation in a national program to foster safety and support in our schools! City Schools of Decatur (CSD) is one of only two school districts in the Southeast and the only district in Georgia that was selected to participate in the National Safe Supportive Schools (NS3) Learning Collaborative. This two-year program brings 15 school district teams from around the country to collaborate to accelerate innovation and the best practices needed to promote safe…

20 Years of DEF!

DEF is celebrating 20 years of supporting Decatur’s kids! For 20 years, we have worked closely with parents, teachers and City Schools of Decatur to bring our students the tools they need to learn and thrive. There have been a lot of changes across 20 years, but DEF has remained steadfast in its mission of solving the problems our kids face by connecting people, resources and ideas. Throughout the coming months, we’ll be taking a look back at our growth…

Look for Kind

DEF has partnered with Look for Kind, an initiative established by Decatur resident Marnie Grodzin of Gathered and Grounded. Look for Kind is the perfect antidote to our fractured world – who doesn’t need more kindness in their life?  The partnership’s tag line is: See Kind. Be Kind. Do Kind. which perfectly captures what the Decatur community is all about. More details about the initiative are coming soon.

Renovated Student Center a Tribute to the Life of DHS Student Joe Bodine

Space designed to help address Decatur High School students’ behavioral health needs Open the doors to the newly redesigned Student Center at Decatur High School and you’ll notice the vibe is noticeably different from the rest of the building. Hardwood style flooring and a living wall of plants makes this space feel more like a cozy living room than a classroom. Look to the left and you will find the Blue Bird Café, honoring the symbolic role bluebirds have played…

Meet Our Partner – Jennifer Weissman, Registered Dietitian & DEF Volunteer

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Sometimes – even in the midst of a pandemic – all the puzzle pieces come together to create an opportunity in which everyone benefits. In the fall of 2020, registered dietitian and longtime DEF volunteer Jennifer Weissman approached DEF Program and Partnerships Director Marie McCollum about offering a cooking workshop to teens. Jennifer had previously offered cooking classes to several AIM Scholars in previous years. She had just completed training in the Around the Table curriculum, a nutrition program that…

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