Student Spotlight of the Week

Name: Aniceah Leaks

Grade: 5th Grade

School: Heritage Academy

Aniceah Leaks is a talented and diligent fifth grade student at Heritage Academy, who has been in the APS Gifted and Talented Program for three years.  Her favorite activities are solving math problems, learning new things, and cheerleading at school. When Aniceah grows up, she hopes to become a lawyer, because she is great at reasoning and debating.  She is also artistic and likes to dabble in art.

Aniceah describes herself as silly, curious, and active.  She looks up to her mom, dad, and other adults in her family because they support her in all that she does. She strives to make a positive impact on the world.  If there were one thing she could change, she would have more peace in the world.

Aniceah’s accomplishments are an excellent example of what can be achieved with hard work and dedication.

Name: Imani Durr

Grade: 2nd Grade

School: Toomer Elementary

Imani is an active, hardworking, and intelligent student at Toomer Elementary School. She received a 100 in her science class last year, and excelled in all of her other subjects as well. “I like to listen, and pay attention in class,” Imani says.

Imani believes it is important to be active, and to exercise regularly. She enjoys doing the cartwheel, riding her scooter, and dancing. She signed up for dance class at a PTA meeting, and cannot wait for her first session. “I like to have a lot of energy and don’t want to be lazy,” she says.

Imani hopes to become a singer and pop star when she grows up. She loves singing and dancing and believes this is the perfect career path for her. Imani is also artistic, and appreciates creative art, including paper art and face painting. She values her time with family, and always looks forward to visiting her grandmother in Birmingham.

Imani is an ambitious student who excels in her studies, values her family and friends, and is working toward achieving her dreams.

Name: Curtis Olawumi 

Grade: 7th Grade

School: Bunche Middle School

Curtis Olawumi, a seventh grader at Bunche Middle School, is an all-star student and talented musician. It is no surprise that what Curtis loves most about school is MUSIC, and the trumpet is his instrument of choice.

Though he enjoys various subjects, his passion and talent for music definitely does not go unnoticed. Curtis was recently selected to participate in Julliard’s summer jazz camp. He was the youngest participant in the summer workshops in Atlanta.

Curtis also has been recognized as a Louis Armstrong jazz award winner. He has attended the GMEA all-state band auditions and the UGA MidFest. UGA MidFest, also known as the The University of Georgia Middle School Band Festival, is a three-day event for middle school band musicians. Students are nominated by their director, and the MidFest staff selects approximately 1000 students from 130 schools to participate based upon their musical achievements and talent.

According to Curtis, his parents motivate him to succeed each and every day. By supporting his talent and encouraging him to do well, Curtis’ parents have definitely helped him reach for the stars.

Curtis is involved in several extracurricular activities including the jazz band, symphonic band, the  Atlanta Public Schools all-star band, and football. He is also very involved with his church’s music ministry. When asked about his future aspirations it is no surprise that Curtis is determined to take his musical talent to new heights and become a professional musician.

Name:  Jarricus Cook 

Grade:  2nd

School:  Carter G. Woodson Primary School

“An awesome student.”  That’s how Woodson first grade teacher Brenai Dickens refers to her former student, Jarricus Cook.  Other teachers use language just as flattering to describe the second-grader. 

“Jarricus is an intelligent, polite and respectful young man,” says his kindergarten teacher, Tracie Reid.  And he is a “great leader” whose problem solving skills “exceed expectations,” according to his current teacher, Chiara White.

Jarricus has clearly made a big impression on the adults who have worked closely with him in the classroom, and he has also influenced his classmates.  He respects everyone – teachers and peers alike. And the same is true when it comes to being helpful; Jarricus is always quick to lend a helping hand to the adults at Woodson, and if senses that a fellow student is having trouble, Jarricus is there to assist. 

Qualities like these have turned Jarricus into an excellent role model for his classmates, and when you add trustworthiness and excellent leader to his list of attributes, it’s clear why White selected Jarricus to be a classroom team captain. As a team captain Jarricus must frequently give his team directions.  Already, in second grade, he understands that he has to do this gracefully. So Jarricus is respectful and polite – never bossy – when he directs his team members. 

 Jarricus is also awesome away from school.  He has dazzled spectators at his football, baseball and basketball games since he was four-years-old, and he joined the United States Tennis Association when he was six.  He was selected to represent Atlanta as an all-star in the 2013 baseball state tournament, and last week he served on the royal court during his football team’s homecoming game.

The national PTA has recognized Jarricus as a budding literary star by awarding him second place in literature in their national Reflections contest.

Despite community changes and district transitioning, Jarricus has performed well in all of his pursuits. His father, who has coached him in all of his extra-curricular endeavors, says out of all of Jarricus’s accomplishments he is most proud of Jarricus’s steady ‘A’ average, which has kept him on the Principal’s List since kindergarten.    

The devoted father says, “I am truly proud of Jarricus…throughout all the transitioning, he has truly been a rose that grew from the concrete.” 

Continue to grow Jarricus, and keep up the great work!