I am APS is a special series highlighting students, faculty, alumni, and others in celebration of the rich and diverse experiences, backgrounds and contributions within the Atlanta Public Schools family. Together, we stand in solidarity of our shared admiration of APS and the mission which guides us. #IamAPS
Andrea Norman and Ethan Seay, fifth grade students at Deerwood Academy. Photo by Allison M. Slocum, APS ©
Deerwood Academy students Andrea Norman and Ethan Seay are two remarkable fifth graders who are passionate about learning and embody the school’s student-centered environment.
Norman is a member of the Debate Club, Math Club, and Girls Who Game. She is a true problem solver and likes to extend a helping hand to her peers. Inspired by the legacy of her grandmother and older brother, Norman aspires to follow in their footsteps as a future real estate agent.
Likewise, Ethan Seay is a natural leader whose innate ability to navigate between teamwork and assertiveness sets him apart. Engaged in the Debate Club, Math Team, Leadership Council, and GATE program, Seay embraces every opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities. With aspirations ranging from athletics to teaching to law, Seay has endless possibilities.
Norman and Seay shared with us their mutual affinity for writing and how they are prepared to transition to middle school as students with confidence, aptitude, and intellect.
Andrea Norman is a fifth grade student at Deerwood Academy. Photo by Allison M. Slocum, APS ©
ANDREA NORMAN
Deerwood Academy’s 10-year-old family real estate successor.
What is one of your strengths as a student?
I believe I possess the skills to be a good problem solver. If there’s a problem with the work, I try to get everything that I need to figure out how to fix the problem. And I try to help other classmates with their work if they need help.
What do you like most about being a student at Deerwood?
What I like most about being a student at Deerwood is that there’s always someone here to help you if you need it. And you’ll never have to worry about not having help. You always have a teacher or a student to ask for help with something.
Do you have a favorite subject?
Yes, I like English Language Writing (ELA), where we read stories and then write either opinion writings, narrative writings, or something similar. We take tests every month or two on a writing [assignment], and we really just try to improve our writing and practice for the Georgia milestones.
I also like social studies. I like how interesting it is, and how you get to learn about the past, and how entertaining it is. We learned about the Great Depression, and what stood out to me was how the stock markets shut down because of the money problems after the war. That’s one thing that stood out to me because it happens in America a lot. So I think it’s pretty cool to learn about [those things].
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I want to sell real estate. My grandma has a real estate [career], and she said she is going to pass it down to me and my brother, who is about to graduate and [start his career in real estate].
Ethan Seay is a fifth grade student at Deerwood Academy. Photo by Allison M. Slocum, APS ©
ETHAN SEAY
Deerwood Academy’s 10-year-old leader and future athlete.
What do you like about being a student at Deerwood?
One thing that I really like about going to school here is that there are opportunities to join different clubs or to be a leader in the school. There’s the leadership council, there’s debate, and many other ones.
What is your favorite subject?
I think it would probably be grammar because I like learning about synonyms and the way they help me build my vocabulary. It also transcends into writing a narrative. You can use better words to help readers picture your story in their minds.
How are you building connections in school?
I’ve had some of my friends I’ve had since kindergarten, and they would explain things to me [about] school. And then now here [at Deerwood], when there are new students, I do the same thing that people did for me when I first came here.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
One thing is an athlete, and if don’t make it in sports, then I would be a teacher or a lawyer. I would play either football or basketball. I’m kind of leaning towards football because I have more knowledge about it, but there’s a high risk of injuries, and I haven’t really been playing a lot of tackle football, really just two and touch. And basketball, I have a lot of knowledge in, and I can play pretty well.
I like that teachers can be caring. If a student needs help then I can use critical thinking to solve their problem.
Are you learning things in school that will help you become any of those things?
Yes. With sports, I’m learning things like teamwork and critical thinking. Same with teachers. And then confidence for being a lawyer. You’ve got to have knowledge about the person you’re defending. I think that this school helps me learn more about those things.
