“Each one of you sitting in front of me are destined to do great things. If nothing else sticks from my speech, promise me that you will remember this: You are enough, you are special, you are important, and you are capable.” – Chanel Sanchez, Frederick Douglass High School 2024 salutatorian.
“Let our accomplishments not only fulfill us, but immortalize us so that our influence on our families, communities, and even the world, lives on after we are gone.” – Dontavious Blount, Frederick Douglass High School 2024 valedictorian.
View the Frederick Douglass High School 2024 Graduation Ceremony.
Chanel Sanchez discusses how it feels to be Frederick Douglass High School’s 2024 Salutatorian, her biggest supporters, and plans for the future.
Frederick Douglass High Schools’ 2024 STAR Student, Deniesha Griggs, discusses her biggest supporters and shares advice for fellow students.
Atlanta Public Schools continues to celebrate the success of the class of 2024 and is proud to share that our scholars earned a total of $228,947,153 in scholarship offers!
North Atlanta led the charge with more than $40 million in scholarship offers earned, while both Midtown High School and Benjamin E. Mays High School pulled in more than $20 million in scholarship offers each. This year’s senior class surpassed the APS 2023 school year total of $221 million.
“This remarkable achievement is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and talent of our students,” APS interim superintendent Dr. Danielle Battle said. “I want to congratulate each and every one of them for their outstanding accomplishments and wish them continued success in their future endeavors. I would also like to thank our amazing teachers and supportive families for helping our students reach this tremendous milestone. This is truly a proud moment for the APS community.”
Congratulations to the APS class of 2024 for this incredible accomplishment!
| School | Total Scholarships offered (including athletics) |
| Atlanta Classical Academy | $5,824,016 |
| Benjamin E. Mays High School | $20,531,832 |
| B.E.S.T. High School Academy | $3,104,645 |
| Booker T. Washington High School | $20,561,950 |
| Charles R. Drew Charter Jr. Sr. Academy | $14,144,060 |
| D.M. Therrell High School | $16,534,538 |
| Frederick Douglass High School | $6,735,125 |
| G.W. Carver High School Early College | $19,500,000 |
| G.W. Carver High School STEAM | $11,096,140 |
| Midtown High School | $26,115,384 |
| KIPP Atlanta Collegiate Charter School | $17,632,822 |
| Maynard Jackson High School | $10,624,460 |
| North Atlanta High School | $42,793,948 |
| South Atlanta High School | $9,529,339 |
| Total | $228,947,1153 |
The baseball and softball players at Frederick Douglass High School have new uniforms, a covered batting cage and new equipment thanks to their hometown team, the Atlanta Braves.
On a windy Wednesday morning, the student-athletes cut the ribbon with representatives from APS, the Atlanta Braves and Truist Bank and thanked them for the generous gift.
“This means a lot to my players because they see that outside of me and my assistant coach, people really care about them and want to see them do good in life,” Douglass High School head baseball coach Henry Culberson Jr. said. “They redid everything from the batting cages to the bullpens, dugouts, field, and they have more to come. I’m really appreciative of what they’re doing.”
The Atlanta Braves Foundation adopted Frederick Douglass High School as one of its Hank Aaron All-star schools back in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted plans to revitalize the school’s facilities.
But the Braves kept the Douglass Astros on their minds and maintained their commitment to the school.
“This is such an important anchor in our community,” Atlanta Braves vice president of community affairs and executive director of the Atlanta Braves Foundation. “Not just for the athletes here at Frederick Douglass High School, but for other programs like L.E.A.D. that uses this space, our RBI program, to really bring athletes and community together around the sport of baseball and softball.”
The players, dressed in their new Nike jerseys, were grateful and excited for all the upgrades now available to them. Darien Harden, a senior who pitches and plays third base for Douglass, will get to finish out the season with the upgrades and is glad they will be available to future student-athletes at Douglass.
“Even though I’m a senior, I would still like to thank the Braves for this,” he said. ” We love the new uniforms and equipment. The batting cage, bullpen and dugout come in clutch, and I just love it.”
APS’ partnership with the Atlanta Braves has not only benefited Douglass High School, but also Booker T. Washington High School. Field maintenance and facility upgrades have helped provide resources to help APS athletic programs be more competitive.
“We always want to figure out ways to improve the resources for our student-athletes, and there’s no better way for baseball and softball than to get it from the professional home team, the Atlanta Braves,” APS director of athletics Corrie Collier said. “We are so thankful for the Atlanta Braves and Truist. Rendell Jackson played a major role in this project with the Braves, and we’re just happy that our student-athletes and our coaches get an opportunity to experience the resources that have been afforded to them by the Braves.”
APS is ready for baseball season! The APS baseball teams introduced themselves and shared their goals for the upcoming season during the APS Baseball Media Day event at Therrell High School.
This year will be an exciting year for APS teams.
North Atlanta High School will replace two MLB draft picks and several seniors after going 27-7 and finishing 18-0 in region play last season. Still, head coach Ricky Plante spoke highly of this year’s roster, and the team is keeping its own high expectations.
Therrell High School head coach Ryan Christian, who won coach of the year last season, has built the Panther program to improve each season. The Panthers won 10 games last season, 8-8 in region play, and aim to be even better this season.
The Jackson Jaguars didn’t have much to say as far as words go, but head coach Des Stegall has the team focused on one thing. Winning. The Jaguars went 22-8 last season with a 13-3 region record. The team starts the season off with an exciting matchup against Redan.
Best Academy, Carver, Douglass, Drew Charter, KIPP, South Atlanta, Washington, Midtown and Mays also had the opportunity to give their insights on their respective teams and the upcoming season.
BEST Academy baseball 
Carver baseball 
Douglass baseball 
Drew Charter baseball 
Maynard Jackson baseball 
Mays baseball 
Midtown baseball 
North Atlanta baseball 
KIPP baseball 
South Atlanta baseball 
Therrell baseball 
Washington baseball 
Kelli Stewart, cofounder of L.E.A.D. Center for Youth 
APS Middle School Baseball First Team All-Lead 
APS Middle School Baseball First Team All-L.E.A.D.: Mekhi Smith, Crawford Long Middle School 
APS Middle School Baseball First Team All-L.E.A.D. Trevon Wilbourn, John Lewis Invictus Middle SchoolFirst Team All-L.E.A.D. 
APS Middle School Baseball First Team All-L.E.A.D.: Tristian Wilbourn, John Lewis Invictus Middle School 
APS Middle School Baseball First Team All-L.E.A.D.: Jalen Duboise, Crawford Long Middle School 
APS Middle School Baseball First Team All-L.E.A.D.: Tymeco Cameron, John Lewis Invictus Middle School 
APS Middle School Baseball First Team All-L.E.A.D.: Brandon Muldrow, Jean Childs Young Middle School 
APS Middle School Baseball First Team All-L.E.A.D.: Julius Thames, Herman J. Russell West End Academy 
APS Middle School Baseball First Team All-L.E.A.D. 
Minority Baseball Prospects Founder Alex Wyche speaks at APS Baseball Media Day. 
MLB scout Clarence Johns spoke at APS Baseball Media Day.
The future of APS baseball also had a moment to shine as well. The L.E.A.D. Center for Youth, founded by C.J. and Kelli Stewart, recognized its inaugural First Team All L.E.A.D. team comprised of student athletes from the L.E.A.D. APS Middle School Baseball Development League.
First Team All-L.E.A.D. Honors Team
- Mekhi Smith, Crawford Long Middle School
- Jalen Duboise, Crawford Long Middle School
- Trevon Wilbourn, John Lewis Invictus Middle School
- Tristian Wilbourn, John Lewis Invictus Middle School
- Tymeco Cameron, John Lewis Invictus Middle School
- Brandon Muldrow, Jean Childs Young Middle School
- Julius Thames, Herman J. Russell West End Academy
APS also brought two guests with major league experience to speak at media day.
Alex Wyche, founder of Minority Baseball Prospects, gave his insights into how his database serves as a resource to help minority baseball players navigate recruiting and scouting. Clarence Johns, a professional major league scout, shared his journey through Major League Baseball and the professional side of evaluating talent for big league clubs.
Both provided insightful information for the APS student-athletes about their potential in the sport both on and off the field.
Opening Day is just around the corner for the 2024 APS baseball season, and the teams are ready to play ball.
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
Khalilah Womack, owner of iScream Ice Cream Rolls, Atlanta, GA. Photo: Allison M. Slocum
Walking into iScream Ice Cream Rolls is an experience that will put a smile on anyone’s face. The pink and chocolate décor tempts one’s sweet tooth immediately and the exuberant personality of its owner, Khalilah Womack, compels you to mull over the menu options.
Womack, a 2006 Frederick Douglass High School graduate, was destined to become an entrepreneur despite a few obstacles that would be considered setbacks. She was diagnosed with Dyslexia at an early age and thanks to the support and resources from her teachers, she was able to not only maintain a normal class load and overcome the learning disability, but transition into the gifted learning track.
Today, she lives a life of paying it forward and combines her experience at APS with her passion to give back by providing opportunities for students to gain work experience and learn valuable soft skills.
We stopped by Womack’s Underground Atlanta store location to find out how she got into the ice cream business, what her experience at APS taught her, and what she plans for the future of iScream Ice Cream Rolls.
iScream Ice Cream Rolls, located at the Underground Atlanta in Atlanta, GA. Photo: Allison M. Slocum
KHALILAH WOMACK
Owner of iScream Ice Cream Rolls, Douglass High School class of 2006
What made you want to become an entrepreneur and specifically a restaurateur?
I always knew I wanted to own a business. As far back as I can remember, even in elementary school, I was always selling something. And then I got on the academic path and I thought I wanted to be a do-gooder. I wanted to do political science and get my master’s in public administration and go change the world.
But [owning a business] was still in me. I wanted to go out on my own and see what I could do and take that leap of faith in myself. I knew that it would have to combine my interests, which are food and social media. [I asked myself] ‘What is a food trend, something that people will want to make content about? What is something that’s new and innovative?’ And so, that’s how I landed on rolled ice cream, which is a popular street food in Thailand. We kind of adapted it and brought it here to Atlanta.
It kept targeting me on social media. I kept seeing it on YouTube or Instagram reels. I thought it was really interesting. So, I bought a very small machine and I had it in my living room, and I would basically force feed my children ice cream and anybody else who walked into my house. I’d ask, ‘Do you like this? Is this good?’ And simultaneously, I was actually working at APS. I used to work at Woodson Elementary as a parent liaison and I would take courses after work with the Urban League. They have an entrepreneurship center. They teach you how to write your business plan, what you’ll need to get yourself ready for funding.
FUN FACT: Womack’s favorite iScream Ice Cream Roll bowl is the Lady Marmalade, made with Mocha Choco YayaYa Cappuccino ice cream infused with espresso powder and topped with a macaroon and chocolate drizzle. Photo: Allison M. Slocum
What makes you proud to be an APS alumnus?
There’s not a lot of people from Atlanta that live in Atlanta and are doing big things in Atlanta. So to be able to say I’m from Atlanta, and when asked what high school I went to, I can say Douglas High School— that’s a badge of honor for people who live in the city to be from the city. And also the connections I was able to make. You don’t think about those things when you’re in school— I’m sitting in class with a civil rights leader’s granddaughter. They are just somebody that you’ve known since third grade. But as you get older, you see how it all connects to the bigger picture. And that’s something that’s very specifically Atlanta and Atlanta Public Schools. And the legacies of our bigger schools like Douglass, Mays and Washington. So it’s really a pride aspect.
How would you describe Atlanta’s culture?
I definitely think the culture of Atlanta is based on excellency. There is a standard of what we expect of our youth and then what we expect our youth to grow up into. And then there’s the arts component to it. There’s the food component, and there’s a black entrepreneurship component, and there’s a black leadership component. As long as I’ve been alive, there’s always been a black mayor and always a black superintendent [of APS]. So it’s a representative city.
I noticed that when I got to college and I met so many people from different cities that there were limiting beliefs. But, growing up where everybody from the cafeteria cook or chef to the superintendent is black, it [was an example that] you could be a plethora of things. All of these things are important and all of these things make the system work. It’s something I feel is very specific to Atlanta.
I also went to Brown Middle School and we were in the first class— they shut it down many years ago, and then I came into the sixth grade and we were the first sixth graders. I would also go to the West End Performing Arts Center after school. This is when kids used to walk. We would walk from school to the West End Performing Arts Center. And that’s where we would learn black culture beyond what’s in the classroom. We would get into different forms of dance, photography, acting. And you carry those connections on into the rest of your life, so it’s very interconnected in a way that I think is also very specific to Atlanta.
What drives you to continue to support APS and Atlanta?
I hire APS students exclusively. I was a product of the Mayor’s Youth Program where they put us into jobs. And I’m so patient with my employees, they get a lot of soft skills here. Yes they learn how to roll ice cream, but they probably won’t have to roll ice cream at any other job that you go to. They’re also learning customer service. They’re learning how to file your taxes and I will sit there with them and talk it through. They are learning what it means to be on time for work and what it means to call out for work and not just not show up for work. It’s a learning curve because how would they know that? Most of them start working here at 14 or 15 with their worker’s permit. They have no frame of reference [other than] if you don’t go to school, you just don’t go to school that day. You tell your teachers the next day why you didn’t go to school. But it’s different at work and learning that teamwork component of [working]. What you don’t do is left for the next person to do. So what drives me to support APS is that I was given that same opportunity when I was a student.
What advice would you give current APS students?
I would say literally the most cliché things that anybody would tell them— your parents know what they’re talking about. Listen to your parents. Listen to your teachers. And more specifically, develop relationships with adults because they might seem so much older now, but they’re going to become peers sooner than they think— in the next 10 years. They’ll be like ‘I knew her since elementary school, but now she is my coworker.’ So it’s important to develop those relationships with the adults around them and if they can, reach higher for relationships. Try to make friends with the principal or try to make friends with the counselor. Develop that. Start networking now so that those people remember them when they open a restaurant. And wow, for example, now I’m getting the APS feature because somebody knew me.
Khalilah Womack, owner of iScream Ice Cream Rolls, Atlanta, GA. Photo: Allison M. Slocum
What’s next for you?
My hope is to get a truck and go mobile because we do tend to miss some opportunities. People will ask ‘Can you come to this thing or come to that thing?’ I can’t carry those machines. So going mobile is the next step. And after we go mobile, it would be to open a second brick and mortar [location].
High school basketball season tips off this week, and the APS boys and girls basketball teams are ready for another exciting season.
Before hitting the court, APS coaches and players introduced themselves and set their goals and expectations for the 2023-2024 season at the APS Basketball Media Day at Therrell High School.
“We want to give the young ladies and young men the opportunity to show what they predict about the season,” APS director of athletics Corrie Collier said. “We want our young people to represent themselves to the fullest. If they feel good about representing themselves, they’re going to represent their program, their school, and the district well. Anytime they can do well for themselves and their schools, we’re proud.”
Sylvester “Sly the Sports Guy” Williams and Joel Hillsman hosted an entertaining discussion with the teams to get a glimpse of what fans can expect to see this season.
Last season, 12 APS teams advanced to the Georgia High Schools Association state playoffs – seven boys and five girls squads. Some highlights were:
- Maynard Jackson girls finished with a record of 26-2, won the Class 5A-Region 5 championship, and advanced to the state semifinals.
- Midtown girls were 22-9, placed second to Maynard Jackson in the region, and advanced to the state quarterfinals.
- Frederick Douglass boys advanced to the state semifinals after finishing second in Class 3A-Region 5.
- Benjamin E. Mays boys finished 21-9, finished second in Class 5A-Region 5, and advanced to the state quarterfinals.
- South Atlanta boys went 23-9, won the Class 2A-Region 6 title, and advanced to the state quarterfinals.
The players are excited to get the season started, and some didn’t balk at calling out which teams they couldn’t wait to play this season. The South Atlanta Hornets boys basketball team was called out by a couple of teams eager to match up against them, and the Booker T. Washington Bulldogs girls’ team has an early season matchup with the Mays Raiders that they’re looking forward to.
It’s gearing up to be an exciting year for APS basketball.
“I’m looking forward to watching these young ladies and young men just get out here and showcase what they’ve worked hard for and reap the benefits of it,” Collier said. “We have an interim superintendent, Dr. Battle, who loves athletics. I know she and her team will be right there rooting all of them on the entire way.”