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I am APS

I am APS: Maria Perez-Marrero, Maestra Dedicada de Idiomas del Mundo de Benteen

by Allison M. Slocum
written by Allison M. Slocum

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

Maria Perez-Marrero, Spanish world language teacher at Benteen Elementary School. Photo: Allison M. Slocum ©

Benteen Elementary School’s world language teacher Maria Eugenia Perez-Marrero is passionate about carrying out the vision of the English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Program at APS, teaching first through fifth graders Spanish and being a source of information for Spanish speaking families.

The ESOL program values linguistic and cultural diversities, cultivating an environment where English learning students love to learn and its teachers inspire.

Relocating from Venezuela to America over a decade ago, Perez’s 24 years of experience has proven to be invaluable in knowing the diverse needs of her students. She prides herself on being creative and adaptable, two qualities that assisted her in receiving the 2021-2022 Benteen Teacher of the Year distinction.

Wearing stylish black frames and her glorious signature grey curls, Señora Perez invited us into her classroom and shared her motivation for teaching and how she effectively transforms the lives of her students and the APS community.

Maria Perez-Marrero, affectionately called “Señora Perez”, was named the 2021-2022 Benteen Teacher of the Year. Photo: Allison M. Slocum ©

MARIA EUGENIA PEREZ-MARRERO
World Language Teacher (1-5) at Benteen Elementary School

Why are you proud to teach in Atlanta Public Schools?

I’m very proud to work in APS because it’s a district where I see that the community integrates all the different communities that are within APS. Like African Americans, Whites, Hispanics, and myself as an immigrant, I feel that I can contribute something to this community.

It is a community that has high standards for students to prepare themselves. The teachers and the professors have high teaching standards, and I particularly love that.

What is your biggest motivation for teaching?

My motivation comes from many years ago. When I was in third grade, I had a teacher who had a lot of passion for teaching. I saw that she changed the lives of the children. She changed my life and that’s why I am a teacher. That same motivation drives me. I want to transform lives as well. I have many years of experience because in my country I have more than 24 years of experience in [teaching] elementary school. I saw how the children were changing. They were transforming [as] I was taking care of each child. It is a different world [there]. APS gives me more opportunities, because here I not only teach knowledge, I teach Spanish, I teach culture, I teach traditions, I teach values, and I transform and adapt to the new generations because it is completely different to teach today than when I [first] started.

Why did you choose APS instead of other districts?

I chose APS because it has high standards and it is a truly diverse community. And now with the integration movement where there are many immigrants, and many are Venezuelans because of our situation, APS has provided a very good reception and has a great interest in these students integrating and [becoming a] part of the APS community.

How did you feel when you were recognized as Benteen’s Teacher of the Year?

When I was recognized as the Teacher of the Year, first I didn’t expect it. I didn’t expect it at all. I was informed through the school’s intercom that I was the Teacher of the Year. And I said, ‘I’m not. No, it’s not me!’ It was a great joy.

And I’m going to tell you why it was very pleasant for me and it filled me with pride. Although I worked for many years in my country, the recognitions are very political. It’s not because of your work, but because of the sympathy you can have with the government, the ruling party. Here, my colleagues chose me. And it was super gratifying. Besides, I was an example for my children. Because when I arrived here, I was not young. I arrived here only 16 years ago, and for eight years I did not practice teaching. So, for my children to see that they gave me recognition in a foreign country, wow! It was very gratifying. Very, very gratifying.

Maria Perez-Marrero teaches Spanish to first through fifth graders at Benteen Elementary School. Photo: Allison M. Slocum ©

What qualities do you contribute to the classroom?

First of all, I’m very open-minded. If you’re not an open-minded teacher, you can’t understand every child that you’re given to teach. You have to put yourself in the other person’s shoes and see what can be happening to that child.

I think I contribute my passion for teaching. I do it from the heart, really. And the fact that I adapt and always look for new things to teach. For me, teaching at APS has been a great challenge because it is not the same teaching as in the 80’s and 70’s when I started in 1976. Children have more information. They are exposed to a lot of technology, which I didn’t know how to handle when I started. So, I had to adapt to all of that.

I think that a teacher who is not open-minded, who is not willing to change and face changes— no they can’t achieve their goal, which is to transform that child and give them the necessary tools so that they can face the world that they are going to find. Because it is completely different.

Is there a teaching experience that had a great impact on you?

Wow! Yes, I have many. But there is one that honestly brought tears to my eyes. I had a student that came to visit me not too long ago that was about to leave middle school. She is of Hispanic origin, her parents are Hispanic, and she read and wrote what you told her, but she was not able to do independent writing. So, at that time, I was talking about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. What were the principles of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., why he fought, what was his dream. I gave her a piece of paper and I told her, ‘I want you to write to me your dream.’ And when I read [what she wrote] I cried, because she said that her dream was to see that the president of the United States didn’t see Hispanics as a threat, but that Hispanics also came here to work and forge this country. And when I saw that, a girl who is capable of writing that in fifth grade, I felt super happy. And she wrote it for me both in English and in Spanish. That has been one of many, but the one that has struck me the most.

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I am APS: Sandra Romero, Maestra de Matemáticas y Ciencias en Español de Benteen

by Allison M. Slocum
written by Allison M. Slocum

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

Sandra Romero, 2nd grade math and science Dual Language Immersion teacher at Benteen Elementary School. Photo: Allison M. Slocum ©

Sandra Romero always wanted to be a teacher and was intentional in seeking dual language opportunities that would enable her to teach in both English and Spanish. Her search led her to Atlanta Public Schools (APS), which ultimately landed her a position as a Dual Language Immersion (DLI) educator at Benteen Elementary School.

Born into a family of teachers, Romero considers her love of teaching to be an honor because it’s a profession she is passionate about. Unlike her grandmother and great aunts, strong women whose career options at the time were often limited to either a nurse or teacher, Romero had options. And she proudly chose teaching, a privilege she does not take for granted and a family legacy she cherishes.

Sandra Romero standing in front of Benteen Elementary School’s 2023 Día de los Muertos display. Photo: Allison M. Slocum ©

We stopped by Romero’s second-grade class the day after Día de los Muertos to see how she incorporates Spanish into her lessons and to learn about how she enjoys being a vital part of the bridge that connects education to APS families.

SANDRA ROMERO
Second-grade DLI teacher at Benteen Elementary School

Why are you proud to teach in Atlanta Public Schools?

This is a district that is well organized. It has high expectations for teachers, so that [forces] us to keep learning more about our profession. It is also very diverse. It has so many cultures around it, not only in the staff but also in the school population that we receive on a daily basis. So that makes a very vibrant district.

Are you teaching your students to speak Spanish?

I’m teaching the content subject, which is math and science in Spanish, but I also use the time to help them with strategies to be more fluent in Spanish because parents want them also to be able to communicate in Spanish.

What is your motivation for teaching?

To see how much the students can learn every day, how capable they are of continuing to grow and develop different skills. That is my motivation, to see the growth in them.

What are the benefits of having multi-lingual teachers?

Students can be more social because they can get connected with more people using two languages. Also, the families can feel that they have a link with the teacher who speaks the same language they do or that in their household, they practice more. They know that they can express their concerns or have a conversation, or say ‘Hola, maestra’, or just say hi to me because they know that I understand what they’re trying to say. It has given a bridge of stronger communication between the schools, the families, and the district itself.

Sandra Romero teaches 2nd grade math and science in Spanish, as well as Spanish strategies for fluency. Photo: Allison M. Slocum ©

What special qualities do you bring to the classroom?

I’m very intentional about what I do and what I expect from the students. I always try to think about how I can improve or what I could have changed, or how I can make [something] more [appealing]. I think that’s a good skill and a good quality— to always be reflective. As I always say, ‘there is always room for improvement’. So to be thinking about that constantly, I think that is a quality that students can sense and can see.

Or being able to say, ‘yesterday we did this, but I feel that we didn’t get to the point where I wanted. So we’re going to try this today.’ They feel that I have this humble side and that I’m also human. This has been my slogan the past few weeks, ‘you need to be very patient with Senorita Romero because this is my first year in the district, so I’m still trying to get all this together so you need to be very patient.’ And they repeat after me ‘yes, ser muy pacientes.’ But [patience] is also a part of the job, so as they are growing, I am growing with them.

How do you know when you’ve been successful in helping your students make progress?

Formally, using the platform and seeing the data. But informally, to hear that they’re speaking more Spanish or that they’re participating in sharing what they know, using their own skills or strategies to make and produce Spanish when we are discussing. Also, when I see that from one week to another we were working very hard and now we can accomplish that [lesson].

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I am APS: Kaydon Sims

by Allison M. Slocum
written by Allison M. Slocum

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

Kaydon Sims is an 8th grader at Crawford W. Long Middle School. Photo: Allison M. Slocum

Kaydon Sims is one of those young people who impress you instantly. Boasting a bright, dimpled smile and a firm handshake, this Crawford W. Long Middle School (Long) 8th grader has mastered the ability to learn and inform in the same conversation.

The youngest of five children, Sims belongs to a village of supportive parents, siblings and mentors who encourage him to pursue multiple interests and strive for greatness. He is a member of Long’s debate team, youth action team, and band, in which he plays the clarinet and participates in a program that allows him to occasionally march with South Atlanta High School’s Marching Hornets.

On November 9, he was one of several Atlanta Public Schools (APS) 8th graders awarded the prestigious REACH Georgia Scholarship, a $10,000 scholarship to attend any eligible, in-state college or university upon graduation from high school.

Kaydon Sims and his father signing the REACH Georgia Student and Parent Commitment. Photo: Allison M. Slocum

Sims is going places— literally. This school year alone he will be traveling on several school trips, including one to Tennessee State University’s homecoming, where Long’s band will perform in a parade, one to Washington D.C., where he and fellow students will learn about history and the government, and an educational trip to Savannah, GA.

Recently, Sims shared with us the value of making meaningful connections and his future plans to join the healthcare industry to make a difference in the lives of many.

KAYDON SIMS
Long Middle School’s 13-year-old 8th grader, REACH Scholarship recipient and future psychiatrist.

Do you have a favorite subject?

I do. Science. I love how we break down the elements that we use in our everyday [lives] like aluminum. Fluorine.

How does one break them down?

First, we look at the actual element itself. We look at the atomic mass, the atomic number, the protons, neutrons, and electrons. Also, the valence. Does it relate with the valence electron rule? So for example, aluminum. The atomic number may be 13, so that gives us the protons and the electrons. This is where the atomic mass comes in and where you put the atomic mass minus the atomic number, which gives us our neutrons. Now, we have our atom for aluminum.

Have you thought about what you want to be when you grow up?

I have. I would like to be a psychiatrist. There’s not a lot of people in the mental field, and I want to add on to their army. I want to understand the brain more.

Do you think that you’ve learned things in school so far that will help you become a psychiatrist?

Most definitely. We have a youth action team, which brings awareness to things that may not be seen as worthy. For example, recently [we focused on] suicide prevention. We made announcements. We had posters up saying how we can prevent [suicide]. We gave ways to ask yourself,  ‘Do you really need help?’ and things of that sort. We also do Social Emotional Learning (SEL), where we talk about anger management and how to de-escalate a situation instead of escalating it.

Kaydon Sims is a member of Long’s debate team, youth action team, and band. Photo: Allison M. Slocum

What impact has SEL had on you since it became a part of the curriculum?

When they started incorporating it in the curriculum it was like a weight off my shoulder. It makes me feel more comfortable. [And demonstrates] how we can relate to our friends and sometimes even our teachers, like, ‘How was your day?’

For example, with my English Language Arts teacher, we call it ‘High, Low, High’. Questions are asked [about your day] like ‘What was your high? What was your low?’ Someone actually asked me how I feel and how was my weekend. I can express myself and not just share the high parts, but also my lows.

Do you feel like you’re able to build meaningful connections while you’re in middle school?

I do feel like I’m building a lot of connections. I go to South Atlanta High School for marching band, so I’ve got connections with Mr. Lane, Mr. Richardson, our drill sergeant. Ms. Stinson, of course, as I do want to go into the mental and healthcare fields.

And also Ms. Barksdale. She helps me a lot with preparing how to articulate my words, how to be presentable. She also shares some of the past experience that she had in the [healthcare] field. I really enjoy listening to the stories because when I grow up, I want to be in the same position she is in. Especially Ms. Stinson as well. Dr. Jones as well. I know he’s the 7th grade counselor, but also he’s our sponsor for the Youth Action Camp. He organizes a lot of the events that we do, so I feel like I can also connect with him.

And just getting myself out there, not being shy. Doing a lot of extracurriculars like debate, Youth Action Team. I also do the morning announcements because I’m a good speaker.

Knowing that you want to be a psychiatrist, are you able to take ownership of your learning and steer your education towards things that will benefit you?

Actually my mentor and I were going over schools [recently]. Connections. She said, ‘Look at these high schools.’ They [have] what I’m looking for. For example Midtown, I know it’s far of course, but it’s also a possibility. There’s a possibility in everything. They have a club for clinical psychology. Also, being mentally aware. For example, like when I feel like I’m not on the track that I want to be on  because I’m on the track of the national [average]. I want to be ahead of that, I want to achieve. So oftentimes, I’ll stay for tutorial. Sometimes I’ll be the only person. But I’ve got to realize what I want to do, what I want to achieve. And use my connection.

Kaydon Sims is an 8th grader at Crawford W. Long Middle School. Photo: Allison M. Slocum

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I am APS: Shataira Hightower

by Allison M. Slocum
written by Allison M. Slocum

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

Shataira Hightower is a Class of 2024 graduating senior at Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy. Photo: Allison M. Slocum

Shataira Hightower, a senior at Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy (CSKYWLA), has always been book smart. Coming from a family rich in skills and talents, she’s had to move independently in a lane less traveled than those before her.

Through hard work, determination and constant encouragement from her mother, Hightower has found her academic footing and boasts a weighted 4.0 GPA, ranking 4th in her class.

Leaning into her love for education, Hightower serves her school as a member of the National Honor Society and the Beta Club. Additionally, she holds the position of CSKYWLA 12th Grade Representative and is an Atlanta Public Schools Student Advisory Council member.

She recently shared with us her love of poetry, how her experience at CSKYWLA has impacted her education, and her future plans to give hope and counsel to the voiceless.

Shataira Hightower’s activities include the following: National Honor Society, Beta Club, 12th Grade Representative, and APS Student Advisory Council. Photo: Allison M. Slocum

Shataira Hightower
CSKYWLA’s Class of 2024 graduating senior and future psychologist.

What is the thing you love most about your school?

I actually love how small the school is because I feel as if they’re more able to dedicate time and attention to each individual student. I know that in [larger schools], there’s so many students that you sometimes can’t pay attention to each individual student and then they get left behind or knocked down. But here, there’s 30 people in my class. There’s no way I can see my sister falling and not help pick her up. I really adore that.

Shataira Hightower’s love for English inspired her to pen a wining essay titled “How to Get Perfect Attendance: A Memoir”. Photo: Allison M. Slocum

What is your favorite subject?

English. Specifically poetry, because I love how you can take a word where the denotation is pretty simple and change it how you want— to a unique connotation. Rain could just literally be water falling from the sky, or it could be something deep and powerful within you that’s pouring. And the ability to make people cry from just five words is absolutely insane. I love the power that you have within a pen. It just feels so empowering, so beautiful. I love walking into an English class. The vibe is always different than any other classroom. It just feels as if you automatically have an emotional connection simply because it’s English.

Have you thought about what you want to be when you grow up?

I would love to be a psychologist. I may minor in criminal justice. When I do become a psychologist, I would like to work with incriminated juveniles because both of my uncles went to jail when they were very young. I feel as if that took away some very critical years that were very important. I feel as if they never were able to have their own voice at such a young age. They were forced into having no rights. This is what you do for years. And when they got out, they felt as if they didn’t have any opportunities and they were still stuck in that box, even if they weren’t anymore. I want to be able to go and tell these kids that you may be here now, but that doesn’t mean that when you get out that this is all you have. There’s still an entire world out there that you can access, that you can shape. That’s what I want to do.

What made you decide that psychology was an area of interest for you?

We always do Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in the morning. And SEL with a sisterhood environment really creates a family. I know this person through and through. I’ve been with them since the 6th grade and it makes me so connected to them. And then you look at other [students] and some are getting arrested, getting in trouble, going to jail, getting pregnant— and I don’t want that to happen to my sister. This is my girl. This is who I’m growing up with. It makes me have that protective spirit of wanting to keep them out of trouble. Wanting to make sure they make good choices, that they know all their options. And that became even stronger as I rose to the 12th grade, because I look back and I see these middle schoolers. I see the 9th and 11th [graders], and it’s like, these are my little sisters. I have to watch them. I have to make sure that they grow well. I have to make sure that they know every opportunity that they have here, and I feel as if that really helps with my goal.

Share a lesson that stood out to you and helped shaped who you are today.

From 9th through 11th [grade], we always talked about what it means to be an American. That was a reoccurring topic inside of English. And I felt at the very beginning I was like, American— it means pride, bald eagle, flag. But I quickly learned that it was much deeper than that. And then we read The Great Gatsby and I realized how fake America can sometimes seem. How we’re the front cover. We’re almost shallow in a way. It’s because we’re taught to be that. Not that we aren’t deeper people, but that when somebody says, ‘hi, how you doing?’ It’s not an actual question, it’s just a greeting. This year, I was having a conversation with Ms. Tookes about that. How America is always so fast paced. And as a psychologist, I would want to slow that pace down. I want people to realize that you can take a break. You can break down a little bit. You don’t have to always be that picture perfect smile person. You can stutter. You can have issues, and that’s okay. You can teach them how to get through that. Because I’m not sure if you are aware of this, but during the pandemic, especially teenagers in my age group, we had a really big [spike in suicide cases]. It was just so traumatic because, again, these are my sisters. These are my brothers. This is my friend group. Why are they in such a traumatic period of time? And it’s like they don’t know how to express themselves. They don’t know how to be themselves. They don’t know themselves. I want to change that. I want to make sure that everybody knows that they have a voice and that if they’re sad, they can say, ‘I’m sad’. They don’t really have to keep it all inside of themselves.

CSKYWLA seniors, Shataira Hightower and Caydence Walker, have been chosen to represent their school as I am APS spotlights. Photo: Allison M. Slocum.

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I am APS: Caydence Walker

by Allison M. Slocum
written by Allison M. Slocum

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

Caydence Walker is a Class of 2024 graduating senior at Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy. Photo: Allison M. Slocum

If you have ever met a current student or graduate of Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy (CSKYWLA), chances are you left that encounter impressed. The poise of its students exhibit the empowering and impactful legacy of the school’s namesake. Despite their modest population, they are well known the within the Atlanta Public Schools district.

Caydence Walker, a promising CSKYWLA senior, knows that education in her family is a legacy that she is proud to shoulder. With a rising 3.81 GPA and ranking of seventh in her senior class, Walker is building upon a legacy that her great, great, great grandmother started generations ago at a time when literacy often equaled a death sentence for African Americans.

We sat down with Walker to learn about her experience as a CSKYWLA student and her future plans to be an advocate for others.

Caydence Walker plans to attend the University of Alabama and major in philosophy of law or political science. Photo: Allison M. Slocum

Caydence Walker
CSKYWLA’s Class of 2024 graduating senior, rising University of Alabama freshman, and future lawyer.

What do you like about being a student at CSKYWLA?

This school is very structured. We have a uniform policy to follow, which I think will really help us in the real world and when we get to the corporate world where you have to follow actual rules. I love that it’s very gender inclusive. So yes, we’re all females, but they cater to LGBTQ people and it’s very inclusive. I really like that, and I love the academic part of it. I feel like when I leave here, I’ll be really prepared to enter college. They provide many AP classes, dual enrollment options, and online options, I really enjoy that aspect of it.

Do you have a favorite subject?

I really love writing and the amount of essays we are assigned. [Recently] in our class, we were talking about feminism. We wrote an essay on that and talked about feminists throughout the generations. 19th century, modern, mid-century— I think it’s really helped me to turn on my critical thinking skills, open my mind, and try to figure out what these people were thinking back then when women didn’t have a voice and they were trying to find a path for us, our generation, right now.

Have you thought about what you want to be when you grow up?

Yes. I’ve been thinking about this since I was 10 years old. I really want to become an attorney. Either corporate law or entertainment law. Those are really interesting to me right now. When I go to college I want to major in either philosophy of law or political science, join a pre-law program at that school, and then make my way to law school and become an attorney.

Do you feel your school is giving you the tools you need to prepare for a career in law?

Definitely. We had a college fair and they have these opportunities for us a lot. We also have a college advisor. Her name is Ms. Wimberley, and you can sit down with her on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and she’ll help you find scholarships. Coca-Cola, Gates Millennium— she’ll help you with all of that. She will set up your Common App for you, your Black College Common App, and she actually really helps us. Also, [the school] will give us pamphlets, or they will bring people to the school to tell us about these opportunities to make sure we have a college when we end the school year. So that’s what I really appreciate.

What lesson stands out to you that really made an impact?

I think one in particular which helped me get interested in history was learning about the civil rights movement and slavery. That really connected with me because I just learned this last year that my great, great, great grandmother was a slave and she wrote in her diary about the experiences, and I got a chance to read it. So when I got to learn about civil rights and slavery, it really connected with me because I was like, oh, my grandma was there. I really, really loved learning about African American studies and ethnic studies. I’m interested in that.

How are you carrying on that legacy through your family?

I feel like going to college is going to be carrying on that legacy. My mom went to college, my dad went to college. My great, great, great grandmother literally learned how to write. She could have risked being killed learning how to read and write. I feel like I’m carrying that on, becoming an attorney, fighting for other people’s rights.

CSKYWLA seniors, Shataira Hightower and Caydence Walker, have been chosen to represent their school as I am APS spotlights. Photo: Allison M. Slocum.

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I am APS: Mike Robinson, from pupil to beloved teacher

by Allison M. Slocum
written by Allison M. Slocum

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

Mike Robinson, world history educator and debate coach at North Atlanta High School. Photo: Allison M. Slocum/APS

If you visit North Atlanta High School and have the opportunity to walk the halls, you are certain to see flyers advertising the school’s debate team decorating the walls and elevators. The popularity of the team has taken off in the past few years due in part to the leadership of world history teacher Mike Robinson, who co-sponsors the team with Dr. James Jones.

Robinson, a 2009 Henry W. Grady High School graduate, was as a proud member of Grady’s speech and debate team in the early 2000’s. Although he didn’t know it at the time, that experience had a monumental impact on his future; and over a decade later, he spends his time imparting those and other important lessons upon his students.

Today, the debate team is one of the most coveted activities at North Atlanta and is making impressive strides in developing scholars into proficient orators on the local, state and national levels.

We dropped in on one of Robinson’s AP World History classes during Alumni Month to find out how he channels his experiences as an APS graduate into his passion for teaching and how he continues to exhibit APS pride every day.

Mike Robinson and students in his AP World History Class at North Atlanta High School. Photo: Allison M. Slocum/APS

MIKE ROBINSON
North Atlanta High School World History Educator and Debate Team Coach | Grady High School Class of 2009.

What makes you proud to be an APS alumni?

I feel like I’m part of a community. I feel like APS is great in developing those community ties to the wider city. I see all the great things that our students do and are still doing now. I get an opportunity to interact with hundreds of amazing students every year and just seeing what they do and what they’re capable of and watching them learn— just being a part of that makes me incredibly proud.

How has APS prepared you for life and helped you to reach your goals?

Because APS as a school system is so big, you have to take ownership of your own success. Especially once you get into secondary education you’re the only one who’s going to drag yourself across the finish line. So [APS] taught me that in order to reach my goals, I’m the one who has to achieve them.

Do you have any fond memories of your time as an APS student?

Most of my fond memories are of my experiences with my friends on the debate team in high school. We would go to tournaments and we would leave at five in the morning, and we’d get on a bus and we’d drive to the middle of nowhere in Georgia. Then we would debate for 12 hours and we’d drive back home, and when we’d get home it was midnight. By that point we’d spent 18 hours together. It’s funny because I don’t really remember most of the content of most of the rounds [of the tournament],  but I do remember hanging out with my friends in between the rounds.

One of the moments [my then debate coach] Mario Herrera always makes fun of, was during my sophomore year of high school. Like a typical teenage boy, I didn’t want to get my hair cut. I was like, ‘I’m not cutting my hair’. I had this big shaggy mop head of hair—  I was 16 years old then— and Mario made one of the other debaters on the team take this hair product and slick back all my hair. And it was just this horrible, slicked back mop. He made me do that and go to the whole tournament like that … I got a haircut after that!

What advice would you give to current APS students?

Don’t rest on your laurels. You’ve done a ton of great achievements but you got to keep striving. So, that’s incredibly important. With that being said though, I think it’s also important for students to be proud of what they have accomplished and what they do. They should feel that sense of pride. Even just graduating from high school is an accomplishment. So students need to feel proud of what they’ve done and they also need to hold on to hopes for bigger and better things as well.

How do you feel you contribute to APS?

Through relationship building. I feel like APS alumni who are also teachers should absolutely communicate that to the students. They should explain to the students that they are also graduates of APS. I think it creates a relationship with the students where the students know that, to a certain extent, you know what their experience is and you know what they’re going through. I would just really, really encourage all of the other educators in APS to lean into that because I think, for me anyway, it’s been invaluable in building relationships with my students.

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I am APS: Charlotte Napper, the Creative Face Behind APS

by Allison M. Slocum
written by Allison M. Slocum

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

Charlotte Napper, Communications and Project Coordinator for Atlanta Public Schools. Photo: Allison M. Slocum/APS

September is Alumni Month at Atlanta Public Schools (APS) and when looking for an example of a true APS veteran, one person stood shoulders above the rest as one who has mastered the art of paying it forward.

Charlotte Napper began her professional APS journey as a graphic designer 16 years ago, and since then has been the creative driving force behind many of the district’s most memorable and visible logos and campaigns.

Today, she continues to serve APS as a communications and project coordinator, making invaluable connections between the Communications team and other APS departments to ensure each project successfully crosses the finish line.

The intersection of her past design work and current contributions have qualified her to be lovingly named “Ms. Fix It”. In a word, she’s invaluable.

She’s also an APS alumnus of Frederick Douglass High School, class of 1988. Matriculating the year the school celebrated it’s 20th anniversary, she was known as one of the “most congenial” amongst her classmates. She shared with us what she’s learned, what she’s most proud of and how she’s continuing the rich legacy of APS.

Charlotte Napper, Frederick Douglass High School Class of 1988. Photo: 1988 Polaris Yearbook for Douglass High School.

CHARLOTTE NAPPER

APS Communications and Project Coordinator, Douglass High School Class of ’88.

How do you currently exhibit APS and school pride?

I exhibit school pride or district pride by showing up every day and doing whatever [is] needed. I make sure that I put forth my best effort in whatever I’m doing. Even if it’s volunteering, I’m going to do the best volunteering job I can do. Or if it’s something that’s work related, I’ll make sure to do my very best because I represent the district. I want to make sure that whatever I do is top quality.

What life-long lessons have you learned from your experience at APS?

I’ve learned that I have as much help as I want and that I’m never by myself. Even if I’m working on a project by myself, I’m never actually by myself. I have plenty of people who are willing to give me really solid advice, whether it’s professional advice or whether it’s project-related advice. I know that they all have a well-meaning spirit and they want the district to succeed as much as I do.

Several pieces of APS collateral designed by Charlotte Napper. Images copyrighted by Atlanta Public Schools.

What have been some of your favorite design projects during your time with APS?

One project I’m most proud of is the student guidebook calendar. It not only contained information about the district, but it was also a functional document for parents and for employees because it had a 12-month calendar that they could actually write on, use, and keep track of what was happening throughout the district.

Some of the logos I’ve created are also among my favorites. I worked on the One Carver Cluster logo and I contributed to the Douglass Cluster logo.

What advice would you give to current students at Frederick Douglass?

I would tell them that they should consider going to work for the school district, because that would give them a really great way of influencing changes in the district that can maybe help them or some of their fellow classmates. It can be a way for them to give their talents, their time, and their skills to continuing to support the organization that’s helping them receive a good quality education.

Do you have any fond memories of your time as an APS student?

Probably the pep rallies we used to have. It was just something fun. The school leaders would let us take a break from— I think it was six period. And instead of attending class, we’d have our pep rally in the gym. So that was just a lot of fun. We would also have the drum line, they would play. We’d have other student performances, so it was a way for students to show off some of their extracurricular activities during that time. And then it was also just the camaraderie. You maybe saw [fellow students] in class, but you didn’t get a chance to talk to them. That was a good time to do it. And of course, hanging out with your friends and just running your mouth, because you really couldn’t talk during class. That was just another outlet.

Charlotte Napper, Communications and Project Coordinator for Atlanta Public Schools. Photo: Allison M. Slocum/APS
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I am APS: SPARK’s Rya Van Voorhis and Malcolm Guise

by Allison M. Slocum
written by Allison M. Slocum

For 150 years, Atlanta Public Schools has taught, nurtured, employed and cultivated generations of citizens who contribute to society, both locally and globally.

Throughout this school year, we will highlight students, faculty, alumni, and many others through our I am APS campaign to celebrate the rich and diverse experiences, backgrounds and contributions of the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) family. Together, we stand in solidarity of our shared admiration of APS and the mission which guides us as a family.

By leading with C.A.R.E., APS is creating a culture of compassion, accountability, respect and empathy. This culture weaves its way into every life we touch, and we believe storytelling lies at the heart of preserving our legacy as a district that prepares its students for college, career and life.

Our journey to identifying our first I am APS feature led us down the halls of Springdale Park Elementary School (SPARK), a flourishing and energetic COGNIA STEM certified school with over 400 students, nestled within the Virginia-Highland, Inman Park, and neighboring communities.

APS had the pleasure of sitting down with two of SPARK’s vibrant scholars, Rya Van Voorhis and Malcolm Guise, to learn how their favorite lessons have prepared them to be fully engaged learners who are resourceful and driven.

RYA VAN VOORHIS
SPARK’s charismatic 9-year-old, fourth grader and future celebrity baker

Do you have a favorite subject?

No, but I love to read. I’ll do that for fun. And I love writing. I could write all day if you make me.

I also like science. I just love it. I especially like chemistry where I made rainbow snow one time. I would take food coloring, put red dye into the snow, and then pour it in a jar, and then layer it. All of a sudden, it’s like rainbow snow! You could roll it into balls and it would look like snowballs. It was really fun.

How do you think your family experience has translated into your school experience?

I think that I’m good at partnership. I want to work and present with [others]  and research together. For example— [me, Marina and Fred]. Me and Fred would come up with ideas, combine them, and then Marina would translate them into a fourth-grade word because she knows a lot of vocabulary.

What is something you wish you could incorporate into learning?

Have you ever heard of hands-on learning? That’s what I wish social studies was. There’s some computers where you can touch it and say, ‘Oh, that’s what happened!’ And connect the dots and actually see it and pretend you’re in the actual world. I wish that there was a program where you could [create] yourself and then pretend that you’re in these places. So you feel what they’re talking about.

In my summer school class, we used VRs. That’s what I wish social studies was.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I want to be a baker, and I really want to go to America’s Test Kitchen. When I was four, my dad showed me this episode of the old America’s Test Kitchen. It’s new now, and I absolutely loved it. They tested how to make lemon bars. They made the recipe and ever since then, I’ve been trying to bake stuff. And honestly, I like cakes. People always say the best part about baking is eating. And I say, the best part about baking is baking.

Do you think you have learned anything at school that will help you become a baker one day?

Yes, reading. You need to read recipes. Writing. If I’m going to be a baker, I need to write recipes. Science. I need to know the science behind it because [in the past] people would just have apprentices and they would just learn it not knowing how it worked and why it tastes delicious. I want to know [how it all works together].

MALCOLM GUISE
SPARK’s multi-talented 10-year-old, fifth grader and future herpetologist

Hobbies and Extracurricular Activities

Science Olympiad, Kung fu, and playing the cello, guitar and piano.

What is your favorite subject and is there a specific lesson you really liked?

Science is my favorite subject. I love learning useless random animal facts and facts about anything. In GATE in third grade we did a project at the beginning of the year where we talked about if we could be a scientist, what type we would want to be. By then, I hadn’t really thought about it too much, so I just put zoologist in general, and I wrote about a few different animals. [Now] I’m [deciding] between a herpetologist, which studies reptiles, and an anthropologist, which studies insects and many other creatures.

What do you find fascinating about reptiles?

They’re so much different than us, and even though it seems like we know a lot about them, they’re still some of the most mysterious creatures. We still aren’t sure exactly where they could have evolved from. And some of their skeletal structures work in a way that are much different [from ours].

Another thing that’s very interesting about them is some people have considered that some types of snake venom can be used as medicine. So I want to know how that works and different antidotes for things.

What are you doing to further along your interests?

Well, I’m trying to focus on reading more advanced books, learning more information. I’ve been trying to read for two hours every day. I’m currently reading Hamlet, the original version. And also, I want to improve both my long-term and short-term memory. Because if I learn a lot of information, I don’t want to just forget it.

Are your teachers helping you to be more involved in your interests?

Some of my teachers have recommended different fields and ways of learning, like certain clubs, certain teams that I could go to. Also, sometimes they give me special projects to work on, so I think they do understand [and are] helping me.

#IamAPS

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