Charles R. Drew Charter School

🎊 What a way to kick off the new school year! Last week, our staff came together to celebrate the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year at our annual “Cheers for Years” event. We had the opportunity to honor our incredible staff, including those who've dedicated 20-25 years to Drew. From tenured staff to fresh faces, we're ready to make this school year unforgettable.

Today, our team is excited to welcome our students back for the first day of the 2024-2025 school year!

Thank you so much for joining us & honoring our students! It's greatly appreciated! 🔬📚

Delta Community held its fourth annual Science Fair Recognition Ceremony at Charles R. Drew Charter School to honor twenty-three students for their outstanding performance in this year’s regional and state science fairs. Representatives from Delta Community visited the school and awarded cash prizes to each of the students and encouraged them to set up Youth Savings Accounts to learn about financial responsibility and money management.

Drew Charter School received a $2,500 grant from Delta Community’s Schools Program to support programming for their STEAM Career and Workshop Days. The grants have supported travel costs and materials to help the students participate in the in the Science and Engineering Fair at the school on regional, state and international levels.

To learn more about our Schools Program, visit DeltaCommunityCU.com/Schools.

Today is Primary Election Day! Our Student Government Association (SGA) organized an eye-opening panel with WABE News journalists earlier this month. 🎙️ Our Senior Academy students dove into the significance of voting, Gen Z's impact, & strategies to navigate social media to combat misinformation during election cycles. 📱💬 The program culminated in ensuring every senior class member had the chance to register to vote. 🗳️

A huge shoutout to the team at WABE for partnering with us on this empowering initiative!

It was an unforgettable day as we bid farewell to the extraordinary Class of 2024 at Charles R. Drew Charter School! This class is phenomenal, with 2 Gates Scholars, 2 Posse Scholars, athletic state champions, talented artists, aspiring entrepreneurs, and many other talents that make them exceptional. 📚🎓

This remarkable group of graduates has collectively received acceptances to 138 colleges and universities! The future is bright for each one of these incredible individuals, and the possibilities are endless.

To the Class of 2024, you have left an indelible mark on Drew. We are immensely proud of all that you have accomplished and cannot wait to see the impact you will make in the world. Congratulations on this momentous occasion!

Grateful for the chance to equip our students with essential financial skills! Thanks to the incredible program made possible by Bank of America! 📚💰

🎉Kudos to WSB-TV’s Berndt Petersen for spotlighting our students’ achievements!

Graduating high school seniors prepare for ‘college’ graduation

Last week, the Class of 2024 shared their big decisions on Decision Day. Tomorrow, we witness them take their final walk across the graduation stage.

Join us in celebrating their journey - tomorrow at 4 pm; click the following link to watch the ceremony live: https://bit.ly/3WGrNJS 🎓✨

Our student-athletes crushed it at the GHSA Track & Field State AA Championships!

Huge shoutout to Kenyatta for dominating not one but two events - taking home first place in both the triple jump and the high jump! Madeline broke her state record in the 100m hurdles and finished first in the 100m hurdles and the 100m run. Caleb showed his skills by finishing first in the 110m hurdles, and Simeon grabbed an impressive second-place finish in the 100m.

Not to be outdone, Khalil soared to a fourth-place finish in the long jump, and Chloe made history as Drew's first pole vaulter, finishing an impressive ninth in the pole vault event.

Let's not forget our amazing boys' 4x100 relay team, who blazed their way to first place with a lightning-fast time of 42.26!

These athletes have worked incredibly hard, and their dedication and talent showed. Way to go, Drew Eagles!🏆🥇🔥

Flashback to the unforgettable Senior Walk for the Class of 2024 at Drew! We had the opportunity to witness our soon-to-be graduates wear their caps and gowns for the first time.

The countdown to May 18th (Graduation Day) is on, and we’re excited to cheer them on as they cross the stage.

THANK YOU to the incredible parents, guardians, educators, and all who took a moment to honor the graduating class. And let’s not forget the roaring support from our scholars, pre-K through 11th graders, whose cheers could be heard throughout the campus - adding to the magic of Senior Walk. It’s a Drew tradition that unites us all!

Special thanks to TOUR Championship and East Lake Foundation for their unwavering support in our students’ educational journey.

Let’s get ready to make some noise for the Class of 2024! 🎉 🎓

📸: Courtesy of Mr. Parker

What an incredible afternoon we had experiencing the solar eclipse! 🌑 Our students, equipped with safety glasses, looked to the skies in wonder as the moon passed before the sun. ☀️🌙

Thank you to our STEAM-savvy teachers for making this cosmic event an unforgettable experience for our students.

In awe of the creativity demonstrated at last week's STEAM Day and Designorama events! With "Food for Thought" as our theme, we explored nutrition science and food transportation engineering. From designing food trucks to packaging food for those in need, our students explored the many facets of food. 🌽

THANK YOU to our guest presenters, volunteers, community partners, staff, and families for your support. Let's keep coming together to provide STEAM opportunities for all students! 🔬🍏

ICYMI: This year, we launched our culinary program for Senior Academy students.

We're serving a heartfelt THANK YOU to our incredible partners and the masterful professional chefs who've become the secret sauce in our program! Their expertise & support is more than an ingredient; it's the recipe for our students' success. Together, we're nurturing the next generation of stars in the hospitality and culinary industry!

📸: Chef Nick

Our 8th graders had the chance to spread their wings and soar at our 'Take Flight' event this week! It was an opportunity for students to connect with Senior Academy students and discover all the fantastic opportunities that await in their high school experience. The future is bright for the Class of 2028!

Join us for our upcoming HBCU Night on Wednesday, March 20th, at 6:00 p.m. in the theater.

The evening will feature informative presentations highlighting the rich history and significant contributions of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about HBCUs, enjoy fantastic performances, and unite as a community.

We hope to see you there!

Register here: https://bit.ly/DrewHBCUnight

Celebrating International Women's Day with a splash of STEM inspiration! Our Senior Academy students had an incredible day diving into the world of innovation alongside some amazing “Women in STEM.” From industry insights to concocting a refreshing beverage from concept to creation, it was a day filled with empowerment and excitement! Huge thanks to Coca-Cola for this enriching opportunity! 💡🥤

Big shoutout to YMCA Camp High Harbour for hosting an incredible day camp at Lake Allatoona last weekend! Our students and their families had a blast - from zip-lining to arts & crafts. Thank you for helping to create unforgettable memories!

REMINDER: Join us for Drew's FIRST-EVER job fair!

Calling all educators, special education professionals, and paraprofessionals! This is your chance to be part of something extraordinary.

📅 Date: Saturday, March 2, 2024
🕒 Time: 10:00 am - 12:30 pm
📍 Location: Drew Charter School (Yates Campus) - 300 Eva Davis Way SE, Atlanta, GA 30317

Don't miss this chance to explore exciting opportunities and connect with us!

Register now: https://bit.ly/DrewJobFair

We hope to see you there!

Are you passionate about shaping young minds and making a difference in education? Look no further! Drew Charter School invites you to our upcoming job fair on Saturday, March 2.

We are actively seeking dedicated team members to join our dynamic Drew Community. Whether you’re an experienced educator or just beginning your career in the classroom, we want to meet you!

Register Today:
https://bit.ly/DrewJobFair

🏔️❄️ Drew's mentoring, leadership, and service programs took on the slopes for an unforgettable ski trip last week! Our students embraced the spirit of leadership, service, and camaraderie. Here's to the memories made while fostering bonds that will last a lifetime. 🎿

We're thrilled to unveil the Drew Opportunity Fund’s 2023-2024 Mid-Year Impact Report, highlighting the incredible progress we've made together as the Drew Community! From blazers purchased for the entire 9th grade to student scholarships, it's been a journey filled with growth and success!

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to making a difference thus far! 🎉🙌

Check out the full report here: https://bit.ly/23-24Mid-YearImpact

Become an Eagle and soar into a world of Project-Based Learning (PBL) and Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math (STEAM)! Drew Charter School is excited to share that lottery applications are now open until April 30th! Click the following link to learn more: https://bit.ly/3SsCzQf

We are throwing it back to a meaningful 'Breakfast with the Board' event last week, where we had the pleasure of hosting the APS Board of Education and our Board of Directors. Thank you to our esteemed board members for connecting with the future leaders and engaging in thoughtful conversations! Kudos to our Senior Academy students for asking meaningful questions and making the event memorable. 🙌

Very cool! So proud of the challenges the students are addressing! Learn more about the challenge being addressed by our student, Kennedi: https://bit.ly/3uakjTI

Congratulations to our Junior Academy boys basketball team for an outstanding win in tonight's Atlanta Public Schools middle school basketball championship game! 🎉👏

A huge shoutout to our incredible players and coaches - your hard work and dedication paid off! Thank you, fans, parents, students, and staff, for showing up and creating an amazing atmosphere! 🏀

🏆 Our Junior and Senior Academy's Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl teams soared to FIRST PLACE at the Atlanta Public Schools competition over the weekend! 📚🥇

Next stop: Regional competition at Clayton State University on February 10th! 🌟📖 Join us in cheering for our literary champions!

📸: Mrs. Ricks, Media Specialist

We were thrilled to welcome Superintendent Battle to the Junior Academy this week! 🌟 It was fantastic having her witness the incredible work our dedicated teachers and students are doing.

Thank you, Dr. Battle, for stopping by! 🙌

New Opportunity Alert!

Drew Charter School is looking for a part-time Development Associate to oversee the school’s annual campaign, the Drew Opportunity Fund. This person would work in the Office of Strategic Partnerships and Development to help raise funds and support partnerships that impact the Drew Community.

Click the following link to learn more:
http://bit.ly/3Xh6Gfj

Due to the potential for inclement weather, Drew Charter School will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, January 16. Please stay safe & warm!

Today’s Day of Service in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. was a tremendous success! A huge thank you to all the volunteers and partners, including Rise Against Hunger, for making today’s impactful projects possible.