At the 2007 National Conference Celebrate Summer as a Season for Learning two local advocates, Samuel Allen and Robert Yellowlees, received the 2007 Champion for Summer Learning Award. This annual award honors individuals for their outstanding leadership in advancing summer learning.

Mr. Allen and Mr. Yellowlees provided instrumental leadership to the Keeping Pace Summer Program. Keeping Pace offers participants the opportunity to engage in interesting activities, improve their academic self-concept, and remain positively engaged over the summer months. The middle schoolers that participated in Keeping Pace reside in Peoplestown neighborhood of Atlanta. Transportation to Pace Academy, an outstanding private school, is provided to all participants along with scholarships to cover the cost of the program. Each week consisted of a thematic unit including photography, drama and acting, studio art, and technology. Teachers from Pace Academy served as instructors for the summer program.

Afterschool supporters from Georgia, including providers, parents, and youth, participated in the sixth annual Afterschool for All Challenge in Washington, DC, where they encouraged Members of Congress, including Senator Johnny Isakson and Representative John Lewis, to support more funding for afterschool programs. The visit was part of the sixth annual Afterschool for All Challenge.

As part of the Afterschool for All Challenge, the Afterschool Alliance sponsored a "Breakfast of Champions" at which advocates from across the country, including NFL star and afterschool champion Michael Vick, were honored for their support of afterschool. Unfortunately, Michael Vick was unable to personally attend the breakfast, but his mother, Brenda Boddie, accepted the award on her son's behalf. At the Breakfast, Senator Johnny Isakson gave remarks and emphasized the meaningful opportunities that afterschool programming provides for Georgia's children and youth. Participants then fanned out across Capitol Hill for more than 100 meetings with Members of Congress and their staff members. Georgia advocates met with Representative John Lewis, as well as staff representatives of Senator Saxby Chambliss, Representative Jim Marshall, and Representative Lynn Westmoreland.

Central GA Regional Forum - May 3, 2007 in Jones County, Gray, GA The Georgia Afterschool Investment Council, Family Connection Partnership, and the United Way of Central Georgia are hosting the Central Georgia Regional Forum on Afterschool. Regional afterschool leaders will discuss issues that the central Georgia region faces around afterschool and summer learning and develop an action plan to address these issues.

Afterschool Academies - May 8-10, 2007 in Columbia, S.C. The Georgia Afterschool Investment Council has been selected by the C.S. Mott Foundation to join the North Carolina and South Carolina afterschool networks to participate in the second Afterschool Academies pilot in Columbia, S.C., May 8-10, 2007. Teams made up of front-line afterschool providers and state leaders will meet to develop plans for the future of afterschool professional development in our individual states. Members of the Georgia Afterschool Academies team will present information and takeaways from the Academy at the GAIC Quarterly Meeting on May 22nd from 12-2pm.