Jerry Hesselink founded Henry For Music Inc. in 2015 with a vision to provide children with access to musical instruments and quality music education. “He had a dream that music should be accessible to every child. So, he started collecting instruments to give to students at zero cost, and that was the foundation of Henry...
Category: Education
‘A Guiding Light’
Ms. Neal is “comforting,” “inspiring,” “wonderful,” “encouraging,” “caring,” “trustworthy,” “like a mother,” “brilliant.” Students in Brandi Neal’s choral class at McDonough High School (MHS) shared these heartfelt sentiments, underscoring her transformative and impactful teaching style. Neal joined MHS in 2022 as director of choral and piano studies, quickly amassing an impressive list of accomplishments. Last...
Call to Serve Others
Last year Caden Mirocha, who is a senior and 2025 Class Chaplain at Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy, went with his church, Salem Baptist, to do mission work in Honduras. While there he realized that basic supplies are lacking in the towns, schools, and villages. He and others who were on this mission trip gave the...
Fine Arts Takes Center Stage
“Our name defines who we are,” says Amy Davis, director of Fine Arts K-12 at Community Christian School (CCS). That is evident in CCS’s mission statement: “Community Christian School’s mission is to introduce students to Christ, to develop Christian character through academically challenging programs, and to build the next generation of dynamic leaders who will...
Expanding Programs, Growing Career Opportunities
Southern Crescent Technical College’s Henry County campus in McDonough is seeing widespread growth in a variety of fields, Students who wish to further their education at SCTC have dozens of categories to choose from. One area that is seeing increased interest is mechatronics and industrial systems technology. Students in that department learn math, inspection, safety,...
Embracing the World
Now in its third year, Creekside’s International Student Program is thriving under the dedicated leadership of Rebecca Clark, the International Student Program Director. With over 20 years of experience working with international students, Clark brings both expertise and passion to the program, ensuring its continued success. From its inception, the International Student Program at Creekside...
Hearing the Call to Coach
Strong Rock Christian School recently brought aboard an experienced coach, doting father, and husband, who has an incredibly inspiring story. Todd Raleigh, who previously coached at several institutions, including the University of Tennessee, has joined Strong Rock as its new Assistant Baseball Coach. Throughout his entire life, Raleigh has been completely surrounded by the sport...
Meet the ‘Homegrown’ Future of Henry County’s Culinary Scene
It’s 9:30 a.m. on a Monday, and Henry County Schools’ dual enrollment culinary arts students are preparing for classroom instruction at the Academy for Advanced Studies (AAS). However, it is not a typical day. Chef Tricia Vera introduces two guests interested in learning about the program and instructs students to change into cooking gear and...
Rewarding Positivity
Athletes are often faced with intense competitions, losing games and stressful situations, and one organization wants to recognize students who can shine outside of that. “About 98 percent of kids who play high school sports won’t go on to play in college, but they all will go on to be productive members of society,” says...
Adventures in Authorship
Dr. Andrea Carter may have settled into her retirement home in Henry County, but she is far from being retired. In recent years, the career educator has embarked on a new venture that allows her to “stay in the conversation,” as she puts it, on a topic that is near and dear to her heart—student...