Artportunity Knocks CEO Featured in Chick-fil-A Impact Accelerator’s Mission Matters Campaign8/22/2024
We are proud to share that our CEO and Executive Director was featured in a video by the Chick-fil-A Impact Accelerator, alongside four other dedicated nonprofit leaders. This video, part of the Mission Matters campaign, was created to shine a light on the important work being done by organizations like ours to bring hope and change to communities across the nation.
In the video, a powerful voiceover narrates the challenges faced by communities and the role of nonprofit leaders in turning compassion into action. It celebrates the courage and dedication required to make a lasting impact, emphasizing that our work as nonprofit leaders creates ripples of hope that, when combined, generate waves of change. This feature is a testament to the impact that Artportunity Knocks is making in the lives of young people through arts, education, community service, and bridging cultures. We are honored to be recognized alongside other organizations that share our commitment to creating a brighter future. Watch the full video above to see how our mission aligns with the values of the Chick-fil-A Impact Accelerator and how we are contributing to a greater collective impact. Key Highlights:
This video is a powerful reminder of the importance of our mission and the impact we are making every day. For more inspiring stories and updates on our programs, follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter.
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 You have a vital role in guiding your children toward a future filled with health and happiness. By implementing deliberate actions and nurturing habits, you ensure their development into individuals with strong physical health, sharp mental clarity, and profound emotional stability. These strategies are key to building a robust foundation that will serve them throughout their lives. In this article we’ll go over several things you can do to help your child feel their best everyday. Encourage Artistic Expression
Allow your child to dive into the world of colors, shapes, and textures. Art not only enhances your child's creativity but also serves as an emotional outlet, helping them to process and express complex feelings in a safe environment. By regularly engaging in artistic activities, children learn persistence, improve their cognitive abilities, and develop a habit of self-expression that contributes to emotional well-being. Look for local programs your child can join that will help them explore their creativity. Incorporate Daily Walks Take daily walks with your kids to enhance both their mental and physical health. If your neighborhood lacks pedestrian-friendly paths, seek out areas with a high Walk Score of 70 or above. This ensures that your walking routes are safe and enjoyable. Encourage your family to make these walks a regular part of your routine. Such activities not only promote health but also provide valuable family bonding time. Promote Active Play It’s also crucial to make sure your kids are combining activity with fun. Encouraging them to step away from screens and engage in more physically active pursuits can greatly enhance their health. By setting clear boundaries around the use of technology, you offer them the chance to discover the joys of physical play. Whether it’s building a fort, embarking on a nature hunt, or simply playing catch, active play is crucial for their physical and social development. Foster Nutritional Awareness Teaching your children about the importance of a balanced diet is essential. By involving them in the cooking process, they gain hands-on experience with various foods and learn about the nutritional value of each ingredient. This involvement not only educates them about healthy eating but also makes mealtime an opportunity for learning and bonding, setting the stage for good dietary habits. Discuss Educational Aspirations Start discussions with your children early about their future goals and dreams, showing them that it's never too early to plan. Pursue an online degree to model the importance of education and demonstrate that achieving dreams often requires further learning and flexibility. For instance, earning a master's degree in nursing could lead to opportunities in nurse education, informatics, nurse administration, or advanced practice nursing. By advancing your education, you not only fulfill your own aspirations but also provide a key to success for your children by setting a powerful example. Prioritize Restful Sleep Ensuring that your children get enough restful sleep is fundamental to their health and development. Establishing a soothing bedtime routine and making sure their sleeping environment is quiet and comfortable helps promote deep, restorative sleep. Adequate sleep is crucial for their physical health, cognitive function, and emotional regulation. Educate on the Risks of Substance Abuse Having open and honest discussions about the risks associated with substance abuse is critical for your children’s safety and well-being. Providing them with clear, age-appropriate information helps them understand the consequences and equips them with the knowledge to make informed choices. Open dialogue fosters trust and prepares them to face peer pressure confidently. By embracing these strategies, you equip your children with the tools they need to lead a healthy and rewarding life. Each step you take together in fostering these habits not only nurtures their current well-being but also sets the foundation for their future success. Cultivate these practices within your family to ensure your children grow to be resilient, informed, and joyful individuals, ready to meet the challenges of the world head-on. Artportunity Knocks offers a variety of uplifting and inspiring creative programs for kids, helping them discover their own strengths where learning is concerned. Look around the site today to learn more, and consider making a donation to support the cause.  At our organization, we firmly believe that the arts have the power to transform lives and open doors to endless possibilities. That's why we are incredibly grateful and honored to announce a $50,000 donation from the remarkable Genesis Inspiration Foundation.
The Genesis Inspiration Foundation is a true champion for youth empowerment, dedicated to connecting young minds with the transformative power of the arts. Their mission aligns perfectly with our own – improving educational outcomes by providing access to arts programs that engage and inspire children, especially those in under-resourced communities. This generous gift will allow us to expand our reach, introducing even more young people to the world of artistic expression and creativity. The arts have an unparalleled ability to unlock hidden talents, foster self-confidence, and cultivate essential skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork – all vital components for success in school and beyond. Since its inception in 2018, the Genesis Inspiration Foundation has donated nearly $5 million to fund youth arts programming at museums, schools, and nonprofit arts and cultural organizations nationwide. With the support of Genesis dealers and charitable donations, they are truly making a difference by introducing children to a world of new possibilities. We are deeply grateful to the Genesis Inspiration Foundation for recognizing the importance of our work and for investing in the future of our community's youth. This donation will have a profound and lasting impact, igniting creativity, fostering self-expression, and empowering young minds to dream big. Together, we will continue to pave the way for arts inspiration, providing our children with the tools and opportunities they need to thrive and reach their full potential. Join us in celebrating this remarkable partnership and the boundless possibilities it holds.  As a parent, you understand the importance of education and how it can positively impact your children's future. During the school year, kids have a routine and learning takes place in a structured environment. However, with school breaks come a new challenge of keeping your children motivated and focused on their studies. It’s the perfect opportunity to create a learning atmosphere that could be fun and interactive for the kids. In this article, ARTportunity Knocks gives you six creative ways to help your children study during school breaks.
1. Create a Study Room Instead of having your kids study in their bedrooms, create a designated study room for them. Quickly transform an unused space in your home into a functional workspace that includes a desk, comfortable chair, and good lighting. It not only provides a suitable learning environment for your children, but upgrading this space may even raise the value of your home. 2. Find Everyday Educational Opportunities Give your child an educational edge while they're having fun! Everyday activities can be a great way to sneak learning into their day. From teaching measurements in the kitchen and looking at weather patterns together on walks, you'll give them that extra boost without it feeling like school work. Counting change during trips to the store is another easy way to get some math practice too. 3. Hire a Tutor If you feel that your kids need more focus, then hiring a tutor who specializes in their weak subjects will be an excellent investment. Reading Rockets notes that a tutor is a great resource to help your children improve their study habits and achieve their academic goals. You can look for local tutors or find great resources at larger nationally-established tutoring centers. 4. Plan Educational Field Trips Take the classroom to a whole new level. Stimulate learning outside of your four walls by taking your kids on educational field trips. Visit renowned museums, explore zoos and botanical gardens, or dive into deep scientific discoveries at science centers – there are so many opportunities for growth beyond the traditional school environment. 5. Encourage Daily Reading As parents, we all want to help our children reach their full academic potential. Subsequently, Children’s Bureau points out that reading should be a priority. It's important to motivate them to read for at least 30 minutes each day on topics that personally interest them. Not only does regular reading improve vocabulary and strengthen communication skills, but books often prove to be powerful sources of education, adventure, and storytelling. Having an extensive repertoire of books can lay the foundation for critical-thinking habits, open dialogue between adults and young people, as well as uncover fascinating stories that truly spark the imagination. 6. Get Hands-On Experience It is always a great idea to let kids get involved in a variety of activities to see what really sparks their interests. Find ways to help your kid get hands-on experience through local weekend programs, summer camps, or maker's fairs. If your child likes to build things, look for opportunities to cultivate that interest, whether it’s working in wood or learning how to weld or solder. WeldingLogic can provide some great information, but you'll need to look around in your community for ways to let your child safely try out the trade for themselves. Developing a Study Regimen for Kids As children grow and advance in their academic careers, it becomes increasingly important to establish a study routine that will help them stay on track and achieve their goals. Developing a study regimen for kids involves setting aside dedicated blocks of time for homework and study, creating a distraction-free environment, and keeping track of assignments and deadlines. By helping children establish a consistent and effective study routine, parents and educators can provide the support and structure that kids need to succeed in school and beyond. Talk About their Career Goals Asking your kids about their career goals can be a great way to learn how to motivate them. You can use whatever interests them now to theme or focus specific lessons to help them learn more about that field and what it takes to get into it. Don’t put too much pressure on young kids to find their career path. Let them explore. However, for older kids who are near graduation, help them dive a little deeper into their interests. If they are entrepreneurially-minded, have them write up a business plan and investigate how to start a business using an LLC structure. For neurodivergent teens who really take this idea seriously, encourage them to apply for this free business formation option being offered! Support Your Child’s Learning Process These helpful activities will help your children develop new learning habits and keep them motivated during school breaks. The primary goal is to make learning a fun and interactive experience rather than a tedious, boring one. You can make use of various resources available to teach them new things, while at the same time, cementing academic concepts they learned during the school year. Remember, school breaks can be an excellent opportunity to open up a new world of learning for your children. ARTportunity Knocks empowers youth to make positive and smart choices while increasing opportunities in the arts, education, community service, and bridging cultures. Contact us today to learn more! 678-355-8734  Our team is delighted to share our recent experience at the National Afterschool Association Convention #NAA24, held from March 17-20, 2024, in Dallas, TX. Allow us to take you through our journey of discovery, learning, and collaboration! From the outset, it was evident that we were embarking on something special. Our VP of Development, Ty, and our Curriculum & Training Specialist, India, joined forces with after-school leaders and advocates from across the nation to immerse ourselves in the world of after-school programming. Ty summed up her experience: "I learned about fundraising for our programs at the NAA conference. Connecting with folks from all 50 states and engaging in hands-on workshops were highlights for me." Her genuine enthusiasm set the tone for our collective experience. India shared her reflections with a heartfelt tone: "My time at the convention was genuinely inspiring," she expressed. "Being part of sessions aimed at advancing youth development and having a voice in guiding student progress felt truly empowering."  But our journey didn't end there. As passionate advocates for innovative after-school programming, we were honored to present our insights on integrating music technology into our programs. The chance to showcase our work and exchange ideas with fellow changemakers was undeniably the highlight of our time at #NAA24.
As we bid farewell to Dallas, our hearts are flowing with gratitude for the meaningful connections made, the valuable knowledge gained, and the genuine inspiration ignited. Together, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to empowering youth and shaping a brighter future through after-school programs. Until we meet again, NAA!  On Wednesday, February 14th, our organization joined the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network and youth development nonprofits from across the state for Afterschool Day at the Capitol. This uplifting event offered us the opportunity to meet with legislators in Atlanta and advocate for increased funding and support of vital afterschool initiatives. Now more than ever, our youth depend on these inspiring programs to help empower them to become compassionate leaders. Led by our Vice President of Development, Ty Woods, and Curriculum and Training Specialist, India Mason, we showcased the transformational impact of high-quality afterschool and summer learning programs under the Gold Dome. Our team met with several state senators and representatives to discuss the growing need for youth enrichment programs statewide.  With budgets getting tighter each year, we depend on our legislators to fight for Georgia’s future innovators and change-makers by ensuring funding for exceptional learning opportunities outside the classroom. Studies show that students who regularly attend high-quality afterschool programs not only perform better academically but also display improvements in school attendance, behavior, and engagement. These enriching programs cultivate the talents and interests of each student – from technology and arts to civic leadership and beyond.
If we want to see our youth thrive as empowered, passionate leaders, then we must invest in their growth today. By supporting organizations like the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network, our legislators can expand access to programs that are advancing equity and nurturing potential in communities statewide. It takes all of us working together to create a Georgia where every child, regardless of background, has a chance to pursue their dreams.  We are pleased to inform you that Chris Woods, the CEO/Executive Director of Artportunity Knocks, has joined the Mentor Georgia Provider Council. This appointment aligns with Artportunity Knocks' mission to empower youth and create opportunities in the Arts, Education, Community Service, and Bridging Cultures.
Every year, one in every three young people grows up without a mentor, leaving a significant mentoring gap in society. To address this critical issue, it is essential to align systems, promote best practices, and support leadership development in community-based programs. Mentor Georgia, as part of the National Mentoring Partnership, plays a vital role in bridging this gap and acting as a catalyst for Georgia's burgeoning mentoring movement. The Mentor Georgia Provider Council serves as an important platform to enhance members' ability to deliver high-quality mentoring services to youth across the state. By collaborating with Mentor Georgia and having access to resources and tools through their affiliation with the National Mentoring Partnership, council members can support and further develop their mentoring programs. Membership in the Mentor Georgia Provider Council is voluntary, with staggered three-year terms. Diversity is a key focus, seeking representation from different program models, geographic locations, and mentorship of specific groups. The council identifies new members through an informal nominating process, and decisions are made through a consensus approach. Council members are responsible for attending meetings, sharing expertise, collecting data, and serving on standing committees. It is expected that members adhere to evidence-based practices for quality youth mentoring, including completion of training series and participation in the National Quality Mentoring System. CEO/Executive Director Chris Woods joining the Mentor Georgia Provider Council reinforces Artportunity Knocks' commitment to empower youth, bridge communities, and address the mentoring gap. By collaborating with Mentor Georgia and other council members, the organization aims to amplify its impact and create more opportunities for young individuals to thrive in the Arts, Education, Community Service, and Bridging Cultures. Stay connected with Mentor Georgia to support their mission and join the efforts to empower Georgia's youth. Together, we can bridge the mentoring gap and nurture the next generation of leaders.  It brings us great joy to share that our very own VP of Programs and Development, Ty Woods, has been selected as an After School Community Champion by the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network (GSAN) for the 2023-2024 term. This prestigious recognition is a testament to Ty's dedication and commitment to youth development and community advocacy.
The Afterschool Community Champions program is a vital part of GSAN's mission to advance, connect, and support quality out-of-school time programs that foster the success of youth across Georgia. Champions, like Ty, are exceptional leaders who commit to a year of civic engagement to strengthen community awareness, support effective programs, and bring diverse perspectives and partners to the table regarding out-of-school time programming. One of the many benefits of the program is its regular offerings for professional development, leadership, and networking. Ty will have the opportunity to connect with leaders and stakeholders who deeply care about the lives of children in our state. Throughout the program, Champions develop an advocacy action plan, followed by the implementation of advocacy events with the support of a stipend. This recognition not only benefits Ty personally, but it also greatly benefits our organization, Artportunity Knocks. As Ty serves as our VP of Programs, she will bring back valuable insights, knowledge, and connections gained through her participation as an After School Community Champion. This will enable us to further strengthen our programs and initiatives, while advocating for sound public policy around after school and summer programming. Ty's journey in youth development spans over 20 years, starting as an Afterschool Program instructor and theater performer. She then expanded her scope to include child abuse advocacy with the VI Domestic Violence Council before moving to Georgia. She quickly made an impact as the Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club in Conyers. Fueled by her unwavering passion for the Arts and developing the "whole child," Ty co-founded Artportunity Knocks with her husband, Chris Woods, and a childhood friend. Her dedication and balance between advocacy work and family life are truly inspiring. As Ty embarks on this remarkable journey as an After School Community Champion, we are confident that she will continue to make a significant difference in the lives of youth in our community. We wholeheartedly congratulate Ty Woods on this well-deserved recognition and applaud her commitment to promoting quality out-of-school time programs for the benefit of our youth. Together, let's continue to empower and support the next generation.  We are thrilled to announce that Artportunity Knocks has been awarded a generous grant of $38,250 from the Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA)! This grant is part of the first-round funding for fiscal year 2024, which includes 269 grants across 47 Georgia counties. The grant will allow us to offer free arts programming and serve exceptional needs students in the area.
At Artportunity Knocks, we are committed to investing in and improving the communities where we live and serve. We are grateful for the Georgia Council for the Arts' support, which aligns with our organizational efforts to promote Arts Education and empower youth to make smart and positive choices using the Arts. This grant funding focuses on Academic Achievement and Education, Healthy Youth Development, Economic Opportunity, and Community Resiliency – all priorities that we are passionate about and that will help us continue our efforts to provide access to summer programming for metro Atlanta youth. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Georgia Council for the Arts for their unwavering support of the arts and our organization. With their help, we will continue to make a difference in the lives of young people in our community. We're thrilled to present an enlightening conversation with the Principal of Kimberly Elementary School, Joseph L. Salley. Join us as he takes us on a journey through his remarkable experiences in education and the incredible impact of after-school programs on his students.
In this interview, Principal Salley opens up about his motivations for getting into education and the rewarding aspects of leading Kimberly Elementary. Hear the transformative effects of Artportunity Knocks programming and how it has made a lasting difference for the students. |
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