During the second annual Georgia Afterschool and Youth Development (ASYD) Awards Ceremony on Saturday, October 19, ABC Montessori was awarded with the first ever Service Learning Award. This award, given to one Georgia program, recognizes an afterschool and youth development program having completed an outstanding service learning project that demonstrates the importance of civic engagement and impact on local community.

  ABC Montessori’s blanket drive was planned and implemented by 18 students in the upper campus program. Through their hard work and fund raising, these youth ages 12-18 provided blankets to over 370 seniors in need. For these young people, the process planted seeds of compassion for addressing needs in the community and created the foundation for them to lead and execute future projects.

  For winning the Excellence Award, ABC Montessori received free registration to the 2020 ASYD Conference as well as a gift basket full of supplies and training material to support their continued mission in exceptional youth service. Director of Chronic Disease Prevention within the Georgia Department of Public Health Kia Toodle presented the award.

  “We are honored to recognize fantastic afterschool programs across the state,” said Katie Landes, Director of the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network. “The Service learning project ABC Montessori guided young people through exemplifies the type of programming and commitment to the young people and communities served that is needed in the youth development field to lead Georgia’s youth to brighter futures.”