What can seven high school freshmen do to give back to their community?
With creativity, ingenuity and enthusiasm on their side, some North Gwinnett High School students have shown that the answer to the question is…just about anything. From its beginning as a class project intended to celebrate diversity to the day-long public event that resulted from their hard work, these students have shown that the sky is the limit!
On March 2, the first Cultures of Suwanee event took place at Suwanee’s Town Center Park where attendees watched live entertainment, participated in interactive demonstrations and children played in an inflatable play area. With performances from local performers such as Allstars Performing Arts Academy, Suwanee Choi-Kwang Do and several programs by students from North Gwinnett High School, the day showcased and celebrated the many diverse cultures that call Suwanee home.
Student event manager Charlie Dickson came up with the idea for the event on the first day of a studio project class. After sharing the idea with classmates, fellow students Kyle Wilcox and Trey Sheppard loved the idea. But the three quickly realized the project would be too big to complete on their own. They eventually recruited four more students to work with them – Brandon Wade, Chris Varela, Josh Lorenz, and Alex Browning. Together, they worked to plan, coordinate and execute the community event.
The group found that getting the idea off the ground required hard work and patience when during the planning process, they realized many businesses are somewhat hesitant to work with high school students. Wilcox worked diligently, responding to telephone calls and emails from businesses and educating them about the project. Sheppard recruited several local businesses to help by sponsoring the event. The coordinators said promoting businesses that mean something was important. And Dickson added that giving local people and businesses the opportunity to be a part of their event was “the best thing I can do.”
North Gwinnett teachers Nic Carroll and Kyle Jones helped keep the students on track and handled the finances for the group. The students said they think the teachers are awesome because they pushed them to do their best.
The group intends to donate proceeds from the event to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. “Each group has a unique story of a way they’ve helped us, and it seems like the best way to use the extra money is to give it away,” Dickson said.
Event coordinators said they plan to continue Cultures of Suwanee for at least the next three years, and Dickson hopes it will live on as an annual event even after he graduates.
“If the city enjoys it, I might be able to pass the event’s legacy to my little brother,” Dickson said. “There isn’t much that would make me happier than to see this event [be] an annual success.”
More information about Cultures of Suwanee can be found at culturesofsuwanee.weebly.com.
BY: Amy Wilson
