About The champion newspaper. (Decatur, GA) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 9, 2025)
LOCAL THE CHAMPION, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9 - 15, 2025 • PAGE 6 SHUTDOWN Continued From Page 1 Agnes Scott College hosts Girl Scouts in a scouting year kickoff event could be affected, according to reporting by Ty Tagami with Capitol Beat News. "Many will not get paid, causing an economic loss that could reverberate through communities; but the Georgia Department of Labor said that the estimated 110,900 federal workers who could be furloughed may be eligible to collect state unemployment benefits and will receive backpay once funding is restored," stated Tagami. However, that backpay will only be awarded if those employees still have their jobs at the end of this shutdown. According to Associated Press, President Donald Trump's Office of Management and Budget, headed by Russ Vought, directed agencies to execute plans not just for furloughs, which are typical during a federal funding lapse, but mass firings of federal workers. GRADUATION Continued From Page 1 disabilities achieving a 72.3 percent graduation rate. "Looking at a two-year view, our graduation rate has increased 5.6 points since 2023, placing our district in the 84th percentile statewide," said Devon Horton, superintendent of DCSD. "This indicates that our improvement is not just a one-year gain but a sustained upward trend that positions DCSD among the top- performing districts for graduation rate growth. This is a strong indicator that our organizational structure, Operation Graduation Plan, strategies for credit recovery, and student engagement are moving us to new levels and new heights." Georgia State Superintendent Richard Woods recently met with Horton, principals, and 2025 graduates at a press conference and recognition ceremony. "To the DeKalb County School District, I congratulate you on your gains and that more students are walking across the stage," said Woods. "You have elevated all of us as a state." In nearby CSD, officials announced the district's four-year 2025 graduation rate increase to 96.04 percent for Decatur High School, representing a 0.79 percent increase from 2024 and nearly a 2 percent increase over the previous three years. "The district continues to graduate its seniors at one of the highest rates, outpacing the 2025 state average graduation rate of 87.2 percent and ranking 40th among 179 public school systems statewide," stated CSD officials. Gyimah Whitaker, superintendent for CSD, said the district's "support of diverse learning needs" has helped the graduation rate to grow. "The steady increase in CSD graduation rates at Decatur High School is a testament to the high achievements of our students, the tireless efforts of our educators and the incredible partnership of our families," said Whitaker. The Decatur High School graduating class of 2025 also celebrated earning a mean SAT score of 1181, outpacing metro and national averages and placing CSD first in Georgia for SAT scores. Georgia calculates its graduation rate by dividing the number of students who graduate in four years with a regular high school diploma by the number of students in the graduating class. The state began using the adjusted cohort calculation in 2011 as required by federal law. According to data on each district's website, approximately 5,700 students make up CSD while more than 91,000 students attend DCSD schools. For more information, visit dekalbschoolsga.org and csdecatur.net. BY KATHY MITCHELL CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Two venerable institutions with a similar focus—preparing young women for future leadership—joined efforts in a celebration near the end of September. Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta kicked off their new scouting year with a welcome event hosted at Agnes Scott College in Decatur. Those who have had little involvement with Girl Scouts in recent years, other than occasional cookie purchases, might not realize that the current Girl Scouts are quite different from the organization their grandmothers belonged to. Activities and badges now reflect values relevant to today's young women, who may be more interested in learning to start a business than in learning to cook and sew. Even the organization's iconic cookie sales are now not just fundraisers, but are tied to entrepreneurship training, according to the Girl Scout website. Long a part of scouting programs, badges are merit patches recognizing personal achievement. In the current Girl Scout programs, members earn badges in such areas as environmental care, community service, entrepreneurship, and character development. The approximately 500 members and potential members from the metro area who gathered at Agnes Scott got a first glimpse of new badges, took a look at plans for fall family camping, and sampled dozens of activities from community business partners. Among the new recognitions announced at the event were Body Appreciation Badges. "These new badges are available for every Girl Scout grade level and offer encouragement on caring for themselves while celebrating what their bodies do. This comes at a time when struggles with body image begin as early as age 5, with almost 80 percent of 17-year-old girls reporting anxiety about their bodies," according to the announcement. The badges were prompted by results of a study conducted by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. "Many girls [at the Agnes Scott event] were learning about the 113-year-old leadership organization for the first time. Others were returning Girl Scouts eager to see what was in store for the new year," according to an announcement from Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta. "Girls aren't limited to just one activity in Girl Scouting," Leslie Gilliam, communications director of Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta, said in the event announcement. "There are hundreds of interests to explore, from learning to ride horses to building robots or writing for our girl-led magazine. And many of Atlanta's top attractions offer exclusive Girl Scout behind- the-scenes opportunities and savings. There's something for everyone." The organization also announced new sports and physical activities. "New At a late September event at Agnes Scott College in Decatur Girl Scouts and perspective scouts took a look at what’s coming up for the new scouting year. Photo provided community partners mean new ways to get active, from Irish dancing to field hockey to golf, one of the fastest-growing outdoor activities for girls," according to the announcement. New family camping programs were introduced in which "girls, their siblings, and caregivers can make memories at special family camp sessions this fall." Activities include horseback riding, archery, leatherworking, and outdoor cooking, as well as making s'mores—that time-honored campsite dessert made with chocolate, marshmallows and graham crackers. Financial aid is now available to families in which scouting activities don't fit into the budget. "Support is available to ensure that girls, regardless of their financial means, can participate. Financial aid may cover camping scholarships, membership dues, and event tickets," the announcement states. The final bit of news for those attending the kickoff event was that a new cookie will soon join such classics as thin mints, trefoils, samoas, tagalongs, and do-si- does. "It wouldn't be Girl Scouts without a sneak preview of the new cookie coming in January," the announcement states. The Girl Scout exploremores will debut on Jan. 1, 2026. The new addition is described on the Girl Scout website as a sandwich cookie inspired by rocky road ice cream that "captures the limitless spirit of exploration that drives the Girl Scouts." For the first time, the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta are offering the public an opportunity to win a year's supply of cookies, with no purchase necessary, by texting the word "Cookies" to (770) 470-2625-more details are available at ShowMeTheCookies. com. Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta serves more than 23,000 girls from 34 metro Atlanta counties. To learn more, visit www. girlscoutsatl.org.
