ICGL in Action

Thanks to the 45 members of the Pace community who registered to give blood at tomorrow’s American Red Cross emergency drive. All available spots have been filled. In a time of increased pressure on our healthcare industry, these donations are critical to providing blood for patients in need. If you would still like to donate, find a drive here. 

In addition, the Pace community is taking part in a letter-writing campaign to thank healthcare professionals on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis. Lower and Middle School students are writing notes of support to nurses, doctors and first responders at Grady Healthcare, Emory St. Joseph’s, Piedmont Hospital and Northside Hospital. If you would like to participate in this effort, please contact Associate Director of the Isdell Center for Global Leadership (ICGL) Ted Ward. 

In the coming days, look for additional information from the ICGL regarding ways to engage within the Pace community and around Atlanta. 

On Jan. 23, senior Sophie Lettes and juniors Abby Sroka and Darren Rosing, members of the ICGL Council, kicked off 2020 and the group’s Thoughtful Thursday program by leading the Upper School through an upcycling activity that converted old, unused T-shirts into reusable tote bags.

Taking over the Seaman Student Commons, students and faculty created no-sew tote bags in a matter of minutes. While these bags help address the growing issue of fast fashion and textile waste, they also mitigate the use of plastic bags provided by most retailers. If you and your family are interested in making your own, instructions can be found here. The ICGL Council appreciates the generous support of Pace Athletics for providing dozens of shirts from past athletics successes to this activity.

Second Helpings Atlanta - Every week, Pace and SAGE Dining donate unused cafeteria food through Second Helpings Atlanta (SHA) to area nonprofits that support those facing food insecurity. Pace volunteers, led by parent Katherine Mitchell, drive the school’s donations to local agencies on Thursday afternoons. Parents, students, faculty and staff may participate. Learn more and sign up.  

Puerto Rico Earthquake Relief - Freshman Kate Romero is leading an Upper School-wide drive to support relief efforts in Puerto Rico following a series of devastating earthquakes. Romero has organized a fundraiser in partnership with the Hispanic Federation to provide much-needed construction materials for Puerto Ricans working to rebuild from this tragic event.  

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Secure the Cure - Juniors Caroline Janki and Emily Butler and sophomore Marissa Govic are participating in the 2020 Students of the Year campaign in support of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). During the seven-week fundraising challenge, which ends Feb. 28, team Secure the Cure hopes to raise $150,000. 

Janki became involved in the campaign because her 9-year-old cousin was diagnosed with a rare form of Hodgkin lymphoma—and beat it. She wants to make sure other children do not have to endure the same hardships. Consider making a contribution to Secure the Cure’s fundraising page. To learn more about other ways to help, including corporate sponsorships or program advertisements, email caroline.janki21@paceacademy.org. 

On Saturday, Jan. 11, four Pace robotics teams comprised of students in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades participated in the FIRST LEGO League Clayton State Super-Regional tournament and came away with impressive results. 

The fifth-grade team, the Robo-Knights, won the Champions Award, automatically advancing to the state tournament in February. The fourth-grade team, the Coding Catastrophes, took first place in the Core Values category. Both sixth-grade teams—Team Void and Microchips & Salsa—and the Coding Catastrophes will soon learn if they advance to state. 

Congratulations to coaches Hayley Hardwick, Tara Hovan, Katie Sandlin, Alyson Tockstein and all of the student participants! Best of luck to the seventh- and eighth-grade teams as they compete in the Mill Creek Super-Regional Tournament on Jan. 18! 

Each year, sister publications Atlanta INtown and the Buckhead Reporter publish their 20 Under 20, lists of young people doing extraordinary things to make the world a better place to live. 

Four Upper School students were recognized as 2020 honorees or runners-up. Congratulations to seniors Spencyr Aronson, Maya Kaplan and Sophie Lettes and junior Michael Fu.

The papers honored Aronson and Kaplan for their work with Covenant House Georgia, Lettes for her environmental advocacy through Pace’s Isdell Center for Global Leadership and Fu for co-founding Scholarly Chess. Congratulations, Spencyr, Maya, Sophie and Michael!