North Atlanta Celebrates New Global Broadcasting and Journalism Center

North Atlanta freshman Darius Peterson is already gaining national recognition for his art.

His portraits of Martin Luther King Jr. and President Barack Obama won awards, and he will travel to Washington, D.C. over spring break "to give the portrait to Barack Obama as a gift," he told a crowd at the Buckhead high school Wednesday.

The young artist  played the lead role in designing the logo for North Atlanta's new Global Broadcasting and Journalism Academy. Parents, students, teachers and community leaders gathered at the school's theater for the unveiling of the logo and to celebrate the school's new small learning community. The broadcasting and journalism community joins the Center for Business and Marketing, the Center for International Studies and the Center for the Arts at the school, which has the oldest International Baccalaureate program in the Southeast.

Darius showed a slide presentation of various stages of the logo design, which was developed in consultation with his fellow students, all freshmen. At last, he revealed the slide of the final product. Before Darius' presentation, his classmates gave brief presentations of  how developing the logo taught them lessons about design and marketing.

The academy leader, Laura Brazil, said that the International Baccalaureate-based program will give the students a strong grounding in "knowledge about media and the world."  The students will delve into such issues as the ethics of journalism and develop "enhanced written and communications skills." 

She lauded the inaugural group of 40 freshmen. "We don't have any seniors," she said. "We pulled out our most enthusiastic, creative ninth graders." As the inaugural class progresses to graduation, new classes will form behind them, she said. When they are seniors, the program will involve all four classes.

Next year, the academy will add the IB film program, including feature film and documentary film components, she said. 

Principal Mark MyGrant in introductory remarks discussed the school's development of the community learning centers, which grew out of its original magnet programs.

School board Chairman Khaatim Sherrer El and District 4 representative Nancy Meister attended the event, as well as Buckhead Business Association President Lolita Jackson.