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Georgia United Credit Union completes School Crasher Makeover for Woodward Elementary & announces five runner-up grant winners

DULUTH, GA (July 29, 2015) — Woodward Elementary won the equivalent of a school improvement sweepstakes this summer when they received the top prize in Georgia United Credit Union 2015 School Crashers program. Georgia United coordinated 300+ community volunteers and corporate donors to work alongside the DeKalb County School System to complete a long list of school improvement projects for the Title 1 School located at 3034 Curtis Drive in Atlanta.

“Before” and “After” photos are available at www.georgiaunitedcu.org and Woodward Elementary parents and students will see the improvements when school starts on August 10. Woodward was chosen from among hundreds of nominations from schools across the state.

Five additional runner-up schools were announced today to receive School Crashers mini-makeover grants. Congratulations to the following schools who will work with Georgia United this fall to complete their requested improvement projects:

Kelley Lake Elementary, Decatur – Outdoor courtyard classroom grant & landscaping assistance: This 52 year old school was originally built around a courtyard that will now be turned into an outdoor learning space with picnic tables, benches, planting stations, bird feeders, flowers and shrubs. This outdoor classroom will become an inviting centerpiece for the entire school.
Peachtree Elementary, Norcross – Media Center makeover: Thanks to the creative and heartfelt request of Media Specialist Mary Tyne, this diverse Title 1 School’s 44 year old media center will receive new furniture, carpeting and a more collaborate learning environment for their 1,790 students.
Laurel Ridge Elementary, Decatur– Providing handicapped ramp & new projection/sound system for cafeteria stage: This small school serves special needs students from all over their district and will receive a handicapped ramp for the cafeteria stage so that all students will have access for programs like spelling bees, arts programs and graduation. Plus, the school is receiving a new sound-system and projection equipment for the cafeteria stage to improve communications.
Cohutta Elementary, Cohutta – Landscaping and Carpeting grant: This Title 1 school in Whitfield County serving 340 students will receive welcoming landscaping for the front of their school and much-needed replacement carpeting.
Brockett Elementary, Tucker–Art Room makeover: Brockett School will receive an art classroom makeover, including a new kiln, art supplies, storage units and volunteers to update this creative learning space for their 520 students.

These five schools were selected from among the original School Crasher finalists and are just a few of the many deserving schools educating students in communities across the state.

PHOTO CAPTION: This “Before & After” photo of Georgia United Credit Union School Crashers Winner Woodward Elementary’s Cafeteria. A full-length wall mural, paint, new blinds and some of the community volunteers are shown in the second photo.