Bright Key Program Grand Opening at Girard Middle

Matt Boster

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Posted by: Matt Boster
Date: Jan 14 2017 12:29 PM

DOTHAN: Parent Geri Williams is one of Bright Key ®’s biggest fans. Her son, Will, a 6th grader at Girard Middle who has Down Syndrome, is making new friends left and right at one of the Bright Key programs after school. “I’ll walk down the hall with him and there are kids saying ‘Hey Will’ and they’re kids he’s met through Bright Key. Sometimes socialization is missing for special needs children at the middle school level.

Bright Key allows those relationships to begin that will carry on through high school. It’s nice when all students are together. They learn so much from each other,” says Williams. Students have been making new friends, learning new skills and participating in STEM labs since the program began in November thanks in part to a grant from the 21st Century Community Learning Center. To put the official stamp on the program, the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce will host a ribbon cutting for the Academic Dream Room (ADR) on Tuesday, January 17 at 10 am at Girard Middle.

Alfred Saliba Corporation and Coldwell Banker Alfred Saliba Realty recognize the importance of investing in schools and have signed on as ADR sponsors. The past two weeks ASC and Coldwell Banker Alfred Saliba Realty employees have been clearing out the space, painting and putting furniture together to get it ready for the grand opening. “We’ve had a blast here recently. Helping to put the furniture together also gave us as a company an opportunity to get involved at the school itself and see the results of our volunteering,” says Alfred Saliba Corporation President Mark Saliba. “I believe in the Bright Key program because it is building community around our schools.

Not only do the children benefit, but the parents do also. Helping to build an Academic Dream Room is building quality of life.” In addition, the new resource coordinator for Girard and Honeysuckle’s programs will be announced. Vincent Owens, a long-time employee with Dothan City Schools, will work with on-site coordinators at each school and oversee both programs. Bright Key Program Director Melanie Hill believes the excitement is contagious. “We are so excited to be a part of Girard Middle School. I believe that this partnership will result in a huge, positive impact on many students. I’m also thrilled to welcome Vincent to the team.

He has a heart for students and a great vision for where this program can go.” Page 2 Girard Middle’s Bright Key® Academic Dream Room Ribbon Cutting set for Tuesday, January 17. ABOUT ALFRED SALIBA CORPORATION In 1955, Alfred Saliba began his one-man homebuilding business. Today the company has grown into one of the Southeast Alabama’s leading construction companies. ASC is comprised of four divisions: residential construction, remodeling, commercial construction and land and property development. The mainstay of ASC is residential construction, building more than 70 homes annually and representing more than 30 percent of all new home construction in Dothan. For more information, visit www.ascdothan.com. COLDWELL BANKER ALFRED SALIBA REALTY Since 1967 Coldwell Banker Alfred Saliba Realty has been setting the standard for real estate in Dothan, Alabama.

They are the area’s largest full service real estate firm with 40 residential agents that have more than 800 years combined experience. Their goal is to give buyers and sellers of real estate the highest quality of service. Coldwell Banker Alfred Saliba Realty offers many services through their different departments including residential and commercial property, rental property, property management, and custom home building. For more information, visit www.alfredsalibarealty.com. ABOUT BRIGHT KEY® Bright Key, a concept turning public schools into energized centers for services by adding programs focusing on the whole child, including his/her school, family and community, was approved in 2014 by the Dothan City School Board.

The program is structured to allow the stakeholders to express what programs and opportunities they believe are needed for their child and its school. Bright Key programs are at Highlands Elementary, Selma Street Elementary, Girard Middle and Honeysuckle Middle.

For more information, visit brightkeywiregrass.org or each school’s Facebook page at facebook.com/brightkeygirardmiddle, facebook.com/brightkeyhighlands, facebook.com/brightkeyhoneysuckle and facebook.com/brightkeyselmastreet. Pictured: Sixth grader, Will Williams is a scientist in training during Bright Key®’s after school program at Girard Middle School.

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