Did you know that Georgia’s criminal justice system considers a 17 year old to be an adult?  Imagine this scenario: after going to a party and drinking, a teen robs an Uber driver with a toy gun. If this teen is 16 years old, the case will be handled in juvenile court and the teen will face a few years in a juvenile detention center (at the most). If 17, the teen faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in adult prison-- with no parole allowed.
 
These outcomes are as different as night and day. Many parents are not aware of this nuance and how it could impact their child and other children in the community. Understanding this distinction might save your child and family a lot of potential heartache.

Today I am thrilled to feature Mr. Rony Delgarde, founder and president of Global Paint for Charity! Mr. Delgarde's organization is nothing short of amazing, and his story and vision will truly inspire you. A Haitian immigrant, Mr. Delgarde could not believe all of the beautiful painted buildings he saw when he first arrived in the United States--he thought: "it's remarkably beautiful to see a city where all houses and tall buildings were painted with amazing colors. " He was inspired and committed to sharing the joy of color and paint with world, and started Global Paint for Charity in 2010. The organization works together with commercial businesses, residential households and other not-for-profit organizations in an effort to recycle, repackage, and distribute unwanted paint throughout the world. Currently, the organization serves 18 developing countries in the Caribbean, Central America, the Middle East and Africa! Mr. Delgarde is passionate about our youth and offers numerous volunteer opportunities, from allowing children in the Juvenile Court system to assist in painting communities and help at donation centers, to providing college students unique summer internships. He shares more details about his organization and how youth can get involved in this interview. Enjoy!

Get involved! Many of my clients have requested a list of volunteer opportunities for kids of various ages. Some organizations allow kids to volunteer on their own, and others require parental supervision. I recommend inquiring in advance, as policies do change from time to time.

​Please enjoy these 6 opportunities for volunteering in Atlanta.  For your convenience, I have created a downloadable brochure below, or you can click here!

It is with honor and enthusiasm that I share with you the work of Joyce Auskelis, Chief Transition Strategist.  Simply put, Joyce helps teens and young adults to "find their best fit." Joyce has an impressive "corporate world" background and her credentials include consulting with Deloitte, sales with IBM, training with Computer Associates and product development with Jostens Learning Corporation. Using these experiences and following her passion, she founded DefiningNEXT  where she helps teens and young adults in various stages of their lives: high-schoolers exploring college options, college students who may not be fulfilled with the track they are on, as well as those who may be struggling in a career that does match their skills and talent. Joyce invited me to participate in the process she designed for working with clients, from taking the Highlands Ability Battery to sitting down in person for a discussion and analysis of my results. The experience was eye-opening and Joyce was beyond thorough and helpful. Joyce strives to help her clients discover their core strengths and abilities so they can make informed and thoughtful decisions about their future. Parents, I know you will enjoy the information and advice in this interview! Enjoy, and have a wonderful weekend!​

Sometimes “you don’t know what you don’t know.” A perfect example of this is in juvenile court. Prosecutors and judges know what a child has been accused of doing, but they don’t know who the child really is as a person.
 
​Is the child an excellent math student, or do they work with younger students at their Tae Kwon Do studio after school? Do they walk their elderly neighbors dog each day for free? This is all information a court should know about a child.