On Thursday, Jan. 20, Amana Academy and the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta held a ceremonial groundbreaking at Camp Timber Ridge in Mableton. The campus location is the first of its kind in Georgia and the brainchild of Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta CEO, Amy Dosik and Ehab Jaleel, Executive Director of the award-winning Amana Academy.
In looking for a home for its second campus, Amana sought a location reflecting the organization’s mission to prepare students to be 21st-century changemakers and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) leaders. With its emphasis on STEM programming, outdoor education & adventure, real-world skills, and entrepreneurship, Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta proved an ideal partner. In turn, Girl Scouts was looking for a way to thoughtfully turn a little-used area of the sprawling 100-year-old camp into a space reflecting the growing interests of their girls. The campus will include a canopy of native Georgia trees and is surrounded by trails, a lake, and other natural habitats.
“By nature of being a charter school we seek opportunities to try and share innovative practices; and we are encouraged by several organizations, both local and national, to replicate our high-quality model in other areas of the city, “says Ehab Jaleel, Executive Director of the Amana Academy, Inc. nonprofit organization. “They see the success we are having with closing opportunity gaps and inspiring students to higher levels of achievement in preparation for the new economy with an incredibly diverse population at our flagship school.”
The ceremonial groundbreaking occurred after months of meetings, studies and input from the community and Cobb County. The new school, Amana Academy West Atlanta, will open in August 2022 to students in grades K-3, adding a grade each year until it reaches 8th grade. The school is expected to attract students primarily from West Atlanta, South Cobb, and South Fulton communities.
At the groundbreaking, Amy Dosik, CEO of Girl Scout of Greater Atlanta highlighted the opportunities this means for the Girl Scout community. “Girl Scouts are responsible stewards of the land. We are also innovators. This partnership allows us to maintain the natural beauty of Camp Timber Ridge and provide additional learning resources to children eager to explore the exciting world of STEM. By working together, we increase our capacity to prepare more Georgia students for success in school, careers, and community life.”
Initially opening with four smaller cabin-style buildings, the school will work closely with Girl Scouts to develop a comprehensive plan to install a larger, permanent facility that meets the needs of both organizations in the future.
Amana Academy West Atlanta is currently accepting applications for the 2022-2023 school year. Additional information can be found here.
