More than 2,800 books were donated to the YMCA of Coastal Georgia in January, thanks to their partnership with the Barnes and Noble bookstore in the Oglethorpe Mall and its Holiday Book Giveaway.

“We are so grateful to the Savannah community for buying an extra book and thinking of our organization when they made a purchase at Barnes and Noble in December,” said Audrey Rodriguez, outreach director for the YMCA of Coastal Georgia.

“We have been able to distribute books to many of our daycare centers and to our Pryme Tyme Before and After-School sites. We also hold some books back for the annual Angel Tree holiday project, which benefits deserving kids and families in the community and within our YMCA family,” Rodriguez says.

Bank of America has expanded the 14th season of its national Museums on Us program by including 150 of the nation’s finest arts, cultural and educational institutions, including Savannah’s own Telfair Museum.

Designed to increase access to the arts across the nation, the program offers Bank of America and Merrill Lynch debit and/or credit cardholders the opportunity to visit these popular cultural landmarks, free of charge, on the first full weekend of every month. Museums on Us program participants include national and regional art museums, science and history museums, zoos, aquariums and gardens
“By continuing to support and expand our Museums on Us program, we offer our customers access to diverse arts and cultural resources,” said Rena M. DeSisto, arts and culture executive. “Investments in the arts create and drive greater cultural understanding, inform and inspire, and help local economies grow – setting opportunity in motion.  This is a distinctive advantage of doing business with us and we are proud to share this program with cultural enthusiasts across the nation.”

Due to the program’s increased popularity, the Museums on Us has expanded its roster of participating institutions in several geographical markets across the country to a total of 150 museums and cultural centers in 85 cities, including the addition of New Mexico and Ohio. In states where Museums on Us already has a strong presence, the program has extended its reach into new markets including Savannah.

To qualify for Museums on Us, customers simply present their Bank of America or Merrill Lynch credit or debit card along with a photo ID to gain one free general admission to any participating institution. Not valid for special exhibitions, fundraising events or ticketed shows. Not to be combined with any other discounts or offers. Free admission does not guarantee reservation. Offer valid the first full weekend of each month through Dec. 3-4, 2011.

For more information about Museums on Us, visit: http://museums.bankofamerica.com.

Hubert Middle School has been named a Breakthrough Middle School for the state of Georgia. This honor, bestowed by the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals, is the highest honor a middle school can earn through the GASSP organization.

“Hubert Middle School was one of 13 schools identified this year by GASSP as one of the best middle schools in the state,” says Dr. Joe Hutcheson, middle school coordinator for GASSP.

The Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals is an affiliate of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. The organization looks to identify schools throughout the nation that embody best practices for students and schools that get results.

“This honor is a validation of the hard work, dedication and commitment of our teachers, staff, students, parents and community,” says Dr. Gequetta Jenkins, principal of Hubert Middle School.

Students at Hubert Middle School have made impressive gains in reading and math test scores. “In one year, through dedication and commitment we made gains that resulted in the school meeting Annual Yearly Progress,” Jenkins says. “Our teachers and staff have created a supportive learning environment that drives our school’s culture – ‘Failure is Not an Option.’”

Shauna Fannin, a senior at Savannah Arts Academy, is one of 15 students whose artwork has been selected from over 39,000 student portfolios to be published in the 2010 AP Studio Art poster. Fannin’s scratchboard drawing, titled “Summer Magic,” from her 2009 AP drawing portfolio entry, is one of five works to represent the drawing portfolio section.

Fannin has won many awards for her artwork under the instruction of her teacher, Steve Schetski, who teaches AP Studio Art at Savannah Arts Academy.

Each year, some of the most outstanding works created in AP Studio Art classes from around the world are showcased as a “Spotlight on Excellence” through College Board, a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. The College Board was founded in 1900 and is composed of more than 5,700 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations.

Fannin’s work and the 2010 AP Studio Art poster can be viewed in the online gallery at http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/10540.html.