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Woman

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May 2019

West Georgia

Melody Wilcox-Pratt

Providing a Safe Haven for Those Who Need it Most

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The End is Near Wow. I can't believe we are already entering the month of May. For many of you, this month means the end of a hectic year filled with backpacks, school lunches, after school activities and more. I remember those days, and I know you are ready for a much needed break from the chaos. For me, the month of May means the end of my daughter, Sydney's, freshman year in college. I'm so excited to have her home for a few months. In our family, May also brings several birthdays: My son, Zachary, will be 25; Sydney will be 19; Zachary's girlfriend, Jordan, will also be 25; my dad will be 67; and our sweet Tristan, my nephew who passed away in 2015 (his photo is on page nine), would have been 26 this year. Although he is no longer with us physically, we still celebrate his birthday and his beautiful, loving spirit. As you can see, we are quite busy celebrating birthdays in May. Sometimes I feel a bit outnumbered around all of these Tauruses! In This Issue Our cover feature this month is Douglasville, Ga., resident Melody Wilcox-Pratt. What a remarkable and giving woman. She and her husband, Joe, own Exodus Ranch in Douglasville, and they truly believe in and exemplify the power of community outreach. Melody and Joe are so involved in helping heal the spirits of foster children, senior citizens, those with special needs, women in crisis, veterans and more through their work with horses and other animals at the ranch. Read about Melody and her safe haven, Exodus Ranch, on page 10. Oak Grove Montessori School has been in the Carrollton, Ga., community for 13 years, yet many people aren't aware of exactly what a Montessori school is and how it works. The school has recently charged Kaleigh Ingram and Carrie Fitts to lead Oak Grove Montessori to the next level. Find out more about this local treasure, how Montessori works and the school's new leadership on page 22. Would you like a chance to win one of three VISA gift cards and help us improve West Georgia Woman magazine? Please complete our short reader survey on page 34. One lucky reader will win a $100 VISA gift card and two more readers will win a $50 VISA gift card. Please give us your honest feedback. We want to know what you think! If you don't want to mail the survey, please go to our website, www.westgeorgiawoman.com, and complete the survey online to be entered into the drawing. Thank you so much for your help! Are you getting enough sleep? If you're like most women, including me, you're not. Learn about the dangerous effects of sleep deprivation and what you can do about it on page 40. Thank you for reading! Please do business with our valuable advertisers included in this publication, and please be sure to tell them you saw their advertisements in West Georgia Woman magazine. See you next month,

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Finding our voice. Knowing our value. Making a difference. TM

West Georgia Woman is a voice for and about the women who live and work in West Georgia. Our mission is to engage, inspire, and cultivate a cohesive community for all women in West Georgia by sharing our hopes, our dreams and our lives. This magazine would not be possible without the inclusion of our advertisers. Please be sure to show your support by doing business with these VIP’s (very important partners) so we will be able to continue to share with you our stories about amazing West Georgia women! Please be sure to tell them we sent you! Inspiring women wanted.

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Woman

Volume 4 • Issue 7 May 2019

Get yours from our racks at Kroger, Publix, Southern Home and Ranch and Food Depot (Maple Street) in Carrollton. We have them at all three Lee-King and Lee-Goodrum pharmacy locations in Newnan, the Apothecary Shoppe in Douglasville and the Vitamin Shoppe Do you know an interesting woman in Hiram. Publix at Mirror Lake, in our who should be on the cover of West rack at Piggly Wiggly in Bowdon, at CVS Georgia Woman? Is there a special in Bowdon and Piggly Wiggly in Tallproject or organization you would apoosa and our racks at WM Grocery in like us to feature in our magazine? Roanoke and Wedowee, Al., as well as Let us know! hundreds of other retail locations and medical offices in West Georgia and Email your suggestions to: East Alabama! features@westgeorgiawoman.com Share your special events.

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West Georgia

This publication is dedicated in loving memory of Tristan Alexander Brooks May 15, 1993 – September 17, 2015

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Zachary@westgeorgiawoman.com Angela Brooks Dailey, owner and publisher of West Georgia Woman magazine, has lived in West Georgia most of her life and has a deep love and appreciation for the area. She received her B.B.A in management from The University of West Georgia in Carrollton, Ga., and is a Civil and Domestic Relations mediator and arbitrator registered with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution. She lives in Carrollton, and has two wonderful children, Zachary and Sydney Dailey. Angela enjoys reading, spending time with her children and extended family and loves to watch Sydney play soccer.

Photo by Mark Steffey

Safe Haven

Exodus Ranch Owner Melody Wilcox-Pratt Believes in the Power of Community Outreach

By Janet Flanigan

elody Wilcox-Pratt is a woman who wears many hats: business owner, mother, equestrian, wife, grandmother, philanthropist, coach and mentor, just to name a few. This leads to the question of how exactly she manages to do the extensive amount of outreach work she does each year for the most vulnerable people in West Georgia. “With God's help," she explains.

Community Outreach Melody and her husband Joe started Exodus Ranch, a 37-acre horse ranch housing almost 30 horses, ponies, donkeys and miniature horses, plus a small herd of goats and two dogs, in 2012. Lifelong horse people, they believe in the benefits of the animal/human relationship, particularly in connection with society’s most vulnerable citizens. Exodus serves as a working horse ranch with a special emphasis on children and people in need. In evidence of this philosophy, the Exodus Ranch mission statement reads, “To show and live the love of Jesus, not just preach it.” The ranch has received its 501(c)(3) certification, and the Pratts are continually developing new and creative ways to help their community. While Melody and Joe are intentional in their outreach, they are casting a very wide net, with their influence and Christian values touching everincreasing numbers of people. “I was always taught that as a believer, we are called to do something to help others, even if we impact only one or two people," she explains. "But, if those one or two people then go on to help another one or two, Photo by Shell Sampson Photography.

before you know it, love is spread to many.” The main focus of Exodus Ranch is supporting foster children through equine assisted mentoring for kids suffering from PTSD, abuse and emotional issues. They also offer foster family fun days, which bring foster children from both group homes and families for a fun day at the ranch. In addition to helping these children, Exodus holds support-oriented events for special needs children and adults through participation with Equine Special Olympics Georgia; visitation opportunities for senior citizens through their "Pups and Ponies" programs; therapy days at the ranch for women in crisis – victims of abuse in the local women's shelters or those dealing with addiction; and ranch visits from veterans of the Wounded Warriors. As many of these outreach programs are offered free to the community, the Pratts support their philanthropic efforts by offering riding lessons specializing in timed rodeo events for ages 7 to 97, including “Miss Betty," a regular rider who, at age 80, still enjoys lessons and trail rides with “Cowboy Joe." Melody and Joe also host birthday parties, pony rides, Cowboy Bible Camp for ages 7 to14 and other special events. They train, breed and sell horses, and they operate a small AirBnB business, catering to visitors who want to stay, with or without their horses, on a working horse ranch. They have a western-themed bunkhouse and an apartment available on the property as well as appropriate accommodations for visiting equines. As if their plates weren't full enough, the ranch is also the home of the Exodus Ranch Rodeo Team. Separate from the ranch, the Pratts own and operate the West Georgia Junior Rodeo, a fully sanctioned rodeo that allows those riders who qualify to be eligible to compete at the International Finals Rodeo (IFR) in Oklahoma City, Okla.

A Love of Horses

Melody Wilcox-Pratt, with her husband, Joe, believe in the benefits of the animal/human relationship, particularly in connection with society’s most vulnerable citizens.

"I grew up in Ohio and we were a ‘horse family,'" she says. “My dad had Arabian horses, while I had quarter horses and paints. Dad and I had an agreement that if I would show and take care of his Arabians for him, he would cover all my horse show fees!” She showed in Halter classes, a type of horse show class where horses are not ridden, but led, and judged on their suitability as breeding stock and on their conformation, or muscles, bones and body proportions in relation to each other. She also

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showed in Western Pleasure and English Pleasure, both judged on the horse's ability to be a pleasure to ride based on each specific style of riding. While she enjoyed showing horses, she became a bit disillusioned with the horse show world, as it seemed to be increasingly political. “I made the decision that if my children wanted to ride, they would only participate in timed events," she recalls. "In timed events, winners are undisputed because the clock determines the winner and winning is not based on other influences."

Left Behind Melody’s parents raised their children to live life in service to the Lord. “My dad was a minister, and all family decisions were based on God’s plan for us," she explains. "In the late 1950s, my parents felt God’s calling to add to our family and specifically, to adopt siblings, a girl and a boy. But the rules of adoption were different then, and they wouldn't let my parents adopt both children at the same time." For reasons unknown to her parents, during that time, the state of Ohio would not allow for the adoption of a brother and sister into the same family. The adoption of the 6-year-old girl was approved, but the adoption of the 4-year-old boy was denied.

She says the denial was not due to any financial or other concerns about her family, but that was just the way things were done at the time. Unfortunately, the little boy was placed by the Ohio Department of Family and Child Services into the state foster care system. Ten years later, Melody’s entire family was attending an event in support of foster and adoptive families, when her sister recognized her brother in attendance at the same event, even though she last saw him when she was only 6. “She knew him right away,” Melody says. Shortly after, he came to live with the family, although they were still unable to adopt him. The emotional damage of living in the state foster care system had taken a toll on her brother, and his suffering greatly affected her. As a result of having personally witnessed the emotional trauma that can come with foster care, she developed a lifelong passion for foster children.

New Beginnings As an adult, Melody married, had three children and was working as a flight attendant for Delta. The marriage ended in divorce. Later, while on a layover during a trip to South Dakota, she met a handsome cowboy. They found much in common, including a strong faith, a love for children and a shared passion

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for horses and rodeo. Joe Pratt owned a trucking company and was a real cowboy, breaking and training horses for rodeo events and working with cattle. The two fell in love and married. Between them they share four children: Rayne Garber, Nicoda Pratt, Breezy Johnson and Dani Klodt. “We don’t differentiate which kids belong to who, they are all ours,” she says. Before permanently settling in Georgia, the Pratts lived in many places due to their occupations as a flight attendant and trucker. They called many places home, including Wyoming, Utah, New York and North Dakota. Their children are spread out around the country: Nicoda lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, and works in private security with FEMA; Breezy, a former Miss Rodeo Tennessee, is married to a cattle rancher and works in special education in Alabama; and Dani lives in Akron and is a critical care nurse. But daughter, Rayne, may be the reason Exodus Ranch exists at all. Rayne had married Scott Garber and, in 2012, they found out they were expecting a baby. Melody and Joe decided they wanted to move closer to their first grandchild. “At that time, Rayne and Scott were living in Buckhead, so Joe and I decided to move to Douglasville," she explains. "Then Rayne and Scott up and moved to Los Angeles!”

The Pratts considered moving back out west, but they felt led to stay in Douglas County. They began praying about the future of the ranch they had purchased. Their goal was to create an equinebased organization, founded on Christian principles that offered programs and services to special communities. They would pursue separate, profitbased opportunities to help fund their philanthropic programs. “We believe that God gives us each talents and gifts for a reason," she shares. "We wanted to use what was given to us to give back." Initially, Joe's business was necessary to help pay for the ranch, so he continued commuting back and forth from North Dakota. Melody stayed busy with the horse end of the ranch, breeding and training horses, giving riding lessons and dreaming of ways to share their lifestyle and Christian message with others. Soon, the couple began creating outreach opportunities in the Douglas County community, beginning with holding family fun days for foster kids and their families. On Christmas Day, 2014, Joe was involved in a terrible trucking accident in North Dakota that effectively ended his driving profession. His job had helped fund the ranch and its programs, so Melody knew they had to find additional means of earning income to make their wishes to help others become a reality.

Roping, Riding and Responsibility

Photo by Shell Sampson Photography.

Though relatively new to the community, Exodus Ranch was gaining an excellent reputation for working with young riders. “Parents know that when kids come to learn with us, they are put to work," she explains. "That is how you learn about horses. They don’t just show up, and are presented a saddled horse that is ready to ride. The kids learn everything about horse care, tacking up, feeding and cleaning stalls so they understand what really goes into horsemanship." As the lessons progressed, Melody and Joe taught their students about participating in rodeo, and the Exodus Ranch rodeo team was born.

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Being on the rodeo team is an earned privilege. If they earn a spot on the team, members and their parents must sign a contract that includes no disrespect toward parents or others, performing community service, encouraging each other and absolutely no mistreatment of the horses – including roughness while riding. “They have to learn not to take their mistakes and frustrations out on the horses or those around them, and must learn to be calm and in control of their emotions,” she explains. “This is for their safety but is a useful skill in life. We are focused on teaching our riders responsibility." Melody says the rodeo parents have responsibilities as well, the most important is letting the kids handle their responsibilities. Parents are not to simply hand over money for rodeo fees. The Pratts believe if the kids earn the money, it teaches responsibility and adds an additional appreciation for their involvement. The rodeo kids are required to go out into the community and share their personal story involving rodeo to procure sponsorships. If one of the Exodus children wins prize money at a rodeo event, that money must go toward future fees. “If we see a parent giving the child the money, rather than putting it toward their future events fees, the child must sit out a rodeo," she explains. "We are not trying to be mean; we are trying to teach self-reliance, responsibility and an appreciation for working toward a goal."

West Georgia Junior Rodeo With the progression of the rodeo team, they began participating with the West Georgia Junior Rodeo (WGJR) in 2016. The WGJR is open to children as young as 16 months or when they are able to walk, up to age 19. The events include mutton busting, where the children ride or race sheep; goat tying; chute dogging, an event similar to steer wrestling; team roping; barrel

racing; pole bending, a timed-event that features one rider and horse weaving in and out of six poles; break away roping; tiedown roping; bull riding; bare back bronc riding; and saddle bronc riding. Photo by Shell Sampson Photography. Because the Pratts train and field riders in the rodeo, they remove themselves completely from any judging and awards determination during the season. Each year, the WGJR holds a rodeo queen, ages 16 to 19, and rodeo princess, ages 12 to 15, competition. A panel of four judges determines the winners based on appearance, horsemanship,

a personal interview, personality, a three-minute speech (queen contestants only) and rodeo knowledge. The newly crowned queen receives a crown, belt buckle, sash, custom chaps and at the completion of her reign, a scholarship. The princess receives a crown, belt buckle and sash. As rodeo queen, the young lady is the face of WGJR. Public speaking, rodeo knowledge, interviews, horsemanship and self-presentation are all qualities necessary for her reign. This year’s queen, Tarabeth Looney, is responsible for organizing the grand entry for each rodeo, including music, theme and colors; carrying the flag of her choice; overseeing the presentation of the sponsorship flags; meeting with sponsors; and being available for interviews and special appearances. For each rodeo she will choose a different charity for raising awareness and funds. WGJR offers sponsor packages to help offset the cost of the rodeo. Rodeo fees and sponsor packages help cover the arena rentals, the hiring of rodeo professionals, judges and stock contractors. The sponsorships also help with the purchase of a variety of year-end awards for rodeo participants, including championship belt buckles, horse tack and supplies, miscellaneous equipment and more.

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ngturf.com • 770-431-1340 In 2019, WGJR began awarding The Jullian Lawson Memorial Education Scholarships. Jullian Amber Lawson was only 14 years old when she lost her life to suicide on Aug. 28, 2014. “Jullian was the niece of the veterinarian who built this ranch," she shares. "We wanted to honor her spirit and memory.” WGJR raises money for these scholarships in a variety of ways, including asking for donations, raffles and auctions. In 2018, WGJR gave away over $40,000 in awards. The top 10 points earners in each age division and in each event receive an award and the AllAround Cowboy and Cowgirl in each age division receives a championship saddle.

The Exodus Ranch Experience “We wanted to get more kids interested in riding, horsemanship and bible study, so we started offering cowboy Bible camps at the ranch," she says. Exodus Ranch occasionally holds day camps at the ranch, but the most popular camps are the week long camps. For kids who have a desire to participate but may not be able to meet the financial obligations, Exodus Ranch offers scholarships for qualifying campers. “We have also seen personal growth with our

kids," she relates. "Most of our rodeo team had never been on a horse before they came here and now some of them are also participating in high school rodeo and professional rodeos. We even have some who want to go on to participate in college rodeo, coach other kids and train horses. And, because we are a Christian environment teaching our faith’s guiding principles, it is a safe place for kids to come and have a blast." As part of the Ranch’s emphasis on personal growth and responsibility, Melody says as kids gain knowledge, they often return to pass their experience on to newer riders. “Our kids often teach each other, under our supervision, and our riders have to be open to learning from their peers," she explains. "Some of the best lessons come from peerto-peer experiences.”

Helping Those Who Need It Most The primary goal for Exodus Ranch has always been to provide outreach opportunities and specialized services to specific communities. Their foster fun days take place three times a year. The fun day in March is reserved for teens, and the other two for children of all ages are held in May and September. The next foster fun day for all ages will

take place on May 11. “Our horses are highly trained, are calm in a crowd situation and non-reactive to loud noises and excitement,” she says. The kids ride the horses, play in bounce houses, ride the mechanical bull and paint on canvas. There are toddler and baby areas as well. Exodus Ranch provides lunch, snacks and drinks throughout the day, and the local Dominos, Chic Fil A and Firehouse Subs have all agreed to donate items this year. There is always a need for volunteers for all of the foster fun days – adults only. All volunteers are paired with an existing backgroundchecked volunteer, with a foster parent or a Division of Family and Children Services employee, and no one is allowed to be alone with any of the children. Officers from the Douglasville police department and Douglas County Sheriff’s department are present during these events as well. While kids who live in foster care are a primary emphasis at Exodus Ranch, there are many other groups that participate. “We love to have days for special needs folks to come visit with what we call our ‘Pups and Ponies' program,” she shares. "People in wheelchairs and those using other special equipment are more than welcome. The horses and dogs are highly trained to handle most every situation and type of person. For the animals, it’s just another day on the ranch." Melody has found that some of her horses are very intuitive with certain children, special needs people and those who are experiencing emotional pain. “Some of the coolest things I have witnessed is our Appaloosa pony, Espy, working with special

Exodus Ranch offers a "Pups and Ponies" program for special needs children and adults. Some of the horses are very intuitive with certain children, special needs people and those who are experiencing emotional pain. Photos by Shell Sampson Photography.

needs people," she relates. "She can be a challenge for ablebodied riders, but when Photo by Shell Sampson Photography. working with special needs The Exodus Ranch team brings their miniature horses, donkey and dogs to visit people she seniors at nursing and retirement homes. is completely gentle and safe. She knows who she is with and is so wonderful. It’s hard to believe she’s the same pony. I’ve also seen other horses walk straight up to a person in a wheelchair, lower their heads into that person’s lap and just stand there. I have seen my horses surrounded by kids and somehow they seem to know which person needs some love the most.” Senior citizens are also a big focus for Melody. The ranch animals love to visit nursing homes and senior citizen facilities. “We also bring our miniature horses, donkey and dogs to visit seniors at their nursing and retirement homes," she says. "The seniors come outside and get an opportunity to pet and hug our animals. They love it.” Upon request, Melody and her team will also bring the dogs inside to visit with the seniors. On-site visits to senior centers or other facilities are usually kept within a 20-mile radius of the ranch because of travel logistics, but groups from all over are welcome to schedule ranch visits.

Equine Special Olympics Georgia Melody is proud that Exodus Ranch participates with the Douglas County Chapter of the Equine Special Olympics Georgia. “Those athletes are amazing!" she exclaims. "In both 2017 and 2018, our Douglas County Special Olympics team brought home many gold, silver and bronze medals. The team competes in showmanship, trail, horsemanship and last year, they began competing as a drill team. The team works hard to get ready for the Equine Special Olympics games in Gainesville.” The ranch serves as the Special Olympics equine practice facility for Douglas County, where the team practices every Thursday. The athletes are treated as all other riders and are required to follow the same rules of conduct. Special Olympics Georgia gives Exodus Ranch a team stipend, that they use to purchase belt buckles, helmet covers, saddle pads, boots and other appropriate attire for their

participation in the Special Olympics equine events. Interestingly, the ranch also receives donations from a golden retriever dog club from Ohio each year to help with expenses for the equine Special Olympics. With a team of 13 to 15 special needs team members, just the belt buckles alone are $2,000. Photo by Shell Sampson Photography.

Santa's Helpers

One other project Exodus Ranch is involved in takes place during the Christmas season. Volunteers from Exodus Ranch will dress themselves and the horses in Christmas attire, bring Santa Claus with them and gifts for all ages – from babies to teenagers – to a place named the “Corn Crib” in Douglas County. The "Corn Crib" is an area known for drugs, prostitution and many illegal immigrants. "There are so many needy children there," she explains. "Some have no indoor plumbing and no electricity." Melody and her husband Joe are exemplary for having a dream to fulfill what they believe is God's plan in their lives and finding solutions to make their dreams of serving others who need it most a reality. Thanks to their selfless spirit of giving to others through their work at Exodus Ranch, they are providing a safe haven for some of the most vulnerable citizens among us in West Georgia. WGW

To learn more about Melody Wilcox-Pratt or Exodus Ranch, call 706.508.2108 or email exodusranch@hotmail.com. If you would like to make a donation in support of their organization, mail to: 2280 Pine Dr., Douglasville, Ga. 30135 or visit their website at www.exodusranch.com

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Leading By Example

Carrie Fitts and Kaleigh Ingram Charged with Leading Carrollton's Oak Grove Montessori School

Photos by Zachary Dailey

ontessori schools have been around for more than 100 years, yet many people don't know much about them or their methods of educating children. "The Montessori method encourages a mutual respect between children and adults," says Kaleigh Ingram, Oak Grove Montessori School's newly appointed director of operations. "The adults respect the child and their growth process, allowing for the children’s independence and self-confidence to grow in ways that other educational environments have the potential to stifle." In the United States today, there are over 5,000 Montessori schools serving more than one million children, but the Montessori idea began with just one young woman. Maria Montessori was a very progressive woman for her time. Born in Italy in 1870, she came from a modest family. As she grew up, she had a desire to become a medical doctor, an occupation quite unheard of for women in the 19th century, and her father did not approve. In spite of the many obstacles standing in her way, Dr. Montessori graduated from the University of Rome in 1896 with a specialty in pediatric medicine. While earning her degree, she worked with and studied mentally disabled children. Because of herself did, that all children can be successful under her experience with children, and her work with the right circumstances." experimental psychology and scientific pedagogy, Named Casa dei Bambini, or Children's House, she was invited to open a school of her own in the school initially had all of the traditional tools that San Lorenzo, a poor district of Rome, for children were a part of every classroom of the times, such as from working class, low-income familes. The doors chalkboards and desks. As Dr. Montessori observed opened on Jan. 6, 1907. the children, she realized they showed considerable "I think it is impossible to ignore how radical interest in hands-on learning, working with puzzles, Montessori’s ideas were for her time," Kaleigh says. preparing meals and cleaning their environment. The "In addition to being the first woman admitted to children seemed to teach themselves independently medical school in Italy, she advocated that all children can be successful under the right circumstances after she had begun her work in a psychiatric hospital focusing her studies on children with varying disabilities. "She then took her work to extremely lowincome areas, offering an education to the children of impoverished women. This is truly where my love for Montessori comes from. I love working in an environment where we believe, as Dr. Montessori – Kaleigh Ingram, Oak Grove Montessori

"By enrolling children in Montessori, parents make a choice to support their child’s independence. I think communities are better when children, who grow into adults, have confidence in themselves and their abilities."

School's director of operations.

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plot of farmland. There are walking trails on campus, as well as gardening beds, chickens and a beautiful school house. "Each classroom has access to a backyard space for play and work," Kaleigh says. "We also have a large playground set up with a trike track, equipment and Women’s Auto Clinic. open space for lots of running! Behind Women’s Concierge Service. our playgrounds we Oak Grove Montessori School student Brittain Butler, demonstrates one of have nature trails her favorite hands-on activities. that cross a small 770.832.9465 area of slow, flowing simply by learning from their surroundings. water." Using scientific observation along with the Established in 1994, 134 Bankhead Ave., Carrollton knowledge gleaned from her experience with the school was originally www.lamberttirecompany.com working with children while studying for her degree, named Blackstock Dr. Montessori created unique educational materials Montessori School and for the children of Casa dei Bambini, designed to was located in Villa Rica, Ga. The school has been at create an environment that encouraged their natural its current location for 13 years. desire to learn. Oak Grove Montessori is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Many of those materials designed by Dr. organization. The head of school, along with Montessori are still being used today in Montessori the volunteer board of directors, make all policy schools all over the world, according to the decisions. Board meetings are scheduled to be American Montessori Society. "At the core of open for the upcoming year, and the community is Dr. Montessori’s pedagogy is that every person welcome to attend. Funding for the school comes – even children – is deserving of respect, love from donations, tuition and SSOs, or Student and kindness," says Carrie Fitts, Oak Grove's Scholarship Organizations. SSOs provide student newly appointed director of curriculum. "When we embrace this as a part of our educational program, you find that it seeps into your life as well. Who isn’t served by the idea that we are all of value, all in need of love and all deserving of kindness?"

About Oak Grove Montessori School Located on Oak Grove Road in Carrollton, Ga., Oak Grove Montessori School sits on a beautiful 12-acre campus that was once used as a functioning

"At the core of Dr. Montessori’s pedagogy is that every person, even children, is deserving of respect, love and kindness. When we embrace this as a part of our educational program, you find that it seeps into your life as well. Who isn’t served by the idea that we are all of value, all in need of love and all deserving of kindness?"

– Carrie Fitts, Oak Grove Montessori School's director of curriculum.

Oak Grove Montessori School student Noah Pike, completes a math activity.

scholarships to the parents of eligible children who plan to attend private schools. The Georgia Private School Tax Credit law allows eligible private citizens and corporations to receive tax credits for donations to SSOs. "Oak Grove Montessori School is a place where you can come and feel at home," Carrie says. "We have all come to the same little patch of farmland on the outskirts of Carrollton for the same reason – our children. Because, while your children might be

'yours,' once you join us and become a part of our community, they also become 'ours.' We take that responsibility very seriously and joyously." The Montessori curriculum allows students to move forward at an independent, but guided pace. For example, children who are in the primary program have the flexibility to choose what they wish to work on each day and in what order they would like to do the work. Yet, at the same time, they cannot choose to work on something when they haven't yet had the lesson. "I always tell parents that they should consider Montessori to be the idea of 'freedom within limits,'" Carrie says. "This limitation provides the child with an opportunity to build their intrinsic motivation (the desire to get to the work they’d like results in motivation to master the lessons they’ve had), as well as building the control of the will (the ability to recognize that some works are not available and being able to have the self-discipline to not touch them)."

New Leadership Oak Grove Montessori School recently created two new positions to lead the school. The new positions were filled internally. Kaleigh Ingram was named the school's new director of operations, and

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Carrie Fitts was named the school's new director of curriculum. Both women have worked at Oak Grove Montessori for several years. Kaleigh has worked at the school for nearly five years and has worked at all levels within the school, including assistant and lead teacher in some areas. She has also worked in the office and in the kitchen. "There is no 'favorite' for me," she shares. "Each position is such a valuable part of what we do, in its own way, and each developmental stage is amazing to witness. Watching infants learn to crawl and take their first steps while gaining confidence in drinking from glasses and self feeding, observing the growth of a toddler’s conflict resolution skills and their confidence in themselves and seeing our primary children engage with deeper understandings of the world around them is incomparable to each other in my opinion. But, seeing our children grow through our program and eventually move on to such great successes in whatever educational and social endeavors they take on after us is my favorite part of my work." In her new role, Kaleigh's responsibilities will include being a main point of contact for the school's board of directors, office administration duties and ensuring the staff receives needed support to maintain the high-quality care they provide for their students. "My goal is to provide a stabilizing force for everyone involved, including our staff, parents and our students," she says. Kaleigh holds a bachelor's degree in English from the University of West Georgia, and she began working at Oak Grove while attending college. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her two cats, reading, hiking or backpacking when she can and knitting. Carrie has been with Oak Grove Montessori School for 13 years, and is a popular and wellregarded teacher with students, staff and parents alike. "When I first began to work at Oak Grove Montessori School, I began as the assistant in a toddler classroom," she shares. "Within a couple of months, the enrollment demands of the school

Many well-known personalities ri have been educated in Montesso O schools, including Amazon CE Jeff Bezos, Google founders, A Sergey Brin and Larry Page, NB MVP, Steven Curry and the late f, TV personality, author and che Julia Child, according to the American Montessori Society.

required that we open a second toddler space, and I was moved into the lead in that space. I remained a toddler lead until four years ago when I moved up into the primary one classroom as a lead. I don’t really think that it is possible to choose a favorite between the two age groups. They both have wonderful qualities and can be very enjoyable." In her new role as director of curriculum, Carrie's responsibilities will include modeling the school's core values and policies and implementing the Montessori curriculum within each classroom. She will balance this new role along with her current role as the lead in a primary classroom. "My number one goal is to maintain as much stability as we can as the transition occurs," she explains. "I will be able to help my fellow educators to maintain our Montessori curriculum environments through many avenues, from material making to classroom observations to helping with staff education opportunities. I feel like many of these qualities have existed at Oak Grove for as long as I have worked here and are likely what has helped us to be able to move forward toward this new part of our journey." Carrie is from Carrollton, and holds a bachelor's degree in English from the University of West Georgia, Montessori Toddler Certification from the

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Top left: The kitchen in the infant room. Everyone is required to remove their shoes before walking into the infant room as there are floor areas tailored specifically for exploratory play. Bottom left: One of the toddler rooms at Oak Grove. Right: Children at Oak Grove learn how to cook and clean up after themselves, including using the toaster oven on their own. The infant program serves children beginning at 7 weeks old and the primary program serves children up to 6 years old. Classrooms at the school are not matched to the ages of the children. The rooms include children of different ages and the children move up to the next classroom when they are developmentally ready. The younger children often learn by watching their older peers.

North American Montessori Center (NAMC) and will soon complete her Primary Montessori Certification from the The Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE). While enrolled in UWG, she worked with the America Reads program in a local, afterschool program. The America Reads Challenge was national literacy initiative created in 1996 by President Clinton that enlisted one million volunteer tutors to give children the personal attention they needed to catch up and get ahead with their reading. Carrie is married to Jesse Lowe, also from Carrollton, and together they have four children, Ardis, 10; Hawkins, 7; Jack, 5; and Ellis, 2. The family lives with Carrie's mother, Nan Fitts, in Roopville. They have an array of animals, including dogs, cats, chickens and a three-legged rabbit named Buttermilk, who moonlights as Carrie's class pet. Their chickens are going through a slow rotation at the school as well. They visit in pairs and stay for two to three months at a time. Both Kaleigh and Carrie share the same love for Oak Grove Montessori School, and they explain that Montessori chose them, instead of them choosing Montessori. "It sounds clichĂŠ but I did not so much choose Montessori, as Montessori chose me," Kaleigh shares. "Maria Montessoriâ€™s methodology focusing on the whole, individual child as a person and a community member drew me in unlike any educational method I had encountered previously. It was all consuming, and once I witnessed it in action I had to know all there was to discover."

"I feel less like I chose this career and more like it chose me," Carrie relates. "It suited me and was very engaging, requiring me to really broaden my skills as person." Kaleigh and Carrie encourage anyone in the community who would like to learn more about Oak Grove Montessori School to call and schedule a tour of their lovely campus. They also hold an open house a few times per year. "I think anyone with children in the area should reach out and come tour our campus, even if they have no prior knowledge of Montessori," Kaleigh says."Touring our space gives families the time to see our school in person, and chat one-on-one with a knowledgeable staff member. By enrolling children in Montessori, parents make a choice to support their childâ€™s independence. I think communities are better when children, who grow into adults, have confidence in themselves and their abilities. We do not only work with children, we also cultivate close relationships with parents, and provide them a space to discuss and find support if they are struggling. We offer advice when asked for it, and we work hard to approach everything as a team effort between the staff and the parents." WGW

To learn more about Kaleigh Ingram, Carrie Fitts and Oak Grove Montessori School or to schedule a tour, call 770.214.0112 or visit the website at www.oakgrovemontessori.com

Daily Fare With

e s o R f e Ch

Chef photos by Keith May

Rose Isaacs is a native of Carroll County and lives in Carrollton with her husband Shawn. She graduated from West Georgia Technical College in 2013 with a degree in Culinary Arts. After graduation, she began her career as a chef at the Carrollton Kroger Marketplace where she works in the bistro.

30Recipe photos by Mark Steffey.

Mother's Day Smoothie Bowl

" Ingredients

Granola

For the smoothie:

Coconut flakes

1/2 banana

1/2 cup Greek or Mom's favorite yogurt

1 cup frozen fruit blend, (I used tropical which included strawberry, pineapple and mango) 1/4 to 1/3 cup orange juice For the toppings: Fresh blueberries

Fresh strawberries, halved 1 fresh peach, sliced

This bright and colorful smoothie bowl is perfect for serving Mom breakfast in bed. Get creative with the toppings or experiment with different kinds of frozen fruit.

Whole almonds Chia seeds

Preparation Place all ingredients into the bowl of a blender, placing the heaviest ingredients on top. Blend for 2 minutes or until smooth. Pour into a bowl and top with fruit, granola, almonds, coconut and chia seeds. Serve immediately. Serves 1.

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”Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a sweet and spicy twist on a classic taco.”

Plaintain Tacos

Ingredients

2 very ripe plantains, peeled and cut at an angle into 1/4-inch slices 1 tablespoon oil, either vegetable, canola or coconut 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 can black beans

8 to 10 corn or flour tortillas, tacosize

Preparation Heat black beans in a small

saucepan over medium-heat with 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin and a pinch of cayenne pepper. When beans begin to boil, turn heat to low to keep warm. Stir occasionally. Place peeled and chopped plantains in a bowl and toss with brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cumin, cinnamon, salt and cayenne pepper. Heat a large skillet over mediumheat. Add oil and spread plantains in a single layer. Sauté on each side for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn heat down if the plantains are browning too quickly. To assemble, warm the tortillas by placing in a damp towel and put in the microwave for 20 seconds. Top with black beans, plantains and desired toppings. Serves 4. WGW

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Don't want to mail your survey? Visit our website at westgeorgiawoman.com to complete the survey online. Entries must be received by June 15, 2019. We will never share your personal information or email address with anyone else. Thank you! 1. How long have you been reading West Georgia Woman Magazine? Iâ€™ve been a fan since the first issue __ More than three years __ One to three years __ Within the last 12 months __ 2. How much time do you spend reading West Georgia Woman magazine?

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Womentality

Inspiring quotes by extraordinary women “To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power.” – Maya Angelou

“A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.” – Agatha Christie

“The best place to cry is on a mother's arms.” – Jodi Picoult

“The truth is that no matter how old we are, as long as our mothers are alive, we want our mother. And it’s a very powerful relationship if it’s healthy.” – Goldie Hawn

“In a child’s eyes, a mother is a goddess. She can be glorious or terrible, benevolent or filled with wrath, but she commands love either way. I am convinced that this is the greatest power in the universe.” – N.K. Jemisin 36

Local Happenings

West Georgia Mental Health Professionals Wellness Meetup Group

This group meets the last Saturday of every month in Douglasville or Austell. For more information, contact Cheryl at theheartmatters@gmail.com or 678.754.5840. Learn more at www.heartmatterswellness.com.

Hope For The Journey This group meets the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the board room at the Tracy Stallings Community Center at 118 South White St. in Carrollton. These events are free to breast cancer survivors or those currently battling breast cancer. Learn more at www.hopeforthejourneywestga.org, email execdirector@hopeforthejourneywestga.org or call 770.214.1491.

Rare Pearls Mentoring and Leadership Program

Rare Pearls mission is to enrich and empower the lives of young girls and women. This group meets the third Saturday of each month at WellStar Douglas Hospital, 8954 Hospital Dr. in Douglasville, in the Sycamore Room from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. This program is open to all girls ages 10 to 17. For more information call 770.947.8210, email rarepearls2015@gmail.com or visit the website at www.rarepearlsmentoringandleadership.org.

Nursing From The Heart Breastfeeding Support Group This group meets the third Monday of each month from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 500 Old Bremen Road in Carrollton. These events are free to pregnant women and moms looking for breastfeeding support. Free

weight checks for your baby will be available. Come and share your breastfeeding journey with us. Please check our website for meeting and event updates at www.nursingfromtheheart.com.

Gertrude's House Breast Cancer Support Group This group meets the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at Lithia Springs Family Chiropractic at 1758 Lee Rd in Lithia Springs. This group is open to all survivors, caregivers, supporters, friends, family and those fighting breast cancer. Visit their Facebook page @GertrudesHouse or email them at GertrudesHouse@yahoo.com.

GriefShare at Tabernacle Baptist Church Utilizing a video seminar, support group and workbook, each of the 13 weekly GriefShare meetings center around a topic important to the grief recovery process. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m., and the meetings run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. each evening. Meetings are held at 150 Tabernacle Drive, Room 256, Carrollton, Ga. Classes are free. Participation workbooks are $15. For more information on GriefShare, call or text John Pearson at 404.368.2746.

paced world of politics and leadership. “This trip is an opportunity of a lifetime for these students, some of whom have never traveled outside of the state. Personal tours of historic sites and landmarks in our nation’s capital provide experiences that couldn’t be learned in any textbook,” said Taylor Key, Carroll EMC’s Community Relations Clerk. Student delegates will explore government on a local and national level, gathering in Atlanta before departing for Washington, D.C. While visiting our nation’s capital, the delegates will have the opportunity to meet with their elected officials to discuss and learn about issues that are important locally. The Carroll EMC delegates will join more than 1,700 additional youth representing cooperatives across the nation. The students will have the opportunity to exchange ideas and views about local and national issues with peers from other states. Since 1965, the Washington Youth Tour has given more than 3,000 students from Georgia and more than 50,000 nationwide the opportunity to take part in this unique experience. President Lyndon Johnson initially requested the program to “send youngsters to the nation’s capital where they can actually see what the flag stands for and represents.”

DivorceCare at Tabernacle Baptist Church Utilizing a video seminar, support group, and workbook, each of the 13 weekly DivorceCare meetings center around a topic important to your recovery process. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m., and the meetings run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. each evening. Meetings are held at 150 Tabernacle Drive, Room 260, Carrollton, Ga. Classes are free. Participation workbooksAmelia are $15.Ayers For more information on DivorceCare, call or text John Pearson at 404.368.2746.

Local Students Named Carroll EMC Delegates for Washington Youth Tour Carroll Electric Membership Cooperative has selected Amelia Ayers of Carrollton, Isabella Marlow of Waco and Drew Mulcay of Cedartown to attend the 54th annual Washington Youth Tour. The trip is a once-in-alifetime leadership experience made possible through the generosity of the electric membership cooperatives (EMCs) in Georgia, including Carroll EMC. The Washington Youth Tour was established to inspire the next generation of leaders. This year’s tour, which 38takes place June 13-20, will expose students to the fast-

Amelia Ayers Amelia Ayers

Isabella Marlow

Drew Mulcay

Carroll EMC Names 2019 Lineman School Scholarships Recipients Carroll Electric Membership Cooperative has selected three local students as the 2019 recipients of the Lineman School Scholarship. Ashton Davis of Rockmart, DJ McBrayer of Bremen and James Vise of Bowdon were awarded scholarships to attend a lineman school in Georgia. The winners were required to submit an essay explaining why they want to be a lineman, two letters of recommendation and interview with the scholarship selection team. The scholarships cover tuition, textbooks and other related fees for the recipients and are available up to 24 months after award date. In addition to the scholarship, the award winners are also paired with a lineman mentor from Carroll EMC. Davis is a graduating senior at Bowdon High School. When asked why he wants to be a lineman, he replied, “I have always wanted to help people and make my mark on the world, and I believe helping keeping the power on is a great way to do that.” He will attend the Southeast Lineman Training Center in Trenton, Georgia. McBrayer is a graduate of Bremen High School. “Being a lineman to me is working hard, always staying safe and making the friendships with the guys you work with that will last a lifetime,” said McBrayer. He will attend North Georgia Technical College in Clarkesville. Vise is a graduating senior at Bowdon High School. According to Vise, being a lineman is “being able to do the right thing and having the opportunity to make a difference for someone.” He will attend the Southeast Lineman Training Center in Trenton, Georgia. Carroll EMC is a Member-owned cooperative providing electricity to approximately 50,000 homes and businesses. The co-op serves Members in Carroll, Haralson, Heard, Paulding, Polk and Troup counties. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. For more information visit the cooperative’s website at carrollemc.com or follow Carroll EMC on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and LinkedIn. Carroll EMC: Community Built. Community Builder.

DJ McBrayer

WGTC Named Top Three Military Friendly School Continuing its mission to provide military veterans and their spouses with the finest choices for post-secondary education, VIQTORY has released the 2019-2020 Military Friendly Schools list. West Georgia Technical College is ranked number three in the nation in the small community college category for its outstanding efforts to support veterans, military service members and military service family members who are enrolled at the college. “We take great pride in receiving this designation,” West Georgia Technical College VA Coordinator Richard Williams said. “Our veterans have sacrificed for our country and should be afforded every available resource to help them succeed once they leave military service. It is an honor to serve them, as they have served us.” Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey completed by the school. For the first time, student survey data was taken into consideration for the designation. This year, 766 schools across the nation received the “military friendly” designation. Methodology, criteria and weightings were determined by VIQTORY with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for Student Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Loan Repayment, Persistence (Degree Advancement or Transfer) and Loan Default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans. The Military Friendly® Schools survey is administered for free and is open to all post-secondary schools that wish to participate. Criteria for consideration can be found at www. militaryfriendly.com. West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers more than 120 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is one of the largest of the state’s 22 technical colleges. For more information, please visit westgatech.edu.

Ashton Davis

James Vise

Founded in 2001, VIQTORY is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs® and Military Friendly® brands. VIQTORY and its brands are not a part of or endorsed by the U.S. Dept. of Defense or any federal government entity. Learn more about VIQTORY at www.viqtory.com.

YAWN!

THE EFFECTS OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION

t usually happens after lunch. You're at work typing another report when suddenly, you feel exhausted. You can barely keep your eyes open, and you'd love to just lay your head on your desk and take a nap. You look at the clock and realize you still have three hours to go before you're off of work, and you still have to go pick up the kids and go to the grocery store before you go home. We've all been there. One-third of adults in the United States report that they usually don't get the recommended amount of sleep each night, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Studies have shown that not getting enough sleep is linked with many chronic conditions and diseases, including heart disease, depression, type 2 diabetes and obesity. These are serious diseases that threaten the health of our nation. Not only is lack of sleep bad for your body, it can also cause serious injury to yourself and others around you. People who don't get a sufficient amount of sleep cause many injuries and disabilities through motor vehicle accidents or by making serious mistakes in the workplace. Getting enough sleep each night should not be

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Cause of Poor Sleep • Stress • Too cold or too hot • Partner snoring or moving around too much • Perimenopause through menopause • Sleep disorders • Illness

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• Anxiety, financial, relationship or work problems • Uncomfortable bed • Nightmares • Noisy neighbors

Develop Good Sleeping Habits You may not realize it, but the things you do during the daytime have a major impact on how you sleep at night. The medications you take, what you eat or drink, your daily schedule and what you choose to do during your downtime can affect your sleep. If you have trouble sleeping at night, try following the tips below for developing better sleep habits. • Avoid caffeine in the evenings or late afternoon • Don't drink alcohol right before bedtime • Go to bed at a time that will allow for at least seven hours of sleep • Use your bed only for sex and sleep • Keep the temperature in your bedroom cool and comfortable • Maintain a healthy diet

• Reduce the amount of fluids you drink before bedtime • Engage in regular exercise, but only earlier in the day. • Turn off or put away all of your electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime • Get up at the same time, even during vacation and on weekends. • Create a bedtime routine that leaves you relaxed and ready for sleep • Don't eat a heavy meal right before bedtime. If you are hungry, eat a healthy and light snack • Limit your exposure to harsh and bright lighting Occasionally, a lack of sleep is a symptom of a bigger medical problem, such as sleep apnea. Check with your doctor if you make positive changes in your bedtime routine and still feel sleep deprived. For everyone else, remember that a great morning starts the night before with a good night's sleep. Even though you are pulled in a million directions, you'll be better equipped to tackle the tasks at hand the next day if you wake up well rested and refreshed. WGW

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Kids Korner

By Charlene Brooks Photos by Zachary Dailey

May Flowers Bookmark

ive Mom the sweetest gift for Mother's Day this year and make her this easy survival kit. Fill the compartments with her favorite candy or treats and she'll think of you each time she needs a little pick me up! These May flowers bookmarks are a snap to make and Mom will have a beautiful reminder of you each time she closes her favorite book.

Hot glue gun Scissors Green Pipe Stems, cut in half Yellow Buttons Instructions

Materials Felt, different colors Buttons

Take the different colors of felt and cut out flower shapes of different sizes. Glue two of the flower shapes together with the petals separated. Glue the button to the center of the top flower. Glue the pipe stem half to the back of the flower. Place in Mom's favorite book.

Mom's Survival Kit

Charle

Materials Plastic compartment box from your local craft store Mom's favorite assorted candy Ribbon Glue

Instructions

Charlene

Cut out the tag we've provided for you below and sign your name. Fill each compartment with your mom's favorite assorted candy. Glue the ribbon and the tag to the survival kit. WGW

Love,

Candy is sweet, sugar is, too. The best MOM in the world is no one but YOU!

Cut out the image below and use as the tag for Mom's survival kit. Remember to sign your name!

Pediatric, Hand & Speech Therapy

Happy Mother's Day Word Search

Word Bank

Mommy Love Hugs Matriarch Understanding Adoption Kisses Children Family Courage Grandmother Kind Heart May Parent Sweet Gratitude Memories Strength Birth

Word search created at puzzle-maker.com

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