Ron Clark Academy

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The Ron Clark Academy is a non-profit middle school, housed in a renovated red brick warehouse [1] located in southeast Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Founded by its namesake, Ron Clark, and co-founder Kim Bearden, the school has students in fourth through eighth grades, from a wide range of economic backgrounds. Classes began on September 4, 2007.

Contents

Pedagogy

The Ron Clark Academy uses a student-centered approach that combines rigorous academics with strong relationships and real-world connections. Teachers use movement, music, and simulations to engage students and reinforce learning. The school also emphasizes leadership and character development as part of its core curriculum. A key element of its culture is the House System, where students earn points for positive behavior, teamwork, and academic effort.

Media attention

Students in debate class at Ron Clark Academy created a song about the 2008 U.S. presidential election, "Vote However You Like", to the same beat and melody of "Whatever You Like" by T.I. A performance of the song by 6th and 7th graders was posted on the internet and drew a wide viewership. [2] T.I. paid a surprise visit to the Academy after learning of their remake of his song. [3] On October 31, 2008, the "Students of Ron Clark Academy" were named the ABC Person of the Week by ABC World News Tonight . [4] They were also invited to perform at the 2009 inauguration of Barack Obama. [5]

A video of the students of Ron Clark Academy being told they were seeing the Marvel film Black Panther went viral and was covered by many major news outlets. [6] This video inspired a sequence in the episode "Three Slaps" of the television series Atlanta . [7]

References

  1. ↑ "Change the world – Atlanta". hvtv.com. Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved April 26, 2011.
  2. ↑ Graham, Nicholas (October 29, 2008). "'Vote However You Like' Video By Ron Clark Academy Students". Huffington Post. Retrieved October 31, 2008.
  3. ↑ "TI visits the Academy". October 29, 2008. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
  4. ↑ Aasen, Susan and Lauren Sher (October 31, 2008). "Person of the Week:Kids Sing Impassioned Get-Out-The-Vote Song; Ron Clark Academy's Students Become Internet Sensation With Voting Hit". ABC World News Tonight. ABC News. Retrieved October 31, 2008.
  5. ↑ John Murgatroyd; Ashley Fantz (January 20, 2009). "Bringing song to Obama's inauguration, students savor fame - CNN.com". CNN.com . Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  6. ↑ Victor, Philip J. "These kids are seeing 'Black Panther' and their reaction is Marvel-ous". CNN. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  7. ↑ Garcia, Ariana (March 28, 2022). "'Atlanta' season 3 opens with chilling reference to the tragedy of Houston's Devonte Hart". Houston Chronicle . Houston . Retrieved March 5, 2024.

33°42′44″N84°22′52″W / 33.71223°N 84.38108°W / 33.71223; -84.38108

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