Impact in Action: The Alumni Difference

Through the generosity of generations of Blue Devils, the Alumni Association is able to enrich the experience of today’s students and support the teachers and programs that make CHS exceptional.

Here are just a few examples of the Alumni Difference in action.

Alumni Support Helps Speech & Debate Students Find Their Voice—and Win 

Faculty Sponsor: Brad Jiles

A grant from the Alumni Association helped the CHS Speech & Debate Team expand opportunities for students last year—and those opportunities quickly translated into success.

With nearly all competitions taking place in the Atlanta area, participating can be expensive. In addition to transportation, students face individual registration fees of $20 to $40 and judging fees that can reach $150 per competition. Alumni Association funding helped offset those costs, allowing more students, particularly those new to Speech & Debate, to compete without the expense becoming a barrier.

Several of those first-year competitors made the most of the opportunity. Brianna Lemmons and Adilay Hammonds advanced to the state finals in First-Year Impromptu Speaking, with Adilay finishing third overall. In Public Forum Debate, Zaki Hassan and Fabian Weidler captured the First-Year State Championship.

Their success has carried into this school year. Those students have returned not only as experienced competitors, but also as leaders and mentors helping introduce the next group of Blue Devils to Speech & Debate.

The Alumni Association is proud to support programs like Speech & Debate, where a relatively small investment can open the door for a student to discover a new talent, compete at the state level, and ultimately become a leader for those who follow.

Alumni Investment Fuels Academic Decathlon’s Next Run at Nationals

Faculty Sponsor: Rebecca Atkinson '04

After advancing all the way to the Academic Decathlon National Competition in California last year, the CHS Academic Decathlon Team is already preparing for another ambitious season—and alumni are helping make that possible.

Support from the Alumni Association has allowed the team to purchase its 2026–27 Academic Decathlon curriculum materials, putting the resources needed to prepare for competition directly into students’ hands. The team has purchased its initial curriculum packets and plans to add practice quizzes and other preparation materials as the season progresses.

There is no shortage of students ready to put those resources to work. More than 40

students have already expressed interest in joining this year’s team, creating excitement and competition for spots on the official competition roster.

Following last year’s trip to Nationals, this year’s team has set its sights on earning the opportunity to represent CHS on the national stage once again—this time at the National Competition in Minnesota.

The Alumni Association’s support is about more than purchasing study materials. It is an investment in students willing to challenge themselves, represent CHS, and continue the school’s tradition of academic excellence. We look forward to following this year’s team as they begin their journey—and hope to cheer them all the way to Minnesota.

Impact Goes Beyond Dollars and Cents: Senior Symposium

Not every alumni contribution comes with a dollar sign. This past April, alumni and community members returned to CHS to serve as judges for Senior Symposium, the culmination of a months-long project required of every graduating senior.

Each student chooses a new skill or interest to pursue—anything from learning the cello or graphic design to carpentry or building drones. Over four increasingly challenging phases, students develop that skill and work toward a final goal, such as performing a difficult piece of music or building a piece of furniture. Along the way, they present their progress to classmates and teachers before ultimately defending their work and answering questions from a panel of faculty, community, and alumni judges.

For many students, the project becomes more than a graduation requirement. Some discover an interest that shapes their career; others find a lifelong hobby. And, at the very least, they learn something about themselves and what they do not want to pursue.

Next year, Senior Symposium will return from its recent poster-session format to classroom presentations, where students will present their projects and field questions directly from judges. If you have never served as a Senior Symposium judge, make plans to join us next year. You will leave impressed by what today’s Blue Devils are capable of.