Education

Building Futures Like a B.O.S.S.

Through CobbWorks, young adults are finding support, confidence and a path toward what comes next. Article by Stacey Scott | Photography by Ashley Putnam There is something powerful about watching a young person begin to believe in themselves. Sometimes it happens quietly. A little more eye contact. A little more confidence in an interview. A résumé they are proud to hand over. A plan where there used to be uncertainty. Sometimes it happens in bigger ways — earning a GED, completing a...

Education

Room to Wonder

St. Benedict’s Imagine Campaign creates space for joyful learning, connection, and community. Article by Stacey Scott | Photography by Provided by St. Benedict's Episcopal School There are some things children seem to understand instinctively. A sidewalk can become a canvas. A shady patch of grass can become a classroom. A tree stump can become a lookout point or the beginning of an adventure. A question can become something bigger than the lesson itself. At their best, schools make room for...

Sports + Recreation

Cast a Line, Make a Memory

Family-owned since 1955, GB’s Lake offers Smyrna families a welcoming place to fish, gather and spend time outdoors. Article by Stacey Scott | Photography by Ashley Putnam Tucked away on Hurt Road in Smyrna, GB’s Lake has been part of the community for generations. Established in 1955, the family-owned fishing destination includes an 18-acre lake and a one-acre pond, regularly stocked with bass, bluegill, catfish, trout and crappie. But for manager/operator Dontre’ Weaver, GB’s Lake is about...

Health + Wellness

The Smilingest Show on Earth

At Schwartz Dentistry for Children, imagination and trust help young patients feel right at home. Article by Stacey Scott | Photography by Brandon Carter The first clues appear before the appointment even begins: a circus tent over one doorway, a cheerful ticket window near the front, a giraffe painted on the wall, and a sweeping mural that seems to bring the whole space to life. Then there is the sign declaring, “The Smilingest Show on Earth.” At Schwartz Dentistry for Children, these...

Local Services

Where the Horses Lead

At 7 Oaks Stables, families are finding connection, confidence and a peaceful place to simply be. Article by Stacey Scott | Photography by Ashley Putnam There are some places that ask you to slow down the moment you arrive. At 7 Oaks Stables, it may happen as you pull through the gates and see horses grazing across the green hillsides. Or maybe it happens when a child reaches out a tentative hand and discovers, sometimes to their own surprise, that they are braver than they thought. For...

Local Services

The Hardy Girls and the Case of the Happy Pets

Liz and Ali Hardy bring familiar faces, trusted care and lots of love to Smyrna pets. Article by Stacey Scott | Photography by Provided by Liz & Ali Hardy Liz and Ali Hardy have always been animal people — the kind who notice the dog at the party before the people, and who understand that pets are family members with routines, quirks, favorite toys, preferred snacks and opinions about where they like to nap. In many ways, pet sitting found them long before they made a business of it. Both...

Travel

The Gift of Belonging

At Beaches Turks and Caicos, inclusive family travel begins with intention, understanding and room for everyone. Article by Sean O'Keefe | Photography by Provided by Beaches Turks and Caicos The world was not designed with everyone in mind. For travelers who are living with intellectual and developmental difficulties, the world's most celebrated destinations have often felt less like invitations and more like tests they were never meant to pass. A new conversation is emerging within the travel...

Life + Culture

Learning to Lead, Side by Side

Priti Bhatia and her daughter, Saanvi, made Cobb leadership history while sharing a season of growth, service and community. Article by Stacey Scott | Photography by Provided by Priti Bhatia When the Goyal/Bhatia family moved to the Atlanta area in 2001, Cobb County was simply where life had brought them. Over time, though, it became much more than that. After living in several Cobb communities, the family moved to Smyrna in 2012, drawn by the schools, the family-friendly atmosphere and the...

Sports + Recreation

The Heart Behind the Spartans

The Campbell Spartan Athletic Association is rallying community support for athletics, school spirit and student success. Article by Stacey Scott | Photography by Provided There is something special about the energy surrounding Campbell High School athletics. It is there on Friday nights, when the lights come on, the stands begin to fill and the sound of the marching band becomes part of the heartbeat of the evening. It is there in the student-athletes who push through one more drill, the...

Life + Culture

From Popsicles to Purpose

Once comforted by Mighty Millie popsicles during treatment, Noah Shields is now helping bring that same joy to others. Article by Stacey Scott | Photography by Provided by Emily Shields For most children, a popsicle is simple. Sweet. Sticky. Gone in a few minutes. For Noah Shields, it became something more. Noah, now 8 and a rising second grader at Smyrna Elementary School, was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2023, shortly before his fifth birthday. What followed was more than any child...