Media release from Georgia Highlands College:
Georgia Highlands College (GHC) alum Andre Sanders has advanced into the role of CEO for the Boys & Girls Club of Bartow County, bringing to the position his years of experience as director of operations for the organization.
While his initial reaction to his promotion was feeling overwhelmed with excitement, Sanders says he was also taken aback by these emotions because it meant that his role interacting with the youth would be limited due to these changes.
As director of operations, Sanders was previously responsible for identifying programs that benefited members and supervising the programs along with gathering data leading professional development meetings, reviewing and evaluating safety and working with members.
As CEO, Sanders oversees everything, from the day-to-day operations like snack time and homework “PowerHour,” to arts and crafts and recreation as well as providing a safe place for members to unwind after a long day of school.
“Walking in our doors can be described as a beehive: members working closely together, loud buzzing from one area to the other, communication brightening up the spaces in our rooms filled with happy club members, and most importantly our members connecting with one another like family,” Sanders said. “I am elated each day that I get to work side by side with a wonderful staff, a generous board of directors, collaborative partners, and the best of it all is working with the youth and watching them grow as good and respectful citizens of our community.”
Sanders considers it an honor to have been afforded the opportunity to continue to lead the change in our community through engaging our youth.
“It is my mission to serve our community’s most vulnerable youth across Bartow County by enhancing the quality of our programs, expanding to other parts of our community to underserved populations, improve our facilities at both of our existing Clubs in Adairsville and Cartersville, grow with our existing collaborative partners, and connect with fostering new connections in our community,” Sanders said.
The Pursuit of Serving Others
For Sanders, Early Childhood Education was not his first interest when he declared his major, but he used it as a stepping stone to declaring a major in middle grades education after transferring to another institution.
“I started as a substitute teacher for Bartow County Schools where I gained a community of educators that supported my role in becoming a future teacher, spending most of my time at Cass Middle School,” he said. “I remember the first day stepping into the classroom to fill in for a teacher, when I instantly made a connection with the youth and middle school curriculum.”
Sanders enjoyed the opportunity to teach and engage young people in a supportive role in accomplishing their academic goals.
“What was supposed to be a temporary career move from being in the healthcare field, it became clear that it was my life’s work to pursue the educational field.”
Building a Foundation with GHC
Sanders says his time at GHC helped him develop a foundation for his future goals.
“Georgia Highlands gave me a plethora of professors who left a positive impact in my life,” Sanders said. “They showed patience and took the time to assist me in navigating all the coursework.”
The college also helped Sanders develop community through the student organization Brother 2 Brother (B2B).
“Choosing the right group to hang out with through achieving academic goals is having the right friendships and network to be around,” Sanders said. “Finding a friend that equally motivates you through coursework, even when you are not majoring in the same thing is vital to one’s success.”
He encourages students to take advantage of student organizations and leadership opportunities at GHC.
“Being mentally and physically present in all that you do as a community member reflects on your personal and professional values. Attending college and being a part of a group that has the same outlook on future goals was important to be successful because of the people looking up to you to do better,” Sanders said. “Highlands and B2B never looked for you to fail but to succeed. I am a proud graduate of GHC and I will continue to be a part of that driving force to help other succeed. That is my mission!”
