Augusta, GA
New age education: How Artificial Intelligence is being used in South Georgia classrooms
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Elementary schools in Lee County have been using an Artificial Intelligence (AI) software called Amira to help improve reading and literacy in kindergarten through third-grade classrooms.
This comes after a study was released showing that Georgia is significantly behind other states when it comes to reading comprehension.
The study found that Georgia ranks 46 out of the 50 states in reading comprehension, engagement, and literacy.
“Literacy is not just about reading. It’s about a community-wide effort in order to be productive citizens within the county. And so, we need all our students not just being on grade level but being able to read in general,” said Katie Peppers, K-5 Leading and Learning Director for Lee County Schools.
“The students will choose from five stories. They will pick one of those stories, and then they will read it out loud to Amira, the avatar. Amira is listening as they read, and when they struggle, Amira intervenes by providing tutoring micro-interventions to the students,” said Joe Siedlecki, Chief Impact Officer at Amira Learning.
For just thirty minutes a week, students practice reading at their own pace alongside their teaching avatar, Amira. Teachers love that they can work with small groups while the rest of the students engage with Amira on their laptops.
“In no way, shape, or form is she built to replace an educator. She is there to give kids guided, productive reading practice, and then report back to the teacher,” continued Siedlecki.
Since bringing Amira into the classroom a few months ago, educators say they have already noticed a huge difference in their students’ reading abilities.
“Kids these day love computers, so being able to get on a computer and the fact that you can talk to Amira and she responds to you, they think that’s really cool,” said Penny Whitman, kindergarten teacher at Kinchafoonee Primary School.
The state of Georgia conducted a study with the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy on all literacy assessments available. The Center found that Amira was the strongest assessment in the state.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta’S Priciest Homes Hit The Market
Augusta’s top five luxury listings on Realtor.com, starting at $985, 000.
An Augusta biomanufacturer will start making ammunition in the global fight against malaria.
Manus last week broke ground at its local plant on Lovers Lane on a production facility to produce artemisinin. The chemical is a key starting component in drug treatments to treat the deadly mosquito-borne illness. Malaria killed more than 600,000 people worldwide in 2024, according to the World Health Organization
“This groundbreaking reflects a shift from dependence to capability,” said Ajikumar Parayil, Manus’ founder and CEO. “For decades, the U.S. has relied heavily on overseas supply chains for the building blocks of essential medicines. What we’re establishing in Augusta is a new model – one that restores control, strengthens resilience, and proves that advanced biomanufacturing can be deployed at scale, here at home.”
About 80% of key ingredients for essential U.S. medicines are made or sourced overseas, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
That has led companies such as Manus to pursue biomanufacturing production models capable of making medical compounds domestically, efficiently and on a large scale.
Earlier in 2026, Manus won federal funding to expand production to make shikimic acid, a key compound in the antiviral medication oseltamivir, better known by its brand name Tamiflu.
On April 30, Manus announced a partnership with the University of Georgia to start a structured biomanufacturing apprenticeship program in Augusta. With a UGA “academic blueprint,” according to Manus, apprentices would receive extensive training on live production equipment to produce more experienced professionals for bio-industrial manufacturers nationwide.
Manus reopened Augusta’s old NutraSweet plant in 2019. In 2021, it introduced NutraSweet Natural, a zero-calorie stevia sweetener made using a smaller environmental footprint.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Brent McMillian is being appointed as the new director of athletics at Augusta University, President Russell Keen announced Monday.
McMillian will begin the role on June 8, 2026.
According to AU, McMillian brings 13 years of athletics experience to the position. He previously served as Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Engagement and Revenue Generation at Lipscomb University at Nashville.
“His vision aligns seamlessly with our goals for Jaguar Athletics: to champion student-athlete wellbeing, strengthen our competitive success, deepen community engagement, and build a vibrant, spirited campus culture,” Keen said. “His experience, combined with his personal connection to Augusta University, positions him to hit the ground running in a meaningful way.”
McMillian is a graduate of Greenbrier High School and attended Augusta University before completing his degree at the University of Tennessee.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Local restaurants hosted brunches for Mother’s Day, allowing neighbors to celebrate the day with the special women in their lives.
The Brunch House of Augusta on Greene Street hosted a brunch. The restaurant served berry pancakes and French toast, waffles, ham and cheese breakfast sliders and more breakfast foods.
One of the owners said the holidays are a great time for them to make connections with the community.
“We just had a group here come here that’s been coming here every year Mother’s Day for three years, every year basically since we’ve been open, they come in every year for Mother’s Day. We have people from out of town come and travel and visit us, so it’s definitely building that connection,” said Ashley Brown, co-owner of The Brunch House of Augusta.
Brown said they will be offering some specials for the upcoming Juneteenth holiday next month.
The Frog and the Hen also hosted a Mother’s Day brunch. The restaurant had about 350 people come in as of around 3 p.m.
They served foods like fried chicken, cheddar biscuits, French toast casserole and more.
The general manager said she enjoys seeing families come in for holidays like Mother’s Day.
“I feel like these are all my children here, so I feel like this day just in general, like I get to be the mother here, and so this is like I’m mother hen, so I get to take care of all this. I love supporting all the people as well and just being able to get the best food possible, the best chicken everywhere,” said Sheridan Roberts, general manager of Frog and the Hen.
Roberts said they often have to stop making reservations a few weeks ahead of the holiday due to the amount they receive.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
-
World4 minutes agoMacron takes the stage uninvited at Africa summit to scold crowd for ‘total lack of respect’
-
Politics10 minutes agoPelosi, other Dems, and former Rep MTG dogpile on Trump over inflation, Iran war
-
Health16 minutes agoAlzheimer’s drugs slammed as ‘ineffective’ in major review, but critics push back
-
Sports22 minutes agoFlorida judge rules prosecutors can access Tiger Woods’ prescription drug history after DUI arrest: report
-
Technology28 minutes agoAI robot changes your tires and balances them too
-
Business34 minutes agoCalifornia consumers accuse popular Italian food brand of tomato fraud
-
Entertainment40 minutes ago
Is ‘Blue Dot Fever’ a real problem for the concert industry?
-
Lifestyle46 minutes agoWhat the postcards leave out: 5 moments in history that still echo along Route 66
