Augusta, GA
Richmond County seniors sign to become future educators in Augusta
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – For years, filling teaching positions in the Richmond County School System has been a challenge.
Last spring, we told you they had around 300 teaching vacancies.
This year, they have more than 130 positions open from pre-K to high school.
The school system is putting its efforts into a program that brings kids back home to teach.
More than 20 students signed the dotted line on Tuesday to commit to doing just that.
Deciding what the future holds for the next four years of your life can be hard, but Jordan King says his future is a no-brainer.
“I signed up to be a teacher so I can teach other students they can be self-aware. They don’t have to go with those norms, the societal norms because they’re always changing,” said King.
King and his two best friends all share a common goal — to impact the future.
Kanye Gilmore said: “I want to make a difference because obviously, there’s not a lot of black young men wanting to be a teacher. So kids will see that and they’ll want to grow up and aspire to be a teacher.”
Quintin James said: “My teacher has inspired me, like just learning about what it takes to be a teacher. I kind of put myself in their shoes and said, ‘Hey, I can be a teacher.’”
Nanette Barnes is the director of career, technical and agricultural education. She says the trios drive couldn’t have come at a better time.
“There’s a teacher shortage. So we were trying to encourage our students to increase in those pathways to be pathway completers,” she said.
The trio joined more than 20 other Richmond County seniors committing to return back home after their college graduation.
It’s a commitment Barnes said the school will continue to keep tabs on.
“They’re going to see if they actually enrolled in college. They want to reach out to them at least two or three times during the school year, during their longevity in college, so that they can continue to remind them, that you have a place at home, got a job here, once they complete your college degree, can come back,” said Barnes.
And it’s a commitment Gilmore says he won’t ever give up on.
“I feel like I owe it to the community,” said Gilmore.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Students showcased drones they built during a two-week summer camp at Augusta Regional Airport on Friday.
12 junior and high school students attended the camp, where they learned to fly and build drones designed to help others.
Anderson Puryear, a student, said the camp focused on delivering small medical supplies.
“It was focused on delivering small medical supplies like an EPI pen or glucose packet for like diabetics and for people with allergies in need in the real world that could obviously help save lives, and if people are like in a place in a boat or like in the desert or in the forest where they can’t easily access those supplies it can save their lives,” Puryear said.
The airport partnered with Georgia Tech, state troopers and the Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Department for the Air Edu Summer Camp.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The 10th annual Juneteenth Augusta Festival brought families to the Augusta Fairgrounds on Friday despite the muggy heat.
Cultural and community-focused events, live music performances and food trucks were available at the celebration.
Tonia Hill, attending the Juneteenth celebration, said she loves the holiday and is supporting the community, though she acknowledged the weather conditions.
“I love Juneteenth. And I’m supporting everybody. It’s hot. It’s hot. It’s hot,” Hill said.
The festival runs until 10 p.m.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Dream Center is seeing more families turn to its food pantry this summer as children lose access to school lunches.
Organizations like the Augusta Dream Center see a surge in families who relied on school lunches during the academic year, according to Hallie Kohan, assistant director.
“We see a lot more families that have young kids who are in need that simply don’t have those meals they are normally getting,” Kohan said. “We see an influx of families that come through.”
Demand is up, but the food supply is not keeping pace.
“Right now we are having some food distribution issues so while we are seeing an increase in families, we are seeing a decrease in the amount of food coming through our doors,” Kohan said.
The center is asking the community to host food drives or donate kid-friendly items such as mac and cheese and oatmeal.
Every Sunday the Dream Center opens its doors for a hot meal, serving as many as 120 people.
“Families can come in and get their hot meal. They sit down, it’s dignified, it’s a diner,” Kohan said. “It’s a welcoming experience for kids to come in and not feel like they are in need.”
No paperwork is required to receive help.
“Just because you think someone is in a great situation, in today’s economy you never know,” Kohan said. “It could be your neighbor, mom, or best friend.”
The Augusta Dream Center food pantry is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon and Thursdays from 5 to 6 p.m. Hot meals are served Sundays from 5 to 6 p.m.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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