The first bell of the school year rang a little louder this week as Mayor Andre Dickens brought back-to-school energy and encouragement to Atlanta’s students. August 4, 2025, marked the first day of school for Atlanta Public Schools (APS), and to kick things off, Mayor Dickens, along with Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson and several APS school board members visited B.E.S.T. Academy and Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy.
At B.E.S.T. Academy, Mayor Dickens joined members of the 100 Black Men of Atlanta and Emerging 100 to welcome students as they stepped off the bus and into a new year of learning.
Over at Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy, he toured the school with Principal Eulonda Washington and visited several classrooms to engage with the students and teachers.
These visits tie directly to Mayor Dickens’ Year of the Youth initiative. Launched in 2023, the initiative aimed to equip young people in Atlanta, from birth to age 24, with the resources and support needed to thrive. The program focused on expanding services and amplifying existing programs to help youth succeed. After dedicating 2023 as Year of the Youth, the City positively impacted 30,000 young people and APS celebrated the highest graduation rate in history.
Based on the overall success of the initiative, every year in Atlanta is now considered Year of the Youth. Mayor Dickens wants Atlanta to be the best city in the nation to raise a child. That’s his North Star and every day, he continues to make bold steps to achieve that goal.
