A trendsetter in education
At a private Christian school in Clayton County, Georgia, middle school and high school students discover that despite the difficulties they encountered in public schools, they can succeed. The Owens Academy for Exceptional Learners serves students who have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). The school would not exist if not for Dr. Cecelia Owens, top graduate in her doctoral degree program in Educational Leadership at the Argosy University, Atlanta.
A trendsetter in the field of education, Cecelia founded the school based on the research work she performed at Argosy University. “Our special program is designed to address the academic, emotional, social, behavioral, health, and spiritual needs of every student,” she said, “especially students with ADHD or ADD, in addition to traditional students.” After just one year of operation, she has tracked preliminary improvements in academic grades, behavior, self-esteem, and assessment scores at all grade levels. The Owens Academy is approved by the Georgia Department of Education, and has earned provisional accreditation from the Association of Christian Schools International.
In and outside of the classroom, she works to make a difference for a highly disenfranchised population of youth and their families. In November 2007, Cecelia traveled to Washington DC with Owens Academy students, who represented Georgia before Congress. The students shared personal experiences with ADHD in education, advocating for House Bill 1424 (Mental Health Parity), authored by Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) of the House, Ways and Means Committee
As a past student of the Georgia School of Professional Psychology, Cecelia said, “Argosy University was the logical choice.” The flexible course format allowed time to care for her family while earning her degree, even through two deployments of her spouse during Operation Iraqi Freedom. A distinguished graduate with a research passion for education, Cecelia is changing the face of education.