The EDvantage School provides an array of educational services and supports for youth living
at CCYA.
Earn A GED
The CCYA EDvantage School offers an on-site GED Homeschool Program with one-on-one instruction for youth and young adults ages 16 and older. The program is year-round and open to students who reside at CCYA that have experienced gaps in their formal education which have caused them to fall behind one or more grade levels, those with behavioral health and disciplinary challenges in a public or alternative school setting, and/or students who cannot earn a high school diploma by age 19. Youth may enroll in the CCYA GED homeschool program at any level and at any time throughout the year.
For enrollment information, please contact Kimberly Tinsley, Chief Programs Officer at 770-333-9946 x107 or [email protected].
Funding for the CCYA GED Homeschool Program is provided through a Cobb County Community Block Development Grant under the Community Services Block Grant category.
Tutoring & Educational Support Services
Through the Cobb School District's Title I Program, eligible CCYA youth receive on-site (in-person) one-on-one tutorial services after school (Monday - Thursday) and as scheduled during the summer months. Additionally, when youth require a specialized subject tutor, CCYA provides tutoring services through virtual takelessons.com or, as available, with an in-person volunteer from the needed field of study.
Post Secondary Education & Career Counselling Services & Support
An experienced CCYA Education & Career Counselor meets one-on-one with CCYA residents to explore their interests and help hone their skills towards developing potential career paths. Beginning at age sixteen, goals for college, vocational tech, and/or other work training programs are identified and developed for each youth. A youth's educational career plan may include the pursuit of skills in business, welding, plumbing, information technology, cosmetology, barbering, landscaping, childcare, nursing, etc.
Virtual High School & College Coursework
Eligible youth may attend CCYA's EDvantage School to access online high school or college courses in which they have been enrolled. The school wing provides a quiet place with technology and an instructor to support virtual learning.
Music Education
Since 2011, CCYA has offered an array of individual and group class music lessons. The Music Director works one-on-one with students teaching keyboard and voice lessons. Students interested in other instruments may apply for scholarships to fund private lessons through CCYA's Music Education Program.
The CCYA Library
In 2023, a CCYA resident launched a project to establish the CCYA Library as a part of the EDvantage School. In addition to offering books for leisure reading, the library provides resources to support the exploration of an array of career fields and areas of study. The library also offers reference materials for school research papers and projects.
CCYA SharkTank Project
At CCYA's annual Shark Tank event, the room was filled with inspiration, encouragement, and opportunity. Community "Sharks" joined virtually from as far away as New York and Mexico, while others gathered in person from across Metro Atlanta to hear nine remarkable teens pitch their dreams and goals. Unlike the famous TV show, CCYA's SharkTank is not about profits — it's about potential. Each presentation highlighted a young person's talent, business idea, or career aspiration, and every pitch was met with encouragement and support. Christian showcased her artwork and earned an investor willing to provide art supplies to help her continue developing her comic book characters. Jonathan and Xavier shared their passion for music, inspiring a $1,000 donation to upgrade CCYA's music room with new recording equipment. Jessica presented her handcrafted floral creations and received funding to purchase supplies for her online artificial rose business.
While every presentation reflected courage, creativity, and hope for the future, the Sharks also showed up in a big way — listening carefully, asking thoughtful questions, offering advice, and most importantly, reminding these young people that their dreams matter. Through their generosity and encouragement, ideas became opportunities and possibilities became real.
More than a decade ago, CCYA launched its GED Homeschool program to support youth facing major gaps in their education, as well as those with behavioral health challenges that have made attending public schools difficult. Since then, more than 60 students have earned their GED through the program's personalized, one-on-one instruction. Some students finish in as little as six months, while others take a little longer—and that's okay. Every journey is different. Today, the program is led by GED Instructor, Marsha Joseph, a dedicated teacher with a master's degree in Biochemistry, a mother of 2 sets of twins, and a competitive bodybuilder who brings patience, encouragement, creativity, and a winning strategy to every lesson.
More than 12,000 youth age out of foster care each year in America, including more than 1,000 in Georgia. Studies show that within two years of leaving care, one in four foster youth becomes incarcerated, and only 51% graduate from high school. Foster youth also face lower rates of college enrollment, career training, and long-term employment than their peers.
At CCYA, Ron Stebenne is creating opportunities for youth to overcome these challenges through hands-on career and education support. Working one-on-one with students, Ron helps them build resumes, complete job applications, practice interviewing skills, and prepare for employment. He assesses each youth's strengths, soft skills, and job readiness, while connecting them to job fairs, training programs, and opportunities through WorkSource Cobb and Georgia Vocational Rehab.
For nearly 16 years, Tony Wells has been striking the right chord with young people through music at CCYA.
A former Jubilee singer at Fisk University, and then Director of A&R at RCA Records, Tony brings both talent and soul to every session he leads. By day, he keeps everything in harmony as a Compliance Specialist with the City of Atlanta Department of Aviation, but several evenings a week, he changes tempo and steps into the spotlight at CCYA. There, he creates a space where music becomes both a creative outlet and a form of therapy for young people finding their voice.
Tony connects with youth through every genre in the playlist — from classic hits and timeless favorites to today's chart-topping pop and hip-hop anthems. He helps rappers remix their lyrics with positive alternatives, while also teaching voice, keyboard, music theory, composition, and recording.
Because music is a universal language, especially for teens, Tony's influence at CCYA resonates far beyond the classroom walls. His steady rhythm of encouragement, passion for teaching, and ability to help young people find their own unique sound continue to leave a lasting impression on countless lives.