Six performers dancing on a stage under purple lighting, with a large screen behind them displaying partial text. The performers are mid-step, wearing casual and semi-formal attire, including dresses, boots, jeans, and sneakers. A man is visible at a DJ booth on the left side of the stage.
Mianyas Photography Color My World 2026
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The YMCA of Metro Atlanta held its annual “Color My World” event Saturday, March 28, at the SCADshow Theater in Atlanta. More than 500 teen members from Y branches across metro Atlanta attended.

What’s Happening: The event featured an art gallery and an awards ceremony recognizing teens for leadership, service, and community involvement. Gas South sponsored the event. The YMCA of Metro Atlanta says Gas South’s support is ongoing and tied to programs focused on inclusion and educational growth.

A group of nine people, including six children and three adults, stand together on a stage. Three children in the front row hold certificates and wear sashes, dressed in formal attire. The adults and other children stand behind them, smiling. One child in the back right holds a trophy. The background is dark with a partially visible screen on the right. The certificates have the "Color My World" logo and YMCA branding.
Two women stand in front of a bright red background, smiling and forming a heart shape with their arms above their heads. The woman on the left wears a white floral dress with a white cardigan, while the woman on the right wears a colorful, abstract-patterned blouse with a white skirt and a brown shoulder bag. Both appear joyful and engaged in the moment.
A large audience seated in a dark auditorium facing a stage with a podium and a large screen. The screen displays a presentation titled "COLOR MY WORLD" featuring photos of two women, Carley Stephens, Director of Corporate Giving at Gas South, and Jenni Hawkins, VP Customer Care at Gas South. A woman stands at the podium on the right side of the stage, speaking to the audience. The stage is lit with purple lighting.
A young girl in a light purple tiered dress with braided hair is drinking from a cup with a straw, while another person with long braided hair kneels in front of her, holding the cup. Several people in the background are standing and holding drinks, including a woman in a black dress, a man in a green shirt, and others dressed in casual and semi-formal attire. The setting appears to be an indoor event or gathering.
A row of glass awards and framed certificates displayed on a clear table against a dark background. The certificates have colorful geometric borders in red, blue, orange, and green, and the awards are clear glass with engraved text. The front certificate is titled "YMCA Character Development Award - Caring" and features the "Color My World" logo.

The Awards: Four types of awards were given:

  • Teen of the Year, selected by each YMCA branch
  • Georgia Youth Advocates of the Year, chosen by YMCA of the USA for a four-month civic advocacy training program that includes trips to Washington, D.C.
  • Young Men Thriving Awards, for participants in the Y’s Young Men Thriving Program
  • YMCA Character Value Awards, described as the highest honors, given for Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility

Cobb County honorees:

  • Alice Badache, McCleskey-East Cobb Family YMCA in East Cobb — Teen of the Year
  • Sophia Saboura, Northeast Cobb Family YMCA in Marietta — Teen of the Year
  • Sean Weinschenker, Northwest Family YMCA in Kennesaw — Teen of the Year

Fulton County honorees:

  • Christian Johnson, Andrew & Walter Young Family YMCA in Southwest Atlanta — Teen of the Year
  • Caleb West, Andrew & Walter Young Family YMCA at Promise Center in Southwest Atlanta — Teen of the Year
  • Jeremiah Williams, Arthur M. Blank Family Youth YMCA in Midtown Atlanta — Teen of the Year
  • Theodore James Atkinson, Carl E. Sanders Family YMCA in Buckhead — Teen of the Year
  • De’noria Beal, The Villages at Carver Family YMCA in South Atlanta — Teen of the Year
  • Kojo Jones, Andrew & Walter Young Family YMCA — Young Men Thriving Award
  • Derrick Ford, Arthur M. Blank Family Youth YMCA — Young Men Thriving Award
  • Jarrell Harris, The Villages at Carver Family YMCA — Young Men Thriving Award
  • Moriah Moore, Summit Family YMCA — Honesty Character Award
  • Makhi Jordan, Arthur M. Blank Family Youth YMCA — Respect Character Award

DeKalb County honorees:

  • Jo Herdee, Decatur Family YMCA — Teen of the Year
  • Trinity Smith, East Lake Family YMCA — Teen of the Year
  • Annalise Yeagle, Cowart Family YMCA in Brookhaven — Teen of the Year
  • Denzel Boboefe, Wade Walker Family YMCA in Stone Mountain — Teen of the Year
  • Cyrus Martin, East Lake Family YMCA — Young Men Thriving Award
  • Nick Jovanovic, Decatur Family YMCA — Youth Advocate of the Year
  • Coreya Flowers, Cowart Family YMCA — Youth Advocate of the Year
  • Evelyn Sapoznick, Decatur Family YMCA — Caring Character Award

Gwinnett County honorees:

  • Ty Polydore, J.M. Tull-Gwinnett Family YMCA in Lawrenceville — Teen of the Year
  • Nyria Smith, Robert D. Fowler Family YMCA in Peachtree Corners — Teen of the Year
  • Ashton Norwood, J.M. Tull-Gwinnett Family YMCA — Young Men Thriving Award and Responsibility Character Award

Additional county honorees:

  • Javion Huff, Covington Family YMCA — Newton County Teen of the Year
  • Moriah Moore, Summit Family YMCA in Newnan — Coweta County Teen of the Year
  • Edward Adjei, Forsyth County Family YMCA in Cumming — Forsyth County Teen of the Year
  • Ava Denham, YMCA Camp High Harbour at Lake Allatoona in Cartersville — Bartow County Teen of the Year
  • Nick Jovanovic, YMCA Camp High Harbour at Lake Allatoona — Youth Advocate of the Year
  • Hudson Brookshire, YMCA Camp High Harbour at Lake Burton in Clayton — Rabun County Teen of the Year
B.T. Clark
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B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.

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