SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. -- Marissa Stacholy, an eighth-grade student at First Montessori School of Atlanta and the daughter of Lisa and Jan Stacholy of Dunwoody, has been chosen as a national finalist in the River of Words Poetry & Art Contest. Sponsored by the Center for Environmental Literacy at Saint Mary's College of California, the contest is the largest international youth poetry and art competition in the world.

The judging panel, which included former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass, selected less than 100 poems and pieces of art from tens of thousands of entries.

Marissa will receive a medal, and her poetry will be included in the ROW's anthology. A copy of the book will be donated in her name to First Montessori School of Atlanta and her public library branch.

MARIETTA, Ga. -- Cobb County teachers are frustrated that the district is spending almost $500,000 on a conference that only a handful of teachers will get to attend. 

Many teachers believe that the money should go toward the district's $62 million budget deficit, especially at a time when the district is considering cutting 350 positions and implementing five mandatory furlough days. 

The conference will highlight success stories from the district and will share them with school systems from all over the country. 

"Teachers would rather have jobs than staff development," said a representative from Cobb County Public Schools. "Frustration is the right word. There isn't much trust left between the rank-and-file teacher and the Central Office."

The representative said the spending would further erode that relationship.