Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University
PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
THE CHEROKEE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
AND
WINSHIP CANCER INSTITUTE OF EMORY UNIVERSITY
This agreement entered into on this 20th day of March, 2025 by and between The Cherokee County Board of Education, hereinafter referred to as the “School Board” and Emory Winship Cancer Institute, hereinafter referred to as “Winship.”
WHEREAS, the School Board’s mission is to educate the emerging generation through learning environments designed to increase the performance of all students; and,
WHEREAS, Winship is Georgia’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and serves as the coordinating center for cancer research, education and care throughout Emory University; and,
WHEREAS, Winship is committed to helping develop the resources of Georgia in addition to serving the nation by advancing science, technology, preparedness and awareness of community-based cancer issues; and,
WHEREAS, Winship is dedicated to promoting a more diverse future STEM and biomedical workforce by partnering with school districts to provide opportunities for students that supplement school districts’ STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programming, to include, but not be limited to, learning about cancer and cell biology, data sciences, cancer research and strategies, as well as linking hands-on learning with academics; and,
WHEREAS, Winship supports providing students with greater access and success in higher education through interactions with Emory faculty and undergraduate and graduate student mentors.
Now therefore in consideration of the covenants and conditions set forth herein the parties agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
The parties agree that the foregoing recitals are true and correct and incorporated herein by reference:
ARTICLE II
The School Board will:
1. Coordinate CCSD’s National Cancer Institute (NCI) GA YES (Youth Enjoy Science) Program with Winship by promoting this program and recruiting student participants; recruiting CCSD teacher chaperones to supervise student participants the bus ride to and from Winship each day); providing a CCSD school bus and recruiting a CCSD driver to drive to and from Winship for student participants daily.
2. Assist with recruitment of one CCSD Principal and two to participate in the GA YES program Advisory Committee, which monitors the evaluation and progress of the grant and gives feedback to the Winship Principal Investigators.
3. Share Winship-sponsored activities and programs for students through existing communication channels, as permitted by School Board policy, including the posting of notices on the online community bulletin board.
4. Explore/pursue joint grant opportunities in both parties’ best interest.
ARTICLE III
Winship will:
1. Support CCSD’s NCI GA YES (Youth Enjoy Science) Program by providing program curriculum and program components, student research project materials, faculty research mentors, locations on Emory University campus, lunch for participants, near-peer mentors, coordinating registration, selection process, and communication of camp program details with participants and family members; providing funding for bus transportation, for one weekly teacher chaperones (hourly rates for each full day, including transportation time and per diem) and for a CCSD school bus and driver for time to and from the Winship campus from Cherokee County each day.
2. Provide NCI GA Yes (Youth Enjoy Science) participants additional career and educational development mentorship by offering three additional virtual workshops throughout the academic school year related to college preparation and professional development for STEM careers.
3. Explore/pursue joint grant opportunities in both parties’ best interest.
4. Accept all children/interested participants for participation within its programs without regard to their gender, race, political affiliation, age, national origin or handicapping condition or any other discrimination recognized and prohibited by State or Federal Law. Children/participants with handicaps must be provided all necessary levels of supervision and must be included within the activities of the partnering organization. As a result of this partnership agreement, Winship must adhere to all local, State or Federal laws regarding education.
ARTICLE IV
The term of this agreement is March 20, 2025 through March 20, 2026. This agreement shall automatically renew for additional terms not to exceed five years unless either party notifies the other at least 60 days prior to renewal date.
ARTICLE V
Should funding provided by the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, that supports this program be modified or terminated, the GA-YES program and this agreement will also require to be modified or terminated.
This agreement may be terminated by either party upon thirty (30) days written notice to the other party with or without cause. All notice of this agreement shall be given to the Superintendent of Cherokee County Schools at PO Box 769, Canton, Georgia 30169, and to Dr. Theresa Gillespie at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University at 1365C Clifton Road, 4th floor, Administration Suite, Atlanta, GA 30322, as attachment to tgilles@emory.edu.