Atlanta Public Schools District administrators, teachers and coaches selected 450 students from each the high schools within Atlanta Public Schools to attend a private screening of the Academy Award nominated film The Great Debaters on January 25, 2008.  Sponsored by Chris Draft and the Chris Draft Family Foundation, along with Weinstein Company, the students boarded school busses immediately after their homeroom period.  Held at the AMC Magic Johnson Greenbriar Mall 12 Theatre in the city of Atlanta, the 450 “Draft’s Picks™” arrived promptly for a private screening that started at 10:00 am. 

The screening of The Great Debaters was immediately followed by a roundtable discussion hosted by NBC 11Alive Anchor Sam Crenshaw.  The roundtable discussion included leaders from metro Atlanta, including John Bare, Vice President for Sports Philanthropy at The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Foundation Advisors Chato B. Waters, Kadar Hamilton and Lamar K. Scott, as well as several representatives from the NFL Retired Players Association chapter based in Atlanta.  Former Falcon Buddy Curry participated on the panel as well as NFLRPA executives Dewey McClain, Keith Ponder and Tim Broadie.  Atlanta-native and active NFL player Efrem Hill was also present. 

As each student was dismissed to return back to school so they could share the day’s message with their peers, they were given detailed material regarding the Foundation-sponsored Essay Contest.  Each attending student was required to submit an essay to their school administrator about their experience from the day.