Led by Concessions International (CI), the 46-year-old, Atlanta-based airport concessionaire owned by the Russell family, in collaboration with the Herman J. Russell West End Academy and Paschal’s Restaurant, 6th-8th grade students who have expressed an interest in the food and beverage industry, will participate in a new, immersive workforce exposure program that allows students to experience a real world, mock, "day in the life" of a restaurant manager. It's designed to give participants hands-on activities, leadership simulations, and behind-the-scenes access, so they can experience what it means to manage people, operations, and profitability in a fast-paced hospitality environment. Also to note, during Women's History Month, and just before Women's History Day, an all-female team will be leading the way in line with this year's theme: "Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future".

WHO:             Concessions International, Paschal's Restaurant, and 40, 6th-8th grade students from Herman J. Russell West End Academy 

WHEN:            Thursday, March 5, 2026

                        10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. the best time to see action)

WHERE:         Paschal's Restaurant

                        180 Northside Drive SW

                        Atlanta, GA 30313

WHAT: Students will be exposed to activities that happen Back of House (BOH), Front of House (FOH), the business side of running a restaurant, and a discussion about careers and opportunities for their future.

WHY: With significant racial and economic disparity in college enrollment followed by graduation rates in the United States, and even more so with degree completion rates, Concessions International is stepping up to expose students to a potential career in the food and beverage industry. With restaurant managers in Atlanta earning an average annual salary of $63,000 (according to Indeed, often advancing from entry-level roles while gaining transferable skills like leadership, communication, and time management, it presents a viable career option for many who stand in the gap.

INTERVIEWEES:        Nikki Tinsley Harland, Concessions International's new CEO

                                    Mori Russell Atkins, Concessions International Business Development

                                    Chendra Dupree, Principal, Herman J. Russell West End Academy

                                    Briana Woodberry, Unit Manager, Paschal's

                                    Students with approval and with release forms                    

VISUAL OPPS:          Curious middle-school students experiencing all of the aspects of the restaurant business at one of Atlanta's historical and Black-owned restaurants.