While most teenagers make birthday lists of the trendiest clothes and gadgets, a group of girls from Athens Academy did the opposite, raising $1,233 for local nonprofit Extra Special People as a result.

On Nov.17 at the Athens Country Club, 80 boys and girls gathered to celebrate the 13^th birthday of 15 teenage girls. With Extra Special People (ESP) in mind, the girls requested donations to the organization in lieu of gifts.

Athens Academy students Natalie Allen, Malia Busenitz, Glynn Chesser, Abby Cuneo, Abbegail Dekle, Lucy Frierson, Vivian Hodges, Caroline Kuhnert, Emily LaBoon, Trinity Lorrain, Maddie McCleary, Mimi Meadows, Reeya Patel, Cardy Pennington and Margaret Timberlake selected and voted on a variety of local charities to gather donations from peers at their “Girls of 1999” birthday party.

“We chose ESP because some of the girls in our class had volunteered at their Halloween gathering and had a lot of fun,” LaBoon said. “It is a great local organization, and we wanted to give anything to them to help.”

ESP is a nonprofit organization in Watkinsville that hosts after-school programs and camps for children with disabilities and their families. They serve more than 150 children with developmental delays at art classes, swim practices and a variety of other activities.

The $1,223 raised at the birthday party for ESP will be used to send children with disabilities in Northeast Georgia to summer camp this upcoming summer.

“It feels great knowing that we made a difference in the community,” Cuneo said. “I think that when the donation goes to somewhere like ESP, it will be used for something amazing.”

To learn more about Extra Special People, Inc. visit www.extraspecialpeople.com.