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THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2009
School News
AT STATE YOUTH ASSEMBLY
Jackson County Comprehensive High School stu
dents who participated in a recent Youth Assembly at
the state capitol included: Jessica Holcombe, Jordan
Massey, Cheyenne Proctor, Rebecca Brittain, Sarah
Holcombe and Olivia Waldrip. They served as sena
tors, representatives and lobbyists.
Local students participate
in Youth Assembly at capitol
THE DOORS to the
Georgia State House of
Representatives were ordered
open, and the Cloak Room
cleared. Then the gavel came
down strongly on the strike
plate in the State House, and
the young man cried out, “I
declare this session of the
State YMCA Youth Assembly
adjourned sine die.”
Simultaneously a young
woman cried out from the
State Senate, “I declare this
session of the State YMCA
Youth Assembly adjourned
sine die.”
Even though both assem
blies were adjourned sine die
(Latin for without day, mean
ing indefinitely), the youth
from around the state peren
nially takes over the state
government each autumn.
This year’s session, the 64th
Youth Assembly and the
32nd Junior Youth Assembly
recently took place in Atlanta.
A total of 535 were in atten
dance, with students in grades
six through 12 learning about
state government.
Students from Jackson
County Comprehensive High
School who participated as
senators, representatives and
lobbyists included: Jessica
Holcombe, Jordan Massey,
Cheyenne Proctor, Rebecca
Brittain, Sarah Holcombe and
Olivia Waldrip.
Sarah Holcombe served as
a Senate committee chairman,
as well as fulfilling her duties
as a member of the Senate.
Massey’s bill made it
through committee in the
Senate, then the Senate floor,
then on through its House
committee before finally
being defeated on the House
floor.
High school students occu
pied the seats of the Senators
and Representatives at the
capitol, while middle school
students conducted their
“model legislature” at the
local Sheraton Atlanta where
both groups were housed.
Each group debated 48
bills for a total of 96 bills.
Recycling and the varied
usages of cell phones were
hot topics. The state’s Most
Outstanding Bill would
“decrease the number of
repeated offenses made by
those convicted of under-age
drunk driving by taking away
his or her privilege to drive
for a minimum of one year.”
There was also a Youth
Lobbyist Program headed by
(real) Lobbyist Jim Tudor of
the Georgia Association of
Convenience Stores. Youth
lobbyists are assigned bills
to lobby “for” and “against”
that gives them the opportu
nity to better understand the
complexity of bills.
In addition to the legis
lative training by participa
tion, there was also a Youth
Supreme Court, where mock
cases were tried by high
school students under the
wings of volunteer attor
neys. The Judicial Program
was headed by Josh Moore
of Atlanta Law Firm Balch &
Bingham LLP.
Georgia’s “real” Lt. Gov.
Casey Cagle was the key
note speaker at the Youth
Governor’s breakfast on the
last morning of the event. Lt.
Gov. Cagle was extremely
complimentary in his remarks
to the “young legislators,”
reminding them of their
“responsibilities as future
leaders of Georgia.”
This was the first year that
(real) Sen. Jack Murphy has
chaired the Youth Assembly
Legislative Committee. Sen.
Murphy proved instrumen
tal in seeing that events ran
smoothly in both the (real)
Senate and House.
“These students really get
into the total process,” stat
ed the Senator. He further
observed that “three days of
running this event results in a
student being more concerned
and involved in Georgia’s
government.”
According to Kevin Brown,
chairman of the board of the
State YMCA, and himself a
former Youth Governor at the
41st Youth Assembly in 1986,
“This event provides an excel
lent educational opportunity
for the Y Club members from
throughout Georgia.” Brown
went on to commend the many
Y Club advisors who give of
their time to help make this a
successful annual event. And
as for next year. Brown said
he wanted even more Georgia
schools involved.
ARTWORK FEATURED IN CALENDAR
A painting by Clark Buffington (L), Jefferson, was fea
tured in the 2009 calendar produced by Ortho-McNeil-
Janssen Pharmaceuticals and the National Epilepsy
Foundation. The artwork was selected in a national
contest titled, “Expressions of Courage,” and features
art done by those who have epilepsy. The calendars
are distributed to neurologists and doctors offices
throughout the nation. Buffington, 14, is a student at
Jefferson Middle School and an art student of Marie
Sagon (R) at Critter Creek Studio in Jefferson. This
was the second year in a row Buffington’s artwork was
selected for the calendar.
BROWN
Dec. Rotary Students of the Month recognized
THE ROTARY Students
of the Month for December
have been recognized: Colton
Brown, Commerce High
School; Jessica Elizabeth
Johnson, Jefferson High
School; Jonathon Marlowe,
East Jackson Comprehensive
High School; and Kevin
Spicer, Jackson County
Comprehensive High School.
BROWN
Colton Brown is the son of
Abe and Robbin Brown.
His courses include
advanced placement calcu
lus, weight training, physics,
graphic design, AP literature/
composition, economics and
government.
Brown is president of Beta
Club and is involved in Key
Club, Commerce Leaders
and Super Students, Peer
Mediators, One Act Play, year
book staff and Horizons and
was junior class vice presi
dent.
He is active in football,
baseball and basketball.
Brown has been named a
U.S. Army Scholar Athlete,
a Presbyterian College
Fellow, Mr. CHS and Senior
Superlative Best All Around.
He named Mrs. Johnnie
Blair as his most influential
teacher.
Brown plans to attend
Georgia State University or the
University of Georgia to pur
sue a degree in psychology.
“I hope to one day be a psy
chologist who focuses main
ly on teenagers and young
adults,” he said.
JOHNSON
Jessica Elizabeth Johnson is
the daughter of Jim and Donna
Johnson.
She is enrolled in honors
world history, computer appli
cations, digital design and pro
ductions and literature.
Johnson is editor of the 2009
Jeffersonian and is involved in
Total Person Program, Interact
and Beta Club. She plays var
sity tennis.
Johnson has been named for
the 3D Award and was on the
2007 region championship and
2008 region runner-up tennis
team.
She chose Angela Bolen as
her most influential teacher.
Johnson plans to attend
Georgia College and State
University to major in early
childhood education. She
plans to finish college and start
a career and family.
MARLOWE
Jonathon Marlowe is the son
of Steve and Lisa Marlowe.
His classes include psychol
ogy, AP U.S. history, wind
ensemble and advanced British
literature.
Marlowe is involved in
advanced chorale, jazz band,
Beta Club and Drama Club.
He is treasurer of NEHS, fine
arts editor of the Talon Times
Newspaper, a Sunday School
teacher and youth group music
director.
Marlowe is involved in
marching band and has let
tered in band. He is in the top
10 percent of his class and was
named for the director’s award
in drama.
He chose Alan Bunn as his
most influential teacher.
Marlowe plans to attend
Gainesville State for two years
and then attend UGA for the
remainder of his education in
becoming a chorus director.
SPICER
Kevin Spicer is the son of
Guy and Faye Spicer.
His courses include desktop
publishing, AP English, AP
calculus, weight training and
AP economics.
Spicer played football for
three years and has been in
wrestling for four years. He
is in Beta Club and is on the
Conflict Management Team.
He is treasurer of the senior
class and is in the National
Honors Society.
Spicer is in the top 10 per
cent of his class and has been
named a scholar athlete. He
placed fifth in state wrestling
in the 145-pound weight class.
He hopes to win the state wres
tling championship.
Spicer plans to attend UGA
and major in political science
and then continue on to law
school. He plans to join a good
law firm, get married and start
his own firm.
Lindsay’s Legacy mentoring
training sessions ahead in Jan.
LINDSAY’S LEGACY men
toring program will hold two
training sessions in January,
which is National Mentoring
Month.
The first session will be held
from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. Tuesday,
Jan. 13, at the new Jackson
EMC building in Jefferson.
The second session will
be held from noon to 1
p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21, at
Jefferson High School’s media
center. An RSVP is needed
for lunch.
Potential mentors only need
to attend one session.
“We currently have 197
mentors involved with the pro
gram,” said mentor coordinator
Lisa Stephens. “Our goal is to
have 250 mentors this year.”
Retired educators to meet Thurs.
THE JACKSON County Retired Educators Association will meet
at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, at East Jackson County Comprehensive
High School.
All retired educators or interested persons are encouraged to
attend. For more information, call Charlotte Mealor, 706-757-2471,
or Betty Ann Mathis, 706-335-5875.
Blood drive set at EJCHS Feb. 6
THE AMERICAN Red Cross will hold a blood drive on Friday,
Feb. 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at East Jackson Comprehensive
High School, Commerce.
Those who are 17 years or older (or 16 with parental consent) and
weigh at least 110 pounds may donate. Visit www.givelife.org.
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