Macon-Bibb County Government Georgia Civic Awareness Program for Students

GCAPS NEWS

In This Issue

What’s Happening

Pledge of Allegiance

Youth Leadership

Summit

Community Service

GCAPS Sessions

Perfect Attendance

Feature in ACCG “Georgia County Government” (Winter 2014)

Connecting with Government...

Our GCAPS is featured in the Winter 2014 edition of “Georgia County Government,” the quarterly periodical of the As-

sociation County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG). According to Kathleen Bowen, ACCG External Relations Director,

“Macon-Bibb County has grown tremendously over the past two years and now serves as a model, along with Oconee and

Rockdale counties, for those who want to implement GCAPS in their own county.” This is notable considering ACCG provid-

ed the initial grant to start GCAPS in our area three years ago.

The full article may be accessed online at:

www.nxtbook.com/naylor/ACGQ/ACGQ0414/

index.php#/0

Macon-Bibb County Government Georgia Civic Awareness Program for Students (GCAPS) Newsletter | JANUARY 2015

“I like the dreams of

the future better than

the history of the

past.”

- Thomas Jefferson

Macon-Bibb County GCAPS | 2 | January 2015

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

6:00 p.m. Macon-Bibb County Commission Meeting at Government Center (700 Poplar Street)

Pledge of Allegiance: Grace Nguyen (Central High) & Malik Thomas (Howard High)

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

4:00 p.m. GCAPS Session #5 at the Thomas Jackson Juvenile Justice Center

560 Oglethorpe Street, Macon, Georgia 31201

Special Guests: Honorable Chief Judge Thomas J. Matthews &

Honorable Judge Quintress J. Gilbert

Leadership Assignment: “Doing the Right Thing” ELp56 & “He Says, She Says” ELp62

Show your GCAPS Identification Badge for Access to the Juvenile Justice Center

Dress: Business Casual

Monday, January 19, 2015

7:00 a.m. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Breakfast

St. Peter Claver Church Gym; 133 Ward Street; Macon, GA (478) 743-3985

Dress: White Blouse/Shirt; Black Skirt/Pants

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

6:00 p.m. Macon-Bibb County Commission Meeting at Government Center (700 Poplar Street)

Pledge of Allegiance: TBD

Macon-Bibb County GCAPS (Georgia Civic Awareness Program for Students)

Macon-Bibb County GCAPS | 3 | January 2015

Monday, January 26, 2015

6:00 a.m. Georgia Municipal Association Mayors' Day Conference (Atlanta Hilton Hotel)

Capitol Connection: Legislative Networking Breakfast & More

Special Guests: Georgia Governor, Lieutenant Governor & Speaker of the House

Georgia House and Senate Members

Sponsors: Georgia Municipal Association & Representative Nikki Randall

Dress: Professional (Jacket/Tie for Men; Dresses for Ladies)

Friday, January 30, 2015

5:00 p.m. 2nd Annual Macon-Bibb County Follies

Historic Douglass Theatre; 355 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.; Macon, GA 31201

This is our fundraising element and has a mandatory participation and attendance.

Dress: All Black

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

7:30 a.m. GCAPS Day at the Georgia State Capital

Georgia State Capitol; 206 Washington Street Southwest, Atlanta, GA 30334

This event is the highlight of our GCAPS Year and has a mandatory attendance.

Dress: Professional (Jacket/Tie for Men; Dresses for Ladies)

Tuesday, February 21, 2015

6:00 p.m. “Letter From the Birmingham Jail” (Beulahland Bible Church; 1010 Newberg Ave)

Center for Strings Founder Robert McDuffie welcomes Anna Deavere Smith,

actress and playwright, in a moving program of words and music.

Dress: All Black

Macon-Bibb County GCAPS (Georgia Civic Awareness Program for Students)

Macon-Bibb County GCAPS | 4 | January 2015

“Patriotism is

not a short and

frenzied outburst

of emotion but

the tranquil and

steady dedica-

tion of a life-

time.” Adlai Stevenson

Special thanks to GCAPS

for leading the Pledge of

Allegiance at the Commis-

sion Meetings.

Caroline Anderson &

Marquis Chester (October 7, 2014)

Hitanshi Mehta &

Khabir Dawkins (October 21, 2014)

Faith Engle & Deep Patel (November 4, 2014)

Ta'lareah Howard &

Robert (Brandon) Wright (November 18, 2014)

Kennedy McDuffie &

Chase McCard (December 9, 2014)

Cecilia Fuentes &

Anthony Haugabrook(December 16, 2014)

www.maconbibb.tv

October 7, 2014 November 4, 2014

November 18, 2014 December 9, 2014 December 16, 2014

Macon-Bibb County GCAPS | 5 | January 2015

Students from Macon and

Savannah met October 7-8,

2014 for the Macon-Bibb &

Chatham County Youth Lead-

ership Summit. The Savan-

nah delegation made up of ten

students toured Macon with

GCAPS. Afterwards, they had

lunch at the Fish N' Pig on

Lake Tobesofkee, where they

arrived by boat. The students

discussed what it takes to

become a leader, how government works and various issues

teenagers are facing.

“The purpose is to prepare our youth leadership and to

expose them to all the opportunities that we have inside of our

government. We hope to give them a better perspective of

how we put policy in place and how we administrator policy,”

said the Asst. Macon-Bibb County Manager, Charles Coney.

The Savannah delegation, known as the Chatham Coun-

ty Youth Commission, along with the Macon-Bibb County

GCAPS group, dined with Macon-Bibb County Commission-

ers Gary Bechtel, Bert Bivins, Elaine Lucas, Al Tillman, and

Virgil Watkins. Georgia State Senator David Lucas also at-

tended the luncheon.

Welcome Dinner hosted by Mayor Reichert (October 7, 2014)

Lake Tobesofkee Pontoon Ride (October 8, 2014)

Taking the Pledge at the MBCC Youth Leadership Summit (October 7, 2014)

Savannah's Mayor Pro-Tem, Van Johnson says he want-

ed to see for himself how things were going with the new

GCAPS group, which modeled themselves after the Chatham

County Youth Commission. “There are such great things hap-

pening in Macon-Bibb County that we had to come here and

support our friends and our sister county as they step to the

next level through in terms of promoting youth engagement

and youth empowerment,” says Johnson.

Winter Forest High school senior, 17-year-old Keona

Payne says their youth commission started in 1992. “We've

been sharing some of our ideas with GCAPS,” says Payne.

“We've just been helping them to try and develop. We're here

to learn from each other.” Payne says one of the topics of

discussion among the groups was raising the age limit to 21 to

go inside bars. “We've been trying to come up with a solution

to that question,” she added.

GCAPS member Ananeisha Walker, 17, says she was

intrigued by the Savannah teenagers helping with HIV testing

and how they worked with a domestic violence awareness

campaign. “We're going over different qualities of leadership,

so we can learn from them and they can learn from us.”

More than 100 Bibb County high school students applied

to GCAPS, 33 were selected, according to Coney.

Excerpted article from

“Macon and Savannah Teen Summit ...”

Coverage by Elaine Rackley, Channel 41 NBC News

www.41nbc.com/story/d/story/macon-and-savannah-teen-summit-on-

issues-concernin/93341/fPu-lRwdMEG8gL8IrRGWiA

Macon-Bibb County GCAPS | 6 | January 2015

“Without com-munity service, we would not have a strong quality of life. It’s important to the person who serves as well as the recipient. It’s the way in which we our-selves grow and

develop.”

Dorothy Height

What Service Means to Me...

“If every American donated five hours a week, it would equal the labor of twenty million

full-time volunteers,” says Whoopi Goldberg. I think it is possible for most people to donate

five hours of their time to perform a service that will be beneficial to others. How many hours

of television do you watch each week? If two or three movies are watched, that is about the

five hours of time that could be spent bettering the lives of others. Picking up trash off the

highway or park, mowing lawn for the elderly, or helping third world communities are just a

few of the ways to offer your help. Service can mean many things, but to me it means helping

someone perform a task they can’t complete themselves, sacrificing your time, and assisting

the less fortunate. Everyone has something to give and performing any service is one way to

offer what you have.

Our GCAPS Program is committed to generating a force of ethical young leaders dedi-

cated to changing human conditions through committed civic engagement. We sustain path-

ways into leadership for students to look beyond themselves and to help others. Our pro-

grams provide interactive, hands-on experiences in which students commit both time and

energy. GCAPS members play off each other’s strengths and weaknesses as they develop

strategies for implementing what matters in our community. We believe strong youth leader-

ship is a sound investment in the future of Macon-Bibb County.

Macon-Bibb Animal Welfare “Pet-A-Truck” (November 15, 2014)

Atop Fire Engine #33 in the Christmas Parade(December 7, 2014)

Macon-Bibb Commission Holiday Reception (December 16, 2014)

Macon-Bibb County GCAPS | 7 | January 2015

GCAPS Learning Sessions...

Engaging in meaningful community leadership requires that our youth understand their

community and its needs as they truly exist. This includes the resources and assets that al-

ready exist in Macon-Bibb County. GCAPS members are introduced to government depart-

ments and agencies through our monthly Learning Sessions. Hosts focus on developing stu-

dents’ connection to the community. These interactive trainings introduce youth to the con-

cepts and steps involved in servicing our community and leading our government. GCAPS

members engage in small and large group conversations and experience a variety of activi-

ties preparing them for their role as civic-minded students and future community leaders.

“America is providing the kind of leader-ship that the world respects and the world has come to un-derstand; that is what America

stands for.”

Saxby Chambliss

GCAPS Session #2 Emergency Management Led by Don Druitt, EMA Director (October 14, 2014)

GCAPS Session #3 Law Enforcement Center hosted by Sheriff David Davis (November 12, 2014)

GCAPS Session #4 Fire Prevention hosted by Chief Marvin Riggins (December 9, 2014)

Macon-Bibb County GCAPS | 8 | January 2015

The Importance of Attendance Perfect Attendance is important for many reasons. First, it teaches the signifi-

cance of seeing something through. Getting to GCAPS each day on time is a skill

that easily translates to the workforce and beyond. Of course, it's important not to

miss sessions, but appreciating that concept can be difficult. One angle that is

easier to take is that while working on group projects, staying home doesn't just

affect you, but the whole group. Whether in the planning stages or making a group

presentation, the absence of one student will affect the whole group negatively.

It’s especially important for as a GCAPS member to be present because others

are relying on you. Dependability and responsibility are traits that effect us our

entire lives.

For those wishing to make up your absence, we are asking that you complete

the assignments in your resource, “Everyday Leadership.” For “excused absence

credit,” a copy of the work should be sent before January 16, 2015 to:

Kevin Barrere, Program Manager

Macon-Bibb County

700 Poplar Street

Macon, GA 31202-0247

Fax: (478) 751-7931

kbarrere@maconbibb.us

Excerpt from the GCAPS Orientation Manual

“Honor Code” (page 4)

Congratulations on GCAPS Learning Session Perfect Attendance (thru 12/31/2014)

DEMERITS INFRACTION

5 Late for Meetings (>10

minutes)

10 Unexcused Absence

20 Failure to complete assign-

ments/projects

Cecilia Fuentes (Senior at Howard High School)

Marquis Chester (Senior at Howard High School)

Zeleria Jackson (Junior at Mount de Sales Academy)

Kennedy McDuffie (Sophomore at Mount de Sales Academy)

Michaela Woody (Senior at Central High School)

Alexis O’Dette (Junior at Hutchings College & Career Academy)

Sherrod Hollingshed (Senior at Rutland High School)

Macon-Bibb County GCAPS | 9 | January 2015

Each March,

Macon becomes

a pink, cotton-

spun paradise as

over 300,000

Yoshino cherry trees bloom in all

their glory. For ten days, festival-

lovers are treated to one of the

most extravagant displays of

springtime color in the nation as

they visit the town referred to by

Congressional Records as the

Cherry Blossom Capital of the

World.

The Cherry Blossom Festival

works to enhance the quality of

life, community fellowship, and

civic pride through the encourage-

ment, development, and coordina-

tion of selected recreational, cul-

tural, and social activities. A sec-

ondary purpose of the Festival is

to share our quality of life, com-

munity fellowship, and civic pride

with visitors attracted by the activi-

ties of the Festival. This year’s

overall theme is “Love, Beauty,

and International Friendship.”

We are planning a day when

GCAPS and Youth Commissions

across the state will come to Ma-

con and together experience the

2015 Cherry Blossom Festival.

Stay tuned for more details.

GMA Mayors’ Day & GCAPS Day at the Capital / Cherry Blossom Day / Youth Leader

GMA Mayors’ Day In January, the Georgia Municipal Associ-

ation will host the 2015 Mayors’ Day Confer-

ence in Atlanta. City officials and attendees

will have the opportunity to hear directly from

our 2015 state leaders.

“GMA is excited to have those represent-

ing our state come before our membership

and share their thoughts on governing during Mayors’ Day,” said GMA Executive

Director Lamar Norton.

Georgia House and Senate members are invited to the "Capitol Connection:

Legislative Networking Breakfast" on Monday, January 26, 2015, which is sched-

uled to feature the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House

sharing their perspectives on the 2015 legislative session. For those GCAPS

members attending, the day will continue with Representative Nikki Randall.

GCAPS will depart early morning at 6:00 a.m. from Macon. We will work with

your school leader for an excused absence. ONLY TEN PERSONS WILL BE

ALLOWED TO ATTEND. So, please RSVP early via GroupSpaces on or before

Friday, January 2, 2015 if you would like to attend.

GCAPS Day at the Capital The highlight of our GCAPS 2014-2015 Cohort Year will be journeying to At-

lanta for GCAPS Day at the Capital on Tuesday, February 17, 2015 . We will

meet GCAPS groups across the state as well as take our official photograph with

Governor Nathan Deal.

We will leave early to take advantage of a full day's

agenda. This event is the highlight of our GCAPS Year and

has a mandatory attendance. Your early reply will allow us

to appropriately plan the day's agenda as well as secure an

excused absence from your school leader. So, please

RSVP early via GroupSpaces on or before Friday, January

9, 2015 if you would like to attend.

Macon-Bibb County GCAPS | 10 | January 2015

Job Shadow Day

The purpose of the Groundhog Job Shadow Day is to allow students to spend

a day with a Macon-Bibb County Department Head to see various career paths

firsthand. Students are able to watch, listen, and learn about a “day in the life of a

professional”, comprehend how a major translates into a career, gain insight into

various career pathways within an industry, and learn more about specific compa-

nies and career opportunities. In addition, participants will have an opportunity to

learn ways to develop job readiness skills, such as people management and pub-

lic speaking, as well as learn the importance of soft skills (i.e. communication,

team work, time management, ethical behavior, etc.) to name a few. Macon-

Bibb's Annual Groundhog Job Shadow Day will take place on Monday, February

2, 2015 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (depending on the department).

Benefits of Participating in a Job Shadow

Discover career opportunities through observation and discussion with profes-

sionals

Understand the relationship between what you learn in class and a career

Verify if this is something that you want to make a career out of

See first-hand all aspects of a job – characteristics, responsibilities, day-to-day

tasks

Learn what it takes to be successful in the field from professionals

Identify what one needs to learn to be a professional in this industry

Find out what employees do in the working world

Realize skills necessary to succeed in the workplace

See how academic courses and technology are incorporated into work

By participating in the program, Macon-Bibb County is demonstrating a com-

mitment to supporting and improving the community. Individual hosts benefit from

the satisfaction that comes with mentoring a young person and introducing him or

her to a new career. On the day of the event, students visit the worksite and

shadow professionals, observing and assisting them with their work. GCAPS

Counselors will work directly with students to prepare them for the experience.

The Macon-Bibb County Follies

is an unforgettable all-star lip sync

variety show featuring a cast of bold

and effervescent community leaders

from all over Bibb County! With a

goal of supporting our Youth Lead-

ership Initiative, the Macon-Bibb

County Follies is the premier fund

raising event of our Georgia Civic

Awareness Program for Students

(GCAPS).

The Follies will be held

at the Douglass Theatre on

Friday, January 30th, with a

Reception at 6:30 and the

Performance at 7:00

p.m. Tickets are $15 per

person.

For information, contact Com-

missioner & GCAPS Ambassador

Bert Bivins at (478) 751-7170.

Don't miss this joyful and irrev-

erent evening of entertainment as

Macon-Bibb County's finest per-

forming artists take to the stage for

this light-hearted and zany variety

show!

Monday, February 2, 2015: National Job Shadow Day (Ground Hog Day)

Friday, January 30, 2015

Macon-Bibb County GCAPS | 11 | January 2015

Georgia Civic Awareness Program for Students | 2014-2015 Program Year

Macon-Bibb County Government GCAPS

Anderson, Caroline Mount de Sales Academy (Junior)

GCAPS Partner: Nguyen, Grace

Brown, Jasmian Rutland High School (Senior)

GCAPS Partner: Engle, Faith

Chester, Marquis Howard High School (Senior)

GCAPS Partner: Hollingshed, Sherrod

Dawkins, Khabir Hutchings College & Career Academy (Junior)

GCAPS Partner: Roughen, Ian

Engle, Faith First Presbyterian Day School (Senior)

GCAPS Partner: Brown, Jasmian

Fluellen, Staci Southwest High School (Junior)

GCAPS Partner: White, Schuyler

Fuentes, Cecilia Howard High School (Senior)

GCAPS Partner: Sellers, Sarah

Hagins, Julian Hutchings College & Career Academy (Senior)

GCAPS Partner: McCard, Chase

Harris, Calvin Southwest High School (Senior)

GCAPS Partner: Wu, Alex

Haugabrook, Anthony Rutland High School (Junior)

GCAPS Partner: Raines, Tariq

& Wright, Robert

Hollingshed, Sherrod Rutland High School (Senior)

GCAPS Partner: Chester, Marquis

Howard, Jybreil Rutland High School (Junior)

GCAPS Partner: Patel, Deep

Howard, Ta'lareah Southwest High School (Sophomore)

GCAPS Partner: McDuffie, Kennedy

Jackson, Zeleria Mount de Sales Academy (Junior)

GCAPS Partner: Woody, Michaela

Martinez, Rosa Rutland High School (Junior)

GCAPS Partner: McDuffie, Kennedy

McCard, Chase Howard High School (Senior)

GCAPS Partner: Hagins, Julian

McDuffie, Kennedy Mount de Sales Academy (Sophomore)

GCAPS Partner: Howard, Ta'lareah

Mehta, Hitanshi Howard High School (Junior)

GCAPS Partner: O'Dette, Alexis

Nguyen, Grace Central High School (Junior)

GCAPS Partner: Anderson, Caroline

O'Dette, Alexis Hutchings College & Career Academy (Junior)

GCAPS Partner: Mehta, Hitanshi

Patel, Deep Stratford Academy (Sophomore)

GCAPS Partner: Howard, Jybreil

Raines, Tariq Howard High School (Junior)

GCAPS Partner: Haugabrook, Anthony

& Wright, Robert

Roughen, Ian Howard High School (Senior)

GCAPS Partner: Dawkins, Khabir

Sellers, Sarah Stratford Academy (Sophomore)

GCAPS Partner: Fuentes, Cecilia

Smith, Amelia Central High School (Junior)

GCAPS Partner: Martinez, Rosa

Thomas, Malik Howard High School (Junior)

GCAPS Partner: Thompson, Christopher

Thompson, Christopher Central High School (Senior)

GCAPS Partner: Thomas, Malik

Walker, Ananeisha Hutchings College & Career Academy (Senior)

GCAPS Partner: Woodford, Alexandra

White, Schuyler Central High School (Junior)

GCAPS Partner: Fluellen, Staci

Woodford, Alexandra Mount de Sales Academy (Junior)

GCAPS Partner: Walker, Ananeisha

Woody, Michaela Central High School (Senior)

GCAPS Partner: Jackson, Zeleria

Wright, Robert Mount de Sales Academy (Senior)

GCAPS Partners: Haugabrook, Anthony

& Raines, Tariq

Wu, Alex Howard High School (Junior)

GCAPS Partner: Harris, Calvin

Session #5: JJC - Jan 13 4p The mission of the Juvenile Court is to exercise jurisdiction over all

juveniles within the county who are alleged to be delinquent, unruly, traf-

fic offenders, or deprived children, as well as children who are subjects

of custody disputes.

The Juvenile Court of Bibb County is authorized by Chapter 11 and

Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia. Jurisdiction includes delinquen-

cy, unruliness, deprivation, traffic offenses, custody, and guardianship

cases, with the court always seeking the “best interests of the child.” In

all of these categories, except deprivation and unruliness, jurisdiction

ends at age 17. Juvenile Court’s jurisdiction over custody matters is sec-

ondary to Superior Court which handles all the custody matters in this

circuit. Bibb County Juvenile Court is part of the Macon Judicial Circuit,

which also covers Crawford and Peach counties. The court is served by

two full-time judges, The Honorable Quintress J. Gilbert, and The Honor-

able Thomas J. Matthews, who presides as Chief Judge.

www.maconbibb.us/juvenile-court

Georgia Civic Awareness Program for Students (GCAPS)

Macon-Bibb County

Georgia Civic Awareness Program for Students

700 Poplar Street

P. O. Box 247

Macon, GA 31202-0247

PLACE STAMP HERE

Contact Us

For more information about GCAPS:

Macon-Bibb County

700 Poplar Street

P. O. Box 247

Macon, GA 31202-0247

(478) 751-7170

gcaps@maconbibb.us

Visit us on the web at

www.maconbibb.us/gcaps

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/

MaconBibbCountyYouthCommission