On a recent trip to City Hall, 80 students from the Lakeview Academy Student Ambassador Program had the opportunity to learn more about how local government operates. The LVA Ambassador program was created last year by Art Teacher Joel Respess as a way of encouraging those students who demonstrate exceptional leadership and responsibility. "Our Ambassadors, who are our school role models, had an educational experience that heightened their skills and sense of responsibility as a role model," said Respess.
The students were greeted by Milledgeville City Manager Hank Griffeth (pictured above), who welcomed them to City Hall and gave them a brief overview of the history and function of the building. He explained that City Hall is the center of local government, where decisions are made that affect the community. Students also got to meet Mayor Mary Parham-Coplan, who answered questions about her job as well other aspects of local city government.
Next, the students were taken on a tour of the building, where they had the opportunity to see different departments in action. They visited the City Clerk's office, where they learned about the role of the Clerk in maintaining official records and issuing licenses and permits. They also visited the Planning and Zoning department, where they saw how the city ensures that new buildings and developments are safe and meet local regulations.
One of the highlights of the tour was a visit to the City Council chambers, where the students got to sit in the council members' seats and learn about the role of the council in making laws and policies for the city.
"The afternoon guest speaker (Craig Portwood, GMC), demonstrated a brand of leadership to our Ambassadors that is calm, cool, collected, and centered on listening, gratitude, careful and thoughtful deliberation and listening to all constituents and people," said Respess.
Overall, the trip to City Hall was a valuable learning experience for the fifth graders at Lakeview Academy. They were able to see firsthand how local government operates and how it affects their own community. It was a great opportunity for them to learn more about their city and the people who work to make it a better place to live.
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