The City of LaGrange Youth Council will be the host of the Georgia Municipal Association’s 2023 Youth Symposium at LaGrange’s Great Wolf Lodge October 13-15. This event will bring youth councils from across the state of Georgia to LaGrange.
The young leaders will have the opportunity to meet and learn from young professionals, connect and network with other youth councils, and share their youth council accomplishments.
“It’s an amazing opportunity for our students to interact with other youth councils from across the state,” said LaGrange Youth Council Advisor Adam Speas. “We’ve been working hard to put together an enjoyable and educational event with the help of GMA and local sponsors. Each year, we try to make LaGrange Youth Council a little bit better, and with events like the GMA Youth Symposium here in town, we’re going to have the best year yet.”
“I’m excited about the youth symposium being in LaGrange because I think it’s a great opportunity for youth councils across Georgia to experience LaGrange and all that it has to offer,” said LaGrange Youth Council Secretary Charlsie Reed. “I love getting to meet new people and these events are a great way to meet people my age who also want to learn about leadership. I can’t wait.”
The youth council members will also participate in leadership workshops and gain practical skills through simulations and teamwork.
“LaGrange was chosen as the host for this year’s symposium due to their longstanding involvement in GMA’s youth programs and their enthusiastic engagement over the years. They expressed a keen interest in hosting this year’s event and demonstrated their readiness by meeting all the necessary hosting requirements,” said GMA Member Services Consultant Artiffany Stanley. “Their youth program is top notch and we are confident they will deliver an exceptional program for this event. LaGrange has organized an impressive lineup of speakers, and I am looking forward to witnessing how the speakers ignite inspiration and motivation in Georgia’s youth as they embark on their leadership journeys.”
The presenters for the Youth Symposium include:
Mayor Willie T. Edmondson, City of LaGrange
Jim Thornton, Director of Governmental Relations, Georgia Municipal Association
Dr. April Armstead, Workforce Development and Youth Apprenticeship Coordinator, THINC Academy
Marco Brown, People Operations Manager, Human Resources, KIA Georgia, Inc
Jeff Lukken, LaGrange College Assistant Professor of Political Science; Director of Wilkinson Family Servant Scholars Program
Zoie Mitchell, Student at Mercer College and former Chair of the LaGrange Youth Council
Adam Speas, Creative Director at the City of LaGrange
Jeremy Andrews, Procurement Officer at the City of LaGrange
Jessica Jarvholm, Director at Piney Woods Farm
Quay Boddie, LaGrange City Councilman and Motivational Speaker
Kristina Moore, Registered Yoga Teacher
Alexandra Campos Castillo, Program Manager for Georgia City Solutions
Sponsors for the Youth Symposium include Great Wolf Lodge, Visit LaGrange, Local Groundz, Kia Georgia, LaGrange Grocery Company, Edelson’s Army Store, Kersey Dental, City of LaGrange, Georgia Municipal Association, and the Georgia City Solutions.
About LaGrange Youth Council: The LaGrange Youth Council is an advisory board composed of local youth that provides advice and counsel to the local governing body. The Youth Council gives local youth a more formal role in the local decision-making process offering real-world experiences with elected bodies. Twenty-four junior and senior high school students serve on the LaGrange Youth Council.
About the Georgia Municipal Association: Based in Atlanta, GMA is a voluntary, non-profit organization that provides legislative advocacy, educational, employee benefit, and consulting services to all of Georgia’s 537 cities. GMA anticipates and influences the forces shaping Georgia’s cities and provides leadership, tools, and services that assist municipal governments in becoming more innovative, effective, and responsive. Created in 1933, the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) is the only state organization that represents municipal governments in Georgia. For more information, visit www.gacities.com.
Media Contact: Katie Mercer Van Schoor, (706) 883-2055 or [email protected].
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