OCCHS students attend Volunteer Girls, Boys State Posted: Wednesday, June 3, 2009 9:04 pm
As they look forward to completing their academic careers as rising seniors at Obion County Central High School in Troy, five students have had the opportunity to broaden their education with a hands-on experience in state and local government.
Chelsea Boyd, daughter of Brad and Cindy Boyd of Union City; Susan Douglas, daughter of Charles and Vicki Douglas of Hornbeak; Liesel Grossner, daughter of Linda Bradberry of Troy and Fred Grossner of Martin; Martin Reyna, son of Rosa Reyna; and Travis Daniel, son of Tony and Pam Daniel of the Pleasant Hill community, spent last week at Volunteer Girls State on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro and at Boys State at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville.
Their alternates included Allison Cheryl Cary, daughter of Mike and Cheryl Cary of Union City; Jerrie Carrington, daughter of Wade and Lisa Carrington of Woodland Mills; Kelsey Reed, daughter of Phillip and Janet Reed of the Dixie community; Cory Luther, son of Mark and Linda Luther of Troy; and Clint Tibbs, son of Carl and Teresa Tibbs of Troy.
American Legion Boys State has been a program of the American Legion since 1935 when it was organized to counter the Fascist-inspired Young Pioneer Camps. The program was the idea of two Illinois Legionnaires, Hayes Kennedy and Harold Card, who organized the first American Legion Boys State at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. The American Legion Auxiliary sponsors a similar program for young women called Girls State, which has been operating in Tennessee since 1947.
At these events, participants are exposed to the rights and privileges, the duties and the responsibilities of franchised citizens. The training is objective and practical with city, county and state governments operated by the students elected to the various offices. Activities include legislative sessions, court proceedings, law enforcement presentations, assemblies, bands, chorus and recreational programs, according to a Web site for the annual project.
Miss Boyd is a Top Ten academic standout with a grade point average of 4.0. She is a member of Beta Club, Key Club, Foreign Language Club (which she served as president), Health Occupation Students of America (the newly-elected president) and National Honor Society. She has received honors in English I and III and has been named a Sophomore Class Favorite. She has also been a Kiwanis Club Student of the Month and has competed in the math and Spanish competitions at the University of Tennessee at Martin and in the Spanish Fair at Dyersburg State Community College. She also took part in the regional HOSA competition at UTM, competing in Epidemiology, placing second and earning a trip to the state competition, where she emerged in third place. She will compete this summer in Nashville at the national level.
She has received the Academic Award for cheerleading and has been a UCA All-Star.
Later this summer, she will be taking part in the Rotary Club short-term foreign exchange program and will spend a month in the Netherlands.
She attends Woodland Mills First Baptist Church and is a member of the youth group. She has participated in Chimes for Charity and in “Buckets of Fun” for children at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, as well as in Operation Christmas Child. She also visits residents at Magnolia Place assisted living in Union City and has been part of mission teams that have worked in Nashville and Seminole, Okla.
Miss Douglas is a Tennessee Scholar and a part of the Challenge program at OCCHS. She is also a member of Beta Club, Key Club and HOSA and is a member of the yearbook staff. She is a cheerleader.
Miss Grossner is a member of the OCCHS varsity softball team, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Christian Students Association, FFA, 4-H Club, Key Club, Beta Club, National Honor Society and FLC. She is ranked second in her class with a 4.0 GPA and will be attending the Governor’s School for Scientific Data and Model Analysis at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City this summer.
She is an active member of Troy First Baptist Church and has taken part in several community service projects including Operation Christmas Child, Chimes for Charity, Reelfoot Rural Ministries’ canned food drives and the St. Jude “Buckets for Fun” event. She also assisted with laying sod on the OCCHS campus and is employed at Suedell’s in downtown Union City.
Reyna is a member of the OCCHS baseball team and also runs cross county. He is a member of FCA and has donated his time and energy to helping area residents with home roofing projects. He has received the Criminal Justice Award and plans to major in criminal justice in the future.
Daniel is a member of the OCCHS basketball and cross country teams and is also a member of Beta Club and National Honor Society. He is also on the leadership team in FCA and is active in his youth group and the men’s ministry at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church.
Miss Cary is in the Top Ten of her class and is a member of FCA, Pep Club, Future Teachers of America, HOSA, Beta Club, CSA, FLC and choir. She was junior class secretary on the Student Council.
She has received the English III Award and was named a Kiwanis Club Student of the Month.
She devotes volunteer hours to such projects as Chimes for Charity, Operation Christmas Child, Hometown Walk of Hope and Sharefest and is employed at Etheridge House in Union City. She is a member of Troy First Baptist Church.
Miss Carrington has been a Top Ten student the past two years and is a member of Beta Club, FLC, HOSA, Key Club and National Honor Society. She has also been a cheerleader and a participant in the Obion County Youth Leadership program. A member of the 4-H Club and Junior Livestock Association, she has participated in the junior livestock show and sale for eight years and also takes part in the Obion County Fair Youth Musical production.
She attends Crosswind Church and is an active member of the youth program. She plans to attend UTM and major in math or biology.
Miss Reed is also a Top Ten standout and is a member of National Honor Society, HOSA, FLC, Beta Club and Key Club. She is a cheerleader and has received the Best All-Around Cheerleader Award. She, too, has been part of the Obion County Fair Youth Musical program and was named football homecoming maid and a Junior Class Favorite.
She is a member of the yearbook staff and will serve as editor this year. She is also a Kiwanis Club Student of the Month.
Luther was president of his class this year and is a Top Ten student. He is a member of National Honor Society, Beta Club, Pep Club, FFA, the annual staff and the OCCHS marching band. He attends Mount Ararat Cumberland Presbyterian Church near Troy and is active in the youth group there. He enjoys hunting and riding four wheelers and outdoor activities.
Tibbs is a member of Skills USA, a part of the OCCHS criminal justice class, and is a member of Mount Ararat Cumberland Presbyterian Church, taking part in mission opportunities there.
Published in The Messenger 6.3.09 , |
