My Adventure with DeWayne and Grice Connect has been a very phenomenal experience if I say so the least.
I have been to many interesting places and met very interesting and important people that are a part of the Statesboro Community. I can say there was never a boring moment with Mr. DeWayne. Everyday there is a new adventure or what he says, “a new story to tell”.
On my first day I jumped straight into his world of being a reporter, experiencing maybe the most intense and nerve racking meeting I have ever been a part of, but I enjoyed the opportunity to just be there and soak up all the information they discussed.
But let me slow down here, I just jumped straight into the good stuff.
If you did not know, which most will not, I’m not famous or nothing, but my name is Ja’Kori Cope. I am 15 and a rising sophomore at SHS. I am on the SHS football team and have dreams of being an engineer. Over four weeks I will be under the Grices mentorship and guidance.
The program I am actually under is called Youth Connect where they take roughly 25-30 kids and look into some career choices they are interested or just wanna get to know a little more about. Then they place them into jobs with the city or local businesses that are willing to take in these young teens and show them a little about the career field they are interested in.
They don’t just let anyone in though, teens go through a competitive process where interviews are conducted and selections are based on the result of these interviews. Luckily I was one of those selected few, and I am highly grateful for that.
I will use this opportunity to learn and use important life skills and event skills that will further help me along the way in life.
Important people of our local community I have met my first week include:
- Billy Hickman, Georgia State Senator
- Roy Thompson, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners
- Anthony Simmons, Board of Commissioners (District 1 B)
- Ray Mosley, Board of Commissioners (District 1 A)
- Chad Wiggins, Synovus Market President and Chamber President
- Delores Groomes Dickey, COO, Brinson, Williams and Groomes Insurance and DSDA President
- Allen Muldrew, DSDA CEO
- Curt Deal, Board of Commissioners (District 2A)
Overall my first week has been amazing, meeting new people everyday, and continuously learning the importance of networking and reaching out to people. I look forward to the following journeys to come.