Mayor’s Youth Council Holds September Monthly Meeting

On Tuesday, September 17th, 2024, the Douglas Mayor's Youth Council conducted its monthly meeting for the month of September. Jr. Mayor Destiny Henderson led the meeting and acknowledged Jr. Commissioner Zipporiah Wilcox and Jr. Commissioner Nayeli Moran. The Youth Council spotlighted and recognized Maurice Wilcox as the outstanding Community Leader for September. Special guest speakers were Marni Smith and April Thomason, of the Coffee County Know Your Worth Collaborative.

Each month, the youth council highlights one or two of its current members to raise awareness of each member and their leadership potential, which is essential to the Youth Council. For the month of September, the council highlighted the Subcommittee Liaison/Junior Commissioner Zipporiah Wilcox and Junior Commissioner Nayeli Moran. Junior Commissioner Zipporiah Wilcox is the daughter of Johnny and Marie Wilcox. She is an 11th grader at Coffee High School, where she is a dedicated student leader, serving her second term on the Mayor's Youth Council. She is also a part of Teen Court where she serves as a Prosecuting Attorney. She actively participates in various clubs and serves as a Student Ambassador for the Chamber of Commerce and a Know Your Worth Ambassador. Junior Commissioner Nayeli Moran, is the daughter of Colton and Carina Moran. She serves as the Legal and Finance Committee Chairperson with the Youth Council. Nayeli is a high-achieving junior at Coffee High School. Nayeli excels in a rigorous academic course load and is a member of the National Honors Society. Currently employed with local attorney Jerome Adams, she continues to develop her passion for law and community service. With a strong desire to lead and make a difference, Nayeli is thrilled to serve on the Douglas Mayor's Youth Council, where she'll further develop her leadership skills and commitment to creating positive change in her community.

The Youth Council chose to highlight a special entrepreneur for the community spotlight. Johnny Wilcox is married to Marie Wilcox, and they have 3 beautiful children; Johnny, Jahnias, and Zipporiah. He serves as a minister at Hightower Memorial Temple, where he dedicates his life to fulfilling God's purpose under the guidance of his bishop. Johnny is a proud legacy carrier. After the passing of his father, Johnny Wilcox, he continued the beloved tradition of crafting chocolate-covered. Through his dedicated commitment, Mr. Johnny's Homemade Peanuts and Candy are now located in local downtown stores, such as Malcolm's Drug Store, and he honors his grandfather's memory by forging his own path as a multifaceted leader in his community.

The guest speakers for September were Marni Smith and April Thomason from the Coffee County Know Your Worth Collaborative. Marni is a 14-year Pre-K teacher at Ambrose Elementary, and April Thomason is the Executive Director of the Coffee County Family Connection/Know Your Worth Collaborative. Know Your Worth aims to raise awareness about suicide and other mental health issues among teens. Marni Smith shared the story of her daughter, whom she referred to as "Sweet Caroline," and who tragically took her own life due to teen depression. Following Mrs. Smith's emotional story, Thomason spoke more about the Know Your Worth collaborative. Know Your Worth was established in response to another student in the school system committing suicide less than 2 weeks after Caroline's death. These incidents highlighted the need for suicide awareness among teens and emphasized the importance for children, teens, and everyone to understand their worth and the impact they have on others' lives.

During the meeting, updates were provided about various mentoring programs in the community. Zorian Sutton, a member of Ambitious Young Men, informed the Youth Council about upcoming youth involvement activities within the program. AYM, FLY Girlz, and FLY Boyz will hold a Fall Festival on October 20th, 2024, 2 pm -7 pm, at the Farmer's Market located at 625 S. Gaskin Avenue. Tammy Wilkerson, the Director of GEMS Mentoring Program, reminded everyone about their next meeting on September 28, 2024. At this meeting, the group will be creating "Junk Socks." Ms. Dinitra Williams, DMYC Youth Coordinator, and Wynetta Bolder, City Clerk, shared DMYC updates and upcoming events with the Keep Douglas Beautiful Committee. Some discussion was held about the Georgia Reads literacy campaign and how the Youth Council can help create and volunteer at events to promote literacy in the community. Jr. Mayor Pro Tem Dominic Mimbang spoke briefly about Black History Month and the Black-Owned Business Expo. More discussion will be held next month for this project. Finally, the MYC concluded their September meeting with a group exercise where everyone wrote down something that they feel serves as a weight in their life.

For more details on the Youth Council or Teen Court program, please contact Dinitra Williams, Douglas Mayor's Youth Council & Teen Court Coordinator, at (912) 331-9398 or call the City Clerk's office at (912) 389-3405.