The Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) Civic Affairs Foundation has received a $15,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation in order to expand the Georgia Civic Awareness Program for Students (GCAPS) to an additional four Georgia counties. GCAPS was developed by ACCG staff and county officials to address the need for increased civic involvement and awareness among today’s youth.
“GCAPS is designed to teach high school kids about county government and get them involved in their communities,” said ACCG Executive Director Ross King. “We are extremely pleased that the Verizon Foundation recognized the value of this program and has invested in its future.”
The program was created in 2006. To date, two pilot counties have implemented GCAPS. The program strives to teach high schools students about the programs and services provided by county government as well as how government works through a variety of hands-on experiences and decision making scenarios. Students attend board of commission meetings, tour county facilities, interact with department heads and even visit the State Capitol. They also receive training in leadership development and teamwork. As part of the program, students are encouraged to create civic engagement projects in their community.
“Verizon is committed to ensuring students from across Georgia have access to an excellent education which will prepare them for the 21st century global economy. Programs like GCAPS provide students the opportunity to develop skills that enhance their success. We’re thrilled to support ACCG’s civic awareness education programs,” said Julie Smith, vice president of external affairs, southeast, Verizon.
The four new sites will be announced in April 2012 at the ACCG Annual Conference in Savannah, Georgia.
Pictured: Ross King (ACCG Executive Director), Julie Smith (VP of External Affairs, Southeast, Verizon), Robert Davis (Regional Director State Gov Affairs, Verizon), Kathleen Bowen (ACCG External Relations Director), Jeff Christie (ACCG-UGA Cooperative Extension) and Sheli Siebert (ACCG Civic Affairs Foundation Director)
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The Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) provides leadership enhancement, cost-efficient services and public policy development and advocacy on behalf of Georgia’s county officials and their local communities. For more information on ACCG, go to www.accg.org.
The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon, uses its technology, financial resources and partnerships to address critical social issues, with a focus on education and domestic violence prevention. In 2010, the foundation awarded nearly $67 million to nonprofit agencies in the U.S. and abroad. Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation’s largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered nearly 6 million hours of community service since 2000. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizonfoundation.org.
