by Teresa Boulware

Day Six of our Leadership Lumpkin County Class kicked off at 8:30 a.m. with a bus ride from the Lumpkin County High School parking lot. I know what you’re thinking. Riding a school bus to Atlanta does not sound like something you would actually want to sign up to do. But our trip was very enjoyable. Members of the Youth Leadership Council, members of the 4H Club, and their advisor Ian Cowie also boarded the bus with us for the trip. Upon departure, Mr. Cowie handed out a “get to know you” exercise for everyone. Our instructions were simple: Each student pair up with a LLC participant and get to know each other, or each other’s generation, a bit better. (Can you believe that some of the students had never heard of Herman’s Hermits?) Before we knew it, we had not only arrived at our State Capitol, but also had made new friends and learned some new information about the youth culture along the way.

     After arrival and a short walk to the Freight Depot, we were among hundreds of other people participating in the 7th Annual Leadership Day Activities. Groups included other leadership classes and members of 4-H clubs from all over Georgia. While we were enjoying lunch, we also enjoyed being entertained with singing by several very talented young men and women. After lunch, several inspirational speakers kept our attention with accounts of their personal life experiences. One of the notable leaders we were privileged to hear was U. S. Senator Johnny Issacson.

     After events wrapped up at the Freight Depot, it was over to the Capitol for a photo op on the ornate north staircase with State Senator Chip Pearson. We had time to observe Georgia legislators in session and to mill around before our tour got underway.

     Our tour began on the glass bricks in the Capitol Rotunda with a Georgia history refresher. Our guide reminded us of interesting details, including the fact that Atlanta was the fifth City to be designated as Georgia’s Capital and that portions of the ground floor directly below us once had served as stables for horses and carriages of state officials. Being a Dahlonega native, my favorite part of the tour was reading the names on a plaque dedicated to all the Dahlonega families that donated gold to gild the dome during its 1958 renovation. The 43 ounces of gold left Dahlonega on August 4, 1958, in a caravan of seven mule-drawn covered wagons and arrived at its destination August 6.

     After our tour, time remained to explore the third floor, visit the legislative assembly again, or simply relax outside under the beautiful sunny Georgia sky and talk with classmates. Before we knew it, the time had come to board the yellow school bus for the trip home. Vanessa, our wonderful bus driver, transported us safely back down Georgia 400 to Dahlonega–home sweet home. She did tell me later that we were much louder than the students that are on her normal bus route. Oh well, that’s us, the LLC Class of 2008, AKA “The greatest class ever”!