The Huntsville Item, Huntsville, TX

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September 10, 2010

County U to educate about inner-workings of government

By Matthew Jackson Staff Reporter

HUNTSVILLE — The Sam Houston State University Political Science Junior Fellows will offer its second annual County U program beginning Sept. 22.

The junior fellows are now accepting reservations for the free interactive program, designed to educate residents on the inner-workings of Walker County government.

The program will be held in five sessions, Wednesday evenings beginning Sept. 22 and concluding Oct. 20, from 6-8:15 p.m. each evening.

Each week will feature a different location and speaker, and will give participants the chance to interact with county officials and tour county facilities.

“This is a great opportunity for local citizens,” said Cameron Goodman, Junior Fellow and a past participant of the program.  “The tours and presentations are very informative and fun. Going into the program last year, I didn’t have a real grasp of the role and responsibilities of county government, but the program provided a quick and interactive learning experience.”

Speakers and events at the 2009 program included Walker County Judge Danny Pierce, Sheriff Clint McRae and District Attorney David Weeks, as well as tours of the county jail, the Commissioners Courtroom and the Gibbs-Powell Home.

“It’s extremely informative,” said Laura Hons, who moved to Walker County with her husband two years ago. “We enjoyed meeting all the officials and the other participants. Everything we did was wonderful, the camaraderie, the tours, learning about local government. It was great.”

The Political Science Junior Fellows are an SHSU student organization dedicated to public service, professional development and education. The group offers numerous public programs each year, including a Huntsville: Then and Now photography exhibit, a charity Democrats vs. Republicans football game and a citizenship course in partnership with the Huntsville Public Library.

Class size for County U is limited to 20 participants, and positions will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve a space in the program, contact Junior Fellows advisor Mike Yawn at (936) 294-1456 or mike.yawn@shsu.edu.











 

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