Take the Natural Path to Health & Wellness

looking forward to the electrical wiring competition this January in Jackson and some other CDE opportunities.”

CDE stands for “Career Development Event.” And, according to Pollard, the Career Academy’s FFA leader, such hands-on events, competitions and learning experiences are exactly what makes his program stand out.

“CDEs, those are the kinds of things that, when a kid really gets involved it can become a true career for them or at least a strong hobby,” Pollard said.

All three Newton County high schools, Alcovy, Eastside and Newton, have FFA programs. So does Indian Creek Middle School. But the Career Academy’s program, along with Eastside’s stand out nationally.

“In the national contests, they recognize certain chapters and the programs at the Career Academy and at Eastside are among the top 1% in the nation among agricultural education programs,” Pollard said.

But that isn’t his favorite metric to use when measuring his program’s impact and effectiveness.

“One of the testaments I always look at is at the end of the school year, when I get almost 40 requests every year for people wanting our kids to come and fill job vacancies,” Pollard said.

“When they keep coming back to us and they keep wanting our kids, that’s a credit to the kids. “I’m pretty proud of our agricultural education program. I feel like it’s an exceptional program which means we’ve got exceptional kids in it.”

One thing that kept Macey Jordan, 17, coming back was the program’s penchant for getting her to stretch beyond her comfort zones.

“One CDE I competed in in the past was bee keeping,” Jordan said. “And, well, the truth is, normally when I see a bee, I run in the other direction. So doing this was definitely a new experience. Stepping outside of my comfort zone is one of the greatest things I’ve accomplished in this program.”

The program also offers Leadership Development Events (LDEs), and Jordan is excited about using those to expose her to another skill.

“The one I’m really looking forward to is public speaking,” Jordan said. “It teaches you networking and communication skills which are all things I’ll need for my career. I just enjoy every part of it.”

Warner White, the Career Academy chapter’s Vice President, has been enjoying agricultural education so much that he’s been coming back to it since the eighth grade.

“But the past two years, I’ve really gotten involved,” White said. “Now I’m into wildlife management, metal fabrication, animal science, just so many things. It’s my senior year, so I’m really wanting to have fun in Ag.”

White says the program has made such an impact on him that he’s considering following in Pollard’s footsteps.

“I wanted to do Ag education,” he said. “I want to be an AG teacher, but I’m not sure if I want to do the college part.”

White’s statement drew a hearty laugh from the audience. But the imprint that agricultural education and, namely, the Career Academy’s FFA program has had on these four, plus dozens of other students, is a serious matter.

“Especially the teachers, they’ve made me think,” White said. “Like, before, I was just saying that this summer, I’m gonna graduate school and join the union and work for the rest of my life. But now, after volunteering for Ag academy, (veterinarian) camp and wildlife camp, it’s opened my eyes to make me say that, yeah, maybe I do want to work with kids and teach them and help open their eyes to a whole other side of agricultural education.”

And even for those who don’t want to make a career out of it, Bailey says there are still many ways getting involved in agricultural education can benefit a person.

“Even if it doesn’t change your career path, because it’s not for everyone, there are still so many opportunities and things to do through it that can help you impact your community,” she said.

For Pollard, hearing the testimonies of his students only makes him want to go harder and build - ing the best possible agricultural education programs possible in Newton County.

“It’s energizing to hear these things from our kids,” Pollard said.

“It goes without saying that the last couple of years have been pretty tough with everything going on. But now that things are starting to come back to normal a bit, these kids are hungry. And to put together a quality program, and see they’re just latching on to it, it makes you want to do even more.”

Mayor: W. Gregg Ellwanger

Council Members: Rob Bratton, Tom Krieger, Cain Williamson & Denise Spitler

Come and Visit:

Newborn Town Park right next to Town Hall

Historic Newborn Schoolhouse & Community Center

Jeanette Adams Zeigler Library

Yearly Events:

Arbor Day, Horneyhead Fishing Tournament http://www.newbornga.com

Our contractor customers appreciate that we recognize they need to be profitable, just like we do. We are absolutely dedicated to assisting them achieve profitability by renting equipment that is clean, reliable, and best for the job at hand.

Homeowners and DIY folks appreciate that we know our stuff; we can match the most inexperienced customer with the perfect tool to accomplish their goal. No one leaves our store without a tutorial about the equipment they are renting.

By Tom Spigolon tspigolon@covnews.com

Mayor Steve Horton says he hopes the city of Covington keeps emphasizing its “Southern charm” and other qualities that make it unique among Georgia cities after he leaves office at the end of this year.

“We need to make sure we keep Covington an attractive place,” he said.

And he said some other cities in Newton County are also unique — giving the entire county a distinctive flare few others in Georgia can boast.

Oxford is a college town that is the current site of a campus of Emory University and the original 1820s location of its main campus before it moved to Atlanta. Porterdale, meanwhile, is one of the best-preserved Southern mill villages around.

“I want them to hold dear to that nostalgic, Southern charm,” Horton said. “I think it’s fast fading in our nation.” posed him to the various groups of residents in Covington “in the best and worst of times” in their lives.

Horton, 67, recently announced he will not seek a second term in this year’s election, ending a total of 38 years as a city staff member and as an elected official.

He is a Newton County native who began work with the city government in 1978 and worked his way up through the ranks before retiring in 2012.

After beginning his career with the city in February 1978 as a patrol officer in the police department, he was promoted to both sergeant and lieutenant.

After a total of 38 years as an elected official and city staff member, Steve Horton announced that he will not seek a second term in this year’s election.

In 1988, he transferred to the electric department to work as a line worker until December 1993 when he was promoted and became the city of Covington’s first Safety/Risk Manager. In June 1996, Horton was named interim police chief and was made permanent chief in September 1996.

Horton led the Covington Police Department when it provided daily assistance with security for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and was in charge of providing security for that portion of the Olympic Torch Run that came through Covington and the associated downtown festival.

The following year, Horton was appointed as the public works director for the city and worked closely with former city manager Frank Turner Sr. — whom Horton replaced upon Turner’s retirement in 2005.

Horton then served as city manager from late 2005 to 2012.

The job was a valuable learning experience for him because it ex -

While serving as city manager, the city of Covington received an award for planning funds after being named a recipient of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Livable Centers Initiative Program. Covington also was named one of only three cities in the country to have four departments as nationally accredited agencies while Horton was city manager.

Then, after seven years of retirement — a “happy” time for him — he received an “outpouring” of people wanting him to seek the office of mayor. Horton ran in the 2019 election and defeated incumbent Ronnie Johnston and Eric Threets.

The skills he developed over the decades working in various city departments helped guide him as he led city council meetings during his term as mayor, Horton said.

He said the city has grown in population over the decades in part because of people looking for “what’s lost.”

Horton noted the downtown area in the 1990s and early 2000s was a shadow of what it is today — a bustling area filled with retailers and restaurants.

He said he recalled the meetings he attended in which making a “concerted effort” to use Covington’s “nostalgic charm” to attract business and tourism was a main topic.

The film industry eventually helped make the area more attractive to tourists. As a result, almost 100,000 people visited the city’s welcome center last year, he said.

“Sometimes you just be yourself,” he said.

The Rotary Club of Covington serves Newton County through its Empty Stocking Fund, Top 10 students and Camp Sunshine projects, along with nationwide and international contributions.

The club, formed in 1939, meets for lunch, an informative program and networking every Tuesday at noon at the Covington First United Methodist Church. Visit www.rotarycovington.org for more information about your club.