GDOT Commissioner Speaks At Franklin Co. Schools Honors Banquet

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia

Some of the top seniors at Franklin County High School hear from the head of the Georgia Department of Transportation.

Georgia DOT Commissioner, and Franklin County High School graduate, Russell McMurry, was the keynote speaker at the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce’s annual honors and STAR student breakfast at the Swails Center in Franklin Springs recently.

McMurry outlined four key objectives for graduates to look at as they pursue their college and technical careers.

He said one of those objectives is to do what makes them happy.

“Find out what makes you happy,” McMurry said. “Making a lot of money is awesome, but if you make a lot of money and don’t enjoy what you’re doing it’s not fun,” he said.

McMurry also told the students to never be afraid to ask for help, especially during their college and post-secondary careers.

As an example, he cited a scenario in which he asked for help from his professor in an engineering class.

“I got my grades and I got an A in the class, but I thought, ‘That has to be a mistake. There’s no way I could have gotten more than a high B.’ So, when I went back to class I went to see the professor and told him he had made a mistake, but he told me, ‘You were the only one in the class that asked for help. So I gave you an A.’ Ask for help. People will help you along the way. So, don’t struggle or internalize it. Ask for help.”

Finally McMurry told the students to learn to work with people and learn to see other points of view.

McMurry said it isn’t about compromise, it’s about consensus.

“You’re trying to get a result that’s the best interest of the whole,” he said. “When you’re working in a group, you have to build the skills in the business world that gets you to a consensus. Always try to look for where the other person is coming from. Try to understand what they’re saying.”

The Franklin County High School class of 2016 will graduate 43 honors students including the STAR student, valedictorian, and salutatorian.

This year’s STAR student was Amber Churchwell who chose English teacher Dr. Angie Josey as her STAR teacher.

This year’s Valedictorian is Eric Lane Whitmire and this year’s Salutatorian is Catherine Michele Ginn.