Junior Marshals Program introduces students to concept of service

With a new school year underway, some middle school students were in class Saturday for the first kick-off meeting of the Junior Marshals Program at the Columbus Government Center.

Cpl. Ezekiel Byrd, manager of the program sponsored by the Muscogee County Marshal's Office, spent about an hour showing 90 students and parents how the mentoring program works.

The 10-year-old program focuses on CLEFT -- for citizenship, leadership, education, fun and teamwork.

The program is designed to encourage Junior Marshals to be public servants and have an understanding of showing compassion for people.

When the program started in 2005, Byrd said Marshal Greg Countryman was concerned about values and fostering development among local youths.

With high school approaching for the students, Byrd said now is the time for them to start thinking about careers.

"It doesn't matter what your circumstances, where you come from or where you live," Byrd said to the crowd on the Government Center plaza. "It does matter that you have the resources. You are going to meet people like the good Samaritan that will help you along the way."

During the school year, Byrd visits the schools twice a month, conducts a monthly meeting and gives each student a service project.

Students with an interest in law will take part in a mock trial with Muscogee County Superior Court Judge Gil McBride presiding in the courtroom.

Muscogee County State Court Judge Ben Richardson also will talk to the Junior Marshals.

Over the years, the students have given blankets to the homeless, put together care packages, held fundraisers and visited the elderly at nursing homes.

"We have done a tremendous amount of work over the years," Byrd said.

Since the program started, no Junior Marshals have been involved in drugs, gang activity or truancy, nor have any dropped out of school, Byrd said.

Timothy Williams, an eighth-grader at Blackmon Road Middle School, said he joined the program when school started. He already has started thinking about his career.

"I will probably just join the military, the Navy," he said.

To learn more about the program, call the Muscogee County Marshal's Office at 706-653-4385 or Byrd at 706-329-0014.

This story was originally published October 18, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Junior Marshals Program introduces students to concept of service ."