The City of Statesboro recognized more than 30 local students on Tuesday as part of the 2025 Statesboro Youth Connect (SYC) graduation ceremony, celebrating their completion of the city’s five-week summer work-based learning program.
Mayor Jonathan McCollar opened the ceremony by emphasizing the broader impact of SYC, calling it “a step forward, not just for our young people, but for our community.” He thanked parents, staff, city departments, and community partners for investing in the next generation and encouraged graduates to continue pursuing their goals with purpose and resilience. “As we encourage our young people to chase their dreams,” he said, “may we also continue to chase ours.”
Now in its fifth year, Statesboro Youth Connect places high school students in paid summer internships with local government departments and community organizations. Participants work 30 hours per week at $8.25 per hour while also receiving training in employability skills, leadership, civic engagement, and personal development.
The theme of this year’s program was “Cultivating Purpose and Unlocking Potential.” Student speaker Alan Beasley, a three-year SYC participant and 2025 graduate of Statesboro STEAM Academy, shared reflections on his growth across three summers in the program. Beasley spoke about the value of staying focused on personal goals despite life's “traffic” and obstacles, adding that “purpose doesn’t arrive all at once—it grows, just like we do.”
Fellow speaker Laylah Scarboro, a 2025 Statesboro High School graduate and the only five-year participant in SYC history, used an agricultural analogy to describe the city's investment in youth. “The adults are the farmers, and we the youth are the seeds,” she said, highlighting the role of programs like Youth Connect, Village Builders, and Youth Leadership Bulloch in nurturing young people’s development.
City of Statesboro Intern Hayden McAdams, a Georgia Southern University student, presented a slideshow featuring highlights from student placements, including interviews where participants shared how the experience influenced their career paths. Many emphasized the importance of patience, communication, and staying motivated on the job.
Speakers from host sites also addressed the graduates, including Tricia Michael of the Ogeechee Judicial Public Defender’s Office and Darren Prather from the City’s Central Services department. Both praised students for their professionalism and drive, with Prather sharing a poem written by intern James Stewart that read in part: “If I’m a janitor, I’ll clean like I’m creating a sacred place. If I’m in IT, I’ll protect the systems that quietly hold everything together.”
Certificates of completion were awarded to all participants, with several students receiving special recognition for additional accomplishments. Alan Beasley earned 12 certifications in finance, cryptocurrency, and accounting. Jamal Stewart completed his ServSafe certification, and Jamersyn Hughes earned a certificate in security policy and awareness along with a digital portfolio. Other certifications in digital security and financial literacy were earned by participants including Laylah Scarboro, Donston McDonald, and Naideem Williams.
City Department SYC Employees:
- Alan Beasley – Human Resources / Village Builders
- Donston McDonald – Public Works
- Isaac Brooks – Fire Department
- Jamersyn Hughes – Central Services
- Mason Hughes – Municipal Court
- Mekhi Phillips – Engineering
- Naideem Williams – Public Works
- Zaelyn Newton – Planning & Development
Community Partner SYC Employees:
- Bailey Bergans – Ogeechee Judicial Public Defender's Office
- Brooks Williams – Kids World
- Bryan Burke – We Move Tutoring / Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office
- Bryce Williams – Ogeechee Judicial Public Defender's Office
- Christopher Thompson – Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office
- Dante Gordon – Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office
- Eden Chavers – Ogeechee Judicial Public Defender's Office
- Eden Lee – Kids World
- Grace Huff-Colbert – YMCA
- Isley Simpkins – Statesboro Real Estate
- Ja'Kori Cope – Grice Connect
- Jamal Stewart – We Move Tutoring
- James Stewart – 7th Mile
- Jasmine Clemons – Clemons Family Practice
- Jayden Cope – The Archive
- Jaziyah Smith – Kidovations
- Kameron Wright – Marathon Health
- Keturah Montgomery – CELA
- Kiera Andrews – Clemons Family Practice
- Laylah Scarboro – Bulloch Solutions
- Leila Sawyer – Limitless Counseling LLC
- Mya Hagins – Trilogy
- Nasir Marshall – Kids World
- Peyton Kemp – Southern Chiropractic
- Saniya Brown – New Life Chiropractic
- Sara Huff-Colbert – JDs Salon
- Ty’laysia Walker – JDs Salon
- Za’Mya Colbert – New Life Chiropractic
- Zacharay Mosley – Statesboro Regional Library
For more information about the program, contact Dr. LaSara Mitchell, Program Coordinator with Statesboro Village Builders, at (912) 212-2378 or lasara.mitchell@statesboroga.gov.
City officials praised the students for their commitment and enthusiasm throughout the program. This marks another successful year of the Youth Connect initiative, which continues to strengthen community ties and invest in the next generation of Statesboro’s workforce.