Sarah, a student of English teacher Dr. Heidi Chambers, used an essay she had written for submittal to Farm Credit for a scholarship. Her title was, “My Hopes and Dreams for Rural America.” She begins with Education being the basis, around which all other things revolve. Better-educated young people make for a better economic cycle, with more jobs in the community. She recommends students be made aware of careers that exist here, so that they can pursue the higher education that fits, and return home to live and work.

Sarah commented on the strength of a caring community in rural areas, where people share success and tragedy and preserve traditions and heritage. She especially commented on the landmark oaks that have been here for hundreds of years watching over the people.

Her goals are to attend the University of Georgia and major in environmental health science and/or agriculture and public health. “No matter where I go, I want to come back here to live and work,” she explained.

Jonathan said he also had written his essay for another purpose and was encouraged by his English teacher, Michelle Miller, to enter it in the Young Georgia Authors. He describes it as a work of fiction for Halloween, written in the style of Howard Phillip Lovecraft, one of his favorite authors.

Lovecraft was an American author described as a master of weird, horror fiction.

The plot is about a wealthy young man born in London who had frequent vivid imaginative dreams of a beautiful village in the desert. As he grows older he loses his ability to dream. Eventually he travels to the desert city of his dreams, only to find it there is no beauty, only a huge beast.

Jonathan is a member of JROTC and would like to go to the Air Force Academy. He wants to study criminal justice or criminology.

Sarah Michael and Jonathan are both members of the BHS Literary Team that competed in Columbus this year, where she placed second and he placed third.

Both Farringtons profess to be avid readers who credit their parents, Windy and Brent Farrington for their love of literature, saying they were read to from a very early age.