Granville County's Next Generation of Leaders: Four Students Who Spent Their Summer Serving Their Community

Instead of spending their summer with friends or at the beach, four Granville County high school students experienced what it's like to be a leader and completed 120 hours of hands-on public service as part of the 2026 Granville County Summer Civic Leadership Program. Zaniyah Crutcher, Tyler Jastrow, Amy Santana Morales, and Dasha Williford spent more than seven weeks learning how local government works, the different county departments we have, and how to better serve our residents.

During the August 3 Board of Commissioners meeting, the students shared what they learned while working alongside county employees. The program, sponsored by the Granville County Board of Commissioners since 2000, is designed to introduce rising juniors and seniors to careers in public service through real-world experience across multiple county departments. This year's class included students from J.F. Webb High School, Granville Early College High School, and Vance Charter School. 

Tyler Jastrow helped preserve Granville County history

Tyler Jastrow worked on one of the internship's largest projects. While working in County Administration, he helped merge thousands of scanned pages of Board of Commissioners meeting minutes dating back to 1984 into a searchable digital database, making decades of county history more accessible for staff and the public. The interns also helped develop a new boards and commissions database that will organize meeting minutes, member attendance, advisory board information, and future citizen applications. 

Jastrow also spoke about learning how Senior Services helps older adults remain independent through Meals on Wheels, transportation, fitness classes, educational programs, and social activities. 

“One of the main goals that we found out about is to keep seniors out of nursing homes.” Jastrow said.

Tyler explained that working with the Finance Department gave him a better understanding of how county budgets are built and why property taxes play such an important role in funding local services. 

Zaniyah Crutcher saw leadership through youth programs

Zaniyah Crutcher worked with Granville County Cooperative Extension and 4-H Summer Camp to help supervise campers, support daily activities, and create positive learning environments for young people. 

“I also enjoyed working alongside other interns from different programs, building connections, and collaborating as a team.” Crutcher said.

She said the experience included hands-on activities such as cooking meals from scratch, visiting farms, and picking blueberries while helping children build life skills. 

Zaniyah also talked about a tourism day where she and the other interns explored attractions throughout Granville County to better understand the importance of promoting local communities and thanked county staff for making those experiences possible. 

Dasha Williford gained a new appreciation for emergency responders and animal care

Dasha Williford spent time at the Granville County Animal Shelter, where she cleaned kennels, replaced food and water, and cared for animals waiting to be adopted. She said the experience showed her how quickly shelter staff respond to calls involving stray and abandoned animals while also protecting both pets and the community. 

She also visited the 911 Communications Center, where she participated in a dispatcher simulation and learned firsthand how emergency telecommunicators remain calm while handling stressful situations.

“It gives me much greater appreciation of how they just go to every department and stay in touch with who's on scene and who is off scene, and it was amazing,” Williford said.

Amy Santana Morales discovered how county departments support families

Amy Santana Morales worked in the Granville County Library, where she assisted with daily programs and saw how libraries provide resources, opportunities, and support for residents while strengthening her own communication and customer service skills. 

She also worked with the Sheriff's Office, helping at the front desk, assisting with phone calls, supporting the Real-Time Intelligence Command Center, and attending public safety events such as the Click It or Ticket Live Command Center. When she visited the Department of Social Services, she learned about child welfare, adult services, food assistance, Medicare, foster care, and how caseworkers support local families through personalized services. 

"We got the opportunity to help create flyers for job openings, shadow workers, and gain insight into the work DSS does for the community." Santana Morales said.

Reporter's Opinion: We Need More Opportunities Like This

As I listened to these four students speak, I couldn't help but think about how different our communities could look if more young people had opportunities like this.

We often tell our youth they are the future, but programs like the Summer Civic Leadership Program allow them to become part of that future today. Instead of only reading about local government in a classroom, these students worked alongside county employees, answered real problems, served residents, and discovered how decisions made inside county buildings affect every neighborhood in Granville County. 

Commissioner Tony Cozart summed it up best when he told the interns:

"I'm so proud of our young people... you give me so much hope for the future. I'm so impressed with your presentation."

Board Chair Zelodis Jay reminded the students that county government is much bigger than many people realize, telling them they had learned "there's a lot of pieces to the puzzle" that come together to serve the people of Granville County. 

And I most definitely agree. If we want young people to become informed voters, public servants, first responders, teachers, business owners, and community leaders, we have to let them experience those roles firsthand. Programs like this build confidence, spark passion, and help students understand that they are not just watching their community grow – they can help shape its future.

That is an investment worth making every single summer.

Residents interested in future Summer Civic Leadership opportunities can learn more through the county's program page: