Senate majority leader speaks at GMC parade

Published 1:00 pm Saturday, September 24, 2016

Georgia Military College and Prep School cadets celebrated the signing of the U.S. Constitution with a parade on the school’s campus Friday afternoon. The guest speaker for the event was state Senate majority leader Bill Cowsert.

Before the senator took to the podium, he and Lt. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV recognized servant leaders that had donated their time.

“We talk about the importance of character and the development of that in our young men and women at Georgia Military College,” Caldwell said. “Today that was demonstrated by those that were up here receiving those servant leadership awards for their 100 hours of service in this community in one 12-month period, and to each of them congratulations.”

Two GMC Prep students were named commended students by the National Merit Scholarship Program and recognized at Friday’s festivities.

“To watch those two young men, Braxton Gice and Andy Watkins, receive national merit recognition, 1.6 million students in the country and only 5 percent get recognized with that,” said Caldwell. “Two of them came out of our high school.”

The GMC president then went on to introduce Sen. Cowsert to the assembled students and others in attendance.

“Today we’ve asked for a guest speaker that represents our values of duty, honor, and country. This is a man that’s held in the highest esteem here in the state of Georgia, not only by his fellow legislators, but by those who know him in his community, too. He’s active in his church in Athens in the First Presbyterian Church where he’s an elder and teaches Sunday school. He’s also been a distinguished legislator since 2006 when he was elected to the state senate. In 2014, his fellow peers elected him to be senate majority leader.”

Cowsert then took the stage promising to keep it short to get those assembled out the heat quickly.

“It’s quite an honor to be with you today to see such a fantastic group of cadets and all of our honored guests this afternoon,” Cowsert said.

The State Senate majority leader reflected upon his time growing up as a JROTC student at Macon Central High School and later in the ROTC program at Presbyterian College. He discussed the importance of a good education and likened it to a Colt .45 pistol in the old west.

“In today’s world, education is the great equalizer,” Cowsert said. “We’re in a society that values education and knowledge and training because those are some of the bedrocks that get you where you want to be in life. … But they also help you be ready for the workplace to be employed successfully so you can provide for yourself and for your families in the future.”

The guest speaker added that the GMC students were receiving special training that is not taught in most other schools.

“You are getting a special education here because this education imparts more than just knowledge to you. More than just intelligence, you’re learning many other bedrock principles. You’re learning discipline. You’re learning leadership skills and you’re learning respect for authority. You’re learning respect for each other. You all have a wonderful opportunity in front of you with the education that you’re learning because when you get out of here you’re going to be superior to other graduates from schools that don’t have these principles and this discipline and rigor that you’re going through. “

I encourage each of you to apply your very best skills, efforts, and energies to all of your studies here and activities and I wish you all well.”

Cowsert was elected majority leader in 2014 and represents Clarke, Oconee and Walton counties. In the senate he serves on the appropriations, finance, and rules committees. Cowsert received a law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law and is a founding partner of the Athens-based firm Cowsert & Avery.