Two students from Tyrone's

Sandy Creek High School have been named to the first Student Advisory

Council organized by State Superintendent Kathy Cox, it was announced

last week.

Junior Megan Smelley and Senior

Kamila Triche are among 35 Georgia students and the only ones from Fayette

County selected to become the "voice of students" throughout

the state on important education issues.

More than 300 students from

across Georgia applied to the Student Advisory Council, according to the

state Department of Education.

Cox's stated mission for

the state education department has been to "lead the nation in improving

student achievement."

"The council will play

an important role in helping us achieve our goal," said Cox, who

lives in Peachtree City and taught at Fayette County, Sandy Creek and

McIntosh high schools during 15 years in the local school system.

The students will be expected

to attend four meetings per year in the Atlanta area and will be responsible

for their own transportation and travel arrangements. The first meeting

will be held on Monday, Nov. 10 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Conservation

Arc at Zoo Atlanta.

In addition to Smelley and

Triche, the other students from across the state chosen for the council

are: Skyler Akins, Rockmart High; Christina Barrett, Brookwood High; Lauren

Birston, Hancock Central High; Andrew Collins, Westlake High; Celia Davis,

Brooks County High; Elizabeth Anna Davis, Liberty County High; Justin

DiFeliciantonio, Hardaway High; Meghan Doll, Columbus High; Paige Gibbs,

Ware County High; Joshua Giddens, William S. Hutchings Career Center;

Denisse Gonzalez, Campbell High; Graham Groseclose, Baldwin High;

Also, Sameer Gupta, Central

High; Carson Hand, Northside High; Shawndreka Hutchins, Booker T. Washington

High; James Andrew Jones, Columbus High; Konrad Kalpen, Columbus High;

James Kicklighter, Tattnall County High; Micah King; Tattnall County High;

Phylicia Knox, Hancock Central High; Paloma Leon, Gainesville; Mellori

Lumpkin, Bainbridge High; Jovan Murphy, Savannah Corporate Academy; Nicole

Newberry, Miller County; Suji Park, Lakeside High; Lucy Partain, Dalton

High; Jeremy Pelkey, Sequoyah High; Brad Scott, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe

High; Justin Smith, Henry County High; Marlee Waxelbaum, Centennial High;

Perry White, Atkinson County High; Robert Wise, Berkmar High; Ashley Ziegler,

Glascock County.