Columbia County newsmakers

Zachary Zapata of Evans has been chosen to serve on the Georgia College & State University Student Ambassador Team.

Zapata, the son of Mike and Debbie Zapata of Evans, is a freshman majoring in biology. He graduated from Greenbrier High School, where he was involved in the Beta Club, National Honor Society, Academic Student Board, Future Business Leaders of America and the Math Team. He was also a member of Mu Alpha Theta, on the GHS tennis team all four years, was in the Columbia County Sheriff's Office Cadet Corps and is in the GHS Hall of Fame.

At GC&SU, Zapata is on the Residence Hall Council, a member of the Residence Hall Association, is an Emerging Leader, a member of the Bid-Team and captain of the Milledgeville Police Department Explorer Post.

GC&SU student ambassadors are a select group of students dedicated to enhancing the image of the university. Their duties include serving as hosts and hostesses and providing information during semester and summer orientation programs, and at special GC&SU events sponsored by the president, the admissions office, the advancement office and the schools of the university.

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Ambassadors are student admission representatives, campus tour guides, commencement and convocation ushers and attendants, and role models and informal mentors to prospective and incoming students.

Nutcraker dancer

Jessica Lauren Gore of Evans will dance in the Georgia College & State University Continuing Education's production of The Nutcracker Dec. 12-14 in Russell Auditorium on the university's campus in Milledgeville.

Gore, a freshman early childhood education major, will be featured as a demi-soloist in "Waltz of the Snowflakes" and also in the Spanish and Chinese variations, as well as in the Russian variation with the GC&SU Sassy Cats dance team.

The daughter of William and Gwen Gore of Augusta, she graduated with honors from Greenbrier High School, where she was involved in the Art Club, Drama Club and Future Community and Career Leaders of America. She holds the title of Miss Greenbrier High School. Outside of school, she was involved in North Augusta Women's Sertoma in which she held the position of historian. She was also a member of the Augusta Ballet II company - an apprentice company to the Augusta Ballet - and performed in Dracula, Carmen and The Nutcracker.

At GC&SU she is a member of the Sassy Cats dance team, which performs at most home basketball games. The team will be attending a national competition in January.