MACON, Ga. —
Cora Jean Daniell
Cora Jean is a 6th grader at Bonaire Middle School.
Fun fact: Her grandmother was a journalist and that inspired Cora Jean to want to be a Junior Journalist. She wants to be a lawyer when she grows up (like her parents).
Special talents: public speaking, writing and joking around.
Passions/Interests: reading, history, church, 4-H competitions.
Community involvement: 4-H, church, playing tennis, running cross country, theater and band.
Cheyenne Garnto
Cheyenne is a 5th grader at Bleckley County Elementary School.
Fun fact: Currently holds the title of "Exquisite Royalty Diana's Miss Georgia."
Special talents: singing, acting, gymnastics, soccer, basketball, competing in pageants.
Passions/Interests: competing in pageants, making bracelets, drawing.
Community involvement: Kindness Club, Beta Club, donating crayons and coloring books to emergency rooms to comfort kids when they come in for treatment, donating food or items to the blessing box.
Satch Gilbert
Satch is a 6th grader at Feagin Mill Middle School.
Fun fact: He was not in the classroom when we went to surprise him. He was actually coming back from the restroom! That's a first!
Special talents: putting together fun videos, playing piano, loves to sing and perform with his dad.
Passions/interests: 80s music, movies, old memorabilia, concerts, fairs and parades, YouTube, MUSIC.
Community involvement: volunteers at homeless events, Partners Club, anything that helps other people.
Amarion Jones
Amarion is a 6th grader at Central City Church Microschool.
Fun fact: He wore a cowboy hat and boots to the open Junior journalist audition and definitely made an impression!
Special talents: public speaking, entertaining.
Passions/interests: music, rodeo, cars, science and history.
Community involvement: Youth Empowerment.
Jo'Vante' Passard, Jr.
Jo'Vante' is a 7th grader at Weaver Middle School.
Special talents: taekwondo.
Passions/interests: JROTC.
Community involvement: church activities.
Blair Plaxico
Blair is 5th grader at Tattnall Square Academy.
Fun fact: Had a broken foot during auditions and when we came to surprise her!
Special talents: talking, being sassy, acting and joking around.
Passions/interests: animals, acting, playing games, spending time with friends and family, wants to go fishing and camping one day!
Community involvement: church.
Levi Ratzken
Levi is a 7th grader at Thomson Middle School.
Fun fact: He told us he would be praying for us as he was leaving his on-camera audition.
Special talents: public speaking, building model train tracks.
Passions/interests: Rube Goldberg machines, wooden trains, antiques including old toys, figurines, dishes and cups, reading, animals, video games and marble runs.
Community involvement: prays in band for different concerts.
Erica Scandrett
Erica is a 6th grader at the Academy for Classical Education.
Fun fact: She wasn't nervous at all during auditions and had the highest score of all the new Junior Journalists.
Special talents: public speaking, leadership and creative writing.
Passions/interests: singing, public speaking, dancing and theater.
Community involvement: church, youth activities at her home church Bibb Mount Zion Baptist Church.
Carter Taylor
Carter is a 6th grader at Howard Middle School.
Fun fact: He wants to be famous and well-known as a local celebrity.
Special talents: telling jokes, being creative.
Passions/interests: legos, football, cars, learning new things.
Community involvement: youth activities at his home church Fall Line Church.
Ryleigh Thomas
Ryleigh is a 6th grader at Appling Middle School.
Fun fact: When we surprised her, Ryleigh told Frank she would take his job in 10 years!
Special talents: singing, playing trombone, reading for long periods of time, taking standardized tests, being observant, watching the news, praying.
Passions/interests: looking at the color blue, her phone, Ivy League schools (Harvard and Yale specifically), news reporting, writing stories.
Community involvement: lighthouse team at church, academic team, broadcast team, clean team, chair stacker, positivity team.
Khloe Thomas-Phelps
Khloe is a 6th grader at Georgia Cyber Academy.
Fun fact: Khloe's mom knew she was a Junior Journalist before Khloe did because we had to coordinate a surprise at home!
Special talents: puzzle-making, making slime, music (piano specifically).
Passions/interests: K-Pop bands, music, animals, fairs and FOOD.
Community involvement: Technology Tech, helps with closed captioning for her church's broadcast.