Service-minded student

PERKINS TWP — Lillie Garrett has lived in Ohio for less than a year, but she's already making a local impact.Earlier this month, the Briar Middle School eighth grader was elected Assistant Secretary General for the 2018 Ohio Model United Nations general assembly in Columbus. Her responsibilities will include reading resolutions of other nations and assisting with leading hundreds of students during the annual meeting.Garrett moved to Ohio from Georgia last summer and joined OMUN last fall. OMUN is a extracurricular program simulating real United Nations procedures and allows students to examine a country's problems and propose solutions."It struck me as exciting, I'm in shock. I'm excited about receiving the position," she said.Garrett campaigned for the position alongside classmate Kamryn Ohly, who ran and was elected Vice-President of the Human Rights Council. Fellow student Jonathan Washington was elected to serve as a Council President.For two days, Garrett and Ohly knocked on doors throughout their hotel, talking with other students and telling them to vote for them."It may have been awkward at the time, but people remembered us," Garrett said.Another impressive feat: During her campaign speech, Garrett spoke to about 1,300 students.With OMUN, Garrett enjoys presenting resolutions to help countries. This year, she helped craft France's resolution to send teachers to a French territory in Africa. The teachers educated students on their native language and provided small libraries for them to use, she said.Garrett is community leader, too. She's a Senior Girl Scout, already having received the Bronze and Silver awards in Georgia for community service projects.Garrett earned the Bronze Award by putting together between 100 to 200 backpacks for low-income children in a neighboring town.For the Silver Award, she helped give out mattresses and bedding to local residents with ReStart Augusta, a nonprofit focused on providing families and veterans with resources to lead a independent life.Garrett was particularly touched by a single mother and her children, who never slept on a bed before."It was really emotional and inspired me to be passionate about community service. Now I want to do as much as I can for others," she said. "The experience changed my life and made me love community service."For her Gold Award, Garrett said she hopes to begin and help out with a local ReStart program meet the needs of area residents. Right now, Garrett is undecided on a future career, but is interested in pre-law, science and or a STEM-related career. She also enjoys writing and leading class projects.Along with OMUN, Garrett is active in Power of the Pen, student council, and Math Counts. She hopes to be be involved with golf and marching band in high school next year.Even with the move to another state, Garrett has learned it's never too late to grow where she's planted, and encourages others to do the same."Be involved (in the community) as much as possible. Life is about helping others, it's not about yourself. (We should help others) because it brings others joy," she said.Reach reporter Caitlin Nearhood at nearhood@sanduskyregister.com, follow her on Twitter @CaitlinNearhood and on Facebook www.facebook.com/CaitliNearhoodBriar Middle School eight grader Lillie Garrett poses for portrait inside the school on Wednesday, March 22, 2017. Garrett recently got elected as the assistant secretary general for the Ohio Model United Nations. Briar Middle School eight grader Lillie Garrett poses for portrait inside the school on Wednesday, March 22, 2017. Garrett recently got elected as the assistant secretary general for the Ohio Model United Nations.