Georgia County Internship Spotlight
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Mikaine Lewis Interns in Carroll County
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As the summer heats up in Georgia, students across the state are warming up their knowledge of county government through the Georgia County Internship Program (GCIP). One of these students is Mikaine Lewis, who is completing an internship with the solid waste department in Carroll County. Through her internship under the supervision of Solid Waste Director Jacqueline Dost, Lewis is honing her research and technical skills and building a firm understanding of county government.
Lewis is a resident of Villa Rica and a rising senior at Villa Rica High School. Before the internship, Lewis was dually enrolled at West Georgia Technical College, taking advanced courses in U.S. government, English, and psychology. She learned about the internship through a family connection and was eager for an opportunity to further her professional skills, as well as learn more about county government processes. For Dost, a summer intern was necessary to assist with the work of the solid waste department – a department that is both large in scope and relatively new in its existence in the county.
Lewis’ focus so far in her internship has been researching the functions of the solid waste department. In less than a month, Lewis has already completed significant research and analysis on waste generation and disposal. Her first major project was creating charts to track historical trends in recycling costs, recycling revenues, and visits to county convenience centers, where residents can dispose of waste. Lewis used her certification in Microsoft Office to create charts and graphs that accurately display the data.
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The charts (available digitally here) are critical for the county's understanding of waste and recycling. Lewis' tracking of the input and output at transfer stations helps the board of commissioners understand volume increases and will be critical for negotiations for building new stations. Her analysis of recycling statistics and comparison of costs and revenues help to illustrate recycling as a potential revenue source for the county.
Dost says Lewis' work with the waste data has been invaluable and much needed for the department. Since one of the largest cities in the county recently stopped curbside recycling, Lewis' data and charts are critical for understanding recycling habits and changes over time. They've also been one of her favorite parts of the internship so far: “I think it’s really important…not a lot of kids my age understand recycling and all that goes into county government,” Lewis said. Later in her internship, Lewis plans to visit the board of commissioners and present her research and findings during a work session.
In the coming weeks of her internship, Lewis will conduct in-person visits to all ten convenience centers around the county. Following her visits, she will draft and implement an online survey of convenience center visitors. The survey will help gather data on personal recycling habits and why people do or do not recycle. Dost says that she will use Lewis’ survey data to help create relevant educational materials about recycling for county residents.
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In addition to her research, Lewis will continue to learn more about county governance and interact with staff and the community. “I really enjoy being out in the county,” Lewis said. So far, she has attended a county chamber meeting, a Keep America Beautiful meeting, and has interacted with staff in different departments while conducting daily duties. Lewis will also get a chance to visit a sustainable farm in LaGrange, as Dost wants Lewis to gain an overall picture of sustainability practices through her time as an intern.
When she returns to school for her senior year, Lewis will be dually enrolled in the University of West Georgia. She hopes to one day work as a physician and own a business. As she continues her internship with the county, Lewis is building her understanding of local governance and developing the professional skills to be successful in her future career.
To learn more about the GCIP, please visit our website at www.accg.org/caf_index.
