WALB is working to produce a video specific to this story. In the meantime, watch other stories from Lee County above.

LEESBURG, Ga. (WALB) — Seven Lee County High School seniors are getting hands-on experience in a new program designed to prepare them for careers in firefighting.

The Career, Technical and Agricultural Education, or CTAE, public safety pathway is a partnership between the Lee County School System and the Lee County Fire Department.

Georgia State School Superintendent Richard Woods visited the school Thursday, Sept. 10, to learn more about the program.

In the pathway, students complete firefighter certification coursework under the direction of a Lee County firefighting instructor. Once they turn 18, the students will be eligible to test for firefighter certification, creating a direct pathway into the public safety field.

“What a great partnership that we have here with private and public industries working together for the benefit of our kids, but also meeting a need that is definitely real for each and every community in the state of Georgia,” Woods said.

The program combines classroom instruction with hands-on training at the Lee County Fire Department’s training center. Students also complete skills assessments throughout the program to demonstrate proficiency in essential firefighting skills.

“I really wanted to help somebody, like help the community, but I didn’t want to be a police officer. So the firefighter seemed like the next best option, and you get to learn safety skills that you can use in daily life,” Madison Smith, a LCHS senior, said.

Captain Tony Newsome, a firefighting instructor at Lee County High School, said the program also focuses on teamwork and personal accountability.

“We are the only department that we know of in [South Georgia],” Newsome said. “There’s another department up north Georgia that’s doing this. So it gives us an advantage over other departments.

Lee County fire officials said the pathway will give students a direct pipeline to the department, in hopes they stay in Lee County to work.

Woods said he hopes to see similar partnerships pop up in other districts across the state.

“Hats off to Lee County for investing in these students and again, giving them a pathway to success,” he said.

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and X. For more south Georgia news, download the WALB News app and add WALB as a preferred source on Google.

Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.