Kamala Harris, current Vice-President and Democratic nominee for the upcoming presidential election, visited Hinesville, Georgia–where Georgia Southern University’s Liberty Campus is located–for her rural Georgia bus tour on August 28th. Previously, she visited Savannah State University.
Kamala visited Liberty County High School (LCHS), one of the two high schools in Hinesville.
She spoke to the marching band, cheerleaders, and football players as a ‘special guest’ during an afterschool practice for the upcoming football season.
What stood out about Vice President Harris and Governor Walz visiting Hinesville is that it’s a small town with a population of over 68,000.
Previous presidential visits have been confined to the city’s military base, Fort Stewart. Harris and Walz ventured outside of the base and into the city itself.
“We wanted to come by, just let you know, that our country is counting on you. All of you. You are leaders,” said Vice President Harris on her personal Instagram page after the students in the band played their ‘fight song.’
“Your generation, all that you stand for, everything that you have at stake, is going to propel our country into the next era,” said Harris.
Corine Laird, LCHS sophomore and band member, says the visit meant a lot since Vice President Harris played the same instrument as her in high school, the French Horn, when it’s such a rare and difficult instrument.
“It [the visit] was pretty nerve-racking, there was so much security. But when Kamala Harris walked in, we all clapped and played the fight song. She said very poetic and inspiring words to the band, cheerleaders, and the football players, as we are going to be the leaders of this generation and to be the leaders she knows we are.” said Laird.
David Sohayda, the director of bands and the head of the fine arts department at LCHS, describes the experience as an honor, and that his students were very excited to see and perform for Vice-President Harris and Governor Walz.
“They were especially excited to speak with the Vice-President, for a few moments before the team left. The band members were especially excited to find out that the VP was a band kid. The students today have still been talking about what a great experience it was to meet them,” said Sohayda.
