Brand new to the Thomas County MERIT program this year is a program called VISIONS. VISIONS brings in community leaders who are visionaries and have unique careers or accomplishments that have had a positive impact on the Thomas County community. Speakers come in to share their experience and vision with MERIT students in order to encourage students to start defining their own vision for the future.

The first VISIONS speaker was Colonel Stan McLeod of Thomasville. He spoke to fifth through eighth grade MERIT students about his lifetime vision of serving others through his 30-year career as an Air Force Colonel, as well as his time serving as the ROTC Coordinator at Thomasville High School. Colonel McLeod is currently continuing his lifetime dedication to service as the TCCHS Service Learning Coordinator. "Service is such an integral part of our MERIT program; therefore, Colonel McLeod's vision of service was the perfect inaugural message for this program," stated MERIT coordinator Dana Studdard.

Pictured is Col. McLeod speaking to seventh grade MERIT students about the importance of service.