Meet Tanner Scott, Barrow County Schools Area Director of Young Life and current resident of Winder GA.
Since graduating from college, Tanner has dedicated his time to Youth Ministry. We’d like to thank Tanner very much for sitting down with us to discuss his experience living and learning in Barrow County.
Enjoy our interview with Tanner
My name is Tanner Scott and I worked for Young Life which is a Youth Ministry for High School and Middle School students.
I focus specifically on Barrow County schools. So right now we’re in Winder Barrow High School and Apalachee High School.
We have volunteer leaders from the University of Georgia and we go in and get to know students, befriend them. We go to soccer games, lunchrooms football games, just anywhere where kids are to get to know them in the hopes that one day we get to share the gospel with them.
So really we are a Relational Ministry that just focuses on befriending students first and earning the right to be heard.
What’s your connection to Barrow County?
I moved here for this job. I’ve worked for Young Life since I graduated from college.
I spent a little under three years working for Young Life down in Warren County in Madison, Georgia. And then I moved here to start Young Life in Winder and in the Barrow County schools in October of 2017.
And then what inspired you or led you to this career?
I was involved in Young Life when I was in high school and my leader made a big impact on my life. He always loved me and showed up in my life and showed me Jesus.
And then when I was in college, I was a volunteer. And so when I graduated I wanted to go into Ministry and you know, it felt like a great spot where I could do that.
What’s something on your bucket list?
This is going to sound kind of silly but if you saw the video you would understand. There’s this giant metal slide where you sit in a cart and there’s one in the Swiss Alps where you can go through and control your speed and go all the way down for like three or four miles. It’s pretty cool. I did one in Colorado that was probably a quarter mile.
What advice would you give to a crowd of people if you had their attention?
That’s a great question. I would want to tell them that there is a god of the universe that loves them and cares for them and wants a relationship with them.
Part of me would feel hesitant to say that because I wouldn’t want to make a blanket statement. I’m in a relational ministry so I would want to get to know them first so they don’t think I’m speaking out of hatred or being demeaning.
It would be hard for me to speak to a group of people that I don’t know.
If there’s anywhere that you could travel in the world right now, where would you go and why?
I would probably go to France. I went to Italy and Greece when I was in High School but I would like to go back to Europe and go to France. No specific reason though.
Choosing anyone that is alive and not related to you, who would you have lunch with and why?
I would say Tyler Joseph. He is the lead singer for 21 Pilots and I just think he is a genius.
Love their music and I’ve really looked into his lyrics and I just want to pick his brain and see how he writes his songs.
Do you do any Music Ministry at your church or anything like that?
I do. At our meetings we have music and so I play a little guitar and sing, not well, but yeah, I do that.
So you’re having lunch with him. Where would you take him in Barrow County?
I mean if I was trying to impress him I would probably take him to the Bistro. But if I wanted to give him more of a picture of who I am I would probably take him to Casey’s.
Inoko is another place where I go with a bunch of High School guys.
And what’s your favorite thing to order there?
I like the chicken fried rice and if I really want to splurge I get the ultimate fried rice.
How long have you lived or worked in Barrow County?
Since October 2017. I guess that would be a year and four months.
What’s your favorite thing or something unique you have found about Barrow County that’s different from other places?
That’s a great question. I think this is going to sound like a cheesy answer but I think it has just been the people I’m working with in this Relational Ministry.
When I came here there was a board of adults that were already here before me so I got to know them really well. They cared for me, helped me find a place to live and showed me around introducing me to people. They were really quick to welcome me and show me the ropes.
Winder GA and Barrow County does have that small town feel as there are a lot of people who have grown up here and have lived here their whole lives.
Who’s the most interesting person you’ve met in Barrow County?
Someone who I have learned a lot from and have really enjoyed talking to is Randy Mahaffey. He is on our committee, our board and I’ve really enjoyed that.
I’ve also enjoyed getting to know Chris Maddox. I lived in their barn for a while and so it’s been great getting to know him and his wife Paige.
We hope you enjoyed learning about Tanner and his story.
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