U.S. Representative Greg Murphy, who serves North Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District, spent a full day touring the Clinton City Schools district, meeting with students, teachers and administrators across every level of the system.
The congressman visited L.C. Kerr Elementary, Butler Avenue Elementary, Sunset Avenue Elementary, Sampson Middle School, and Clinton High School, informing himself, observing hands-on programs, and discussing the district’s focus on career readiness and community involvement. The visit reflected a growing connection between local educators and federal leaders who influence education policy.
Clinton High School senior and lifelong Dark Horse Jackson Gunnells was the driving force behind the visit. For months, he corresponded with Murphy’s office to arrange a visit that would give students a firsthand view of how federal leadership engages with local education.
“I’ve always been interested in politics,” Gunnells said. “In rural places like this, not a lot of people are. I’ve always kind of been that person to bring politics here to school. Being able to bring him here in person and to get to interact with all of my peers has been incredible.”
His passion for civic engagement began many years earlier.
“In third grade, it was the 2016 election,” he said. “It was one of those elections that brought everybody in. For some people, it pushed them out, but for me it drew me in. My third-grade librarian, Ms. [Michelle] Gainey, really taught me everything I needed to know, and she’s still a mentor to me today.”
His loyalty to Clinton’s public schools remains central to his identity.
“A lot of people nowadays are going more of that private school route, but growing up in public school has been amazing,” Gunnells said. “I’ve made some of the best friends that I’ll ever have, and being able to bring great things like this back to Clinton is great.”
He said his goal for the visit was not simply to meet an elected official but to highlight the district’s strengths and needs.
“I just hope that he notices our need for more,” he said. “We have really great things right now, but we could always use more. I hope he notices, especially our CTE preparedness, preparing people for careers, and all the different pathways we have. Also, to show him that not all of these students are going to college, and that’s okay, we just want to build a better tomorrow.”
For Clinton City Schools Superintendent Dr. Wesley Johnson, the visit provided a rare opportunity to showcase the district’s programs and people directly to a member of Congress.
“I was so excited to have him and to host him today,” Johnson said. “This was something that one of our students, Jackson Gunnells, really pushed hard to make happen. He tried for several months to get in touch with, and it just worked out perfectly that Congressman Murphy’s schedule freed up today. Jackson was the one corresponding with his office, and it just fell into place.”
Dr. Johnson said the day reflected the close community ties that define Clinton’s schools.
“We’re excited to show the different things in our district and all the wonderful programs that we have here,” he said. “One of the things we pride ourselves on most is that we’re a family.”
Clinton High School Principal John Green said the visit was as much about celebrating student initiative as it was about showcasing the school’s academic and career programs.
“What I feel most proud about is highlighting Jackson Gunnells himself,” Green said. “For this young man to put together this whole event and have it mapped out and organized was phenomenal.”
Green said the day allowed teachers to demonstrate what makes the school system distinct.
“Our teachers being able to show what they do and what makes Clinton unique was important,” he said. “We’re a diverse community, and we are tying everything together to prepare our kids for the now and for the future.”
He said Murphy’s visit also gave context to how federal resources are put to work in classrooms.
“That gave him an opportunity to see where those federal dollars are going,” Green said. “Nothing beats your experience in a place. He said a lot of things that stood out to him about Clinton, and even if we were just able to put it on his mind what we need here, it’s a win for us and for our community.”
Green said one of the highlights of the visit was a question-and-answer session between Murphy and advanced placement students. The students, he said, demonstrated the curiosity and awareness that define Clinton’s next generation.
“It shows that our kids are interested and in tune with what’s going on,” Green said. “The best thing we can do is expose them to that. By him being here, being forthright and honest, and really sharing his thoughts, it helped our students see him not just as a person on a screen. These are real people, and their decisions affect them. I’m very proud of the students for their maturity and the type of questions they asked, and for the congressman for showing them the respect to answer as young adults.”
Murphy said his visit to Clinton offered a close look at how education connects families, communities, and long-term opportunity in rural North Carolina.
“The highlights were just seeing the education process go through literally from pre-K all the way through high school,” he said. “The greatest thing you come away with in Clinton is that this is a community that cares about itself, from its parents, from its teachers, to the business folks and the people on the school board. The number of individuals who have gone off to get an education and come back home is truly amazing and quite an example of community.”
Murphy said Clinton’s focus on career and technical education was particularly noteworthy.
“There’s a push by some that everybody has to go to a four-year college,” he said. “Not everybody has to. People can have meaningful and profitable lives either going directly into the workforce, going into a technical school or a community college, or if they feel prepared, a four-year degree. Making sure that students know all the options are there is important, and the high school is doing a great job of exposing them to that before they commit to anything.”
During his exchange with students, one participant asked Murphy about recent adjustments to North Carolina’s congressional districts. The congressman said the state’s boundaries have become, in his words, “squiggly lines” instead of including whole counties. He explained that while redistricting is constitutionally required every 10 years, the government allows it to take place as needed to maintain fairness and balance in representation.
Murphy also reflected on his own public education background.
“I grew up in public schools all throughout Raleigh, all the way through high school,” he said. “I had a fabulous education. A lot of it begins in the home, having parents who are involved and understand that education is critical. The public school system does a great job of taking that next step and building on that in the classroom.”
He said meeting Gunnells again reinforced his optimism about young leaders in North Carolina.
“I have met Jackson before,” Murphy said. “He is one of those young, bright students who you know is going to do great things in the world. Just putting things together for this visit, he did an exemplary job. The manner in which he carries himself and the things that I know he’s going to do in the future make me know he has great promise.”
By the time Murphy concluded his tour of Clinton City Schools, the visit had evolved into more than an official stop. For educators, it was a chance to highlight their classrooms and teachers. For students, it was an introduction to civic engagement that went beyond textbooks and television.
Superintendent Johnson said the visit represented what makes Clinton’s schools distinct. “We’re a small district, but we’re united,” he said earlier in the day. “When someone comes here and sees that unity, they understand what makes us special.”
For Gunnells, the day was about showing pride in a community that helped raise him.
“Once a Dark Horse, always a Dark Horse. That’s just who we are.”