Georgia Outdoors, a television program aired by Georgia Public Broadcasting, will spotlight the efforts of Armuchee students to get the green tree frog named the official state amphibian of Georgia.  The Armuchee kids, currently ninth graders at Armuchee High school, began the process to have the green tree frog take its rightful place among Georgia’s state symbols while fourth graders at Armuchee Elementary School in 2003. 

If took a couple of years of lobbying but Tuesday, April 26, 2005 will forever be remembered as a day that the small dreams of a group of Armuchee kids made an impact on the state of Georgia as Senate Bill 41 was signed into law.  The students beamed with pride as Govern. Sonny Perdue signed the legislation designating the Green Tree Frog as the state's official amphibian.

It all started when the students were studying the political process and “how a bill becomes law” in fourth-grade classes taught by Marilyn McLean and Ruth Pinson at Armuchee Elementary.   The students asked if they could propose a piece of legislation and get it passed. Although their first two attempts in the 2003 and 2004 sessions of the legislature were unsuccessful, the students persevered. In the 2005 legislative session, Sent. Preston Smith (R-Rome) sponsored the bill and helped the young lobbyist to make their dream a reality.

The students stood behind the Governor as he signed the bill and the Green Tree Frog took its place alongside Georgia’s other “official” symbols – including grits, azaleas, the brown thrasher, the peach, the peanut and the Cherokee Rose.  The Armuchee group selected the Green Tree Frog because it needs a clean environment to survive. The students wanted to call attention to the need to preserve our environment and to reduce pollution.

The Georgia Outdoors segment on state symbols will be broadcast on the following dates and times on Georgia Public Broadcasting:

• Fri 1/11 @ 9:30 p.m.
• Sat. 1/12 @ 6 p.m.
• Sun 1/13 @ 12 noon
• Tues. 1/15 @ 7:30 p.m.

Tom Rittenhouse of Georgia Outdoors came to Armuchee Elementary School and the Armuchee community to talk with the teachers and students involved in the effort.  The interviews will be featured during the state symbol segment on Georgia Outdoors.