With the energy of a typical teenager, 16-year-old Justin McAfee tackles his newest assignment with uncontained enthusiasm. As one of the new “Joe’s” in Chattanooga State’s “Ask Joe!” marketing campaign, McAfee, a lifelong Dunlap resident, takes it all in stride. Following a casting call for additional Joe’s during late spring 2007, Justin made the cut and enjoys the networking and social opportunities that come with the job.

Justin is in his third semester as a Middle College High School student at Chattanooga State and recently joined the staff of the Communicator, student newspaper.

A former Sequatchie County High School student, he first heard about the MCHS program during his freshman year through his mother, Terri McAfee.

After investigating the program, Justin and his family decided that the ChattState Middle College High School program was the way to go. When he graduates in spring of 2008, he will have effectively shaved off one year of high school and added 60 credit hours toward graduation from college. To obtain his associate’s degree, he will need an additional 15 credit hours beyond MCHS.

Justin has been in the gifted program since first grade and became acquainted with computers when he was seven years old. While a student at Sequatchie Valley High School, he was one of two students called upon regularly to help with computer problems. Computers always have held a fascination for Justin, so it is no surprise that his major is computer science, with a concentration in programming and networking no less.

“I took all my prerequisite classes first, but now I’m into some fun stuff,” shares Justin. “My favorite classes have been Visual Basic and Concepts of Programming. I had the most fun by learning to program in seven different programming languages” adds Justin. For computer novices, computer languages consist of HTML, Java, C++, etc.

When asked about his dream job, Justin said that he would love to work for Google because they seem to conduct business the right way, it’s a household word and there are always new things happening with Google.

Like any other high school student, he misses his friends back home, band and Friday night football games, but a whole new world has opened up for Justin through Middle College High School and the freedom he associates with it. Now, working as a Joe only has expanded his opportunities.

“Justin is like a breath of fresh air,” states Patty Brown, director of marketing and communications, “He never meets a stranger and he is a wonderful advocate for Chattanooga State.” As a “Joe,” Justin has participated in several marketing initiatives such as the Dayton Strawberry Festival Parade, Riverbend, Market Street Bridge re-opening, Chattanooga State Day at the Market and as an enrollment services advocate.

So… you want to know more about Chatt State? Ask Joe! Logon to www.chattanoogastate.edu and chat online with Justin “Joe” or one of the other 10 Jo/Joe’s. It’s not too late to enroll. For more information about late registration, call the Sequatchie/Bledsoe site at 423-554-4027 or stop by the site at 26297 Highway 127 between Dunlap and Pikeville.