---
title: HR 2080. ODYSSEY Media Group, the iliad Literary-Art Magazine, and David A. Ragsdale for over 23 years of journalistic excellence, student creativity, and outstanding service to the people of Athens, Georgia, and beyond; commend
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr2080
cite_as: HR 2080, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr2080
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr2080.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr2080/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74681
date: 2026-03-31
status: passed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr2079.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr2081.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 134
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr2080.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 2080
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-03-31
last_action: House Read and Adopted
sponsors:
  - Samuel Park
  - Spencer Frye
  - Eric Gisler
  - Houston Gaines
  - Trey Rhodes
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR2080/2025
upstream_id: 2140190
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - student journalism
  - Athens Georgia
  - Clarke Central High School
  - legislative commendation
  - scholastic media
---

# HR 2080. ODYSSEY Media Group, the iliad Literary-Art Magazine, and David A. Ragsdale for over 23 years of journalistic excellence, student creativity, and outstanding service to the people of Athens, Georgia, and beyond; commend

## Text

House Resolution 2080
By: Representatives Park of the 107th, Frye of the 122nd, Gisler of the 121st, Gaines of the
120th, and Rhodes of the 124th
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing and commending the ODYSSEY Media Group, the iliad Literary-Art
Magazine, and David A. Ragsdale for over 23 years of journalistic excellence, student
creativity, and outstanding service to the people of Athens, Georgia, and beyond; and for
other purposes.
WHEREAS, the ODYSSEY Media Group was established in 2003 by David A. Ragsdale,
whose commitment and dedication resulted in the creation of a student-run news organization
that has enriched the lives of countless Athenians; and
WHEREAS, the mission of the ODYSSEY Media Group is to inform, entertain, and give
voice to the Clarke Central High School community through fair, accurate, and balanced
news and commentary; and
WHEREAS, the ODYSSEY Media Group's vision is to provide a platform for the Clarke
Central High School and Athens-Clarke County communities to voice their concerns, to
promote truth and transparency in times of unease, and to deter inaccuracy and the spread of
misinformation; and
WHEREAS, under the leadership of founder and faculty adviser David A. Ragsdale,
alongside countless editors, managers, staffers, and dedicated supporters, the ODYSSEY
Media Group has grown to become an exemplary model of convergence media, consistently
publishing high-quality content across various digital and print outlets such as their website,
newsmagazine, and assorted social media accounts; and
WHEREAS, since its inception in 2003, the ODYSSEY Media Group has won hundreds of
awards for exceptional journalism, writing, photography, design, and presentation, including
top honors from prestigious institutions such as the National Scholastic Press Association,
Columbia Scholastic Press Association, Southern Interscholastic Press Association, and
Georgia Scholastic Press Association; and
WHEREAS, the iliad Literary-Art Magazine was re-established in 2001 by David A.
Ragsdale after several years of dormancy following its initial founding in 1969, whose vision
and determination revitalized an essential publication; and
WHEREAS, the mission of the iliad Literary-Art Magazine is to serve as a conduit of
expression for creativity and passion for the Clarke Central High School student body, iliad
staff, and rising ninth graders; and
WHEREAS, the iliad Literary-Art Magazine's vision is to be an inclusive platform for
creative voices that represent the diversity of the Clarke Central High School student body
while simultaneously providing a venue to develop student leaders and communicators; and
WHEREAS, under the leadership of faculty adviser David A. Ragsdale, alongside numerous
editorial boards and dedicated supporters, the iliad Literary-Art Magazine has grown to
become a welcoming public forum dedicated to the promotion of creative art, writing, and
photography; and
WHEREAS, since its re-establishment in 2001, the iliad Literary-Art Magazine has won
hundreds of awards for exceptional art, writing, photography, design, and presentation,
including top honors from prestigious institutions such as the National Scholastic Press
Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, Southern Interscholastic Press
Association, and Georgia Scholastic Press Association; and
WHEREAS, it is both fitting and proper to honor the extraordinary achievements of both the
ODYSSEY Media Group and the iliad Literary-Art Magazine as well as their founder and
faculty adviser, David A. Ragsdale, for their support of student journalism and the creative
arts.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body recognize and commend the ODYSSEY Media Group, the iliad
Literary-Art Magazine, and David A. Ragsdale for their decades of journalistic excellence,
student creativity, and outstanding service to the people of Athens, Georgia, and beyond; for
their steadfast commitment to truth, transparency, accountability, and public dialogue; as
well as for their unyielding belief in the power of media to positively transform lives and
livelihoods.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to David
A. Ragsdale and to the editorial board, staff members, and volunteers of both the ODYSSEY
Media Group and the iliad Literary-Art Magazine.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.

A Georgia House resolution commends the ODYSSEY Media Group, the iliad Literary-Art Magazine, and their founder David A. Ragsdale for over two decades of student journalism and creative arts work in Athens.

### Plain-language summary

This resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives honors two student publications at Clarke Central High School in Athens: the ODYSSEY Media Group, a student-run news organization founded in 2003, and the iliad Literary-Art Magazine, a creative writing and art publication re-established in 2001 after a period of dormancy. Both were founded or revived by David A. Ragsdale, who has served as faculty adviser.
The resolution recounts the mission and achievements of both publications, including numerous awards from national and regional scholastic press associations. It formally states that the House recognizes and commends the group, the magazine, and Ragsdale for their work in journalism, student creativity, and community service. It also directs the Clerk of the House to prepare copies of the resolution for distribution to Ragsdale and to staff and volunteers of both publications.

### What it does

- Formally recognizes and commends the ODYSSEY Media Group, the iliad Literary-Art Magazine, and David A. Ragsdale for their work at Clarke Central High School in Athens.
- States the House's praise for the publications' commitment to truth, transparency, accountability, and public dialogue.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute copies of the resolution to Ragsdale and to editorial staff and volunteers of both publications.
- Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement; it is a ceremonial statement of commendation.

### Who it affects

The resolution directly names David A. Ragsdale, the ODYSSEY Media Group, and the iliad Literary-Art Magazine, all connected to Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia. It also references the Clerk of the House, who must prepare distribution copies.

### Why it matters

The resolution carries no legal or financial effect on Georgians generally. Its practical significance is symbolic: it gives official state recognition to a long-running student journalism program and literary magazine, and to the educator who built them, as a form of public honor.

### Key provisions

- The whereas clauses describe the 2003 founding of the ODYSSEY Media Group and the 2001 re-establishment of the iliad Literary-Art Magazine by David A. Ragsdale at Clarke Central High School.
- The resolved clause formally commends the group, magazine, and Ragsdale for journalistic excellence, student creativity, and service to Athens.
- A further resolved clause directs the Clerk of the House to produce copies of the resolution for distribution to Ragsdale and to staff and volunteers of both publications.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-03-31)
- Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-03-31)
- Sponsors: Samuel Park, Spencer Frye, Eric Gisler, Houston Gaines, Trey Rhodes
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74681

> The history, votes, and amendments (134 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr2080.md?full=1