Hometown Living At Its Best 51
“At our meetings, we talked about
the issues in our government or in our
nation that were relevant to that time.
We were encouraged to share our
opinions and debate our sides. It was
really interesting to hear the different
perspectives on a topic because of
the diverse nature of the kids who
comprised the Youth Commission,”
said Rizza.
Some aspects of the program put
Rizza in “uncomfortable situations”
when she was encouraged to speak
her opinions or “give statements at
public government meetings, on a
radio talk show, or in front of a local
news camera. I had to do this so many
times that I really gained courage
and found I actually enjoyed public
speaking.”
It was also where she “saw the
value of being a servant leader. With
our diverse group, we encouraged
each other to be leaders in our schools
and together we served Savannah area
charities almost weekly.”
After high school, Rizza’s plan was
to become a doctor. “My mom was a
nurse, and all her friends were nurses.
All I really knew anything about
was the medical field,” said Rizza. “I
thought I wanted to be a doctor. I had
already been accepted into Mercer’s
medical program.”
But the summer between high
school and college, Rizza was
summoned for jury duty. Surprisingly,
Rizza was one of three jurors chosen
who was 18 years old. “One was from
my school class, and I was in the same
youth leadership program with the
other.”
It was an aggravated assault case from
a bar shooting in Savannah. “I can still
feel the excitement I felt as I watched
the prosecutor, Isabel Pauley, present
the case on behalf of the State,” said
Rizza. “She was assertive, passionate,
and knowledgeable of the law. She was
amazing. It was a two-day trial.”
When it came time to choose
a foreperson, Rizza volunteered.
As such, her job was to lead jury
discussions. “We came back with a
guilty verdict.” Even after all these
years, a sense of satisfaction could be
heard in her voice.
It took only one case to change
her life forever. Instead of the premed
program, Rizza attended Mercer
University in Macon, Georgia, as a
Tift College Scholarship Recipient
where she was elected the Freshman
and Sophomore Class President and
chosen as the Freshman Homecoming
Queen. With an undergrad degree
in business, she spent a year at
Oxford University through a Mercer
study abroad program and studied
European political systems and mass
communications. “Classes were not
just in a traditional classroom setting.
It was one on one with your professor.
You were given a topic, and you had a
week to research it and write a paper
to defend your findings,” said Rizza.
“My professor was Sir Francis Warner,
a former student of C. S. Lewis.”
During her time abroad, she
RIGHT Rizza’s
appointment as
Chief Magistrate
Judge makes
Filipino-American
Judge in Georgia
as well as the
youngest Asian
American to
serve as a judge.
“I can still feel the
excitement I felt as I
watched the prosecutor,
Isabel Pauley, present
the case on behalf of the
State,” said Rizza.