Turning Point USA chapters coming to Bay County

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Hundreds of students, parents, and teachers are interested in incorporating Turning Point chapters.

April Gibson, the Bay County Moms for Liberty Chair, tried to start Turning Point USA chapters in 2022, but she said the interest wasn’t there.

Now we are told that there’s been a major shift in that interest following the assassination of the organization’s founder, Charlie Kirk.

“Charlie Kirk was a very Christian moral man, whose sole mission was to have civil debate, and when that is taken away, people are shocked because he was the epitome of let’s sit and talk about it,” said Gibson.

This isn’t just seen locally, but nationally. Turning Point USA posted on Instagram on September 16 that they had received more than 54,000 requests from students to begin or join a chapter.

“It’s going to take a little bit because they are absolutely overwhelmed,” Gibson said.

To establish a chapter, a teacher or administrator is needed with at least three interested students. Gibson said her goal is to establish a chapter in each of the five BDS high schools, as well as one in Haney Technical College, FSU, and Gulf Coast State College.