A local judge who has impacted young people through important community programs is the featured speaker of the 2014 baccalaureate service at Houston High School.
Doug Gaston, the Associate Circuit Judge of Texas County, will address graduating seniors, their families and the community at this year’s annual event. The service begins at 6 p.m. Sunday, May 11, inside Hiett Gymnasium.
A 1986 HHS graduate, Gaston was appointed to his current position in 2009 by former Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt and later won an election to retain the position. He is the founder of the Constitution Project, a statewide competition that gives high school students the opportunity to see the constitution in action while playing the roles of law enforcement, media members, lawyers and judges. He is also actively involved in two programs ––Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and Texas County B.E.L.I.E.V.E.S (Bringing Educational Leadership by Investing in and Expecting Victory in Every Student) –– that assist area young people.
Born and raised in Houston, Gaston received his bachelor’s degree from Southwest Baptist University in 1990 and his juris doctorate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law in 1995. He began practicing law, specializing in family law and estate planning, and one year later was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives. In 1998, Gaston was elected Texas County prosecutor and served four years in that capacity.
Gaston later served as chief of staff and general counsel to Missouri Senate President Peter Kinder. While with the Senate, he was instrumental in developing the Missouri Military Family Relief Fund, assisting the families of Missouri Veterans called to active duty after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In 2002, Gaston was appointed by the U.S. Department of Justice as special assistant U.S. Attorney under Attorney General John Ashcroft.
Before assuming the bench in his current role, Gaston served as Missouri deputy treasurer under State Treasurer Sarah Steelman. In that position, Gaston held the statutory powers of state treasurer and acted as state treasurer in Steelman’s absence. Those duties included the daily oversight and investment of approximately $3 billion of state investments, management of the state’s college savings plan and director of legislative and administrative affairs for the office.
The baccalaureate service, which is sponsored by the Houston Ministerial Alliance, will include performances by the Houston High School choir and jazz band. The recipient of the alliance’s annual scholarship will also be announced at the event.