Salute to the Class of 2017 May 20, 2017
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Eyes on the Prize
Section B
Graduating seniors turn page to new chapter of life
Angelina T. Velasquez / CrossRoadsNews
Celebration takes on a whole new meaning when the graduate’s family and friends gather for a selfie to beat all selfies after Cedar Grove High School’s pre-commencement ceremonies on May 13. Graduation ceremonies for Lithonia High School’s 333 seniors will be held May 23 at the Georgia World Congress Center.
Tekia Parks / CrossRoadsNews
Kayla Smith (at right) of DeKalb School of the Arts adjusts her cap before the school’s precommencent. Stone Mountain (center) held its precommencement on May 11. Angelina T. Velasquez / CrossRoadsNews
There were plenty of warm hugs and big smiles to go around at Columbia High School’s pre-commencement on May 18.
Tekia Parks / CrossRoadsNews
Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews
CrossRoadsNews
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Graduation
May 20, 2017
2017 Graduations
Some 5,834 DeKalb County seniors are expected to receive diplomas and certificates of attendance this year at these commencement exercises.
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The 2014 Graduation Section is a publication of CrossRoadsNews Inc., South DeKalb’s award-winning weekly newspaper. Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Graphic Design Curtis Parker Sharif Williams Reporters Jennifer Ffrench Parker Donna Williams Lewis Angelina T. Velasquez Tekia Parks The content, design and concept for CrossRoadsÂNews is copyrighted and no parts of it should be copied, reproduced or duplicated without the express written permission of the publisher.
Circulation Audited By
School
*Seniors
Date
Arabia Mountain Cedar Grove Chamblee Charter Clarkston Columbia Cross Keys DeKalb Early College Academy DeKalb School of the Arts Destiny Academy Druid Hills Dunwoody Elizabeth Andrews Lakeside Lithonia Margaret Harris Martin Luther King Jr. McNair Miller Grove Redan Southwest DeKalb Stephenson Mountain Stone Mountain Towers Tucker Total
304 227 339 340 218 258 52 74 54 302 379 149 484 333 12 376 157 289 230 263 379 214 210 407 6,050
Friday, May 26 Monday, May 22 Thursday, May 25 Wednesday, May 24 Monday, May 22 Thursday, May 25 Wednesday, May 24 Tuesday, May 23 Thursday, May 25 Friday, May 26 Thursday, May 25 Wednesday, May 24 Saturday, May 27 Tuesday, May 23 Friday, May 19 Friday, May 26 Monday, May 22 Thursday, May 25 Tuesday, May 23 Friday, May 26 Wednesday, May 24 Wednesday, May 24 Monday, May 22 Saturday, May 27
*No of 12th graders enrolled in DeKalb County Schools in January 2017
Time 1 p.m. 7 p.m. 4 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 4 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 4 p.m. 4 p.m. 1 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 10 a.m. 1 p.m. 1 p.m. 10 a.m. 10 a.m. 10 a.m. 10 a.m. 10 a.m. 4 p.m. 1 p.m. 7 p.m. 1 p.m. 10 a.m.
Location Georgia World Congress Center Georgia World Congress Center Georgia World Congress Center Hallford Stadium Georgia World Congress Center Adams Stadium Georgia World Congress Center Georgia World Congress Center Georgia World Congress Center Georgia World Congress Center Georgia World Congress Center Georgia World Congress Center Georgia World Congress Center Georgia World Congress Center Margaret Harris Georgia World Congress Center Georgia World Congress Center Georgia World Congress Center Georgia World Congress Center Georgia World Congress Center Georgia World Congress Center Georgia World Congress Center Georgia World Congress Center Georgia World Congress Center
May 20, 2017
Graduation
CrossRoadsNews
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This year, for the first time, most families will head to Atlanta to celebrate their graduates. Columbia High School’s graduates arriving for their May 18 PreCommencents at their school. The class has 218 seniors.
Angelina T. Velasquez / CrossRoadsNews
Families to celebrate Class of 2017 at World Congress Center Strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” will fill the Hallford and Adams stadiums, and the Georgia World Congress Center as graduates of DeKalb Schools take their seats for the annual high school ritual, and their final school event. More than 5,834 seniors are expected to get diplomas and certificates of attendance. This year, for the first time, most families will head to Atlanta to celebrate their graduates. All but three of the county’s 24 graduation ceremonies will take place at the
Georgia World Congress Center, replacing some large local churches that used to house graduations. The ceremonies are taking place May 19 to 27. The 2017 class with the most seniors is Lakeside High School with 484 seniors. It is followed by Tucker High with 407 seniors. The actual number of graduating seniors will not be ready until the school district releases the diplomas at the graduation ceremonies.
The DeKalb School of the Arts’ Class of 2017 will graduate on May 23 at the World Congress Center.
Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews
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Graduation
CrossRoadsNews
May 20, 2017
The Force of More is a challenge, a prod, and a frontier where high school graduation is the beginning of a life’s journey.
March forward: It’s your duty to explore, learn, grow, succeed By Dr. R. Stephen Green
Famed professional basketball coach Pat Riley coined the phrase “The Disease of More.” It speaks to selfish, me-first attitudes that players develop after winning a championship. Supposedly, athletes quickly shift from giving their all to the team to an introverted focus on their personal goals. But during commencements here in the DeKalb County School District, we prefer a different phrase – “The Force of More.” It speaks to the drive we encourage in our students to view high school graduation not as a rite of passage, but as an open door. It pushes the selfishness described by Riley from a negative to a positive connotation by developing an inner voice that asks “how much further in life can I now go?” The Force of More is a challenge, a prod, and a frontier where high school graduation is the beginning of a life’s journey full of greater achievements both personal and professional. We want our graduates to have a piercing energy inside their hearts and minds that loudly and forcefully challenges their fears, their family circumstances, their finances, and their role models. The Force of More is the expanse of thought and motivation between the phrases “what now?” and “what is my next pinnacle?” My colleagues and the Board of Education relish com-
“To our students: We want you to have a deep-seated belief that you can and will become more than the individual you are the moment your fingers first touch that hardearned diploma.” Dr. R. Stephen Green
mencement ceremonies because it means we have successfully fulfilled a part of our charge – to prepare students to attend college or obtain a quality job. It’s a time of sparkling tears, bear hugs, million-watt smiles and the brightness of heart that comes when you take a huge step forward. Notice that I said “a part of our charge.” The other, arguably more important, part is to provide deep teaching and learning to our scholars in an effort to develop a full understanding of what life can be. It’s especially important that information is shared in vital moments such as these. To our students: We want you to have a deep-seated belief that you can and will become more than the individual you
are the moment your fingers first touch that hard-earned diploma. If we have done our jobs well, The Force of More will speak in unmistakable terms in the days after graduation, when the celebratory cake is stale and complacency is in the air. The world is greater than the sum of the homes in your neighborhood, or the experiences of those you know. It’s your duty to explore, learn, grow and succeed. Without a doubt, we strongly believe that you, the Class of 2017, will march forward. You are destined to become our doctors, professionals, parents and leaders. We are ever hopeful that more than a few of you will earn a teaching certificate and return to the DeKalb County School District as the next generation of educators. Commencements are an important threshold in life. Once you step through that passageway as a graduate, you are in total control of what happens next. The Class of 2017 in the DeKalb County School District has spent the more formative years of life marinating in The Force of More. As a School District, we are excited to see the heights to which that force will propel you. Dr. R. Stephen Green is the superintendent/CEO of the DeKalb County School District. Learn more about the district at www.dekalbschoolsga.org.
Class of 2017 will blaze own trails at home and beyond DeKalb By Dr. Melvin Johnson
I speak for every member of the DeKalb County Board of Education when I say that we are very proud of the Class of 2017. Our pride goes beyond the millions of dollars in scholarships the students have earned, the long list of prestigious colleges and universities that will admit our scholars, or honors the students will receive in addition to their diplomas. We are proud because this month nearly 6,000 students will conclude but the first phase of what we believe will be a lifetime of learning. They are crossing over into a period of exploration where they will gain a deeper, intimate view of the world, and of themselves. They will take the tools and skills provided by our teachers, combine them with natural talents, and blaze their own trail. In many ways, these young men and women have com-
“We are proud because this month nearly 6,000 students will conclude but the first phase of what we believe will be a lifetime of learning.” Dr. Melvin Johnson
pleted the most difficult parts of their education. Think about this: These students entered our doors nearly 13 years ago not able to read and with only the most rudimentary knowledge. As a former educator, I can tell you that many of them sat down wearily at their desks on the very first day of school or cried out of the terrifying thought that Mom
and Dad had left them in this strange land. In those days and weeks after, they grew and gained more knowledge. They began to take positive chances. They had amazing victories in extracurricular activities and on the athletic field. Confidence blossomed, rewards were earned, and obstacles were overcome. They changed from “your children” to “DeKalb County School District learners.” So now here we stand. In two weeks or less, those nearly 6,000 students will spread into the world and fulfill their destinies. We are hopeful they will carry the best of what we’ve provided them to college or a career. They’ll do great things, both here at home and in other places. We will watch, smile and celebrate. Congratulations DCSD Class of 2017. Your School Board and School District could not be more proud of you. Dr. Melvin Johnson is chairman of the DeKalb County Board of Education.
The Class of 2017 Valedictorians & Salutatorians Kudos to DeKalb’s Top Scholars Fifty-four valedictorians and salutatorians topped the class of 2017 at 24 DeKalb County high schools. They are the students with the highest grade point averages in their schools.
They rose to the top with hard work and a commitment to excellence. They are among some of DeKalb County’s bright stars. We feature all of them on pages B5-B12.
High achievers overcome challenges en route to the top DeKalb’s valedictorians and salutatorians are among the county’s smartest students. In addition to intelligence, the students are well-rounded and serviceoriented, and many of them are bent on solving some of the world’s problems. They include Star Students, National Merit, Zell Miller, Simon, Posse and President Scholars. Among them are young people planning to study science, economics, robotics, music, computer science, medicine and marine biology. They are headed to colleges in Georgia and across the country including Georgia State, University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Duke University, Georgetown, Yale and Harvard. At the school district’s annual Vals & Sals Recognition Program, School Superintendent Dr. R. Stephen Green told them that they have reached an important milestone in their lives but that once the cap and gown comes off, they must decide the path they will take in life. “Our the past 13 years, we have nurtured you to foster growth and development,” he told them. “Now you are ready to continue your journey.” The district surprised the students with gifts of a touchscreen laptop etched Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews with 2017 Valedictorian or 2017 Salutatorian of the DeKalb County School The DeKalb School District’s valedictorians and salutatorians are all smiles at the district’s annual Vals & Sals Recognition Ceremony after each received District’. a new laptop in recognition of their academic achievement.
ARABIA MOUNTAIN
Magnet Valedictorian
Izegboya Oyakhire
Izegboya Oyakhire made her mind up pretty early about Duke University in Durham, N.C., and it was the only college she applied to. In the fall, she will be majoring in biology there with plans to become a medical doctor. She is not yet sure which area of medicine she will go into. “I will let God show me that,” she said. Izegboya, who was in Arabia Mountain’s Engineering magnet program, is graduating with a 4.196 GPA and took college credit courses in psychology and English at Perimeter College at Georgia State University. She says her mother, Valerie, pushed her to succeed, but that she was very self-motivated. She participated in Beta Club, the National Honor Society, Science Fair, Science Bowl and the Black Life Matters Club.
Magnet Salutatorian
Chanté Lively
Chanté Lively, who has a 4.2 GPA, will be attending Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to study marine biology. Her chosen field of study comes from playing a Nintendo DS game, Pet Ocean Central. “I was a marine biologist and enjoyed helping the animals, so from there I knew I wanted to be a marine biologist,” she said. She is going to college with $22,500 in scholarships from Alpha Kappa Alpha, Greater Lithonia Chamber of Commerce, Miss Arabia Scholarship and Nova Razor’s Edge scholarship. In high school, Chanté acted in drama club productions and competed in the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl. At graduation, she will tell her classmates that “the underdogs can come to the spotlight and show their talents.”
Resident Valedictorian
Madina Bah
Madina Bah loves figuring her way through computer codes, so it’s no surprise that she will be studying computer science this fall at Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla. “I want to focus on applications and web design,” she says. She has a 4.36 GPA and will be attending Rollins on a $20,000-a-year scholarship. As the second of four children, Madina says she knows that her two younger sisters are watching what she does. “I don’t focus on being a role model, but I do try to show them what’s best by staying focused,” she said. All through high school, she was very focused on her studies and being a member of the National Honor Society, Beta Club and a Student Ambassador. She admits that she didn’t spend a lot of time on fun.
Resident Salutatorian
Kailah Trice
Kailah Trice will be taking on her family legacy when she attends Tuskegee University this fall. Her father, Artis Trice, is an alumnus, and a full scholarship from the school sealed the deal. Kailah, who earned 21 college credits in dual enrollment, has a 4.2 GPA. She will be majoring in sociology. She was an active member of the Future Business Leaders of America, 4-H Club, National Honor Society, Beta Club, and Science Bowl. Her keys to success were learning time management and creating a winning study technique. Kailah said she put her class notes to her favorite beats and rapped them. She wants to tell her peers to “listen to people who want to help you.”
CrossRoadsNews
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Valedictorians
&
Salutatorians
‘I can get a higher education
cedar grove
Valedictorian
Avanti Pointer
Salutatorian
Keiva Smith
May 20, 2017
By Angelina T. Velasquez
Avanti Pointer’s 4.2 GPA did not come easy and required a lot of sacrifice. “There were times I wanted to do other things, like hang out with friends, but I had schoolwork that came first,” she said. She does not feel she missed out on having a social life and has the reward of a $69,500 scholarship from Savannah College of Art and Design and a $1,000 Comcast Scholarship to show for her dedication. Avanti will attend Georgia State for two years of study in studio art with a concentration in graphic design and then complete her degree at SCAD. She was a member of the National Honor Society, Art Club, Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy and Student Government.
Keiva says getting a full scholarship from Penn State University was a blessing in disguise. After a visit to the school, she really wanted to go there. “It was just so happy, everyone was so friendly, and I’m a happy person,” she said. Keiva, who earned 36 hours of college credit while doing dual enrollment, has a 4.11 GPA. She is president of the FBLA, a Georgia Tech mentor program student, cheerleader, the 2017 Miss Cedar Grove High, and a member of the National Honor Society, the Beta and College clubs, and the varsity swim team. Keiva is the first salutatorian in her family, and she said they are very proud and excited for her. She plans to major in languages and study in the United Kingdom. She plans to tell her classmates: “This is our first hello, not our last goodbye.”
In 2011, Firdous Abukar was in a Freedom Middle School classroom trying to understand what her teacher was saying. She 12 years old and had just moved to the United States – with her parents Ahmed and Khadija and two younger siblings, Haroo and Sundus – from war-torn Somalia. The only languages she knew were Somali and Arabic. “It was the most challenging time for me because I was in school and did not understand what was going on,” Firdous said. Six years later, she is Clarkston High School’s valedictorian, topping her class with a 4.3 GPA. Firdous taught herself English by watching movies and television in her free time. “I learned English in six months,” she said. By the eighth grade, Firdous was surpassing her classmates, and she has not looked back. She said she loves going to school in America. “It was so peaceful, unlike Somalia,” she said. “It’s a miracle to be able to go to school and to know that I can obtain a higher education.” Firdous, who is a full-ride Posse Scholar, will study at George Washington University – the only college to which she applied. “When I found out that I got in, I was very
chamblee charter
Magnet Valedictorian
Resident Valedictorian
Manav Mathews has had a grueling course load throughout high school. He found time management skills and not becoming bogged down with expectations to be keys to his success. “My greatest obstacle was completing challenging courses and assignments,” said Manav, who is graduating with a 4.01 GPA. “The most rewarding part of everything is graduating with all A’s.” He is headed to the University of Georgia to major in accounting with a minor in computer science. Manav said his participation in Beta Club and Future Business Leaders of America really prepared him for his next phase of academics.
Manav Mathews
Michelle Tran
Magnet Salutatorian
Michelle Tran took an accounting class last fall and discovered a love for budgeting and finding ways to save money. This fall she will enroll at the University of Georgia to major in accounting with a minor in computer science. After her class, Michelle, who has a 4.09 GPA, honed her skills as an accountant for her parents, Paul and Maggie. Michelle, who did AP courses in computer science, physics and psychology and worked part time at Dunkin’ Donuts during her senior year, said good time management was important to her success. “I used my time in the morning and after class lessons to make sure I got work done.” An important lesson she learned is “grades don’t define you.” “You just have to learn the material and do your best.”
Resident Salutatorian
Krishna Chai Pucha will be attending Emory University to major in biology. His parents, Raghu and Sailaja, are a lecturer and a researcher there, so he will get free tuition. Krishna was a member of Chamblee’s swim team and the Science Bowl Club. He was a physics tutor during his high school career. Even though he studied hard, Krishna maintained balance having a good social life. “I never let myself get too stressed,” he said. In college, he is looking forward to working with professors who are passionate about their fields.
Krishna Chai Pucha
Michael Abbott
Michael Abbott will be attending Georgia Southern University in Statesboro this fall to major in computer science. “I wanted a small-town feel, and I got that there,” said Michael, who has a 4.07 GPA, is a Zell Miller Scholar, and has earned a scholarship to cover the majority of his college education. This fall when he enrolls at Georgia Southern, he will have 27 credit hours earned from his full-time dual enrolment in Georgia State University’s Move On When Ready program. At Chamblee Charter High, Michael is active in the National Honor Society and the Future Business Leaders of America. This summer, he will celebrate all his hard work paying off with a trip to Guanacaste, Costa Rica, courtesy of his family.
clarkston
Valedictorian
Firdous Abukar
Armed with a 4.3 GPA and a Posse Scholarship covering full tuition, Firdous Abukar, who spoke no English six years ago, will head to George Washington University to study biology this fall. She plans a premed track with a minor in public health. “I want to give back to my community by publicly speaking about health care and human rights,” she said. She says the key to her success was the support of her parents, Ahmed and Khadija, and high school mentors. While juggling full-time status at Georgia Piedmont, she also participated in Beta Club, Muslim Student Association, Student Government and Youth Physicians Initiative and was parliamentarian of Healthcare Occupation Students of America. Firdous, who was born in Somalia, says she can’t wait to go to college to meet new people.
Salutatorian
Sumaya Muse
Sumaya Muse is the ninth of 11 children, and when she enrolls at the University of Georgia to major in biology this fall, she will be living up to her sisters’ achievements. She completed 30 college credits on dual enrollment and holds a 4.31 GPA, all while being captain of her soccer team and president of the health care club. Sumaya, the child of Somali immigrants who came to DeKalb in 1996 in search of a better life, also started her own “sisterhood” group focusing on immigrant females and volunteering in the community. A Muslim, Sumaya is aware of the recent attempts to ban immigrants from certain Muslim countries. She plans to tell her classmates to keep going even through the hate. At UGA, she plans to work with minorities.
CrossRoadsNews
May 20, 2017
Valedictorians
&
Salutatorians
and become anything I want’ Clarkston High valedictorian Firdous Abukar receives a medallion from Superintendent R. Stephen Green on May 4 at the DeKalb School District’s Recognition Ceremony.
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columbia
Magnet Valedictorian
Jordan Pope
Jordan Pope loves music, math and science and couldn’t choose, so this fall when he enrolls at Georgia Tech, he will major in mechanical engineering with a minor in music. But Jordan, who has a 4.07 GPA, was not just about academics. He has been a quarterback for the Eagles football team and competed in track and field while juggling AP Literature, Language, Calculus, World History and U.S. History. “I love football,” he said. “It’s taught me time management and that I can push through the hard times to get to where I want to be. My greatest obstacle was balancing my classes, homework and sports, but I was able to do it with good time management.” Jordan was also a member of the National Honor Society, math team and Beta Club.
Magnet Salutatorian
Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews
happy and proud because the hard work paid off,” Firdous said. Posse Scholars are nontraditional students from urban communities with extraordinary academic and leadership skills who are recruited by the Posse Foundation and placed in top four-year institutions of higher education, where they attend tuition-free. Firdous plans to study biology with a premed track. “I want to be a physician to help people and be able to publicly speak about health care and human rights,” she said. Her parents are especially proud of her achievements. “They always knew I was able to do it and are very happy that moving to America did mean a better life for us,” she said. Firdous says she is a little nervous about
leaving home for college but is up for the challenge. During her junior year, Firdous earned 12 college credits while attending Georgia Piedmont Technical College on dual enrolment. In her senior year, she attended the college full time and earned 40 college credits. Though her very full schedule limited her social life, Firdous says that she doesn’t feel as though she missed out. “I didn’t have college classes on Friday so I was able to spend time with friends and to socialize after school,” she said. Firdous says she always knew she wanted to be a physician, but in Somalia, it did not seem possible. “Now my dreams can actually come true,” she said. “I can get a higher education and become anything I want.”
Quan Usher
Resident Co-Valedictorian
Lashannon McCombs
Yusuf Azizi, who is an overachiever extraordinaire, is headed to Harvard University on a full-ride scholarship this fall to doublemajor in economics and computer science with a minor in applied mathematics. “There are several opportunities available to students of these subjects and I am interested in several of them,” said Yusuf, who has a 4.24 GPA. Throughout high school, he never allowed the lack of access to resources thwart him. “I found programs and mentors that have been extremely helpful throughout my high school career,” he said.
Yasmine Meadows
Emani Brinson
Emani Brinson knows what it means to triumph over hardships. Throughout her high school career, she had to work to help out at home, but none of that stopped her from excelling. Her 4.123 GPA netted her class salutatorian and she will be attending the University of West Georgia with plans to major in business management. She will pay for her education with a HOPE scholarship, Pell Grant and work-study program. Emani said her mother, Cassandra, who raised her and her two older sisters on her own and motivated her to work hard, is extremely happy with her accomplishments. “Whatever you go through, as long as you keep the goal at hand, you can accomplish anything,” she said.
For Yasmine Meadows, graduating top of her class is the first step in finding out who she wants to be. “I’m most looking forward to attending college to try new things and to learn about myself,” she said. Yasmine, who has a 4.02 GPA, will be attending the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio, this fall with plans to study accounting and Spanish. At Columbia High School, she was the Student Government president and participated in the City of Youth Commission club, Starfire Recycling Company and volleyball. She is also the recipient of a $250,000 Posse Scholarship. In her valedictorian speech, she plans to encourage her classmates “to never give up on themselves despite how difficult things may become.”
Resident Salutatorian
Yusuf Azizi
Salutatorian
At age 6, Lashannon began cooking alongside her father, Dexter. “The first thing I learned to cook was oysters,” she says. When her father died of heart disease at age 49, it fueled her passion to become a professional chef. “When I’m cooking, I do feel close to him, but I also love the atmosphere because it’s a way to escape anything else going on,” she said. Lashannon, who has a 4.02 GPA, will attend Johnson and Wales University in Miami to study culinary arts on a $30,462 scholarship from the university and $16,000 Simon Scholarship. She hopes to have her own restaurant one day. This year, she was named sous-chef of the culinary club. Lashannon, who is fluent in Spanish, was Beta Club president.
Resident Co-Valedictorian
cross keys
Valedictorian
Quan Usher got acceptance letters from 10 of the 14 schools he applied to and raked in $66,000 in scholarship offers. This fall he heads to the University of Michigan, home to one of the top five engineering programs in the U.S., to major in engineering. He leaves high school with a 4.06 GPA that did not come easy, but Quan says the support of friends, ambition, and motivation made it a little easier. He was a member of Columbia High’s robotics team, which competed in the First Robotics World Championship for the past two years. In 2016, the team placed second among teams from China. He stayed motivated by telling himself to never give up. “I’m better than giving up,” he said.
Barinem Bornwin
Barinem Bornwin is acutely aware of her parents’ struggles to escape poverty and political oppression in southern Nigeria, and it is partly the reason she plans a career in public health. “I want to build structure for self-sustenance in places like West Africa,” she said. Barinem, who has a 3.89 GPA, will attend Georgia State University and major in public health. She has a $16,000 Simon Scholarship and a Zell Miller Scholarship. Barinem, who has two younger sisters, says she is aware of her role model status and tries to set a good example. She said the greatest lesson she’s learned is “that sometimes you have to walk alone.” She also knows that everything she wants is on the other side of fear. “We just have to be willing to take the risks,” she said.
These Valedictorian and Salutatorian profiles were compiled by Donna Williams Lewis, Jennifer Ffrench Parker, Tekia Parks and Angelina T. Velasquez.
CrossRoadsNews
B8
“Knowing where I want to be in the future and knowing where I come from has inspired me to never slow down.”
Cathara Spencer
By Donna Williams Lewis When Cathara Spencer enrolls at the University of Georgia this fall, she will already have an associate degree in psychology from Georgia State University-Perimeter College. Cathara, who has a 4.5 GPA, said that when she wasn’t in class, she was completing assignments, attending meetings of the National Honor Society, or working on the weekend at the Kroger on Centerville Highway. “It was really easy to balance everything because learning comes very easy to me,” she says. Cathara, who has a passion for social media and advocacy, is going to UGA on a Zell Miller Scholarship and plans to study marketing. She was involved in FBLA, Berean Christian Youth Group, DeKalb Student Advisory Council and the K2K Mentoring Program.
Salutatorian
Andrew Chambers
Andrew Chambers enjoys calculating and budgeting his money so much, he is headed to the University of Georgia to get a degree in finance. Ultimately, he wants to be a financial adviser. When he gets his diploma on May 24, it will be his second graduation this season. On May 11, he received an associate degree in business administration from Georgia State University. At GSU, Andrew, who has a 4.4 GPA, was president of the Business Club and vice president of Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society. In high school, he took AP U.S. History, edited the Literary Magazine, and was a member of the National Society of High School Scholars, Knight-to-Knight Mentoring and Seeds of Light Mentoring. Andrew is a 2017 STAR Student, and he made the GSU Dean’s List. He received $15,864 in Zell Miller, Georgia Access Award and Weisiger Family scholarships.
dekalb School of the arts
Valedictorian
Eleanor Iskander
Salutatorian
Cassandra Turk
Valedictorians
Math struggles behind him,
dekalb early college academy
Valedictorian
May 20, 2017
By any measure, Eleanor Iskander is a standout student. She is a STAR Student with an SAT score of 1560, and at the May 16 honors program, she walked away with awards for things like taking nine AP courses and excelling at music. Eleanor, who has a 4.228 GPA, is going to Yale University, her mother Susan’s alma mater. There she will major in music and minor in psychology and follow in her mother’s footsteps by singing in the Yale Glee Club. She has been a member DSA’s HighLeit Show Choir for the past three years and a member of the History Club, Beta Club and National Honor Society. “I love my family a lot and I will miss them,” she said. “And I will be going to a school full of valedictorians and salutatorians – but I hear it’s a good environment and they are supportive.”
Duke University is about to discover the tour de force that is Cassandra Turk. Cassandra, who has a 4.214 GPA, is headed to Durham, N.C., to study economics and computer science. For Cassandra, economics is where math and psychology intersect. “And that is where a whole lot of things that interest me lie.” Her interests in so many things culminated in her winning the AJC Cup for “Best All Around Student” at the May 16 Honors Day. Cassandra, who took 10 AP courses, picked up six awards, three cords, and a medal for everything from scoring 1200 on the SAT, having 30-plus on the ACT, being a calculus honor student, and for high scores on AP Environmental Science and Economics. She got the National Honor Society and Beta Club Service Award. Cassandra also took art, dance and creative writing at school. She is a figure skater and a martial artist.
Southwest DeKalb High’s resident valedictorian Jordan Vaughan wasn’t always a stellar student. In fact, he was pretty much the opposite throughout most of his elementary school days at Greenforest-McCalep Christian Academy. “I used to jump for joy when I had a 69 in something because I was one point from passing,” Jordan said. “I just couldn’t comprehend math. It was also difficult to read and to spell.” He says his mother once said he should tell anyone who asked that he wanted an education for Christmas. Mom’s Christmas wish came true. Today, with a 4.0 GPA and 18 college-level courses already completed, Jordan is headed to the University of Georgia with plans to major in business management or finance. As a senior, he was president of several school honor societies, including the Mu Alpha Theta national math honor society, and he was president of FBLA, Future Business Leaders of America. Jordan also served throughout this school year on DeKalb County Juvenile Court’s Teen Court, which handles actual cases. Beyond all of that, he’s a full-fledged businessman who owns four businesses and plans a career in starting companies and helping others do the same. What makes Jordan’s life story even more remarkable is its very beginning. His mother, Stefanie Vaughan Turman, is just 34. She was 15 when Jordan was born. “Knowing where I want to be in the future and knowing where I come from has inspired me to never slow down,” Jordan said. “I have an addiction to ambition and being busy and changing what’s already set in stone, changing the status quo.” His graduation speech will include a quote that resonates with him and his journey: “Turbulence is the price we pay for flying high.” His mother, who was a ninth-grader at Towers High when Jordan was born, not only finished high school but also has earned a bachelor’s degree and has seen her child rise from failing in school to becoming a valedictorian. “It’s overwhelming,” said Turman, who is supervisor of outpatient scheduling at Piedmont Hospital. “I’m very humble. I’m thankful. I don’t take anything for granted. I tell him to continue to keep God first and there’s nothing we can’t do.” Turman said her son has always been a positive role model for his sister, Semiya, a freshman at Southwest DeKalb. Her mother, Bernice Vaughan, said she is proud of them all. Jordan’s mother had church support and family support, Vaughan said, including from Jordan’s uncle, Rodney Vaughan, who worked nights but looked after Jordan during the day so his mother could go to school.
Jordan co-founded a company that sold personal protection dogs and started a canine consulting firm that advises kennel owners.
Bernice Vaughan said she never gave up on her daughter when she became a teen mother. “I tried to keep her encouraged and we gave some tough love,” she said. “She’s a great mom.”
Eighth-grade entrepreneur Jordan’s academic transformation began the summer after he finished sixth grade
destiny academy
Valedictorian
Aiyana Golson
Aiyana Golson will go to one of three colleges this fall – Fort Valley, Spelman or West Georgia. Whichever one it is, she plans on becoming an orthodontist to honor the faith her mother, Dorothy, has in her. “My mother was going to be a dental assistant but after a neck surgery was no longer able to work,” Aiyana said, adding that her mother always tells her that there is nothing she cannot do. Aiyana, who has a 3.5 GPA, said she persevered with help from teachers and her best friend Aalia Gill and by staying focused. “I had to be able to talk to my teachers, learn better study habits and keep faith,” she said. She wants her classmates to know two things: “They don’t have to give up and that there are opportunities for everyone.”
Salutatorian
Arianna Morgan
There were times during high school when Arianna Morgan wanted to give up, but quitting was never an option. “I didn’t want to be stuck working at McDonald’s – instead I wanted to graduate college and to have a career,” she said. Now she is leaving high school with a 3.0 GPA. Arianna is headed to Georgia State University to study psychology. Her choice of a major was inspired by seeing family members deal with depression and multiple personality disorder. “I know I’ll learn ways to help in the future,” she said. Arianna says her mother, Cheryl, sacrificed a lot for her and this is motivating her to do well. “I worked hard and didn’t give up on myself when others may have,” she said. “It means a lot to put a smile on my mom’s face.”
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By eighth grade, he was a math tutor himself, with as many as 50 kids lined up after school, waiting for his help.
student now tops in his class Jordan Vaughan, Southwest DeKalb High’s resident valedictorian, served throughout the school year on DeKalb County Juvenile Court’s Teen Court, which handles actual cases.
druid hills
Valedictorian
Kylie McArthur
Kylie McArthur didn’t nail reading until the second grade, but look at her now, valedictorian of her class. “I was a late bloomer, so I’ve really climbed the ladder in terms of academic achievement,” Kylie said. She ascended to the top of her class with a 4.42 GPA and a love of economics, math and social science. Now she is headed to Georgia Tech to major in either economics or industrial engineering. She is looking to widen her horizons in college. “What I most look forward to is meeting people both with different perspectives from my own and also people who share similar interests.” She was swim team captain and a member of the Environmental Club and got the Emory Award of Outstanding Student Achievement and the Hicks/Larumba Memorial Sportsmanship Award.
Salutatorian
called Mentally Advanced K-9. The company sold personal protection dogs to “elite executives” and police departments around the country, Jordan said. After that company ceased operation, Jordan started a canine consulting firm in which he advises kennel owners nationwide on ways to improve their efficiency and increase their profit. Jordan is passionate about hiring only teenagers in his businesses, saying he believes they can do anything adults can. To that end, last fall he started an event planning company, Dream Reality Events LLC, that helps teens use their talents to make money. With his friend Gabrielle Huff as “chief management officer,” the company specializes in school prom planning assistance. Jordan’s own prom at Southwest DeKalb was its biggest client to date. This year, Jordan started another company in which he and Gabrielle sell “premium” virgin hair. Despite the demands he put on himself, including being a dual enrollment student at Georgia Piedmont Technical College, Jordan always found time to volunteer at Southwest DeKalb, said the school’s head counselor, Robin McDonald. “He is truly an amazing kid,” said McDonald, who said she will miss Jordan terribly. “He is a very bright student and yet very compassionate. He will help anybody and do anything.” Jordan’s graduation speech will echo that “do anything” sentiment. “I want to show that anything is possible,” ‘Anything is possible’ he said, “once you commit and set your mind In ninth grade, Jordan’s obsession with to it.” dogs led him to co-found, along with a poHe can be reached at Dreamrealityeventlice captain in North Carolina, a company satl@gmail.com or 404-735-8662. when his uncle TJ Jones helped connect him with Dr. Lawrence Woodard, a retired math professor from Grambling State University. Almost immediately after their tutorial sessions began, Jordan realized that he didn’t hate math. He found that he loved it. Woodard calls him a great kid. “He’s one of the few kids I’ve taught over 40 years who really was interested in learning mathematics,” he said. “He wanted to know all he could about everything he studied.” By the end of that summer, Jordan had completed all of the work in a seventh-grade math book. Inspired by his success in math and a fresh start at Chapel Hill Middle School, Jordan put more effort into all of his classes and began excelling in all of them. By eighth grade, he was a math tutor himself, with as many as 50 kids lined up after school, waiting for his help. “I divided people up into groups based on what they needed,” he said. “I adapted my teaching style from Dr. Woodard. He would explain the topic through examples and work through them, then give me problems to work out.” Heeding the advice of teachers who told him he should charge for his service, Just Do It Tutorial became Jordan’s first business, started in the eighth grade. Potential clients can check him out or get a little free help through his math videos on YouTube.
Peter Lee
Come fall, Peter Lee will be studying electrical engineering at Georgia Tech on a $10,000 Zell Miller Scholarship. Peter, who has a 4.3 GPA, will be in a familiar place. Since summer 2015, he has been a research intern at Tech’s Buckley Lab, using his skills in 3-D printing and design and interacting with Tech students on his project developing an optical sensor for continuous monitoring of cerebral hemodynamics in patients with sickle cell disease. “It’s been a really great experience learning new ways to use technology,” he said. Peter got the AJC Cup for Best All-Around Senior Award. “I really want to engineer robots and artificial intelligence in a way that moves society forward,” he said.
dunwoody
Valedictorian
Laura Spratling
Salutatorian
Matthew Desoutter
Laura Spratling, who began swimming when she was 4 and spent her senior year shattering swimming records, is headed to the U.S. Naval Academy on a $400,000 scholarship. “My grandfather, William, was in World War II and also attended the academy,” said Laura, who set records in the 50-, 100-, 200and 400-yard freestyles. She plans to study economics or political science while representing her country as a swimmer. She is interested in pursuing Surface Warfare. Laura, who has a 4.48 GPA, was a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, and Rho Kappa and Mu Alpha Theta and garnered a slew of awards – Scholastic All American, National AP Scholar, and 2016 Georgia High School Coaches Association swimmer of the year.
Matthew Desoutter is going to Wake Forest University for a double major in neuroscience and mathematical statistics with a minor in philosophy. He is getting a $300,000 Stamps Scholarship from the Winston-Salem, N.C.-based school and has a $1,000 Church’s Chicken Scholarship. Matthew, who has a 4.4 GPA, said he was attracted to Wake Forest’s smaller learning environment. “I’ll be able to surround myself with great people who are as passionate about intellectual pursuits as I am both in classes and in social settings,” he said. He chose neuroscience because he struggled with depression and anxiety. Matthew took AP Language Arts and Literature in high school and math classes at Georgia Tech. He was a member of the Math National Honor Society, Social Studies National Honor Society, Math Team, Independent Adult Bowling Team and Beta Club.
lakeside
Valedictorian
Yifan Liang
Yifan Liang has always loved to challenge himself, so when high school just wasn’t enough, he enrolled in college full time in his junior year, spending that year at Georgia State and his senior year at Georgia Tech. With a GPA of 4.4, he is one-third of the way through an undergraduate degree. Yifan is president of Lakeside’s Asian American Club; captain of Varsity Academic Bowl, which last year came in second at state; captain of the Math Team; and communications officer of the Ultimate Frisbee Club, which placed third in state. Last summer, he shadowed doctors at a hospital in China, an experience that inspired him to become a doctor. He plans to major in chemistry at Georgia Tech, which has given him the College of Science’s Early Research Award.
Salutatorian
Alec Reinhardt
Both sides of Alec Reinhardt’s brain must be equally engaged. Passionate about science, he was selected for the Governor’s Honors Program in science, won second place for behavioral science in the 2015 state science fair, and was co-founder of the school’s Science Bowl. Meanwhile, he’s concertmaster of the school’s orchestra and plays violin in the Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra. He also played guitar in the Rialto Youth Jazz Orchestra and has performed in several states with his own band, Frets on Fire, a “Southern-style rock blues funk band.” Alec, who has a 4.3 GPA and is a National Merit scholarship winner, plans to major in neuroscience and music at Emory University. He attributes much of his success to inspiration from the enthusiasm of others.
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DeKalb STAR Student ‘sets bar high’ lithonia
Co-Valedictorian
Gamaya McEachern
Chamblee Charter High Magnet valedictorian and STAR Student Manav Mathews (right) had the highest SAT score in the Class of 2017.
Starting at age 6 with a rabbit named Ice Cube, Gamaya McEachern has always had pets in her life. These days, she’s got two cocker spaniels, Prince and Velvet, and a love for animals that fueled her choice of career. Gamaya, who has a 4.125 GPA, is headed to Alabama A&M University, where she will major in animal biohealth science. She plans to become a veterinarian. The Georgia Merit Scholar has been in the marching band throughout high school and was captain of the Dance Team this year. She was secretary for the International Club and National Honor Society. She also was a member of Beta Club, FBLA and Student Government Association. She said her family has been the key to her success. Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews
Co-Valedictorian
Rani SharriffMuhammad
Salutatorian
Rani Sharriff-Muhammad is looking forward to new opportunities and freedom as she ends one chapter of her academic career. “I’m excited to pick the classes I want to take and the ability to learn what I want to learn,” she said. Rani, who has a 4.12 GPA, will be attending the University of West Georgia. She is still undecided on a major. “It’s a lot of options to choose from so I’ll probably make a decision during my first semester,” she said. During her high school years, she participated in the National Honor Society, Key Club, Beta Club and International Club as well as concert, jazz and marching band.
Jaylin Bolden may be undecided about where he is going to college in the fall, but the possibilities are endless. So far, he amassed at least $30,000 in scholarship offers from four universities per semester. Jaylin, who has a 4.06 GPA, is a 2017 STAR Student. When he made salutatorian, his family was proud but not surprised because he has always been a great student. “It’s just something that I’m good at,” he said. Jaylin is on the football team at Lithonia and he says his family and staying focused have been his formula for success.
Jaylin Bolden
Chamblee Charter High Magnet valedictorian Manav Mathews speaks fluent German, is a star on the tennis court, and has the highest SAT score in DeKalb’s 2017 Class. For nailing a 2380 on the SAT, the Professional Association of Georgia Educators Foundation and the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce named him the 2017 STAR Student for DeKalb County. To qualify for Student Teacher Achievement Recognition student designation, a student must have the highest SAT score taken during one sitting throughout his or her senior year. At the end of the student’s junior year, he or she must also be in the top 10 percent or be among the top 10 students numerically, whichever category provides the largest number of eligible students in the school. Manav, who has a 4.01 GPA, has been accepted by the University of Georgia as a Foundation Fellow. He also earned STAR recognition for cofounding the Joy Committee at Chamblee Charter High to improve mental health at the school. Manav is a National Merit semifinalist, a national AP Scholar, and a recipient of the University of Georgia Certificate of Merit. An avid tennis player since age 7, Manav has been a member of the Chamblee Charter varsity tennis team since the ninth grade and is the team’s 2017 captain. Chamblee Charter High School’s princi-
martin luther king jr.
Valedictorian
Michelle Doby
Salutatorian
Essence Fields
For Michelle Doby, picking a college has been the greatest challenge of her high school career. “There are so many good schools and they all offer the same thing,” she said. Michelle, who has a 4.2 GPA, decided on Newberry College in Newberry, S.C. She is going there on $13,400 in academic scholarships and a $6,500 lacrosse investment scholarship. “I felt that Newberry’s campus best fit me and made me feel comfortable,” she said. Michelle was a member of National Honor Society of High School Scholars, Beta Club and National Honor Society. “I’m a very self-motivated person so my personal drive and want to succeed, along with supportive friends and teachers, really pushed me,” she said.
Music is embedded in Essence Fields’ DNA, so it comes as no surprise that one day she plans to take over the industry. “My uncle is DJ Scratch so I started deejaying for birthdays and weddings when I was in fifth grade,” she said. Essence, who has a 4.2 GPA, will study music business at Middle Tennessee State with the help of Snapping Shoals EMC and Alpha Kappa Alpha Community Enrichment scholarships. “Since the sixth grade I’ve wanted to have a career in music production and business,” said Essence, who plans to be the CEO of her own recording label. She earned 40 college credits through dual enrollment at Georgia Piedmont Technical College and was a member of the National Honor Society and National Beta Club.
pal Norman Sauce III says Manav represents the absolute best of Chamblee Charter High School. “Manav is a leader and contributor to the mission and vision of our school in every way possible,” Sauce said. “He leads by the example with grace and humility. He is among the kindest and most service-oriented students I have ever encountered. He worked with classmates over the last two school years, during unspeakable tragedy at our school, to create a new student organization to provide joy, happiness, encouragement, and positive reinforcement to as many students as possible. He not only sets the bar high in the classroom, but he also demonstrates the highest and most admirable character traits.” Manav’s German teacher, Uwe Neuhaus, called Manav an extraordinary young man who impresses most with his general knowledge, broad interest, and unusual maturity. “Manav enjoys rigorous academic work and likes to be challenged in a wide variety of topics,” Neuhaus said. “He has a great sense of humor and a positive outlook on life.” Neuhaus says that Manav has reached nearnative speaker proficiency in German. “His participation in the Governor’s Honors Program, our school’s German exchange with the Albrecht-Dürer High School in Nuremberg, and his summer internship with a German company give evidence of his unwavering dedication to his education in general and German in particular,” Neuhaus said.
ronald e. McNair
Valedictorian
Antwan Clark
Salutatorian
Kiara Mahoney
Antwan Clark’s goal all the way through high school was set from freshman year when he saw an older friend graduate as salutatorian. Antwan wanted to be valedictorian and with a 4.01 GPA, he made it, while also being a member of leadership academies and organizations including the National Honor Society. “I stayed focused, kept my head in the books, and just studied, and it paid off in the end,” he said. The baseball player and dirt bike racer was one of McNair’s Travel Club members selected to travel to Guatemala last year to help build a school for children. Antwan is headed to a dual degree program at West Georgia and Georgia Tech, where he will major in physics and mechanical engineering. He plans a career in building and working on airplanes.
When Kiara Mahoney was in elementary school, she had so much difficulty learning to read that her parents thought she might be dyslexic or autistic. But 13 years later, she is graduating with a 3.9 GPA and headed to Georgia State University to major in early childhood education with a minor in English. Kiara said those early reading difficulties inspired her to want to be a k-5 teacher. Kiara was president of the Future Business Leaders of America, vice president of Student Government Association, and president of McNair Chorus. She was also a member of the McNair Travel Club, the National Honor Society, the Beta Club and the Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy. In the 12th grade, she vied in Kenny Leon’s True Colors National August Wilson Monologue Competition.
CrossRoadsNews
May 20, 2017
Valedictorians
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Salutatorians
28 recognized as STAR Students Twenty-eight students from the DeKalb County School District, City Schools of Decatur and participating private high schools are 2017 STAR Students. The PAGE Student Teacher Achievement Recognition program honors Georgia’s highest-achieving high school seniors and the teachers who have been most instrumental in their academic development. The 2017 DeKalb School STAR Students and their teachers are: n Manav Mathews/Uwe Neuhaus, Chamblee Charter High valedictorian n Danielle Valette Dean/Dr. Fred Okoh, Arabia Mountain High n Avanti Kelly Pointer/Edith Kane, Cedar Grove High valedictorian n Kenny Casimir/James Hall, Clarkston High n Quan Usher/Hetal Raval, Columbia High salutatorian n Yusuf Azizi/Jake Eismeier, Cross Keys High valedictorian n Andrew Chambers III/Dr. Tahiti Mitchell, DeKalb Early College Academy salutatorian n Eleanor Aida Iskander/Sondra Williams, DeKalb School of the Arts valedictorian n Will Said/Vincent Gray, Druid Hills High n Matthew Desoutter/Adrienne Rowe, Dunwoody High salutatorian n Advaith Sekharan/Terry Krugman, Lakeside High n Jaylin Devon Bolden/Timothy Gant, Lithonia High n Indra A. Meyers/Calvin Leaks, Martin Luther King Jr. High
n Dontay Gibson/Dr. Ella Perkins, McNair High n Ava Gardner/Jared Brown, Miller Grove High valedictorian n Aiyasia Zakiya Peoples/Rondolph Codlin, Redan High valedictorian n Darion Armond Isom/Raymond Maple, Southwest DeKalb High n Marlon Armand Greene/Mario Miner, Stephenson High n Amira Alshemari/Doug Dakin, Stone Mountain High n Isaiah S. Watson/Jamila-Akilah Harris, Towers High valedictorian n Daniel Alexander Wade/Viveka Davis, Tucker High
The private schools STAR Students and their teachers are: n John Patrick Dinges and teacher Tim Perez, Marist School n Jacob Gardner Ressler-Craig and Kristin Kramer, St. Pius X Catholic High n Dan Jutan and Bill Shillito, Atlanta Jewish Academy n Indira Annalise Cunningham and Dr. Martha Burdette, Ben Franklin Academy n Jeffery Ikechukwu Obiagu and Rhonda Hicks, Greenforest-McCalep Christian Academy n Maya Martin and Aliyah Kai, Warith Deen Mohammed High.
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miller grove
Valedictorian
Ava Gardner
Salutatorian
n Decatur High School’s STAR Student and Teacher are Jackson Quon Meyer-Lee and Dr. Cara Cassell.
Daniel Harris
For more information, visit www.pagefoundation.org.
All her life, Ava Gardner has loved literature and writing. Her parents always wanted her to become a doctor, but she had other things in mind. That was before she took a medical terminology class at GPTC, where she is dually enrolled. Ava, who has a 4.155 GPA and is her school’s STAR Student, plans to major in creative writing and enroll in the premed program at Vanderbilt University. She wants to become a surgeon. She also plans to continue playing the flute. She’s section leader in the band and was part of the school’s Wind Symphony, which was selected to perform this spring at Carnegie Hall. A member of Student Council, Math Club and the National Honor Society, Ava believes pushing herself has been the key to her success.
Daniel Harris, a standout in the classroom with a 4.14 GPA and on the baseball diamond, will don the uniform of the Eastern Kentucky University Colonels while majoring in sports management. Daniel, who batted .496 while playing shortstop and catcher for Miller Grove, makes no apologies for being consumed with the sport. He started playing at 4 and was hooked. “You have to believe in your dreams or no one will,” said Daniel, who has trained with the Atlanta Braves and the Texas Rangers and plans to go pro after college. In his salutatorian speech on May 25, he’ll tell classmates to make wise choices. “No matter what you do in the future, make sure it’s what’s best for you,” he said.
redan
Valedictorian
Aiyasia Peoples
When she addresses the Class of ’17, Aiyasia Peoples will talk about achieving success by doing things you enjoy. “Don’t focus on being so perfect all the time,” she said. “You don’t want to be successful and stressful.” A member of several national honor societies and a volunteer who helps beautify the grounds at Redan, Aiyasia is also a playwright. She was recognized last year at the regional level for a script she entered in the national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. With a GPA of 4.07, Aiyasia is headed to Howard University on a full scholarship. She plans to major in biology/premedicine and become a medical pathologist. “I’m fascinated with the human body, how it works, and the different ways it can stop working,” she said.
Salutatorian
Star Corner
Star Corner, who was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., is headed to the New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury to study computer science. Star holds a 3.9 GPA and received a $23,000 STEELE scholarship. She’s interested in working in IT for Apple and creating video games. Star is a member of the Beta Club, enjoys volunteering, and helped with the Veterinarians Day Appreciation. To maintain A’s, she relied on old quizzes, took good notes, and didn’t go out much. Senior prom was the highlight of her senior year. “I really had fun,” she said. Star wants people to know she worked really hard to become salutatorian. “It’s not easy, but you can do it too,” she said.
southwest dekalb
Magnet Valedictorian
Taylor Lamb
A passion for fashion has consumed Taylor Lamb since age 8, propelling her to UGA, where she’ll major in fashion merchandising. Taylor, who has a 4.05 GPA, is all about prioritizing, which helped her manage a busy life as captain of the tennis team, vice president of the National Honor Society and editor of her school yearbook. She’s also an active volunteer as a 15-year member of Girl Scout Troop #10521. Taylor said her mother has been critical to her success: “She told me from the first day ‘School is your job. You’re here to have fun and go to work.’” She plans to be a fashion buyer, a clothing designer and maybe have her own fashion brand someday.
Magnet Salutatorian
Octavio Kpotogbe
Octavio Kpotogbe is heading to the University of Miami for its incredible nursing program and affordability. A $23,000 scholarship from the university will help him complete his studies. Octavio, who has a 3.93 GPA, is a member of the National Honor Society, Math, Spanish and Social Studies Scholar Society. He is captain of the varsity soccer team, plays tuba in the band and practices tae kwon do. Octavio credits his parents, Yzonne and Dansou, who came to America in 1995 from Togo. “I do it for my family,” he said. “Since I am the first child born in America, I have to perform.” Even his family in Africa encourages him to succeed. “You don’t have to have a 4.0 to be successful. You can have a 1.0 and still end up successful. Everyone’s path is different.”
Resident Valedictorian
Jordan Vaughan
Jordan Vaughan was a seriously struggling student throughout elementary school, ecstatic when he almost passed a test. But the struggle dissolved in seventh grade when a math tutor inspired him to not only seek to understand but to love math, lighting an academic flame that quickly spread to his other subjects. Today, with a 4.0 GPA, Jordan is on his way to UGA, where he plans to major in business management or finance. The owner of four businesses that employ other teens, he plans a career in helping others start businesses. Jordan is president of several honor societies, vice president of the senior class and serves on DeKalb Juvenile Court’s Teen Court, which handles actual cases. “Knowing where I want to be in the future and knowing where I come from has inspired me to never slow down,” Jordan said.
Resident Salutatorian
Alisha Williams
Alisha Williams, who played volleyball and achieved a 3.9 GPA, is headed to the University of Georgia to major in environmental engineering this fall. Her goal is to start her own engineering firm. She is a Superintendent Scholar and the recipient of $1,400 in scholarships from the school’s PTA, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Alisha also received a Coca-Cola Academic Award and Character Award. She was a member of the Beta Club, National Honor Society, Math Honor Society, and Social Studies Honor Society and co-founded the Feminist Club. “You can’t focus on everything you have to get done,” she said. “You just have to do it.”
CrossRoadsNews
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STEPHENSON
Valedictorian
Marlon Greene
A LeBron James quote has become a guiding force for Marlon Greene, who is his school’s STAR Student, an AP Scholar with Distinction, and a member of the Mu Alpha Theta national math honor society. The quote: “In Northeast Ohio, nothing is given. Everything is earned. You work for what you have.” Marlon, who has a 4.24 GPA, is a founding member of My Brother’s Keeper, a mentorship support club. The three-year captain of the robotics team plans to major in electrical and computer engineering at the University of Michigan, which awarded him a Presidential Scholarship. “I take what I learn in class and take it outside to help others,” he said.
Salutatorian
Laura Nwogu
It was during ninth-grade AP Human Geography that Laura Nwogu made up her mind to aim for the top of her graduating class. It took a 4.17 GPA to earn the salutatorian spot, and this fall, she will major in broadcasting at the University of Georgia. Laura received a $1,500 scholarship from UGA per semester and is awaiting finalization of other scholarships. She is in the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Math Club, Future Georgia Educators and DECA. Laura says her senior year has been “pretty chill” because she doesn’t put pressure on herself. “I don’t let outside distractions influence me or my goals,” she said.
STONE MOUNTAIN
Valedictorian
Diamond Beckford
Ask Diamond Beckford the secret to her success and you find out quickly that she’s all about her fellow man. “I think it’s the relationships I have with people,” she said. “How you talk to people and how you act around them. It’s just being a mannerable person.” Diamond created a student-to-student tutoring program called LAMP, Leadership and Academic Mentoring Program. She has done service projects through the Ladies of Distinction Club, is a member of Beta Club and National Honor Society and is on the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council. With a 4.2 GPA, Diamond is headed to UGA, where she plans to major in biology and work toward becoming an OB-GYN.
Salutatorian
Cheyenne Murray
Cheyenne Murray’s passion for architecture sold her on attending Georgia Tech. She and her 4.125 GPA will be majoring in architecture come fall. Cheyenne was a member of the Beta Club, National Honor Society, Anime Club, Journalism Club and the yearbook committee. She was captain of her varsity soccer team, and she played JV basketball and was on the swim team and volleyball team. “They call me the Brainiac,” she said. She said the love and support of her parents, Kevin and Tiesha Murray, kept her grounded. Her ultimate goal is to show the great and positive things that African American women are doing.
TOWERS
Valedictorian
Isaiah Watson
Isaiah Watson, who has a 4.123 GPA and is Towers’ STAR Student, is the personification of consistency. Captain of the swim team, he swam two hours before and after school every day in junior year. His report card has never been surprising: All A’s every time for the past four years except for one B he got in a dual enrollment program at Georgia Piedmont. Isaiah attributes his success to his focus on getting into a good school such as Vanderbilt University, which is where he’s headed in August to prepare for a career in developing computer software programs. On graduation day, he plans to talk about how far his class has come.
Salutatorian
Christina Askew
Christina Askew, who captained Towers’ varsity soccer team while achieving a 3.9 GPA, is headed to Tufts University to major in political science and economics. The self-described military brat only settled in at Towers in her sophomore year because “my parents moved around a lot.” Joining the class late didn’t stop her from being an active member of JROTC and College Aim, taking AP courses, and completing college credit hours on dual enrollment at Georgia Piedmont. Christina accepted a full scholarship – $17,000 a semester – from Tufts, a big relief for her mother, Carmen. She is the first high school graduate in her family and the first to enroll in college.
TUCKER
Valedictorian
Fernanda Carlosama
Two huge life events inspired Fernanda Carlosama’s desire to go into public health, which is what she plans to study as a Presidential Scholarship Award recipient at American University. One was the six weeks she spent last summer working in a remote village in India on a scholarship from the Experiment in International Living. The other was helping her mother, who is from Ecuador, overcome language challenges in online classes she was taking for a master’s in public health. Fernanda has a 4.4 GPA in Tucker’s International Baccalaureate program and is vice president of the Beta Club and the Arab Cultural Society. She was selected for the Governor’s Honors Program in French.
Salutatorian
Elise Harwell
Elise Harwell will be starting college a little different. Instead of orientation, she is packing her bags for Morocco to do a gap year for nine months of studying Arabic on a full scholarship from the National Security Language Initiative for Youth. When she returns, Elise, who has 4.388 GPA, will attend Georgetown University in Washington to major in Culture and Politics. “They have a really good program,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to center my life around helping people.” Elise credits her parents, Michael and Linnea Harwell, for her high school success. At Tucker High, Elise, who was voted secretary of the nonprofit Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, started the Arabic Cultural Society.
May 20, 2017
Graduation
CrossRoadsNews
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“We know younger students will look to these young women for examples of how successful they can be.”
14 SWD seniors get State Farm scholarships to Georgia State Representatives Fourteen Southwest DeKalb High seniors from Georgia are headed to Georgia State University with State University $112,000 in scholarships from State Farm and State Farm insurance company. surprised 14 The students – Christina Crossland, Southwest Imani Culver, Bianca Davis-Tolmaire, DeKalb High Armani Felder, Taquez Goolsby, Keyanna seniors with Johnson, Portia Johnson, Kalen Jones, Azure two-year, full-ride Middlebrooks, Ailonnie Moore, Akiva scholarships on Ochoa, Eric Patterson, Khalil Prather, and April 18. Jocelyn Ramey – each received an $8,000 scholarship. They will attend classes at GSU’s Decatur campus on Panthersville Road. The scholarships are part of a $14.5 million State Farm gift that will fund 50 scholarships for DeKalb high school students annually. Representatives from GSU and State Farm surprised the students with the twoyear full-ride scholarships on April 18. As State Farm Scholars, the students will get a scholarship package of up to $4,000 each year; leadership training throughout the year, opportunities for professional development or working to support student success at come and Family Transformation program students will transition to a four-year degree and workshops on money management, Perimeter College; and personalized support, will track the student progress to help them program or a career. résumé writing, and job interviews; job expe- guidance and academic advisement. For more information, visit http://sucovercome educational obstacles. rience mentoring local high school students After earning their two-year degree, the cess.students.gsu.edu/state-farm-scholars. Georgia State University’s Learning, In-
Two DeKalb graduates will receive Georgia Scholars seal for diploma Samantha Brewer of Dunwoody High and Eunice Garcia of Clarkston High are among 183 graduating seniors statewide named Georgia Scholars by the Georgia Department of Education. The program, coordinated by the GaDOE’s Excellence Recognition Office, recognizes high school seniors who have achieved excellence in school and community life. Each Georgia Scholar receives a seal for
his or her diploma. DeKalb Schools Superintendent R. Stephen Green said Samantha and Eunice are proof positive that DeKalb students are among the best in the state. “We are pleased to celebrate this honor along with their schools and loved ones,” Green said. “Every student in DCSD can learn and achieve, and we know younger students will
look to these young women for examples of how successful they can be.” Eligible Georgia Scholars are high school seniors exhibiting excellence in all phases of school life, in community activities, and in the home. They must carry exemplary course loads during the four years of high school, have excellent performance in all courses; successfully participated in interscholastic events at their schools and in their commu-
nities; and must have assumed active roles in extracurricular activities sponsored by their schools. State Superintendent Richard Woods said he is confident we will continue to hear great things about the 2017 Georgia Scholars. “These students have exemplary academic performance, but they’ve also gained soft skills by taking on leadership roles within their schools and communities,” he said.
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Graduation
CrossRoadsNews
May 20, 2017
“They must learn both a new language and new content at the same time in order to even begin to perform at the same level of their English-speaking peers.” Superintendent R. Stephen Green poses with Lithonia area seniors who received scholarships from the Greater Lithonia Chamber of Commerce.
Lithonia Chamber taps four scholars
Four college-bound seniors have landed $2,000 in scholarships from the Greater Lithonia Chamber of Commerce. The scholarship recipients are Arabia Mountain High seniors Jordan Purcell and
Chanté Lively, Miller Grove High senior Ezekio Gouch, and Martin Luther King Jr. High senior Andreas Wyatt. Each received a $500 scholarship. Jordan and Ezekio got Technology awards, and Andreas got the Leadership award. Chanté, who is Arabia Mountain High’s magnet program salutatorian, received the Business award. The scholarships were open to collegebound seniors at MLK Jr., Lithonia, Miller Grove and Arabia Mountain high schools. Applicants had to submit an original essay or video presentation on business and entrepreneurship, technology, leadership, or politics. DeKalb Superintendent R. Stephen Green and GLCC President Kendra N. Price presented the awards on April 19 at the Chamber’s monthly luncheon meeting. For more information, email contactus@greaterlithoniachamber.com or call 770-482-1808. Amina Mohammad, a Star English Learner Student, is shown with Jenevee Spence, the DeKalb District’s top Star ESOL Teacher.
Stone Mountain High senior is Star English Learner Student Stone Mountain High senior Amina Mohammad has been honored as a Star English Learner Student by the Georgia Department of Education. Jenevee Spence, her teacher, has been named the top Star English to Speakers of Other Languages Teacher for the DeKalb School District. Both programs recognize achievements in the ESOL program, which ensures that students with a primary language other than English receive the proper support to communicate in English and demonstrate their academic, social and cultural proficiency. Amina met the criteria for the Star English Learner Student recognition, which include a minimum 3.0 grade point average, on track to graduate with the class of 2017, and recommendations from a teacher or school administrator. Winning students select the ESOL Star Teacher winner. Amina nominated Spence by writing a 250-word essay highlighting how she made a difference in her life. Teach-
ers must have taught the student an ESOL subject for which the student received credit. Amina and Spence were honored at State Superintendent Richard Woods’ “Excellence in Achievement” reception on May 10. Sandra Nunez, director of the DeKalb School District’s English Language Studies Program/Title III, said the awards demonstrate top performance. “English Learners have to work double to meet today’s rigorous academic standards,” she said. “They must learn both a new language and new content at the same time in order to even begin to perform at the same level of their English-speaking peers.” Nunez said the recognition is very important for all English Learners and their teachers. “It not only recognizes the recipients for their great academic effort and achievement. But the recipients become models of encouragement and support for all English Learners and their teachers to know that they can achieve at high levels too.”
May 20, 2017
Graduation
CrossRoadsNews
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“it’s important for your child to have two written plans – one for their life and one for their money.”
Three Arabia Mountain seniors named Thornton Scholarship recipients Lovell and Ora Three Arabia Mountain seniors – Zion Thornton present Eberhart, Jordan Moore and Joshua Smith scholarships – are splitting $5,951 in 2017 James L. Thornto three Arabia ton Memorial Scholarships. Mountain seniors Zion, who will attend the University of in honor of Georgia and major in biology, got $2,617. their son, the Jordan, who is going to Howard Univerlate James L. sity to major in filmmaking, got $1,917. Thornton, a Joshua, who is headed to the University Lithonia High of West Georgia to major rising senior who in political science, got died in 2002. $1,417. They bring to 39 the number of DeKalb graduating seniors who have received more than $80,000 in scholarships from the fund that honors the James L. Thornton memory of the late Lithonia High rising senior who died in an August 2002 car crash. Thornton was a passenger in a car driven by another teen when it crashed in Decatur. His parents, Lovell and Ora, established the scholarship in 2003 to honor their son’s For its first 13 years, the scholarship was high schools. in the past 12 months, and must attend an memory, to encourage kids to be safe when open only to Lithonia High seniors, but in Eligible applicants must have at least a accredited college or university. driving, and to help kids pursue post-sec- 2016 the Thorntons added Arabia Mountain, 3.0 GPA, write an essay on safety, be in good For more information, visit www.southondary education. Miller Grove and Martin Luther King Jr. standing, be free of any moving violations dekalb.com/jlt.
Arm your grads with these 5 money tips for a successful life By Anthony ONeal
When it comes to debt, student loans and credit cards can be detrimental to the financial success of young adults. The devastating mistakes students make in college can haunt them for years and keep them from stepping into the next phase of life with confidence. With the ever-increasing debt crisis in America, it’s never been more important for teens to learn the dangers of debt and how to manage money properly. Share these five tips with the students in your life to help them build smart money habits and start off their college career on the right foot. By applying these tips, your child will be equipped with the knowledge they need to make smart decisions in college and beyond!
Graduate college debt-free Graduates leave school with an average of nearly $40,000 in student loan debt, which means payments of $444 per month for 10 years. Being saddled with these payments can keep your child from fully taking the leap into adulthood after graduation.
free T-shirts and pizza in exchange for credit cards, but all the free stuff is never worth the interest they’ll pay. And let’s face it, credit cards make it easy to buy what we want when we want it. But this can ruin your child’s financial future. Instead, talk to your child about the importance of paying cash and only buying what they can afford.
The first thing they should save for is a $500 emergency fund. Because we all know, it’s not a matter of if an emergency will happen, but when it will happen.
Make smart choices The decisions your child makes today, good or bad, can affect them for years to come. Their choices can either move them closer to their dreams or deep into debt. From social media posts and purchasing habits, to choosing a major and the friends they make, your child will be faced with small and large decisions daily. Encourage them to take all their choices seriously and not give into impulse.
Consider applying for scholarships, grants, work-study programs, financial aid, Have a plan and even community college. Employers Before going to college, it’s important for won’t care where they started; it’s where they your child to have two written plans – one finish that counts. for their life and one for their money. Have them start by setting goals for the semester, Avoid credit cards and make sure those goals align with their College students are bombarded with budget. For example, if your student’s goal
is to buy a new laptop, their budget needs to reflect that goal. These plans will evolve over time, so your child should revisit them every semester, before the semester begins.
Focus on saving money A recent survey showed that 70 percent of college students feel stressed about personal finances. That’s why saving is so important. The first thing they should save for is a $500 emergency fund. Because we all know, it’s not a matter of if an emergency will happen, but when it will happen. Next they should save for big purchases like a car, spring break or even a new cellphone. If your child wants to have money, they need to learn to save money. Anthony ONeal is author of the national best seller “Graduate Survival Guide: 5 Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make in College.” Since 2003, he has helped thousands of students make good decisions with their money, relationships and education to live a wellbalanced life. He has joined Ramsey Solutions to spread this encouraging message to students nationwide. Follow Anthony on Twitter and Instagram @AnthonyONeal and at anthonyoneal.com or facebook.com/aoneal.
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Graduation
CrossRoadsNews
May 20, 2017
Today’s graduates, the most technologically advanced in the world, will be tomorrow’s teachers and judges, job creators and civic leaders.
More scenes from DeKalb pre-commencement exercises
Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews
Taylor Randle leads her fellow graduates, parents, faculty and guests in the Pledge of Allegiance at the pre-commencement exercises at the DeKalb School of the Arts on May 17.
Angelina T. Velasquez / CrossRoadsNews
Seniors at Cedar Grove High proceed to pre-commencement exercises on May 14 at the Ellenwood school.
Tekia Parks / CrossRoadsNews
There was lots of hugging and posing after Stone Mountain High’s Honors Program.
Angelina T. Velasquez / CrossRoadsNews
Columbia High School’s Class of 2017 gathered in the gymnasium for their precommencement exercise on May 18.
Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews
Angelina T. Velasquez / CrossRoadsNews
Three Cedar Grove students help each other with final adjustments before their Pre-Commencement exercise.
Jabari McLeod of the DeKalb School of the Arts chose to comment on the state of current events on his graduation mortarboard.