Celebrating the Class of 2016 - Gwinnett County Public Schools

Gwinnett County Public Schools May 2016
Celebrating
CLASS of 2016
“It is impossible to live without
failing at something, unless you
live so cautiously that you might
as well not have lived at all— in
which case, you fail by default.”
J.K. Rowling
This publication captures a snapshot of the Class of 2016, with photos, facts, and just a few
of the scholarships and awards garnered by members of this outstanding group of students.
We know that many, many more of our students earned prestigious honors and scholarships
that are not part of this publication. And we estimate that listing just the names of all of our
graduates would take 78 pages! Congratulations to all of the members of the Class of 2016.
We are so very proud of you!
Table of Contents
A Salute to Our Seniors
1
Scholarships and Other Special Honors9
Celebrating the Class of 2016
2
Gwinnett Student Leadership Team
Valedictorians and Salutatorians
6
STAR Students and Graduation Schedule
Front Cover: Central Gwinnett seniors celebrate during the Senior Walk.
Back Cover: Mill Creek Seniors on Kindergarten Day
16
inside
back cover
A Salute to Our Seniors
More than 11,000 prospective GCPS graduates complete their K–12 journey when they cross the stage to accept their diploma
this week. Our 22 diploma-granting high schools will hold graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2016, starting with Phoenix High
School graduates on May 23 and wrapping up with Mountain View grads on May 28.
The members of Gwinnett County Public Schools’ largest-ever class have a lot going for them as they head off to college and
careers. In the fall, most seniors— 83%— are headed to universities, colleges, and postsecondary schools in Georgia and around
the country, with almost 20% of college-bound graduates offered at least one scholarship. As of April 2016, our graduates have
been offered more than $152.8 million in academic, athletic, and military scholarships. Academic achievement earned offers of
more than $97 million. What’s significant is the number and amount of scholarships that were not yet announced when senior
information was compiled in April, including HOPE awards (typically, about a third of graduates), some National Merit Scholars,
and the full-ride scholarships awarded to GCPS’ 18 Gates Millennium Scholars and 18 QuestBridge National College Match
Scholarship recipients. Student athletes earned more than $48.8 million in athletic scholarships. (See page 9.)
Four of the nation’s military service academies— Air Force, Army, Coast
Guard, and Navy —offered appointments to 17 young leaders, close to
$6.7 million in scholarships. (See page 14.) Another 439 seniors also will serve
their country through military service after graduation. About 900 students
will enter the workforce after high school, many armed with credentials and
certificates earned through our technical education program and sought after
by local employers.
A record number of seniors are graduating with a grade percent average
of 90 or better. Among our 3,033 Honor Graduates are each school’s highestranking students— the valedictorian (1st in class) and the salutatorian (2nd in
class). (See page 6.) More than half of Gwinnett seniors took on the challenge and
rigor of college-level Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate
(IB) courses their last year in high school. In addition, a record-breaking 577
seniors were dual-enrolled, earning both high school and college credit.
We’re so proud of these young people who have worked so hard to prepare for the latest
chapter in their lives. Good luck, Class of 2016!
More than two-thirds
of Archer seniors took
at least one Advanced
Placement class their
final year in high school.
North Gwinnett grads will have access to the county’s
largest pool of scholarship offers— $20.9 million.
Archer seniors celebrate
Royalty Day.
The North Gwinnett High School Class of 2016
Celebrating the
Class of 2016
Fun facts, figures, and photos from our
graduating seniors
agged
w seniors b
Mountain Vie
go.
and ready to
s (89%)
n View senior
Most Mountai
ll.
llege in the fa
will head to co
Lanier
senior
NAILS
Celebrity
Day as
Napoleon
Dynamite.
Members of Discov
ery High
School’s inaugura
l graduating class
show their colors.
With 272 members,
Discovery’s senior cla
ss is the smallest
among GCPS’ tradit
ional schools.
Most college-bound
Longhorns (86%)
will stick close to
home, attending
in-state schools.
College started early for 43
Collins Hill students who
were enrolled in both college
and high school classes.
Peachtree Ridge
seniors get ready to
dunk their principal.
A Duluth graduate
has received national
recognition and
a grant for a nonprofit she started to
promote women’s
health issues.
Peachtree Ridge High School has 10 sets of
twins graduating this year.
Through their
Academy experience,
Meadowcreek
graduates prepared
for college and the
workplace.
Family and friends of Dacula
seniors share their best wishes.
College-bound Dacula graduates
(85% of class) will attend colleges
around the nation.
Meadowcreek
senior relaxes
during the
Senior Breakfast
Most college-bound
Comets (86%) will
stay in the Peach St
ate for college.
Norcross graduates were offered more than $6.8 million in scholarships.
Norcross superheroes
South Gwinnett
senior royalty
3
One of every
five Shiloh
graduates
was offered
at least one
scholarship.
A Shiloh senior is
a Gwinnett HEAT
Athlete of the Year.
tizens
Shiloh senior ci
One in five Berkm
ar seniors
earned college cr
edit through
Advanced Placem
ent exams.
Some Berkmar scho
larship win
More than 50 Maxwell High School of Technology
seniors competed at the state level as participants in
co-curricular organizations, showing their mastery
of career-specific and technical skills. Many of the
students placed in the top 10 at state, and seven
students qualified to compete at nationals.
Phoenix High, a nontraditional school, will
graduate more than 250
students, and helped
students from other
schools graduate ontime or early, thanks to
7th period classes..
Central Gwinnett seniors go airborne during Senior Week.
Nearly half of Central’s seniors took one or more AP classes.
4
ners
Mill Creek
seniors are
NOT cry
babies.
GOC has more
than tripled
its number
of graduates
this year with
the growth of
the full-time
school and
the implementation of
the Graduate
Gwinnett
program.
Grayson studen
ts
have fun at the
Senior Picnic.
Grayson will send
Parkview
four Rams to Ivy
League institutio
ns.
icnic.
e Senior P
y at th
seniors pla
The Mill Creek senior class of 2016 is
the district’s largest
graduating class,
with 890 members.
A Brookwood High Scho
ol student was offered
an
appointment to both the
U.S. Naval Academy an
d
to the U.S. Air Force Ac
ademy.
arning an
raduates, e
re Honor G
a
rs
e
th
n
a
arkview P
h school.
A third of P
during hig
r
e
h
ig
h
r
o
90
average of
or more AP courses,
Every GSMST senior took one
of exams taken.
earning a 3 or better on 90%
s
GSMST 2016 Class of Legend
5
Brookwood High Scho
ol “Gold Out”
2016 Valedictorians and Salutatorians
Archer High School
Jasmine Moore
Valedictorian
Berkmar High School
Morgan Lewis
Salutatorian
Mohammad Shahid Awan
Valedictorian
Brookwood High School
Emma DeJarnette
Valedictorian
Central Gwinnett High School
Iris Liu
Rebecca Thompson
Valedictorian
Salutatorian
Collins Hill High School
Patricia Granda-Malaver
Valedictorian
Christiana
Oluwatobi Esowhode
Salutatorian
Dacula High School
Scott Inderrieden
Salutatorian
Foli Amaizo
Valedictorian
Discovery High School
Toni “Sage” Carson
Valedictorian
Melissa Stan
Salutatorian
Aura Berende
Salutatorian
Duluth High School
6
Jared Borders
Valedictorian
Joanne (Jeong) Lee
Salutatorian
2016 Valedictorians and Salutatorians
Grayson High School
Noah Wilson
Valedictorian
Gwinnett Online Campus
Anna Scartz
Salutatorian
Sydney Morgan
Valedictorian
Gwinnett School of Mathematics,
Science, and Technology
Timothy Gieseking
Valedictorian
Lanier High School
Basent Saleh
Thienkhanh Nguyen
Salutatorian
Valedictorian
Kristen Gomez
Valedictorian
Edgar Andres Gonzalez
Salutatorian
Lauren Schuster
Salutatorian
Hannah Lee
Salutatorian
Norcross High School
Mountain View High School
Amy Catherine Jenkins
Valedictorian
Savannah Higgins
Salutatorian
Mill Creek High School
Meadowcreek High School
Samina Uddin
Valedictorian
Catherine Schall
Salutatorian
7
Tina Tran
Valedictorian
Sydney Feinsmith
Salutatorian
2016 Valedictorians and Salutatorians
Parkview High School
North Gwinnett High School
Nicholas Chang
Valedictorian
Mary Truong
Salutatorian
Anima Shrestha
Valedictorian
Peachtree Ridge High School
Priyanka Desai
Valedictorian
Lillian Wang
Salutatorian
Shiloh High School
Sophia Sakers
Salutatorian
Noah Solomon
Valedictorian
Cameryn Simone Farrow
Salutatorian
South Gwinnett High School
GCPS Foundation
Excellence in Academics
Valedictorian Scholarship
All Gwinnett County Public Schools
Valedictorians receive a one-time award of
$500 from the GCPS Foundation Fund.
Michelle Ortega
Valedictorian
Paula-Ann Marie Granston
Salutatorian
Donors make a difference! A gift to the
GCPS Foundation Fund is the best way to
ensure that current and future students
are afforded the very best in educational
opportunities. Gifts may be directed to
dedicated scholarship funds, districtwide
needs, or to a specific cluster or initiative.
Please make your gift online today!
8
National Scholarship Winners
2016 Gates Millennium Scholars
The Gates Millennium Scholarship covers college tuition for each recipient’s entire college career. Funded by a grant from the Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation, the program promotes academic excellence for outstanding minority students with financial need.
Berkmar High School
Aminata Fofana— Georgia State University
Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Ji Young Chang— Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Christiana Beavers— University of Georgia
Lanier High School
Basent Saleh— University of Miami
Central Gwinnett High School
Jasmin Moffett— Kennesaw State University
Meadowcreek High School
Tauheed Islam— Harvard University
Deborah Salami— University of Illinois at Chicago
Hai Huynh— Pratt Institute
Javier Soriano— University of Georgia
Dacula High School
Deborah (Chiamaka) Ijebuonwu— Cornell University
Parkview High School
Parker Latimore— Florida State University
Discovery High School
Tina Nguyen— Georgia State University
Peachtree Ridge High School
Hayat Geresu— Emory University
Duluth High School
Ileri Jaiyeoba— New York University
South Gwinnett High School
Re’Nyqua Farrington— Nova Southeastern University
Joanne (Jeong) Lee—
The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Grayson High School
Israh Farhoud— University of Georgia
Hannan Yahya— University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
In addition to the
full scholarship for
undergraduate work, the
Gates Millennium Scholars
also qualify for funding
to cover graduate and
doctoral work in the areas of
computer science, education,
engineering, library science,
mathematics, public health,
or science.
Left: Most of the Gates
Millennium Scholars
gathered for a reception
in May.
9
National Scholarship Winners
2016 QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship Recipients
QuestBridge is a non-profit organization that links high-achieving, low-income students
to some of the nation’s most selective colleges. The organization partners with colleges to
offer generous financial aid packages that cover 100% of demonstrated financial need.
This list includes recipients of QuestBridge National College Match Scholarships, and
their college plans known at press time.
Archer High School
Jasmine Moore— Swarthmore College
Norcross High School
Emily Cang— Stanford University
Munachiso Okebalama— University of Chicago
Khiaya Middlebrooks— Rice University
Zaynab Said— Emory University
Tina Tran— Undecided
Berkmar High School
Tony Nguyen— Davidson College
North Gwinnett High School
Mary Truong— Northwestern University
Central Gwinnett High School
Christiana Oluwatobi Esowhode— Princeton University
Parkview High School
Elise Tan— Rice University
Collins Hill High School
Patricia Granda-Malaver— Columbia University
Shiloh High School
Cameryn Simone Farrow— Northwestern University
Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Ashley Diaz— University of Chicago
South Gwinnett High School
Dazhane Moseley — University of Notre Dame
Michael Figueroa— Stanford University
Thienkhanh Nguyen— Yale University
Natalie Sanchez— Rice University
Xiaowei Wang— University of Chicago
2016 Liga de Campeones Scholars
Sponsored by Univision Atlanta, this scholarship was
awarded to two Gwinnett graduates.
Berkmar High School
Edwar Cadmiel Aviles-Mercedes
Peachtree Ridge High School
Tatiana Patiño
10
National Scholarship Winners
2016 National Merit Semifinalists
The 2016 National Merit competition began with results of the 2014 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Competition
Qualifying Tests, taken in the junior year. Last fall, semifinalists were designated, based on the highest scores in the states that
make up each region. A rigorous selection process determines finalists for scholarship awards. Most National Merit scholarships
are one-time awards of $2,500.
Asterisks designate scholarship winners reported for corporate- and NMSC-funded scholarships. Additional scholarships will be
awarded by colleges in June and July to students in this list.
Brookwood High School
Michael M. Bowler
Mill Creek High School
Aria E. Amthor
Adele E. Kramer
Lauren A. Carr
Iris Liu
Kirsten E. Schulze
Heath R. Murphy
North Gwinnett High School
David K. Abbott
Collins Hill High School
Karen Gu
Lesley H. Chang
Nicholas Chang
Duluth High School
Kelsey G. Dabrowski
Emma M. Hackstadt
Elizabeth A. Hearn
Joanne (Jeong) Lee
Victoria S. Joshi
Ganesh Prabakaran
Isaac J. Kim
David Zhao
Jinwoo J. Kim
Grayson High School
Noah Wilson
Connor D. O’Kelley
Alexa R. Richard
Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and
Technology
Daanish A.Bhayani
Parkview High School
Brent M. Bessemer
Zezhong Li
Mateo Correa
Anima Shrestha
Soujanya S. Duggirala
Caroline R. Stehr
Timothy Gieseking
Elise J. Tan
James C. Hauth
Julie Wang
Jonathan R. Jeffrey
Yao-Hao Liu
Lillian Wang
Cameron E. Loyd
Peachtree Ridge High School
Priyanka Desai
Brendon Machado
Sophia Sakers
Simran V. Modi
Atrayee M. Sarkar
Thienkhanh Nguyen
Bryan Shin
Alice D. Shen
Jeb J. Stewart
Maxwell A. Xu
Jeffery Yang
Mountain View High School
Timothy J. Hood
Amy Catherine Jenkins
11
GCPS Scholarship Winners
Other 2016 Scholarships awarded through
the GCPS Foundation Fund, Inc.
Gwinnett County Public Schools
FOUNDATION
Annually, the Gwinnett County Public Schools Foundation Fund, Inc., awards
a number of one-time scholarships to graduating seniors, funded through the generosity of local businesses and organizations and
contributions from generous staff and community members. More than 50 graduating seniors earned $73,2500 in district and schoolspecific scholarships administered through the Foundation, including those on these pages. Unless otherwise noted, all scholarships
on these two pages are one-time awards. (Thanks, also, to the many other community organizations and businesses that support our
students with additional awards and scholarships!) The 2017 Scholarship Catalog will be released online in November of 2016.
2016 Georgia United Credit Union Young Leaders
Scholarship ($2,000) Sponsored by GCPS Foundation
Fund— An award presented to one or more graduating
females who have distinguished themselves as a community
volunteer, entrepreneur, or school leader. Amber Bouie of Peachtree Ridge High School
Jessica Fanczi of Mill Creek High School
Emilea Hill of Mill Creek High School
Simran Modi of Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science,
and Technology The following scholarships are open to students districtwide:
2016 J. Alvin Wilbanks Educator Scholarship ($2,500)
Sponsored by Peach State Federal Credit Union and GCPS
Foundation Fund— Established in 2007 in honor of CEO/
Superintendent Wilbanks’ more than four decades of service
to public education, and in recognition of his leadership in
guiding the district to state and national prominence, this
scholarship is awarded to two seniors pursuing a career in
education.
Kayla Nicole Aguirre of Collins Hill High School
Elizabeth Delaney of Mill Creek High School
2016 SCANA Energy Community Service Scholarship
($2,500) Sponsored by GCPS Foundation Fund— An
award presented to a senior with financial need, who has
shown a commitment to leadership and community service. Hassib Rahmanzai of North Gwinnett High School
Dhruval Shah of Duluth High School 2016 Louise Radloff Scholarship ($2,500)
Sponsored by Peach State Federal Credit Union and
GCPS Foundation Fund— This scholarship recognizes two
Gwinnett County seniors who have overcome a significant
personal challenge in order to graduate. This fund was established in 2004 in honor of four decades of service by Gwinnett
County Board of Education member Louise Radloff.
2016 GCPS Foundation STEM Scholarship ($1,500)
Sponsored by GCPS Foundation Fund— Established in
2013, this scholarship is awarded to one or more GCPS
graduating seniors who plan to enroll in a college course of
study in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
Natalie Staffieri of Grayson High School
Samina Uddin of Meadowcreek High School
2016 Alton C. Crews Educator Scholarship ($1,500)
Sponsored by GCPS Foundation Fund— Since 2002, donations made in memory of Dr. Crews (GCPS superintendent,
1977–89) have funded this scholarship, awarded to GCPS
seniors pursuing a teaching career.
Alhad Daftardar of Gwinnett School of Mathematics,
Science, and Technology
Niki Saelou of Duluth High School
2016 GCPS Foundation Mathematics Scholarship ($1,500)
Sponsored by GCPS Foundation Fund— Established in
2013, the scholarship is awarded to one or more GCPS seniors
with plans to enroll in an undergraduate course of study in or
related to mathematics.
Kayla Nicole Aguirre of Collins Hill High School
Madison Ives of Grayson High School
J. Floyd and Eunice Brannan Scholarships ($1,000)
Sponsored by GCPS Foundation Fund— This $1,000 award
is renewable for up to four years, subject to satisfactory performance and progress, to recognize students who will attend
a four-year college or university, have a 3.0 GPA or better,
have financial need, and have engaged in significant community service activities throughout high school.
William Jay Bearden of Archer High School
Jasmin Moffett of Central Gwinnett High School
Dena Pham of Meadowcreek High School
Jennifer Ung Sei of Central Gwinnett High School
Justin Ikara of South Gwinnett High School
Nathan Walter of Lanier High School
2016 Robbie Susan Moore Scholarship ($1,000)
Sponsored by United Ebony Society of Gwinnett and GCPS
Foundation Fund— Founded in 2011 to honor the community service of Robbie Susan Moore, this scholarship recognizes college-bound seniors dedicated to serving the community.
12
Marissa Martin of Archer High School
Jason Quill of Grayson High School
GCPS Scholarship Winners
2016 Jim Maran Scholarship for STEM Studies ($1,000)
Sponsored by GCPS Foundation Fund— Established in
2013 and named in honor of the longtime Gwinnett Chamber
president, this award is for a senior who plans to pursue studies
in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
Paula-Ann Granston of South Gwinnett High School
Tilak Patel of Duluth High School
2016 GCPS Foundation Mutlicultural Scholarship ($1,000)
Sponsored by GCPS Foundation Fund— Established in 2015
and sponsored by the Gwinnett Multicultural Advisory Committee, the scholarship is awarded to one or more seniors of
Hispanic, African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, or other
minority origin, who has demonstrated a commitment to
community service.
Aries Hamlet of Gwinnett School of Mathematics,
Science, and Technology
Samina Uddin of Meadowcreek High School
2016 Atlanta Gladiators Aim High Scholarship ($1,000)
An award presented to a senior with a desire to pursue a profession in the sports medicine, sports management, entertainment, event planning, or related field. Jacob Hales of Gwinnett School of Mathematics,
Science, and Technology 2016 Beth Rihm Global Language Scholarship ($1,000)
Sponsored by GCPS Foundation Fund— Established in 2015
by Rachel B. Mehravari, a Brookwood High School alumna
and a former Beth Rihm memorial scholarship recipient.
Recipients have demonstrated a proficiency in a spoken foreign
language and plan to deepen fluency through cultural immersion or extracurricular study.
Naisa Rahman of Brookwood High School
2016 Dr. Barbara Reed Science Scholarship ($1,000)
Sponsored by GCPS Foundation Fund— Named in honor of
a longtime Gwinnett educator who also served as the district’s
director of science, this award gives special consideration to applicants interested in science education.
Tolulope Adesina of Archer High School
Zachary Sanchez of North Gwinnett High School
2016 Automotive Group Rick Case Scholarship ($2,000)
Sponsored by GCPS Foundation Fund— Established in 2015,
this scholarship is presented to a senior advancing to an Automotive Technology program offered through Gwinnett Technical
College.
Jonathan Casique-Dominquez of Discovery High School
A number of school-specific awards are administered by the
GCPS Foundation Fund:
Outstanding Senior STEM Scholarship ($1,500, GSMST)
This scholarship is awarded to a student who plans to pursue
studies in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
Alhad Daftardar
Kurt Simpson Memorial Scholarship ($1,000, Lanier)
This memorial award is presented by the Simpson family.
Ashton Barnes
Rebecca Brannen
Austin J. Gholson
Emmalyn Maltos
Emily Polanco
Reid Mullins Scholarship ($1,000, South Gwinnett)
This award is presented to one or more deserving seniors in
honor of Reid Mullins, Gwinnett’s first middle school principal.
Gabriel Gonzalez
2016 Susan D. Headley Scholarship ($1,000, Archer)
This scholarship is for a student who exhibits good character, a
love of learning, and a desire to further his or her education.
Marissa Martin
2016 Judy Patterson Legacy Memorial Scholarship
($1,000, Archer)
This award is for a student of good character who is pursuing
postsecondary education.
Marissa Martin
2016 John A. Raghu Music Scholarship ($1,000, GSMST)
Established in 2012, this scholarship is awarded to an orchestra
member, with preference to a bassist, who participates in community service and has a weighted GPA of 3.0 or better. Marion Cassim 2016 Hope McKenzie Scholarship ($1,000, Grayson)
This scholarship is awarded to a student who excels in the arts.
Madison Wright
2016 Robert L. Campbell Memorial Scholarship ($1,000,
Phoenix)
Phoenix faculty select one or more recipients for this award.
Thara Staintil
2016 Brenden M. Elbaz Scholarship ($750, Lanier)
This yearly scholarship was created in Brenden’s memory.
Yoanne Romero
2016 Dr. Linda Williams Educational Scholarship ($500)
This award is presented to a graduating senior from Grayson,
Maxwell, or Meadowcreek high schools.
Madison Ives of Grayson High School
Other Special Honors
2016 Service Academy Appointments
2016 Georgia Scholars
The U.S. Service Academies are four-year postsecondary institutions that combine educational excellence with military
officer training. Students accepted to the academies receive a
free, four-year education in return for a commitment to serve
in the active-duty military after graduation. In order to be
admitted, students must receive a congressional nomination
from either their U.S. Representative or Senator and must
meet the highly competitive educational and extracurricular
standards that are set by the individual academies as well
as standards for physical aptitude and medical fitness.
The Georgia Scholar Program is a recognition program by the
Georgia Department of Education honoring high school seniors
who have achieved excellence in school and community life.
Brookwood High School
Zachary Jennings— U.S. Naval Academy
Andrew Rankin— U.S. Naval Academy
Collins Hill High School
Matthew Herbig— U.S. Air Force Academy
Grayson High School
Riley Eck— U.S. Military Academy at West Point (Army)
Ulysses Cadet— U.S. Naval Academy
Lanier High School
Ashton Christopher Barnes— U.S. Air Force Academy
Brookwood High School
Jenny Choi
Mill Creek High School
Steven Aceto
Central Gwinnett High
School
Rebecca Thompson
Ashton Carr
Dacula High School
Chris Larkins
Hannah Lee
Brendon Darby
Anna Gerald
Ali Lopez
Desiree Moore
Sarah Lowry
Grayson High School
Zach Beck
Becca Moss
Madison Ives
Matt Miller
Anna Scartz
Meadowcreek High School
Eric Martinez
Jonathan Moon
Hannah Petit
Mountain View High School
Tim Hood
Amy Catherine Jenkins
Lauren Schuster
Norcross High School
Miranda Harmon
Mill Creek High School
Diego Manrique— U.S. Naval Academy
Parkview High School
Evann Brantley
Ernando Manrique— U.S. Naval Academy
Ashley Sandquist— U.S. Coast Guard Academy
Davis Orr
Julie Wang
Mountain View High School
Kyle Baker— U.S. Naval Academy
Grace Xu
Jared Gee— U.S. Coast Guard Academy
North Gwinnett High School
David Abbott— U.S. Naval Academy
Tricia Dang— U.S. Air Force Academy
Peachtree Ridge High School
Justin Jang— U.S. Military Academy at West Point (Army)
South Gwinnett High School
Devon Canterbury—
U.S. Military Academy at West Point (Army)
2016 GCPS Career and Technical
Education Student of the Year
District winners were selected from among local school Career and
Technical Education Students of the Year for outstanding work
in the classroom and leadership in technical education student
organizations. Scholarships are funded through the Gwinnett
County Public Schools Foundation Fund, Inc., with contributions
from the Gwinnett Employer Committee and the Atlanta Electrical Contractors Association.
Christopher Skyers—
U.S. Military Academy at West Point (Army)
Winner: Avneet Sethi, Meadowcreek High School,
Trontavious Tate—
U.S. Military Academy at West Point (Army)
1st runner-up: Jonathan R. Jeffrey, Gwinnett School of Mathemat-
$1,000 scholarship
ics, Science, and Technology
$750 scholarship
2nd runner-up: Zain Charaniya, Parkview High School
14
$500 scholarship
Other Special Honors
Gear Up for Graduation Graduates Earn High School Diplomas
This year, a group of seniors will graduate from several GCPS high schools with their peers, thanks to the Gear Up for Graduation program. These seniors, who were not on track for on-time graduation, completed 8th and 9th grade coursework in one year, and started
a STEM-related career pathway while participating in Gear Up for Graduation at Sweetwater Middle School or Moore Middle School.
Rejoining their peers in 10th grade, these students completed all requirements to earn their high school diploma.
Berkmar High School
Bianca Madeline Balbuena
Michael C. Benjamin
Liliana Buruca
Abril Callejas-Montero
Antonio J. Cardoza
Hector Jose Castro
Eddie Cisneros
Edwin A. Cordova
Kimberly Johanna Cortez
Marvin De La Fuente
Aaron Escobar
Erick Garcia
Allison Georgescu
Ryan Anthony Gunsallus
Shalom Isaham Jimenez-Delgado
Ana Victoria Juarez Acosta
Christy Thanh Lam
Brenden J. Lewis
Eldin Mehmedovic
Fortino Rodriguez Padilla
Xavier R. Padilla
Michelle Vanessa Ramos
Alejandro Rodriguez-Padilla
Denisse C. Sanchez
Yuridia Santos
Alejandro Tafolla-Onate
Tram Tuyet Vo
Steven Christopher Walker
Central Gwinnett High School
Luis Vicencio Aguilar
Anayah Anderson
Javone Barnes
Olajide Fatoyinbo
Sulybella Garcia
Alexa Hernandez
Isaiah Mack
Sheldon McLean
Genes Opokua
Jonathan Sonubi
Dacula High School
Mohammad Peracha
Discovery High School
Shahzaib Basit
Ihsaan Bearthes
Jesse Bobadilla
Isis Bunkley
Teahmo Foster
Kevin Nguyen
Jessica Pena
Kevin Sipah
Orniecier Squiabro
Edwin Urbina-Gutierrez
Jesse Villatoro
Onkaya White
Meadowcreek High School
Lucero Garcia
Peachtree Ridge High School
Jasean Watts
South Gwinnett High School
Jasmine Rolle
2016 Outstanding Senior Athletes
The Outstanding Senior Athlete Award is presented to a male and female student at each high school who has shown excellence in
athletics, academics, and leadership roles in the school and community service. These students are not necessarily the best athletes in
their Senior class, but have shown to be outstanding in a variety of areas. The Activities Director at each high school works with the
coaching staff to select the students who will represent their school. Students listed in red are the top senior student-athletes of 2016.
High School
Male Athlete
Female Athlete
High School
Male Athlete
Female Athlete
Archer
Daniel Bullard
Jordan Cornwell
Mill Creek
Sam Costa
Hannah Petit
Thomas Bullard
Mountain View
Nathan Jenkins
Jordan Stallworth
Berkmar
Lane Foster
Aisha Rivers
Norcross
Graeme Stinson
Eliza Antonowich
Brookwood
Miles Nolan
Erin Scott
North Gwinnett
Colby Leifson
Megan Jones
Central Gwinnett Nigel Adams
Tawnecia Rush
Parkview
Sean Sullivan
Jessica Moody
Collins Hill
Tomon Fox
Kyra Dixon
Peachtree Ridge
Joseph Pinkstaff
Riha Moss
Dacula
Bryce Lackey
Sabrina Seibel
Shiloh
Dominic Taylor
Nyota N. Edjidjimo
Discovery
JeVonte Gordon
Kyrah Anderson
South Gwinnett
Christopher Skyers Markiyah Davis
Duluth
Jason Kim
Rebecca Erwin
Gwinnett Heat*
Kendrell King
Grayson
Austin Dukes
Ella Stevens
Gwinnett Heat*
Enzo Vakoutis
Lanier
Ashton Barnes
Kinsey Morelock
Meadowcreek
Michael Mendoza Kristy Duong
*Gwinnett HEAT is Gwinnett County’s Adapted Sports Program,
which fields teams in several sports. All participants
must compete in a wheelchair.
15
Gwinnett Student Leadership Team
2016 GSLT Seniors
The Gwinnett Student Leadership Team, Inc., (GSLT) is a two-year student leadership program that provides opportunities for
high school juniors and seniors in Gwinnett County Public Schools and Buford City Schools to develop personal and organizational
leadership skills and an awareness of community issues. GSLT develops a cadre of student leaders who facilitate leadership
development among peers in their own schools and leave a legacy of leadership that promotes student involvement and overall
excellence. The program is a cooperative effort sponsored by Gwinnett County Public Schools and the Gwinnett Chamber of
Commerce in partnership with other community agencies, institutions, and business leaders.
Archer High School
Irielle Duncan
Dacula High School
Madison Grubbs
Lanier High School
Ashton Christopher Barnes
North Gwinnett High School
Shine Lee
Christian Hughey
Bryce Lackey
Rebecca Brannen
Jenna Scott
Sarah Roon
Christopher Larkins
Savannah Higgins
Tanay Sheth
Berkmar High School
Alpha Balde
Duluth High School
Mitchell McCurry
Mill Creek High School
Zachary C. Dunn
Parkview High School
Ally Blake
Lauren M. Kim
Niki Saelou
Charles Thomas Godwin
Evann Brantley
Danny Nguyen
Zoe Tang
Kristen Gomez
Sean Matthew Sullivan
Brookwood High School
Emily Bauer
Grayson High School
Hattie Hunter
Meadowcreek High School
Eric A. Martínez
Peachtree Ridge High School
Chloe Camp
Emma Pontalti
Caleb Edward Merritt
Avneet Kaur Sethi
Justin Jang
Christian Torres-Fields
Samina Uddin
Brian Longobardi
Gwinnett Online Campus
Madeleine McKenzie Haney
Mountain View High School
Nathan D. Jenkins
Shiloh High School
Nyota N. Edjidjimo
Parker Haney
Maekenzie C. Johnson
Shamon Breon Orie
Jordan Stallworth
Noah Solomon
Norcross High School
Madison Elaine Hoover
South Gwinnett High School
Jarrod Vona Johnson
Zachary Katz
Dazhane Moseley
Central Gwinnett
High School
Jian Cariel Manuel Mallari
Faith Oke Omotor
Rebecca Thompson
Collins Hill High School
Kayla Nicole Aguirre
Madison Helmick
Evan Luke Kellams
Gwinnett School of
Mathematics, Science,
and Technology
Jeffrey J. Jacob
Aiman Shahab
GSLT … by the Numbers
59…Number of graduating GSLT seniors
from GCPS in 2016
827…Total number of GSLT graduates
since program began in 2005–06
16,355… Number of volunteer service hours by
the GSLT Class of 2016 during their
junior and senior years
774…Number of leadership development
sessions designed and led by GSLT
students and administrators during
2015–16
197,849… Number of students who attended
leadership development sessions in
Gwinnett County in 2015–16
Naja Nelson
“A leader’s job is not to change
the world single-handedly.
A true leader uses the
influence he has to add
value to people, ignite the
spark to initiate change, and
work through service to see
that the goal is met.”
~GSLT senior
17… Number of GSLT events each year
16
2016 Star Students
Each STAR (Student-Teacher Achievement Recognition) student is the senior in the top 10% of his or her class with the highest SAT
score. The STAR student from Peachtree Ridge High School was named Gwinnett County’s 2016 STAR Student for having the highest SAT scores among the districtwide Class of 2016. As part of the recognition, each STAR student selects a teacher as an educator
who had a strong influence on his or her academic career. Local sponsors of the event include Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce;
Presenting Sponsor— Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta; Leading Sponsor— Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine- Georgia
Campus; and Supporting Sponsors— Delta Community Credit Union; Georgia Power Company; Gwinnett County Public Schools
Foundation, Inc.; Gwinnett Technical College; Interactive Business Technologies, LLC; and Peach State Federal Credit Union.
John Golden, Archer High School Jonathan Jeffrey, Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and
Technology
*Mohammad Awan, Berkmar High School Savannah Higgins, Lanier High School *Brian Barrett, Berkmar High School Plabani Sharif, Meadowcreek High School Iris Liu, Brookwood High School Aria Amthor, Mill Creek High School Brian Chea, Central Gwinnett High School Amy Catherine Jenkins, Mountain View High School Catherine Nagy, Collins Hill High School Nicholas Bunner, Norcross High School Matthew Hamil, Dacula High School Mary Truong, North Gwinnett High School Israel Oluwasakin, Discovery High School Lillian Wang, Parkview High School Nicholas “Nick” Bennett, Duluth High School Priyanka Desai, Peachtree Ridge High School
Noah Wilson, Grayson High School Noah Solomon, Shiloh High School Student in bold is county winner.
Asterisk indicates a tie.
Dazhane Moseley, South Gwinnett High School 2016 GCPS Graduation Schedule
School
Day
Date
Time
Location
Phoenix High School
Monday
May 23
7 p.m.
Infinite Energy Theatre
Dacula High School
Wednesday
May 25
4 p.m.
Infinite Energy Arena
Gwinnett School of Mathematics,
Science, and Technology
Wednesday
May 25
5 p.m.
Infinite Energy Forum
Central Gwinnett High School
Wednesday
May 25
7 p.m.
Central Gwinnett Stadium
Gwinnett Online Campus
Wednesday
May 25
7 p.m.
GOC Auditorium
Archer High School
Wednesday
May 25
8 p.m.
Infinite Energy Arena
Brookwood High School
Wednesday
May 25
8 p.m.
Brookwood Stadium
Mill Creek High School
Wednesday
May 25
8 p.m.
Markham Field at Mill Creek
Parkview High School
Wednesday
May 25
8 p.m.
Parkview Community Stadium
South Gwinnett High School
Thursday
May 26
8 a.m.
Infinite Energy Arena
Discovery High School
Thursday
May 26
9 a.m.
Infinite Energy Forum
Duluth High School
Thursday
May 26
Noon
Infinite Energy Arena
Meadowcreek High School
Thursday
May 26
4 p.m.
Infinite Energy Arena
Shiloh High School
Thursday
May 26
8 p.m.
Infinite Energy Arena
Collins Hill High School
Friday
May 27
8 a.m.
Infinite Energy Arena
Grayson High School
Friday
May 27
Noon
Infinite Energy Arena
Berkmar High School
Friday
May 27
4 p.m.
Infinite Energy Arena
Peachtree Ridge High School
Friday
May 27
8 p.m.
Infinite Energy Arena
Norcross High School
Saturday
May 28
8 a.m.
Infinite Energy Arena
Lanier High School
Saturday
May 28
Noon
Infinite Energy Arena
North Gwinnett High School
Saturday
May 28
4 p.m.
Infinite Energy Arena
Mountain View High School
Saturday
May 28
8 p.m.
Infinite Energy Arena
Mill Creek seniors
enjoy reliving their
childhoods.
Congratulations to the
Class of 2016!
Communiqué is produced by Gwinnett County Public Schools’ Department of
Communications and Media Relations. Thanks to the staff and administrators
who helped us honor our seniors in this issue. Special thanks to Lisa Hopper
and Kondria Woods for many of the photographs.
437 Old Peachtree Rd., NW • Suwanee, GA 30024-2978 • (678) 301-6000
www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us
2016 Gwinnett County Board of Education
Dr. Robert McClure, Chairman– District IV • Louise Radloff, Vice Chairman– District V
Carole Boyce– District I • Dr. Mary Kay Murphy, Chairman– District III • Daniel Seckinger– District II
J. Alvin Wilbanks, CEO/Superintendent
It is the policy of Gwinnett County Public Schools not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age,
or disability in any employment practice, educational program, or any other program, activity, or service.