Now that metro Atlanta high school seniors have turned their tassels, the class of 2015 is ready for college, jobs or whatever comes next. Some are headed to Dartmouth College, Stanford University and other prestigious institutions. Others are staying closer to home, attending Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia. The graduates featured here have worked hard to achieve academic success, amassing millions of dollars in scholarship offers. Their academic experience and advice offers a blueprint for younger students.
Warren Maurice Borders Jr., valedictorian, Mount Zion High School, Clayton County schools
College: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Extracurricular activities: Key Club International, National Beta Club, Elite Scholars Club, Technology Student Association (TSA), Math Club, Math & Science Club, Student Government, Debate Team, Mount Zion Golf Team.
GPA: 4.316
What's the best piece of advice you've ever received? My mother and father told me to be persistent and patient with everything I do. Don't put in a little work and expect a full-on explosion of excellence. I should keep trying and eventually I'll make a breakthrough.
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Josh Brunner, valedictorian, Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology, Gwinnett County schools
College & major: MIT, math
Scholarships: Valedictorian and Maxxis scholarships
Extracurricular activities: Math team, chess club, Science Olympiad, Science Bowl
Best advice you've ever received? Do what you love, and the money will follow.
To what do you attribute your academic success? Teachers and mentors, hard work and an ability to easily see logical connections and remember things, especially if they are math or science and make logical sense.
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Jovanay Carter, valedictorian, Coretta Scott King Young Women's Leadership Academy, Atlanta Public Schools
College: Dartmouth College
Scholarship awards: More than 18 offers totalling $1.4 million.
Extracurricular activities: Track and field, student government, National Honor Society, HOSA, Beta Club and dance theater.
Advice to other students: Try your best, even when you don't feel like it. Only the best work makes the best outcome.
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Spencer Maddox, co-valedictorian, North Cobb High School, Cobb County schools
College & major: Georgia Tech, environmental engineering
Scholarships: Zell Miller; LGE Community Credit Union, and North Cobb High School International Studies scholarships.
Extracurricular activities: President and founder of Fantasy Sports Club, National Honor Society.
GPA: 4.672
To what do you attribute your academic success? Parents who value my education, supportive teachers and friends; getting enough sleep at night and a hard work ethic.
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Nicholas Nasr, co-valedictorian, North Cobb High School, Cobb County schools
College & major: Emory University, integrated systems analytics and international law
Scholarships: Zell, and a $190,000 full-tuition national ROTC scholarship to attend Cornell, Stanford, or the University of California Berkeley. He accepted the scholarship at Cornell and transferred it to Emory for the first year.
Extracurricular activities: Referee for Georgia Soccer, systems analyst for ACOER, and a server for Reveille. Developing the technical infrastructure for International Intellectual Property Management Law Firm. Model UN, debate team, the econ challenge team, WhatIf club, National Honors Society and The Heart and Soul Youth Group at North Star Church. Dual varsity athlete in both soccer and cross country.
GPA: 4.674
SAT/ACT score: 33 ACT
Best advice you've ever received? The best piece of advice I've ever received was from my Dad: he told me that if you aren't moving forwards, you're moving backwards. Therefore, my philosophy on life is to always be confident and happy but to never be satisfied and perpetually stay hungry. There is no way I can get better for me and the people around me if I'm moving backwards, so I have an unyielding commitment to driving onwards.
To what do you attribute your academic success? As self-centered as it sounds, I (directly) attribute my academic success as much to myself as I do to everyone else. Now, there is no way I would be anywhere near where I am without the comprehensive support system my family and my teachers have provided me but at the same time, it is none other than myself that has employed my intellectual and social resources to the fullest extent. However, if there was one person that directed the change in philosophy I experienced more than any other it would be my Dad. He was the one person in my life that knew how to tell me no, that would remind me of what I needed to work on rather than the many things I was proficient at, the one person I could rely on to reflect my thoughts in a manner my own mind does constantly. He was as integral to my academic success as I was: not through academic means, but through personal inspiration that has allowed me to accomplish all that I have while still aspiring to be the rolling stone- forever moving forward- that I have worked to be thus far.
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Arlena McClenton, valedictorian, DeKalb School of the Arts, DeKalb County
College: Barnard College of Columbia University
Scholarships: National Achievement and Delta Sigma Theta Decatur Alumnae Chapter book stipend
GPA: 4.214
SAT: 1940
Extracurricular activities: Mock Trial, National Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, VOX Teen Communications. activities: Math team, chess club, Science Olympiad, Science Bowl
Best advice you've ever received? Just do it. There are so many things that we put off until later when we think we'll have more time, energy, or money. That time never comes.
To what do you attribute your academic success? My family, teachers, and friends have always been immensely supportive of me. My dad in particular nurtured a love of reading, writing, and learning.
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Jasmyn Stamper, valedictorian, Tri-Cities High, Fulton County schools
College & major: Agnes Scott College, creative writing
Scholarships: PGB National Merit, Letitia Pate Evans and Zell Miller scholarships and Fulton County Counselors book scholarship.
Extracurricular activities: National Honor Society; National Society of High School Scholars; BETA Club; DECA Marketing Club; TCHS Book Bloggers; Students Against Destructive Decisions; Student ambassadors; Technical theater; dance and drama ministry
Best advice you've ever received? Be yourself.
To what do you attribute your academic success? I have been blessed with parents who not only instilled a passion for learning and success into me but also a foundation of Christianity.
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Aksal Vashi, valedictorian, Collins Hill High, Gwinnett County schools
College & major: Georgia Tech, biomedical engineering
Scholarships: Maxis, Scarbrough Water Prize, BBB Student of Integrity, Gwinnett Clinic and Zell Miller scholarships
Extracurricular activities: Science Fair (Intel & Google), National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, Media Festival, Georgia Tech InVenture Challenge, STARTALK Hindi program.
Best advice you've ever received? Focus, stay calm, and have fun — My Dad.
To what do you attribute your academic success? My mom, dad, and sisters; they always support me.
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