Olympians urge Atlanta students to stay in school

Olympians and Paralympians met with about 500 students at Jackson High School on Friday to encourage them to overcome adversity and complete their education.

Speakers included former basketball star Christian Laettner, 2012 Olympic swimmer Cullen Jones, Olympic fencer Tim Morehouse and Rick Rieder, an Emory University alumnus who has given more than $1.5 million since 2010 to establish the Graduation Generation initiative.

Graduation Generation is designed to improve student academic performance and increase students’ chances for success in high school and beyond.