The Atlanta Journal-Constitution asked valedictorians at metro Atlanta schools questions about their time in high school and their futures. Here’s what some graduates in Gwinnett schools had to say. Students are listed alphabetically by school. Answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Credit: Photo provided
Credit: Photo provided
Brandon Woolfolk
- School: Archer High
- College: University of Central Florida
- Intended major: Environmental engineering
- Advice for freshmen: It may be a cliche, but enjoy the time you have before it’s gone. Make the most of high school, because it’s not going to last forever.
- Most helpful study habit: Studying effectively is all about doing what’s best for you. Keep trying and trying to find what fits, and stick to a successful formula once you discover it.
- Do you feel like you’re ready for life after high school? I’d like to believe I am, but there is no way to know for sure. The only way to find out is to go out and face whatever life throws my way, whether I’m ready or not.
- What worries you about the future? There are far too many people who aren’t accepting of others. The biggest threat to the human race is itself, and if we continue to be divided, we will not be able to stand. This goes for every aspect; politics, culture, demographics, economics, etc. The continued divisions between people will prevent us from succeeding in the future.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Alice Garcia
- School: Berkmar High
- College: Harvard University
- Intended major: Mechanical engineering and astrophysics
- Advice for freshmen: Don’t worry about building the perfect college application; worry about enjoying your extracurriculars and being involved in what you like. That’s the only way you will survive the stress of high school.
- Helpful study habit: Caffeine and Feynman technique.
- Favorite memory from high school: All the Vex-robotics club meetings with my friends.
- What worries you about the future? Being able to sustain and support my family as soon as possible.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Emily Song
- School: Brookwood High
- College: Georgia Tech
- Intended major: Environmental engineering
- Advice for freshmen: Academics aren’t everything. Keeping up with hobbies is important. Find things that you like outside of the classroom.
- Helpful study habit: Easier said than done, but don’t study when you’re exhausted.
- Favorite memory from high school: During sophomore year, Science Olympiad Nationals were online still due to COVID. We still dressed up and went out to dinner and watched the ceremony online. It was exciting to see classmates win and celebrate their success.
- What worries you about the future? I hope my parents retire soon and get to do what they want to do. I am the youngest, so they were waiting for me to graduate.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Emmanuel Ekpenyong
- School: Central Gwinnett High
- College: Georgia Tech
- Intended major: Computer science
- Advice for freshmen: I’d watch who I was hanging out with because your social circle can have a great deal of influence on you. If you want to be successful in high school, your best bet is to hang around ambitious and driven people, just like yourself.
- Helpful study habit: I focus more on solving practice questions to review rather than simply reading through notes. Active studying strategies are more effective than passive techniques because of how they encourage you to make deeper connections with the concepts.
- Favorite memory from high school: There are too many memorable moments to zone in on just one. What I can say is that all three years I’ve been in marching band have been fun. I made a lot of friends, fit right in, and learned a lot about accountability, consistency, and how to push myself.
- Do you feel like you’re ready for life after high school? High school was fun and all, but it has run its course — I’m honestly ready for SOMETHING different.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Andrew Malooley
- School: Collins Hill High
- College: Georgia Tech
- Intended major: Biomedical engineering
- Advice for freshmen: Find study habits, organization that work for you; you will carry them throughout high school.
- Helpful study habit: I don’t recommend it, but my philosophy is “memorize now, learn later.”
- Do you feel like you’re ready for life after high school? I feel like life after high school will probably have its challenges, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.
- What worries you about the future? The future doesn’t worry me. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Payal Patel
- School: Dacula High
- College: Georgia Tech
- Intended major: Biomedical engineering
- Advice for freshmen: From the moment you walk into your high school on the first day, it matters. All the work you put into academics and extracurriculars counts towards a greater purpose. Let your passion and ethics drive you towards a great high school experience.
- Helpful study habit: Create a to-do list every day and rank each task in order of importance. Fulfill your homework and study sessions in chunks to avoid memorization and to promote engagement and learning.
- Favorite memory from high school: It’s the little things that build up to create some of my greatest and most memorable moments in high school. The uncontrollable laughs with my friends in class, bonding over the struggle, after-school cross-country runs and study dates.
- Do you feel like you’re ready for life after high school? I’m as ready as I’ll ever be! I cannot wait to see what the future holds and to explore my passions. I want to take the foundation I have worked on and the work ethic I have acquired throughout the years to build my dreams.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Khenya Robinson
- School: Discovery High
- College: Duke University
- Intended major: Pre-law
- Advice for freshmen: Always take the initiative to make connections with others and expose yourself to different clubs. By getting involved in the various clubs/activities at your school, you have the opportunity to start building a support system and community.
- Helpful study habit: Use the Pomodoro technique to schedule your time. The Pomodoro technique is where you set a timer and you have a designated amount of time towards focusing and a five- to 10-minute break. Through these cycles of productivity and resting, you are more likely to manage your time more effectively and minimize distractions.
- Favorite memory from high school: My favorite memory from high school was winning Homecoming Queen. The process of campaigning through putting together videos and candy bags was so much fun and I truly enjoyed being on the senior homecoming court.
- What worries you about the future? What worries me most about the future is having to adapt to unforeseen changes. Moving out of state to attend Duke University will definitely be a new environment that I must adjust to. However, I try not to worry because I know that with change comes new opportunities for growth.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Riley Daniel Hasenstab
- School: Duluth High
- College: Georgia Tech
- Intended major: Engineering
- Advice for freshmen: Attend and pay attention in class. This is the core to being a successful student.
- Helpful study habit: Take handwritten notes in class and then cram study them the night before a test.
- Do you feel like you’re ready for life after high school? I am ready to go off and live independently. While I will miss living with my parents, they will always be there for me when I need them. I am excited to see what my future holds in store for me.
- What worries you about the future? The thing that worries me most is how many things I am going to have going on in my life. As long as I take it step by step, I will work through it and enjoy the journey.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Johnny Ta
- School: Grayson High
- College: Not provided
- Intended major: Not provided
- Advice for freshmen: Stay true to your values. As you transition from middle school to high school, you have to figure out who you are and who you want to be. You may feel pressured to fit into a certain mold, but you shouldn’t let that deter you from your true values and morals.
- Helpful study habit: For conceptual classes like math and physics, I just review basic concepts. If you understand the basics, you can usually apply it to more difficult questions on exams. For humanities classes like history, I’ll just skim my notes the night before the exam and hope it sticks.
- Do you feel like you’re ready for life after high school? I’m not sure whether or not I’m ready for life after high school to be honest. While I’ve been preparing academically and emotionally, I think there’s still a lot to learn and experience. I’m eager to embrace new challenges and opportunities as I continue to grow and learn once I graduate.
- What worries you about the future? My biggest fear is that I won’t be able to find stable employment. I don’t want to spend four years in college only for my degree to become obsolete because of AI by the time that I graduate. I also don’t want to be stuck doing something that I don’t enjoy.
Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
Ridge Ridenour
- School: Greater Atlanta Christian School
- College: Georgia Tech
- Intended major: Industrial engineering
- Most helpful study habit: Studying with a group of friends who keep me accountable and fill in the things I don’t understand in class.
- Favorite memory from high school: Going to Mount Rainier on a learning excursion my senior year; I had so much fun hiking, playing beach football and stargazing.
- Do you feel like you’re ready for life after high school? Yes, I feel like I am ready. GAC has taught me leadership and problem-solving skills and made me more resilient. My high school experience has instilled a strong work ethic that I will carry with me.
- What worries you about the future? What worries me about the future is uncertainty, but it also is exciting. I don’t know where I will end up, but I know I have the experience, friends and family to help me wherever I go.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Avery Britt
- School: Gwinnett Online Campus
- College: University of Georgia
- Intended major: Music composition and vocal performance
- Helpful study habit: Maintain self-awareness by checking in with how effectively you are using your study time. It is much more productive to face your ego and study what you don’t know than to pretend you are ready for assessments by reviewing what is easy. Also be aware of what methods, times of the day and environments work best for you in order to work efficiently. If you stick to your ideal regimen, study time can become shorter and more engaging, leading to rewarding results!
- Favorite memory from high school: Attending the Governor’s Honors Program was incredible, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I met so many new friends that I’ll be seeing in college, and I loved the sense of independence it gave me in preparation for these next steps. If you have the opportunity to attend GHP, don’t pass it up! It’s truly a highlight of my years in high school and will have a lasting impact on what’s to come.
- Do you feel like you’re ready for life after high school? As an online student, I feel like I am prepared for the time management skills that are expected in an academic or work setting. In my activities on campus, I’ve also learned about the importance of getting involved in your community and taking on leadership roles that interest you. Though I will miss my family and friends in Gwinnett so much, I know there will be new people and opportunities waiting for me after high school in the same way that a bright future is ahead of every class of 2024 grad!
- What worries you about the future? I’m not sure about the specifics of my career goals yet, as there are many facets of music that I feel I’d be happy devoting myself to. However, it’s not necessary for you to go to college having the next few decades figured out. I encourage other graduates to explore classes, internships, clubs and other opportunities that interest them to see what feels like the best fit for a career. I’ll be doing the same thing to find the right music career for me!
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Rayna Chang
- School: Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology
- College: Emory University
- Intended major: Biology
- Advice for freshmen: I would definitely tell freshmen to explore. It’s OK to not know what you want to do in life, but you might as well start having fun and figuring out what you like right now!
- Favorite memory from high school: After finals, my friends and I would always go out and celebrate. Once, my car broke down at a Waffle House, but at least our finals went well!
- Do you feel like you’re ready for life after high school? I enjoyed high school, and I think my school prepared me well for life after it, but I also definitely think I’m ready for a fresh start and a new environment.
- What worries you about the future? I think the uncertainty that the future holds is always a bit daunting, but I’m confident in my ability and everyone else’s ability to face whatever comes their way.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Cara Escarment
- School: Lanier High
- College: Princeton University
- Intended major: Civil engineering
- Advice for freshmen: Try to enjoy the time you are at the high school and make friends by joining clubs and doing fun activities. Try to have a balance between academics and things that make you happy.
- Favorite memory from high school: Decision day! I loved seeing my friends having fun and where my classmates are going to college next year!
- Do you feel like you’re ready for life after high school? No, but I know that it will get better as time goes on.
- What worries you about the future? Being far away from home.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Judy Mammen
- School: McClure Health Science High
- College: University of Notre Dame
- Intended major: Neuroscience
- Helpful study habit: Someone once said to me, “You must study a lot, right?” Having reflected on this for a second, I responded, “No, I don’t think I study a lot, I just try to study well.” While sometimes it might be necessary to study for extended periods of time for large exams or difficult subjects, this is not my primary strategy. For me, it’s all about recognizing patterns and “knowing the story” so-to-speak. Every subject has a story. Yes, including math. Understanding how and why things affect one another and then relating those correlations to concepts I’ve previously studied is what allows me to retain things. More often than not, it’s difficult for me to simply memorize bits and pieces of information without understanding the bigger picture. Once I know the bigger picture, the pieces fall into place.
- Favorite memory from high school: This is probably a nerd answer, but the science fair. Specifically, my most recent project of engineering a passive water distillation system for use in impoverished equatorial countries that face the issue of water contamination. I’ve done a science fair project every year since the third grade, but never have I been more passionate about a project. When I first joined the team, I was skeptical about how interested I would remain about an environmental engineering project. However, for the past two years, I have come to absolutely adore every part about this project. From creative problem solving, to using power tools, applying scientific knowledge from every discipline, presenting, and ultimately the knowledge that our work may actually go on to help people in need one day.
- Do you feel like you’re ready for life after high school? I hesitate to say that I’m ready for life after high school. I have enough self-awareness to know that there is more that I don’t know than do know. Generally speaking, I’ve developed an attitude of stubborn persistence over the course of my childhood, which I believe will get me through at least some of the roadblocks I’ll encounter. Knowing the right people and not being afraid to ask for help will probably also be a useful asset for me going forward.
- What worries you about the future? Where do I begin? While ambition drives me, uncertainty about the future, particularly about how my life will change once I step foot onto the University of Notre Dame campus, makes me uneasy. I feel that everything will work out, but knowing my life is about to change in some very drastic ways is a thought that I continue to dwell on.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Valeria Quijada
- School: Meadowcreek High
- College: Georgia Tech
- Intended major: Mathematics
- Advice for freshmen: Take advantage of how much time you have and get to know yourself. Developing a strong idea of who you are is crucial in a world that constantly tries to define you. There is only one person that truly knows you — and that is you.
- Helpful study habit: Teaching others. Explaining a topic to someone else forces you to apply concepts, as opposed to just memorizing them. Most importantly, staying away from all-nighters!
- Do you feel like you’re ready for life after high school? I don’t think there’s such a thing as being ready. I have goals and a myriad of plans, but the future is far too unpredictable. Uncertainty, however, is often a catalyst for innovation and creativity, which is why I don’t fear it.
- What worries you about the future? The way politics will impact education. If we do not make education more accessible, we risk losing a fundamental right and a cornerstone of human progress.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Esther Jung
- School: Mill Creek High
- College: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Intended major: Material science and engineering
- Advice for freshmen: Don’t be scared to get involved early. High school is a time to explore, and freshman year is a great time to test the waters for anything you might be interested in.
- Helpful study habit: Switching from a task-completion system to a time allotment system like focusing on the time spent on a task has helped me focus my efforts, manage my sleep and track my time much more effectively.
- Favorite memory from high school: Chatting with my friends in between classes, hanging out with people when there is downtime and overall spending time with people is ultimately my favorite memory.
- What worries you about the future? The increasing commercialization and human suffering and cruelty is a major concern that I have.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Kevin Nhan
- School: Mountain View High
- College: University of Pennsylvania
- Intended major: Psychology and public health
- Helpful study habit: Staying organized is key to successful studying. Being able to maximize how much you can retain in a short amount of time is important to me, so having a schedule to balance studying for all courses keeps me from getting burned out.
- Favorite memory from high school: Being able to talk to the teachers and students in my community. Being able to connect with others made the high school experience so much more fun, and I can’t wait to meet new people in college!
- Do you feel like you’re ready for life after high school? Although life after school seems a little daunting, I believe that I’m well prepared for it. My family, friends and school taught me well, whether it be academics or practical life skills. I’m excited nonetheless for what life has to offer after high school.
- What worries you about the future? Knowing what to do in my future is a little worrying for me, but I know that with the support of my friends and family, I will be just fine. Attending college will be a great time for me to explore what I’m truly interested in and find out more about myself.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Lisa Van Ness
- School: Norcross High
- College: Georgia Tech
- Intended major: Not provided
- Advice for freshmen: Get involved! Find at least one extracurricular activity that you enjoy and put your heart into it.
- Helpful study habit: Get started early — don’t wait until the last minute to start your assignments.
- Favorite memory from high school: Cheering on the sidelines at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for Corky Kell!
- What worries you about the future? Passing physics at Georgia Tech.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Claire Park
- School: North Gwinnett
- College: Yale University
- Intended major: Biology
- Advice for freshmen: Challenge yourself! Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone.
- Helpful study habit: Work through as many practice problems as you can. In my experience, I’ve found that active studying methods are more effective than passive studying methods.
- Favorite memory from high school: One of my favorite memories is playing team games with my friends at an overnight retreat for the North Gwinnett Student Leadership Team. I had fun spending time with my team members outside of our regular working environment and getting super competitive!
- What worries you about the future? I am not yet certain which specific career path I will take, but I do know that I am excited to explore many different opportunities and learn more about myself along the way.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Prateeksha Gupta
- School: Parkview High
- College: Georgia Tech
- Intended major: Business administration
- Advice for freshmen: I would advise freshmen to make sure they prioritize the importance of balance between academics, work, and social life. Burnout is very real and the best way to combat it is to ensure your life is enjoyable and balanced. This ensures you will have the best possible high school experience full of memories and academic excellence, not just constantly doing work. I also recommend freshmen to try all sorts of different activities, like clubs or sports, even the activities they seem a bit hesitant about! The best thing they can do is to put themselves out there!
- Helpful study habit: My most helpful study habit is to use active recall. This means that instead of simply reading over notes, I create flashcards for concepts to ensure that I have properly memorized the topic. Additionally, I study using practice multiple choice questions and free response questions, as this allows me to know for sure that I understand the application of the concepts, as opposed to solely just memorizing points.
- Do you feel like you’re ready for life after high school? I feel ready for life after high school! I am a bit nervous about the future. However, I know I will make the best of whatever is about to come my way! I am super excited about college and the prospect of meeting new people and entering this new chapter in my life. The uncertainty of the future may seem daunting at first, but I am excited to welcome the unknown and see where my journey will take me!
- What worries you about the future? I am mainly worried about what will happen after college. I love learning and have spent the majority of my life in school. It’s scary to think that after college ends, I am truly in the adult world and need to find a job and make big decisions, such as buying a home or doing taxes. However, despite knowing these major decisions await me, I know that everything will work out in the end. So, the best thing I can do right now is to live in the present and enjoy life’s current moments.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Oswin Cervantes
- School: Paul Duke STEM High
- College: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Intended major: Physics and electrical engineering
- Advice for freshmen: Work on your passion and work hard on the things that you enjoy most.
- Helpful study habit: Break large tasks into smaller tasks.
- Favorite memory from high school: Meeting a bunch of diverse people.
- Do you feel like you’re ready for life after high school? Yes, because I was able to acquire many different sets of tools throughout high school that I think will serve me well in the future. You get out of high school what you put in.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Priyanka Mitra
- School: Peachtree Ridge High
- College: Not provided
- Intended major: Not provided
- Advice for freshmen: Get involved! Take part in as many activities as possible.
- Helpful study habit: Keep a paper agenda and don’t procrastinate!
- Favorite memory from high school: Senior year football games.
- Do you feel like you’re ready for life after high school? It’s nerve-wracking but I feel prepared.
- What worries you about the future? I worry about not being able to advocate for myself enough.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Riley Samples
- School: Seckinger High
- College: Princeton University
- Intended major: Aerospace engineering
- Advice for freshmen: I would tell freshmen to not be afraid of a challenge. If you never try, you’ll never know what you can achieve.
- Helpful study habit: My most helpful study habit is honestly just starting somewhere. The work is usually more stressful before you start working on it.
- Do you feel like you’re ready for life after high school? I’m definitely ready and excited for life after high school.
- What worries you about the future? I am worried about the future of education with the onset of generative AI tools. We have to work hard to make sure students are able to embrace artificial intelligence in an ethical way.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Nashra Khan
- School: Shiloh High
- College: Emory University
- Intended major: Biology and public policy on a pre-med track
- Advice for freshmen: High school is the only time where you will get to explore your interests for free. Join a new club, try out the new sport, take that intimidating class. You never know what you may end up loving and finding a passion for. The world is full of wonderful things so seek them!
- Helpful study habit: My most helpful study habit is taking notes and watching videos. I am a visual learner, so diagrams, graphs and charts help me out. If they aren’t provided, I end up creating or drawing them myself, which actually ends up helping me a lot more than watching someone else do it!
- Favorite memory from high school: My favorite memory from high school is working as an athletic trainer for Shiloh’s Sports Medicine Department. I loved being at football games and staying at away games very late alongside some of my best friends and making new friends along the way.
- What worries you about the future? I worry about achieving all of my goals. I am an idealist and my dreams go far beyond anything the realms in which my family was brought up in. Women in my family usually end up getting married at a young age and devote their whole lives to their family. I envision something completely different from my life; a life in which I am traveling the world, helping children in every corner of the Earth. I worry that these dreams are unrealistic or too “far-fetched,” but then I see the anguish that envelops the world and it gives me the strength to continue to dream big because with the help of my family, friends and God, I know I dream to change the world.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools
Zeniya Buggs
- School: South Gwinnett
- College: Not provided
- Intended major: Not provided
- Advice for freshmen: Stay involved in the community through sports, clubs and extracurriculars because that is how you create memories that make high school enjoyable.
- Favorite memory from high school: My favorite memory from high school are the football nights. Being a member of the marching band has allowed me to witness the strong culture and bonds within the student body.
- Do you feel like you’re ready for life after high school? I feel like I am ready to learn from the challenges after high school. I believe the only way to be “prepared” for life after high school is to experience it and learn from it.
- What worries you about the future? I worry about starting over. I have been building my resume for as long as I can remember, and after I graduate, my slate will be wiped clean. Although I am ready to start fresh, it can be frightening to think about.
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