Seniors Say Goodbye to High School

Next week, nearly 10,000 high school seniors will walk across stages in Gwinnett’ s 21 high schools, turning their tassels and beginning a new chapter in their lives.

The senior report for the Class of 2012 indicates that 9,843 students are on track to graduate, and that many of them will be graduating with honors. This year’s class is the largest ever, and also one of the most accomplished, according to CEO/Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks.

In a statement the superintendent said:

"As a community, we can be proud of these students and what they have achieved during their academic careers. We are especially pleased with the number of Gwinnett graduates who earned their place among the country’s most prestigious academic ranks, including (and there may be more), 15 , and 26 Georgia Scholars. Full-tuition grants were awarded to and three Questbridge Scholars. Congratulations to these and all of the graduates in the Class of 2012!"

The annual Gwinnett graduation report also highlights the following achievements of the Class of 2012:

• graduates the largest class this year with 779 students, followed by Peachtree Ridge High with 757 graduates, and Mill Creek High with 714.

• Having opened in August as a full-time charter school, Gwinnett County Online Campus celebrates its first graduating class with 12 students receiving a GCPS high school diploma.

• 86 percent of the students graduating this year report that they plan to continue their education by attending college or postsecondary schools.

• The seniors who plan to continue their education have been offered, as of April, more than $101 million in academic, athletic, and military scholarships. The majority of that amount, more than $67.8 million, was earned for academic achievement (that amount does not include the HOPE, or the 11 Gates Millennium Scholars who each earned full scholarships for undergraduate work and for selected master’s and doctoral programs).

• This year’s senior student athletes earned more than $28.7 million in athletic scholarships.

• The following 13 seniors who reported having received military academy appointments earned over $5 million in scholarship monies:

• From :
  Jackson Buonamia—United States Air Force Academy
  Mark Guentert—United States Coast Guard Academy
  Camaran Henson—United States Naval Academy

• From Collins Hill High:
  Chloe Whitworth—United States Naval Academy

• From Grayson High:
  Zachary Aaron Owen—United States Air Force Academy

• From Lanier High:
  Zachary Winzurk—United States Naval Academy

• From Mill Creek High:
  Rachael Kathryn Dudley—United States Naval Academy
  Andrew Ruechel—United States Air Force Academy
  Aaron Michael Sims—United States Naval Academy

• From North Gwinnett High:
  Justin Alabi—United States Air Force Academy
  Taylor Gilliam—United States Naval Academy

• From Parkview High:
  Stephen Andrew Fields—United States Military Academy at West Point (Army)

• From :
• Westley Williams—United States Air Force Academy

• The Class of 2012 also includes 2,050 Honor Graduates, who are graduating with a grade percent average of 90 or better. Several of these honor students were recognized as the highest ranking students in their school, earning the title of valedictorian or salutatorian. Local honorees include , , and South Gwinnett High's Jasper Tseng (valedictorian) and Stella Belonwu (salutatorian).

The graduation ceremonies for the local Snellville high schools will take place as follows:

• Wednesday, May 23: , at Brookwood High Community Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
• Friday, May 25: , Gwinnett Center Arena, 12 p.m.
• Saturday, May 26: , Gwinnett Center Arena, 12 p.m. 

(Editor's Note: This article was taken from a press release from Gwinnett County Public Schools)