Metro Atlanta’s valedictorians are ready for life after high school

Terry Crawford, valedictorian at Druid Hills High School in DeKalb County, knows the impact of the pandemic better than most. His family left Beijing for the United States due to the pandemic, just before he started high school. It taught him to cherish each day and made him feel better about starting a new chapter in his life after high school.

“After being forced to move due to a global illness, there’s not much that worries me anymore,” he said. “I know that God will watch over me and take care of me no matter where I go. »

Other students feel the same way.

“I feel like life after high school will probably have its fair share of challenges, but it’s nothing I can’t handle,” said Andrew Malooley, valedictorian at Collins Hill High School in County of Gwinnett.

Credit: Photo provided

Credit: Photo provided

Exahel Castaneda, valedictorian of Cross Keys High School in DeKalb County, is equally confident. “I don’t worry about the future, because I have everything planned,” he said. “Even if something goes wrong, I will improve on my mistakes and overcome all obstacles.”

When it comes to their future, others worry about things they have seen in their lives that seem beyond their control.

Neil Shah of Dunwoody High School in DeKalb County is most concerned about an increasingly divisive political landscape: “I’ve noticed a growing degree of partisanship among politicians and the general public. Today, there are a plethora of people and movements attempting to suppress certain students, teachers, races, and genders in the name of “fairness.” I fear this polarization will erode America’s place as a global leader in education and progress.”

At Campbell High School in Cobb County, Brandon Buchalter echoed some of those fears. “It is worrying that, in my opinion, the current level of international attention and effort on the climate crisis is not sufficient to combat its growth and that this could cause irreversible damage in the future,” he said. he declared. “I am also concerned about the general lack of recognition around the rise of anti-Semitism and other forms of hatred, as this could have negative effects on me and others I know. »

Credit: Photo provided

Credit: Photo provided

From Lakeside High School in DeKalb County, Shreya Ghosh Chatterjee reflected on the restriction of reproductive rights. “I fear that one day a man in Congress will have more control over my body than I do. Unfortunately, this possibility seems closer to reality every day.

And many students worry about what rapid advances in AI technology will mean for them. “I don’t want to spend four years in college only to have my degree become obsolete because of AI by the time I graduate,” said Johnny Ta, valedictorian at Grayson High School in the Gwinnett County.

Nearly all of the valedictorians who responded to the AJC’s questions are planning to go to college — the overwhelming majority of them are headed to Georgia Tech in Midtown Atlanta. Others chose public schools like the University of Georgia or Kennesaw State University; a handful of them head to Ivy League schools. One of them plans to join the U.S. Navy.

Those who move away from home fear leaving the people they know behind. Even those who stay closer to home have concerns.

“I’m afraid of being alone in a crowd,” said Jesus Ortiz, the valedictorian of Osborne High School in Cobb County who will attend Georgia Tech.

Others have more practical concerns familiar to many Atlanta drivers: “I’m worried about having to take the Grady Curve to get to Georgia Tech,” said Fayette County High School valedictorian Emily Balsam. “The one time I tried to drive it, I cried and I’m pretty sure I saw my life flash before my eyes.”

Credit: E. Brown

Credit: E. Brown

Although most valedictorians agree that their time in high school prepared them for college – and they have the study tips to prove it – they are still preparing for what it means to enter the world as a adults.

They want to get jobs that will allow them to live comfortably, but fear that a college degree won’t be enough to get there. One raised concerns about student debt. They try to select the most lucrative fields with good job markets. This is a new way of thinking for many students. They are used to doing homework and taking exams. Now they know that their responsibilities will change. More than one student mentioned learning how to file taxes.

“Adulthood is a lot different,” said Leah Johnson, valedictorian at Columbia High School in DeKalb County. “No one needs permission to go to the bathroom during lunch, but I should learn how to file my own taxes and create a monthly budget. In life I will have to learn things that no amount of study can teach me – but pure experience can.

With the last four years fresh on their minds, the things that stood out to them rarely had anything to do with their classes. They remembered victories in track races or tennis matches, trips with friends, pep rallies and band concerts. These experiences informed the advice they would give to younger students.

“I would tell freshmen to take advantage of every opportunity available to them,” said Jessica Gorski, valedictorian at Whitewater High School in Fayette County. “After high school, their biggest regrets will be not joining a certain club or not trying their luck at a new hobby. Everything is worth doing and trying at this time of our lives.

Payal Patel of Dacula High School in Gwinnett County encouraged them to let their passions guide their high school experience — and not sell themselves short.

“From the moment you walk into your high school on your first day,” she said, “it’s important.”

Staff writers Martha Dalton, Josh Reyes and Leon Stafford contributed to this article.