Class of 2024
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Tania
Tre’von
Sarah
Caldwell
Covington
George
Georgia
TOP OF THE CLASS
Tania Menchaca, Alcovy
With the 2023-24 school year at the end, Alcovy’s Tania Menchaca ended the year as the Tigers’ valedictorian.
Now that her rank is official and graduation on the horizon, Menchaca recalled the moment she realized she achieved the top status.
“As I was sitting down and waiting for my rank to pop up on the screen,” Menchaca said. I remember thinking, ‘Oh my God! There’s no way!’ when I realized that my name was the last one to be called, meaning that I was the valedictorian.”
Along with being enrolled at Alcovy, Menchaca also attends Newton College and Career Academy.
At the beginning of the school year, the senior already had an idea that she would finish as one of the top students in the class of 2024.
Knowing this, Menchaca used it to fuel herself to finish strong her senior year.
“At the beginning of the year, I was filling out scholarship applications so I had to know my current rank,” Menchaca said. “I was told that I was currently top of my class already, and even then I was surprised. I told myself that I had to work extra hard this year in order to stay on top.”
Outside of her work in the classroom, Menchaca also serves as the Alcovy girls’ soccer team captain.
Menchaca was named to the All-Cov News girls soccer team in the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
At the Career Academy, Menchaca referenced a class in the sports medical field as one her of favorite courses
“I currently enjoy my sports medicine class the most because we get to do a lot of hands-on activities and lab practice,” Menchaca said.
After graduation, Menchaca plans to attend Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia, where she plans to eventually earn a degree in biology.
Kennesaw State was ranked in the top 20 in U.S World News and Report for “Schools in the US that students want to attend.”
Menchaca plans to not stop her education after she gets her biology degree.
“With a bachelor’s in biology, I plan to continue my education in the field of biotechnology and one day earn a PhD in the field as well,” Menchaca said.
The desire to work in that field stemmed from her desire to work in Biotechnology. This career path is something Menchaca has thought about for some time.
In 2022, Menchaca told The News about her plans, as a sophomore, to pursue a career in that field.
“In the biotechnology field, I hope to work in a genetics lab researching gene-editing techniques that can be used to treat “incurable” diseases,” Menchaca said.
With her valedictorian status set in stone, Menchaca referenced her family’s reaction and how it helped it set in.
By Garrett Pitts Evan newton
Phillip B. Hubbard
“I looked at my mom to see her reaction and I saw her tearing up. I knew that she was proud of me, and knowing this made me feel content,” Menchaca said.
Emma Oftedal, Eastside
At Eastside High School 342 students are anxiously awaiting their names to be called and to receive their recognition for their hard work.
But out of those 342 students, one graduate has earned the right to be the class of 2024 Valedictorian – Emma Oftedal.
Oftedal is a four-year student at Eastside and has excelled both in and out of the classroom. As her senior year began, she felt like the end would never come.
But now that it is here, Oftedal said she has dueling emotions about the future.
“I’m excited. I’m nervous,” Oftedal said. “I feel like it’s something we’ve been looking forward to for so long and you never actually feel like you’re going to get there and now we’re here.”
During her time at Eastside, Oftedal has participated in Eagles on Duty – a special needs assistance club – ECO Eagles and a Student Government Association representative for the last two years.
But the activity that has had the most impact on Oftedal is the Junior Classical League (JCL) as well as her affinity for Latin.
A self-proclaimed “Latin nerd,” Oftedal specifically cites a yearly state convention for Latin as one of her highlights.
“Every year we have a state convention for Latin and it’s the best time,” Oftedal said. “It’s just like a really good bonding sort of weekend.”
Going hand-in-hand with Oftedal’s passion for Latin is the appreciation she has for her Latin teacher of four years, Eric Adams.
Earlier this year, Oftedal chose Adams as her top teacher during the Newton County Schools Top 10 announcements. She said that Adams, in particular, helped her stay motivated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when times were especially stressful for all students in school.
“Going into COVID year, everything was really mixed up and we were on Zoom and it was just really hard to want to put in effort in school because you were online and it didn’t really matter,” Oftedal said. “He was one of the only teachers that I had that no matter what he was really into making sure that you were learning and having fun learning and his Zoom was the only one I would log onto and not want to immediately fall asleep.”
From that point, Oftedal said that support only continued to grow through her four years at Eastside.
“And the years following that it kind of grew and grew where it was always this support for his students no matter what,” Oftedal said. “If you needed help on anything, even not related to Latin or school at all, he was gonna
ALCOVY HIGH SCHOOL
be there to listen to you and hear you out, and he just provides all of his students with so many resources.”
As Oftedal closes her high school chapter, she plans to write a new one 743 miles away. She will attend the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor with a major in English literature.
While Oftedal shared her enthusiasm for a fresh start, she stressed that the relationships she has built at Eastside will always remain with her toward the future.
“Overall I’m really excited,” Oftedal said, “but I’m definitely gonna miss all my friends and the experience and the family you sort of built when you go to a school for four years.”
Tre’von Davis, Newton
One-by-one, Newton High School’s top 10 was announced at its annual ceremony on March 20. Tre’von Davis was “utterly speechless” when principal Dr. Shannon Buff shared that he was the class’ valedictorian.
Nevertheless, earning valedictorian status for Newton High’s class of 2024 is a huge honor for Davis.
“To me, being valedictorian is a source of reassurance to my hard work over the four years of my high school experience and the impact of the various connections I have built with my dearest friends, family and educators,” Davis said. “I would not have been in such a position today if not for the many who have uplifted and supported me throughout my four years of high school. Therefore, this accomplishment is so much more significant than me, as it is a monument to, and exemplar of, the significance of supplying the students with a robust support system, both inside and outside the school.”
During his four years as a Ram, Davis has been involved with various extracurricular activities.
He was a part of the STEM Associate Council, Newton College and Career Academy Technology Student Association, Newton County’s Youth Action Team and Conyers-Covington Kappa League.
Following his high school graduation, Davis plans to attend a four-year university. He aspires to double major in computer science and business.
In addition to his academics, Davis also aspires to start or join ongoing research with the particular interest in developing his knowledge of biomedical issues that can be resolved with software solutions.
Davis’ collegiate objectives are just the beginning of what he wants to achieve further down the line.
“I believe in pursuing work with a purpose; therefore, my long-term goals include tackling environmental and societal issues through various entrepreneurial ventures,” Davis said. “From establishing a biomedical research facility and developing sustainable homes to building several community shelters and constructing multiple educational programs, my future is packed with initiatives to better my county, state and nation.”
Whatever the future holds for Davis, he recognized how vital Newton High School has been to helping him reach his goals.
On the academic side, Davis shared that Newton High assisted in his appreciation for exploring different subjects while also sharpening his interpersonal skills, too.
“These two skills, which Newton High School has empowered me with, will assist me in accepting and admiring the vast array of opportunities and individuals I will interact with, from college to the workforce,” Davis said.
Upon reflection of the past four years, Davis reminisced on many of his favorite memories as a student at Newton High.
He cited creating intricate art pieces in his Visual Arts II class while also sculpting clay works in a ceramics course. Not to mention “awing at the
wonders of the human mind” in Advanced Placement psychology.
Davis said that all the memories stored in his mind will be revered for “years to come.”
Throughout all of his time as a Ram, Davis ultimately learned the importance of forming individuality.
Now, with his high school graduation on the horizon, Davis relayed that same sentiment with the incoming freshmen set to roam the hallways of Newton High next school year.
“Establish your self-identity as quickly as possible. If my high school experience has taught me anything, it is that if one does not make it a point to understand oneself, one makes oneself malleable to any and everyone who crosses one path,” Davis said. “This idea holds significance during high school and long after. The world will do it for them if one does not establish who they are.”
Sarah Cohenour, Social Circle
Sarah Cohenour continues sort of a family tradition by finishing as Social Circle’s class of 2024’s valedictorian.
Her sister was the class of 2017’s valedictorian while her brother graduated salutatorian for the class of 2020.
With the examples set before Cohenour, earning the top graduating spot was always a goal for her. Even so, the excitement Conhenour had was not dampened when she found out her final status in early February.
“It was very exciting for me,” Cohenour said. “It was kind of a toss up of whether I would be first or second, so I was pleasantly surprised.”
Cohenour shared what being her class’ valedictorian meant to her, too.
“It is just such an honor for me and it makes all the hard work worth it,” Cohenour said.
Concerning her overall growth the last four years, Cohenour credited a couple of areas as proponents of that growth.
“Programs at Social Circle like Dual Enrollment and Work-Based Learning have been so great for my development as a student,” Cohenour said. In addition to her course studies, Cohenour was also involved with a plethora of extracurricular activities.
For a year, Cohenour was a member of the basketball team at Social Circle. She has been in Art Club and Beta Club for three years and recently became interested in playing pickleball.
Cohenour is a certified scuba diver as well.
Upon reflection of the last four years at Social Circle High School, Cohenour pointed back to the beginning of her high school days for her favorite memory.
“My first day of high school I was so nervous that I actually gave myself a stomach ache, and only a week beforehand, I had gotten my wisdom teeth out so my face was super swollen,”
Cohenour said. “Looking back, it’s just a funny memory because I really had nothing to worry about.”
Next up for Cohenour will be walking across the stage at her high school graduation on May 24 at Redskins Stadium. Then, next fall, she will enroll at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and plans to major in industrial engineering.
Cohenour’s aspiration with that major is to eventually be in a management position with the aim of being a leader in the field and “make a difference.”
Before she departs from Social Circle High School, though, she shared a sentiment with the upcoming freshman class set to take on the next level.
“Stop comparing yourself to others and worrying about what other people think. Just do what’s best for you and what makes you happy and you’ll be okay,” Cohenour said. “Also, high school isn’t everything. If you have a bad experience in high school just know that things will get better.”
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Alcovy High School
Valedictorian: Tania Menchaca | Salutatorian: lenaya turnball
Eastside High School
Valedictorian: Emma oftedal | Salutatorian: Jordan Nealy
May your journey ahead be filled with learning, growth, and a lifetime of love and laughter!
"May He give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed."
~Psalm 20:4
Newton High School
Valedictorian: Tre’Von Davis | Salutatorian: Huda Asker
Social Circle High School
Valedictorian: Sarah Cohenour | Salutatorian: Ambry Lofton
LiliAnah
Denascio
Jamarion
Charmarious
Landon
MyKayla
Alexus Thacker Gracee Thomas mattie Townsend Tydrell Strozier
Waits Jason Walker Zavier Wallace Colin Ward
Annie Winston Liam Warr Georgia West
Isabella Whisnat Kendall Whitley
Drake Wilkerson Macy Williams
Covington Academy
Valedictorian: Abrielle Zion Jasmin | Salutatorian: Shelby Leigh Bennett
Loganville Christian Academy
Valedictorian: penelope pourchier | Salutatorian: anna meyers
George
accepted to four-year colleges
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
University of Alabama at Birmingham
The University of Alabama
University of South Alabama
Albion College
Alfred University
Appalachian State University
Arizona State University
University of Arizona
University of Arkansas
Athens Technical College
Auburn University
Baylor University
Belmont Abbey College
Belmont University
Berry College
Birmingham-Southern College
Boston University
Brenau University
Clemson University
College of Charleston
College of Coastal Georgia
Colorado State University
Columbus State University
Cornell University
East Georgia State College
Emmanuel College
College
College
Florida State University
University of Florida
Furman University
Georgia College & State University
Georgia Gwinnett College
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Southern University
Georgia State University
of Georgia
Howard University
Idaho State University
Jacksonville
James
University
University Kennesaw State University
University of Kentucky Kenyon College
Long Island University
Louisiana State University Mars Hill College Maryville College
Mercer University
Middle Georgia State University
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Mississippi State University
University of Mississippi
Montana State University
University of Nevada
Oglethorpe University
Pennsylvania State University
Piedmont University
Rider University
Samford University
Savannah College of Art & Design
University of South Carolina
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Texas Christian University
Truett McConnell University
Tulane University of Louisiana
University of North Georgia
Vanderbilt University
Wesleyan College
University of West Georgia
Western Carolina University
Wingate University
Wofford College
Young Harris College
Blake Woodring
Ellie Woodson
Tyler Woodbury
Jake Stout
Chloe Walker
Dustin Trinh
Payton Stone
Jackson Wimberly
Nicole Volk
Hayden Stancil
Jordan Smothers
Cidella Sims
Alek Spoon
Ella Smith
Amelia Shipman
Mason Maughon
Trace Patterson
Michael Mealor
Mason Mathis
Evan Newsom
Jackson Rutledge
Riley Root Blakeney Sewell
Peachtree Academy
Valedictorian: roger swift
co-Salutatorians: Dominic Sampson & Katherine Clapsadle
William Stanleu
Katherine Clapsadle
Chandler
Cawthon
Emerson Van Ness
Perrin Jackson Noah West-Grover
Damond Harris
Justin Mingo
Jonathan Pugh
Nathanael
occilien-Smilien
Dominic Sampson
Zakkai Harley
Roger Swift
Piedmont Academy
Valedictorian: bailey mobley | Salutatorian: brody bush
Adarius
Breck
Piedra
Brodie Hawkins Georgia Hale
Hailey McGinnis
Kaden Elkins Jake Vaughn Brody Bush Emily Turner Callie Branan
Keith Hasker
Young Americans Christian School
Co-Valedictorians: Bethany Duvall & Christian Lawler
Audree Clark Stephanie Cochrane Jaden Cotton
Anastasia Crocker
Ciarra Crowner
Aysia Daniels Anna Dickson
Madeline Drummond
Bethany Duvall
Housworth
Miles Hughley Micah Jennings
Tidiane Jipguep Sanders
Johnson
Lawler Chloe Leslie Morgan Patillo Emma Riffell
Bailey Trammel Kayla Waters
Katlyn Workman
