Georgia Connections Academy graduates are recognized for their resilience, determination and hope

Georgia Connections Academy is celebrating the class of 2023

Graduation is about recognizing the hard work of our students, but also the support and dedication of their families. The future of our graduates is bright and we wish them all the best on their further path.

DULUTH, Georgia. (PRWEB)
July 07, 2023

The 494 graduates of Georgia Connections Academy were recognized for their achievements and celebrated with an in-person graduation ceremony. They chose the full-time, tuition-free online school for K-12 students across Georgia for a more personalized and flexible education that allowed them to advance academically while working in an environment that served them best. The live event took place at the Gas South Arena in Duluth, Georgia, northeast of Atlanta, in front of several thousand family and friends of the graduates with all the pomp and atmosphere of traditional graduation ceremonies.

“The 2023 class of Georgia Connections Academy embodies resilience, determination and hope,” said Brazilia Page, Executive Director of Georgia Connections Academy. “Graduation is about recognizing the hard work of our students and the support and dedication of their families. The future of our graduates is bright and we wish them all the best on their future path.”

Several alumni have long-standing affiliations with Georgia Connections Academy; 23 of them start in the third, fourth or fifth grade; 23 attended the school throughout their middle and high school years; and 88, who is graduating all four years of high school at Georgia Connections Academy.

Additionally, 101 graduates chose Georgia Connections Academy for their senior year of high school. “They’re persistent because, as all students and families here know, virtual education isn’t for everyone and actually requires a certain level of intrinsic motivation to be successful,” Page said, also honoring the students who enrolled in Georgia Connections The Academy had at the height of COVID-19 and held out during the pandemic.

In total, the school’s Class of 2023 graduates have received more than $6 million in scholarships and awards. Of particular note, several seniors have been recognized for receiving Reaching Individual Student Excellence (RISE) grants, which Georgia Connections Academy launched last year to support students with disabilities in their post-secondary education. Recipients included: Athens’ Mohamed Diallo, Resaca’s Darin Logan-Turner, Cumming’s Brayden Loudermilk, Midland’s Anthony Shroyer, Grayson’s Kendal Tillmon, and Stone Mountain’s Xavier Wiley.

“Our RISE students leave behind a legacy of courage, hard work, and tenacity that proves we can overcome adversity and stay focused on our dreams,” said Maria Sharrett, director of special education at Georgia Connections Academy. “Every day for the last 17 and 18 years of their lives, these students chose to look beyond their disabilities into a world of endless possibilities.”

Georgia Connections Academy students come from diverse backgrounds and educational trajectories, and their future aspirations are just as diverse. Some students will attend two- or four-year colleges and universities, others will enter vocational training programs, join the military, enter the workforce, or pursue other opportunities.

Best of year Claudia Castro Socarras, from Bethlehem, Georgia, delivered a message of empowerment, reminding her classmates that they have persevered through the pandemic so they can achieve whatever they set out to do. “Life isn’t always easy and there’s no escaping it, but you can get the work done and devote yourself to what you want to achieve,” she said. Claudia is going to the University of Georgia with plans to major in psychology and minor in political science before going on to law school.

Georgia Connections Academy 2023-24 school year enrollment is currently open for grades K-12 with the exception of grade 11 which is fully booked. Families interested in Georgia Connections Academy are encouraged to attend an online informational session to learn more, ask questions, and determine if a virtual school is right for their student.

For more information or to begin the registration process, visit http://www.GeorgiaConnectionsAcademy.com or call 1-800-382-6010.

About Georgia Connections Academy

Georgia Connections Academy is a unique online tuition-free public school for students in grades K-12 and is authorized by the State Charter School Commission of Georgia. Georgia Connections Academy has over 10 years of experience in delivering a quality educational experience that keeps students motivated and engaged in a safe, virtual learning environment. In addition to academic instruction, teachers help build essential life skills and work closely with families to help students discover how they learn best. At Georgia Connections Academy, students gain the skills and confidence they need to navigate their own educational journey. They learn to be successful in the real world by first learning to be resourceful and resilient.

For more information, visit http://www.GeorgiaConnectionsAcademy.com or call 1-800-382-6010.

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