THREE TCHS VALEDICTORIANS CHOOSE ABAC

Amanda Richards, Emily McGill, and Erin Hand are proof positive that outstanding students can obtain a quality education while staying close to home. Each of these students was the valedictorian of her graduating class at Tift County High School (TCHS) and chose to attend Abraham Baldwin College. By doing so, they have created a recurrent pattern: the past three top academic students from TCHS have all selected ABAC to begin their college careers.

Richards, a music major from Chula, graduated from ABAC this spring. The TCHS valedictorian for the class of 2001, Richards said she decided to come to ABAC to help prepare herself for her study of music before going on to a four-year institution. She also liked the fact that ABAC was close to home.

“I’ve really enjoyed the time I spent at ABAC,” Richards, who was active on ABAC’s Quiz Bowl Team which went to the national tournament, said. “I made a lot of friends, and I got to know everyone on campus really well. I am definitely going to miss ABAC.”

Richards plans to attend Mercer University where she will pursue a bachelor’s degree in music education. She is also considering earning a Master’s degree in music history.

McGill, a child and family development major from Tifton, was the TCHS valedictorian for the class of 2002. She said she chose ABAC because she was not ready to leave home yet.

“I thought staying close to home and attending ABAC instead of going straight to UGA [University of Georgia] would ease the transition from high school to college,” McGill said. “My grandfather, aunt, brother, and sister also attended ABAC, and they have always spoken very highly of it.

“Now that I have completed my first year, I am glad I chose to stay in Tifton and attend ABAC. I am really enjoying my classes, the professors are great, and I have not been disappointed with anything.”

McGill, who will graduate from ABAC in May 2004, plans to transfer to UGA where she will pursue a bachelor’s degree in child and family development. She is considering a career in teaching.

Hand, the current TCHS valedictorian, will graduate on Saturday. Like McGill, Hand also lives in Tifton and has family members who are ABAC alumni.

“Both of my parents attended ABAC, so I have always thought about going there,” Hand said. “I like the fact that ABAC is so close to home, and I won’t have to move away from my family just yet. I am the oldest of four children, and we are very close.”

Hand is undecided about what she will major in at ABAC, but she said she is really interested in photography. She recently completed an internship at Touch of Class Photography and will work there over the summer. After graduating from ABAC, she plans to transfer to a four-year institution.

Through the ABAC Foundation Scholars program, all three students were eligible for a full one-year scholarship to the college. The scholarship is available to the top three honor graduates from TCHS and seven other local counties each year.

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