GAC Class of ’11 Set Off Into the World

This year Greater Atlanta Christian School set an internal record: $12,724,000 in scholarships were awarded to the graduating class of 2011. 

Rumblings of a thunderstorm were heard in the background as the seniors delivered speeches and took their hard-won diplomas in the Long Forum last night at 7 p.m. It was the first time the commencement had taken in place in the auditorium, and some parents applauded that. 

President Dr. David Fincher delivered the commencement address, heaping praise on a talented group by pointing out that the 156 graduates had been accepted to 127 different universities. Many of the students were accepted to multiple schools, among them Georgia Tech, Mercer, MIT, Vanderbilt and the Citadel.

“The list of universities that want you is astounding,” said Fincher. “There are truly unique signs of accomplishment of this class.”

Salutatorian Melissa Puntkattalee peppered her humorous speech with quotes. Puntkattalee reminded students to be youthful and carefree. “This class showed the world what it is to live and not just exist,” she said after recalling the mission trips they took in the U.S. and abroad, from downtown Atlanta to China to Austria.

Valedictorian Sunny Patel had just returned from Indian, admitting to a bit of jetlag before giving a warm speech that named individual students and memories. “One of the advantages of a K-12 school is the close bonds you form,” he said. “In a world of 7 billion people, friendship is the most important thing.”

Patel’s speech referenced modern day coaches and an Indian devotional songs in the same breath, ultimately quoting Ghandi by saying, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in service.”

Hailey Chappell, Staci Shea and Taryn Winston sang a rich harmony of the sweet song “Landslide” with Connor Malcolm on guitar before the seniors made their final cross of the stage.

Parents beamed. Rod Dawson, dad of Paul Dawson, stood taking in the scene before the ceremony with a wide grin. He said he has no mixed emotions—he’s just happy. “It’s time to move on!” he said. His son will study biomedical engineering at MIT in the fall.

The family of Julia Sykes found a creative way to get around the “no cheering” rule when their grad took the long walk. Signs that shout for you: Cut-outs of Julia with gold glittery letters on them and pictures of her face on a stick to wave in the air.

Brenda Brown-Powell, a former substitute teacher for the school for 25 years, couldn’t believe her eyes. “You see these babies when they first came, the first day… and here they are,” she said. She’s had some of these kids in her classroom since kindergarten.