Whitefield Academy Announces Commencement Events, Valedictorian and Salutatorian

Patch Staff Report

Whitefield Academy presents its 17th graduating class – including its first slate of outstanding seniors who began as first graders and now will matriculate to colleges and universities throughout the nation. 

The graduation exercises for Whitefield’s 2014 class will honor 25 National Honor Society members, including valedictorian, Caroline Holliday, and salutatorian, Alice Fugate. Holliday will attend Washington and Lee in the fall and Fugate selected Rhodes College.

Throughout the 2013-2014 academic year, special events and articles in Whitefield’s annual magazine have highlighted the first group of students to attend the school from grades 1 - 12. Known as “the lifers”, these nine seniors who began at Whitefield in the first grade (Iman Eaton, Alice Fugate, Cara Grace Hildebrand, Katie Kassis, Matt Landry, Alex Manning, Sarah Marriott, Nick Russell and Mary Hannah Skelton) will receive their diplomas.

Whitefield’s graduating class is an accomplished group of students with accolades including:

· 20% of graduates playing collegiate sports next fall

· 10% of graduates receiving full-ride academic scholarships

· Six million dollars in grants and scholarships

· 25 National Honor Society members

· Eight French National Honor Society members

· 10 Spanish National Honor Society members

· Six Thespian National Honor Society members

· 14 National Art Honor Society members

· Five Tri-M Music Honor Society members

· 29 Honor Graduates

· 36 community service awardees

“What an incredible year it’s been at Whitefield. These students are hard-working, passionate and wise; they lift as they climb – intellectually, spiritually, and physically –always putting others ahead of self,” Dr. Kevin Bracher, headmaster, said in a news release. “This year’s senior class marks a milestone for us as we see our first class of first graders graduate to the next chapter in their lives. We cherish our time with each and every one of our graduates, and we look to a bright future.”

Graduation event details for the class of 2014 are as follows: 

· Baccalaureate: Friday, May 16  at 7 p.m. in the The Grand Amphitheater on the Whitefield campus featuring Whitefield board of trustees chaplin and former Atlanta Falcon, Wallace Francis, who serves in ministry with Ambassadors for Christ International;

· Graduation: Saturday, May 17 at 10 a.m. in the main sanctuary of Church of the Apostles, featuring former Associate Dean of the Goizueta School of Business of Emory University, founder of Global Access Learning and author of Amazon’s current sixth best-selling book Celebrate 100: Centenarian Secrets to Success in Business and Life, Steve Franklin, as the keynote address.