The Class of 2025 enjoyed a reminder of their accomplishments at the Union County High School Senior Honors Night on Monday, May 19. All 223 graduates received a special send-off with hard-earned awards and scholarships presented in either half of the two-part event.
During the first hour, students got awards based on academic merit, fine arts and other extracurricular participation, club and community involvement and sports performance. For their dedication, students took home certificates, medals, stoles or honor cords.
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First up was academic recognition, with certain students honored for their high grades in English, math, science, social studies, STEM, Spanish and physical education. Students in organizations like the Beta Club, DECA Club, FFA, Key Club, SkillsUSA and more had their chance to stand for applause.
This year’s class had 53 honor graduates, which require the completion of one of four academic Honors Tracks, a HOPE GPA of 3.70 or higher and must not have failed a course during their high school career.
Four young men – Holton Fleming, Jonah Lee, Christopher Northcutt and Waylon Flowers – received standing ovations from the crowd for their decisions to enter the military after graduation.
Certain miscellaneous awards went to students who stood out among their peers or earned special opportunities, such as Mikala Souther being named the delegate for the Washington Youth Tour by the Blue Ridge Mountain EMC, Abigail Brown’s selection to serve on State School Superintendent Richard Woods’ Student Advisory Council and Emily Olivera Hernandez’s nomination by the district as Exemplary English Learner of the Year.
This year, Career, Technical and Agricultural Education programs came together to craft plaques for seniors who “exemplify outstanding achievement and character.” Made from walnut and put together in the school’s very own construction and engineering labs, the gifts were tangible keepsakes for those named as some of the defining members of their class.
Mikala Souther was named Most Outstanding Student, while Lily Helton earned Best All Around. Travis Tracy earned the School Spirit Award, and Dream Ledford was the recipient of the Hang Tough Award. The Inspiration Award went to Jimmy Jones for “always (putting) a smile on everyone’s face,” and Hayden Hughes was named Best All Around Athlete.
Returning to the stage were STAR Students Gunnar Ingram and Turner West, the latter also being named Salutatorian, while Mikala Souther earned Valedictorian status.
“As you can see, this is a very special class that has accomplished so much,” said UCHS Principal Josh Davis at the conclusion of the awards portion of the ceremony. “These students have great futures ahead of them.”
Between colleges, community members and local businesses and organizations, the Class of 2025 enjoyed ample scholarship support to guide them into this next exciting chapter of their lives.
Some graduates will stay local, with many earning scholarships from North Georgia Technical College, Young Harris College or Georgia Southern University. Others will travel out of state for their education, seeking degrees at the University of Alabama, University of Oklahoma and Middle Tennessee State University.
Each year, local businesses and organizations help students by providing scholarships, whether by grades, their own participation or enrollment (or that of a family member) or completing an assignment, such as an essay.
The Appalachian Shrine Club, Blairsville Kiwanis Club, Blairsville Sorghum Festival, Union County Rotary Club, Union County Historical Society and the Union County Lions Club were just some of the organizations involved.
Other scholarships come from a place of grief turned into hope for future generations. One of the best known is the Derrick Whittle Memorial Scholarship, established by the parents of fallen Deputy Sheriff Derrick Whittle. Jim and Sharon Whittle were there as 12 students received a combined $32,000 to continue their son’s legacy of providing for his community.
About 71% of the class is eligible for the HOPE scholarship, making them the highest percentage of HOPE-eligible students the school has had in the past decade – and, according to Davis, possibly longer.
In total, the Class of 2025 received $974,264, and with the added HOPE and Zell Miller scholarships coming out to $811,176, students earned a collective of $1,785,440 toward securing bright futures.
