Jefferson High School held commencement exercises on May 19 for the class of 2023 at Jefferson Memorial Stadium with 289 graduates tossing their caps at the end of the ceremony! It was a pleasant evening in a packed stadium for the attendees and for the graduates celebrating the end of their high school careers.

The processional was led by Bagpiper Henry Frantz and the National Anthem was played by the JHS band. Attendees were welcomed by Stephen Graveman and Alexandria Lassiter delivered a salutatorian address. Valedictorian David Heard gave a compelling speech encouraging students to get involved and become more well-rounded while also highlighting some of his classmates and their talents. Dressed in bright white sneakers given to him by his students, Doug Thurmond, a retired JHS teacher, delivered the commencement address. Before the celebratory tossing of caps, students were awarded diplomas and dismissed by Principal Rob McFerrin. 

If you'd like to view candid photos of graduation, please visit this Facebook link: Album: JHS Graduation 2023.

Ballman Receives Appointment to Air Force Academy

JHS graduate Michael Ballman has received an appointment to the U.S Air Force Academy and will join the class of 2027 later this summer in Colorado Springs! He received an Air Force JROTC honors nomination as well as a congressional nomination from U.S. Representative Andrew Clyde. Receiving a nomination is an incredible achievement as only 10 percent of applicants are selected. 

A well-rounded and outstanding student, Ballman is the son of Julie and Mark Ballman of Jefferson. According to his mother, he has dreamed of becoming a pilot since he was in first grade. Having an aunt and uncle in the Air Force (now retired) also influenced his decision along the way.

“He has worked hard throughout his high school career preparing for this moment,” she says. One of the multiple ways he did this was by serving as group commander of the Air Force JROTC while at JHS. “We were absolutely ecstatic when Michael received the news!”

Service academies require that you begin the process early in your junior year. “You basically have to ‘apply to apply’ to an academy,” she says. "Once you are accepted as a candidate, there is a huge amount of paperwork and various other requirements." Over 10,000 start the process and about 2600 are accepted as candidates. Of those, about 1100 receive appointments.

At the end of the month, Ballman will start basic training and become a member of the U.S. Air Force. He will start college classes in late August. Once he graduates, he will serve in one of 33 Air Force officer career fields for at least five years.

Ms. Ballman credits Michael’s achievement to the “exceptional” AFJROTC instructors at JHS: Chief Budell Willis, Major Bryan Watson and the late Major Wayne Magnussen. “These three men have done so much more than teach – they lead and inspire each and every student to be the absolute best version of themselves, no matter what goals the students have.”

Foundation Awards Scholarships to Seniors

During the JHS Senior Awards Night at the Performing Arts Center last month, 38 students received scholarships. Twenty-three scholarships were awarded by the Jefferson School System Foundation and ranged from $500 to $2500, with a combined value of $24,500, the highest amount awarded through the foundation to date.



Congratulations to these award winners and scholarship recipients!

• Denton Alexander, Jack & Helen Davidson Scholarship
• Brianna Baird, Young Harris College Scholarship
• Michael Ballman, A.G. Buster Parks Scholarship & Air Force Academy Appointment
• Elizabeth Baxley, Young Harris College Scholarship
• Parks Benson, Thomas Bryan Scholarship
• Guy Carson, Dwight & Peggy Porter Scholarship & Elijah DeWitt Memorial Scholarship
• Riley Christopher, Top Male Scholar-Athlete
• Ava Milan Cochran, Arthur & Stella Ash Scholarship
• Luke Cochran, Mr. JHS & Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award - Georgia
• Sydney Collier, Top Female Scholar-Athlete
• Amelia Cunningham, Wayne Magnusson JROTC Leadership Scholarship
• Davis Dollar, Benada Aluminum Wrestling Scholarship
• Mason Fifer, Young Harris College Scholarship
• Sarah Flores-Castillo, JHS Music Scholarship
• Krystal Gaines, JCCO Traditional Scholarship
• Sabryna Galendez, Unity Lodge #36 Scholarship
• Lillian Goodwin, Kim Rainey Memorial Scholarship
• Jar'ki Hardeman, Kinny & Venable Scholarship
• Katelyn Harrison, Hope Meredith Memorial Scholarship
• David Heard, Beverly and Jack Keen Scholarship, Valedictorian & Star Student
• Hannah Hodges, Jefferson FFA Scholarship
• Bowman Horn, Kory Potts Memorial Athletic Scholarship
• Chase Johnson, Southworth Bryan Award
• Mason Jones, US Army Enlistment
• Alexandria Lassiter, Jefferson Rotary Club & Salutatorian
• Kenai Leera, Morris M. Bryan, Jr. Scholarship
• Wesley McClure, JCCO Traditional Scholarship
• Chaz McDonald, Tucker Pimpo Scholarship
• Aubrey Meyer, DAR Good Citizens Award
• Davis Moak, Sims Family Scholarship
• Gabrielle Moore, Young Harris College Scholarship
• Ava Neely, Future Woman in Business Scholarship
• Ella Parker, Miss JHS, Jefferson Woman's Club Scholarship & Patsy Evans Award
• Diego Perez Guarin, JCCO Traditional Scholarship
• Abigail Sawyer, Elijah DeWitt Memorial Scholarship
• Diamond Scott, JCCO Traditional Scholarship
• Bailee Stanley, The 1977 JHS Relays Team Scholarship
• Emma Storey, Kory Potts Memorial Agriculture Scholarship