Best of the Best

Congratulations to this year’s valedictorians and salutatorians

This month, a new wave of students will graduate from high school and move on to the next chapter of their lives. Every graduate is worth celebrating, but only a select few can claim to be the top of their class.

Today we salute our area valedictorians and salutatorians and celebrate their efforts as well as the bright futures set out before them — and us.



Nicolai Popescu

Valedictorian, Apalachee High School

Parents: Gabriela and Paul DeLamater

College: Georgia Institute of Technology

Study/interest: Computer Science

Scholarships: Holsenbeck Family Scholarship; Zell Miller HOPE Scholarship

Favorite quote: “The only way to get smarter is by playing a smarter opponent.”

Academic achievements: President’s Award for Educational Excellence; Georgia Certificate of Merit; Governor’s Honors Program-Finalist for Mathematics; Outstanding Junior of the Month; Phi Kappa Phi Junior/Senior Award

Extracurricular Activities: Technology Student Association; Academic Team; National Honor Society (NHS) officer

Community service: NHS (various activities); math tutoring; Science Fair volunteer

Hope for the future: To be able to pursue game design as a profession and to continue overcoming obstacles.

Taylor Rebekah Jacobs

Salutatorian, Apalachee High School

Parents: Ed and Kelli Jacobs

College: Georgia Institute of Technology

Study Interest: Chemical engineering

Scholarships: Winder Women’s club, Tailgate Barrow, and Zell Miller

Favorite Quote: “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.” — Edward Everett Hale

Academic achievements: UGA merit scholar, AP scholar award, president’s award, Robert C. Byrd Scholarship nominee, and academic excellence in Science.

Athletic Achievements: Academic all star athlete nominee, scholar athlete award, letter in volleyball

Extracurricular activities: Beta Club, Anchor Club, National Honor Society, prom committee, Tri-M Music Society

Community service: Volunteer for Special Olympics, Sunday School Teacher, mentor to elementary students, tutor to fellow high school students, and a volunteer at two elementary school carnivals.

Hope for the future: That we will continue making advances in technology and medicine, and find the sure for cancer.

James Waugh

Valedictorian, Athens Academy

Parents: Bob and Susan Waugh

College: University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Scholarships: Morehead-Cain Scholarship

Study/interest: Undecided

Academic achievements: Student Council Leader— elected and served for all 4 years of high school; Independent biophotonic research within UGA’s physics department — studying the pathways of biomolecular photoexcitation using time-resolved pulse-laser spectroscopy; Morehead-Cain Scholar; William E. Smith Cup; Harvard Book Award; Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society; STAR Student Award; National Honor Society; AP Scholar With Honor

Athletic achievements: Three-sport athlete: Football, basketball and baseball; 10 Varsity Letters; Young Dawgs Program; Football: All-Northeast Georgia, Honorable Mention Wide Receiver; All-Region Team, First Team Defensive Back; Academic All-Region; National Football Foundation High School Football Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete; Baseball: All-Region Second Team Outfielder

Community service: Habitat for Humanity; Hands on Athens Volunteer

Senior quote: “We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us” — Joseph Campbell

Hope for the future: I hope to discover a path by which I can make a difference in the world through the pursuit of a personal passion.

Carey Stewart

Salutatorian, Athens Academy

Parents: Robin and Greg Stewart

College: University of Virginia

Study/interest: Pre-Medicine: Human Biology Major with Bioethics Minor

Scholarships: Baylor University — President’s Gold Scholarship; Berry College — Academic Scholarship; Clemson University — Out-of-state Academic Scholarship; Emory College of Arts and Sciences — Liberal Arts Scholar; Furman University — Furman Scholars Award; Achiever Scholarship; Lowe’s Scholarship Program — Lowe’s Scholarship; Montreat College — Trustees Scholarship; Winthrop University — President’s Scholarship; Shorter University — Shorter Scholars’ Eubanks Scholarship; Presbyterian College — Highlander Scholarship

Academic achievements: William E. Smith Award For Academic Excellence, awarded for excellence in four academic disciplines; 2008-09: Awarded for excellence in five academic disciplines; 2009-10: Awarded for excellence in three academic disciplines; Cum Laude Society Member; National Honor Society Member; National Merit Finalist; Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award; Distinguished Honor Roll; AP Scholar with Honor; National Latin Honor Society; Georgia Certificate of Merit Winner; Top Ten Award; Princeton University Symposium on Humanities and Creative Arts Attendee; Jefferson Scholarship Nominee; National Latin Exam Summa Cum Laude (Gold Medal Each Year); Georgia HOBY Leadership Alumna; Honor Marshall and Honor Guard at Athens Academy Graduation

Athletic achievements: Wendy’s High School Heisman School Winner; Varsity Volleyball 4-Year Letterman and Starter; All Area, All County, Region Tournament, and All Northeast Georgia Team Recognition (Volleyball); Area Player of the Year (Volleyball); All State Volleyball Team; Senior All-Star Volleyball Team; Varsity Volleyball Team Captain; Club Volleyball Team Captain; Fellowship of Christian Athletes Leadership Team Member; 2010 Volleyball Class A/AA State Runner-up

Community service: Athens Academy Service Day Coordinator, Athens Academy Service Day Leader, Athens Academy Community Service Medal; Habitat for Humanity Secretary; More than 200 High School Career Service Hours; Athens First United Methodist Youth Council and Leadership Team; Youth Delegate to the North Georgia United Methodist Annual Conference; Wesleyan Youth Choir Secretary; North Georgia United Methodist Annual Conference Great Day of Service; Youth Mission Trip Leader

Senior quote: “Out of the strong shall come forth sweetness.” Robert Penn Warren  and “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

Hope for the future: To both live and inspire others to live a faithful and passionate life, and to contribute to the synthesis of traditional, modern and global medicine in both practice and integrity

Daniel Alan Zimpfer

Valedictorian, Athens Christian School (not pictured)

Parents: Steve and Mary Lynn Zimpfer

College: Harding University

Study/interest: Computer Engineering

Scholarships: Academic scholarship

Favorite quote: “Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.” — George S. Patton

Academic achievements: National Honor Society, STAR Student, National Merit Commended Student

Extracurricular activities: Tennis

Community service: Relay for Life, ACTS Food Bank, Magi Project

Hope for the future: In my lifetime, I would like to see the United States land astronauts on Mars.

Kassidy Reynolds

Salutatorian, Athens Christian School

Parents: Mark and Kaye Reynolds

College: North Greenville University

Study/interest: Elementary Education and Music

Scholarships: Teacher Education Scholarship and Baldor Scholarship

Favorite quote: “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the Earth.” Colossians 3:2

Academic achievements: Highest average in Chemistry, highest average in Pre-Calculus, first prize winner of the Joshua Expeditions Essay Contest

Athletic achievements: Four-year letter in varsity cheerleading, Fellowship of Christian Athletes All-American Award in 2009 and 2010

Extracurricular activities: Cheerleading, piano, choir, drama, President of the Athens Christian School Chapter of the National Honor Society, Vice President of Senior class, Vice President of FCA at Athens Christian School

Community service: Relay for Life (organized my school’s involvement in this event), Assistant pianist at my church, Helper and pianist in a children’s ministry at my church called “Patch the Pirate Club”

Hope for the future: My goal in life is to impact this world for the glory of God while doing the will of God!

Carmen Kraus

Valedictorian, Cedar Shoals High School

Parents: Pamela Orpinas and Richard Kraus

College: University of Georgia

Study/interest: Ecology and Scientific Illustration

Scholarships: UGA Ramsey Scholarship

Favorite quote: “Not all those who wander are lost.” — JRR Tolkien

Academic achievements: University of Georgia Certificate of Merit, president of the Cedar Shoals chapter of the National Honor Society, AP Scholar with Distinction, National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar; graduating with Honors, Science Honors, and Fine Arts Honors.

Athletic achievements: Member of the cross country team in 9th and 10th grades

Extracurricular activities: National Honor Society, Sandy Creek Naturalist Assistant Program; reading, drawing, biking, hiking and Ultimate Frisbee

Community service: UGA Gameday Recycling, Rivers Alive, randomly picking up trash from the side of the road.

Hope for the future: In the future, I would love to see more efficient renewable energy technology, such as advances in wind and solar power.

Yael Bar-Peled

Salutatorian, Cedar Shoals High School (not pictured)

Parents: Donna and Maor Bar-Peled

College: University of Georgia

Study/interest: Genetics

Scholarships: HOPE Scholarship and Harris Scholarship

Favorite quote: “Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.” — Mark Twain

Academic achievements: Science Honors and an AP Scholar

Athletic achievements: Passing gym class

Extracurricular activities: Young Dawgs Internship – Laboratory Research

Community service: Rivers Alive as part of the National Honors Society

Hope for the future: In my lifetime, I hope that we can find a cure for cancer and for Alzheimer’s disease.

Xie Rachel Kulikoff

Valedictorian, Clarke Central High School

Parents: Lihong Xie and Allan Kulikoff

College: University of Chicago

Study/interest: Mathematics, science, foreign languages, social sciences, and more

Scholarships: Ramsey Scholarship (UGA), University Scholarship (University of Chicago), National Merit College-Sponsored Scholarships (UGA, Georgia Tech, University of Chicago, Carleton College, Harvey Mudd College), Region 4 STAR award check.

Favorite quote: “Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” — A.A. Milne (Christopher Robin to Winnie the Pooh)

“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I ended up where I needed to be.” — Douglas Adams

Academic achievements: Region 4 STAR student, Outstanding Senior in Mathematics Award, National Merit Scholarship finalist, 2nd place in the UGA Calculus Kossak Exam, silver medal on the National Latin Exam, AP Scholar, Math Price for Girls contestant, Yale Book Award, Georgia Certificate of Merit, school winner for the American Mathematics Contest (AMC 12), Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics participant, Certificate of Chinese Proficiency, Advanced Level.

Athletic achievements: Varsity letter for school swim team

Extracurricular Activities: Environmental Club, Mu Alpha Theta/Math Club (including participation in many math tournaments), National Honor Society, Academic Team (played all three rounds, and our team made it to the State competition), Chemistry Club, piano, Beta Club.

Community service: Tutoring (elementary school and high school students), working at the food bank, animal shelter, RiversAlive, Adopt a Highway, Young Partners for a Prosperous Athens, school beautification and cleanup

Hope for the future: Equal opportunities for everyone, world peace, scientific literacy. Or at least having people work towards these goals.

Arianna Kazez

Salutatorian, Clarke Central High School

Parents: William Kazez and Sybilla Beckmann Kazez

College: Brown University

Study/interest: Chemistry and math, but I’m also interested in biology and Spanish.

Scholarships: University Scholarship ($40,000) to the University of Chicago, the Foundation Fellowship ($50,000) to the University of Georgia, the Liberal Arts Scholarship ($60,000) to Emory University, a Pepsi Cola scholarship ($500), and the Thomas Eye Center scholarship ($200)

Favorite quote: “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive” — Howard Thurman

Academic achievements: Governor’s Honors Program (Spanish major, science minor), joint enrolled student at UGA, won first place in UGA’s annual Kossack Calculus Exam, recipient of the Wellesley Book Award.

 Athletic achievements: Member of Encore Dance Theatre at DePass Studio of Dance

 Extracurricular Activities: Dance (ballet, pointe, and lyrical), Humane Society Club, National Honor Society, Chemistry Club

Community service: Much done in conjunction with National Honor Society — I’ve done a lot of tutoring and work with animals in local shelters.

Hope for the future: For myself, I hope to do something really interesting and beneficial for the community. On a larger and more general scale, I’d like to see improved human rights and equality for everyone in the U.S. and around the world.

Joseph Tyler Adams

Valedictorian, Commerce High School

Parents: David and Vicky Adams

College: Georgia Southern

Study: Athletic Training

Scholarships: National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Scholar Athlete Award and Scholarship - UGA Chapter, Northeast Georgia School Superintendent’s Scholarship, HOPE Scholarship

Favorite Quote: You do good, you get good. (This is a quote that he has always taken to heart from his “inspiring” Great Aunt Nina.)

Academic Achievements: Phi Kappa Phi, UGA Certificate of Merit, Honors Graduate, All A’s, Highest Course Average in Chemistry

Athletic Achievements: All-Region for 11th and 12th grade, GACA All-State, Wendy’s High School Heisman School Winner, John F. Varner Award, All-Region Scholar Athlete, National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Scholar Athlete Award

Extracurricular Activities: Beta Club, Student Government

Other Achievements: Rotary Student of the Month for May

Samantha Sellers

Salutatorian, Commerce High School

Parents: Bobby Sellers, Vickie King

College: University of Georgia

Study: Math Education

Scholarships: Mary Nunn Scholarship, HOPE Scholarship

Favorite Quote: Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.

Academic Achievements: Phi Kappa Phi, UGA Certificate of Merit, Honors Graduate, Highest Cumulative Average in 10th and 11th Grade, Highest Course Average: Health, Band, Euclidean Geometry, Algebra II, Advanced Algebra/Trigonometry, and AP Calculus

Athletic Achievements: Marching Band: Director’s Leadership Award

Extracurricular Activities: Band, Student Council, Key Club, HOSA, Beta Club, Academic Team, Peer Mentor

Community Service: Habitat Restore, Special Olympics, Tutoring other high school students through Beta Club

Other Achievements: JCCO Young Adult Award, Rotary Student of the Month for April

Parker Wilson

Valedictorian, East Jackson

Comprehensive High School

Parents: Martha and Robin Wilson

College: Emory and Henry College

Study/interest: Biology and Chemistry

Scholarships: Patrick Henry Scholarship

Favorite quote: “There are no speed limits on the road to excellence.” — David W. Johnson

Academic achievements: Three year Academic Letterman; Rotary Student of the Month-September 2010; Phi Kappa Phi Honor Scholar Award 2010 & 2011; Georgia Merit Scholar; Top Math Award- Calculus, Algebra II, Geometry; Top Science Award- Forensics Honors, AP Chemistry; Top English Award 2009; Top Senior History Award- AP Microeconomics; 3 Year Top Academic Athlete- Football, Wrestling & Track; Eagle Scholar Athlete Award 2011

Athletic achievements: Wendy’s High School Heisman Aw

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