The DeKalb County School District has won 280 athletic state championships through the years, but winning in the classroom is a priority for these same students as they look to further their educations on the next level.
The 19 high schools in DeKalb which participate in athletics recently named 49 students as valedictorians and salutatorians for the 2012 school year and 15 of those named also compete in athletics. That number represents almost 31 percent (30.6) of those receiving the highest honors at their schools.
The 15 athletes represent 10 different athletic endeavors including four that were multiple sport participants during the 2012 school year.
Arabia Mountain resident valedictorian Desmond Caulley participated in football and track while Stone Mountain valedictorian Edin Ibrisimovic produced as a place kicker on the football team finishing the year third in DeKalb in points by a kicker with 37 while contributing one goal and four assists in soccer.
The other two multiple sport participants both come from Cross Keys in valedictorian Laura Ramirez and salutatorian Chandra Dickey. Ramirez was 5-1 in tennis singles play and swam in four events for the Lady Indian swim team. Dickey competed in the long jump and high jump in track while also participating in cheerleading.
Arabia Mountain had both its magnet valedictorian (Joe Lindsey, cross country) and the resident valedictorian, Caulley, representing the student athletes at the top of the academic honors for seniors.
Cross Keys and Southwest DeKalb Magnet were the only two schools to have both the valedictorian and salutatorian to be student athletes. Ramirez and Dickey topped the list at Cross Keys while Raquel May (competitive cheerleading) Southwest valedictorian and Ashley McCray (gymnastics) swept the honors. May’s competitive cheer squad finished as the Region 6-AAAA champs and went on to an eighth place finish in state competition.
Redan had the most athletes recognized for their career academic status with three selected as salutatorians. The three are Guy Dorris (tennis), Tombari Ereba (soccer) and Jared James (football).
The other five recognized include Stephenson valedictorian Joylyn Stroud (basketball), Tucker valedictorian Mati’n Malikyar (soccer), Columbia resident salutatorian Lateria Slocumb (softball), Lithonia salutatorian Joshua Grosh (soccer) and Towers salutatorian Brett Oakman (basketball).
Seven athletes, including Arabia Mountain magnet valedictorian Joe Lindsey, were awarded academic scholarships through the Gladys Cook Scholarship Program (DeKalb Council of PTA) and the Gates Millennium Scholars Program.
Three cross country students were awarded continuing through scholarships from the Gates Millennium Scholars Program including Lindsey, Cross Keys’ Thuy Tran and Dunwoody’s Bryce Rowan. Gates Millennium Scholars receive funds plus continuing academic help during their time at the college or university of their choice and they average a 90 percent graduation rate.
The DeKalb Council of PTAs awarded 13 DeKalb County School District scholars the Gladys Cook Scholarship for 2012 of which four were student athletes. The athletes earning these scholarships in the 50th anniversary ceremony of the award were Lithonia’s Kaelyn Pachal (golf), Redan’s Kaylin Riggs (gymnastics), Southwest DeKalb’s Demetria Dickins, a bronze medalist in the Class AAAA shot put, and Tucker’s two-sport participant (swimming, soccer).
Valedictorians
Arabia Mountain High School - Magnet
Joe Lindsey – cross country
Arabia Mountain High School – Resident
Desmond Caulley – football, track
Cross Keys High School
Laura Ramirez – swimming, tennis
Southwest DeKalb High School – Magnet
Raquel May – competitive/football cheerleading
Stephenson High School-
Joylyn Stroud – basketball
Stone Mountain High School-
Edin Ibrisimovic – football, soccer
Mati’n Malikyar – soccer
Salutatorians
Columbia High School – Resident
Lateria Slocumb – softball
Cross Keys High School
Chandra Dickey – cheerleading, track
Lithonia High School
Joshua Grosh – soccer
Redan High School
Guy Doris – tennis
Tombari Ereba – soccer
Jared James – football
Southwest DeKalb – Magnet
Ashley McCray – gymnastics
Towers High School
Brett Oakman – basketball
Gladys Cook Scholars
Lithonia High School
Kaelyn Pachal – golf
Redan High School
Kaylin Riggs – gymnastics
Southwest DeKalb High School
Demetria Dickins – track
Tucker High School
– swimming, soccer
Gates Millennium Scholars
Arabia Mountain High School
Joe Lindsey – cross country
Cross Keys High School
Thuy Tran – cross country
Dunwoody High School
Bryce Rowan – cross country
Mark Brock is the Statistician/Information Officer/Web Manager for DeKalb County Schools Athletics
