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TFS graduates 61 during Sunday commencement
Photos and story by KIMBERLY BROWN
Sunday saw 61 new high school graduates in Northeast Georgia, when commencement exercises were held at Tallulah Falls School for the class of 2016. Featured at the event as commencement speaker was Brian Kemp, Georgia’s secretary of state.
Once almost exclusively a boarding school, in the past few years, TFS has extended its reach to include more and more local students. This year, about one-third of the 61 students who graduated from Tallulah Falls School are from Habersham County, with several more from surrounding Rabun, White and Stephens counties.
The 2016 graduating class earned more than $3 million in college scholarships, and the school boasts a 100 percent college acceptance rate, said Larry Peevy, TFS president and head of school.
“Because we have more kids from Habersham, Rabun, White, the local counties, we’re also having a greater number staying home for [college],” Peevy said. “So there will be a number that go to Piedmont College, North Georgia Tech, Toccoa Falls College [and other] local schools.”
Other 2016 TFS graduates have been accepted to the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Emory University, several different UCLA campuses, New York University, Rutgers and even the Merchant Marine Academy, Peevy said.
“I’m so proud of them, because every student is continuing their education,” he said. “It’s probably one of the most diverse groups we’ve had, because we’re getting more and more students from local community, and we have 10 countries and five states represented in the graduation.”
“To say I’m proud is an understatement,” Peevy said. “They’re just a great group of people. I’m a proud papa.”
Kemp told the students that, “by setting clear goals, rising to the challenges you face, and excelling as a student,” the graduates “embody the greatest hope for your families” as the next generation of leaders.
While the students’ academic achievements are the result of their own hard work, Kemp said, “You are beneficiaries of your parents’ and your families’ love and hard work. Never forget the wonderful memories they created for you, and always show gratitude for their sacrifices to secure your success in life.”
Kemp expressed amazement of the amount of college scholarships the graduating class has received.
“I was thrilled to learn that each and every one of you has been accepted into college, and that your graduating class has been awarded over $3 million in college scholarships,” he said. “When I was on the road, I had to call the office to get them to double-check this $3 million figure, because I thought that was not possible. I was really blown away.”
Kemp ended his talk to the students with a quote from the late President Ronald Reagan: “Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, and leave the rest up to God.”
Secretary of State Brian Kemp
TFS’s 2016 salutatorian is John Luke Gallagher of Clarkesville. Gallagher said he has been at TFS for seven years, and he named other graduating seniors who also have attended sixth-12th grade: James Davis, Cody Thomas, Kaitlyn Crosby, Amelia Provine, Vanessa Lewis, Maci Watts, Ryan Hughes and Elizabeth Tench. Gallagher called their seven years “a unique experience” which began when the school had only one classroom building and Saturday morning classes.
Gallagher issued a challenge to his classmates: “Take the power you’ve been given, that you’ve earned for yourself, and make your passion grow, because we can change the world if we put forth the effort.”
TFS’s 2016 valedictorian is Lianjie Wei of China. He quoted Paulo Coelho, who said, “There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”
Wei also cited Bill Gates as a famous college dropout, but who was a person who worked hard from childhood to achieve his dream of writing computer programs.
“Bill Gates became successful not because he did not finish Harvard, but because he was fully devoted to pursuing that dream he had, and he worked extra hard to make sure he [saw] it happen,” Wei said.
Wei said setbacks and problems should be “treated like a marathon. Sprinting doesn’t work. Pace yourself. Use your progress as motivation, and keep pushing yourself until one day you reach that finish line. But don’t forget to do some sightseeing and take some breaks when you’re on the way, because if you don’t do that, that will make you crazy.”