RCPS salutes Class of 2025 Valedictorians and Salutatorians

CONYERS, GA – Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) congratulates the Valedictorians and Salutatorians of the Class of 2025. The Valedictorians and Salutatorians will lead their senior class in their school’s graduation ceremony, which is scheduled for Wednesday, May 21. For more information, please visit www.rockdaleschools.org/graduation

HERITAGE HIGH SCHOOL

Name:   Christian Bridges

Family members:  Chris Bridges (Father), Keisha Bridges (Mother)

Intended College/University:  UGA or Princeton

Intended Major:  Business Administration

Intended Career Field:  Business Management/Law

RCPS Schools Attended:  Lorraine Elementary School, General Ray Davis Middle School, Heritage High School

Awards/Scholarships: Governor’s Honors Program Spanish Major and Cybersecurity Minor, AP Scholar with Distinction, GSU President’s List, Georgia State Certificate of Excellence, Heritage High Principal’s List, National African American Recognition Award, Recognized by State Representative Regina Lewis-Ward, Zell Miller Scholarship.

Extracurriculars:  In my freshman and sophomore years, I was Concertmaster for the Heritage Orchestra as well as a Section Leader for the Marching Band. I was also a student leader for Rockdale Youth Leadership. I served as an RCPS liaison and host for the RCPS Teen Leadership Summit. I am also a member of the Beta Club.

Favorite Subjects:  Spanish and Math.

Memorable help from a teacher/staff member: I remember the first day of 10th grade when I took AP Spanish with Mrs. Ray. Everyone else in the class was a native speaker except me, but Mrs. Ray told me that she would hold me to the same standard as everyone else. At first, this surprised me. I thought that I surely wouldn’t be able to understand Spanish at the level that the native speakers would. In the beginning, I slightly struggled with the essays and assignments. However, I am forever grateful that she pushed me because it allowed me to truly learn Spanish to my full potential. After working hard, I began to see myself improving in the class steadily. Mrs. Ray believed in my abilities, and that is the reason why I’ve been able to not only be proficient in Spanish, but also work hard in other aspects of life as well. I’m also glad to say I ended with an A in the class.

Best high school experience: My best high school experience was probably in my freshman theater class. It was a theater arts fundamental class, so it wasn’t very hard. It was fun to just be in that class since there was always something fun going on like playing games or doing some play. I loved how interactive it was, and we actually learned a lot without it feeling like work. Since that was my last class, it felt like a break from all the work that I had done in the day, and it was really a time where I could relax.

What was your family’s and friends’ reaction?:   My family and friends were all really excited for me. They were also extremely proud since they knew how hard I had always worked in school. The amount of celebration I received was

more than expected, but I appreciated all of it.

What do you look forward to doing over the summer?: I honestly look forward to relaxing my entire summer. I’m excited to be able to sleep in, play video games, and just laze around the house before starting college next semester!

Advice for freshmen:  I would say make sure to keep your grades up, but also make time for yourself. School is important, but it can also be stressful. Make sure to always ask for help when you need it: whether it’s from a teacher, counselor or parent! Freshman year is probably the most important year since it’s the very beginning. Do your work and also make some friends in the meantime. Try to be involved in an extracurricular if you can since those really help expose you to new people. Overall, just enjoy the experience.

HHS SALUTATORIAN

Name:  Miguel Pimentel

Family members:  Luis Pimentel (Father), Teresa Pimentel (Mother), Luis Manuel Pimentel (Brother)

Intended College/University:  Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)

Intended Major:  Materials Science and Engineering

Intended Career Field:  Research and development in advanced materials, especially in areas like nanotechnology, automotive/aerospace applications, and sustainable materials in manufacturing and additive manufacturing.

RCPS Schools Attended:  J.H. House Elementary School, Edwards Middle School, Heritage High School, Rockdale Career Academy

Awards/Scholarships:  GWCA Academic Award, Student of the Month Award, Superintendent’s Academic Award (3x), STAR Student Award, Principal’s List (Every Year), The Atlanta Journal Constitution Cup (Nominated), Georgia Certificate of Merit, Certificate of Excellence for Top 10 Junior, Certificate of Excellence for AP Chemistry, Certificate of Excellence for French II, Certificate of Excellence for Advance Algebra II, Zen Miller Scholarship.

Extracurricular Activities:  National Beta Club (President), The RCA Ambassadors (Officer), National Honor Society (Member), Heritage High School Student Ambassadors (Member), SkillsUSA (Member).

Favorite Subjects: Math and Manufacturing (School Pathway).

Memorable help from a teacher/staff member: My AP Chemistry teacher, Dr. Armstrong, would always stay after school with me for tutorial. We would spend hours each day relearning about the lessons we just went over in class and getting through the long packets of homework since there was always something new to be learned every day. Also, my Manufacturing/AP Comp Sci teacher, Mr. Smith, would spend every day helping me work on my project for SkillsUSA. We made a lot of great memories together as we pushed through the struggle of creating my project, and I learned a lot of invaluable lessons about myself and gained new knowledge for my future career path.

Best High School Experience:  Going to the 2025 SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference to compete at state level for Additive Manufacturing. I was able to win the state championship for my competition and receive my first gold medal. What made this the best high school experience was feeling the accomplishment of all the hard work I poured into my project – building a fully 3D-printed single rubber band-powered vehicle – once I walked up to the stage, and knowing the sacrifices I put into this in order to perform the best I could. The whole engineering process of designing and building my vehicle was also very fun, and it made me love engineering even more than I had realized before.

What was the reaction of your family/friends?:  I never told them I was salutatorian, so I was very surprised when they came into my classroom already knowing that. My family were very happy, and they told me they felt very proud of how far I’ve come. My friends were also excited for me when they found out, but they already expected that I would most likely achieve this recognition.

What do you look forward to doing over the summer?: The first thing I look forward to is getting a lot of rest since last summer I took a couple of classes, and I didn’t get to relax as much as I was preparing for my college applications. My number one priority during the summer will be my health since now I know how essential it is going to be as I go into college. I will also enjoy doing summer activities with my family considering the family time and vacations I had to sacrifice during my past summers in order to get ahead of my classes.

Advice for freshmen:  During your first year of high school, take the opportunity to explore new interests and try things you’ve never considered before, whether that’s signing up for a class you’ve never heard of or trying out a new hobby. This is the perfect opportunity to figure out what you like and what sparks your curiosity. High school is all about discovering what excites you, which can help guide your future career choices. At the same time, start challenging yourself with more rigorous classes like AP. They’ll help you grow as a student and prepare you for whatever comes next. Building a strong foundation now will give you the freedom to pursue whatever path you want after 

ROCKDALE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL

 VALEDICTORIAN

Name:  Oluwasore Edward

Family members:  Sherry Edward (mother), Roland Edward (father), Coluwaeobi Edward (brother), Coluwabusola Edward (sister)

Intended College/University: Emory or Georgia Tech

Intended Major: Biology or Biomedical Science

Intended Career Field:  Pediatrician

RCPS Schools Attended:  C.J. Hicks Elementary, Memorial Middle School, Rockdale County High School

Awards/Scholarships:  UGA Class of 2025 Certificate of Merit, Art work selected for the High Museum of Art, first place winner of Kiwanis, Art and Music showcase in Art category (2023-2024 school year).

Extracurricular Activities:  Beta Club, RCHS Color Guard (2 years), National Honor Society, G•I•F•T•S, National Art Honor Society, RCA Ambassadors.

Favorite Subjects:  Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, AP Studio Arts.

Memorable help from a teacher/staff member/mentor:  My art teacher, Ms. Thieleke encouraging me during my class to think outside of the box! 

Best high school experience:  Going on an Art field trip to Birmingham, Alabama!

What was your family’s and friends’ reaction?:  They were all excited and very proud of my accomplishments and are excited to hear my speech in May!

What do you look forward to doing over the summer?:  Preparing for college, going on vacation, and hanging out with friends!

Advice for freshmen:  Stay organized, don’t procrastinate, join clubs, and activities, make memorable experiences, and take care of yourself! Most importantly, don’t try to change yourself to fit in! Learn to be open to criticism and learn from your mistakes. Grow from them!

 SALUTATORIAN

Name:  David Hill

Family members:  Katlyne Hill, David Hill Sr.

Intended College/University:  Georgia Tech

Intended Major:  Engineering

Intended Career Field:  Computer or Mechanical Engineering

RCPS Schools You Attended:  General Ray Davis Middle School, Rockdale County High School.

Awards/Scholarships:  Salutatorian, Principal’s List, Top 10 (Superintendent’s Academic Awards), Georgia Certificate of Merit, Marching Band/Concert Band Trophies/Medals.

Extracurricular Activities:  Marching Band, NHS (National Honor Society), TSA (Technology Student Association).

Favorite Subjects:  Science, Music Education, Computer Education

Memorable help from a teacher/staff member/mentor:  Dr. Breakfield, Malcolm Watson, Coach Jacobs, Mr. Mayes, Dr. McDonald.

Best high school experience:  Marching Band Competition I enjoyed with friends.

What was the reaction of your family and friends?:  If I were to describe the reaction of my family and friends to me being named salutatorian, I would describe that they were very ecstatic and truly happy for me while sharing their congratulations.

What do you look forward to doing over the summer?:  What I look forward to doing over the summer is hanging with friends and family and enjoying my time with them while also considering the possibility of traveling to places inside and outside the U.S.

Advice for freshmen:  Take chances or otherwise you will miss out on important and lifechanging opportunities. 

ROCKDALE MAGNET SCHOOL FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

VALEDICTORIAN

Name: Delano Page

Family members:  Mom (Tameka Page), Dad (Dion Page), Brothers (Dion Jr and Dylan) I’m the middle child.

Intended College/University:  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Intended Major:  Mathematics/Course 18

Intended Career Field:  Data Science and or Political Science

RCPS Schools You Attended:  Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology

Awards/Scholarships:  AP Scholar with Distinction, National African American Recognition, Questbridge College Prep Scholar, Governor’s Honors Program Finalist, PZ Math Camp Finalist, Superintendent’s Academic Award, School Winner for the American Mathematics Competition (10th and 11th), UGA Mathematics Award, U.S Agency for International Development Award, 3rd Place Varsity Individual Augusta State Math Competition, Gates Scholarship Semifinalist, Coca Cola Scholarship Semifinalist.

Extracurricular Activities:  Rockdale Magnet Math Team, Rockdale Peer Tutors, Rockdale Student Council, ScholarsU, Varsity Tennis, Georgia Youth Justice Coalition, National Coalition Against Censorship, Witness to Mass Incarceration, Prison Mathematics Program, Generation Human Rights, Statistics Without Borders.

Favorite Subjects:  Math and Government

Best high school experience:  Getting on stage in a hotdog costume and performing a skit in front of my entire school. However mortifying this experience is every time I recall it, I can always find comfort in the fact I wasn’t the only one embarrassed.

What was the reaction of your family and friends?:  They were stunned to hear about it. I hadn’t spoken much about my class rank, so it often came as a surprise to many.

What do you look forward to doing over the summer?:  Spending time relaxing and doing things with friends(I’m often told this will be my last free summer) and visiting MIT’s campus.

Advice for freshmen:  Don’t do things because you think you have to; enjoy the things you want to do.

 SALUTATORIAN

Name:  Prakash Gupta

Family members:  Kanika Gupta (Mother), Sudha Gupta (Grandmother), Ruchika Gupta (Aunt), Jesse Smith (Godfather).

Intended College/University:  Georgia Institute of Technology or University of Georgia

Intended Major:  Double Major: Mathematics and Computer Science

Intended Career Field:  Research & Teaching

RCPS Schools Attended:  Sims Elementary, Honey Creek Elementary, General Ray Davis Middle School, Rockdale Career Academy, Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology.

Awards/Scholarships:  System STAR Student, National Merit Scholarship Finalist, 2024 Georgia Science and Engineering Fair Best Use of Engineering Skills, Georgia Junior Science and Humanities Symposium Selected Presenter, Rochester Institute of Technology Award, The Gates Scholarship Semifinalist, AP Scholar with Distinction, 5x Rockdale Regional Science and Engineering Fair Grand Champion, Georgia Skills Championships: CNC Programmer(2nd), Robotics:

Urban Search and Rescue (2nd and 3rd), 3rd Place Individual Junior Varsity 2023 Middle Georgia Math Olympics.

Extracurricular Activities:  RMSST Ambassadors, RCA SkillsUSA, RMSST Camera Club, Rockdale Magnet Math Team, RMSST Peer Tutors, RCA Robotics, RMSST Student Council, RMSST Summer STEAM Camp Counselors.

Favorite Subjects: Calculus/Mathematics & Computer Science & Science

Memorable help from a teacher/staff member/mentor:  My math team coach and precalculus/statistics teacher, Mr. Hornbeck, sat with me on Microsoft Teams during the BioLab incident and helped me formulate ideas and revise my personal essays for three scholarships, the commonapp, and two college supplementals. We spent time chit-chatting and catching up, and his help getting my writing together is invaluable to my college admission and scholarship process.

Best high school experience:  Taking the incredibly small classes of AP Statistics and AP Calculus BC, which were amazing learning environments, with smart people/my friends and incredible teachers where we had so much fun and learned so much together.

What was the reaction of your family and friends?:  They were all very excited for and proud of me, but already having access to the data, they weren’t shocked. 

What do you look forward to doing over the summer?:  I hope to continue in my capacity as a STEAM Camp Counselor, and serve RMSST and Rockdale County’s youth once more, and to take a long overdue break before jumping into college courses!

Advice for freshmen:  Don’t hold yourself back, there are countless opportunities available to you, and there are mentors willing to create new opportunities for you; you just have to put yourself out there and be dedicated to your future. Make the most of all that is at your disposal.

SALEM HIGH SCHOOL 

 VALEDICTORIAN

Name:  Mahek Patel

Family Members:  Mom (Kruti Patel), Dad (Yagnesh Patel), Older Sister (Pooja Patel)

Intended College:  University of Georgia

Intended Major:  Computer Science

Intended Career Field:  Cybersecurity

RCPS Schools Attended:  Flat Shoals Elementary, Memorial Middle, Salem High.

Awards:  FBLA regional award for Accounting, Superintendent’s Academic Award, AB Honor Roll with Distinction, Student of the Month.

Extracurriculars Activities:  Yearbook, National Honor Society, Chorus, Beta Club, Peer Leader, FBLA.

Favorite Subjects:  Math and Yearbook (Journalism)

Memorable help from teacher/staff member/mentor:  Mrs. Belser has always guided me throughout my high school journey. She is my yearbook advisor, and whenever I needed assistance with my pages, she always assisted me. Even before she was my yearbook advisor, whenever I had any concerns or confusion, she would give me advice on what I can do or suggest who I can approach for help.

Best high school experience:  My best experience was when I made it to FBLA state. I was fourth in the region for my category, Accounting. I was extremely happy and proud of myself as I worked really hard to make it to state.

What was the reaction of your family and friends?:  My family was very happy and proud of me when they first heard that I was valedictorian. They received a call about the ceremony, and they were surprised but also excited at the same time for my big achievement. My friends were very excited for me and cheered really loud.

What do you look forward to doing over the summer?:  My birthday is coming up during the summer. I really look forward to it as it’s my 18th birthday. I’m also planning on going to Orlando for my birthday so I’m very excited.

Advice for freshman:  Always start off strong, don’t lack on anything as it impacts your GPA and your transcript. Many start high school thinking that they have time to make up for the classes, so they don’t have to worry about it right now. But starting off strong really helps you out during your senior year.

 SALUTATORIAN

Name:  Jaide Coleman

Family members:  Melissa Coleman, Donnie Coleman, Jrue Coleman, Jace Coleman, Jax Coleman.

Intended college/university:  University of Georgia or Georgia Tech

Intended major:  Biology or computer science

Intended career field:  Dental or Computer and Information System Management

RCPS Schools Attended:  Rockdale Career Academy and Salem High School

Extracurricular activities:  Beta club, National Honor Society, Student Government Association, Yearbook, FBLA, and FCCLA.

Favorite subject:  History and Fashion

Best High School Experience:  The entirety of my freshman year was filled with so much freedom and fun, something I’ll never get to experience again. It was such an odd experience, finally getting back into school after COVID and everything, after not seeing people for two years. It was the beginning of an end, the end of something I never even realized I would miss so much. Being close with friends, having the freedom to just be without expectations or responsibility, tiptoeing between childhood and young adulthood while still lacking real responsibility, made everything feel so comfortable. Just knowing, “Hey, I have three more years ahead of me, and I’ll be fine.” Little did I know, it would all be over before I knew it.

What was the reaction of your family and friends?:  It was a shock because they already knew I was in the top 10, but I hadn’t said anything about being Sal too. I didn’t want to mention it until graduation because I wanted it to be a surprise, but they were excited and proud of me. My friends were also excited, my best friends, Sore Edwards and Mahek Patel, so it’s exciting because we’re all in a little Sal and Val group now.

Advice for freshman:  Everyone has a perception of you, but only you truly know who you are inside. Don’t let their views cloud your identity, your beliefs, or what you know you’re capable of. You are not your friends. It’s easy to get caught up in the world around you, but at the end of the day, you are responsible for your future. For me, it was easy to get caught up in the persona I put on for people – being silly, playing around too much, not seeming smart, not doing my work. Even though deep down I knew that wasn’t what I wanted for myself, it was the only version of me that the people around me knew. So I started to believe it about myself and acted that way, downplaying my intelligence and ambition just to fit in. “That’s only for smart people,” I said. As humans, it’s natural to want to fit in; it’s an instinct that has helped our species survive. But that instinct shouldn’t come at the cost of your personal goals and aspirations. Ambition isn’t lame. Wanting more in life isn’t lame. It’s easy to sit on the sidelines and watch others achieve, but success is always possible for you too. If you want it, you can become it – because it was there all along. You were just too scared to reach for it. Don’t let the voices get to you – the ones that say, “You’re not smart enough,” or “You can’t do this,” or “It’s too hard,” “I’m not like them” Success is possible for anyone who truly wants it, and the biggest obstacle is often self-doubt and fear.