For someone who has not enjoyed school his entire life, it has taken dedication, perseverance and faith to get me where I am today. From an early age at another local private school, I struggled with academics. My parents sought help at UGA where I was diagnosed with learning disabilities, ADHD and Dyslexia. My school at the time was not equipped with the proper tools to address the problems that I presented. As such, my parents researched and found Tattnall had both the desire to help and the tools in Mrs. Debbie Tanner.

School remained a struggle as I was very active in sports and had trouble juggling academia and athletics. However, I was able to learn strategies to cope with my learning difference. Just before graduation, I can remember Coach Hester speaking words that I would later carry in to college. He said, ‘As you move from high school into college, you will notice that you have more free time than you ever had before. How you use that free time will dictate how you will do in college.’ The result left me surprised at what I was capable of when I fully applied myself.

After college, I applied to dental school. The Dental College of Georgia receives around 1,000 applicants each year and less than 100 are selected. As a result of these odds, I was not accepted to dental school immediately. The rejection made me work even harder, retake entrance exams, and strengthen my dental experience. I thank God for this lesson often because it was during this time that I gained knowledge putting me ahead of my classmates and met one of my best friends, mentor, and fellow TSA alum, Dr. Shawn G. Scott. I feel Tattnall gave me, and my fellow alumni, a tremendous foundation to build any life that they desire. While I had great personal achievements from athletics, to one-act, to state championships, no memory is greater than the lifelong relationships I built with faculty and classmates.