34 students awarded Georgia Military Scholarships 

Thirty-four outstanding Georgia high school seniors have been awarded Georgia Military Scholarships. The awards are full four-year military scholarships to North Georgia College & State University (NGC&SU) in Dahlonega. Each recipient of the award agrees to serve in the Georgia National Guard for four years after graduation from NGC&SU. 

On April 26, scholarship recipients visited the State Capitol as part of a special recognition program. Governor Sonny Perdue met with the group in the Rotunda of the Capitol. He congratulated the students on winning the scholarships and commended them on their commitment to military service.  

Family members and legislators who had nominated them for the scholarships accompanied the students to the Atlanta event. Also present were officials from NGC&SU, the Georgia National Guard, and the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC), which administers the state-funded scholarship program. 

After meeting with Governor Perdue, the students attended a luncheon and awards ceremony. Timothy Connell, GSFC president, presided at the event. Attendees heard remarks by Brigadier General Lawrence Ross, Commander of the 78th Troop Command, Georgia Army National Guard, and Colonel James T. Palmer, U. S. Army (Retired), who is Commandant of Cadets for NGC&SU.

This is the 26th year that Georgia Military Scholarships have been awarded. The scholarships pay tuition, room and board, books, fees, and uniforms. To date, over 650 students have benefited from the program, and the total cash value of the awards is more than $8 million.  

To receive the award, a student has to be nominated by a member of the General Assembly who represents a state legislative district in the Congressional District where the student resides. Each nominee must have a high school grade point average of at least 3.0 and a score of at least 1010 on the SAT. 

The final awardees were selected by a committee that included representatives from the National Guard, NGC&SU, and GSFC.  

Students who received the Georgia Military Scholarship awards, their residences and high schools, and the legislators who nominated them for the awards:

Autumn Arnold, Jefferson, Jackson County High School, Representative Thomas Benton, House District 31

John Thomas Bennett , Brunswick, Glynn Academy, Representative Jerry Keen, House District 179

Paul Bloomer, Grayson, Grayson High School, Representative Len Walker, House District 107

Brandon Brooks, Shiloh, Harris County High School, Senator Seth Harp, Senate District 29

Nicholas Carter, Woodstock, Etowah High School, Representative Charlice Byrd, House District 20

Thomas Class, Columbus, Columbus High School, Representative James Mills, House District 25

Branden Cox, Suwanee, Peachtree Ridge High School, Senator Renee Unterman, Senate District 45

Thomas Daniels, Lawrenceville, Collins Hill High School, Senator Renee Unterman, Senate District 45

Scott Delozier, Gainesville, Heritage Academy, Representative James Mills, House District 25

Nathan Durham, Dallas, East Paulding High School, Representative Howard Maxwell, House District 17

Jonathan Feise, Woodstock, Sequoyah High School, Representative Calvin Hill, House District 21

Tabb Fowler, Sugar Valley, Calhoun High School, Representative John Meadows III, House District 5

Olivia Glaude, Elberton, Elbert County Comprehensive High School, Representative Tom McCall, House District 30

Katelynn Gordon, Cumming, North Forsyth High School, Senator Bill Stephens, Senate District 27

Jonathan Grine, Loganville, Loganville High School, Representative Len Walker, House District 107

Erica Hackett, Lawrenceville, Forsyth Central High School, Representative James Mills, House District 25

Tamara Hackett, Lawrenceville, Forsyth Central High School, Representative James Mills, House District 25

Mikal Hanson, Ellijay, Gilmer High School, Representative David Ralston, House District 7

Thomas Kruklis, Hoschton, Flowery Branch High School, Representative James Mills, House District 25

Christopher Lee, Dacula, Mill Creek High School, Senator Renee Unterman, Senate District 45

Candice Litsey, Augusta, Cross Creek High School, Representative James Mills, House District 25

Nathan Lyons, Ringgold, Ringgold High School, Representative Jay Neil, House District 1

James Medler II, Richmond Hill, Richmond Hill High School, Representative Ron Stephens, House District 164

Irma Mora, Woodstock, Sequoyah High School, Representative Calvin Hill, House District 21

Crystal Navarro, McDonough, Luella High School, Senator John Douglas, Senate District 17

Jarrett Nieves, Roswell, Lassiter High School, Senator Chip Rogers, Senate District 21

John O'Connell, Columbus, Columbus High School, Senator Seth Harp, Senate District 29

Corey Robinett, Richmond Hill, Richmond Hill High School, Representative Ron Stephens, House District 164

Rebekah Rosi, White, Cass High School, Representative Barry Loudermilk, House District 14

Reegan Simpson, Albany, Dougherty High School, Senator Michael Meyer Von Bremen, Senate District 12

Joseph Slattery, Norcross, Norcross High School, Representative Tom Rice, House District 51

Jonathan Thornton, Ellijay, Gilmer High School, Representative David Ralston, House District 7

Nathan Turk, Flowery Branch, Flowery Branch High School, Representative James Mills, House District 25

Clarke Wagner, Jefferson, Jackson County High School, Representative Thomas Benton, House District 31

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