Gilmer Mountain Education

Congratulations to the Gilmer Mountain Education Class of 2026! 🎓

We are incredibly proud of our graduates and all they have accomplished. As they begin the next chapter of their lives, we are excited to celebrate the future plans of the Class of 2026:

📚 4 graduates plan to attend college
🔧 9 graduates plan to attend technical college or trade school
💼 3 graduates plan to enter or remain in the workforce

🎓 Graduating Class of 2026:
• Brianna Adcock
• William Strohl
• Sophie Davis
• Noah Chastain
• Mason Hamby
• Aldin Tiniguar-Dominguez
• Cameron Quinn
• Candelaria Reynoso-Rafael
• Kaleb Hernandez
• Austin Deyton
• Jennifer Paiz-Velasquez
• Trinity Allen
• Josey Moss
• Leselie Sizemore-Patton

We are also proud to recognize our Honor Graduates:

⭐ Brianna Adcock
⭐ Austin Deyton
⭐ Kaleb Hernandez
⭐ Josey Moss
⭐ Leselie Sizemore-Patton
⭐ William Strohl

🏅 High Honor Graduate: Jaiden Gulliksen

Several scholarships were awarded this year to our 2026 graduates. We deeply appreciate the generosity of local businesses and organizations in supporting further education for our students. Without this support, many of our students would find it difficult to continue their education beyond high school.

This year, more than $32,000 in scholarships was awarded to the graduating Class of 2026! 🎉

Special thanks to the following scholarship donors:
• ETC and the Albert E. Harrison Foundation
• Gilmer Lions Club
• Faith, Hope and Charity
• United Community Bank
• Gilmer Mountain Education Faculty and Staff

We would also like to thank our amazing guest speaker, Sheriff Stacy Nicholson, for sharing meaningful advice with our graduates about the importance of being present, showing up, being honest, hardworking, loyal, caring for others, striving to become a better version of ourselves every day, and making choices that demonstrate integrity.

Also featured in this special celebration were:
• Vicki Henry – Principal
• April Smith – Principal
• Harold Culbreth – Blue Ridge Region Director
• Chris Dowdy – Director of Data Systems
• Lena Dowdy – Chief Information Officer
• Paige Swartz – Director of Student Engagement and Retention
• Aundrea Wilson – Assistant Superintendent

Congratulations again to the Class of 2026! We cannot wait to see all the amazing things you accomplish in the future. 🎓💙

Gilmer Mountain Education Graduation Ceremony 🎓

The Gilmer Mountain Education Class of 2026 Graduation Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, May 27th, at 7:00 PM at the Larry Walker Center in the Professional Learning Center.

We look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of our graduates and this special milestone with family and friends!

Students can continue working on courses from anywhere this summer with 24/7 online access and virtual academic support available Monday through Thursday.

📚 No registration is required for currently active students — simply log in and get started!

Be sure to check the flyer for important dates, campus testing times, and support hours. We’re excited to help our students stay on track and continue reaching their goals this summer!

Tonight is the LAST NIGHT of face-to-face instruction! Don't forget—you can still work virtually tomorrow to keep up with your progress. Let’s finish strong! 💪✨ applenotes:note/546d3630-9aba-43f1-90f4-e62b25ea88bd?ownerIdentifier=_3e0324909917a067b1000140c9388888 https://sites.google.com/mymec.org/onlinelearning/online-support

Last Thursday, Gilmer Mountain Education had a wonderful and successful evening at the 2026 Senior Awards! 🎓✨

We are so proud of our seniors who were recognized for their hard work, dedication, and accomplishments. It was a special night celebrating our students, their families, and the bright futures ahead of them.

The seniors recognized during the evening were Brianna Adcock, Trinity Allen, Noah Chastain, Kaleb Hernandez, Josey Moss, Leselie Sizemore-Patton, Sophie Davis, Candelaria Reynoso-Rafael, William Strohl, Jennifer Paiz-Velasquez, Dayana Guarcas-Martinez, Mason Hamby, Cameron Quinn, Will Powell, Aldin Tiniguar-Dominguez, Jaiden Gulliksen, and Austin Deyton.

Thank you to everyone who attended, supported, donated scholarships, and helped make this event possible. We would also like to give a special thank you to everyone who came to present scholarships to our students and help make the evening so meaningful.

Pictured are Principals April Smith and Vicki Henry; Graduation Coaches Brittany Parks and Michele Penland; Counselors Christy Zell and Lynn Hughes; Janet Davis, Dual Enrollment Advisor; Jason Smith, ETC/Albert E. Harrison Foundation; Rachel Tarr from Faith, Hope and Charity; Elizabeth Bradburn from United Community Bank; and the Ellijay Lion’s Club.

Congratulations again to the Class of 2026 — we are excited to see all that you accomplish! 🎓

We are proud to recognize our very own Janet Davis as Teacher of the Year for the system!

Mrs. Davis goes above and beyond each day to support, encourage, and inspire our students. Her dedication, compassion, and commitment to education make a lasting impact on everyone around her.

Thank you, Janet Davis, for all you do for our students, staff, and school community. We are so thankful to have you as part of the Gilmer Mountain Education family. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor!

We are proud to celebrate two incredible members of our team at Mountain Education!

Please join us in congratulating Sissy Farist, our Staff Member of the Year, and Janet Davis, our Teacher of the Year, from Gilmer Mountain Education.

Both of these outstanding individuals go above and beyond every day for our students and school community. Their dedication, passion, and hard work make a lasting impact, and we are truly grateful for all they do.

Congratulations, Sissy and Janet — we are so proud of you!