Education
The Sky Is the Limit for Five Norcross High School Grads
How Five Former Students Found Inspiration and Memories From the School’s Band Program
Dawn Andrews, class of 2014
Drum Major at Georgia Tech
Norcross’s Band program was a huge part of her high school experience, according to Dawn Andrews. “From marching band to jazz band to symphonic band to pit orchestra, I wanted to do it all. And I’m so glad I did!,” she said. “It gave me lifelong friends, unique experiences, and it kept me busy doing something that I love.”
Dawn’s played piano, flute and piccolo, and she was a drum major at NHS. Her favorite memory is “conducting “We Are the Champions” in the Georgia Dome after our football team won the State Championships in 2012 — and we did it again in 2013!”
She noted that band also gave her opportunities for leadership and taught her how to be a good representative; she believes that has carried forward into all the communities that she is a part of now.
After graduating from Norcross in 2014, Dawn went on to major in Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Tech. “During my undergraduate years, I joined the band and was drum major from 2015 through 2018. Just like in high school, band became one of the most special parts of my life,” she said, “and I’m so grateful to the Georgia Tech Marching Band for all the friends, memories and opportunities that it gave me — more than I ever thought possible.”
Dawn is currently working on her master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech. She’s planning to graduate in December and move to Los Angeles in 2020 to start a career with SpaceX as a Design Engineer. “Instead of conducting bands, I build rockets now,” Dawn said. “But most importantly, I’m still keeping myself busy doing something that I love!” ■
Parker Buntin, class of 2012
Drum Major at Georgia Tech
Parker Buntin just completed his Masters in Materials Science and Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology following an undergraduate degree in the same field at Georgia Tech. During his college and post-graduate career, Parker worked in Texas, England and California and is about to move back to California to work at Virgin Orbit.
Parker was actively involved in band throughout his time at both NHS and Georgia Tech. At Norcross, he played trumpet in the marching band, wind symphony, jazz band and brass ensemble. He continued playing trumpet at Georgia Tech in the orchestra, symphonic band, jazz band, new music ensemble and marching band. Parker was also drum major in 2011 at Norcross and from 2013 to 2016 at Georgia Tech.
He said his favorite memories from the band were traveling, whether for district and all-state bands at Norcross, for football games at Georgia Tech or for any other opportunity to get out into the world with the band. Two particularly memorable trips were the Orange Bowl trip in December, 2014 and the Dublin, Ireland trip in 2016.
According to Parker, his experiences in band at NHS and Georgia Tech left him with strong friendships and lasting memories, and he’s thankful for them. He hopes the students in the band community continue to work hard and enjoy their time in band, because the excellence of the program is something special that they will remember long after graduation. ■
Taylor Kay, class of 2012
During Taylor Kay’s time at Norcross High School, he participated in the NHS Wind Symphony, marching band, jazz band and the Gwinnett County Youth Symphony. After graduating from NHS, Taylor attended Georgia State where music earned him scholarships from the School of Music. He earned a spot in the GSU Marching Band where he performed in the 2012 Presidential Inaugural Parade in Washington, D.C. and the 2014 88th Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade. Taylor also played in the GSU Wind Orchestra for two years.
In 2016, Taylor transferred to the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, N.D. where he now majors in Aeronautical Sciences — Commercial Aviation. He is currently a commercial pilot working on his Airline Transport Pilot ratings, and he’ll flight instruct for the University before moving on as a first officer for SkyWest Airlines. Ultimately, Taylor hopes to return home to Atlanta and fly for Delta Airlines. ■
Kate Tabeling, class of 2016
Drum Major at UGA
Throughout her years in band, Kate Tabeling has gone from a drum major in high school, a section leader in college to a drum major in college. Due to UGA’s football achievements, she has been able to travel cross country to march at the Rosebowl and play at the National Championship.
“My past seven years in marching band have shaped who I am as a person and a leader,” Kate said. “I had to lead groups both large and small in rehearsals, teach students how to march, plan rehearsals, communicate with directors and students and so much more.”
She added that each of the tasks taught her different ways to organize, communicate and inspire. “When leading the Redcoat Band next season, I’ll apply all that I’ve learned from my freshman year of high school and continue to grow during my final season. ■
Beavan Zulu, class of 2017
Drum Major at Georgia State, Conductor with Phantom Regiment
“I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it weren’t for band,” Beavan Zulu said. “Through band, I learned many lessons on patience, team work and perseverance.” He said that band also helped to make him a leader. Without it, “I wouldn’t know how to manage my time or efficiently maximize the time I have to reap the greatest benefits. I wouldn’t know that for a group to follow a leader, the leader first has to make personal connections with those he’s leading. I wouldn’t know that leadership carries on even when off duty.”
Beaven sums it up with, “I wouldn’t be half the leader or the person that I am today without the invaluable experiences I’ve acquired through band.” ■
Good Samaritan Health Centers of Gwinnett (Good Samaritan Gwinnett) has received state authorization from the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (GNPEC) to officially launch Access Academy, a private, certificate-granting, low-cost postsecondary education program targeting students of low-income and/or minority households who aspire to pursue careers in healthcare but may lack the financial means to attend traditional college programs.
Access Academy is designed to meet the needs of students from underserved communities, providing healthcare-specific training at a fraction of the cost, thanks to charitable donations and volunteer-based faculty support.
Access Academy will initially offer a five-month medical assistant certification program. Graduates of the program will be able to enter the workforce without the burden of student loans, directly benefiting their household income and financial well-being.
“We are thrilled to launch Access Academy and open the doors of opportunity for those who need it most,” said Shameka Allen, CEO of Good Samaritan Gwinnett. “Our mission has always been to support underserved communities, and now, with Access Academy, we can extend that impact by helping students earn their medical assistant certificates and get their start in healthcare.”
A history of mentoring and education
Good Samaritan Gwinnett has a rich history of educating undergraduate and graduate students in health sciences. Since 2012, the organization has mentored nearly 450 graduate students pursuing medical and dental professional degrees. The cost of precepting just one midlevel student for an average of 168 hours amounts to $10,038, reflecting the organization’s dedication to training and education.
Greg Lang, chief financial officer of Good Samaritan Gwinnett, spearheaded the efforts to secure state authorization and launch Access Academy.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see Access Academy come to life after months of planning and preparation,” Lang said. “Access Academy is not just providing training — it’s offering hope, opportunity and the support needed to turn dreams into reality.”
An ongoing mission
The launch of Access Academy is part of Good Samaritan Gwinnett’s ongoing mission to expand its reach and make healthcare more accessible, both by providing direct patient care and by equipping future healthcare professionals with the skills they need to succeed. Since Good Samaritan Gwinnett’s inception in 2005, more than 52,300 patients have entered the clinic more than 300,000 times.
For more information about Access Academy, visit them at goodsamgwinnett.org/access-academy or email Greg Lang at Greg.Lang@goodsamgwinnett.org.
Pinecrest Academy, a private preK3–12 Catholic school serving north metro Atlanta, has once again been named to the College Board’s Advanced Placement® Program (AP®) School Honor Roll, earning Platinum distinction.
The AP® School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering results for students while also broadening access. Schools can earn this recognition annually based on criteria that reflect a commitment to increasing college-going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit and maximizing college readiness.
“We are so honored to have received this AP Honor Roll Award, as we strive each year to provide every student with a college preparatory experience, which includes the successful completion of challenging AP courses,” commented Amy Bowman, Pinecrest Academy high school principal. “The Platinum designation from AP speaks to the excellence that our faculty strives for in delivering challenging content that prepares our students for college.”
The numbers
During the 2023-2024 school year, Pinecrest had 89% of seniors taking at least one AP exam during high school, 82% of seniors scoring a three or higher on at least one AP exam and 58% who took five or more AP exams. Twenty-one AP courses were offered, representing 30 sections taught by 12 high school teachers at the school.
“Our Class of 2024 earned a 100% acceptance into the college/university of their choice,” Bowman said. “Since the school’s first graduating class of 2007, Pinecrest’s high school has maintained a 100% graduation rate every year.”
AP Access Award
Pinecrest Academy was also awarded the AP Access Award this year. Schools on the AP School Honor Roll may earn the AP Access Award, which recognizes schools that demonstrate a clear and effective commitment to equitable access to advanced coursework.
“AP represents an opportunity for students to stand out to colleges, earn college credit and placement and potentially boost their grade point averages,” said Trevor Packer, head of the AP program. “The schools have shown that they can expand access to these college-level courses and still drive high performance — they represent the best of our AP program.”
For more information, visit pinecrestacademy.org.
For more about the Advanced Placement® Program, visit ap.collegeboard.org.
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