Greater Atlanta Christian School Celebrates Class of 2023

Greater Atlanta Christian School (GAC) held a commencement ceremony on May 20 at the Long Forum. The event brought together family, friends, faculty and staff to honor the GAC Class of 2023 and commemorate their accomplishments.

Valedictorian Sophia Nguyen and Salutatorian Cecile Nguyen delivered inspiring speeches, and Dr. Scott Harsh, President, brought the community together with a commencement speech.

He emphasized the importance of aligning graduates’ future endeavors with God’s purpose and pursuing a life of transformation. “As you step into university life, no matter your chosen field of study, remember that you are preparing for much more than simply landing a job,” he said.

“God has called you to use that vocation for His purposes, to pursue law — with an eye toward justice, medicine — with a focus on helping to relieve suffering, business — to improve the lives of others, science — to care for God’s creation, film — to highlight stories of redemption, and in every field to answer God’s call in ways that He will put on your heart,” Harsh added. 

The 148 students in the GAC Class of 2023 will attend 63 different universities this fall. Collectively, the class received 561 acceptances from 170 different universities, including Harvard, Columbia, Cornell, Duke, the U.S. Naval Academy, Elon, Purdue, Georgia Tech, Emory, Spelman, University of Georgia, Pepperdine, Baylor, Harding and Abilene Christian University.

The graduating class was offered over $16 million in total scholarships. Among the graduates are 40 AP Scholars — including 15 as an AP Scholar with Honor and nine as an AP Scholar with Distinction, six Commended National Merit Scholars and one National Merit Finalist. Fifteen students have been awarded athletic scholarships.

Beyond academic success, the Class of 2023 has demonstrated a commitment to service and community. Throughout their high school years, they volunteered over 10,000 hours through various projects and mission trips.