by Melanie Regnier
On March 24, Atia Butts, a senior and the valedictorian of her class at Maynard Jackson High School, received an acceptance letter from Georgia Tech with a full academic scholarship. As it turns out, this is just one of many extraordinar¿nard students to graduate with in an IB (International Baccalaureate) diploma. In the summer of 2014, Atia received a scholarship to attend a summer camp program at the Han Ban Institute in Henan, China. This fall, she hosted a German student as part of a German cultural exchange program at Maynard. Atia was also a participant in Emory University’s Kingian Non-Violence program. “Atia is a critical thinker who is open-minded about new experiences and always asks unconventional questions in her various courses,” said Lola Azuana, school counselor at Maynard.
Atia is a co-captain of Maynard’s volleyball team, which won the regional championship last fall. She is an active volunteer at school and at her church, providing tutoring, working with programs for the homeless and helping with Maynard’s annual blood drive.
“With a strong background in church and a loving, praying family, I never fell down for too long without getting back up,” said Atia. “Ultimately, my older sister is my inspiration. She has truly inspired me, by being the first of my siblings to graduate high school and matriculate into college as a computer science major…she strives for excellence even as my family went through hardships and rough transitions.”
Balancing her many activities ensured her success. “It doesn’t become overwhelming because I’m great with time management and scheduling,” said Atia. “My advice for those with a lot on their plates can be summed up in three simple words: Communicate, Schedule, Plan. Those three things were the overall key for effectively balancing such a busy schedule.”
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