Please note that this post contains affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward MageeNews.com a small commission – at no extra cost to you.
I am Brooks Fortenberry, Magee High School graduate from the class of 2011. I am representing many of my fellow graduates who are finishing college and achieving significant accomplishments and goals. Many of these goals and accomplishments would not have been possible had it not been for our teachers, administration, the staff and the education we received at Magee High School. My classmates and I take great pride in our alma mater and the many lessons we learned there, which helped to propel us to the success many of us have reached today. Unfortunately, too often, we hear negative words spread throughout the community about our high school that do not show it in a positive light. Many of the people who share their opinions about our school have never stepped foot on the campus nor do they know any of the students. Destructive stories passed on about our school does nothing but hurt public opinion about our excellent school or its valuable qualities. I believe it is time for us to start spreading positive reports about our students and graduates of Magee High School. Let me share some of the significant accomplishments my friends and recent graduates of MHS have achieved and the positive contributions these MHS graduates are making in the world.
Will Walker is presently working on his Ph.D. in the highly respectable Polymer Science program at USM. Great men of faith Justin Craft and Justin Dickens both have completed their education and are serving as ministers. Devonta McDonald is working toward an Electrical Engineering degree at Ole Miss. My friend, Trey Durr, will be commissioning as a United States Officer in the Army shortly before he attends law school to study family law because he wants to defend abused children. Jamie Brinson is presently working on her Masters in Accounting at USM.
Lastly, I will be entering Physical Therapy school in May 2016 at UMMC, and I just graduated from Mississippi College with a degree in Kinesiology; I also played four years for the Choctaw Baseball Team. Many other Magee High School graduates have similar stories to share, even though I have highlighted just a few. Many of our exceptional students are out in the world making an impact and achieving their hopes and dreams.
What an extraordinary list of accomplishments by such an outstanding group of young people from a small town like Magee. These individuals are of different races and family backgrounds. Some came from single parent homes, some were raised by both parents, and some lived with grandparents. Some of these students came from middle class families, while others came from families who are not wealthy. None of that really has mattered or deterred these individuals from greatness. At Magee High School, we have always been encouraged to believe that if we used our gifts and God-given talents, we could achieve anything we wanted to do. At Magee High School, we have always been like family. Many of our faculty and staff members graduated from Magee High School themselves; so, they truly care about the students and the school’s success. The school and community has always functioned as one heartbeat; one has supported the other. That is the reason Magee High School graduates have fond memories of our time there because of the education we received, the atmosphere, and the rich traditions of the school.
When thinking of Magee High School, it is important to think of the history of the school and all of the countless MHS graduates accomplishing remarkable goals, hopes and dreams as well as representing our excellent high school in a positive light. These people are the future leaders of our community, and they love Magee just as much as I do. Magee High School helped develop and shape the careers of these individuals. The teachers encouraged and developed us, and the administrators made our learning environment promising. I recently spent three days in our school and came away impressed. I observed teachers and administrators who cared and students who were cheerful and eager to learn. These students are following in my friends’ footsteps. They will be future college graduates who will go on to achieve the success that many graduates who have gone before them have achieved. We as Magee High School graduates, students, and concerned citizens need your support and uplifting words, and the City of Magee and its citizens need us to flourish to maintain our thriving city. The school and community go hand in hand together, and we need to support each other. Magee High School is an excellent school that can take students anywhere they need to go and can certainly prepare them for college and life. I call on all citizens to please use your words to build us up, not put us down. Magee High School has much to be proud of and students who need our support. We have history and tradition as well as a bright future. As always, remember: “It’s a great day to be a Trojan!”
Sincerely,
Brooks Fortenberry
