Senior of the Month for May 2024

 Apalachee High School would like to recognize Jesus Juarez as the Apalachee Chamber of Commerce Senior of the Month for May 2024.  I could not think of a better ending to the year’s Senior of the Month recognitions than having the privilege of introducing Jesus to you.    

Jesus’s cumulative GPA is 103.4. He will have taken 10 Honors/Accelerated classes along with 13 Advanced Placement classes, and excelled in all, even earning the highest grade in the class in AP Biology as a freshmen, AP Chemistry as a sophomore, and AP Micro Economics as a senior.  His academic excellence is exhibited by him being ranking 3rd in his class of 380 students.   

Jesus has maintained an incredibly high GPA while balancing his time with many extra-curricular activities. Jesus has been a four year varsity soccer starter and member of several other clubs and organizations. Some of those include HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) where Jesus serves as Vice-President as a Senior and Secretary as a Junior. Jesus competed the last two years in the HOSA Bowl, which is a state competition of knowledge concerning healthcare.  Jesus was the Chapter founder and president of HOPE (Hispanic Organization Promoting Education). Jesus is the Secretary of the Science National Honors Society, and has been involved with Student Ambassadors, Mu Alpha Theta (Math Honors Society), BETA Club and the Chick-Fil-A Leader Academy. Jesus also served as Captain of the Varsity Soccer Team.    

Jesus’s soccer coach, Vegas McCain, states that Jesus is an “Outstanding individual and soccer player.  A team leader that was very fair but firm.  Focused, disciplined and committed to success.” 

Jesus’s AP History teacher, Omeed Behzadi, states that “Jesus is one of the most impressive students and athletes that he has had the pleasure to teach. Having Jesus in 3 classes has shown Behzadi how hard he works and how he strives for perfection in everything that is asked of him, be it in the classroom or the field. A prime example of what an Apalachee Wildcat is and should strive to be.” 

Jesus is an AP Scholar.  He has been acknowledged by the College Board for National Hispanic Recognition and National Rural and Small Town Recognition. He is a 2024 Georgia Merit winner and a recipient of the Gates Scholarship. 

Jesus will utilize the Gates Scholarship starting this fall at Emory University while studying Quantitative Sciences and Biology.  Those classes will fall under the Pre-Med track.  In all, the Gates Scholarship will be worth over $345,000 over the next four years. 

Jesus hopes to be able to attend medical school after his undergraduate years, in hopes of becoming a doctor with an emphasis on sports medicine and/or anesthesiology.  

Please join us in recognizing Jesus Juarez as Apalachee’s Barrow Chamber of Commerce Senior of the Month for May 2024.