Top students close at Tri-County Early College

    Peachtree – As Lindsay Mays and Erin Manuel parted ways after receiving awards at Tri-County Early College High School on Friday afternoon, Manuel awkwardly hesitated, maintaining her distance.
    The two just found out they were top two students of their graduating class. While the school prepared a celebration full of cheers, orange and blue balloons, and even a cowbell rung by teacher Wil Meiners, the closeness with her classmates that Manuel said she loved about the school was missing.
    The Class of 2020 graduates Friday, when both Mays and Manuel will give speeches for their classmates.
    “I’m so thankful for all the work the staff has done, especially Mrs. (Alissa) Cheek for arranging a graduation,” Manuel said.
    They found out they were the top two at the awards ceremony – for which each student had a scheduled time to be honored and receive their awards – because the grades were within a hundredths of a point between six students, Cheek said.
    “Any of the six would have been deserving,” she said.
    Mays, daughter of Robin and David Mays of Marble, was overwhelmed to learn she was first in her class. Her family moved to Marble from Maryland when she was in third grade.
    She went to Marble Elementary and Andrews Middle schools. At the Early College, she was in the Beta Club and participated in art projects.
    Mays plans to attend Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, majoring in baking and pastry arts. She already enjoys making cupcakes for family birthday parties and got to take a few culinary classes while at the Early College.
    “I know this is one thing I really want to do,” she said.
    As Mays waits for her next educational adventure to begin, she is creating a website and blog for her culinary adventures.
    At the Early College, students learn through project-based learning, teaming up for projects built around themes throughout the year. Although the students got to do a culinary project this fall, Mays’ favorite project was creating a gravity car.
    She got to do that project twice – both her freshman and junior years. Mays was involved in the design, which she realized was related to the creativity needed as a baker.
    “It was really fun to build the car,” Mays said.
    Her favorite teacher was Patricia Mathews, her Spanish teacher and advisor for two years. Mathews today is principal at Peachtree Elementary School.
    “She had a really positive outlook on things and took care of her students,” Mays said.
    Manuel is the daughter of Janeen Manuel of Murphy and Randy Manuel of Marble. She went to The Learning Center charter school in Murphy for middle school and was homeschooled until then. At the Early College, she participated in indoor and outdoor track, cross country, Beta Club, student council and Principal’s
Ambassadors.
    She plans to attend Carleton College in Northfield, Minn., majoring in psychology as well as gender, women’s and sexuality studies. She chose the latter because she thought the classes offered seemed interesting. She’s interested in working in the developmental psychology field.
    Manuel became interested in Carleton College thanks to Ben Owens, her favorite teacher. Owens taught Math 2 and physics at the Early College.
    “He inspired you to go above and beyond,” she said.
    Her favorite group project was the court case project during her freshman year. Manuel was surprised to actually be in the courthouse for that project, and she ended up meeting a couple of her best friends through the experience.
    Both said their experience for the ending of their senior year was weird, as they missed being with their friends.
    “As a senior, you are supposed to count lasts,” Manuel said. “We didn’t know that was going to be our last day.”
    “It’s a little bittersweet,” Mays said, adding that the changes to their plans was a good learning experience.
    “We’re all going to make it through,” she said. “I look forward to seeing where we all go.”
    Cheek said the entire class was kindhearted and had high academic achievement.
    “They have had a tremendous impact on our school,” she said.