Southwest Georgia Academy held its graduation exercises on May 23 in the Wayne Profitt Jr. Gymnasium to celebrate the Class of 2019.

Seventeen honor graduates participated in the graduation program, including graduation speeches by the top honor graduates. Valedictorian Allison Paige Burke noted John F. Kennedy who once said “efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.”

Paige was the recipient of the First State Bank/Bank of Early Scholarship.

She was a member of the varsity tennis team and varsity softball team all four years of high school, placing in the final four of the GISA State Individual Singles Tournament and Team Tournament. She served as the news editor for the Warriors’ Word, was chosen as the Mitchell EMC Leadership candidate, Vice President and Reporter for Beta Club, and earned principal honors for maintaining a 95 and above in all academic subjects throughout high school. Paige was named the Valedictorian of the Class of 2019 for having the highest cumulative GPA of all class graduates.

Paige Burke is the daughter of Erick and Jamie Burke. She is the granddaughter of Debra Burke and the great-granddaughter of Ila Reed, all of Bainbridge, and of Tim and Sandra Allen of Colquitt.