Twenty-Eight APS Scholar Athletes Sign National Letters of Intent

ATLANTA – Twenty-eight scholar athletes from Atlanta Public Schools (APS) signed with colleges and universities throughout the country to receive athletic scholarships in football, baseball, volleyball, basketball, soccer and cheerleading during National Signing Day program held at Mays High School.

Led by the district’s department of athletics program manager for high schools Jasper Jewell, the ceremony featured APS seniors along with their coaches, family, friends and teammates announcing where they will be attending school this fall.  Several district officials were in attendance including APS Deputy Superintendent/Chief of Staff Steven A. Smith and Atlanta Board of Education member LaChandra Butler Burks.  The 2012 APS National Signing Day scholar athletes are:

Several of the coaches acknowledged their athletes’ grade point averages during the program.  Booker T. Washington High School’s Brandon Richardson, who received a football scholarship from the Posse Foundation to attend Bard College, has a 4.0 grade point average.  Dominic Stegall from Mays High School, who also plans to attend Bard College to play baseball, has a 3.7 GPA.  And Mays’ John T. Blasingame, who signed with Rice University to play football, has a 3.5 GPA.

North Atlanta High School’s Justin Taylor, who previously committed to attend University of Alabama, announced his decision to go with the University of Kentucky on a football scholarship.  Taylor’s coach and legal guardian Stanley Pritchett supported his decision the two sported University of Kentucky hats after his remarks.

APS’ Athletic Director Jeff Beggs closed the program with words of encouragement to the future collegiate scholars.  “This is not the end, only the beginning,” said Beggs.  “This experience will make you a better young man or woman.  But the bottom line is get that degree.  Major in something that you love – something that you have a passion for.”