Forsyth County’s fourth annual Student Government Academy class graduated during a ceremony held Wednesday, April 23, at the Forsyth Conference Center at Lanier Tech. Photos from the ceremony can be found by clicking here.

This year’s class had the opportunity to meet with a range of leaders from Forsyth County as well as tour many County facilities, such as the water treatment facility, Public Safety Complex and more.

“Forsyth County students making the effort to be involved in their local government is something to be celebrated,” said Assistant County Manager Barry Lucas. “The academy has expanded the students’ knowledge of Forsyth County government, grown their leadership skills and helped them forge a deeper connection with the community. I hope each student is as proud of their accomplishment as I am.”

The following students graduated from the fourth annual Student Government Academy:

Anthony Novokshanov – Alliance Academy for Innovation
Grace Porter – Alliance Academy for Innovation
Diya Yadav – Alliance Academy for Innovation
Pranav Gorantla – Denmark High School
Collin Reese – Denmark High School
Kayla Wilkes – Denmark High School
Tyler Hiddema – East Forsyth High School
Jada Nganga – East Forsyth High School
Anna Claire Nolan – East Forsyth High School
Michael Chesser – Forsyth Central High School
Sakhi Shah – Forsyth Central High School
Charlie Welch – Forsyth Central High School
Arhan Barve – Lambert High School
Sean Lee – Lambert High School
Olivia Tye – Lambert High School
Shravya Adiraju – North Forsyth High School
Iris Chiofolo – North Forsyth High School
Santiago Walker Farfan – North Forsyth High School
Claire Kim – South Forsyth High School
Caleb Pearre – South Forsyth High School
Sharmada Venkataramani – South Forsyth High School
Brendan Beckham – West Forsyth High School
Jordin Findlay – West Forsyth High School
Matthew Hogue – West Forsyth High School

Speakers at the graduation ceremony included Assistant County Manager Barry Lucas, Forsyth County Schools Superintendent Dr. Mitch Young and WSB-TV morning news anchor Lori Wilson.

The Student Government Academy is an annual dynamic civics program for Forsyth County high school juniors that gives students the opportunity to engage with their local government and gain a deeper understanding of how it operates. Each Forsyth County high school nominates rising juniors to participate in the program. 

For more information on Student Government Academy, visit https://www.forsythco.com/engage or contact Amanda Roper at aeroper@forsythco.com.