Maintaining a 4.0 grade-point average and balancing extracurriculars has paid off for New Wheeler High School graduate Jada-Symone Batichon, who will begin college in the fall.
The Georgia teen is headed to the University of Alabama this fall after being accepted into 53 of 58 colleges she applied to. What’s even more impressive—the 18-year-old’s scholarship awards total around $1.8 million. “It’s everything I have worked hard for,” Batichon told People. “My mom and dad always talked about how they were the first to go to college, so that always motivated me.”
Getting ahead on how she would fund her college education was a personal choice for the Powder Springs grad. “I didn’t want to go into debt. My mom told me interest rates are high. A lot of people are stuck paying loans, and she is still paying hers.” To get the upper hand on things, Batichon began taking six high school courses in middle school. The young scholar was already well ahead by a semester and a half when she started high school. By the time the teen reached her junior year at Wheeler High, there was nothing left for her to take, allowing her room to pick up courses at Kennesaw State University and Chattahoochee Technical College and complete a certification as a nursing assistant.
Hitting the books wasn’t the sole focus for Batichon during high school. The student-athlete learned about balance early on as she juggled several extracurricular activities and her studies. Not only was Batichon involved in student government and cheerleading, but she also served as a lunchroom monitor at an elementary school. The teen lists other activities on her X account, including softball, track, and BSU. Talk about a well-rounded applicant! The National Honor Society member also knows something about starting her own thing. Batichon established Wheeler High’s EmpowHer club, where she managed to hold several workshops for girls who don’t have support. “…We talk about friendships, college, and advice,” she said. To top things off, the Kennesaw State University dual-enrollee recently passed a college-level psychology course with an A.
Officially done with 30 credit hours of college credit as of today (freshman year). I will be taking another college course this spring. Between my AP classes and dual enrolled courses, I will be entering college with 36 credit hours towards my business management major
— Jada-Symone Batichon (@iamjadasymone) December 9, 2024
Batichon’s hard work is nothing short of spectacular, but the teen has her parents to thank for being spectacular role models. Her mom, Dr. Claudia Batichon, is a technical and agricultural education teacher at Wheeler High. The 39-year-old educator is a member of the first generation of their Haitian family to complete high school in the States. She now runs THINK Protégé, an initiative to help students prepare for college and find scholarships.
“Roll tide!” As Batichon heads off to the University of Alabama to study business management, she plans to complete her undergraduate and master’s degrees within four years. The Tuscaloosa institution must have left a lasting impression on the teen when she visited back in ninth grade. Until she checks in on campus, the high school grad hopes to land an internship or job for the summer.
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