HCHS Valedictorian Nevaja Brown at Raider Stadium where 446 high school seniors will receive their diplomas on May 24. (Daniel Purcell/Now Habersham)
It’s a goal she set for herself back in 7th grade. Tonight, Nevaja Brown will fully realize her goal when she steps on stage as Habersham Central High School’s valedictorian.
“Being recognized as valedictorian is something I have worked towards since I first became First in Class in the seventh grade. I have held that title ever since, made many sacrifices and have worked really hard in order to achieve this goal of mine. I’m just happy to see it all finally pay off,” she tells Now Habersham.
She may have made it look easy, but it wasn’t. Nevaja says there were “countless hours” of studying, sleepless nights, “and crying on nearby shoulders.” It’s the struggle behind the achievement that makes this moment so sweet.
Nevaja will become the first in her family to attend college.
After graduation, Nevaja says she may “sleep a full 8 hours” or try her hand at “free time.” It won’t be long though before she’s back hitting the books. She’ll be attending the University of Georgia to major in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
Memories and mentors
Nevaja is the daughter of Jill and Rolo Brown of Clarkesville. She’s lived her whole life in Habersham and spent her entire academic career in the county’s public school system. Ambitious and disciplined, Nevaja excelled both in and out of the classroom. She served as Student Council and Senior Class President, Varsity Competition Cheer Captain, and Varsity Basketball Cheer Captain. She says her favorite memory of her time at Habersham Central is “Cheerleading and the monumental relationships I was able to build.”
In addition, Nevaja is a member of the South State Student Advisory Board, Mu Alpha Theta and Drama Troupe 4860. Despite the demands extracurricular activities and studying placed on her schedule, she still made time to give something back. She helped out with Project Give, Operation Christmas Child and was a Special Olympian Advocate.
“If given the option to do it all over, I’d do it all the same.”
When asked what’s the most important lesson she’s learned in her years of public education, Nevaja Brown points to a quote from the late American poet Maya Angelou: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” That sentiment extends to a handful of mentors and educators Nevaja will pay tribute to during her valedictorian speech Friday night at Raider Stadium. She credits Coach Christy Thompson, Dr. Martha Cantrell, Dr. Kathleen Addison, and Dr. Rhea Galati for the positive influences they’ve had on her life.
“As any other system, HCHS may be flawed in its own personal ways. But I truly believe there could not have been any other school system more perfect for me,” Nevaja says. “I’ve loved every minute of high school and I think there’s something for everyone who’s lucky enough to go to school at Habersham Central. Once a Raider, Always a Raider.”
Now, as she prepares to leave Raider Nation behind, this year’s valedictorian offers a final word of advice to the upcoming Class of 2020. “Make the most out of your last year in high school. Don’t wish away the last few moments you have with your favorite friends, favorite teachers, favorite teams, favorite extracurriculars. You can’t go back once it’s all over.”
If she could though, she would. “If given the option to do it all over,” Nevaja says, “I’d do it all the same.”
