VHA Celebrates the Class of 2026
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The Vidalia Heritage Academy (VHA) Class of 2026 Eagles celebrated one last Honors Night of their high school careers on Thursday, May 14, as the school recognized several students for their academic achievements.
To kick off the ceremony, Valedictorian Lydia Horne, Salutatorian Celina Reaves, Historian Teagan Carney, and Theologian Allegra Demircioglu officially received their stoles for being the top four students academically in the class.
Honor Graduates with Distinction – students with at least a 4.1 weighted GPA, and who have taken at least 8 Advanced Placement (AP) or Dual Enrollment courses – recognized were Jake Adams, Brannen Brantley, Teagan Carney, Allegra Demircioglu, Lydia Horne, Anna Nalley, Celina Reaves, and Rilyn Rodgers.
Honor Graduates – students with a 4.0 weighted GPA, who have completed 6 Advanced Placement or Dual Enrollment classes and contributed significantly to the overall mission of the school – are Logan Belcher, Lexi Caraway, Dylan Green, and Gray McNeal.
Vidalia Heritage Academy also recognized students receiving the recently established Fideles Award, which celebrates students who have attended the school for the entirety of their academic experience, from kindergarten through 12th grade. These students received a white cord to wear at graduation, as well as a $100 scholarship from the school’s Board of Directors. Graduates receiving the Fideles Award were Teagan Carney, Dylan Green, Maggie Hilton, Lydia Horne, Gray McNeal, Collin Morris, Summer Ward, and Colby Whitaker.
Rilyn Rodgers was recognized for receiving six scholarships to help fund the continuation of her education, including the Cancer Pathways Teen Writing Scholarship, Foundation for Rural Service Scholarship, Zack Fowler Honorary Scholarship, Global Citizens Scholarship, National Honor Society Scholarship, and the George A. Zeiss Memorial Scholarship, which is presented by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Academy Association. Rodgers is the first student from VHA to ever receive the National Honor Society Scholarship.
Lydia Horne took home five scholarships, including the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Foundation Scholarship, Joyce Barney Memorial Scholarship, Courtney Wilkes Memorial Scholarship, and two scholarships from the Georgia 4-H Foundation.
Anna Nalley was honored for receiving three scholarships – the Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Scholarship, Frank Moore Memorial Scholarship, and Ernest Griggers Scholarship. She also received a pin to wear at graduation for pushing herself personally, academically, and physically to complete Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) classes and training hours, as she officially became a nationally licensed EMT on Monday, May 11 – almost two weeks before she graduated from high school. Nalley is the first student from VHA to ever accomplish this licensure prior to graduation.
Brannen Brantley was celebrated for receiving the Zell Miller Scholarship, Summer Ward took home the Brewton-Parker Christian University Dual Enrollment Excellence Scholarship, and Dylan Green was recognized for being selected to complete the Georgia Power Summer Internship Program, where he will spend 8 weeks gaining knowledge of power lines, construction standards, and safety protocols while working with a crew on daily work activities.
Jake Adams, Brannen Brantley, Teagan Carney, Allegra Demircioglu, Lydia Horne, Collin Morris, and Anna Nalley were honored for attending Harvard Model Congress, the top U.S. Government simulation program in the world.
Allegra Demircioglu received the Principal’s Award and Bible Scholar Award for having the highest overall GPA for the year and the highest cumulative GPA in Bible classes. Lydia Horne was presented the Character Award for staying true to her faith regardless of circumstances.
The Vidalia Heritage Academy Class of 2026 Eagles will graduate at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 23, at the First Baptist Church of Vidalia sanctuary.
