THS grads excel

By Teresa Williams

August 12, 2006 10:49 pm

— THOMASVILLE — There was no slacking on the educational front this summer for 2006 Thomasville High School graduates Molly Seal, 19, and Caleb Allen, 18.
Both have been accepted into the University of Georgia’s Class of 2010. They were also accepted for the school’s Freshman College Summer Experience, held July 5 through Aug. 3.
“We have to do a separate application for the program,” said Seal. “We had to fill it out as soon as possible because they only accept about 300 students and it fills up fast.”
The Freshman College Summer Experience program allows incoming freshmen the chance to get to know the UGA campus, get a head start on their classes and make friends. But, it’s also a lot of work.
“There was a massive amount of information that we had to learn,” said Allen. “It was intense and rigorous.”
Seal said she wanted to get a jump on the college experience.
“I just wanted to help with the transition from high school in a small town to big university in a large city,” she said. “Plus, it always takes me a little while to get back into the school groove.”
Allen agreed.
“It’s easy to move in with 300 students than however many students are coming in this year,” he said. “I can get adjusted and get a jump on classes.”
The FCSE program allows its participants to pick a certain amount of “beyond classes:” two social, two education and two cultural (salsa dancing, paintball) to bond. There was also a mandatory ropes course with their halls consisting of various bonding activities.
“All the girls on my hall had to maneuver across the balance beam,” said Seal. “That was interesting and fun.”
All participants also had to take a mandatory university studies course.
“You can chose a core course, and I chose a political science class (Introduction to American Government),” said Allen, who is a member of the ROTC and has plans to go into the military, then law school. “That’s my major. It’s a good segue into law school.”
Seal chose psychology — even though her major is chemistry, pre-med.
“I’m just really interested in the mind,” she said. “I learned about all these different things. It was so neat!”
Seal and Allen thanked all their teachers who helped get them to college, particularly their literature teacher, Lynn Stowers, who taught them for two years at Thomasville High School.
“All the teachers are fabulous there, and all of our teachers were fabulous,” said Seal.
Seal and Allen said they enjoyed meeting some of their fellow classmates and their professors.
“To make friends and get to know your professors really paid off,” said Allen. “The professors are key to everything, and our mentors introduced us to some faculty members. I’m going to attend a breakfast conducted by the head of the political science department with my mentor.”
A nice surprise came during an end-of-program banquet when awards were given out: two community spirit awards and two academic scholar awards (each was awarded to one male and one female).
“I was sitting at the table right next to where they were awarding things,” said Allen. “I saw the names of the two community spirit people, and I saw Molly’s name.”
Seal said someone told her five seconds before her name was announced as the female winner of the academic scholar award.
“It was euphoric and a good way to wind up,” she said.
Allen won the male academic scholar award.
“I worked so hard. It was an amazing feeling,” he said. “All my hard work paid off. I almost knocked over the table getting up.”
The duo also said the FCSE program was worth the trip.
“It’s definitely worth it for anyone who wants to go,” said Seal.
Allen said he felt bad for anyone starting class who did not participate in the program.
Classes start Wednesday and both Seal and Allen are headed back to UGA.
“It was nice to come home. It really was,” said Seal. “But, now I’m ready to go back.”