Area High School Alumni Take on the World
These graduates have accomplished incredible things and enjoyed great successes since their high school years. Their talents and passions have taken them to some of the country’s most prestigious universities, across the globe, and in some cases, right back to the Scenic City.
So what’s putting them on the map? Read about it here.
While at Silverdale, Cameron Gonzalez was respected as a student leader. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Samford University before going on to earn a master’s in marketing research from the University of Georgia. Cameron is now an associate director of quantitative insights at Kelton Global, where he leads marketing research and consulting engagements for brands across the globe – many of which are Fortune 100 companies. He also hosts a podcast called Mine the Gap, which aims to help young professionals reclaim what it means to “be creative” and navigate their emerging careers.
As a highly sought-after left-handed hitting second baseman, Cooper Kinney turned down a scholarship to the University of South Carolina in favor of a professional baseball career. Cooper was the 34th pick overall in the 2021 Major League Baseball draft last July, and ended up signing a contract with the Tampa Bay Rays. He worked out at the Rays’ training facility during the final months of the 2021 season, was invited to the club’s winter instructional league, and is completing spring training in Port Charlotte.
After graduating cum laude from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs, JT Wu founded Preface, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving childhood literacy and setting children up for success by fostering mentorships between elementary and high school students. JT is passionate about increasing children’s access to quality education and creating opportunities for more children to achieve their American Dreams. In addition to this work, JT serves as a board member within numerous organizations, leveraging his leadership skills to create systemic policy changes through innovative solutions.
While pursuing a history education degree with Southern Adventist University, Joe Mixon spent a year as a student missionary in Palau – an island country in the Western Pacific. After he graduated in 2018, Joe returned to the island to be a high school history teacher at Palau Mission Academy, something he had been dreaming of for years since meeting a missionary family at his church. Today, he continues to teach the children and also serves as a mentor for student missionaries from across the United States who choose to follow a similar path.
Parker Brandt graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 2014 with a degree in business marketing. Shortly after, he received his membership into the PGA and became an active section player, winning several PGA awards in addition to working as a private golf instructor. Currently, he is the director of instruction at the University Club of Baton Rouge at Louisiana State University. Parker coaches many collegiate and professional golfers and is ranked as a Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional.
Tucker McClendon always felt the call to public service, and he is currently the school board chairman for Hamilton County. Once elected in 2018, he became the youngest board member in the system’s history. Tucker is currently running for the vacant District 8 County Commission seat, and if elected, he will become the youngest person to ever serve on the Hamilton County Commission.
Ayushi Sinha graduated cum laude from Princeton University in 2020, where she studied computer science. Inspired by an internship at Lamp Post, Ayushi went on to co-found two companies and a venture fund called Prospect Student Ventures, where she is currently a board member. After working at a Machine Learning startup, she now invests in early-stage startups at Bain Capital Ventures. She will be attending Harvard Business School in the fall of 2022.
After graduating summa cum laude from Samford University with a B.S. in biology and minors in chemistry and marine science, Kaitlynn Wade is currently a graduate fellow with the NOAA’s Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Kaitlynn is tasked with studying the environmental characteristics of Jonah and Rock crabs, two species that have economic and commercial significance. Kaitlynn’s research will be instrumental in ensuring these crab populations are not overexploited as their commercial popularity grows.
Olivia Reeves began weightlifting in 2015 and has since gone on to train with Team USA, competing internationally since 2019. She won the Junior World Championship and Junior Pan American Games in 2021. Her plans for this year include defending her title of Junior World Champion in the 71kg weight class as well as trying to earn a spot on the 2022 Senior World team. The Senior World team is the first step for the 2024 Olympic qualification process, which starts later this year.
While she was a student at UTC, Bria Sibley also worked as an academic tutor with the City of Chattanooga. In addition to her own classes, Bria helped students at Avondale, Carver, and Glenwood Center stay on track with their studies as a tutor. After graduating with a degree in early childhood education and special education, she returned to teach first grade at Orchard Knob Elementary School where she had previously been a student. In addition to starting an online tutoring and educational consultation program called SittingWithMsSibley, she currently serves as the community schools coordinator at Brainerd High School and is an educational director for the Highland Park Boys and Girls Club.
Nyssa Hunt, who was fascinated with natural sciences and problem-solving with technology throughout grade school, began a career in geographic information systems during her time at UTC. She now serves as UTC’s Assistant GIS Director of the Interdisciplinary Geospatial Technology Lab. In this role, she researches, processes, and analyzes geospatial models and produces maps which guide decision-makers in their conservation efforts.
Aaron Allen Jr. is an educator and performer who has a strong passion for community and creating accessibility for underprivileged people and people of color. He is currently a lecturer/instructor of dance at Middle Tennessee State University. Aaron is starting a dance company in June 2022 in the Middle Tennessee area to bring more African American art and voices to the state. Notably, he performed in the Super Bowl halftime show in 2021.
In John Rhodes’ first year at the University of Kentucky, he had the highest batting average, hits, and on-base percentage of all SEC freshmen. His second year, John led the team in runs, doubles, walks, and hits by pitch. In 2021, the sophomore outfielder was selected with the 76th overall pick in the third round of the Major League Baseball draft and signed to the Baltimore Orioles.
As a high school student, Josey Janow was named Colonel of Cadets for the JROTC his senior year. After graduation, Josey completed a year in the Service Academy Program at Marion Military Institute and was promptly appointed to the United States Naval Academy. He graduated in 2019 with degrees in both computer science and information technology, going on to serve as a naval officer. After being deployed to the Persian Gulf, Josey was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade. As a qualified surface warfare officer, he stood over 1,000 hours’ watch and had 50 operations specialists under his charge. Josey is now awaiting his transfer to the Information Professional Community.
Hannah Dattilo graduated from Oglethorpe University in May 2020 with a B.S. in physics. In the fall of 2020, she started graduate school in the Fisk-Vanderbilt Master’s-to-PhD Bridge Program, a two-year program that exists to improve demographic representation in STEM fields. Hannah intends to earn an M.S. in astrophysics this August. Hannah specializes in gamma ray detection systems and studies the effects of radiation on gamma-ray-detecting materials called scintillators. In the future, Hannah hopes to go to space.
In high school, Ashlie Beth Crownover was the quintessential student athlete. She graduated as valedictorian with a 4.0 GPA and was named All-District in basketball her senior year. Her passion for excellence both on and off the court continued at the University of Tennessee – Knoxville, where she graduated summa cum laude in 2021 with a master’s degree in education. Currently, Ashlie Beth teaches math at Grand Oaks Elementary School in Clinton, Tennessee. True to her roots as a student athlete, she also coaches both basketball and track and is positively impacting her students in both the academic and athletic realms.
Brooke Poole graduated as valedictorian in 2014 from Heritage High School and became involved with mission work in Nicaragua at that time. She graduated magna cum laude from Belmont University with a B.S. in biology. She will graduate from Mercer University School of Medicine this May and begin a residency in Macon, Georgia, as an obstetrician/gynecologist. She plans to return to the Chattanooga area as a physician in four years to serve her home community as well as continue mission work in Nicaragua, particularly with women’s health in the city of León.
