Norcross High 2012 Class Set to Graduate

It will be an emotional night for the 610 Norcross High School seniors who say goodbye to their grade school years when they're handed their diplomas Thursday at 8:00 p.m. at their graduation ceremony held at the Arena at the Gwinnett Center on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth.

Leah Topper is Norcross HS 2012 Valedictorian, Andrew Alin is the Salutatorian. The Blue Devil graduating class also includes 122 graduating with honors.

Valedictorian, Leah Topper is the daughter of Sarah and David Topper and will be attending either UNC Chapel Hill or Rice University in the fall. Her intended major is biology. She has received or been offered several scholarships including the Gordon A. Rich Scholarship worth $12,500 annually, the Tulane University Presidential Scholarship worth $27,000 annually, an Emory University Scholarship of $13,000 annually, and Brandeis University Alumni and Friends Scholarship of $34,590 annually.

She's also been offered a Rice University Tuition Grant worth $30,400 annually. She plans to attend medical school and hopes to become a doctor. Topper said she also may venture into the scientific research field. Her honors and awards include being a volleyball scholar athlete, a PTA Reflections Music Compositions finalist, placing first in the science fair, being president of the Jewish Culture Club and the senior class treasurer. She also volunteers as a piano player at Summer's Landing and is an active member of the Congregation Beth Shalom.

Salutatorian: Andrew Alin, son of Mary Alin and Jay Alin, will be attending the University of Pennsylvania with an intended major of biomedical engineering. He has recieved the Maxxis International USA scholarship, and he plans to become either a bioengineering professor, a nanotechnologist or a robotics engineer.

His honors and awards including being a U.S. Department of Education Presidential scholar, a STAR Student System Winner, being in the Governor's Honor Program for math and being an American Mathematics Competitions AMC-10 School winner. He's on the Norcross Math Team as the varisty captain and GAME oralist, and is the president of both the Norcross Science Club and the Norcross Senior Beta.

His community activities include collecting, renovating and donating laptops for Mustard Seed Communities supporting orphanages in Jamaica, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic; and fundraising for the Care4Needy Copts organization.

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