Bibb County School District announces Class of 2025 Valedictorians and Salutatorians

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Bibb County School District has announced the Valedictorians and Salutatorians for the Class of 2025, recognizing 14 high-achieving seniors across its high schools for their academic excellence and community leadership.

According to a news release from the Bibb County School District, Superintendent Dr. Dan A. Sims hosted a celebratory lunch for the top students to reflect on their accomplishments and future plans.

• At Central High School, Muhammad Dar earned Valedictorian honors. He will graduate with an International Baccalaureate Diploma and plans to attend Mercer University to study medicine with a focus on cardiology. Salutatorian Merlin Ramirez-Perez made school history as the first student to complete the IB Career-Related Programme and will pursue a medical career at Loyola University Maryland.
• Howard High School named Fatima Tiozang Sappi as Valedictorian. A published author and community volunteer, she will attend Georgia Tech as a Business major. Heien Chang, the Salutatorian, founded her own nonprofit and plans to study Economics and International Affairs at Georgia Tech.
• At Northeast High School, Nicholas Woodford was named Valedictorian. A scholar-athlete and community leader, he plans to attend Morehouse College. Salutatorian Hayley B. Terry will enroll at the University of Georgia to pursue corporate law.
• Rutland High School’s Valedictorian is Garrett Roberts, a STAR Student with a 1530 SAT score. He will study Electrical Engineering at Georgia Tech. Salutatorian Brandon Durden completed 30 college credit hours through dual enrollment and will major in Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech.
• Southwest High School honored De-Andre McKinney as Valedictorian. A REACH Scholar and dual enrollment student, he will major in Finance at Clark Atlanta University. Salutatorian Ziereyal Taylor completed two career pathways and will study Bio-molecular Chemical Engineering at Louisiana State University.
• At Westside High School, Valedictorian Kaila Lucas plans to major in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of West Georgia. Salutatorian Ja’Toria Sherman, a global exchange student and scholarship recipient, will study Elementary Education at Kennesaw State University.
• VIP Academy named Tanyiah Richardson as Valedictorian. She maintained a 4.0 GPA and will attend Mercer University to pursue Nursing. Salutatorian Madeline Davis, a lifelong student of Mandarin and member of the National Beta Club, also plans to attend Mercer University.

Click here to see the school district’s full graduation schedule.

View photos of the Valedictorians and Salutatorians below:

Central Valedictorian: Muhammad Dar; Central Salutatorian: Merlin Ramirez-Perez (Photos: Bibb County School District)

Howard Valedictorian: Fatima Tiozang Sappi; Howard Salutatorian: Heien Chang (Photos: Bibb County School District)

Northeast Valedictorian: Nicholas Woodford; Northeast Salutatorian: Hayley B. Terry (Photos: Bibb County School District)

Rutland Valedictorian: Garrett Roberts; Rutland Salutatorian: Brandon Durden (Photos: Bibb County School District)

Southwest Valedictorian: De-Andre McKinney; Southwest Salutatorian: Ziereyal Taylor (Photos: Bibb County School District)

Westside Valedictorian: Kaila Lucas; Westside Salutatorian: Ja’Toria Faith Sherman (Photos: Bibb County School District)

VIP Academy Valedictorian: Tanyiah Richardson; VIP Academy Salutatorian: Madeline Davis (Photos: Bibb County School District)