Only three students across all the Atlanta Public Schools were named 2016 Georgia Scholars and all three students came from North Atlanta High School.

The Georgia Department of Education recently named the Georgia Scholars including North Atlanta seniors Vajraang Kamat, Rachel Morales and Maleni Palacios-Delgado.

These honored Georgia high school seniors have displayed excellence in school and community life. To be eligible for the prestigious award, students need to show academic excellence, extra-curricular leadership and high levels of community service.

For college Kamat will attend Georgia Tech and Morales is going to Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Palacios-Delgado, who is still making her decision about where to attend, has received a host of scholarship offers from prestigious colleges in the Northeast.

During high school, Kamat has been an active member of the North Atlanta Jazz Band, has toured with Indian percussion groups, and has been the Southeast coordinator of youth outreach for Embracing the World, a United Nations-related non-profit. Morales has been a Key Club officer and has acted as the Co-President of Fulton County Youth Commission. Palacios-Delgado has served as FBLA president and is president and founder of North Atlanta’s chapter of Hispanic Organization to Promote Education (H.O.P.E.).

Palacios-Delgado credits her teachers and parents for always pushing her to do her best. She has sage advice for any student about how to best conduct the all-important high school years. “Going in, you have to know what you want to get out of high school,” she said. “That way you have a road map about where you’re going.”

Only 151 graduating seniors from schools across Georgia were recognized as Georgia Scholars, and North Atlanta is proud to claim three of these dedicated, hardworking students.