Gainesville High will award three honorary diplomas during its 2023 graduation. Here are the recipients

May 17—Gainesville High School will confer three honorary diplomas during its 129th commencement on Friday.

The honorees are Michael Jackson, Wyoma Newman and Beverly Nordholz, each of whom was nominated by the community. Nominees don't have to be Gainesville High graduates, but they "must demonstrate exemplary support for the school's mission and students," according to a news release.

In 2009, Gainesville High became the first high school in the U.S. to begin awarding honorary diplomas, the release says.

"For the fourteenth year, we are pleased to confer these honorary diplomas," said Principal Jamie Green. "These individuals made extraordinary achievements or support of the storied GHS traditions and represent the character and spirit of legendary Red Elephants. They have all earned this high honor."

Michael Jackson worked at Gainesville High for 15 years as a counselor until his retirement and now announces the high school's basketball games. He served more than 22 years in the U.S. Army before graduating from Augusta State University with a master's degree in counseling.

Wyoma Newman taught English and literature at Gainesville High for 41 years. A graduate of Armstrong State University, she taught junior and senior high school students until her retirement in 2007. She served as chair of the English department and was twice nominated for the Professional Association of Georgia Educator's Student Teacher Achievement Recognition, which honors the state's highest-achieving high school seniors and the teachers who have had the biggest impact on them.

Alabama native Beverly Nordholz, the mother of school board member Kris Nordholz, worked in the school system for 35 years in a variety of administrative roles, including 20 years as the principal's secretary and 10 years as receptionist at the school system's central office.