Senior Jordan Mangham will graduate from Mary Persons on Friday as perhaps the first student in school history to earn all his course credits in just one year.
After four years of being home-schooled, the 6-foot-5 Mangham decided last September he wanted to enroll at MP and earn a real high school diploma. His dream hit a snag before his first day when he talked to MP counselor Teresa Roller. She informed him that the home-school curriculum he had used, Alpha and Omega from Switched-on Schoolhouse, was not accredited. Therefore he couldn't get credits for any of the courses he had completed at home toward a diploma. The only way he could graduate this May, Roller told him, was not only to take four senior classes but also to pass 18 other end-of-course final exams for classes he'd already taken in home school. Many would be tempted to quit there.
"My mom said, 'I wouldn't have done it,'" laughs Jordan. "But I decided that's what I wanted."
So over the past eight months Mangham has taken and passed 22 final exams, the last one taken on Wednesday, and at last earned the credits required to graduate. It hasn't been easy but Mangham said the teachers and support of Mary Persons have helped him along. He said it's been a great experience, especially compared to where he last attended public schools, in Bibb County, said Jordan.
Mangham said he was in the gifted program at Bibb County's Rutland Middle School in eighth grade when one of his teachers left. The school couldn't find a strong replacement and wound up getting a special needs teacher to fill in.
"She was nice but she didn't know what she was doing," said Jordan. There were other issues with his math teacher and his parents talked to the school counselors extensively. Finally the school suggested that it might be best to home-school Jordan. His parents gave him the choice and he decided to do just that.
Jordan said he enjoyed home-schooling and he played soccer and football for Westside Christian School in Byron. But last year his grandfather got sick and his parents had to move into a crowded home to take care of him.
HIs cousin Brandon offered to let him live with them on Montpelier Road in Forsyth. Jordan said he's the youngest child so his mom was sad, but said she understood.
Moving to Monroe County allowed him to enroll at Mary Persons. Jordan said Mrs. Roller and the school graduation coach Mrs. McLuen stayed on top of his testing needs really well.
Jordan said he found the culture in Monroe County schools was different than Bibb County. Many students complained that there were three fights in school during the first semester. That's nothing, Jordan told them. He saw three fights in two weeks at Rutland Middle School.
"Honestly, the kids are probably better in Monroe County," said Jordan. "I enjoyed it. The teachers were great."
He said he loved most of his teachers and counselors who helped him reach his goal. And they loved him back.
Roller said they've never had a student like Jordan who enrolled as a senior with no credits. Despite that challenge, she said Jordan always kept a great attitude.
"Amazingly, Jordan has never complained, balked or resisted any of the requirements which have included he take every End-of-course-tests for all eight subjects in addition to finals for all of the other courses," said Roller. "He is truly a joy to be around and unbelievably well-mannered, kind and gentle (in spite of his size). He is a very BIG, country boy with an amazing heart! We are all amazed at his diligence and fortitude throughout this process. I only wish he had transferred to MPHS as a freshman instead of a senior."
Now that he's pulled off the feat, Jordan is moving on to his next goal. He wants to get an engineering degree and is considering Southern, Mercer and Middle Georgia State to get his core credits.
Whatever he does, he'll carry into it the same determination and work ethic that allowed him to achieve a first in MP history.
"I don’t like to stop until the job’s done," said Jordan. "I got that from Brandon my cousin. We’re two grandsons in the family that do all the repairs on trucks and other vehicles. If he's working on something I help him until we're done."