Christopher Dean overcomes life’s challenges
He will walk across the graduation stage with pride, knowing all he has accomplished through hard work and discipline.
As Armuchee High senior Christopher Dean prepares to graduate in two weeks, he cannot help but think of the teachers and administrators he says stuck up for him and helped him through the rough patches of having Asperger syndrome, a condition on the autism spectrum.
“Fly straight and act right,” he recalled being told by Emily Mowery, his English teacher who patiently assisted him but did not hesitate when tough talks were needed.
The path to graduation of the lifelong Armuchee student has been one of overcoming his disability, which affects his motor and social skills and heightens impulsivity, through hard work and discipline, he said. His ability to overcome was recognized in his winning of the Rome Exchange Club’s Accepting the Challenge of Excellence Award in March — he was stunned and amazed upon receiving it. The award is given to a student who, despite facing challenging life circumstances, fights through to graduate high school and turns to future endeavors with clarity.
In July, Dean will travel to Columbus for the state level ACE Award competition, with a chance to make it into the national competition. Then in the fall, he will settle in at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, which he says feels like Rome to him. He plans to major in digital media studies, which is also his pathway at the Floyd County College and Career Academy.
Dean aims to get involved in moviemaking and animation, combining his passion for art and computers, he said.
With a heavy course load of AP classes, taking exams for each one to receive college credit, volunteering for numerous community service projects and working at the Armuchee Jack’s, Dean said he is ready for graduation and some relief, even if it is temporary. However, he believes he is ready for the rigor of courses in college, where he hopes to take in more freedom and make new friends.
But as he looks toward the future, Dean also is in the place of remembering all the memories he has made in school over the years, he said. His community has certainly made an impact on him and he hopes to return that favor through community service and getting more involved in the future, he said.
By the end of this semester, Dean will have over 80 hours of volunteer time, participating in Relay For Life and the Autism Walk, helping with the soup kitchen at North Rome Church of God and gathering supplies through National Honor Society for blessing bags given out to the homeless.
When Dean graduates, he said his parents will be proud and there will likely be one of those “crying mom moments.” He will feel accomplished for all he has done when he walks across that stage at the Forum River Center on May 25, he said.
The RN-T is highlighting outstanding graduates from area schools in a series of profiles.