Katelyn Umholtz | The Valdosta Daily TimesDr. Carly Thomas received the Distinguished Alumna Award from Lowndes County School Superintendent Wes Taylor at the LEIF Awards Banquet. 

VALDOSTA — For the first time in at least 10 years, Carly Thomas was sitting inside the Lowndes High school cafeteria April 18. 

Rather than eating a meal with classmates before fourth block began, she was accepting the Lowndes County Distinguished Alumna Award with family, friends and current Lowndes employees and students present.

“For me, leading a successful life means being truly happy with the choices I’ve made knowing that I’m living the best life I can,” the local pediatric dentist said. “Success for me is not financial. It’s not things. It’s happiness.”

The Lowndes High graduate was selected as the 2019 Distinguished Alumna and asked to speak at the 18th Annual Lowndes Education Improvement Foundation Awards Banquet.

The event not only honored Thomas but several students, teachers and parents for their academic and instructional achievement and support.

LaVerne Rome, awards banquet organizer, said she hoped Thomas’ speech would inspire award-winning students to continue to excel.

“That’s the importance of having a distinguished alumnus,” Rome said. “They can relate to her because she was here a few years back, and it shows them that coming out of Lowndes High School means you’re equipped to become whatever you seek to become.”

LEIF awarded about $15,000 in scholarship money to several Lowndes High seniors, and more students were recognized from all Lowndes campuses for highest academic achievement and most improved.

Those students include Clyattville Elementary’s Freddie Finnissee and Jeremiah Gary, Dewar Elementary’s Rylin Strickland and Karime Salguero Cruz, Hahira Elementary’s Anna Elliott and Victoria Concha-Lugo, Lake Park Elementary’s Caleb Tolle and Curtis Young, Moulton-Branch Elementary’s Michael Gemma and Alan Hernandez, Pine Grove Elementary’s Avery Jones and Sebastain Garretson, Westside Elementary’s Aarin Dave and Lundyn Tucker, Hahira Middle’s DeLanie Roberts and Kamron Gilmore, Lowndes Middle’s Aaliyah Bryant and Jadee “Abby” Maichele, Pine Grove Middle’s Amber Anderson and Brandon Roe and Lowndes High’s Trevor Clayton (the highest academic achievement student will be announced at honor’s night).

Each school awarded its outstanding parent volunteer of the year, and several teachers received incentive grants to put toward instruction materials.

Thomas, who has four children who have attended or currently attend Lowndes County Schools, congratulated the students especially for their awards.

“Today, it is your teachers and administrators that see your effort,” Thomas said. “One day, it will be your employer or customers who notice your effort, and that reaps its own benefits.”

Katelyn Umholtz is a reporter with the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256.