Grace Christian Academy was proud to witness four of our athletes signing college scholarships before Christmas break: Makai Derry, Weston Edmondson, Brooke Millon and Jacob Rose.
As each athlete signed their scholarship, the weight of their journey was evident in their expressions — relief, pride and excitement for the future. Families wiped away tears of joy, proud of their young athletes who have worked tirelessly to reach this milestone.
The atmosphere filled with laughter and cheers as coaches spoke words about each athlete’s accomplishments and sacrifices, as well as words of encouragement for continuing their journey forward.
The microphones were then passed to the parents to congratulate their own athlete on their achievements.
Each athlete followed with a brief speech, taking a moment to express gratitude to their coaches, families and teammates, acknowledging the sacrifices and encouragement that have paved the way for this achievement.
The moment was captured in photographs, as families gathered around, followed by teammates exchanging high-fives and hugs, embodying the spirit of camaraderie that has been built over years of training and competition.
Makai Derry signed a baseball scholarship with Davidson College. In three years, Makai has a .357 batting average with a total of 37 doubles, 6 triples, 6 home runs and 63 stolen bases. Makai pitches, plays shortstop, third base and outfield. Makai maintains a GPA of 4.17.
Weston Edmondson signed a football scholarship with East Tennessee State University. Weston set the all-time GCA career records in both passing yards and touchdowns with 7,354 yards and 70 touchdowns.
Brooke Millon has signed a scholarship to play softball with Pellissippi State Community College Softball. Brooke led the team to 51 wins with 601 strikeouts and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.01.
Jacob Rose signed a golf scholarship with Lee University. Jacob is the 2024 TN Junior PGA Champion and was selected to be a member of the inaugural Team Tennessee, as part of the USGA’s USNDP pilot program. Jacob was selected by the TN Golf Foundation as Knoxville’s 2024 Junior Player of the Year. He is currently ranked ninth in the state of Tennessee Junior Golf Scoreboard (JGS) and 32nd overall.
This signing event was not just a ceremony; it was a celebration of hard work, dedication and community support, marking the beginning of new journeys for these talented athletes as they step into a future filled with promise and opportunity.
Grace Christian Academy provides an academically challenging and distinctively Christian education for PreSchool-12th grade students including a wide variety of arts and athletics programs for each season.
Haylee Jordan is the executive director of development at Grace Christian Academy. She can be reached at email.
