GMC News

(Colonel Pam Grant, GMC’s Prep School’s Principal, Tyler Lightner, Gary Morrison, NewDay USA Vice President for Scholarship Development, Jacob Bailey, LTG William B. Caldwell, IV, GMC’s President)

On February 22, two GMC Prep students were awarded scholarships from the NewDay USA Foundation. Gary Morrison, NewDay USA Vice-President of Scholarship Development, presented scholarships to Cadets Tyler Lightner and Jacob Bailey. These scholarships will cover their tuition costs for the remainder of their prep school education.

“I was like oh gosh, I didn’t know,” said Cadet Tyler Lightner, 7th grade GMC Prep student. “It was a complete surprise that I was the recipient of a scholarship”. “GMC has been a great experience for me and a really good school, it has great kids, and everybody is really nice.”

For 8th grade student, Cadet Jacob Bailey, receiving the scholarship means he was making his family proud. “It feels good to receive a scholarship and to see that hard work really pays off,” said Jacob. “I always try to make my dad proud by working hard”.

To receive a NewDay USA Foundation scholarship, an applicant’s parent or legal guardian must be:

– a fallen U.S. armed service member killed on active duty,
– a U.S. Veteran with significant (greater than 80%) service-connected disability,
– a U.S. Veteran who has died due to their service-connected disability, or
– a member of the armed forces on extended or multiple deployments away from home.

Both Lightner and Bailey were selected for the scholarship awards based on outstanding performance, potential, and the distinguished military service of a parent. Their fathers have been deployed multiple times in support of our country.  Master Sergeant (MSGT) Todd Lightner, is currently a Crew Chief Supervisor for the Georgia Air National Guard. He has served in the military for 24-years and has been deployed nine times. MSGT Lightner spent seven years on active duty in the United States Air Force before joining the Georgia National Guard.

“The sacrifices of being deployed has been really tough on me and the family, with my wife having the harder job; being at home with the children, school work, cooking, and taking care of the family,” said MSGT Lightner”. “I missed growing up with my children and experiencing things like taking training wheels off their bikes or watching them take their first steps. It’s a tremendous strain on the family, but in the end we all come back together as one big happy family.”

Jacob Bailey’s father, Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) William Bailey, has more than 25 years of military service and is with the Army Reserves. He recently returned from a deployment in Afghanistan and has been deployed to combat twice.

“In the past 20-years I think we took a summer family vacation only twice,” said LTC William Bailey”. “There are certainly sacrifices made by serving in the military like not being there for events or just life in general. However, it’s something I signed on for 25-years ago and still feel as strongly about it today as I did then.”

NewDay USA has awarded 30-scholarships to students nationwide, and eight of those students attend GMC’s Prep School. Both MSGT Lightner and LTC Bailey say they are very appreciative and proud of the NewDay USA Foundation for recognizing their military service and for selecting each of their sons for this remarkable scholarship.

“This scholarship is a blessing to my family and an honor to my son, said LTC Bailey

“This is a tremendous accomplishment for Tyler because it enables him to stay at GMC and continue his education in a school that he really loves,” said MSGT Lightner. “This has come at the right time for our family. My son loves the school and the people who work there.”

(Cadet Jacob Bailey with his family.)

(Cadet Tyler Lightner with his family.)