GMC News

GMC Prep School Senior Has Opportunity To Become First African American
From Baldwin County To Receive Appointment To U.S. Military Academy at West Point

GMC Prep School senior Justin Wallace was the main inspiration behind why his father, Jerry Wallace, decided to earn a college degree as a nontraditional adult student with the GMC Global Online College. Now it’s Justin’s turn to choose a university to attend to earn a degree.

Halfway through his senior year of high school, Justin already has impressive offers on the table. He has been accepted to attend the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech. He has also received a letter of assurance from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York.

If he chooses the U.S. Military Academy, Justin would become the first African American male from GMC Prep School – and from Baldwin County – to receive an appointment to attend West Point.

Just before heading off to winter break at GMC Prep School, Justin, who has a 1480 SAT superscore, still wasn’t sure which higher education option he would choose. He does, however, expect his decision to hinge on one thing – basketball.

“It will come down to my opportunities in basketball,” said Justin, who has been playing basketball since he was 4 and has been a member of the Prep School varsity boys basketball team since ninth grade. “I think no matter where I go, I’ll play basketball. Even if I’m a walk-on.”

Justin credits the varied opportunities he has had attending GMC Prep School for helping to prepare him for the next step in his education and future. Among those opportunities are: winning two JROTC Raider championships; being a part of the school’s first GHSA All-Region boys basketball team; and participating in the United Kingdom International Exchange Program.

GMC Prep School Principal Pam Grant has been a firsthand witness to Justin’s growth both as a student and as an athlete over the past six years. “Justin has excelled in academics and sports, and even more importantly, he is a true young man of character,” Grant said. “We cannot wait to see where Justin’s journey takes him. But of one thing we are sure – he is ready to go into the world and make a true difference.”

Justin’s father, Jerry, has worked at the GMC-Milledgeville campus since 2011, where he currently serves as transportation manager. In 2013, Jerry and his wife, Ammye, enrolled Justin at GMC Prep School in the earliest grade possible, which at time was the sixth grade.

“I wanted to make sure that Justin had every opportunity that I could afford to give him,” Jerry said of the decision to enroll his son at GMC Prep School. “If I had to do it all over again, I would take him down the same path.”

At the age of 43, Jerry fulfilled a promise he had made to his son to earn a college degree before Justin graduated high school. Jerry finished his studies with the GMC Global Online College in 2017, graduating with a 3.79 GPA and an associate degree.

Jerry has since made Justin another promise – to complete a bachelor’s degree in sociology before his son earns a bachelor’s degree. “I’m going to try to beat him,” Jerry said with a smile. Justin’s mother, Ammye, earned a bachelor’s degree from Albany State University right after high school.

Justin enjoys spending time with children. As an adolescent athlete, he spent time working with physical therapists and became enamored with the profession. His wants to attend college to one day become a pediatric physical therapist.