Michael Sharp

After high school, I attended Western Carolina with a few other classmates. After a few years I realized I was spending more time in Atlanta than in NC. I moved to the mecca of Hotlanta in 1992. I graduated from Georgia State with a BS in Mathematics Education. Started teaching high school math, then moved to the middle school level. Now I work in the technology division for the school system. I buy the hardware and software for the classroom. I teach teachers how to integrate technology in the classroom setting.

Roger and I have been together almost 16 years. Currently, we have one nephew, Stephen, who is living with us. Chris, Stephen’s older brother, just moved out last month. (Hooray!) Chris graduated from the Art Institute of Atlanta in June. Stephen will graduate from Georgia State next fall (if all goes well). We have always told the nephews and nieces they were going to college because we believe each generation should help improve the next family generation. Who knew they would take us up on the offer!

Chris moved down from Ohio after high school to attend the art school. At the same time Stephen left his high school in his senior year and moved to Georgia to take advantage of the HOPE scholarship. Roger and I went from having the luxury of visiting extended family to becoming an instant family with one nephew starting college and the other nephew finishing high school. The HOPE scholarship is a great way to pay for college. But when you don’t qualify for the HOPE scholarship each semester, college is expensive – as we soon found out.

It has been a great experience. I would not trade to be anyplace else than where I am right now in my life. I have great family and good friends. Hopefully, at the reunion I can reconnect with friends of the past and open lines of communication for the future. After looking at the reunion website, it seems everyone has been able to find happiness – which is what life if all about.