Most students start their careers after high school, but for Etowah alumni Taylor Sullivan, Drew Waters, and Chandler Riggs, it is a different story.

“I think it is so cool that we walk the same halls as people who are famous now, and who have been taught by the same teachers,” Ally Zazzara, sophomore, said.

Taylor Sullivan, class of 2017, attended Etowah her freshman year, and then got involved in modeling, so she decided homeschooling would best fit her changing lifestyle. She travels around the world as a fashion model.

“I am so thankful for the way Etowah High School encouraged me to follow my dreams. They worked with me to create a learning schedule that fit my lifestyle and allowed me to pursue my career. Without their support and flexibility, I would not be where I am today,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan’s job takes her across North America and abroad, walking the runways and doing photo shoots for fashion magazines, like Cosmopolitan.

Actor and fellow Class of 2017 alum, Chandler Riggs, starred for many years in “The Walking Dead.” Although written off the show, Riggs still won the “Best Younger Actor on Television” at the 44th annual Saturn Awards.

Drew Waters, another 2017 graduate now plays for the Atlanta Braves. Waters played baseball all four years while at Etowah and continues to live his dream as a professional baseball player. The Braves drafted Waters, and he is working his way up the farm system.

Although he is making new fans, Waters has many fans here in Woodstock, including his former teammates who enjoyed playing with him.  

“He could change the momentum of any pitch at any bat, and it was fun to watch how he played the game and learn from it,” Bryant Madden, senior, said.

High school gives students the opportunity to pursue what they are passionate about and what they can see themselves doing in the future. It comes sooner for some than others.