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Graduation season is in full swing in metro Atlanta, and one DeKalb County senior is turning heads — not for the college he’s chosen, but for the incredible story behind it.
Jaedin Wright, a senior at McNair High School, turned rejection into opportunity, earning more than $3.4 million in college scholarships after his top-choice school turned him down.
Jaedin’s peers know him as a dedicated student and a standout in the school band, where he plays trombone and led the band as drum major.
But his instrument, he says, has taught him more than music.
“This instrument has taught me a lot of life lessons,” Jaedin said. “Unfortunately, my dream school didn’t accept me. But that just opened the doors for new things.”
With his application fees waived, Jaedin doubled down and applied to dozens of schools.
“Rejection is just re-direction,” he said. “I got into about 40 or 50 schools.”
At a Commitment Day celebration, Jaedin was shocked to learn he had earned $3,477,716 in various scholarship offers. The money includes academic and musical scholarships, along with grants and other funds.
“They were like — ‘and this child has $3 million’ — and I’m like, who is this? This can’t be me… and then they just said my name,” he recalled, laughing.
Those who know Jaedin best aren’t surprised.
“Jaedin is the definition of hard work meets talent,” said his band director, Jared Davis. “He learns from everything. I say we either win or we learn. We never lose until we give up. And he hasn’t given up on anything.”
This week, Jaedin will take his school’s stage one last time — this time as a graduation speaker.
“Persevere,” he said. “Be committed to one thing. Don’t drop it just because times get hard.”
Jaedin plans to announce his college choice in the coming days. He wants to major in cybersecurity to one day become a security analyst.
And yes, he’ll be marching in his college band, trombone in hand.
