Aubrey Paine

College Choice: Oxford College of Emory University
College Major: Chemistry

During her 14 + years at McGehee, Aubrey Paine has earned numerous academic awards and honors. She was named a Citizenship Girl as a junior and currently serves as Student Council Representative for her class as well as the editor of Mélange, McGehee’s literary magazine.

She commented, “I think McGehee has best prepared me for college and my future because of the close student-faculty relationships. These have made me a lot more comfortable with asking my teachers for help and going to them whenever I need to, which is a great skill to have. Along with helping my communication skills, the relationships with the faculty are something that is so special to McGehee students because I feel like I have truly been able to bond with my teachers throughout my time here. Discussions in class are not limited to just the material we are learning—we also know the teachers on a personal level and have great conversations together. It is also nice to pass my lower school or middle school teachers on occasion because they care about how we are doing now that we are older. I think this proves how McGehee has emphasized the importance of connections and communication which I will take with me to any communities I am a part of in the future.”

When asked about inspirational teachers Aubrey commented, “I have learned a lot from all of the teachers I have had at McGehee, but this year I have especially appreciated everything Ms. Westfall has done for our class. She is always understanding of us and our learning styles, and she has been really helpful in encouraging my participation in discussions and enhancing my writing. I have also loved working with her on Mélange this year! Additionally, I appreciate Dr. Cresson's chemistry class because it made me realize that I love chemistry and want to study it more. It has been a lot of fun to have coffee and cosmology, perform lab experiments, and learn all about chemistry while bonding as a class. It's so crazy to think about not being here after 16 years! But I appreciate everything I have learned over the course of my time at McGehee.”

Aubrey’s favorite McGehee traditions are Singing on the Stairs—The Senior Song, and graduating in pink. About her class, she stated, “I have loved seeing our grade evolve over the years and how we have always been there for each other as a class. Even though I've known some of my classmates for two or three years and others for 16, we have become so close in these last few years and I know that we can all rely on each other and we want to see each other succeed.”

Aubrey’s decision to attend Oxford College of Emory University feels like the perfect transition for her. She said, “It is a small environment and provides great opportunities for students to get research and leadership opportunities in a close knit community. It also allows the students to transition into a larger environment at the Atlanta campus of Emory University, which has amazing resources for the sciences, the area I plan to study.”

Granddaughter of Judy Paine ’59

Grade Started at McGehee: Pre-K
Activities and Awards at McGehee: