Name:  Cole Justice

Year Graduated from FPHS:  2012

Colleges (s) attended: Northeast Alabama Community College, Jacksonville State University, Alabama Banking School

Where did you graduate? Year? Jacksonville State University -- 2016

Degree(s)? Finance

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What is your current occupation and Job Title? 

Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager at First Southern State Bank in Fort Payne. I am a lender.

How has something you learned at FPHS helped you in your career or life journey? 

I learned through my time at FPHS to be fully engaged in any and everything. Academics, Sports, School Leadership, friendships, each and every moment. Each student and staff member of FPHS has something you can learn from. The classroom setting can become tiresome after spending 5 days a week behind a desk for 13 years. The gym, band hall, sports field, club activities can become lackluster after dedicating years of time and energy. The hallways and lunchroom can become redundant as you interact with the same group of guys/gals you have spent your whole adolescence growing up alongside. But this is your community. It will always be a part of you. Soak up each moment. Be intentional in working hard, learn in every moment, and get to know and love your classmates. In all things, be engaged. You are surrounded by a faculty that cares about you and by classmates that will forever impact you, and you will forever impact them. Cherish each moment, memory, and classmate. Before long, these people will be lab partners at college, staff members at your job, clients, parents of your child’s friend, etc. I promise you will not look back and say “I wish I hadn’t invested so much time in the people and activities at FPHS.”

What was your favorite high school class at FPHS?  

Coach Boatwright’s Political Science/Economics class.

Who was your favorite teacher at FPHS and why?  

Mrs. Goggans. I was not a star student in math, but Mrs. Goggans took the time to explain the “why” behind the lesson. She taught me to understand the problem before I could understand the answer. Now, my job revolves around math. I thought at one time I hated it, but now I love it and live it. I can attribute a lot of my financial knowledge to the foundation she built with her math classes. I will say, I thoroughly enjoyed ALL teachers I had during my tenure at FPHS.

What is your favorite memory from high school? Or a special story you would like to share? Cat dissection in Mrs. Jennings’ anatomy class. Have I applied this to my life after graduating? No. Have I gotten the smell of formaldehyde out of my clothes yet? No. But for this project I was paired with a group of 4 students that I grew up with and never truly knew. After a week of dissecting and praying for a C on the test, I became friends with each of the members of this group. We still laugh in passing about events that transpired that week.

What advice would you give to current high school students about education and pursuing their future careers?  

“If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” For the next many, many years, you will be working to provide for your family and yourself. Find what you love. Do not let money or people decide for you. “For I know the plans I have for you” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11. Follow God’s will for your life and you will find joy.

Name: Kayla Magbie

Year Graduated from FPHS: 2006

Colleges (s) attended: The University of Alabama, Shelton State Community College

Where did you graduate? Year? Degree(s)? The University of Alabama, Master of Social Work, May 2013/ The University of Alabama, Bachelor of Social Work, December 2011/ Shelton State Community College, 2008

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What is your current occupation and Job Title?

Fort Payne City Schools Mental Health Service Coordinator

 

How has something you learned at FPHS helped you in your career or life journey?

This has been full circle for me, to come back and work within the school system I graduated from has been an amazing experience.  One thing I learned from being a student a Fort Payne is, to always try my best. Regardless of the task in front of me, if I give it my all anything is possible.

 

What was your favorite high school class at FPHS?

Mr. Crawford history class or Ms. Hartline’s life skills class.

 

Who was your favorite teacher at FPHS and why?

All of them really, but if I had to pick one, Ms. Shugart or Mr. Crawford. They both had such a unique way of teaching and their energy was contagious which pushed me to do my best.

 

What is your favorite memory from high school? Or a special story you would like to share?

It would have to be a collection of memories, I truly enjoyed high school. I enjoyed the pep-rallies, Friday night football, basketball games and spending time with friends at break.

 

What advice would you give to current high school students about education and pursuing their future careers?

In high school and throughout life; there will be people who doubt you. The world will try to pull you down and tell you that you can’t achieve your goals. DO NOT listen to the naysayers, do not accept their negativity. Believe in yourself, set goals and attack those goals. Never settle for less than what you are capable of doing.

Name: Randy Posey           

Year Graduated from FPHS: 2007        

Colleges (s) attended: University of Alabama- Birmingham (UAB)

Where did you graduate? Year? UAB 2012

Degree(s)? Bachelor of Science in Economics – Policy and Analysis

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 What is your current occupation and Job Title?

I am the owner of Randy Posey Allstate Agency which provides personal and commercial property/liability insurance. I am also licensed to offer retirement solutions such as mutual funds, 401k’s and IRA’s.

How has something you learned at FPHS helped you in your career or life journey? 

Playing sports in High School teaches you many things. Most of all it taught me that “the game” isn’t always fair. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. How you handle a win or a loss will develop your character. Thankfully I was around many coaches and teammates that helped shaped my character that has helped me daily.

What was your favorite high school class at FPHS? 

I had many classes that made an impact on my future. One that really stands out is Mr Crawford’s history class. Not only did he teach me about history but about how to take notes at a high rate of speed which helped out in college. He also would give soap box speeches about random things like “the political pendulum” that til this day makes so much sense not only in politics but many things in  life.

Who was your favorite teacher at FPHS and why?  

I had many favorite teachers that steered me in a positive direction. A couple that really helped me out was Mr. Alonzo Black who encouraged me to go to advanced diploma and pursue college which I had no desire to attend. He changed my mind and it was monumental to get where I am today. Along with Mr. Black, Mrs. Barnes helped me get into college with a letter of recommendation. They may not know how much they have impacted my life, but looking back, that big decision pointed my life in a different direction.

What is your favorite memory from high school? Or a special story you would like to share? When the football team went to Camptoknowhim and we created the “win10” mantra that propelled our season to one of the best in history. It honestly was like a movie and I can’t believe I was part of it. It was truly special.

What advice would you give to current high school students about education and pursuing their future careers?

*Don’t allow money to determine your career path. Allow happiness to guide your direction. If you do what makes you happy you will never work a day in your life.

*Never forget that in every situation, whether good or bad, there is always an opportunity for positive growth.

*The greatest achievement in life is to give your heart to Jesus and follow his discipleship.

Name:  Morgan Sparks Martin, MD 

Year Graduated from FPHS:  2006

Colleges (s) attended: 

Auburn University 2006-2010

University of Alabama at Birmingham 2010-2014

Penn State University 2014-2015 General Surgery Internship

Tulane University 2015-2019 General Surgery Residency 

Emory University 2019- current Plastic Surgery Residency 

Where did you graduate? Year? Degree(s)? 

BS/Bachelor of Science (Summa Cum Ladde) Biomedical Science/Pre-med- Auburn University c/o 2010

BA/Bachelor of Arts (Summa Cum Ladde) Spanish- Auburn University c/o 2010

MD/Doctor of Medicine- University of Alabama School of Medicine c/o 2014

Board Certified General Surgeon 2019 

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What is your current occupation and Job Title? 

I am currently a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery fellow at Emory University in Atlanta Georgia, in my 7th post graduate year (post doctoral). 

I am a board certified General Surgeon and am continuing my training in plastic surgery so that I can perform complex reconstructive operations including microsurgical procedures. In Plastic Surgery, we perform reconstruction of defects from trauma, cancer, or complex medical conditions. 

 

How has something you learned at FPHS helped you in your career or life journey? 

The biggest take away from high school was the discipline I learned in the marching band. We had to practice countless hours, perform, compete and adhere to a structure not typical of many high school organizations. These skills laid a foundation that has been instrumental throughout every level of my training and highly demanding career. 

 

What was your favorite high school class at FPHS?  

Band! Both concert and marching band. 

 

Who was your favorite teacher at FPHS and why?  

Ms. Rodgers! She was the band director at FPHS at the time. She was seen as very strict, but this proved to be a great source for discipline that helped cultivate a work ethic that I still enforce today. 

 

What is your favorite memory from high school? Or a special story you would like to share?

My favorite memory would have to be a collection of memories from all the friday night football games I spent marching in the band with my best friends as a majorette. It was so incredible to perform on the field and feel like a star especially when the performance was on point. I'm pretty sure we won "Best in Class" in almost every division at one competition. At the time, we were one of the best in the region! circa 2002-2006

 

What advice would you give to current high school students about education and pursuing their future careers?

In high school, there will be a lot of people settling for less... not pushing themselves and not performing to the best of their ability. Do not let this pull you down or let you think your dreams are not possible. The world is so much bigger than high school, and there are so many people out there doing incredible things. Those incredible things start small and are so much easier to achieve by taking baby steps in the right direction. Just keep improving and striving for being your personal best every day.