LHS salutatorian goes from star student to All-Star Game

Eva Jernigan was chosen to throw out the first pitch for the 2025 All-Star Game at Truist Park

Loganville’s Eva Jernigan stands on the Red Devils’ mound before going to Atlanta to
throw out the first pitch of the 2025 MLB All-Star Game. Loganville High School | Contributed

This year’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game was held at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves, last Tuesday, and a local star was chosen to throw out the first pitch.

Loganville High School’s Eva Jernigan was selected to participate because of her accomplishments in and outside the classroom.

Eva Jernigan – file photo

“This once-in-a-life-time opportunity is a true testament to Eva’s hard work, character and passion, not just for baseball, but for life,” said in an official Loganville High School Facebook post the day before the game.

“Whether it’s in the classroom or in the community, Eva continues to show us what it means to dream big and go after it!”

Jernigan was named the Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year for the Southeast region, which earned her the spot on the mound at the 2025 All-Star Game. Prior to that, the recent Red Devil graduate accomplished a lot in her high school career. Jernigan was named as the school’s most recent salutatorian for her academic excellence last school year. She was also the class vice president for three years while being active in a plethora of student organizations.

She was the founder and CEO of Stellar Start Tutoring, worked as a teaching assistant at Kumon for three years and volunteered as a coach for a 12U Red Devils cheer team. She was also in a number of clubs, including the FCLA, DECA, Beta Club, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Key Club and Girl Scouts.

She was a 2024 finalists in social studies for the Governor’s Honors Program, an Ap Scholar with Distinction, as well as being chosen as Miss LHS and Prom Queen at LHS. She will attend Spelman College this fall on a full scholarship, where she plans to major in biochemistry.

Jernigan also excelled in athletics. She was involved in a variety of sports, including cheerleading for varsity football, basketball and the competition team, as well as being a varsity member of a successful Lady Red Devils’ track and field team.

All that earned Jernigan a spot on the mound, and she was ready for the moment. She threw her pitch in front of tens of thousands of fans in attendance, and millions of television viewers. The MLB All-Star Game has grown a lot in recent years and averaged about 7.2 million viewers on FOX this July. The get-in price for standing room only was $220, but the experience Jernigan got from the occasion is priceless.

She hopes to continue to earn these special opportunities down the road, and to continue to embody the type of student athlete Loganville wishes to produce upon graduation.