Jessica Coleman is a BHS graduate from the class of 2002. She was born in Georgia and raised in Buford by her parents, Hal and Charlotte Dobbs, and she has a younger brother, Patrick Dobbs. Jessica was a lifetimer at Buford, starting at Buford City Schools in kindergarten in 1989 and attending all the way through her senior year.
During her high school years, Jessica was a varsity cheerleader. In fact, she was a cheerleader since first grade when she was 6 years old and Buford had just started its football program through the GFL. Her father Hal was one of the people who started the Buford Youth Cheerleader Association. In high school, Jessica was also a member of FBLA and part of the band. She also enjoyed participating in the Little Miss Buford and Sweetheart of Georgia pageants every year since the fourth grade.
Jessica’s favorite subject in school was always science. Her favorite teacher at Buford was Ms. Carson in fourth grade. She always held Jessica accountable for everything she did. Ms. Carson knew what Jessica was capable of, and she never let her take the easy way out. Most importantly, she helped Jessica discover her love for reading. Even into middle school, Jessica would go back and visit her.
One thing that Jessica learned at BHS that always stuck with her was that if she ever wanted something, she would have to work hard for it. Nothing in life would ever just be given to her. She also learned to be kind to everyone, not just her close friends. She learned the importance of reaching out to others outside of her group. Jessica learned to be kind and to let go of small things because sometimes a person’s words come across differently than they meant.
After high school, Jessica completed an internship as a phlebotomist at Northside Hospital, and she started working immediately afterward. Two years after beginning work, Jessica decided she wanted to do more career-wise, and she went back to school. During her first few weeks back, she realized she wanted to truly do something to make a difference, and she got the “hare-brained idea” to join the Army and become a medic. Jessica was officially sworn into the Army on Nov. 18, 2008. She went to basic training at Fort Jackson and completed her advanced individual training in San Antonio. Jessica was stationed with the third Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Hood for her entire career except for when she was deployed to Iraq from 2010 to 2011. Jessica medically retired from the Army in June 2014. She is now working to enroll in school to seek a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
In the military, Jessica received several awards, including an Army Achievement Medal and an Army Commendation Medal. She works at Med-Lake Laboratories as a phlebotomist.
Jessica lives in Buford with her husband, Bryan Coleman, and their kids, Jaydan Hix, 17, Joseph Coleman, 14, and Wyatt Coleman, 7. Bryan’s daughter Paizley Bennet lives in Texas with her mother. Jessica and Bryan also had their daughter, Maci-Rae Coleman, in February 2019. Life is busy in the six-person Coleman household, but their neighbors, Jessica’s parents, help when things become overwhelming. Jessica is an excellent example of what it means to be a Buford Wolf. Her hard work and perseverance through tough times in the Army and in work since returning home show her strong character and dedication to her family and her country. We are more than proud to call Jessica a BHS alumni. Once a Wolf, always a Wolf!
