Chamber recognizes excellent students, athletes
One student from each school received an Achievement Award during the Chamber of Commerce’s annual Excellence in Education luncheon on April 19.
This is the 31st year of the luncheon, which recognizes students who are exceptional in academics, character and community service. The Homewood High School winner also receives a college scholarship. The 2016 winners are:
- Mary Britt Garlington – 5th grade, Edgewood Elementary
- Grace Reynolds – 5th grade, Hall-Kent Elementary
- Maddie Massie – 5th grade, Shades Cahaba Elementary
- BriEvan Burke – 8th grade, Homewood Middle School
- Edward Ripptoe Livingston – 12th grade, Homewood High School
The chamber luncheon also featured a saxophone performance of the national anthem by Tucker Wilson, an HHS senior who was recently awarded the overall Bryant-Jordan 2016 Scholar-Athlete.
A panel of student athletes and coaches at Homewood High, led by Athletic Director Kevin Tubbs and moderated by Superintendent Bill Cleveland, also spoke about the importance that athletics play in student development.
Tubbs said that about 500 students at HHS, roughly 48 percent of the student body, are involved in athletics, as well as an additional 250 at Homewood Middle. These students have brought home 31 state championships and 28 runners-up, including 13 championships in the past five years. The Homewood athletics department has also been the home of 10 regional and five overall Bryant-Jordan Scholar-Athletes, and the department has been recognized by AHSAA and USA Today.
Three students were on the panel: freshman wrestler and football player Carlos Figueroa, basketball player Tori Webb and Tucker Wilson, who runs cross country and track in addition to playing in marching band. They were joined by coaches Freddy Lawrence, Jovanka Ward and Lars Porter.
The students spoke about the discipline needed to play a sport and still excel in their classes. Wilson, who is also a National Merit Finalist and made a perfect score on the ACT, said he fits his class work into every spare moment he has.
“Even as a freshman, when he came in, you could tell he had a focus about him,” Porter said of Wilson.
Webb in particular spoke about the impact that Coach Ward had on her life since they met in her sixth grade year. Ward made Webb the girls basketball team manager since she was too young to play, and encouraged her to bring up her grades and get involved on the court. Webb has been named to the all-Over the Mountain and all-area teams, and has helped to bring home a state championship.
“If it wasn’t for [Ward], I don’t know who I would be,” Webb said. “I just thank her for every day.”
Cleveland said that student athletes face particular challenges in studying, as after school tutoring programs frequently conflict with their practices. Because of that, HHS offers its Star tutoring program at alternative times so any student can get the help they need. Cleveland said he doesn’t want athletes to feel like they have to choose between their sports and their grades.
“Academics have to be first, but at the same time we don’t want to take away what might be the motivating factor in their lives,” Cleveland said.