Succeeding at both academics and athletics wasn’t always easy for Haley Kelley, but the Verbena senior did it well enough to be named a regional winner of the Bryant-Jordan Scholar Athlete Award.

Kelley is a valedictorian and ranked No. 1 in her class, feats made even more impressive by her status as captain of the VHS cheerleading squad and her several years worth of contributions to the school softball team.

“It got hard sometimes, but grades have always been the most important thing to me,” Kelley said and backs up her claim by having never made below an ‘A.’

Kelley was honored on April 9 at the Bryant-Jordan Student Athlete Awards Banquet in Birmingham.

In addition to cheerleading and softball, Kelley has been involved in numerous school related activities including Beta Club, Scholars Bowl, SGA, yearbook staff and FCCLA.

She also won the Chilton County Miss YMCA pageant and participates in a dual-enrollment program at Jefferson State Community College’s Clanton campus.

“She is a very talented young lady, and we’re proud of her,” said Verbena Counselor Brenda O’Bannon.

Kelley has received more than $150,000 in scholarship offers but has decided to attend the University of South Alabama in the fall. She will study engineering.

Kelley is the daughter of Julius and Christy Kelley.