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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

This year each principal selected a graduating senior that they felt exemplified what the Class of 2025 meant to their school. We spoke with each senior to get their best memories of high school, and what they are most looking forward to in the future.

Chilton Christian Academy Senior Spotlight — Angelita Sullivan

Angelita Sullivan grew into herself while attending Chilton Christian Academy and excelled in the arts. Enrolled since the second grade, Sullivan enjoyed the arts while attending CCA and won many awards for her visual artwork. She also held prominent positions in the school’s productions they performed each year with Sullivan designing the set for the stage.

“I am so thankful (for the arts at CCA) because a lot of the things I am into now I would not be doing if I was at a different school, and it introduced me to different areas of life,” Sullivan said.

CCA has only 10 seniors in its graduating class including Sullivan. Everyone knows everyone, but that has its positives.

“It definitely makes for some close-knit classes,” Sullivan said. “You are with these people and you have been your whole life, so there are not really friend groups, you are just with your whole class. At a birthday party, the whole class is there. It is nice.”

One of the things Sullivan plans to take forward after graduating from CCA is the lessons she learned that will benefit her down the road in life. Not just mathematics or science, but social skills like learning how to deal with people and being on time.

Sullivan plans to study studio art in college and she wants to become a writer and illustrator of children’s books.

 

Chilton County High School Senior Spotlight — Ella Young

Ella Young excelled in the classroom and on the golf course during her four years at Chilton County High School where she was able to make lifelong friends and build a plan for her future after high school.

Young said her best memories at CCHS were the friends she made along the way.

“If it wasn’t for high school I wouldn’t have met my best friends,” Young said.

Young was a standout golfer for the Tigers throughout high school, advancing to the sectionals and sub-state rounds multiple times. Young won five consecutive girl’s low medalists of the Chilton County Golf Tournament to dominate the tournament during her time on the Tigers’ golf team.

Young shared the life lessons she picked up through her high school journey, like always studying what you are interested in.

“I am so interested in anatomy,” Young said. “I studied hard and tried my best in my health science class and succeeded very well. It will also help me to succeed in my nursing career path tremendously.”

Young plans to attend Troy University to pursue a degree in nursing, and then move on to medical school to become a podiatrist or general surgeon.

 

Isabella High School Senior Spotlight — Darus Molette

Isabella High School senior Darus Molette is a two-sport athlete for the Mustangs excelling on both the football and track and field team. He was a captain on both teams, qualified for the state meet in the discus in 2024 and was an All-County football performer for 2023 and 2024 seasons. In the classroom, Molette is a member of the Senior National Beta Club with a 3.87 GPA and maintaining at least an 85 average in all of his classes since the seventh grade.

However, is was Molette’s perseverance to overcome obstacles in his life that truly defined his four years at Isabella. In the third grade he was diagnosed as diabetic, but he learned to deal with it early in life and did a great job of eating well, making sure he sees the school

nurse for insulin and exercising appropriately to care for himself taking his health very

seriously. Molette suffered two significant knee injuries on the football field his sophomore and senior seasons that led to two knee operations. He still did not slow down.

“While I have faced much adversity dealing with diabetes since an early age and overcoming two major knee surgeries, I have realized the importance of just continuing to push on no matter what,” Molette said. “I know that God has a reason for all things and through it all I have been blessed with a supportive family, great teammates and great coaches who have always been there for me to help me overcome and to be the best me I can be.”

Molette was recognized for his perseverance by winning a scholarship from The Bryant-Jordan Foundation for achievement and overcome obstacles to excel. Many others might struggle more or fold more easily under the stresses he has learned to handle well. Molette has taken an interest in the field of physical therapy during his rehab from both surgeries and wants to turn it into a career.

“My experiences with overcoming adversity have also helped me to determine what I would like to do with my life after graduation,” Molette said. “My future plans are to pursue becoming a physical therapist. I have been blessed with having some great physical therapists who pushed me and motivated me to keep pushing on, especially during the hard times. I feel that my personal experiences of overcoming adversity and pushing on can help me to help others do the same.”

 

Jemison High School Senior Spotlight — Ashlynn Newsome

Ashlynn Newsome used her time at Jemison High School to soak up some of the best parts about being a high school student. Newsome enjoyed the Friday night lights in the fall supporting the Panthers in every game they had.

“The atmosphere itself — the roar of the crowd, the bright stadium lights and the anticipation before kickoff.”

Newsome spent four years at Jemison and picked up many things that will benefit her down the road in life. From time management skills to resilience, the senior used these lessons to make the most out of her high school years.

“The value of building strong relationships (is important),” Newsome said. “I believe these lessons will guide me in my future endeavors.”

Newsome picked up an interest in finance while at Jemison and plans to pursue a degree in the field in college after graduation. She hopes to use her skills to help individuals and communities build stronger financial futures for themselves.

 

Maplesville High School Senior Spotlight — Kennedy Cleckley

Kennedy Cleckley got a late start at Maplesville High School, but she made up for it and made her three years as a Red Devil worth it. Cleckley moved over to Maplesville from Thorsby High School and only knew a handful of people at the school. She started in a math class that was a mixture of a few different classes, and Cleckley was able to make friends in many classes, not only the Class of 2025.

“Obviously I was nervous because I knew maybe one or two people when I moved here,” Cleckley said. “It is a great school, and I never realized how small of a school it is, but we are all friends, we all get along well and the teachers are amazing.”

There are only six girls, including Cleckley, in Maplesville’s 2025 class. The senior said the entire class knows each other, and the bond the small class has was clear to her throughout her time at Maplesville.

Alongside the school, the Maplesville community is a massive part of the MHS family and its mission. It was no more evident than when a tornado swept through the area in the beginning of March. MHS immediately began supporting those affected by holding donation areas, food drives and other ways to help the community the school is so closely connected to.

“The community here is a huge part of the school,” Cleckley said. “The students here are able to be more involved around the community and the children.”

Personally, Cleckley signed a scholarship to play college volleyball at Wallace Community College Selma while overcoming being legally blind in her left eye. Cleckley excelled on the court despite the obstacle and was awarded with two scholarships from the Bryant-Jordan Foundation in the sum of $6,500. Cleckley won the foundation’s achievement award for Class 1A Region 4, and also for Class 1A overall.

 

Thorsby High School Senior Spotlight — JohnHayes Naylor

One of Thorsby High School’s most decorated seniors JohnHayes Naylor has big plans for his post-high school plans after gaining valuable knowledge and lessons while being a Rebel.

Naylor attended Thorsby for four years and grew close with many of the school’s staff. He grew close with former Thorsby Principal and current Chilton County Schools Superintendent Corey Clements, Dr. Kris Wood and coaches Britt Roshon and Steve Karn. He considers all four as role models in his life and who he has taken the most from during his high school journey.

“It was an experience that I would not trade for the world,” Naylor said.

Hayes said his best memories he had at Thorsby were spent with his friends, family and mentors.

“Thorsby taught me to always be kind, work hard and make good choices as this is instructed to us every morning during our announcements,” Naylor said. “These traits are essential to become a better person each and every day and can be used to guide us in all of our future endeavors.”

After high school, Hayes plans to attend Auburn University and is still exploring his options to find the best major for him. However, his tentative plan is to double major in building science and civil engineering. Earlier in May, Naylor received a presidential scholarship to Auburn University at the Alabama Youth Leadership Development Program graduation.

 

Verbena High School Senior Spotlight — Caleb Short

Caleb Short was a standout for Verbena High School on the football field, but he held his own in the classroom as well and was involved around the school each year he attended. Short always played above his size on the football field and was commended for that with multiple selections to All-County Teams during his career.

Like many Class 1A schools, Short is among a small group of graduates in his class which know everyone well. Verbena High School also goes hand in hand with its community. While not a municipality, the town rallies behind its high school and did behind Short for many years. It is a special bond to have a great relationship between the school and the community, which is something Short got to see throughout his time as a Red Devil.

 

Billingsley High School Senior Spotlight — Sadie Primm

Billingsley is a close-knit community located on the very outskirts of a county with a massive municipality in Prattville. However, the community is strong together with the help of their school, and graduating senior Sadie Primm is an example of that.

Primm came to Billingsley in the fourth grade when her parents decided to move back home and have their children attend their alma mater and become Bears. Family is important to Primm, and one of her best memories of high school is spending time with her brother on the school’s robotics team. Primm and her brother, Everett, were both inducted as members of the International Robotics Honor Society this year. Billingsley was one of two chapters in Alabama to be an approved IRHS member this year.

“Getting to spend high school with my brother will always be one of the greatest blessings,” Primm said.

Like every high school student, Primm learned a lot of valuable lessons while in high school. Some that do not come from a textbook, but ones you learn as you work your way through life in high school.

“The one that has stuck with me most is to choose wisely who you trust with your heart, emotions, opinions and friendships,” Primm said. “It has shown me the importance of working hard for everything you have and never settling. Keep your head high and rise above the chaos of life. Trust in the Lord and lean on him through everything.”

Primm signed a scholarship to play college softball at Marion Military Institute where she will attend after graduating from Billingsley. She plans to major in business and continue in her family’s business while hopefully taking the next step in her softball career after graduation from Marion.

“I want to live life to the fullest, knowing that the Lord’s spirit is within me and that he goes before me,” Primm said.