A family tradition continued Monday night at the Bryant-Jordan Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet in Birmingham.
Jack Simmons, a senior at Geneva High School, was named the Larry Striplin, Jr., Scholar-Athlete Award in the state of Alabama, following in the footsteps of his dad and uncle, Dr. John Simmons and David Simmons, who were previous overall winners of the award.
The announcement came during the 39thAnnual Bryant-Jordan Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet in Birmingham on Monday night.
Simmons, who plans to enter the medical field in college, was also named the scholar-athlete winner for Class 4A and was selected for the Dr. Gaylon McCollough Medical Scholarship at the banquet.
The Wiregrass also had another class winner at the banquet as Slocomb’s Emma Wilson was selected as the Class 4A achievement winner.
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Overall, 12 student-athletes in the Dothan Eagle coverage area were honored as regional winners. All 12 were either regional scholar-athlete or achievement winners.
Scholar-athlete awards are given to those who excel in academics and athletics and who show leadership as a student and in civic and church areas.
Achievement awards are given to students who have overcome obstacles or hardships either physically or of a personal nature to achieve a level of excellence relative to their academic and athletic ability.
The locals earning regional scholar-athlete honors were Headland’s Carter Sanders, Geneva’s Simmons, Houston Academy’s Maci Caldwell, Wicksburg’s Brodie Medlin, G.W. Long’s A.J. Dyson and Kinston’s Landon Hanks.
Those recognized as achievement winners were Enterprise’s Riley Stewart, Headland’s Chris Santoyo, Slocomb’s Wilson, New Brockton’s Aniya Barkley, Ariton’s Nic Danner and Cottonwood’s Lilly Rice.
In addition to the awards for Geneva’s Simmons and Slocomb’s Wilson, two others received additional honors.
Enterprise’s Stewart received a W. Edgar Weldon Service Award, a $2,500 grant named in honor of Welden, who currently serves as the Chairman Emeritus of the Bryant-Jordan Board and the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame Board. Houston Academy’s Maci Caldwell received the Alabama “A” Club Educational & Charitable Foundation Scholarship.
Simmons competed in five sports at Geneva High School, including football, basketball and track and was an inaugural member of both the soccer and bass fishing teams. He has a 4.63 grade point average and is expected to be the school’s valedictorian, while taking dual enrollment courses at Enterprise State Community College. He also scored a 36 on his ACT and a 1550 on his SAT.
While in school, he was a president of the Beta Club and a member of FFA, Panthers 4 Christ, the Panther Sports Network, the Scholars Bowl team and a delegate for the Warren Beck Youth Leadership Program.
He is also active at Maple Avenue Baptist Church and has volunteered in numerous school and community projects.
His dad, John, won the Bryant-Jordan overall award in 1998 and his uncle, David, won in 2000. It is the first time a father and son have both won the Bryant-Jordan overall award.
The younger Simmons has indicated plans to attend college at either Harvard or Texas A&M.
Overall, 104 student-athletes statewide from Class 1A through Class 7A – all seniors – were honored as regional winners at Monday’s banquet. Half were honored in the scholar-athlete category, the other half as achievement winners.
Each regional winner earned a $3,000 scholarship and was eligible for their respective class award in their category and also for the state’s overall award in that category.
As the state’s overall scholar athlete, Simmons, along with the overall achievement winners earned a minimum of $10,500 each in scholarship money, including $4,000 as an overall winner in addition to being a regional and class winner.
The winners in each class, including Wilson, received an additional $3,500scholarship.
All of the scholarships awarded can be used at the school of the recipient’s choice.
The scholarships were awarded at Monday’s banquet through the Bryant-Jordan Foundation, named in memory of former University of Alabama head football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant and former Auburn University head football coach Ralph “Shug” Jordan.
Founded in 1986 by the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in partnership with the Alabama High School Athletic Association, the Bryant-Jordan Student-Athlete Scholarship Program has awarded close to $13 million in college scholarship awards to more than 3,000 Alabama high school students.
Below is a look at some of the qualifications of the area’s other representatives from Monday night:
Slocomb’s Emma Wilson, a Class 4A, Region 2 and Class 4A achievement winner, competed in bowling. She has a 4.57 GAP and is the school valedictorian.
She was the band drum major for two years, clarinet section leader, clarinet, first chair; theatre, student director; choir secretary; Slocomb’s outstanding science scholar; and a member of FBLA, Sr. BASIC Club and Sr. Beta Club and FCA.
Headland’s Carter Sanders, a Class 5A, Region 2 scholar-athlete winner, competed in football and track and field, serving as captain in football. He holds a 4.5 grade point average and is the school valedictorian.
He has served as senior class secretary, junior class secretary and vice president of FBLA. He was a member of the National Honor Society, FCA, FCLA, Leo Club, Inter County Youth Leadership and was a Headland Chamber Ambassador. He has served more than 400 hours of volunteer service in the community.
Houston Academy’s Maci Caldwell, a Class 3A, Region 2 scholar-athlete winner, competed in volleyball, basketball, soccer and was a cheerleader. She has a 4.68 grade point average.
She was SGA president and a member of the National Honor Society and FCA. She was a counselor for the Wiregrass Christian Youth Camp.
G.W. Long’s A.J. Dyson, a Class 2A, Region 2 scholar-athlete winner, competed in basketball and baseball. He has a 4.58 grade point average and is the school valedictorian.
He was Senior Beta Club president, an SGA class presentative and a member of FCA and FBLA. He was active in the community, including the Dothan Miracle League.
Wicksburg’s Brodie Medlin, a Class 2A, Region 2 scholar-athlete winner, competed in basketball. He has a 4.83 grade point average and ranks in the top five in his class.
He was a member of Beta Club, FCA and a WHS Ambassador.
Kinston’s Landon Hanks, a Class 1A, Region 1 scholar-athlete winner, competed in football. He has a 4.30 grade point average and is the school salutatorian.
He was president of KHS Ambassadors, Mu Alpha Theta, Vice President of FFA, and a member of FBLA, Beta Club, FCA, Key Club, Coffee County Youth Leadership Program, Boys State and has more than 120 hours of volunteer community service.
Enterprise’s Riley Stewart, a Class 7A, Region 2 achievement winner, competed in volleyball and tennis.
Headland’s Chris Santoyo, a Class 5A, Region 2 achievement, winner, competed in cross country, track and field and soccer, serving as the captain of the cross country team. He carries a 3.8 unweighted grade point average and ranks in the top 30 of his senior class. He was a member of FCCLA.
Santoyo excelled in school after adjusting to a new lifestyle and relocating to the area after coming from a broken home.
New Brockton’s Aniya Barkley, a Class 3A, Region 2 achievement winner, competed in volleyball, basketball and track. She has a 3.26 grade point average.
She was a member of the Math Club, Science Club, Yearbook Club and FCA.
She has overcome social-emotional and academic struggles before and during her high school years to become a standout student-athlete and community service leader at her school.
Ariton’s Nic Danner, a Class 2A, Region 2 achievement winner, competed in football.
He was a member of the Math Club, FCA and Future Farmers of America.
Danner continued playing football this past year after having a kidney transplant.
Cottonwood’s Lilly Rice, a Class 2A, Region 1 achievement winner, was a cheerleader. She has a 4.00 grade point average.
She was active in her church and with community service projects.
She excelled as a cheerleader and in school despite the remaining effects of undergoing surgery and later radiation treatments for a brain tumor as a youngster.