CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce on Thursday named Holly Pond Senior Zackery Reynolds as its 2020 Student of the Year. Reynolds is president of Holly Pond’s Student Government Association, treasurer of its Key Club and co-vice president of its chapter of Future Farmers of America. He is a National Merit Finalist and, earlier this year, scored a 35 on his ACT. Additionally, Reynolds has been a track and cross-country athlete for the school.
Reynolds will attend Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, where he is the recipient of a Questbridge scholarship that will fully fund his tuition, as well as room and board and other expenses. He plans to pursue an undergraduate degree in physics or mathematics, and hopes to continue on to graduate studies in biomedical engineering.
After the ceremony, Reynolds told The Tribune, “Honestly, I’m still kind of off-balance a little bit. It’s a big surprise, and it’s a huge honor to be named amongst some of the people on that list. I mean, the very first Student of the Year (1986) was my calculus teacher Ms. (Tracy Stallings) Adams, and just being told that I’m in that caliber with her is unbelievable to me.”
Reynolds said that he hopes to “become a biomedical engineer and help develop new medical technologies that can help people with disabilities and those who are sick and afflicted.”
Reynolds concluded, “I just want to let everyone know how grateful I am, of my teachers- you know, they’ve been a huge part of me becoming the person I am, my friends helping to keep me sane and helping me to be myself, and my family for being there for me no matter what.
“For the younger kids at Holly Pond and all over Cullman County, just know that you can do whatever you set your mind to, and even if you don’t think you’re the best at something, you’re probably better than you’re giving yourself credit for.”
Holly Pond Principal Steve Miller said of Reynolds in a previous interview, “He works extremely hard on top of being very intelligent. He’s not just a kid with talent on his side; he also works extremely hard. In a classroom and anywhere he is, he’s a selfless sacrificial leader and the fact he can work behind the scenes or lead in the front shows how he does things. He’s one of the most impressive students we’ve ever had at our school. It’s great to see who he is and how he does things. He’ll be hard to replace next year.”
Criteria for the award include GPA, test scores, an application essay, community volunteer hours, letters of recommendation and an interview.
Nominees for the award included:
- Will Akin of Hanceville High School
- Dallin Dinkle of Vinemont High School
- Anna Katherine Eastman of Cullman High School
- Alyssa Harper of Fairview High School
- Alyssa Jackson of Cold Springs High School
- Lillian Owens of West Point High School
- Eli Phares of Good Hope High School
Hanceville’s Cody Kanaday named Career Technical Student of the Year
Cody Kanaday, a senior at Hanceville High School, was named the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce Career Technical Student of the Year. As Kanaday graduates from Hanceville this year, he will also, through the county school system’s Fast Track partnership with Wallace State Community College, graduate from that school with an associate degree in paralegal studies and a certificate in emergency medical services.
Dr. Ginger Hogeland, director of Wallace State’s Fast Track program, said of Kanaday, “He’s wonderful! He does a little bit of everything; he’s like our super student!”
Kim Butler, who works with the Fast Track program, added, “He was always there, and came in the building almost every day with a big smile on his face, and always glad to be there; really hard-working student. If you ever needed anything, he’s one of those kids you’d go to; he’d be willing to do anything to help.”
“It feels pretty great to win the Cullman County Career Technical Student of the Year, honestly,” said Kanaday. “I knew I had a pretty great chance with only competing against one person.”
Of his career tech experience, Kanaday shared, “The Fast Track partnership between Wallace State and the CCBOE is a great resource for students to use to prepare themselves (sic) for college. I was able to get an associate degree in paralegal studies and be able to sit for the National Registry to become an EMT, all before graduating high school.”
West Point High School’s Jordan Tanner was also nominated for Career Technical Student of the Year.
The two winners received a scholarship from Wallace State and a prize package from the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce.
The Student of the Year Awards are sponsored by Willow Bend Mortgage, Cullman-Jefferson Counties Gas District, Cullman Electric Cooperative and Knight Free Insurance Agency, and is part of the annual State of Our Communities program sponsored by R.E. Garrison Trucking.
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