HANCEVILLE, Ala. — In this interview, I talked to Hanceville senior Abby Sharp, and she discussed some of the many memories she made being part of several teams and clubs during her years as a Bulldog.
“I was in Diamond Dolls, the Leo Club, FFCLA, FFA, SGA, and NHS. I absolutely loved being involved in different clubs. I love helping others and being a member of different clubs was a great way for me to do things to help others. I was able to engage with different groups of people and give back to my community. My favorite experience was when we made a Christmas village for the elementary students. All of the kids in the elementary school were able to walk through and each child received a gift. Seeing the smiles on their faces filled my heart with so much joy. I hope to continue giving back to my community by becoming an elementary teacher.”
She added,
“Being a member of these clubs taught me to work hard to achieve my goals, to take pride in what I do, the importance of helping others, and why it is so important to be an active member of my community.”
Abby was on the cheerleading squad for her whole high school career and was the captain for two years. She took away so much from that experience and wanted to be a role model for the younger girls who want to be in her shoes one day.
“My favorite experience as a cheerleader was when my team went to the state cheer competition earlier last year. Our sponsors, Mrs. Brown and Ms. Radcliff, and Ms. Ashley at CCGA, taught us the value of hard work, dedication, and accountability. They pushed us to always do our best and to never give up. These are lessons I will take with me for the rest of my life.”
She added,
“As a cheerleader, I learned to be a role model for the children in my community. Everywhere I go, the younger students recognize me and look up to everything I do. I learned the importance of teamwork and showing school spirit. I also learned that when everyone comes together, great things can happen. I saw this when my community came together the night of the county basketball championship game and cheered our Bulldogs to victory. As captain of the team, I was a leader for the younger girls, decision maker, and a role model to our future Bulldog cheerleaders. I was also responsible for planning activities and spirit activities.”
Abby shared some of her favorite high school memories, plus what made Hanceville a special place to go to.
“Some things I enjoyed in high school were decorating the field house for the football players and the hallways for the students, dressing up for homecoming, and painting town. I really enjoyed greeting the elementary kids in the car line, the pep rallies, and going to eat at local churches on Thursday nights before the football games,” she said. “Hanceville is such an amazing place to grow up. The teachers invest in the students and know what they need to learn. There are tons of things for the students to participate in. I love that everyone knows everyone. The tight-knit community helps make it such a special place.”
Abby will deeply miss being a Bulldog next year and took away so much about going to Hanceville.
“The thing I will miss the most is cheerleading. I can’t imagine the way I’m going to feel when the Bulldogs take the field for their first football game in the fall and I’m not on the sidelines cheering them on. I am going to also miss my teachers. I have been blessed to be taught by some of the most amazing people who are not only great teachers, but also great role models,” she said. “I will take away many things that I learned, but the biggest thing is to never give up and always give 110% in everything I do. I have also learned that hard work pays off, that I can make a difference, and to make the most of each opportunity.”
Abby received some scholarships as well and was so happy and honored to get them. She gave some advice to the students that will be starting high school in August; she also talked about some role models that she had when she was younger.
“I got the Wallace State Golf Manager scholarship, the Dr. Nancy Horton Athletic scholarship, and the UNA opportunity scholarship. Getting the scholarships felt like such a blessing and an honor,” she said. “I would tell them to get out of your comfort zone and try things that they may not be interested in. Be present, live in the moment, put your phone down, and enjoy life. Get involved. Join clubs and sports. Be a part of something. I had two girls that became my role models my freshman year. Shayla Day and Katie Lee both cheered with me. They guided me through the transition from middle school to high school. Both of these girls became two of my best friends.”
Abby shared some of the best advice that she ever got.
“The best advice I was ever given was to go to school every day with a positive attitude. Even on the days I had things going on that caused me to want to have negative thoughts, I remembered this, and it made my day better.”
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