HOLLY POND, Ala. — Holly Pond senior Rilee Shareck collected her diploma last Saturday and in this interview, shared some of her favorite memories from her school years and talked about what being at Holly Pond has meant to her.
“My favorite memories would have to be getting accepted into the Fast Track program that they offer. It is a wonderful program that has helped me so much these last two years. It has helped me prepare for college life and how college would work,” Shareck said. “It was special, because my mom is an alumni from there. It was cool to see her yearbook photos in the library. I am very close to her, so it was special to get to the school she graduated from.”
Rilee will miss the people that she got to know at Holly Pond. She graduated in the top 10 of her class, and she was so proud of all the hard work that she put in to reach that goal. She also got her associates degree from Wallace State a week before her high school graduation.
“I will definitely remember and miss so many people I know. It’s such a small community that everyone knows everyone, so it will be a big difference that I will miss in college,” Shareck said. “I am very proud to say that I am in the top 10 of my class. I worked very hard throughout my time at Holly Pond. Since I am in the Fast Track program, I took college classes fully instead of high school. I graduated with my associates degree a week before my high school graduation. It is very amazing, and I am very proud that I still made the top 10 when I was taking all college classes instead of high school classes.”
Rilee was nervous before taking the program, but she believes completing it changed her life. She was also in a few clubs at Holly Pond and she gained a lot from those experiences.
“I used to be shy before starting the program, and now, I am very outgoing. It has helped me to get involved in my community a lot more. I became the president of the Leo Club during my senior year and the vice president of Rotaract. I have done countless amounts of community service, and I have loved every second of it. The program has also allowed me to get an associates degree from Wallace State. The grants that the program got allowed me to not have to pay nearly as much as it would have costed. I have made many friends there from all of the different schools in the county. The Fast Track teachers and staff are very sweet and have always helped me whenever I had questions.”
Rilee added,
“I was a part of the Key Club, the Beta Club, and TRIO. TRIO helped me with everything to do with college. They helped me decide what I would want to major in, and which college is best for me. Key Club helped me connect to my classmates through volunteering. Beta Club was such a privilege to be in, and I am very proud to be able to say that I was able to be in the Beta Club.”
She soaked up as much as she could during her time as a Bronco, and she shared some advice with any students that are starting high school and are looking to get into the Fast Track program themselves.
“What I learned the most is to never give up and that change is constant. That is perfectly fine. I learned that everything is going to be fine if I make mistakes and to keep trying,” she said. “My advice would be to go to as many events as possible. You only get to go to high school once, so make it count by going to everything you can and have fun. My advice to students wanting to get into the Fast Track program would be to know that it’s not just a way to not have to go to school as much. They need to take it seriously. It is a hard, but rewarding, program.”
Rilee earned scholarships from a couple of colleges but after visiting South Alabama, she knew that was the place for her.
“I received the Lion’s Club scholarship, the Freshman Admission Scholarship and the Jaguar Dream Residential Scholarship from the University of South Alabama, and the Freshman Admission Scholarship from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. It feels amazing. I am so blessed to be able to receive them. I will be attending the University of South Alabama in the fall, and I will be majoring in Computer Engineering,” she said. “It was amazing. As soon as I stepped foot onto the campus, I knew that would be where I would be attending. I have loved everything about the school so far. What stood out to me the most when I was over there was the community. Everyone was so friendly and inviting. They encouraged questions, and everyone knew so much about the college. It had such a welcoming environment, and I also love the fact that they have resident halls and not dorms. I get to have my own bathroom.”
Rilee feels blessed to have God in her life, and she shared one of her favorite Bible verses.
“He has played a big role in my life. He has always been a part of my life. I started going to church when I was little, so I am so thankful to have that opportunity. It is such a blessing, and I am so happy to have Him in my life. My favorite Bible verse is John 3:16. It means a lot to me, because it is asking God to come into their life to become a Christian. It sends a good message of faith. It is a reminder of God’s sacrifice of letting His son die on the cross for all of our sins.”
Rilee’s role model in school helped her become the person that she is today. Being a role model and an inspiration for the younger kids in and outside of school is at the top of her list.
“I would say my aunt Beth was my role model in school. She is a middle school teacher at Holly Pond. She is always on top of things and always helps out the students. She is very kind but strict. She has always been someone I have looked up to growing up, so it was amazing to get to see her face after I graduated,” she said. “For me, I always wanted to make sure that I was doing something that I would be okay with younger kids seeing. I did not act up or get into trouble. I stayed ahead of my homework and showed a good example of being polite to everyone. It is important to me to show respect. I hope that I was a good inspiration on the younger kids. I have a younger sister, so I hope that I influenced her and her friends to be polite and do good in school.”
As she prepares to move on to the next stage of her life, Rilee wants her fellow Broncos to remember her as a kind person.
“I want them to remember me as someone who achieved great things and succeeded in life. I want to be known as someone who is kind and always willing to help.”
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