STUDENTS IN ACTION

SPORTS & COMMUNITY SPIRIT

Five JA Athletes Receive Recognition for Community Service through “I Am Sport” Nomination

It takes a lot of hard work and perseverance to become a successful athlete. And it takes compassion and consideration to become a successful community leader. Five 2021 graduates are well on their way to achieving both. Hudson Bridges, Elena Roberts, Emma Roberts, Alex Summerford, and Alice Williams were nominated during their senior year for USA Today’s “I Am Sport” award, the largest high school sports recognition program in the country. While athletic ability is an important factor for the nomination, community service is also taken into consideration. In a virtual ceremony this summer, Women's National Basketball League member, Imani McGee-Stafford announced that JA's Alice Williams was Mississippi's winner.

Alice Williams | 2021 “I Am Sport” Winner

Outside of JA, Alice Williams is actively involved with the Girl Scouts of the USA. She has earned bronze and silver star awards for her community service with both Community Place in downtown Jackson and by tutoring children at Canopy Children’s Solutions. Alice is currently working toward her gold star award by teaching the importance of dental hygiene to students in the Rankin County School District. A member of Christ United Methodist Church, she serves as a discipleship group student leader, Vacation Bible School leader, and works two times a month in the youth department.

Alice was a varsity cheerleader and had been a member of JA’s swim team since first grade.

Hudson Bridges

As an athlete, Hudson was a member of the JA football team. Off the field, he demonstrates his heart for others through countless hours of volunteer work. Hudson earned the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America and was voted by his peers for the Order of the Arrow award, which is awarded to a scout who best exemplifies the ideals of the Boy Scouts.

Over the years Hudson has volunteered with many organizations. For his Eagle Scout project, he built a shed and worktables for Sunnybrook Children’s Home. During the flood of 2020, Hudson joined forces with the Salvation Army to aid flood victims. In addition, Hudson has regularly served meals to the homeless through Stewpot’s Community Kitchen and is involved with Habitat for Humanity, which builds houses for families in need. Hudson has also spent hours serving the McLean Fletcher Center, which provides grief support for children and teens, and The Mustard Seed, a community for adults with developmental disabilities.

Elena Roberts

The main characteristic of a disciple is to show a love for others. Elena Roberts demonstrates this through her role as a discipleship group student leader at Christ United Methodist. She actively serves on a weekly basis to ensure that the younger students she comes in contact with have a role model with a strong basis of faith.

Elena led JA’s varsity tennis team as one of its captains. She also played on the varsity basketball team and was a member of the cross country team.

Emma Roberts

Emma Roberts is helping to build the next generation of young followers of Christ through her position as a discipleship group student leader at her church, Christ United Methodist. This role allows her to directly impact younger students by serving as a role model and mentoring them weekly in their spiritual and personal growth.

At JA, Emma was a multi-sport athlete, participating in cross country, basketball, and tennis. Emma led JA’s varsity tennis team as one of its captains.

Alex Summerford

God calls each Christian to spread the news of the gospel far and wide. Alex Summerford has managed to contribute to this on a global scale through mission trips to Honduras. Locally, he touches the lives of young students through his role as a discipleship group student leader at Christ United Methodist Church.

Alex represented Jackson Academy at the Madison County Business League & Foundation Youth Leadership Class, which encourages its participants to better their community. He also served as a retreat leader at the JA Retreat, making a significant impact on a group of students through spiritual and personal development. Alex has earned the rank of Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America, which represents an expansion of leadership and life skills, personal growth, and community service. While working toward his Eagle Scout designation, Alex volunteered with the McLean Fletcher Center, an organization that provides support for children, teens, and their families grieving the death of a loved one.

Alex was a member of the JA varsity football team, soccer team, and baseball team, lettering in all three sports.

JA Band Volunteers at First Locally Hosted Junior Wheelchair Basketball Tournament

In April, Jackson Academy was the site of the first-ever junior division basketball tournament by the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA). The NWBA varsity division is for teenagers with lower limb disabilities. Teams from Texas, Georgia, and Alabama competed in the tournament, along with Mississippi’s own home team, the WheelCats, based out of Clinton.

For Band Director Todd Taylor, hosting the tournament was a cause that’s near to him. Taylor’s son, Toby, has played on the team since middle school.

“The organization has been great because [Toby] has been able to interact with middle schoolers, high schoolers, and even adults in chairs,” Taylor explained. The family has traveled to Kentucky, Alabama, and Georgia to compete. However, Taylor really wanted to host a game locally so Toby’s family and school friends could attend.

This year, JA was given the green light to host a two-day tournament in two of the school’s wheelchair-accessible gyms. Taylor also recruited band members and parents to volunteer during the games, including KD Davis, a junior, who kept the scoreboard and shot clock.

“I really love the sport of basketball and knowing I’m helping the game progress in a way that the kids can get better makes the experience of watching the game that much more enjoyable,” KD said, who is JA’s drum major for next season. It was his first time volunteering for a wheelchair basketball tournament. “It was just an enjoyable time overall.”