Lee-Scott Academy: Mary Ellen Miller

Mary HeleN MIller

By Lofton Wheeles Photos Contributed By Mary Helen Miller

Mary Helen Miller has been attending LeeScott Academy since she was in kindergarten.

She was involved in a large number of activities that the Auburn-based private school has to offer. These activities include being the president of the Anchor Club, chaplain of the Lee-Scott Ambassadors, participating in the Scholars’ Bowl, playing varsity soccer, being an SGA class representative for the Class of 2021, being a Spanish Club member and being a Drama Club member.

The most prominent club she participated in, however, is her involvement with Lee-Scott’s band program. Miller had the opportunity to serve as drum major for the marching band this past season. She also played clarinet in the concert band and tenor saxophone in the jazz band.

“I have truly enjoyed all of my involvement [in the clubs and activities] at Lee-Scott,” she said. “I have been challenged in all areas and pushed to be a more wellrounded person.”

Miller referred to senior year as “naturally, a big time of reflection” as many seniors are about to turn to the next chapter of their life.

“My favorite part has been growing closer with the rest of the class of 2021 as we all realized that our time together was growing short,” she said. “We've been through a lot together and instead of letting all of the challenges of our particular situation lead us into nonstop complaining

and disappointment, we came together and decided that we were going to make the most of our year.”

Miller has many fond memories about her senior year and wanted to share one that stood out to her.

“The morning before the first day of senior year, all the girls got together and watched the sunrise, and we plan on watching the sunset together on the evening of the last day,” she reflected. “Memories like these are what make senior year so special.”

Senior year for Miller, and many others, has also been a strange one due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Mary Helen, however, referred to this year as a good opportunity to, as she says, “cherish the little moments”.

“Any member of the class of 2021 will tell you that this year was nothing like what we had imagined and hoped our senior year would be,” she said. “Football games, pep rallies, homecoming week, student sections, band concerts and competitions and theatre productions looked different. We came to expect things to change constantly.

“The unpredictability of it all definitely brought a level of anxiety, but it also gave the class of 2021 a sense of urgency to make the most of every second … I learned to appreciate everything I had previously taken for granted, and that mindset change made a world of a difference. I am incredibly proud of my class for stepping up to the challenge, and I wouldn't choose any other group to stand next to on graduation day.”

The people at Lee-Scott made the experience special, Miller said.

“All the teachers that made me laugh and pushed me to realize my potential; our college counselor Mrs. Sherri Rainer, who comforted us and worked so hard to make our year amazing, despite the stressful workload that comes with being a senior; the rest of the class of 2021, who know exactly what this year was truly like because they experienced it alongside me,” she said. “When circumstances were unreliable, we turned to each other, and because of that, I've come to love my graduating class dearly.” Miller plans on attending Samford University in Birmingham to major in Psychology on the pre-law advising track. Afterward, she plans to continue her studies by going to law school and pursuing a career in criminal law. This is a time in her life that, as she put it, she “could not be more excited for.”

Greetings Class of 2021,

Congratulations on another awesome year. We started school in a pandemic and ended the school year successfully during the pandemic. I know it was tough, but you showed what it means to have ‘Poka Pride.’ I salute your hard work and dedication to Loachapoka High School. It takes a lot of faith and perseverance to accomplish the things you all accomplished during this quarantine.

You all will be graduating and moving on to the real world very soon. I wish you the best. Please know that your teachers have prepared you to be the best that you can be.

Despite the setbacks COVID-19 had on your senior year, you all had a great year and can go out knowing you had the highest ACT scores of any senior class in the past four years. You also had qualifying AP scores despite the loss of face-to-face instruction last year.

You all have put in tremendous work this year and have made me proud to be your principal. I am looking forward to building more positive relationships with you all and I cannot wait until we can all get back to normal. It has been an honor to serve you.

Great Job class of 2021. #Poka #Pride

Sincerely, Albert Weeden, Jr.