SCHOOLS

Hoover City Schools Recognizes 2021 Finley Award Winners

The 26th annual Finley Awards was hosted by Hoover City Schools at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex’s Finley Center on March 18, recognizing this year’s three Finley Award winners as well as 150 Finley Character Award winners.

Each year, the Robert O. Finley Committee for Character Education awards its highest honor – The Finley Award – to two graduating seniors and one Hoover City Schools employee. Finley refers to longtime W.A. Berry High School coach Bob Finley, a man known for integrity and good character, who passed away in 1994.

The three Finley Award recipients are Spain Park High School Credit Recovery Instructor Millard “Buzz” Williams, Spain Park High School senior Gage Hughes and Hoover High School senior Colby Carter.

Additionally, students at each grade level earn Finley Character Awards. This year, the committee named 150 character award winners.

Journal photos by Jordan Wald

Finley Award winners, from left, Hoover High School senior Colby Carter, Spain Park High School Credit Recovery Instructor Millard Williams and Spain Park High School senior Gage Hughes. Among the 150 Finley Character Award winners recognized were: left, Gabrielle Taylor (center) with Cathy Edwards and Jackie Taylor. Right, Nayu Yokomukai (center) with her parents, Nakako and Taku Yokomukai.

Millard Williams

Originally from Carbondale, Pennsylvania, Williams’ family came south in 1959 due to the plentiful construction opportunities in Mississippi.

After graduating high school, Williams enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he was in weapons support and served on three aircraft carriers.

He served for four years on active duty and two in the reserves before transitioning into civilian life. He spent nearly 30 years working with AT&T, starting at the top of a telephone pole and working his way down to a manager position in the marketing department.

After substitute teaching at Spain Park High School for almost 10 years, Williams decided to go back to school and obtained a master’s degree from Samford University in 2016. He then joined the staff at Spain Park and now works in credit recovery for grades 9-12.

In his personal time, he serves as a chaplain for Helena Boy Scout Troop 2 and teaches leadership training courses for the Boy Scouts. Williams has been married to his strong supporter, Carol, for 48 years. The two have six children, 15 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Gage Hughes

Hughes is the son of Jason and Lesley Hughes. He attended elementary school at Shades Mountain Elementary, attended Berry Middle School and is now in his graduating year at Spain Park.

At Spain Park, he has played on the football team and wrestled for all four years. Hughes has lived in Hoover his whole life, going to Shades Mountain Elementary, Berry Middle School and now Spain Park High School.

In addition to athletics, Hughes participated in Habitat for Humanity. He has been a member of the National Honor Society and is a member of the Latin National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society and Social Studies Honor Society.

He also is on the Hoover City Schools Foundation Student Board and volunteers at Mountain Top Community Church, where he serves as a small group leader for the fourth and fifth grade.

Upon graduation, he hopes to attend Auburn University and become a veterinarian.

Colby Carter

Carter is the son of Brent and Jill Carter and attended South Shades Crest Elementary School, then Bumpus Middle School and is now in his senior year at Hoover High School.

Carter has been part of DECA and served as the junior class president. He is a member of the varsity basketball team and business academy.

Outside of school, Carter has been part of the Riverchase United Methodist Church youth group and a member of Pro One Basketball.

After graduating, Carter will attend Berry College in Rome, Georgia, where he will be playing basketball.

OTM Students Named Presidential Scholar Candidates

The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program recently identified this year’s candidates for its Presidential Scholars recognition.

The program was established in 1964 to recognize some of the nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors.

Since then, it has been extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts, as well as ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields.

Each year, more than 4,500 candidates are identified for the component of the program that focuses on academic achievement, which is based on high SAT or ACT scores.

Candidates have the opportunity to become U.S. Presidential Scholars based on various paths of accomplishment and submission of a candidacy application. Candidates are evaluated by a review committee using essays, self-assessments, secondary school reports and transcripts.

Students recognized as candidates in the Over the Mountain area are:

The Altamont School: Amelia Neiman.

Homewood High School: Madeleine Garrity, Patrick Harris, Gabriel Kertesz and M. Hugh Williams.

Hoover High School: Cullen M. Blanton, Luke Clark and Ria Shah.

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Mountain Brook High School: Margaret Doyle, Theodore Feig, Ellis Hamilton, Laurel Hand, Ethan Shunnarah, Theodore Simonton and Brooke Smith.

Oak Mountain High School: Roshni Datta and Caitlyn White.

Spain Park High School: Kruthika Dheeravath, Adam Ebrahim, Uzma Issa, Zane Peacock and Duncan Selle.

Vestavia Hills High School: Katy Chen, Jason Han, Joshua Kaiser, Esther Lee, Anushka Patel, Hanna Sha, Dylan Shi, Alex Stern, Ethan Wavra and Siyu Zhou.

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Homewood Schools Names New Director of Academic Programs and Services

Homewood City Schools assistant principal in Alabaster. He announced on March 17 that Dr. John joined the Homewood system in 2010 Lowry will become the school sys- as Shades Cahaba’s assistant principal tem’s director of academic programs for instruction. and services effective July 1. While at Shades Cahaba, Lowry

For the past eight years, Lowry helped build and implement the has been Shades Cahaba Elementary school’s character education program School principal. He has to provide a strong school more than 19 years of expe- culture of respect and rience in education. responsibility.

“Dr. Lowry has proven Shades Cahaba has been to be an outstanding admin- named a National School of istrator and a wonderful Character and a national leader,” HCS Blue Ribbon School under Superintendent Justin Lowry’s leadership. Hefner said. “He has a Lowry received his wealth of expertise and bachelor’s degree in eleexperience, and I’m pleased mentary education from the he will continue to serve Dr. John Lowry University of Alabama at the students and families in Birmingham and his masHomewood.” ter’s and specialist degree in educa-

As director of academic programs tional leadership from the University and services, Lowry will work direct- of Montevallo. Lowry earned his docly with the HCS director of instruc- torate degree from Samford tion to enhance instructional programs University, where he is an adjunct and services for Homewood students. professor. His primary responsibilities will Hefner said Lowry will remain at include curricular programming, fed- Shades Cahaba through the remainder eral and state programs and budgets, of the school year. HCS hopes to and academic intervention programs, name the school’s new principal and he will assist with development before summer break begins. of instructional programs. “We are dedicated to finding a

“It has been my privilege to serve leader that will continue to make the students, staff and families of Shades Cahaba an excellent place for Shades Cahaba,” Lowry said. our students and staff just as Dr.

Lowry began his career as a third Lowry has done for many years,” grade teacher and later became an Hefner said.

Rocky Ridge Elementary Administrator Named State Assistant Principal of the Year

In an assembly on March 17, Rocky Ridge Elementary School Assistant Principal Aqila Malpass was named Assistant Principal of the Year by the Alabama Association of Elementary School Administrators.

Malpass has been assistant principal at Rocky Ridge for the past four years, and she has been an educator for 17 years, previously working as math coach at Shades Mountain Elementary School.

Malpass is a Howard University graduate who is working on her doctorate in educational leadership at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Rocky Ridge Elementary’s principal, Dr. Dilhani Uswatte, described Malpass as a “beacon of inspiration.” Like all administrators, she wears a variety of hats but puts a great focus into being an instructional leader, she said.

Malpass oversees the instructional leadership team, assessing current practices and looking for ways to improve. Her efforts helped the school earn International STEM accreditation and raise its grade on the Alabama State Report Card by 6 percentage points in the past few years, according to a statement from the school.

She also forged a new program called Families as Partners in Education, which supports parents, especially during the challenges set by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Malpass has to be one of the most incredible educators I know on this planet,” Uswatte said. “She inspires and motivates so many people from students, to teachers, to parents. She truly is a beacon of inspiration for all of us.”

Malpass has helped the school grow socially and emotionally, according to the statement. One of the ways she has done that was through the creation of the “Hallway of Diversity,” which is an area in the school filled with objects to celebrate diversity.

In the fall of 2020, two Rocky Ridge Elementary students lost their lives in a car accident. To honor them, Malpass created the “Pure Goodness Club.” The mission of the club is to make the world a better place through kind thoughts, words and actions. A school statement said the club played a vital role in helping to heal the grieving school and community.

Malpass said the award is a tremendous honor because it is a recognition for a passion that runs deep for her.

“I am always trying to learn something new and get better at something,” Malpass said in the statement. “It is a public acknowledgement of the pride and joy that I have on a daily basis, whether I am working on something pleasant or unpleasant. This represents the manifestation of how much I love what I do.”

She noted that she is committed to making everyone their own success story by learning and getting better each day.

Rocky Ridge Elementary School principal, Dr. Dilhani Uswatte, left, with Aqila Malpass who was named Assistant Principal of the Year by the Alabama Association of Elementary School Administrators.

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in memory of Christopher Nelms

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