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Traylor, Langford named valedictorians at BRHS
Published 12:18am Thursday, April 28, 2011Both Anna Traylor, 17, and Leslie Langford, 18, were named Benjamin Russell High School’s valedictorians for the class of 2011, and Mandy Kelly, 18, was named salutatorian.
Traylor, who has a 4.17 grade point average, is graduating with an advanced diploma. She participates in several advanced placement classes and is also involved in many extracurricular activities such as playing the trombone in the high school band. She is also a member of Key Club, a Science Olympiad, a member of Scholars Bowl, Political Awareness Club and the National Honors Society.
Aside from school, Traylor tutors three hours a week and also occasionally plays piano for Bradford United Methodist Church in Kellyton.
Traylor is the daughter of Marc and Elaine Traylor and will be attending the University of Alabama in the fall on a full-tuition scholarship.
She said she wants to get her degree in English and eventually go to law school.
Traylor said she is proud of her accomplishment and worked hard to earn it. Her will to succeed and her mother also being valedictorian of her graduating class attributed to her hard work as well.
“When I found out I was excited and happy, but I kind of knew it was going to happen,” Traylor said. “It was actually not that surprising because you know if you take the right classes and make the right grades you pretty much know that you’re going to get it.”
Langford, who also averages a 4.17 GPA, is graduating with an advanced diploma. She participates in advanced placement classes and is involved in a number of community and school activities.
She has played varsity softball for the past four years, is president of the National Honors Society, president of the Political Awareness Club, a member of Key Club and Junior Ambassadors.
Aside from school, Langford was also crowned the 2011 Tallapoosa County Junior Miss last August.
Langford is the daughter of Richard and Lisa Langford and will be attending Auburn University in the fall on a National Scholars Scholarship, which will cover her tuition, room and board, a travel stipend, a yearly stipend and a computer.
She said she wants to get her degree in chemical engineering.
Langford said her type-A personality was the driving force behind her success because she doesn’t expect anything less than what she is capable of. She said she not only likes to make her parents proud, but she likes to represent herself well.
“I was excited to see four years of hard work pay off,” Langford said. “It’s an honor, but it’s also humbling to be ranked at number one in the school, especially one the size of a 6A high school.”
Finally, Kelly, who averages a 4.15 GPA, is also graduating with an advanced diploma. She participates in advanced placement classes and spends her time doing several extracurricular activities.
She has ran on the cross-country team from ninth to eleventh grade and also serves as treasurer of the National Honors Society and is a member of the Student Government Association.
Aside from school, Kelly said she enjoys running on her own time.
Kelly is the daughter of Amy Kelly-Hill and plans to attend Troy University in the fall on a Millennium Scholarship where everything is paid for expect for her books.
She said she wants to get her degree in exercise science.
Kelly said her competitive side and her mother’s motivational push lead to her success.
“I was relieved,” Kelly said. “Because I knew that all of the hard work had paid off. My mom pushed me because she wanted me to have a good life.”
