Hewitt-Trussville: Class of 2017

On June 5, over 300 seniors will walk the stage at Hewitt-Trussville High School and take the first steps toward their futures. 

For the past four years, the staff and faculty have been working to prepare them for those futures, and the students have risen up to meet the challenge. From excelling academically and athletically to creating lasting memories and relationships, the graduating class of 2017 has learned plenty of lessons that extend beyond the walls of the classroom.

“I think that they’ve continued to stand out, as other classes have, with their interest in academics and their interest in doing the best that they can,” Principal Tim Salem said. He hopes his students will enter the world prepared to make their own choices. 

“I want them to feel like they can navigate their lives,” he said. “And I think we all need help with that, but I think when it comes to your life … the main person needs to be you. And I’ve always thought that education is really the key for that.”

While Ajah Roberson-Swanson’s career at Hewitt was short, she is thankful for the time spent among her fellow seniors. “I just transferred here last school year — my junior year — and I’ve really enjoyed it,” she said. “I’ve had a lot of opportunities and a lot of doors opened up for me that I probably wouldn’t have had at my old school.”

In addition to academics, this year’s graduating students enjoyed opportunities to serve others. 

“What I love about our school is that we have so many opportunities to get involved in service … and to give back to our school and the community,” said senior Tessa Luttrell, who is a member of the school’s service association. “And I think that our school really has a family atmosphere that I love about it.”

But despite the hard work that the students have put in during their high school careers, they also managed to find time for fun. Students like Evan Houston spent their Friday nights making memories in the “Dog Pound” while the Huskies worked their way to the playoffs. “Football was probably my favorite,” Houston said. “We had a good season; I felt like everybody from our entire senior class was like family at that football stadium.”

Nikole Copeland found her own family on the stage, helping put on shows like “Meet Me in St. Louis,” in which she participated during the past fall. “This year, the spring play is ‘Pajama Game,’ and it’s really fun,” she said. “I think it’s probably going to be one of the best plays.” 

She added that her experience with the drama program was where she had the most fun, “just because that was like a place where you could branch out… and get to meet new people and talk to people you never thought you could talk to before.”

Copeland also cited the annual Leadership Retreat as a source of great memories, as did a number of other students who attended. “[December] was my third time attending the retreat, and every year it’s been a great opportunity for me to meet new people and meet new friends and everything,” said Lacey Beasley, one of two class presidents.

“The whole beauty of the retreat is they get to meet kids on this retreat that they would never have talked to,” said Dana DePew who, along with being the school nurse, took over organizing the trip after it was introduced by former teacher Scott Campbell. “It’s a good weekend, but we focus on team-building, leadership qualities, things they can do and come back to the school and hopefully be … better-equipped to lead in some way.”

Students who have been selected to go on the retreat consider the experience an important one. “Last year, when I went on the leadership retreat, it opened a lot of doors for me to open up my mind and gain a lot of confidence,” said Markell Jones, who is co-class president along with Beasley. He credited the retreat with opening the door to the position of leadership, along with helping him learn to be open with other people.

After graduation, the students are excited to attend colleges like such as University of Montevallo, Birmingham-Southern College, and the University of Alabama-Birmingham. They plan to pursue careers in everything from journalism to architecture to clinical child psychology. “They’re a terrific group of kids,” Salem said. “Very good students and interested in making the most out of their time here.”

After June 5, the graduating students at Hewitt-Trussville High School will begin putting the lessons that they have learned — both in and out of the classroom — to the test. And if the past four years are any indication, these students are going to pass with flying colors.