By PHOEBE DONALD ROBINSON / For the Reporter

MONTEVALLO — The McChesney Student Activity Center arena at the University of Montevallo was filled to capacity with family and friends as 114 seniors graduated from Shelby County High School on May 23.

Principal Gene Rogers opened graduation followed by the a cappella rendition of the Star Spangled Banner by the SCHS choir led by Deborah Petipas and invocation by Pastor David Reed of Refuge Baptist Church of Clanton.

Student Government Association President Hunter Ray gave greetings and SGA Chaplain Kinady Wood presented an inspirational thought.

Senior sponsor Anne Stansell awarded the Johnson-Pope Award to Jacqueline McCrary Head, the highest honor given to a senior presented each year at graduation.

Rogers introduced the highest academic students, the valedictorians with a GPA of 4.0 or better and salutatorians with a GPA of 3.8.

SCHS valedictorians were Taylor Blackwell, Jaselyn Harrison, Jacqueline Head, Jamie Hillman, Sarah Horton, Chase McKoy and Emily Reed. Salutatorians were Gabrielle Gannon, Cherity Hughes, Cherish Miller, Josh Pennington, Hunter Ray, Hannah Smith and Kayla Woods.

Hillman was announced as the summa cum laude valedictorian, the highest GPA student of the senior class, and gave the valedictorian speech. Hillman will attend the University of Alabama.

Thirty-seven seniors received 87 different scholarships and grants totaling $1,367,397. Among those receiving generous scholarships were:

— Blackwell: Bellingrath Academic Merit, SCHS Academic Booster, Bobby Horton, Novella Club, Collegiate, Spirit of Auburn and University of South Alabama Presidential Scholarships for a total of $135,500.

— Gannon: University of Montevallo Presidential, Music, UAB Golden Excellence and UA Presidential Scholarships for a total of $107,800.

— Head: United States Military Academy at West Point, Key Club/Kiwanis, UA Presidential, Alumni Heritage, Alumni Scholar Scholarships for a total of $456,300.

— Tyler Deon Madison: UAB Athletic, Murray State Athletic Scholarships for a total of $155,000.

— McKoy: Troy University Chancellor, Band, Leadership, UAB Golden, UA Collegiate Scholarships for a total of $61,372.

— Tiffany Tiara Thomas: Linly Heflin, Smith and UMUB Scholarships for a total of $72,325.

Senior class officers were: Jaselyn Harrison, president; Erin McMahan, vice president; Tiffany Thomas, secretary; Olivia Lawler, treasurer and Kayla Woods, representative. Junior honor ushers were: Wallace Morris; Adelina Seda; Anna Morgan Couch; Tyler Proctor; Kansas Kirk; Jacob Pennington; Kodi Livesay; Emily Wood; Brent Robinson; Kalen Starks; Kayle Cardwell and Matthew Youngblood.