“Without some of the experiences that FBLA has given me, I couldn’t even come to state let alone stand up here and give this speech,” CHHS sophomore Laney Kelley told members of the Troy City Schools Board of Education Monday. “So if FBLA can give me the confidence to subside my anxiety and panic disorder, what can’t it do?”

The speech was a portion of her speech that placed second in the state competition en route to the local Future Business Leaders of America group claiming the best FBLA group overall in Alabama.

The CHHS FBLA students were just one group that got a chance to be recognized before the school board Monday evening.

Students from Charles Henderson Middle School Beta Club were praised for their performance in BetaCon and two students from Charles Henderson High School were recognized for being nominated for statewide awards.

CHHS senior Abbie Barron was named 5A Scholar Athlete of the Year at the state level for her work both in the classroom and on the field and was also named later in the night as the female recipient of the J.O. “Tip” Colley Scholarship by the Troy Exchange Club, which is given to the top Christian student athletes in the area. CHHS senior Peyton Robinson was recognized at the state and area level for overcoming adversity to excel in the classroom and on the basketball court.

Of the CHMS Beta Club, Aicey Hawkins, Kassidy Mizell and Robert Grable were recognized for their award-winning artwork.

The students were just a glimpse of the successes the school system has had in its previous year, with the girls basketball team taking home a state championship, culinary arts students competing in Houston and the high school choir winning the Big Apple Classic for the second year running among those accomplishments.