Fourth class of ChHS Hall of Fame inducted at Hargis Christian Camp

Published 1:58 pm Monday, May 6, 2024

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The ChHS Student Government Association hosted the fourth annual Hall of Fame Ceremony at Hargis Christian Camp on Wednesday, April 24 where seven new people were inducted for their impact on the community. (Contributed/Kolbe Hess)

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By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

CHELSEA – The Chelsea community joined together for a night of tribute and celebration as the fourth class of the Chelsea High School of Fame was inducted.

“It was an absolutely incredible night,” Faculty Advisor Ryan Adams said. “(There were) a lot of alumni from the SGA that still come back, sponsors, members of the community and, of course, the current class as well as their families. It was great mixture of old Chelsea and new Chelsea in one.”

Each year, beginning in January, members of the ChHS SGA begin the process of research, going through old yearbooks and interviews to determine candidates for the next wave of inductees to the hall of fame before voting on the final selection.

“The selection, the research—(it’s) all done by the kids,” Adams said. “Because our community is so diverse and developed and has changed so much in the last 15-20 years, you always want somebody in the class to where the community can point to them like, ‘Oh yeah, I get that one, definitely. They should be in.’”

Adams said that that they try to pinpoint a diverse range and variety of individuals from classes across Chelsea’s High School’s history.

During the celebration, the following individuals were recognized for having an impact and were inducted into the 2024 ChHS Hall of Fame in the following categories:

Community category – David “Hootie” Ingram
Academic category – Brian Bunson
Faculty category – Cheryl Miller
Student impact category – Vickie Bailey
Athletic category – Rick Yates
Heritage category – Richard and Sarah Conkle

During the event, an executive board member introduced each inductee before presenting them a plaque in dedication of the moment. The inductees will also receive hall of fame rings at a later date and a group plaque was also made in recognition of the class which will be displayed at Chelsea High School.

“From everything that I received or heard (from) every person I talked to, they had nothing but great things to say,” Adams said. “It’s our big event, so we want to make sure to display the best presentation possible. I always have students who have been there before and some new to the experience, the results are always the same—they’re so glad we’re a part of it.”

Now as the annual tradition approaches its fifth year, its quickly becoming a yearly reunion and celebration of the city of Chelsea.

“It’s becoming somewhat of a reunion and a connection between the kids who are at the high school—the future of Chelsea—with Chelsea’s past and to be able to do that in the present, it’s always great,” Adams said.

During his speech as the host of the event, Adams tried to capture the significance of the event in one word, “legacy.”

“I found a quote, they said, ‘Legacy is not what you leave for people, legacy is what you leave in people,’ Adams said. “ I thought that was a great way to capture each of the inductees as to what they have done. Because they left a lasting impression on several people to (the point) where they caught the attention of 14-18 year olds to, not only have them for consideration, but for induction.”

This year’s ceremony marked the first time for the event to be held at Hargis Christian Camp which is run by Aaron Knight and Kellie Knight. Aaron was previously inducted as a member of the second ChHS Hall of Fame.

Adams shared that he believes the redevelopment of the camp and its meaning to the city parallels the work the SGA does. He also shared that Hargis will now serve as the permanent home of the annual ceremony.

“I could not think of a better place,” Adams said.

The annual Chelsea High School Hall of Fame Ceremony is just one of several activities that students engage in each year at ChHS. Adams also highlighted the organization’s recent selection as the president of the Alabama Student Council Association for the 2024-2025 school year.

“We are steadfast in showing what a willing and motivated group can accomplish to the rest of the state and to show that there is something always good happening here in Chelsea,” Adams said.

Those interested in learning more about the Chelsea High School SGA can visit its official Facebook page at Facebook.com/ChelseaSGA.