Prattville, Autauga, & Elmore County Student Spotlights – April 2026

Pine Level Elementary is proud to be named a CLAS School of Distinction by the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools for its Outdoor Classroom – Cultivate More program! Selected as one of just 32 schools statewide out of 189 nominations, this prestigious honor celebrates the school’s commitment to innovative, hands-on learning.
The Outdoor Classroom has become a vibrant space where students dig in, explore, and grow every day. This exciting recognition reflects the dedication of Pine Level’s students, staff, and community, whose support has helped cultivate an engaging environment where learning truly comes to life.

Pine Level Elementary recently welcomed the Marbury Northstar Band and Marbury High School Cheerleaders for a high-energy ACAP pep rally that had the whole school buzzing with excitement. The gym was filled with lively music, interactive games, and nonstop cheers that brought incredible energy and Bulldog pride.
Students left the rally feeling confident, encouraged, and ready to take on ACAP testing. Moments like this showcase the strength of the Bulldog community, as students and staff come together to celebrate, support, and lift each other up!

Alabama Public Television has announced the recipients of the 2026 APT Young Heroes scholarships, recognizing three outstanding students who have overcome adversity while excelling academically and serving their communities.
One of this year’s honorees is Kayden Bland, a senior at Billingsley School within the Autauga County Schools district. She, along with her fellow honorees, will receive a $10,000 scholarship, a laptop computer, and additional prizes to support their future educational goals. The students will be honored during a special luncheon next month at The Club in Birmingham.
Now in its 25th year, the APT Young Heroes Awards recognize high school juniors and seniors who demonstrate academic excellence, active community involvement, and the courage to persevere through personal challenges.
Kayden Bland’s journey reflects remarkable resilience and faith. After suffering a serious seizure in 2024 that led to severe injuries and a diagnosis of Juvenile Epilepsy, which was later categorized as medically resistant, Kayden faced months of medical treatments, hospitalizations, and ultimately surgery to implant a vagus nerve stimulation device.
Despite these challenges, Kayden refused to let her diagnosis define her. She returned to compete in cross country and track, qualifying for the state championship meet and competing with Billingsley’s inaugural indoor track team. She also placed fourth in the state FFA Prepared Public Speaking competition, demonstrating determination both on the track and in the classroom.
Kayden channels that perseverance into service. A dedicated member of Indian Grave Baptist Church, she has participated in mission trips to Guatemala through the Autauga Baptist Association, helping lead Vacation Bible Schools and school assemblies for children in underserved communities. Locally, she played a significant role in Youth Leadership Autauga County, helping plan and execute a playground renovation project at the Prattville YMCA. She also participated in a group effort to raise more than $20,000 to support the construction of a Vietnam Memorial at the American Village in Montevallo, demonstrating her commitment to honoring veterans and serving her community.
Kayden has served as President of the National FFA Organization chapter for three years, Vice President as a senior, Campus Leader for First Priority, Co-Captain of the varsity cheer squad, and Captain of the cross-country team. She maintains a 4.09 GPA and has earned Honor Roll recognition every term of her high school career.
Kayden Bland embodies courage, faith, and disciplined perseverance, transforming personal adversity into purposeful service and leadership—making her a truly deserving of the 2026 APT Young Hero designation.

Mrs. Edwards and Mrs. Roberts helped their 3rd grade classes at Daniel Pratt celebrate the Super Bowl in style!
Students explored the engineering process by designing and building their own goal posts, made predictions, and searched for clues to solve the “mystery of the missing mascot”.
They also had a special opportunity to virtually chat with Prattville native and former Super Bowl champion, O.J. Howard, who shared how his dedication to education and hard work helped lead to his success. The day wrapped up with a fun classroom tailgate to celebrate all their learning and teamwork!

The arts bring our school to life, from actors on stage to the sound of the marching band and students competing for the crown. Wetumpka High’s arts programs showcase creativity, passion, and talent across the school.
Wetumpka High’s art programs continue to stay busy as the Miss Warrior pageant arrived Saturday, March 14, bringing students and the community together for a night that celebrates leadership, confidence, and school spirit. Miss Warrior is a longtime tradition where contestants from different clubs, grades, and organizations take the stage after spending weeks preparing their outfits, practicing their walk, and getting ready for their interview with the judges. Many students say the preparation helps them build confidence, improve public speaking, and step outside their comfort zone. The pageant also includes a talent section that connects directly to the arts, making the event feel like a true performance. The theatre is also adding to the excitement by announcing that their spring musical for 2026 will take place in May, giving the students something big to look forward to, as the school year is coming to a close. Together, Miss Warrior and the theater program demonstrate how the arts at WHS give students a chance to express their personality, creativity, and pride in their school.
As the excitement from the theatre carries across campus, the focus shifts to the music wing, where the WHS Concert and Symphonic Bands traveled to Auburn High School on Thursday, March 5, for their MPA performances. Both groups represented Wetumpka with pride, with the Concert Band showing big improvement and the Symphonic Band earning straight superiors. Band student Adaltn Hartley says she joined because she enjoyed it in middle school and stayed because of the friendships, the support, and the excitement of performing at games. Adalyn also said her favorite performance was “Imaginarium” and that preparing for big events requires a lot of practice and consistency.
From the stage to the football field, the arts continue to inspire creativity and school spirit across campus. Whether through theatre, dance, band, or Ms. Warrior, these programs allow students to share their talents and make a lasting impact on the community that surrounds Wetumpka High School.
Written by Bella Brannon and Xyion Morris

At Wetumpka High School, athletics play a major role in school spirit and student involvement. The school offers a variety of sports programs, including softball, baseball, soccer and volleyball, allowing students to develop teamwork, discipline, and leadership skills. The schools’ achievements show the dedication and talent of Wetumpka athletes. In addition, volleyball tryouts give students the opportunity to join a team, build new skills, and become part of the school’s athletic tradition. Overall, Wetumpka athletics help create school pride and encourage students to stay active and involved.
The Varsity Baseball coach at Wetumpka High School, Coach Brooks, stated that his team is performing well so far, though he acknowledges that there is still a long season ahead. He noted that the players work well together and are eager to see how they will perform against upcoming competition.
The head coach of the Softball team, Coach Otwell, also reported that his team is doing well this season. He explained that the players collaborate effectively and have developed strong team chemistry. Coach Otwell and his team are also looking forward to the warmer weather later in the season.
The Varsity Soccer team for girls has had a successful beginning to their year. The team has a 8-1 record which is only going up from here. Coach Fagan says that the team chemistry is great, and plays a big role in their success. The girls all play well together and unselfishly. Looking forward, Coach Fagan is super excited for the rest of their season and being able to have the chance to win the area tournament. These girls hold a big standard to the way they compete and are playing through their season right now.
In conclusion, the athletic programs at Wetumpka High School continue to show dedication, teamwork, and strong performance across multiple sports. With a successful season so far in baseball, softball, and girls’ soccer, the teams are a great demonstration of commitment and hard workers, not just from the players themselves, but from the coaches also. As the season progresses, these athletes look forward to more competition, going to tournaments, and of course; warmer weather. Wetumpka athletics remain an important part of the school community and continue to bring the students and coaches closer together.
By: Sophie Arant, Addi Esco, and Hartley Johnson

Several of ECTC’s Culinary Arts students volunteered to serve at the Wetumpka High School Dance Team Banquet.

Students from across Elmore County Schools interviewed recently with the Academy of Craft Training to attend classes next year as part of their high school coursework on the new Central Alabama campus. This program offers training alongside industry professionals in commercial/industrial construction fields.

Inspired by the powerful photographs of the Great Depression era, these DPES sixth graders wrapped up their history unit with a meaningful dress-up day. Students stepped back in time to portray the difficult journey many Americans faced — traveling from place to place in search of work, hope, and a fresh start.
What a memorable way to bring history to life and reflect on the resilience and determination of those who lived through such challenging times in our nation.

ECTC’s Educators in Training program scored big at the FCCLA State Leadership Conference with every student attending placing in the top 4 in their competition division.
• Hannah M. and Lillian M. (Holtville High) – 1st Place, Focus on Children STAR Event
• Hayden G. (Elmore County High) – 1st Place, Teach or Train STAR Event
• Sarah Kate M. (Wetumpka High) – 4th Place, Teaching Strategies STAR Event

The Elmore County Technical Center hosted our annual Job Shadow Day event on February 25. More than 50 juniors and seniors enrolled in our CTE programs spent the school day at local businesses in their field of study shadowing employees. Students received information about educational pathways to careers within each organization and some even secured a follow-up interview for open positions.