Four Tallassee High School seniors are finalists for the Joe Sewell Memorial Award and John Sewell Memorial Scholarship.
Bobby Baker, Sinclair Cole, Natalie Davis and Lindan Oliver are the nominees from Tallassee.
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| Baker | Cole | Davis | Oliver |
Due to the current health guidelines regarding COVID 19, this year’s award banquet originally scheduled for May 5 at the Wetumpka Civic Center, will be postponed until Tuesday, July 21.
The Joe Sewell Memorial Award was established in 2005 to recognize outstanding high school senior athletes in Elmore County who have consistently represented the highest ideals of Christian leadership. Each year, one male and one female senior from Elmore County high schools are chosen for the top honor – the Joe Sewell Memorial Award and $3,000 John Sewell Scholarship. Male and female category winners are also selected for academics, athletics, leadership, and church, community and character, with each student receiving a $1,000 scholarship.
Baker is a member of East Tallassee United Methodist Church and volunteer for vacation bible school and River’s Edge Flea Market. He is a member of the church youth group and does yard work for the elderly. In baseball he was an all-metro and golden glove outfielder. On the football field he recieved the Brandon Burlsworth Character Award. Baker has a scholarship to Auburn University Montgomery and is the son of Melanie and Mark Baker.
Cole is a member at Oak Grove Baptist Church where she serves as secretary. In addition, she is on the church's usher board, praise and dance teams. In softball, Cole is a World Series champion and all-tournament MVP winner. She received the leadership award in basketball. Cole is a Chamber of Commerce Ambassador. She is in the National Honor Society, serves as Mu Alpha Theta president, and her family was named 2020 Star Seeds Family of the Year award. Cole is involved with Jr. MANNERS as well. She had scholarship offers to Alabama A&M and Auburn and was accepted to Auburn and Alabama. She is the daughter of Michelle and Kerry Cole.
Davis is a member of First Baptist Church in Tallassee where she is Youth Sunday School Leader and volunteers in the nursery. She also volunteers at the nursing home and helps with Family Fest. Davis is a peer mentor, library helper and tutor at Tallassee Elementary. She is a member of Mu Alpha Theta, was featured in Potential Magazine's Teen Spotlight. She is FCA President and attended Girls State. She is also a Chamber of Commerce Ambassador and former 9th Grade Joe Sewell Certificate winner. Davis has been accepted to Auburn, UAB, AUM, Alabama, Troy and South Alabama. She is the daughter of Brad and Catherine Davis.
Oliver is a member at First Baptist Church in Tallassee, where she is a member of the youth group, volunteers in the nursery, works with vacation bible school, the mission camp and the food pantry. She was recognized as Allstate Insurance Girls Basketball Player of the Quarter. She is a state qualifier in cross country and track. She participates in the Tallassee Elementary After School Program and is a Chamber of Commerce Ambassador. Oliver is in the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta and was a 9th Grade Joe Sewell Certificate winner. She has scholarships to Alabama, Auburn, AUM, Troy and Faulkner. She is the daughter of Tim and Staci Oliver.
The Joe Sewell Memorial Award is the only program of its kind in the River Region that presents scholarship money in conjunction with the awards to overall and category winners. Outstanding 9th Grade Christian athletes are also recognized with award certificates each year, with many of these eventually returning as senior nominees. 16 of this year's 27 senior finalists were 9th grade certificate winners.
Four Tallassee students have been named 9th grade honorees; Micah Cole, Abbie Davis, Harper Davis and Marlee Stewart.
The Sewell Award serves to honor the legacy of Joe Sewell, a native of the Titus community who established a very successful baseball career in the Majors from 1920-1933 and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977. Sewell’s athletic skill was apparent as he holds two of Major League Baseball’s records including the lifetime record for fewest strikeouts in his 14 year career with only 114 in 7,132 at-bats. His outstanding character and leadership are qualities that serve as the foundation of this award. His cousin John Sewell, for whom the top scholarships are named, loved sports and spent much of his free time coaching and helping young people. Both men left a legacy in Elmore County that youth and adults alike can emulate. For more information regarding the award and scholarship program, visit http://joesewellaward.com.
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