Scottsboro High Beta Club wins state and national honors; long‑time ASDE educator named dean at Faulkner University

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Students from Scottsboro High School’s Beta Club performed before the Alabama State Board of Education on Aug. 13, 2022 and reported state and national competitive successes, and the board heard that Doctor Sandy Ledwell, a long‑time Alabama State Department of Education educator, has been named dean of education at Faulkner University and will leave the department next month.

Kyle Wright, a junior at Scottsboro High School and the newly elected Alabama State Beta secretary, told the board that the club — which had only recently established a senior chapter — qualified 40 of 43 students for nationals by placing in the top three at the Alabama State Beta Convention. "Beta is a national organization with 3,574 national clubs and 304 state clubs," Wright said, describing the club’s focus on service, character, leadership and achievement and outlining the club’s accomplishments over the past year.

Wright and other students described competitive successes at the state convention and at the National Beta Convention in Nashville, where Scottsboro students earned awards including a national photography championship. The club also received a School to Watch Award for most promise as a young club, one of four national club awards given.

A trio of juniors — Holland Griggs (vocals), Alex Holder (guitar) and Tory Lynch (piano) — performed the club’s People's Choice Award winning single for the board. The board applauded the students’ performance; State Superintendent Eric Mackey called the presentation "maybe the best component of superintendent's report we've ever had." Mackey thanked the students and Scottsboro district leaders for their work with young people.

In the superintendent’s report, Mackey said Doctor Sandy Ledwell has accepted the position of dean of education at Faulkner University and will leave her role with the department next month after roughly 24–25 years of service. "She's been very instrumental in setting this up," Mackey said of Ledwell’s role in the event programming; he publicly thanked her for her years of service to K‑12 education in Alabama.

Board members and attendees recognized both the student achievements and Ledwell’s appointment. Mackey said Ledwell will remain a partner to the department in her new role preparing teachers.

Details reported to the board: Scottsboro High’s new senior Beta Club reestablished in 2021 following an earlier attempt in 2020; 40 of 43 students placed top three in divisions at state and qualified for nationals; trio of students placed first in state solo/duo/trio and later earned a People's Choice prize at nationals; club will participate in regional and national events in the coming year.

Mackey concluded his report by announcing next meeting dates and thanking educators and students for participating.