Carly Strong
SENIOR / SHERIDAN HIGH SCHOOL
FIRST SECURITY BANK KEITH JACKSON ACADEMIC AWARD ..............
>> WHY SHE WON
From the classroom to the starting line, Carly Strong knows how to keep focused.
Strong’s senior year at Sheridan High School started out like any other, but the death of a cheerleading teammate and the cancellation of the outdoor track season in Arkansas created some challenges for her to overcome. Strong took on those challenges with grace and a positive attitude, while excelling academically and being a strong leader at her school.
For her dedication to her future and her community, Strong has been named the 2019-2020 All-Arkansas Preps First Security Bank Keith Jackson Academic Award winner.
“I’m honored because I’m excited to represent my school, my family and just to know that my hard work has paid off,” she said. “It means a lot.”
Strong recently graduated second in her class with a grade-point average of 4.32 while taking a rigorous workload of Advanced Placement classes. She was named as an AP Scholar last year for passing all three of her AP classes: AP Psychology, AP Art History and AP Language.
She’s also active in several clubs and school organizations, including being a member of the Student Council and the National Honor Society and serving as a senior-class officer. Strong was also on the 2019 homecoming court and was a counselor’s aide.
“Carly is one of a kind,” wrote Lindsey Fortin, Sheridan High School counselor, in her nomination letter for Strong. “[She] has excelled in some of the most challenging courses we offer. She always gives 110 percent to whatever she is doing.”
As a captain of the Sheridan cheer team, Strong had to help the team cope with the death of a teammate. The week of Thanksgiving, Carson Fleming, who was on the cheer team, and fellow classmate Hunter Kesterson died in a car accident. Carly said the accident occurred right in the middle of competition season. She said that after the accident, the team had a meeting where they held each other and let each one know that they had each other’s backs. The team won second place in the 5A All-Girl category at the 2019 Arkansas State Cheerleading Championships.
“It was tough because I knew I had to lift the team up because I was a captain,” Strong said. “I was really proud of everything that we overcame and did this year because it takes a lot of time to do sideline [cheer] and competitive [cheer.]”
Strong is also a champion sprinter for Sheridan. She has been the indoor state champion in the 60-meter dash four years in a row, state champion in the 200-meter dash twice and the 400-meter state champion, and Sheridan won the Indoor State Championship in 2020 and was runner-up in 2019.
I WAS EXCITED. I mean, it’s always an honor to be given something like this.” — Carly Strong, FIRST SECURITY BANK
KEITH JACKSON ACADEMIC AWARD RECIPIENT
In outdoor track, Strong has won the 100-meter state championship twice, the 200-meter state championship twice and the 400-meter state championship. She has also made all-state three years and all-conference for three years. Unfortunately, her senior track season was cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Carly also holds nine school records in track.
“It’s her work ethic,” said Tony Bone, head girls track coach at Sheridan High School. “Just because practice is over doesn’t mean her practice is over. She’s easily the last to leave and just a very dedicated athlete. She’s the hardest-working athlete I’ve ever coached.”
For her dedication to athletics, academics and other activities she has been recognized with the First Security Bank Keith Jackson Academic Award.
“High school athletes play a significant role in our local communities throughout Arkansas, and we are pleased to recognize Carly’s contributions by presenting her with the First Security Bank Keith Jackson Academic Award,” said Reynie Rutledge, chairman and CEO of First Security Bank. “She gives back to her community through her sports programs, but also through her school leadership, church and other service-oriented activities.”
Strong said she gets a lot of her work ethic from her father, Glenn Strong. She said he’s always working on something, can’t sit still and is very encouraging.
“He’s kind of like my second coach,” Carly said. “He really showed me how to work hard and how it can pay off.”
Carly doesn’t have to look very far to see how hard work pays off. Her older brother, Hunter Strong, played baseball at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 2018.
“She’s about as hardworking a young athlete as I’ve ever been around,” Glenn said. “I’ve been blessed with two kids who work very hard; her older brother is the same way.
Carly also has more than 250 hours of community service, including with
a school group called Caring and Sharing and her church youth group at First Landmark Missionary Baptist Church in Sheridan. She’s also given swimming lessons to kids, organized directory binders for Saline Memorial Hospital in Benton, worked at an American Cancer Society banquet and helped raised money for Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
“She’s very disciplined,” said Lee Ann Strong, Carly’s mother. “She’s very organized with just everything in her life. She has some talent, just God-given talent, but she definitely works at that daily, and I think that’s what’s made her successful.”
Glenn said the work Carly puts in inspires everyone around her.
“I don’t think sometimes she realizes the impact she has on other people with the way she does work,” Glenn said. “The example she shows by her actions rather than speaking — it’s really exciting.”
This fall, Carly will attend Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, where she will be on the track team and plans to study communication disorders. She hopes to go to graduate school to become a speech therapist for children. She said she chose Arkansas State because she really likes the coaches, and the program has been very successful. She also likes that the campus is close to home.
“Everything kind of clicked, so I know that’s where I want to be,” she said.