TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A group of top students from Alabama high schools recently had the opportunity to attend the Capstone Leadership Academy held at The University of Alabama.

Some 100 students were addressed by guest speakers and participated in group discussions that focused around the academy’s theme of values, vision and voice.

The speakers included former UA football player John Croyle, the founder of Big Oak Ranch; attorney Cleo Thomas, UA’s first black SGA president; former UA professor Cathy Randall, the former governor of Alabama’s Girls State and past president of Girls Nation; and attorney Dale Wallace, the 1975-76 SGA president and current UA instructor.

Students in attendance were first nominated by administrators from each of the participating high schools. The nominees were asked to submit their resumes, transcripts and an essay for evaluation by Capstone Council, which then selected the student attendees.

Capstone Council is a volunteer organization comprised of former campus leaders from the 1970s. They include former Capstone Men and Women and SGA officers, all of whom organized the event under the leadership of the late Jean O'Connor-Snyder, the Capstone Men and Women sponsor throughout the 1970s. The event was sponsored by the UA Office of the President as well as the Capstone Council.

The council has established an endowed scholarship in O'Connor-Snyder’s memory, which will be received by an attendee of this year’s Leadership Academy.

Capstone Leadership

Capstone Leadership

Capstone Leadership

Students who attended the Capstone Leadership Academy held in April include:

Student    Hometown     High School    
Chelsea Allen     Phenix City     Central High school    
Anna Kate August      Florence     Mars Hill Bible School    
Kirkland Back      Gadsden     Gadsden City High School    
Joseph Bailey     Mobile     McGill Toolen    
Jessica Barranco     Montgomery     Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School    
Stuart Bartmess     Florence     Florence High School    
Megan Battles      Leesburg      Sand Rock High School     
Stephanie Berry     Dadeville     Dadeville High School    
Kate Bonner      Livingston     Sumter Academy    
Hannah Bowers     Madison     Bob Jones High School    
Tiffany Boykin     Rogersville      Lauderdale County High School    
Ashley Brakefield      Haleyville     Phillips High School    
Caleb Brown     Boaz     Boaz High School    
Crystal Brown      Berry      Berry High School    
Joanna Burke      Rainsville      Rainsville High School    
Kaitlyn Burnside     Pelham      Pelham High School    
Elliott Carey     Dothan      Emmanuel Christian School    
Mitchell Clark      Decatur      West Morgan High School    
Molly Clark      Berry      Berry High School    
Allie Chapman      Birmingham     Briarwood Christian School    
Shelby Cochran      Albertville      Albertville High School    
Candace Cole      Double Springs      Winston County High School    
William Corley      Semmes      Mary G. Montgomery High School    
Graham Craig     Hoover     Hoover High School    
Joe Creasy     Florence     Central High School    
Mary Culpepper      Cullman     Cullman High School    
Rachel Cumbest     Moss Point      Cottage Hill Christian Academy    
Kori Daniels     Arab     Arab High School    
Alexander Davis      Huntsville      Lee High School    
Mariana Delany      Woodville      Catholic High School    
Whtitney Downey     Nauvoo     Carbon Hill    
Jeffrey Durrett     Eutaw      Demopolis High School    
Katelyn Edge      Brewton     T.R. Miller High School    
Alan Freeman     Hoover      Hoover High School    
Zack Freeman     Fayette      Fayette County High School    
Courtney Freeman     Attalla     Etowah High School    
Casey Gaddis     Ider     Ider High School    
Casey Garrett      Huntsville     Grissom High School    
Mark Gallups     Alabaster     Thompson High School    
Dallas Garst      Moody     Moody High School    
Kiara Gildersleeve     Grove Hill     Clark County High School    
Harley Glass      Nanafalia     Patrician Academy    
Tammy Hall     Boaz     Crossdale High School    
Tyler Hamby     Moody     Moody High School    
Corey Hancock      Gadsden     Glencoe High School    
Alex Harrison      Tuscaloosa     Holy Spirit Catholic High School    
Mariah Hemphill      Crossville      Fyffe High School    
Aaron Hill      Ardmore     Ardmore High School    
Robert Hindsman     Gadsden     Gadsden City High School    
Larry Howard      Attalla     Etowah High School    
Rachel Howorth     Montgomery     Macon East Mongomery    
Whitley Hunter     Hackleburg     Phillips High School    
Katie Jackson      Selma      Morgan Academy    
Jennifer Jackson      Ider      Ider High School    
Graham Jamison     Birmingham     Spain Park High School    
Molly Jobe      Huntsville      Huntsville High School    
Palmer Kennedy     Mobile      St. Pauls Episcopal     
Katie Lamberth      Alexander City      Benjamin Russell    
Justin Law      Titus      Wetumpka High School    
Zachary Lee      Prattville      Autauga Academy    
Sara Lenoir Lewis      Butler      Patrician Academy     
Jemaleuga Lockett      Birmingham      Alabama School of Fine Arts    
Marlin Lewis Jr.      Wilmer      Mary G. Montgomery High School    
McKenzie Lockhart      Muscle Shoals      Muscle Shoals High School    
Zack Mardis      Scottsboro      Scottsboro High School    
Meagan Martin     Albertville      Douglas High School    
Palmer Miller     Birmingham      Altamont School    
Rachel Mills      Tuscaloosa      American Christian Academy    
Shannon Mobley      Prattville      Autagua Academy     
Zackery Morris      Hoover     Spain Park    
Palee Myrex     Bremen      Cold Spring High School    
Derek Newcomb      Decatur      Austin High School    
Ekemini Orok      New Market     Buckhorn High School    
Courtney Parker     Daphne      Bayside Academy    
Mathew Chase Parker      Dozier      Straughn High School    
John Caleb Pendleton     Grove Hill      Clark County High School    
Julia Pitch      Dallas      
Lauren Powell     Andalusia      Andalusia High School    
Chelsea Primm     Satsuma      Murphy High School    
Keela Ray      Thorsby      Isabella    
Brandy Ray      Ohatchee      Ohatchee High School    
Lamar Richardson      Orrville      Keith High School    
Hanna Roberts      Boaz     Boaz High School    
Carrie Robertson      Fort Payne     Sand Rock High School    
Matthew Rodriguez      Madison     Franklin School    
Anna Saunders      Troy      Pike Liberal Arts School    
Corey Shackelford      Jacksonville      Pleasant Valley High School    
Alaina Shepard      Opp      Opp High School    
Sally Singleton      Clanton     Thorsby High School    
Garrett Sisk      Mobile      Baker High School    
Martin Snook     Birmingham      Briarwood Christian School    
Elizabeth Sparrow      Birmingham      Mountain Brook High School    
Joseph Stephens      Tuscaloosa      Northside High School    
Derrick Talley      Trussville      Hewitt Trussville High School    
Laura Talton      Selma      Morgan Academy    
Douglas Teague      Gaylesville      Gaylesville High School    
Kyle Thibodeaux     Decatur      Austin High School    
Dustin Till      Greenville     Fort Dale Academy    
Marcus Tino      Gulf Shores     Gulf Shores High School    
Amy Traylor      Alexander City      Benjamin Russell    
Elizabeth Tweedy     Decatur      Decatur High School    
Kelsey Underwood     Tuscumbia      Covenant Christian School    
Chandler VanDyke      Huntsville     Catholic High School    
Garrett Walden      Oneonta     Oneonta High School    
Caleb Walker      Phenix City      Central High School    
Lauren Wells      Muscle Shoals     Muscle Shoals High School    
Isabella Wesley      Greenville     Fort Dale Academy    
Levi Whitman      Anderson      Lauderdale County High School    
Emily Wilson      Ohatchee      Ohatchee High School    
Tara Wimberley      Danville      Danville High School    
Brooke Winsett      York      Sumter High School    
Lori Wojdula      Pinson      Pinson Valley High School    
Elizabeth Wyatt      Tuscaloosa      Holy Spirit Catholic High School     
Tyler Wyatt     Opp      Opp High School    

The University of Alabama, a student-centered research university, is in the midst of a planned, steady enrollment growth with a goal of reaching 28,000 students by 2010. This growth, which is positively impacting the campus and the state's economy, is in keeping with UA's vision to be the university of choice for the best and brightest students. UA, the state's flagship university, is an academic community united in its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all Alabamians.