Featured Top Story BRHS graduate earns Yale degree Gwen Bishop Gwen Bishop Multimedia Reporter Author email Jun 8, 2026 7 hrs ago Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save In 2021, Jaion Kelly took a chance.In 2026, that chance paid off with a bachelor’s degree from Yale University. × This page requires Javascript. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. kAmz6==J H2D q6?;2>:? #FDD6== w:89 $49@@=’D G2=65:4E@C:2? 7@C 9:D 8C25F2E:?8 4=2DD] ~? 2 H9:>[ 96 2AA=:65 E@ D6G6C2= 4@==686D E9C@F89 "F6DEqC:586[ 2 AC@8C2> 7@C 9:89\249:6G:?8 DEF56?ED 7C@> =@H\:?4@>6 9@FD69@=5D]k^Am Buy Now Benjamin Russell High School Class of 2021 graduate Jaion Kelly recently graduated from Yale University. Submitted / TPI kAm“xE H2D 2 D9@E :? E96 52C<[” 96 D2:5] “x ;FDE H2?E65 E@ D66 :7 x 4@F=5 5@ :E]”k^AmkAmz6==J 2AA=:65 E@ &?:G6CD:EJ @7 p=232>2[ pF3FC? &?:G6CD:EJ[ &pq[ sF<6 &?:G6CD:EJ[ $E2?7@C5 &?:G6CD:EJ[ '2?56C3:=E &?:G6CD:EJ 2?5 *2=6]k^AmkAm“p== 3FE sF<6 2446AE65 >6[” 96 D2:5] “x 2=H2JD 7:8FC65 x H@F=5 8@ E@ p=232>2[ 3FE x DE:== 2AA=:65 WE@ E96 @E96C D49@@=DX 2?5 8@E 2446AE65]”k^AmkAmz6==J 925 3:8 A=2?D E@ >2;@C :? AC6\>65]k^AmkAm“x 5:D4@G6C65 3:@=@8J H2D?’E 7@C >6[” 96 D2:5] “qFE E9C@F89 =:76 W6IA6C:6?46DX[ :E C6G62=65 5:776C6?E A2E9D 7@C >6] x E@@< 2 76H ADJ49@=@8J 4=2DD6D 2?5 7@F?5 >J A2E9]”k^AmkAmz6==J 2=D@ DE2J65 3FDJ 2E *2=6 H:E9 @E96C 24E:G:E:6D]k^AmkAm“x D2?8 H:E9 $9256D @7 *2=6[” 96 D2:5] “xE’D 2 >:DD:@?\32D65 2 42A6==2 q=24< 5:2DA@C2 D:?8:?8 :? E96 p7C:42?\p>6C:42? EC25:E:@?]”k^AmkAm%9:D 6IA6C:6?46 H:E9 $9256D @7 *2=6 =65 9:> E@ 2? 6G6? 8C62E6C 6IA6C:6?46]k^AmkAm“x 4@>A@D65 2?5 A6C7@C>65 2 8@DA6= D@?8 2?5 D2?8 :E E@ %wt z:C< uC2?<=:?[” 96 D2:5]k^AmkAmuC2?<=:? :D 2? p>6C:42? 8@DA6= D@?8HC:E6C[ 4@>A@D6C[ C2AA6C[ D:?86C 2?5 C64@C5 AC@5F46C] w6 92D 2=D@ H@? a_ vC2>>J pH2C5D] k^AmkAmp?@E96C @7 z6==J’D 6IA6C:6?46D 2E *2=6 :D 36:?8 2 4@\7@F?56C @7 v6?6C2E:@?2= p7C:42?\p>6C:42? $EF56?ED pDD@4:2E:@? 2?5 2? 6I64FE:G6 3@2C5 >6>36C @7 E96 q=24< $EF56?E p==:2?46 2E *2=6]k^AmkAmq6:?8 2 =:76=@?8 C6D:56?E @7 p=232>2[ >@G:?8 E@ E96 }@CE962DE H2D 2 3:8 492?86 7@C 9:>]k^AmkAm“%96 H:?E6CD 2C6 BF:E6 F?7@C8:G:?8[” z6==J D2:5] “qFE x’G6 4@>6 E@ =@G6 E96 }@CE962DE] |J 7C:6?5D 2?5 x H@F=5 D=65 5@H? $4:6?46 w:== 2?5 A=2J :? E96 D?@H]”k^AmkAmw6 D2:5 ;FDE E9:D J62C E96C6 H2D 2 E6CC:3=6 3=:KK2C5 :? y2?F2CJ 2?5 E96? 282:? :? u63CF2CJ]k^AmkAm“%96C6 2C6 ?@ D?@H 52JD E96C6[” z6==J D2:5] “}@E9:?8 AC6A2C65 >6 7@C E96 H:=5 49:==D 2?5 E96 D6G6C2= 766E @7 D?@H]”k^AmkAm(9:=6 96 5@6D A=2? @? AFCDF:?8 9:D >2DE6C’D 568C66 :? E96 7FEFC6[ C:89E ?@H 96 :D 6?;@J:?8 DA6?5:?8 E:>6 H:E9 9:D 72>:=J 2?5 =@@<:?8 E@ 7:?5 2 ;@3 2?5 H@C< F?E:= 96 564:56D E@ 8@ 324< E@ D49@@=]k^AmkAm“x’G6 366? 2 DEF56?E >@DE @7 >J =:76[” z6==J D2:5] “x H@F=5 =:<6 E@ 6IA6C:6?46 =:76 36J@?5 24256>:2] xE DE:== 766=D D@ 7C6D9 2?5 ?6H] xE 92D?’E BF:E6 9:E >6 E92E x 8C25F2E65 7C@> *2=6 &?:G6CD:EJ]”k^AmkAmw:D @?=J A=2?D E9:D DF>>6C 2C6 E@ D66 2== @7 9:D 72>:=J 2?5 564:56 H92E 9:D ?6IE DE6AD H:== 36]k^AmkAm“x’> 8C2E67F= 7@C E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 36 23=6 E@ AFCDF6 >J 568C66[” z6==J D2:5] “q642FD6 @7 *2=6[ :E’D @A6?65 2 H9@=6 ?6H H@C=5 E@ >6] x H@F=5?’E EC256 2?J A2CE @7 E9:D 6IA6C:6?46 7@C 2?JE9:?8 :? E96 H@C=5]”k^Am Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Tags Yale University Graduation Valedictorian Questbridge Student Association Kirk Franklin Gwen Bishop Multimedia Reporter Author email Follow Gwen Bishop Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Recommended for you Outlook e-Edition Alex City Outlook Alex City Outlook Most Popular Love’s coming to Alexander City Russell buildings to be demolished, making room for development Stephens names final Teacher of the Year BRHS graduate earns Yale degree COACH OF THE YEAR: Trey Fetner continues Reeltown’s dominance in first year Local Weather Currently in Alexander City 76° Clear84° / 72° 11 PM 75° 12 AM 74° 1 AM 74° 2 AM 73° 3 AM 72°
Gwen Bishop Multimedia Reporter Author email Follow Gwen Bishop Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
