LE ROY ? Braelyn Falls, a senior at Southern Coffey County High School, has been selected to receive the KSHSAA Heart of the Arts Award.
The award recognizes students ?who exemplify the ideals of the positive heart of the arts that represent the core mission of education-based activities specifically in the music, speech, debate, theater, visual arts and other performing arts activities,? according to a Kansas State High School Activities Association press release.
Falls excels in and out of the classroom, while coping with a degenerative eye disease since she was in elementary school.
Falls was diagnosed at age 7 with Stargardt?s, a juvenile form of macular degeneration that has left her with only 20/400 peripheral vision.
She relies on a magnifying system and Braille to assist her in the classroom and with other everyday tasks. In so doing, Falls has maintained the top grade-point average, 3.98, in her senior class, and has been selected as a Kansas Honor Scholar.
Each semester in high school, Falls has achieved the Superintendent?s Academic Award and has been selected each year by the high school staff as a Student of the Month at Southern Coffey County.
She has served as class president her junior and senior years, and is the Student Council president this year. Other activities include participating in Scholars Bowl ? she was a state qualifier in 2017; the Titan Leadership Group all four years; and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
She?s also been heavily involved in SCC athletics. Falls was a team captain in both volleyball and basketball, and a three-time state qualifier as part of SCC?s 4×100-meter relay team and a two-time qualifier on the 4×400-meter relay squad.
Falls was instrumental her junior year in re-establishing SCC?s drama department, serving both on stage and as a student director for school performances.
In addition, she has competed in state forensics ? competitive acting and speaking ? since she was a sophomore.
She was crowned the state champion in humorous duet acting as a junior. Falls also placed seventh in improvised duet acting.
Braelyn Falls, center, performs with Luke Gillis, left, and Haven Harvey in a skit. COURTESY PHOTO
Falls is active in dance, having learned tap, jazz, pom, musical theatre and hip hop disciplines over the past nine years, the last six as a student at Bri?s Dance Studio Competition Team.
Falls is a long-time member of the St. John?s Lutheran Church Youth Group as well.
THE AWARD also recognizes Falls in her quest to help others.
