By Adam Smith

The North Jefferson News



Graduating seniors at Hayden High School received numerous accolades and scholarships at a senior night celebration on Thursday.

However, the most poignant presentation came at the end of the evening when two scholarships were presented in honor of Courtney Niceley, one of three students killed in a car wreck in November 2007.

Courtney’s mom, Beverly Niceley, and Courtney’s older sister Ashley were on hand at the event to personally present the $1,000 Courtney Niceley – Spirit of Hayden Memorial Scholarships to this year’s recipients, Owen Hargett and Kristian Quick.

Beverly and Ashley Niceley made the trip from Jacksonville, Fla., where the family has lived since September. This week marked the second time Beverly Niceley had returned to Hayden. She came back in April to meet with other members of the scholarship committee to choose the recipients.

She said has mixed emotions when she returns to Hayden, because she and her late daughter had such a strong connection to the town and the people.

“People ask me if it’s hard to go by our house, but I don’t miss the house,” she said. “I do miss the community and the people. Courtney loved it; she loved her school and her friends.”

This is the second year the scholarships have been granted. The idea is to give the award to one male and female athlete each year. Other criteria include the student’s grade point average, submitting an application with two references and a 1,500 word essay on what the scholarship means to them and how they plan to make positive changes in their community.

Both Hargett and Quick were good friends of Courtney’s and were excited to have received the award. Hargett will attend Jefferson State Community College and major in nursing. Quick will attend Wallace State Community College and major in athletic training.

Courtney Niceley was one of the first students Quick met at Hayden High School and became close friends through playing softball and basketball together.

“I said, ‘This girl is crazy,’ but after I got to know her we became such good friends,” Quick said. “She became one of my role models and taught me a lot.”

Hargett said the scholarship was not about the money, but about the honor of helping carry on Niceley’s memory.

“She was one of my classmates and we were really close,” he said. “She was just such a fun person to be around and had a lot of pride in the school and the town.”

Hayden High School lost two other students in the crash that claimed the life of Niceley — 16-year-old Sara Casey and 17-year-old Whitney Bradford. Hayden High School Principal Allen Hargett said it was the toughest day he’s ever faced over the course of his 25 years in education.

“You always try to look for good that can come out of a bad situation,” he said. “It’s really made us a closer knit community.”

Beverly Niceley said she would like to expand the amount of the scholarships in the future because of the amount of interest in the program. The family has participated in fund-raising for the award, including the sale of a music CD produced by her husband, George.

Those who would like to donate to the scholarship can do so at the Gardendale locations of Regions Bank through the Courtney Niceley Memorial fund.