Tradition took center stage on Monday evening, as the Rotary Club of Covington held its annual Top 10 banquet.
Monday marked the 61st time that the Rotary Club and Newton County Schools came together to celebrate the highest academic achievers that the district has to offer. The initiative began in 1965 and has grown into a full celebration.
Rotary board member and emcee Keith Adams reminded the crowd how prestigious it truly is to be a top-10 graduate. Adams asked the audience to raise their hands if they were top-10 graduates, but only a few hands went up.
“This is a distinction that sets you apart,” Adams said. “It is an achievement that’s going to be with you for the rest of your lives.”
The floor was then handed over to the 2025-26 club president Brad Stewart, who offered some words of wisdom of his own. Stewart encouraged the graduates to remain rooted in helping others and living true to the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self.”
“As you move forward, remember that success isn’t measured by what you accomplish but by how you use your talents to serve others,” Stewart said. “The spirit of ‘Service Above Self’ is the heart of Rotary and it’s something we hope each of you carry with you into the future.”
This message was echoed in the keynote speaker’s address from Tommy Davis. Davis is a past-president of the Rotary Club of Covington and the former coroner of Newton County. He congratulated the seniors for their accomplishments while also reminding them that a whole new world awaits them.
But he encouraged the seniors in attendance to live life in a way that resembles the principles of Rotary.
“It’s amazing what life can do and how you serve others,” Davis said. “By helping, by always being present, by being accounted for [and] by taking responsibility.”
Davis cited the Rotary four-way test, which stresses principles of truth, fairness and friendship. Quoting the late Lou Holtz, he encouraged the students to “do the right thing.”
“I promise you the world is ready for your talent,” Davis said. “We need your talent. We need your dreams.”
Each of the three high schools received framed certificates honoring them for their achievements. They also each received a scholarship to be put toward their future academic endeavors.
Their teacher of choice was also recognized. This year’s honorees and favorite teachers include:
Alcovy: Brylie Lewis (Chris Newsham), Aoqi Xu (Patrick Alligood), Sara Anderson (Andrew Pollard), Caden Coody (Brian Coates), Megan McElhaney (Mack Hardwick), Kevin Mills (Kelly Elder), Branson Moore (Pamela Consuegra), Lizbeth Serrano-Tzintun (Felisha Wagner), Jessiah Thebaud (Alyssa Maxwell) and Grayson Woodward (Kemily Pattillo).
Eastside: Tallis Howard (Michael Poor), Blythe Edgar (Ashlyn Lazenby), Justin “Levi” Adams (Catrina Pollard), Kathryn Bryan (Eric Adams), Derek Gawlinski (Zachary Pitts), Matty Lumpkin (Kennedy Lynn), Sophia McCullough (Kayla Stoddard), Jayden Tran (Jabari Bennett), Allie Vaughn (Heather Wood) and Katheryn Wilber (Yulisa Vega).
Newton: Denise Vale (Kelly Elder), Bailey Stover (Jason Smith), Emilee Beal (Misty Morgan), Allie Danilchuk (Ryan Allred), Kaitlin Goodman (Heather Landers), Marc Goring (Maureen Ryan), Destiny Her (Shundra Green), Madisen Joseph (Jeremiah Bundrage), Nia Mickens-Mills (Erica Mickens) and Dinah Stephen (Joi Morgan).
These 30 students are among the hundreds expected to walk across the stage next week. But the top of the class didn’t get to do so without getting a preview from Superintendent Dr. Duke Bradley, III.
Bradley lauded the students for creating a new bar for generations to come at Newton County Schools.
“Each of you individually and collectively represents the excellence within Newton County Schools,” Bradley said. “You’ve distinguished yourselves academically, while also contributing to your school communities through leadership, through service, through athletics, through fine arts and extracurricular involvement.
"You've set a standard within your schools, and you’ve helped to create cultures where achievement is expected and valued."
