Brantley School senior Manning Fox has been named a regional winner of the prestigious Bryant-Jordan Student-Athlete Scholar Award, a distinction that celebrates both academic excellence and athletic achievement.

“It’s an honor when your hard work and dedication are recognized,” Manning said. “Sometimes it feels like in these small schools it can be harder to get that…so it definitely feels good.”

Fox is student council president, an All-State volleyball player, cheerleader and the sole member of the Brantley School girls’ golf team and was recognized at the Bryant-Jordan Program’s Annual Awards Banquet this spring. The statewide program, named for legendary Alabama coaches Paul “Bear” Bryant and Ralph “Shug” Jordan, distributes nearly $1 million annually in college scholarships to 104 outstanding high school student-athletes from 52 regions across the state.

“She wanted to play golf and she wasn’t allowed to compete against the guys,” said her mother, Jae Fox. “She tried to find other girls to play with and she couldn’t find any but she still wanted to do it. So now she’s on a team of her own.”

The Bryant-Jordan Scholarship Program is designed to highlight the powerful link between academic success and athletic participation. With two primary award categories — the Scholar-Athlete Award and the Achievement Award — the program recognizes students who excel in the classroom, on the field, and often, in the face of significant personal obstacles.

Fox, who ranks fifth in her graduating class, plans to attend Auburn University in the fall, where she will pursue a degree in Political Science. 

“I knew I wanted a career where I could help people and healthcare wasn’t really a good fit,” she said. “Being of service is important to me and I think this way I can be a voice for the people.”

Manning’s grandmother Margaret Fox expressed pride in seeing her granddaughter’s hard work pay off. 

“It just shows that she has worked hard to attain her goals,” Margaret said.“She’s going to Auburn next year and she is going to be the recipient of some other scholarships that she has applied for, which will really help her in her college studies. Also she’s fifth in her graduating class at Brantley School, so we’re proud of her for that. She’s worked really hard.”

To watch the award banquet or learn more about the Bryant-Jordan Scholarship Program, visit https://bryantjordan.org.