Video: Making the Grade: High School Heisman

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Reported by: Allie Martin

TUPLEO, Miss. – (WCBI) A high school senior gets a huge honor for her academic and extracurricular success. It is also the second year in a row a private school has produced a winner in the prestigious competition.

As long as anyone can remember, 17 year old Mary Cockrell has been a high achiever.

“She has excelled, she is one of our superstars, one of our supreme and premiere students.”

Cockrell, who is a senior at Tupelo Christian Preparatory School, has won the Wendy’s High School Heisman for the state of Mississippi.

She is one of 102 nationwide winners of the prestigious award. Cockrell has been active in swimming, basketball, tennis, softball, and cross country. She has also maintained academic excellence, with a 4 point 2 GPA and a score of 29 on her ACT.

In spite of her achievements, Cockrell says garnering the honor for Mississippi was still a surprise.

“It’s a big honor, an honor to be chosen from my school and out of the whole state of Mississippi , that’s just really exciting.”

Cockrell has attended TCPS since Kindergarten and says she has always tried to do her best. That drive and determination is encouraged by her family, along with teachers and administrators at the Christian school.

“I’ve just been able to have great relationships with all my teachers, headmasters and they are just really involved in our lives.”

This honor is not new for TCPS. In fact, this marks the second consecutive year the school has produced the Wendy’s High School Heisman winner for the state.

Mary also says the top honor is a way to live out her Christian faith.

“As a Christian I strive to glorify God in everything I do and this is just a higher way that people can see and see that I’m striving to glorify God.”

After graduation , Cockrell plans to attend Mississippi State University.