Two Vandebilt seniors honored

One word can be used to describe the high school careers of Vandebilt senior athletes Jacob Peoples and Taylor Crosby: busy.

Crosby, a track, basketball and swimming athlete, and Peoples, a right guard on the Terriers’ football team and javelin thrower, have maintained quite the active schedule during their high school careers.

The 17-year-olds have managed to leave their mark both on and off the field, all while maintaining their studies and focusing on their futures.

For their efforts, they were selected as representatives for the High School Heisman award, which is given to students who possess academic excellence, athletic achievement and leadership skills.

It’s an honor that neither could have ever predicted.

In fact, Crosby wasn’t even going to bother with filling out the application, feeling she didn’t have a chance to win anyway.

“I was surprised,” the she explained. “The application was very daunting. They ask you how many records you have set, I haven’t set any records and I didn’t want to fill it out because I didn’t think that I even had a shot, but my mom really wanted me to, so I filled it out last minute.”

Of the two, Peoples was chosen as one of the 10 state finalists for the award. The winner will be announced after football season has ended.

For someone who wasn’t very athletic as a child, the honor comes as an even bigger surprise.

“I was really excited that I got chosen,” Peoples admitted. “I was really surprised but very honored to be chosen. Never did I think I’d win athletic awards. When I was younger, I always knew I was smart, but I was never too good at sports. As I got older and developed, it’s been great to be able to achieve as many things as I have achieved.”

In addition to those honors, both were named commended scholars for their work in the classroom.

Peoples was named in the National Merit Scholarship Competition and is in the running for valedictorian for the school.

Adding to her accolades, Crosby has already been chosen as a National Merit Semifinalist.

The winner will be announced in the springtime.

She is also a finalist for Louisiana High School Student of the Year.

In order to maintain her schedule, Crosby admits she doesn’t get much sleep at night.

“Even more so now that I have to fill out scholarship stuff for colleges,” she said. “It can get very stressful at times.”

If that’s not enough, she was also a member of the 2008 Lady Terriers’ basketball team that finished as state runner-up. She throws the discus, which landed her on the all-state team and was a member of Vandebilt’s state champion girls’ swim team this year.

She also spent her Thanksgiving holiday working on a 25-page portfolio to submit for the student of the year nomination.

Crosby agrees that her high school career has been full of memories, but she credits the people around her – family, friends and coaches – for guiding her along the way.

“Coach (Kathy) Luke has been coaching me since I was in eighth grade,” she said. She really cares about her players. She invests a lot of time. My parents taught me a lot about my faith, which gets me through everything. I couldn’t be where I am today without the people around me.”

Peoples agreed with his counterpart that things get crazy at times.

“It gets tough sometimes,” he affirmed. “Football is a huge part of my life, but it all comes down to priorities. Football is for now, but school is for the rest of my life. I just focus on my schoolwork first.”

As for post-high school plans, both look to get into a college known for academics.

Crosby said she has visited Duke and even Harvard, but is looking into going to Tulane to stay closer to home.

Peoples on the other hand has narrowed his three choices to LSU, Duke and Notre Dame.

“All would be a great school to go to,” he said. “I’m hoping to go into medicine. I want to be an orthopedic surgeon. It would be a great job.”

No matter what happens in their future, both said their high school years will be the most memorable times of their lives.