By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

Chilton County High School inducted the first two members to its Alumni Hall of Fame during the Senior Awards assembly on May 19.

Warren Wright and Cpl. Kent Smith were announced as the first inductees.

Inductees were surprised at the announcement, thinking they had come to the ceremony as speakers.

Wright described the award as “highly unexpected and greatly appreciated.”

He encouraged the Class of 2017 to do their best and experience new things, whether they continued living in Clanton after graduation or not.

“Clanton needs great people, and out of my class we have several people who have gone off to college and have come back and helped keep this place whole, and I love that,” Wright said.

He said no one knows exactly what God has for them, so they should not limit themselves.

“I have done nothing special, except I didn’t have any limitations on myself,” Wright said. “It makes no sense to go through life and not apply yourself 100 percent to something.”

He told students not to let homesickness ever be a limitation, but also never to forget their family.

Wright is a CCHS Class of 1991 graduate.

“He earned his bachelor’s degree at UAB. He was commissioned into the United States Air Force and completed an MBA,” CCS board president Lori Patterson said. “I would always describe him as motivated, determined and ambitious. He currently manages a $100 million Walmart store and resides in Miami, Florida with his wife and two children.”

Smith has been a State Trooper for 16 years. He is a part of the State Trooper Aviation team.

Smith grew up in Clanton, is married and has three children.

“The thing about being a trooper is one thing you learn is how to be selfless and you learn perseverance,” Smith said.

He encouraged the graduates to develop perseverance.

“You never know where the Lord is going to take you,” Smith said.

He said he would never have believed when he graduated high school that he would be a state trooper.

Smith encouraged the graduates to learn to love others and not selfishly. He said this is one aspect of his job.

“Do the best that you can do, surround yourself with good people,” Smith said.

He said there are consequences to not being with good people.

CCHS teacher Kelly Baker introduced Smith.

“He’s more like a brother to me,” Baker said. “I am very proud of him.”

“Each year we will select alumni that meets specific criteria and honor them with a place in the hall of fame,” Vice Principal Ron Pinsion said.

He said the Hall of Fame members were good role models for future CCHS graduates.

Names will be added to a plague that will hang at the school.