Photo Caption: Members of the 2023 Chelsea High School Hall of Fame (L to R): Robbie Hayes, Ann Hodgens, Lee Hibbs, Earlene Isbell’s son accepting on her behalf, Mitch Jones and Alex Lovorn. Photo by Leah Ingram Eagle.
Six more inductees became members of the Chelsea High School Hall of Fame at a ceremony held April 27.
This marked the induction of the third class since the program, sponsored by the Chelsea High School Student Government Association, was created in 2021.
Athletic Inductee: Mitch Jones
Mitch Jones played baseball and football at Chelsea High School and was the 1999 Shelby County Player of the Year. He played collegiate baseball at UAB and was drafted by Tampa Bay in 2003.
“The opportunity that was granted here at Chelsea, it was just such a wonderful experience for me,” Jones said. “I had a blast doing it. It was a lot of tough times and we weren't always successful, but it was fun. I truly am humbled, I'm honored and I'm thankful to be considered.”
Community Inductee: Dr. Robbie Hayes
Robbie Hayes, who graduated from Pelham High School, is an optometrist who opened Hayes Eye Center in Chelsea in 1991. He founded Morningstar United Methodist Church, has served on the Shelby County Commission for over 18 years and has spent decades working as a volunteer on the sidelines during Chelsea High School football games.
“Find ways to help your community, that's all I've tried to do,” Hayes said. “Find ways to help others over self. This is an award I never expected to get just by doing what is right in the community. I will always bleed Chelsea blue.”
Heritage Inductee: Earlene Isbell
Earlene Isbell was a teacher at Chelsea High School for many years and served as a member of the Chelsea City Council. Isbell passed in 2022, but her family was in attendance on her behalf to accept the award.
Academic Inductee: Alex Lovorn
Alex Lovorn was the 2007 valedictorian for Chelsea High School and currently runs a ministry for middle and high school students helping them focus on their own personal growth.
“I hope you realize that it's so much greater just to invest your life in others and that you make an impact by the way you serve,” Lovorn said.
Student Impact Inductee: Coach Lee Hibbs
Lee Hibbs was a teacher and coach at Chelsea High School for many years.
“Excluding the birth of my two boys, this is probably one of the biggest honors I’ve ever had,” Hibbs said.
“It’s nothing that I've done. It's being with people that have been in my life that has made me the person tonight. I'm the one to be truly blessed.”
Faculty Inductee: Ann Hodgens
Ann Hodgens worked as the bookkeeper for Chelsea High School for 30 years and then spent an additional 15 years after her retirement volunteering.
“I love Chelsea, I have lived here my entire life and this is really tremendous and I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart,” Hodgens said.
Following remarks from SGA Advisor Ryan Adams and Chelsea High School Principal Brandon Turner, members of the SGA shared some of their accomplishments from past two years, which included:
- The “Brave for Levi” home run tournament, in which they raised money to support childhood cancer in honor of Levi Rawlins, and a separate event that raised money for the Hope for Autumn Foundation, which also supported childhood cancer
- The creation of an SGA float for the Chelsea Christmas Parade
- A “Wear Green Day” for Dwarfism Awareness Day
- A Back-Back-Back-to-School adult softball tournament
- A Senior Sunrise event, held in October where the seniors gathered at the football field to have breakfast together
- Hosting, along with the Oak Mountain High SGA, the first annual Yellowhammer Summit Conference collaboration between the student government associations of Central Alabama
- Taking on a T-shirt fundraiser featuring Chelsea logoed shirts
- Honoring and recognizing past Hall of Fame inductees
- Organizing homecoming week activities
