Clements High School senior Darby Moore holds her plaque and trophy after winning the Class 3A Bryant-Jordan Scholarship Award Monday night at a banquet in Birmingham. Moore won a total of $6,500 in scholarship money. She is the first Clements student to ever receive the state award.

When Clements High School coaches met with athletic director Ben Campbell to nominate an athlete for the prestigious Bryant-Jordan Scholarship Award, one name kept coming up — Darby Moore.

Moore, a senior basketball player and cross country runner for the Colts, isn’t just a good athlete. She is involved in numerous school and community organizations.

“We have a lot of great kids here at Clements, but Darby does what she’s asked to do and does it to the best of her ability, and she’s a great kid,” Campbell said. “We asked (the coaches) for nominations and for them to vote, and Darby Moore was the one.”

The coaches at Clements weren’t the only ones who believed Moore had all the qualities that go into being a Bryant-Jordan scholar. Moore was selected as the Class 3A, Region 8 winner, which allowed her to go to the awards banquet Monday night at the Sheraton Hotel in Birmingham.

Moore said she was happy just to receive the regional award and was shocked when they called her name to receive the Class 3A state scholarship award.

“We had a meeting before, and they said we would have to make a little speech if we won,” Moore said. “I said ‘I’ll just prepare a little one in my head, but I’m probably not going to win.’ And then at the banquet, they said ‘From Clements High School,’ and I was like ‘Oh my gosh, they’re going to say my name.’”

Moore had enough of a speech prepared in her head to thank God, her family, coaches and teachers.

“It really wouldn’t have been possible without their support,” she said.

Each of the regional winners won a $3,000 scholarship, with class winners winning an additional $3,500 scholarship.

The Bryant-Jordan Program recognizes and honors students who ‘have by ability and effort achieved a level of excellence in the areas of academics and athletics that is commensurate with their potential, and make aware to not only athletes but all segments of the student population that it is both important and rewarding for them to strive to be the best they can be.’

Moore certainly does that. In addition to athletics, she is heavily involved in school organizations, taking part in the Key Club, Beta Club, First Priority and others.

“Darby is involved in so many different things,” Campbell said. “She takes high-level classes and does well in those classes, and has a very good ACT score. And she has a great personality. She’s a leader of the bunch. All those things put together makes Darby what she is, and that’s why she was nominated here at the school.”

Moore said she plans to attend Auburn University to study pharmacy.

“I’ve always enjoyed working in the community,” she said. “I want to go to school to be a pharmacist because they are involved in the community.”

Campbell said this is the first time a Clements High student has ever received the state award.

“We are very excited for her and what she means to our school,” he said. “She absolutely fully deserved it.”