CIERRA HADLEY

           Cierra Hadley shares a special connection with the Special Education students who attend Robertsdale High.

           "I'm not stand-offish the way some kids are," she said. "One of the reasons, I guess, is because I grew up with so many of them. I have been friends with many of them since elementary school."

           Hadley, who is a junior at RHS, said she had signed up to be a peer tutor for Special Education during her senior year.

           "I really love these kids," she said. "When someone is rude to them it just makes by blood boil. Most of the special needs kids, however, ignore those students who aren't behaving as they should."

           Hadley said that if a student had a need that had to be met she wanted to be able to meet it.

           "That's one of the reasons I signed up for peer tutoring," she said. "I've already passed the Alabama High School Graduation Exam, but I feel that as a peer tutor I could help others to pass it."

           The rule that has been sent down from the State Department of Education says that unless a student passes the exam they cannot participate in the school's graduation exercise.

           Although Hadley has a unique gift that allows her to connect with special needs students, she said her primary goal in life is to become an attorney.

           "I want to go to the University of Alabama, earn my bachelor's degree, and then try and get accepted into their School of Law," she said. "Right now I'm considering a major in Communications with a minor in Political Science."

           Hadley said she could major in English or history, but the most effective attorneys are really good communicators.

           "Lawyers tend to get involved in the political process as well," she said, "so understanding politics would diffidently give me an edge should I ever run for public office."

           When it comes to running, Hadley said she participated on the RHS track team her freshman and sophomore years.

           "I didn't run this year because of my academic schedule, but I plan to get back to it during my senior year," she said. "Running is something I truly love. It allows me to forget my troubles and just clear my mind as I get into the rhythm of the run."

           The daughter of Nancy and Craig Hadley of Robertsdale, Cierra has a younger brother, Chase, who is a sophomore at RHS, and an older sister, Chelsea, who is a student at Faulkner State Community College.

           Hadley said that at RHS she was involved with the Interact Club, Teenage Republicans and athletics, however at home her main hobby is her horse.

           "I have a paint that was formerly a police horse," she said. "His name is Gator and he isn't scared of anything. I guess it was the way he was originally trained. He did a lot of parade duty that brought him into close contact with people. I guess that's why I can be riding him along the side of the road, with traffic buzzing all around, and it doesn't faze him."

           Hadley said she was "freaked out" once when she came upon several cows that had escaped from their pasture.

           "They didn't bother Gator at all," she said. "He just continued to carry me on the trail ride and that was that as far as he was concerned."

           Whereas the law is where she wants to be, she said she hadn't ruled out becoming a special education teacher.

           "The only drawback about teaching," she said, "has to do with job security. I see what many of my own teachers are facing regarding their own futures in education. I think I want something a bit more stable."