News 3 Sports would like to congratulate our latest Classroom Champion Colton Darby. The Iola High School senior has a 3.6 Grade Point Average and is currently the salutatorian of his class.

Colton was a member of the Bulldog football and he's currently a member of the baseball team. Last season, Colton was named the Offensive MVP in Baseball as well as Honorable mention All-District. Colton's is very involved at his school...He's a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, FCA, FFA, and the Grimes County Campus Crime Stoppers.

Colton's is very active in his community with volunteer work in different organizations and at his church.

"Colton's a good student. He tries hard; he puts a lot of effort in what he does. And he makes the effort to understand...If e doesn't understand he has no hesitations to ask questions and try to get things straightened out. I think a large part of what Coltyn's emphasis is comes from his parents. I think his parents have instilled the right values in him. He has taken those as his own, and now he just expects good things from himself, so he can progress and do what he wants to do in the future."

"Colton's the kind of kid you wish you had fifty of them in your program. He has a great work ethic, he's very dedicated to what he's doing, just an all around great kid. He does a great job in the classroom; a great job on the field for us. And I wish we had him for a few more years. I think he has a strong background at home and I think they've instilled some great qualities in him, some great character in him, and he carries that to school with him everyday and out here on the field everyday."

"My parents told me from a young age that academics is what I should concentrate on and that it will take you in life. Sports only last so long. But your academics, you get your major, your degree and you have a career for life and it makes life a lot easier. Being a center in football you have to kind of be a leader. Your in charge of the huddle, your in charge of getting everybody lined up in the huddle, the entire line knows how to block because everything depends on it. So it definitely puts you under the gun, but it helps in everything, it helps translate to baseball and it helps you prepare."

Colton hopes on attending either Texas Tech or Texas A&M University and majoring in petroleum engineering.

Congratulations to Colton Darby of Iola High School. This week's News 3 Sports Classroom Champion!