Classroom Champion: Elijah Bay from Richards High School

RICHARDS, Texas (KBTX) - Elijah Bay is this week’s KBTX and American Momentum Bank Classroom Champion.

The Richards High School senior has a 4.77 grade point average and ranks first in his class. Elijah is a member of the National Honor Society and FCA, and he has been a homecoming prince twice. He also spends a large amount of time serving his community by working with VBS, Upward basketball, his church’s media team, and various shelters around the area.

“Qualities that set Elijah apart would be his intellect, his sense of morality, and just his overall leadership skills,” said Richards teacher Brett Brown. “He’s a joy to teach and he makes this job fun for me.”

Athletically, Elijah is a member of the Richards basketball, baseball, track, and cross country teams. In addition to qualifying for regionals in cross country, Elijah has been given the Most Improved Player and Panther Pride Awards in basketball and the Hustle Award in baseball.

“He has a great work ethic, he’s determined, he’s very competitive,” Richards athletic director Travis Tennison said. “Even though he may have a quiet demeanor, you can see the competitive nature he has about him, and he just has that work ethic of success, and not everyone has that. Some people have a work ethic, but he has a work ethic that really goes towards him being successful, and he’s done that through his time here at Richards, through his time in the church, and he’s going to do that when he graduates.”

Elijah said the support he receives from those around him serves as a big motivator in his life.

“What motivates me is really just seeing everyone here just support me in school and while doing sports,” he said.

After graduation, Elijah plans to major in construction science at Texas A&M.

Copyright 2022 KBTX. All rights reserved.