NEW BROCKTON, Ala. (WDHN) — With the number of negative headlines involving students in the nation, state, and even here in the Wiregrass.

The New Brockton City Council wanted to thank its young people for having a successful school year.

Councilman Justin Flowers congratulated the town’s high school senior beta club. For the first time in that school’s history, several of its members received statewide recognition in Montgomery last month.

For Miss. New Brockton and a senior beta member, she says it’s great growing up in a small community where neighbor helps neighbor.

“I think the fact that we are really close with each other and the ones that weren’t close, we are a small group and around each other a lot of the time so we ate dinners and had a lot of fun and got a lot closer,” says Nashanna Harris Vice President N.B.H.S. Senior Beta Club

Councilman Flowers says recognizing high school students who go beyond expectations serves as positive reinforcement for those in younger grades.