Words from Bethany Fuller
“I live in Arley on 40 acres of forest. The first and last thing I hear each day is birds, maybe it’s a whippoorwill, a mourning dove, or an owl. If I were an animal, I’d be a bird. They’re distant from everything but can see it all. They’re free. I just think they’re incredible. And they’re also one of the species most affected by pollution and development. They need advocates.
I often wear a necklace that has a blue jay on it because blue jays symbolize confidence, intelligence, and self-trust, and that really resonates with me.
Again, I love birds, but I’m actually scared of flamingos. One screamed at me at a zoo, and I’ve never gotten over it.
I’m attending Auburn University in the fall, and I’m torn between two paths right now, but the main one is wildlife ecology and forestry management. There are two degree plans I could follow, one of them could lead me to veterinary school, where I’d specialize in birds. But it depends on how things work out whether I lean more toward field work or working with animals directly.
I would love to work at Auburn’s Raptor Center helping care for unreleasable birds of prey. You have to be 19 to work there, so hopefully I’ll get in when I’m eligible. They also do educational outreach, taking birds to schools and events.
Since I’ve been at Jasper High School, I’ve been involved in the school band, and also participated in dual-enrollment classes at Bevill State. I’m graduating high school with 7 college credits and a 4.1 GPA. I’m in an art class right now and I love it. I also love science.
I had Ms. (Katie) Gallas as a teacher, she went to Auburn and is an incredible teacher. She’s my role model because she’s just very human. If she’s having a hard day, she’s honest about it, but she still shows up and gives it her all. That’s how I try to live. My number one rule is to do everything with 100% effort because I owe that to myself and everyone around me. She embodies that.
My parents, Eric and Amy Fuller, are also my role models. My dad’s story is incredible. He worked as a boilermaker straight out of high school. He used to travel for work while my mom raised me. Then he took night classes, got his degree, and started teaching. He even went on to earn his master’s and he became the dean of the Career Tech department at Jefferson State Community College. He impacted so many students before he stepped down as dean and became a project manager at a construction company in Arley. I really believe he can do anything.
I started at Jasper in seventh grade. I came from a school where my entire class only had 35 students, so moving to a bigger school was a big change, but I don’t regret it. Since I’ve been here, I’ve taken on several leadership roles, and to me it’s not about the title, it’s about giving back. Leadership means doing more than what’s required. In band, I’m the woodwind captain and a section leader. That doesn’t mean bossing people around; it means staying after rehearsal to clean up, printing and handing out music, and making sure things get done.
I hope that younger students in band see me as someone approachable and trustworthy, not intimidating. When I was their age, I was scared of the seniors. I hope I’ve modeled a better way and set an example they’ll carry forward.
I’m headstrong and I hold myself and others to high standards. If I’m pushing someone, it’s because I want the best for the group, not because I’m being harsh.
Being in band has taught me about effort. In sports, if you’re having an off day, you get benched. In band, you’re always in…it’s all or nothing. You owe it to everyone else to give your best.
It’s also taught me perseverance. There were seasons when we didn’t win, even though we felt like we should have. But you keep going.
My favorite memory from band is from my tenth grade year, my first year as section leader. We had competed in 6A the year before and lost. That year we dropped to 5A and ended up winning state. When they called our name, it was surreal. Every doubt I’d had—whether I was leading well or doing enough—just melted away.
I also serve on the school’s yearbook staff and I am a library aide. Yearbook is a lot of fun because I get to be creative, and in the library, I help with book circulation and design monthly displays. I’ve done ones on birds, true crime, and more.
I enjoy seeing what different people like to spend their time doing. I’m a people watcher. So, when people come and check out their different books, you learn a lot about them by what they like to read. I’ll read anything. Historical fiction is probably my favorite genre lately.
I also work at Cracker Barrel, so I have to stay organized and manage my time well.
I’ve got big dreams, and nobody’s going to make them happen but me. I know that means sometimes doing things that I don’t want to do. Not everything will be my passion, but it’s all part of building toward my goals, and skipping the hard parts wouldn’t teach me anything.” WL
Interview by Jenny Lynn Davis | Images by Al Blanton
