Whether it’s onstage or in the classroom, Hailey Massey deserves every bit of her award as Sunset Middle School’s Academic All-Star. Administrators say the eighth grader is a hard worker who cares about her fellow students.
“Hailey always asks questions and pushes herself to know more,” said SSMS Principal Dr. Tim Brown. “She is most impressive because she helps others to understand.”
Hailey has a passion for English, and she loves to perform, so when she gets to combine the two it’s the best of both worlds.
“We did a thing in English class where we had to give a presentation with a partner,” said Hailey. “We made a project to review everything we learned, and my partner and I wrote a rap song that we performed. It was just fun and it really did help us remember the information.”
Born with a love for entertaining others, it’s no surprise that Hailey’s favorite place is on the stage. In fact, Hailey will play the role of Belle this month in the Sunset Middle production of Beauty and the Beast Jr.
“I’m so excited,” said Hailey. “It’s every little girl’s dream to be a princess, and I get to do that. I can’t wait.”
While theater takes up a lot of Hailey’s time, she understands the importance of getting a good education, even if it means she may make mistakes from time to time.
“Last year especially, I put a lot of pressure on myself, which wasn’t good,” said Hailey. “I just want to do well. In elementary school, my parents were never really hard on me. They just want me to always try my best, and I think that really helps.”
Although she’ll be sad to leave Sunset Middle, Nolensville High School is the next step in Hailey’s life and she is ready.
“I think the brand new thing is really cool,” said Hailey. “I think it’s not going to be as scary since it’s a newer school with fewer people. I’m just really excited. It’s like a step closer to real life.”