Born with Pierre Robin Syndrome, a cleft palate and a hearing impairment, Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science senior Audrey Guynes always felt like her life was a waiting game.
But on Thursday, when Guynes was awarded the Accepting the Challenge of Excellence (A.C.E.) of the Year Award during the Columbus Exchange Club’s annual Youth and A.C.E. Awards Luncheon at Lion Hills Center, she said she felt like her moment had finally come.
“I did not expect that I would get this,” Guynes told The Dispatch. “I feel like it’s just a testament to how I felt for so long.”
The A.C.E. award recognizes students who overcame serious challenges in their high school years. In her application for the A.C.E. Award, Guynes wrote about how her health issues made her feel like an outsider.
Growing up, Guynes had to take time away from school to deal with medical issues. By the time she reached the end of middle school, she had undergone more than eight surgeries on her head.
When she was in school, other students bullied her for wearing hearing aids, teasing her and ripping them out of her ears. Guynes’ mental health declined during the pandemic, and she eventually had to be pulled out of school with her physical health worsening.
Searching for a stable environment, Guynes found MSMS. She made the difficult decision to leave her home in Madison and move to the residential high school. She said the choice led to her finding a second home at MSMS.
“It took courage to believe in myself and pursue my educational goals,” she said. “I am grateful for the resilience of my past self and the determination I demonstrated in pursuing a brighter future.”
Guynes is undecided on where she will go to college, but she plans to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. Her greatest feat, she said, will be constructing the technology of the future, specifically hearing aids.
“I will still face a lifetime of medical supervision, but as I look towards college, I want to advocate for those who felt as alien as I did,” she said.
Exchange Club members also presented the Youth of the Year Award, which recognizes students for academic achievement and community involvement, to Heritage Academy senior Hannah Oswalt.
Oswalt was chosen for the Youth of the Year Award based on her academic excellence and her dedication to serving Lowndes County communities.
In her application, Oswalt wrote that her most outstanding achievement was being accepted as a Lowndes Young Leader. The 10-month leadership program provides leadership development for students through various educational opportunities.
“My time with the program continues to impact the decisions and goals I make today,” she wrote.
After the luncheon Thursday, Oswalt said she felt honored to once again represent Lowndes County with the Youth of the Year award.
“Knowing everything the Exchange Club does for the community, it’s an honor to be chosen,” she said.
Oswalt plans to attend Mississippi College in the fall to major in marketing with a minor in missions.
In addition to Guynes and Oswalt’s overall awards, an Exchange Club committee recognized eight other students from local schools with Youth and A.C.E. Awards.
Other A.C.E. Award winners included Brianna Holliman (Caledonia High School), Taliyah Thomas (New Hope High School), Cooper Goodman (Victory Christian Academy) and Donnella Lindsey (West Lowndes High School).
School winners of Youth Awards included Lucy Wilcutt (Caledonia High School), Lisa Seid (MSMS), Marlee Davis (New Hope High School) and Riley Oglesby (Victory Christian Academy).
McRae is a general assignment and education reporter for The Dispatch.
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