MACON, Ga. — It's no small task to be named the valedictorian of your class but that's exactly what senior Stephanie Matlock did. She's also an athlete, who's rebounded from every obstacle thrown her way.
Back in January, Stephanie Matlock was named Central High School's 2020 valedictorian. It's an accomplishment that didn't come without a lot of sacrifices and help along the way.
"Honestly a lot of sleepless nights, sleepless nights definitely and a lot of coffee - friends, people that I could depend on, my family, teachers, people that I know could go for help," Matlock said.
Matlock thrived in Central's IB program. She also ran cross country, track and played basketball. On the court is where she faced the most adversity. She tore her achilles tendon during a practice her senior year.
It was Matlock's second major injury. As a sophomore, she tore her ACL and Meniscus and sprained her MCL. When catastrophe happened a second time, she said it was easy to get down on herself at first, but she couldn't stay down.
"I knew that it was going to be hard because of the process that I had already gone through before," Matlock said. "But then I realized I can't keep asking myself the what if's and the why's. I got to accept what's happened and keep moving on."
The recovery process wasn't easy, but it did a lot to change her perspective.
"I started to feel more fortunate for the little steps that I did take like when I finally able to walk, it was a really big milestone for me. When I was finally able to walk without my boot and just get around my house I felt really accomplished," Matlock said.
Much like earning her valedictorian status, Matlock credits her teammates that got her through the process. She may not walk across the stage this year, but she says it's all been worth it.
"I'm proud to be valedictorian. I guess I feel fortunate and it shows I worked hard," she said.
Matlock hasn't decided on her college decision yet, but is choosing between, Mercer University, Ohio State University, and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
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