Humphres hopes to open hometown business

Editor’s Note: Franklin’s Future is a regular feature spotlighting a high school senior in Franklin County and what they have planned for life after graduation.

Red Bay senior Austin Humphres has been very involved during his four years of high school and has rounded out his time at RBHS as an “all around” good student, so his peers say.

Humphres was voted Best All Around for the class of 2013 and his long list of activities and achievements is probably one of the reasons why.

Humphres has been very involved in athletics at Red Bay where’s he’s been part of the basketball, football and track teams and served as team captain in both football and basketball.

Humphres has also served as the president of the Science Club, the English Club and the Spanish Club; he’s been a member of Students Against Destructive Decisions, Future Business Leaders of America, Future Farmers of America and SAFE; he was named to the academic Hall of Fame; and he made All-County for basketball.

In addition to those activities, Humphres has also been involved in community service through the Leo Club food drive and mission trips with his church.

He has also held down a job at 4th Street Grill and Steakhouse.

“Having a job and being really involved isn’t always easy,” he said, “but it teaches you responsibility and how to choose the right priorities.

“It always best to try your hardest at whatever you do and give 100 percent.”

With all that he’s done the past four years, Humphres said he’ll be taking a lot of happy memories with him after he leaves RBHS.

Humphres said most of his favorite high school memories have been associated with sports since being an athlete played a big role in his high school experience.

“Winning the county tournament in basketball this year stands out as one of my favorite memories because that was a big accomplishment for us,” he said.

“It was also a lot of fun to watch the girls basketball team play for the state championship last year. It was a big deal for the whole school and most of us went down there to support them, and it was a lot of fun.”

Humphres said he’s glad he participated in sports because he feels like he’s learned a lot from it.

“Being involved in sports teaches you a lot about life,” he said. “Not everything in life is always going to go your way so you have to learn how to deal with those situations and just move on.

“It teaches you how to be a good sport and how to work with other people to accomplish something. Those are all things you’ll have to know when you’re out in the real world.”

Humphres said he would miss his friends and teammates when he graduates from RBHS in May.

“The people really make this school what it is,” he said.

“I like that it’s a small school and that everyone knows you and the teachers will take the time out to help you if you need it. I’ll miss that once I go to college.”

But there are things about college that Humphres said he’s definitely looking forward to as well.

“I’ve gone to Red Bay my whole life so I think it will be fun to have new experience and meet new people.”

Humphres received an athletic scholarship to Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa and he said after he takes his basic courses there, he plans to transfer to the University of Alabama.

“It makes sense for me to go to Alabama since I’ll already be in Tuscaloosa at Shelton, but I probably would have chosen to go there anyway,” he said.

“I grew up going to Tuscaloosa for games and being on the campus and it will be great to actually be a student there and be part of the school and the whole football atmosphere on Saturdays in the fall. I’m really looking forward to that.”

Humphres said right now he plans to major in business with the hopes of owning his own business one day.

“I’m not sure yet what type of business I want to have, but I know that I want to own it and run it myself,” he said. “I like the idea of having more freedom than you would working for someone else.”

Whatever that business might be, Humphres said he wanted to start it in Red Bay.

“Red Bay is just home to me,” he said. “I might could live somewhere like Tuscaloosa but I would like to be able to come back here and start a business that would help my hometown and support the economy here.”

Humphres is the son of Jeremy and Mistie Humphres.