Moore has eyes set on future at UAB

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.

Keylee Moore has been a mainstay at Red Bay High School where the civic-minded senior said she enjoys getting involved and participating in school and community projects.
Moore said the thing she enjoys the most about her school is the small environment that has allowed her to easily get to know her fellow classmates and her teachers and have leadership roles in several of the clubs she is a part of.
Moore has served as president of Health Occupation Students of America, treasurer of the Spanish Club, a council member in Students Against Destructive Decisions, and a member of Future Business Leaders of America, SAFE, Beta Club, Annual Staff and the AB Honor Roll.
In addition to those activities, Moore was also very active in the Franklin County Junior Leadership program where she logged over 250 volunteer hours helping out in the community.
“I really like helping people and doing things for others,” she said. “It makes me feel good to make other people smile.”
She said one of her favorite community-service projects is to visit the residents in local nursing homes.
“We visited the nursing home with the Spanish Club and handed out presents at Christmastime, and that was something that I’ll never forget,” she said. “It’s probably one of my favorite memories from high school because it was such a special thing to see the residents’ faces light up when we were there.”
Moore said being part of Junior Leadership also helped prepare her for life after high school because she learned to interact with other people her age she didn’t know and people out in the community.
“I made a lot of friends from other schools that I still keep in touch with that I probably wouldn’t have met otherwise if I hadn’t been part of Junior Leadership,” she said.
“I think that was a good experience because I’ll be meeting a lot of new people once I start college. Before Junior Leadership, I probably wouldn’t have just gone up to someone and started a conversation, but now I don’t mind it.”
Moore said she would miss seeing all the friends she’s made at RBHS once they graduate in May, but she said she’s really looking forward to what college life has to offer.
“I’m looking forward to meeting new people and making new friends,” she said. “I’m also looking forward to being more independent and living in a bigger city.”
Moore said she has her sights set on the University of Alabama in Birmingham, so the change from the small-town life in Red Bay to the big city of Birmingham would definitely be different.
“I’ve enjoyed living in Franklin County because of the small-town charm where everyone knows who you are and they ask about you and really care about what goes on with you,” she said, “but I think it will be good to also live in a place where people don’t know every detail about your life and you can blend in more and just go with the flow.
“It will be different from what I’m used to, but I think I’ll like it.”
Moore said she chose UAB because of the location and feel of the college and because they have a good occupational therapy program, which is what she wants to study.
“I’ve visited UAB a couple of times and I like that it has the traditional college feel while being right in the middle of the city,” she said. “It seems like a good fit and a place I could really fit in.”
Moore said she chose occupational therapy because it was a good combination of the things she enjoys about the medical field.
“I knew I wanted to do something in the medical field because I want to be able to help others in whatever job I have,” she said, “but I don’t want to deal with blood or other things like that.
“With occupational therapy, I can help people get back to their normal routines and recover from things like accidents or strokes, so they can be happy and healthy. I believe it will be a rewarding career.”
Once she graduates from college, Moore said she could see herself remaining in Birmingham to find work and settle down.
“In a city like Birmingham, everything is just right there – you don’t have to drive an hour to Walmart just to get something you need,” she said. “There will also be more job opportunities for me in a bigger city like that.”
But even if she decided to remain in the big city, Moore said she would always be back to visit, especially since most of her family lives in the area.
Moore is the daughter of Shanna and Stewart Ozbirn, and she has one younger sister, Kyndell. Her grandparents are Sally and Kelly Moore; Luann and Jack Ozbirn; and Shirley and Marcus Ivy.