Seventeen-Year-Old Skylar Maryellen Kelly is s native New Orleanian and a Senior at Ben Franklin High School.    This weekend she represented our city at the National NAACP ACT-SO AWARDS competition in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  Thirty-Three areas in STEM and the Arts were represented.  Over 500 students competed.  Skylar was honored with a Bronze medal in Modern Dance.  She began dancing at the age of three and is currently a student at the Art in Motion Dance Academy, where she has studied for 14 years and performs with the competition team.   Her hobbies include dance, acting, and singing. 

After high school, she plans to attend Spelman College and major in English and African-American Studies. Her post college aspirations include admission to Emory University to study law. When asked about her success Skylar says: “My goal in general is to be happy and succeed however that is defined; just as long as I get to change the world in the process”. Quoting the great activist Angela Davis, she says: “I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.”

Congratulations Skylar!  Your local NAACP ACT-SO branch and the City of New Orleans are proud of your outstanding achievement.  You have proved yourself to be the very best of the best.  Skylar is the daughter of Aeisha Kelly and Mr. and Mrs. Ronnie and Kylie Griffin.  She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carl and Maryellen Kelly.