As Ellwood students from grades K-12 gathered in the school’s cafeteria on Friday, Ellwood chief executive officer Reverend Garry Crum announced that the young school had made history.

Ellwood football players Denzel Smiley, Corey Stringer and Jimarcus Hayes signed scholarships to play college football at Huntingdon College in Montgomery next season, marking the first college signees in Ellwood’s one and a half year history.

Smiley, who played running back and linebacker for Ellwood this past season, said the signing was a culmination of a lot of hard work.

“I feel good about what I have done and it feels like all the work has finally paid off, and I’m just happy that I can go to college and receive something,” Smiley said. “I’m just happy right now.”

Hayes, who played offensive and defensive line, said the scholarship is a reward for all his perseverance.

“It feels good because I never thought I’d make it, but I kept my mind to it, stuck to it and I made it,” Hayes said. “It’s going to take a lot of hard work and dedication to continue on at this next level.”

Smiley agreed with his teammate that it’s going to take a lot of work to continue on successfully.

“It’s going to take really hard work,” Smiley said.

“Like my momma tells me, life is just starting out for me. It’s been hard earlier and it’s just getting harder and harder from here.”