Sophomore O'Keefe Johnson has been named the recipient of the inaugural Spirit of Leadership Award, the only High School Leadership Rome award given by the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce.
The daughter of Dr. Laurie and Danny Johnson, O'Keefe is an active member of Darlington's student body, excelling in academics, athletics and the arts. An "A" student, she is a spiritual liaison and a recipient of both the Robert G. Walther Jr. Memorial Award and the Darlington Parents Association Award. She has also participated in the Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership program and Search Leadership Statewide, a Christian discipleship program for high school students.
In athletics, she has lettered in swimming, lacrosse and crew. Her school spirit and determination have won her honors in both crew and volleyball.
A lover of the arts, O'Keefe is a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society and the Darlington Orchestra. This past summer, she was selected to perform in a concert with the Rome Symphony Orchestra and in 2009, she was a member of the Georgia Independent School Association All-Select Orchestra. She also plays piano, violin, viola and guitar.
Writing is another of O'Keefe's passions. She has already made several appearances as a featured speaker in chapel, most recently delivering her address "If You Really Knew Me." This past weekend at Tigerfest, she was named runner-up at Tigers Got Talent for her presentation of an original composition. Another of her compositions, "Be Strong," has been submitted to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. She was also a finalist in this year's Poetry Out Loud competition.
"Darlington has helped enrich O'Keefe's love of people, love of learning, love of music and the arts, enjoyment of sport, and commitment to service beyond self," Laurie said. "She is a joy to us, and a great example of how Darlington can cultivate a renaissance student. It is always spirit-boosting to know your school motto is being lived out by one more student, especially considering the teachers, staff, and helpers who have invested in her."
O'Keefe was presented with the Spirit of Leadership Award during High School Leadership Rome's graduation banquet on April 5.
