May 4, 2026 — Growing up in Chicago, Avery Kelley never imagined that her path would lead to Cobb County, but in a matter of weeks, she'll be a proud graduate of Hillgrove High School.
Avery moved with her family right before starting high school, but she had long had a passion for all things creative.
At just 11 years old, she started her own production company, Inspired Melanin, to tell positive stories about underrepresented communities.
"If you encounter Avery, you're going to encounter someone really special. I'm very, very proud of Avery, and I know she's going to go far in life," said Hillgrove's Principal Angela Stewart.
At Hillgrove, Avery is involved in student government, Beta Club, mentoring freshman students, National Honor Society, and the dance team. She is also a 2026 Coca-Cola Foundation Scholar.
She is also an anchor for Talon TV, which is where her passion for TV, filmmaking, and production shines each day at school.
While juggling all of her extracurricular activities, Avery has maintained a 4.0 GPA and is a leader both inside and outside the classroom.
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Avery has also found time to produce over eight projects that have earned national and international recognition at film festivals.
"I am someone who loves school. For me, graduating is such a bittersweet feeling because I feel like I just got here. I'm going to miss all my friends. I'm going to miss the traditions that we have here at Hillgrove," Avery added.
Avery plans to pursue a career in filmmaking and production and is weighing colleges that offer the best opportunities for her to succeed.
