Twiggs County’s Aylah Birks awarded prestigious Gates Scholarship

Aylah Birks is the first girl and third Twiggs County student to win the prestigious national scholarship that will cover her full cost of attendance including tuition, fees, room, board, books, and transportation, and may include other personal expenses .

“The feeling is still mesmerizing, I’m still in a state of shock,” said Aylah Birks, a senior at Twiggs County, at the scholarship announcement. “But more importantly, I’m proud and encouraged by not only myself, but the willpower of others that have inspired me before then in my family and community.”

The 2021 Valedictorian of Twiggs County High School, Birks has been accepted to more than 116 colleges and universities and received $4.7 million in scholarship offers.

Birks’ plays a major role in leadership positions at Twiggs County Public School as the president, leader and officer of the senior Beta Club and prior roles as a section leader for the trumpet section in the marching band. She also held a position as the social media representative and consultant when she was the student body president.

The organizations she is involved in are centered around her initiative to better the community. As a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference Incorporated (an African-American civil rights organization), she handles social justice topics, talks about discrimination, educating her community members, students and family members about injustice and what needs to be done next in their community and across the U.S..

She says she strives to inform, and encourage. So it comes to no surprise that she is involved in multiple lanes to disburse her gift and uses her story to captivate others.

“She encourages me to keep going because she’s always doing something positive,” said Jamal E. Harris, principal of Twiggs County Public School. “I am blessed to have her as a student and we are very proud of her. She’s an inspiration to other boys and girls of Twigg County, showing them you can make it out and be as successful as you would like to be when you keep your focus, and obtain your goals.”

Birks’ strong community support system has been nurturing her growth since she was younger, her parents and members of the community said they did everything to help her share tenacity and knowledge through her words, works, and acts of service.

“I noticed Aylah had a gift as a baby, and I noticed that gift was different from other children,” said Cindy Curry-Birks, mother of Alyah Birks. “I took that gift and I utilized it as much as possible, and taught her everything everyday, and I am so thankful God blessed me with his child.”

Birks’ can choose between more than 100 colleges and universities, and even though she is undecided, she did drop hints that the choice is between a “Tiger” and a “Bear.” The final decision will be announced on her college signing day.

“When I first laid eyes on Aylah I knew in my spirit she was something special,” said Alyha’s father Antegus Birks. “There’s no limit to the future I see for her, I am anticipating what’s going to happen next. She already super exceeded my expectations”

Birks has decided to double major between either behavioral science or psychology and criminal justice and legal studies, with minors in communication and public health.

Aside from her exceptional education achievements, and community outreach, Birks has now added author to her resume. Her book “Perspectives: Through the Looking Glass” is set to release in the fall of 2021, and will feature poetry, personal stories and narratives with a variety of subjects such as the struggle and the beauty of being Black throughout this timeline of nature, summer, winter, fall and spring.

A survivor of bullying, Birks has a hand in humanitarian work advocating mental health, anti-bullying, and suicide prevention. She uses that “silent point” of her life as a topic to help others learn about it on her platform.

Birks is proud of being from a small community, and says people should not be ashamed of where they’re from and hopes her story inspires others.

“It is extremely important because it shows you that you don’t have to be from a big city such as Atlanta, or Los Angeles or New York to make a difference or make an impact that inspires others and also gets other people talking about you and wants other children to take after you or make a change in their community. It shows you that you’ve done more with less,” Birks said.

She says she is inspired to come back to Twiggs to continue to make a difference.

Her future goals are to become a neurosurgeon, which she says was inspired by Ben Carson’s “Gifted Hands” book and her grandfather who was diagnosed with dementia. She saw first-hand the effects the chronic disease has on families and wants to ensure community members have access to those medicines, treatments and surgeries so they may live a full and impactful life.