How many of us will ever get the chance to open up Sports Illustrated or USA Today and see ourselves looking back from the pages?

Kelly Drewry did – the 2004-05 Franklin High School graduate was recently selected as one of the Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year (SAMMY) 2005 award winners. Her senior portrait – complete with the ever-present milk mustache seen in the company’s ads – has run in SI, USA, and other nationwide publications. She’s one of 25 winners, and the only Virginian, from across the country to grab the award, which includes a $7,500 college scholarship.

But it’s just one more entry on her War and Peace-esque resume, is jammed with school awards and activities, community service and scholarships. Drewry helped the Lady Broncos to the last four Tri-River district volleyball titles, making the All-Region team twice and winning the District Player of the Year award last fall. She tormented opposing batters from the softball mound, winning District Pitcher of the Year and making All-Region honors the last two years. Drewry captained the basketball team the past two seasons, and helps coach the junior varsity squad. She’s the president of Franklin’s BETA Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Students Against Destructive Decisions, and Co-Ed Hi-Y.

And if all of that wasn’t enough, she somehow found the time to rack up a 4.36 grade point average – good enough for valedictorian honors. SAMMY is the 12th organization to provide her some financial aid.

&uot;I just worked hard all five years,&uot; Drewry said (she started Franklin when it was grade 8-12). &uot;I had a lot of older friends who were involved in clubs and organizations, and I wanted to stay busy.&uot;

Before the school year, she found the SAMMY program on an Internet search.

&uot;I had to write about my community service, academics and leadership,&uot; she said. &uot;I had to write an essay about how milk affected my life, and I wrote about how it helped me stay strong and active.&uot;

In February, she was notified that she’d been picked as a semifinalist, and a bit more information was needed. Drewry sent them her sports statistics and a letter of recommendation from her English teacher.

Over the next few months, the award decision was made – by judges Jason Kidd of the NBA, World Cup soccer champion Mia Hamm, skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, NFL quarterback Brad Johnson, worldwide skating champ Michelle Kwan and tennis star Andy Roddick.

Then, on May 13 – ironically, a Friday the 13th, a day stigmatized as unlucky – Drewry went back on the Net, and found some wonderful news; she’d been selected as one of the nation’s finest.

&uot;Words can’t even describe it,&uot; she said. &uot;I just sat there in awe. My mom was jumping up and down.&uot;

Along with the scholarship, winners also got a trip to Orlando to Disney World’s Wide World of Sports Complex June 24-26. Before she got on the plane, Drewry’s mom bought a copy of USA Today. A few pages in, Drewry saw her own face.

&uot;It just hit me how big the scholarship was and how many people would see it,&uot; she said. &uot;I knew I was going to be in there, but I didn’t know when.&uot;

In Disney World, she and the other winners rode in a parade and attended a ceremony, where four-time Olympic swimming medallist Janet Evans told them to never give up, and always believe in their dreams.

&uot;I met her, and she was really nice,&uot;

Drewry said.

Last week, she and her family headed to Blacksburg for orientation at Virginia Tech. Between architecture classes – she’d like to design homes someday – Drewry hopes to continue her softball career.

&uot;I just played sports because I enjoyed them,&uot; she said. &uot;I never thought I’d ever get into Sports Illustrated or any other magazine, but it happened.&uot;

jason.norman@suffolknewsherald.com