Holly Miller: From Waverly to Nashville

WAVERLY – Waverly High School Student Council President Holly Miller missed 40 days of school this year, and she did it on purpose.

Miller was taking trips to Nashville to work on writing and recording her first album.

After dozens of YouTube videos and a stint on Season 13 of "American Idol," Miller was approached and signed by a Christian artist record label. Her cover of "A Drop in the Ocean" by Ron Pope has more than 450,000 views on her YouTube channel.

"I grew up singing southern gospel," Miller said. "I'm a preacher's daughter."

Miller started taking trips to Nashville to launch her hopeful career in music in 2013. She said the school has been "super helpful" in allowing her to complete work while traveling and pursuing her dream.

"My teachers said they were OK with it as long as I kept my grades up and I have. I still have a 3.9 GPA," Miller said.

Up until her senior year, when her trips to Nashville became longer and more frequent, Miller was actively involved in basketball, soccer, and drama club, along with a handful of volunteer opportunities.

And while her academics and activities are impressive, perhaps her biggest accomplishment is musical. This fall, Miller will go on tour with fellow Christian artist Toby Mac as well as be featured in two of his songs on his upcoming album, due out August 7.

Although you won't see her by her full name, she goes by her stage name, Hollyn.

Miller admits she did not always know she wanted to sing Christian music.

"God had to reveal it to me," Miller said. "My life is really insane. ... I'm just a small-town girl from Waverly and Toby Mac is in my contacts."

Miller hopes that, once her album and the tour are finished, she can pursue a college degree in business management.

Miller, along with the other 127 Waverly High School graduates, will determine what Ben Evory called the "metaphorical elevators" during his valedictorian address that they want to take into their futures.

Whereas some, such as a certain seventh-grade science class experiment, will make them ask "Could this be a bad idea?" Evory said, others will take them exactly where they want to go.

The 2015 Waverly High School graduating class: 127

Valedictorians: Austin Lightle, Ben Evory, and Bailey Patrick

Salutatorians: Sarah Dresbach and Sheridan McLean

Class Motto: "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Class Flower: Tiger Lilly