CONWAY — Sydney Hopson’s schedule is packed with public appearances; she’s entertained the governor and won a national talent show this month. Not bad for a 7-year-old.
The Conway girl has been dubbed the ABC girl for her ability to recite Bible verses corresponding with the letters A through Z, as well as memorizing chapters of the King James Bible. Sydney also plays piano — she’s a student at the University of Central Arkansas Community School of Music — and sings.
Her manager, aka her grandmother, Rene Henderson, said she realized Sydney had an extraordinary talent for memorization when she was 5.
Henderson said she was taking Sydney to Conway Christian School one morning, and she asked the little girl to recite a verse — one of 26 — she was supposed to have memorized.
When Sydney didn’t answer, Henderson questioned her and was about to chastise her for not responding. Henderson said Sydney told her she was waiting to see which verse she wanted to hear.
“I know them all,” Sydney said.
Henderson asked her granddaughter to prove it, and she did. After a quick meeting with Sydney’s teacher, Lisa Gray, that morning, Henderson said she found out Sydney was unique.
Gray said that when she evaluated the students at the beginning of the year, Sydney was “always at the top of her reading.”
“She can project — she’s a natural talker,” Gray said, and Henderson laughed.
Sydney recalled that her fellow kindergartners forgot their verses.
“I kept them in my memory,” she said.
In addition to specific verses, the child recites The Lord’s Prayer and Psalm 23, as well as entire chapters of the Bible.
Sydney, whose parents are divorced, lives with her mother, Katrina Hopson in Conway. Sydney’s first public recital was on Easter 2014 at Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, which she and her family attend. She received a standing ovation.
The Rev. Houston White, pastor of the church, visited Sydney at school. He said Sydney is “a very special child.”
“She’s a unique child, and we’re blessed to have her,” White said. He said Sydney inspires and encourages adults and children who hear her. “We understand that it’s a gift from God,” he said.
The word spread that Sydney had an amazing talent for memorization, and she was invited to youth conferences and churches all over Arkansas, and she has been on radio and television.
“Last year, she was booked every Sunday,” Henderson said. She said Sydney speaks for free, but the pastors at churches where Sydney is a guest speaker usually ask for a “love offering,” Henderson said.
The donations have helped pay for piano lessons for Sydney, gas to travel to the events and even her tuition at the private school. Henderson said she helps manage Sydney’s busy schedule because Henderson’s daughter, Sydney’s mother, works two jobs.
When a woman at one event asked for Sydney’s information, Henderson found a piece of scrap paper to write down her phone number. Henderson recalled that the woman insisted that Sydney needed business cards, and the woman gave Henderson a donation to get some printed.
The cards have printed on them: “Sydney, the ABC Girl! Bible verse recitals A to Z that are impactful and inspirational!”
Henderson saw a talent show that was being held in West Memphis a couple of weeks ago, “and I thought it’d be fun for her to participate,” she said of Sydney.
She took Sydney, who was also required to sing. Although the event had only a keyboard, Henderson said Sydney familiarized herself with it and “just did a beautiful job.” She sang two songs and recited Bible verses.
When the winner was announced, Henderson thought there must be another Sydney Hopson among the hundreds of people there.
Henderson said the master of ceremonies asked again, “Is little Miss Sydney Hopson, the ABC girl, here, or her representative?” Henderson went to accept the award because Sydney was asleep in the hotel with family. It was after 11 p.m., past the child’s bedtime.
“It was cool,” Sydney said.
Henderson said the announcer told the audience of about 800 that Sydney won because of her originality.
She said people keep asking if Sydney “has been tested,” and Henderson has contacted the University of Central Arkansas to see about testing her IQ and memorization skills.
Sydney entertained Gov. Asa Hutchinson and his staff in December, and because the staff photographer was out that day, she went back this month to have her photograph made with the governor.
Sydney also saw on television that Hillary Clinton was going to be in Pine Bluff, “and she begged me, ‘Grandma, can we go see Hillary Clinton, please, please, please?’” They went, and Henderson said Sydney met the presidential candidate and gave her a business card.
Sydney met Jason Carson, the new president and CEO of Conway Christian School, on Wednesday and recited John 14:1-6.
The first-grader will be on a national stage in June when she recites verses at the National Baptist Convention Southwest Regional Youth Conference in Alabama.
Sydney said her favorite subject is PE “because you get to run outside and play and play games,” she said. Her favorite book is Princess Bedtime Stories “because it has all the princesses in it,” she said
Sydney’s favorite verse is Isaiah 40:31, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
She said her goal is to “say more” verses.
“More is good,” the pastor told her.
Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.