Middle Schooler Plays - and Sings - the Hits

When it came time for her speech to accept being elected as DJ last week, eighth grader Cierra Haynesworth simply did what she loves to do: she broke into song.

Four of them, actually.

Haynesworth, 13, whose family moved to Mill Valley three years ago, used her speech as an opportunity to showcase the kinds of songs her fellow students should expect to hear during their 40-minute lunch every Friday, the slot allotted to the Middle School DJ.

Haynesworth's a capella medley included "The Lazy Song" by Bruno Mars, "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus, "Burning Love" by Elvis Presley and "The Year 3000" by the Jonas Brithers.

"It brought tears to the eyes of some of the adults," says school counselor Randi Josephson. 

Haynesworth, a member of the church choir at the Grace Bible Fellowship of Antioch, says she's been deluged with song requests from her classmates who want to hear their favorites during an upcoming lunch. She expects to squeeze in about 10 songs per week, and the request line is filling up.

"It's been ridiculous," she says, telling each one to simply write down the name of the artist and song and she try to find it (a clean version of it) on iTunes.

Josephson says Haynesworth has done a great job fitting in since she arrived in the area as a sixth grader, and is always willing to help at school events.

"She is a student who always goes beyond expectations and does whatever she can to help," she says. "She's really emerged as a leader."