WATCH: McTelvin Agim UA jersey presentation

HOPE, Ark. -- Hope is best known as the birthplace of former president Bill Clinton, but after Tuesday, it’s also known as the home of high school All-American McTelvin Agim.

In a Hope High School gym that was filled to the rafters with friends, family, teachers and others from this Southwest Arkansas community of around 10,000 people, Agim, a five-star defensive end, was presented with his Under Armour All-America jersey. It was a moment Agim will never forget, but it’s also an accomplishment that means a lot to many in the region.

“This isn’t just a big moment for McTelvin,” Hope football coach Jay Turley said. “It’s a big moment for the city of Hope, Arkansas. Everybody in this town knows who he is. He’s the biggest celebrity in the town, and to be able to say that we have an All-American is something that makes everybody in this town hold their head up a little bit higher.

“It’s a pretty big stinking deal.”

It's official. Arkansas five-star DE commit @So_Splash is a #UAAllAmerica. #Hogs pic.twitter.com/YSjgnxXLk1

— Jeremy Crabtree (@jeremycrabtree) September 15, 2015

It was such a big deal that Agim couldn’t quite put into words how excited he is to have the opportunity to play in the nation’s most prestigious high school football all-star game, which will be played Jan. 2 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. Agim was speechless for a few seconds when he was asked to describe how he felt about the honor, but he eventually smiled wide and began to express his feelings.

“I know it's real, but it's still crazy,” Agim said. “I would have never thought I would be here. I used to watch the game all the time when it came on TV, but then I realized I wouldn’t ever get to play in it if I was sitting on my couch watching it. So every time the Under Armour Game came on the past few years, I would hit up coach and I would come up to the school and get a workout in and do conditioning. I always wanted to try and catch these people that had a head start on me.”

He has.

Hope HS coach Jay Turley (@inaflash45) talks about how big @So_Splash is for the entire town of Hope. #UAAllAmerica pic.twitter.com/r5KEuukZAA

— Jeremy Crabtree (@jeremycrabtree) September 15, 2015

Agim, ranked as the No. 9 player in the ESPN 300, has developed into one of the most coveted defensive players in the 2016 class. Turley said Agim has a rare combination of athletic ability, dedication, emotion and leadership. He had 16 sacks as a sophomore and after a strong showing at Arkansas’ camp he received his first scholarship offers from the Razorbacks and Baylor. Those offers were followed by dozens of others, before he eventually committed to Arkansas earlier this month. Now Agim is the first UA All-American from the state of Arkansas since Hunter Henry was honored in 2013. But maybe, more importantly, he’s become a beacon of hope for the people of Hope.

“He’s a walking talking example of doing it right,” Hope principal Tommie Campbell said. “Like many kids here in Hope, McTelvin hasn’t had it easy, but he chose the right path and that’s led him to this incredible opportunity that everybody in this high school and this community can truly be truly proud of.”

That’s something that’s not lost on Agim, and he plans on doing everything to make his hometown proud.

"I think it's pretty big for Hope, because it gives a kid something to look up to instead of drug dealing, dropping out of high school and not pursuing anything," Agim said. "Everybody has opportunities if you work hard and try to better yourself. The kids here in Hope can say 'He's from around this area, and he just became an All-American? I can do it, too.'"