Gallery of Young Heroes

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Hunter Agee

Holt High School

After undergoing many tests, and repeated misdiagnoses, it was not until the 6th grade that Hunter’s parents, teachers and doctors…

Kathryn Anderson

Bob Jones High School

When Kathryn Anderson was just 19-months-old, she suffered her first grand mal seizure, beginning a lifelong medical journey. For years,…

JaMichael Angel

Wadley High School

In her nomination of JaMichael Angel as a Young Hero, Wadley High School counselor Kathryn McElvy wrote, “JaMichael has always…

Meredith Annan

Robertsdale High School

Meredith’s story actually began before she was born—when her future mother was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of…

Ashley Askins

Cherokee High School

A natural leader, Ashley Askins is described by band director Kyle Clements as a top notch flautist and color guard…

Alma Atassi

Bob Jones High School

Alma’s father passed away unexpectedly in 2013. At the time, she and her two younger siblings were living with her…

Robby Bailey

Arab High School

Robby was born to a young, single mother and adopted on the day of his birth by his maternal grandparents….

China Barber

Theodore High School

“A blazing hot and humid day in midsummer 2004 marked the beginning of three dreadful years for my family…” So…

Jaylon Beck

Demopolis High School

Jaylon Beck is a senior at Demopolis High School. In 2007, Jaylon and his entire family were involved in a…

Matthew Bedwell

Open Door Christian School

In just seconds a family vacation went terribly wrong. One moment three-year-old Joseph Seale was playfully splashing about in a…

Denver Sha-Vonne Benjamin

Cherokee High School

Denver, now a senior at Cherokee High School, was diagnosed with lupus when she was in the 8th grade. Lupus…

Karlie Blankenship

Lawrence County High School

Karlie Blankenship was nominated to be a Young Hero by her friend, co-workers and mentor—Amy Fleming. The two work together…

Callie Brianne Pope

Elba High School

Callie Brianne Pope is a senior at Elba High School. She has a 4.0 GPA and is on track to…

Carlissa Brown

Highland Home High School

The nomination of Carlissa Brown, a senior at Highland Home High School, was replete with commendations from her teachers. She…

Cody Browning

Echola School

Bi-weekly treatments and medications with awful side effects wouldn’t keep this young man from being a source of great inspiration….

Faith Bynum

Corner High School

Faith Bynum – artist, award-winning actress, singer, writer, volunteer, church leader, school leader. As her teacher Fran Gurganus, wrote, “This…

Charles Caldwell, Jr.

Ramsay High School

Most candidates for the Young Hero honor are nominated by a single person. In the case of Charles I. Caldwell…

Caitlin Campbell

Hoover High School

Basketball, horseback riding, swimming—Hoover High School senior Caitlin Campbell is a star athlete in all three sports. The athletic accomplishments…

Anne Chesson

Satsuma High School

At age seven, Anne Chesson was struck and dragged by a school bus. The accident caused life-threatening, disfiguring injuries including…

Derensky Cooper

Currently ranked #1 in his class, Derensky Cooper of Lanett, Alabama raised funds to attend the Alabama Governor’s School Summer…

Shea Danielle Patrick

Lee High School

Shea Danielle Patrick is a senior at Lee High School in Huntsville, Ala. She has a GPA of 3.78 and…

Samantha Davidson

Leroy High School

Samantha Davidson was a healthy child until the fall of 2007. She began complaining of her arm and wrist hurting….

Connor Davis

Boaz High School

Connor Davis is a senior at Boaz High School. Connor’s long-time participation in athletics was cut short his freshman year…

Danielle Davis

Huntsville High School

Danielle Davis is a senior at Huntsville High School. She is a student who has challenged herself in advanced placement…

Shannon Day

Glencoe High

Shannon, according to her teacher, “has had a long history of success…beginning her academic career with high marks and perfect…

Joseph Dees

Enterprise High School

Having lost both parents at an early age, Joseph would be tested by circumstance at a very early age. As…

MacKenzie Derr

Vestavia Hills High School

Kenzie Derr is a senior at Vestavia Hills High School. She is a dedicated scholar and a member of the…

Jessica Devoe

Piedmont High School

At the age of five, Jessica DeVoe had a little brother and two little sisters. Her mother worked while her…

Shawn Dillard

Austin High School

Lieutenant Colonel James Walker, who nominated Shawn Dillard as a Young Hero, wrote, “Courage and perseverance describe Shawn Dillard. Even…

Margaret Dunnavant

Despite years in unstable foster homes and disruptions in school, Margaret Dunnavant will now graduate in the top of her…

Brie Evans

West Morgan High School

Brie is a senior at West Morgan High School. An outstanding student with a resume filled with community and school…

Darryl Fancher, Jr.

Pleasant Grove

Physical limitations haven’t kept this Pleasant Grove senior from striving to be the best. His accomplishments as Captain of the…

Lauren Faraino

Vestavia Elementary

“In order to be inspired by ten-year old Lauren Faraino, you need only be in the same room with her.”…

Ashley Farr

Ashley was diagnosed at age six with a disease called CMT (Charcot-Marie-Tooth Syndrome), which is a neuro-muscular degenerative condition that…

Marissa Feigelson

Mountain Brook Junior High School

Over six years ago, Marissa’s mother Ethel was diagnosed with breast cancer. With her parents’ support and guidance, Marissa faced…

David Ferguson

Albertville First Baptist

Eagle Scout David Ferguson rescued a man from drowning during Spring Break in March. David is a member of the…

David Finestein

Alabama School of Fine Arts

David Finestein, a senior at the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham, cofounded Youth Media Group in 2015. This…

Tristen Fitts

Gulf Shores High School

Tristen Fitts is a junior at Gulf Shores High School. Back in 2007, Tristen’s mother had to accept a job…

Noah Fondren

Cullman High School

Noah Fondren, a senior at Cullman High School, grew up with issues related to self-image and self-esteem. He compared himself…

Kaleigh Gable

Alabama School for the Blind

“I survived.” And thus began Kaleigh Gable’s account of her life. In the womb, Kaleigh’s life began as one of…

Clay Gilley

Moody High School

Clay Gilley is a senior at Moody High School. He has a 3.8 GPA. Clay is a member of the…

Emma Goggans

Fort Payne High School

Emma Goggans is a senior at Fort Payne High School. She has a GPA of 4.37 and is currently ranked…

Wesley Gowers

Cherokee High School

Wesley is a senior at Cherokee High School. An outstanding scholar and trumpet-player, he is involved with numerous clubs and…

Christopher Gray

Ramsay High School

Christopher Gray, a senior at Ramsay High School, is a born organizer, leader and entrepreneur. There’s no other way to…

Jasmine Grimes

Hazel Green High School

A senior at Hazel Green High School, Jasmine had a difficult childhood without the emotional or financial support of either…

Peyton Harris

Lawrence County High School

Peyton is a senior at Lawrence County High School and is the front-runner for valedictorian of his class. An officer…

Conner J Holland

Gadsden City High School

Conner Holland is a senior at Gadsden City High School. He carried a 3.7 GPA while pursuing an advanced diploma….

Kathryn Jackson

Spain Park High School

Diagnosed with a brain tumor at the age of two, Kathryn Jackson faced obstacles in her young life that are…

Semaj Johnson

Austin High School

Semaj Johnson was diagnosed with sickle-cell disease (SCD) when he was only two weeks old. Since then, he has undergone…

Melanda Jones

Meek High School

Melanda’s home environment for herself and her younger brothers included inadequate nutrition, neglect, and fights. She volunteered for public service…

Rod Jones

The youngest child of divorced parents, Rod Jones was forced to take on greater responsibility than most kids do at…

Steven Jones

Foley High School

Steven Jones was born the third of six children. After years of living in poverty, surrounded by substance abuse, his…

K.J. Jones

Cullman High School

K.J. Jones is an outstanding young man. His athletic abilities earned him a starting position on his football team’s defensive…

Jason Kelly

East Lawrence High School

Jason is the youngest of four children and the only one that is living at home. Home and family are…

Jazmin Nikol Krystian Faulkner

Wetumpka High School

Jazmin Faulkner, a senior at Wetumpka High School, maintains a 3.5 GPA. In her nomination of Jazmin as a Young…

Kellie Letson

Lawrence County High School

Kelly has played Volleyball, Basketball, and Softball every season since the 8th grade. She has excelled and been a leader…

Dana Lewis

Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes during her first year of high school, Lewis did not allow fear and embarrassment to…

Emily Looney

Marion Military Institute

Emily Looney has maintained an exceptional GPA while serving on Rifle Team and as a member of the Marion Military…

Daniela Lucario

Headland High School

Daniela Lucario is a senior at Headland High School. Daniela was born here in the United States, but her father…

Kirsten Luxon

Robertsdale High School

It is not always easy for a young person to recognize when his or her life begins to take a…

Alison Martin

Hatton High School

Delaina Greene wrote, “After a rainy winter and spring, April 30, 2013 was a spectacularly beautiful morning. As assistant principal…

Megan May

Florence High School

When Megan May was a toddler, her parents divorced, and Megan, her twin sister, and an older sister went to…

Devique McWilliams

W.P. Davidson High School

Devique had a rough start in life. At only six weeks old, he was diagnosed with meningitis, an inflammation of…

Emily Meadows

St. James High School

Emily’s personal qualities have enabled her to serve as an inspiration and example for both students and adults in her…

Sidney Mechelle Barlow

Samson High School

Sidney is a senior at Samson High School. In her young life, she has already faced obstacles and difficulties that…

David Middleton

Clark School of Mathematics & Science

Broox Middleton is a five-year survivor of a cancerous brain tumor and is redefining what it means to persevere against…

Holly Miller

Hazel Green High School

Holly is a senior at Hazel Green High School and a member of one of the most successful bands in…

Aidan Olivia Mills

Hazel Green High School

When Aidan was only 3 years old, she suffered a major seizure that left her unresponsive. She was airlifted to…

Brandon Morgan

For the past several years Brandon has made it a point to visit assisted living facilities in Dadeville and Opelika…

Adrianna Orsi

Wetumpka High School

Adrianna Orsi is a senior at Wetumpka High School. She was nominated as a Young Hero by her chemistry teacher,…

Carrie Parrish

Waterloo High School

Waterloo High School senior Carrie Parrish has faced more tragedy over her young years than most people experience in a…

Wei Min Patrick

Baker High School

Today, Wei Min Patrick is the president of his class, an outstanding scholar, and an admired and talented pianist/keyboardist in…

Josie Perry

Florence High School

“Last year, a young woman literally bounced into my Advanced Placement Language and Composition class. She was so energetic, bright…

Kimberly Phares

Vestavia Hills High School

One Alabama student is honored each year with the Marissa Feigelson Community Service Award, named for one of the first…

China Ponter

River City Christian Academy

An abandoned baby in China was delivered to an orphanage by the police. When Tony and Corley Ponter came to…

Tarria Poplar

Fairfield High

Caring for her sick mother is just the beginning of Tarria Jannette Poplar’s good deeds that earned her nomination for…

Ally Price

Slocomb High School

Ally Price is a senior at Slocomb High School. She has a 4.45 GPA and serves as a member of…

Julie Privett

Julie has had to face too much in her short lifetime. When in the eighth grade, the doctors thought she…

Kya Evangeline Qvale

Sparkman High School

“She had purple hair and no arms. She was surrounded by friends as they talked and laughed with each other…

Taylor Reed

Washington County High School

As a young child, Taylor described herself as “sickly.” She battled asthma and a weak immune system and was often…

Trevor Reese Gravette

Benjamin Russell High School

In his nomination, counselor Richard Burton explained that Trevor Gravette’s early life was marked by the pondering of personal decisions….

Jared Rehm

McGill-Toolen Catholic High School

Jared, who was born with spina bifida, is captain of the Lakeshore Lakers wheelchair basketball team and is one of…

Abby Reid

Three years ago, Abby was involved in a car accident which left her partially paralyzed. Abby insisted on going back…

Savannah Reid

Colbert County High School

Savannah Reid is a senior at Colbert County High School in Leighton, Alabama. She is a member of the Future…

Zea Remo

Clay-Chalkville High School

Zea Remo, a senior at Clay-Chalkville High School, was born in the Philippines, where she spent her early years. Zea’s…

Ricky C.H. Reynolds

Lee High School

Ricky Reynolds is a senior at Lee High School. In her nomination of him as a Young Hero, school counselor…

Katelyn Olivia Richard

Hoover High School

Katelyn Olivia Richard was nominated as a Young Hero by James E. Rotch, her mentor. Mr. Rotch is founder of…

Maranda Rickard

Florence High School

The music that issues from the violin of Florence High School senior Maranda Rickard is described by many of her…

John Roberson, II

Oak Mountain High School

One Alabama student is honored each year with the Marissa Feigelson Community Service Award, named for one of the first…

Angel Rose Morrow

Carbon Hill High School

Angel Rose Morrow is a senior at Carbon Hill High School. She currently has a 3.89 GPA, is in the…

Evan Salter

Judges also chose to honor one student with the first annual “Marissa Feigelson Community Service Award.” Marissa Feigelson, a talented…

Tiffany Sauls

Asbury High School

Tiffany Sauls’ mother and father divorced when she was quite young. Her mother was awarded primary custody of the children,…

Austin Scott

Alabama School of Fine Arts

A 17-year-old Junior in the Math and Sciences Program at the Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA), Austin has maintained…

Justin Skelton

Winfield High School

Justin is a senior at Winfield High School. He was nominated as a Young Hero by social worker Mandy Mitchell,…

Joanna Smith

Lamar County High School

JoAnna is a senior at Lamar County High School. One of her nominating teachers wrote, “JoAnna is one of the…

McCall Smith

Lee-Scott Academy

McCall was nominated as a Young Hero by her cousin, Courtney Murchison. McCall became very ill at the age of…

Diamond Sparks

Alabama School of Fine Arts

A resident of Fairfield, Diamond Sparks is a senior at the Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA). In her nomination…

Joshua Stevenson

Florence High School

Joshua Stevenson is a graduating senior at Florence High School. Estranged from his father while still a teen, Joshua who…

Austin Studdard

Oneonta High School

Austin Studdard is honorary Oneonta High School football teammate. He stands on the sidelines at the Redskins’ games and cheers…

Andrea Taylor

Benjamin Russell High School

Andrea is a graduating senior at Benjamin Russell High School. She maintains a high GPA and participates in numerous clubs…

Michael Tempero

J.F. Shields High School

In the letters that accompanied Michael Tempero’s nomination as a Young Hero, the writers repeatedly commented on the qualities of…

Justin Thomas

E.B. Erwin High School

Justin Thomas is a senior at E.B. Erwin High School in Center Point. A straight-A student and accomplished athlete who…

Anna Thomas

Greenville High School

Like many, Anna was raised in a single-parent home after she and her mother were forced to move to Ohio…

Steven Tyree

Berry High School

Steven Tyree is a senior at Berry High School. He holds a 4.0 grade point average and plays on the…

Andrew T. Walker

Florence High School

Andrew is a senior at Florence High School. He maintains excellent grades. A member of the Technology Student Association, Andrew…

Robert (R.C.) Walsh

Austin High School

“He gives one hundred percent in all aspects of life. He is a scholar…He is a leader.” Those words, spoken…

Matthew Watts

Robertsdale High School

Matthew Watts is a senior at Robertsdale High School. Few would guess that three years ago, he could not read…

Mathew Weems

Holt High School

Being diagnosed with autism at the age of 5, Mathew’s future may have seemed bleak. Seemed, is the key word…

Mary White

Hoover High School

Mary, a senior at Hoover High School, was born with a neurological disorder called hydrocephalus, which is also referred to…

Mollie Wilder

Shelby County High School

Mollie Wilder is a senior at Shelby County High School, where she maintains a 3.8 GPA and is active in…

Anna Wilson

Chilton County High School

At the age of eight, Anna Wilson received a terrible injury. Her older brother accidentally discharged a loaded firearm, and…

Andrew Winfrey

Cullman High School

On February 21, 2012, a policeman showed up at Cullman High School with a solemn look on his face. He…

Savannah Wisener

When it became apparent that her mother was not capable of parenting, Savannah took on the role. She got the…

Cynthia Lee Wozow

Cottonwood High School

Cynthia Wozow, a senior at Cottonwood High School in south Alabama, isn’t wasting a moment of her young life. A…

Pablo Zuniga

Collinsville High School

A senior at Collinsville High School, Pablo’s young life has been impacted by extraordinary hardships. His mother deserted the family…