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1998
Young Heroes |
 Ricky
Rodger Bell, Jr., 16, Downsville
Junior, Claiborne Christian School, West Monroe
Ricky Bell is a hard-working, civic-minded young man who has overcome
the loss of more than half of his hearing to be an excellent student
and participate in athletics at Claiborne Christian School. He makes
numerous contributions to his school, church and family.
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 Yolanda
Collins, 17, Baton Rouge
Senior, Capitol High School
Yolanda Collins is president of the National Honor Society and captain
of the Dance Team at Capitol High in Baton Rouge. She is also a
member of the Beta Club, Key Club, Tennis Team and President's Round
Table. Yolanda is devoted to her family and serves as an interpreter
for her deaf parents.
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 Damein
Delrie, 12, Pineville
7th Grade, Tioga Junior High
Damein Delrie is a courageous young man who struggles every day
with a rare degenerative disease that attacks every joint in his
body and make such everyday activities as eating and walking almost
impossible. Despite these physical obstacles, Damein has been on
the A honor roll every year since he started school and has won
numerous medals in the regional Special Olympics.
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 Malinda
Anne DeBusk, 14, Bossier City
Freshman, Benton High School
Malinda Anne DeBusk battles a genetic disorder that necessitates
numerous medical tests and treatments. She maintains a 5.0 GPA at
Benton High, is an active member of the band and ROTC, and serves
as a candy striper at a local hospital. She spends her summers accompanying
her church on mission trips to build or repair low income housing.
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 Jerry
Patrick Gunn-Ford, 17, Monroe
Junior, Wossman High School
Jerry Patrick Gunn-Ford is an honor student at Wossman High who
participates on the Mock Trial Team, Student Council and Wossman
Baseball Team. Jerry is very active in his church and community
and is the first youth to be inducted in the North Delta Afro Hall
of Fame. Last spring, Jerry put all of his activities on hold to
form a baseball team at an elementary school. He helped raise funds,
provided transportation and refreshments and tutored the boys in
their academic subjects.
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 Thomas
Nathan Veade, 15, New Orleans
Freshman, Jesuit High School
Thomas Nathan Veade has collected food and clothing for flood victims;
planted flowers to beautify school grounds, worked in a homeless
shelter; learned sign language to assist with children who are deaf
and, as a scouting project, took on the difficult task of creating
a national historic hiking trail along the Mississippi River levee.
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 Michael
Lance Timpa, 10, Lake Charles
Fifth Grade, College Oaks Elementary School
Michael Lance Timpa's daily triumph against Spina Bifida is an inspiration
to everyone he meets. Despite suffering through 18 surgeries, losing
an eye and his ability to walk with crutches, Michael has never
lost his determination and cheerful disposition. In addition to
being an honor roll student at College Oaks Elementary, Michael
is also a member of the Chess Club, works as a TV reporter on the
school station, is a member of the Boy Scouts and is currently learning
how to play the guitar. According to Michael, he's not disabled,
"I'm just a little different."
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 Allyson
Teresa Haar, 17, Metairie
Home Schooled Student
Allyson Teresa Haar suffers from a severe physical disability but
that hasn't stopped her from riding horses, playing the piano, being
a leader at a summer camp for handicapped children, teaching Vacation
Bible School, volunteering as a receptionist at her church and being
on the leadership team of the Catholic Charismatic Youth Group at
Rummel High School.
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 Stacy
Hendricks, 10, Church Point
Fifth Grade, Mire Elementary, Rayne
Stacy Hendricks hasn't let being confined to a wheelchair prevent
her from maintaining a 4.0 average in advanced classes at Mire Elementary
in Rayne. She has been named Student of the Month, won the Citizenship
Award, is active in 4-H, acts in church plays and performs in the
fifth grade band.
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 Travis
Alexander Torrance, 17, Kenner
Senior, Bonnabel High School
Travis Alexander Torrance is an outstanding student and leader at
Bonnabel High School. Currently ranked second in his senior class,
he is the president of the student body, District II Governor for
Mu Alpha Theta, anchors the news for the campus TV station and serves
as a group leader for the Bonnabel High Peer Mediation Team. He
also was recognized with a letter of accommodation from the National
Achievement Scholarship program for ranking in the top 5% of African
American students in the country taking the PSAT test.
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