2009 Young Heroes
Click here to see videos of past recipients - only in our Video Archive!
Carter Boyd
Carter Boyd is an outstanding student at Loyola College Prep who has collected and distributed free athletic equipment to thousands of underprivileged children through the program he founded called BAGS (Be A Good Sport) in the Shreveport area.
Carl Harrison
An outstanding student at De La Salle High School, Carl Harrison lost both his parents at an early age but it hasn’t stopped this determined young man from being a leader in his school and his community. He led the effort to renovate a neighborhood playground and was named outstanding Parish Youth for Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish. After the death of his parents, Carl moved in with great-grandmother to help take care of her but still has daily contact with his four-year-old brother and his other siblings.
Kari Heideman
Kari Heideman is a remarkable young woman who has no arms but uses her feet to write, draw, paint and play the piano. She is also a gifted student who excels in the classroom, taking advanced placement college courses. She also helps with fundraising at the school and is an intern who uses art therapy to help a special education student at her Covington High.
Helen Meridy
Helen Meridy had to relocate to Houston after Hurricane Katrina, but when she returned to Metairie and enrolled at Warren Easton Charter High School she was determined to give back to the community. She has fed the hungry and homeless and helped solicit food and money for the Food Bank, thrown birthday parties for disabled children, cooked for families at the Ronald McDonald House and taken the children of battered women trick or treating.
Zachary Revall
Zachary Revall risked his own life to rescue five people from a burning house in Laplace on New Year’s morning. While returning from a party around 1:30a.m., Zachary spotted a house on fire and made enough noise to wake up the elderly couple and their children who lived there and get them out of the house, literally carrying the final, partially-paralyzed member of the family in his arms.
Emily Seba
Emily Seba suffered a stroke at an early age and has battled severe asthma her entire life, including a number of life-threatening episodes. The Parkview Baptist student is an outstanding artist whose work is displayed at Baton Rouge restaurants and she has been honored at state, national and international festivals. She will represent Parkview at the Hugh O’Brien Leadership Conference this summer at LSU.
Kristin Slack
Kristin Slack of Sarepta was seriously injured in a car wreck when she was 11. She lost her eye and has had numerous reconstructive surgeries to recover from the near fatal crash. Despite her physical struggles, she is the top student in her class, helped organize the Operation Christmas Child gift boxes and inspires everyone with her positive attitude.
Craig Young
Craig Young lost his mother after a long battle with brain cancer when he was 11 and is now part of the Boys Hope program which provides him with a safe home and environment and an education at Catholic High in Baton Rouge. He helps to care for his elderly grandmother and his blind 12-year-old brother while being part of the Student Ministry, Ambassadors, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes at school. He also donates his time to help coach special needs children in soccer and basketball and volunteered to help the Down Syndrome Group’s Christmas Party.
