2022 Young Heroes
Reagan Angers
Reagan Angers of Baton Rouge (Senior at St. Joseph’s Academy) is a cancer survivor who rises above adversity and brings joy to others. She is a hardworking student, full of school spirit, and passionate about serving her community. She is a talented public speaker and a master conversationalist. When Reagan was nine, she was diagnosed with an osteosarcoma and spent a great amount of time at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital having major limb-sparing surgery to remove the tumor and much of her femur. After a year of chemotherapy and physical therapy to help her learn to walk again with an internal prosthetic, and despite homeschooling for a year, she was fully prepared for the academic challenges in high school. SJA teachers, students, and family wearing matching red t-shirts for the St. Jude 5K was a testimony to how she inspired others into action. Reagan serves as Student Body VP, volunteers as a math and science tutor, earned over 50 hours of community service last year, and has served as a Special Olympics volunteer. She finds the most gratifying aspect of student council to be bringing classmates ideas to life. She sees her leadership position in student council as an opportunity to make a positive impression on her school community. She is also involved in Beta Club, Spanish Club, NHS, and Mu Alpha Theta, and faculty selected Reagan to serve as a student ambassador. During her junior year, Reagan had to have another surgery to make hardware adjustments to her prosthetic, and she remained both courageous throughout her recovery.
Allison Callender
Allison Callender of Pleasant Hill (Junior at Natchitoches Central High School) is a cancer survivor who has beaten long odds to become a happy high school student who encourages others. At four years old Allison was diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma and given a 30% chance of survival. At St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, she endured 6 rounds of chemotherapy, stem cell extraction, surgery, 13 rounds of radiation, bone marrow transplant and five rounds of experimental antibody treatment. After 18 months, Allison was sent home with no signs of disease. Allison has overcome the effects of treatment including losing part of her hearing, her ability to process information due to radiation of her frontal lobe, loss of kidney function, and removal of her gallbladder. Despite these obstacles, Allison has been active in her community. Described as having “a light that shines so brightly,” she is a competition dancer and teaching assistant at Renee's Dance Studio, as well as a volunteer with the Wallace Baptist Church Youth Group, where she has worked on the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway in Shreveport/Bossier and Lake Charles. Allison has participated in the St. Jude Memphis Marathon and in numerous walks to raise money for cancer research, as well as other childhood diseases. Her other service projects have included: Christmas Shoe Box packing, The Christmas Cheer Food Drive for the NW LA Food Pantry, Fill the Pantry for the Ronald McDonald House of Memphis, Coke Tab drive for St. Jude. Allison is involved at school through LEO Club and Beta, and she also serves as manager of her soccer team.
Corynn Gray
Corynn Gray of Lafayette (Senior at Thrive Academy) is a remarkable young lady with a passion for serving others. She has a beautiful spirit, a heart for people, and exemplifies the true ideals of a great student role model: impeccable character, great leadership, an understanding of responsibility, in addition to her commitment to service. She has persevered through hardships and a difficult upbringing that would overcome the average human, however, thanks to her desire to succeed and her supportive stepmother, she is indeed thriving. After having the added responsibility of raising her siblings, she is now preparing for the future she desires, and will be a first-generation college student in her family. Corynn serves as Student Government Association President. In this role, she identifies issues at her school, pens a vision to address them, then involves her fellow SGA officers to implement that vision. Corynn also serves as Senior Class Vice-President. She leads the monthly SGA meetings and senior class meetings effectively employing Robert's Rules of Order. She supports her classmates in their Dual Enrollment college studies, often tutoring and providing assistance. Corynn works weekly with Young Entrepreneurs Academy to turn her passion into purpose by creating her own natural skin care line to help the multitude of others who suffer from the same skin condition that she has had to endure. She has a calming spirit and is authentically herself. It’s her quiet confidence that serves as an example to other students and has earned her the respect of her teachers and peers alike.
Gabe Hoosier
Gabe Hoosier of Deville (Senior at Buckeye High School) overcame a severe football injury his freshman year and is passionate about becoming a physical therapist, working with special needs adults through volunteer work, and being involved in competitive sports and weightlifting. Gabe’s adopted sister is biracial, and he has been her advocate against discrimination. He also founded Cinderella's Closet to provide free formal dresses for students wanting to go to Homecoming or Prom. Gabe has worked countless hours with the Central Louisiana Homeless Coalition to collect items needed for those less fortunate. He volunteers with the ARC Center and works with special needs adults. Gabe has a 4.24 GPA and is the President of the National Honor Society, President of the Science Club, Captain of the Anatomage team, Captain of the Powerlifting Team, Co-Captain of the Track & Field Team, Vice President of Student Council, and Vice President of the Senior Class. He is a BETA member, member of the Spanish Club, President and chapter founder of HOSA Future Health Professionals, Rally team member, and Top Male Athlete at his school. Gabe was a Regional & District Champion in both Discus and Powerlifting and did all of this with a second hip injury. As a Senior, he is still battling this injury to try to help his team before undergoing the life-changing, sports-ending surgery he will have to have the day after he walks across the stage at graduation. His perseverance and leadership are inspiring, and he has changed the way his peers view community service.
Mason McCart
Mason McCart of Natchitoches (Junior at St. Mary’s Catholic School) created Cooking for a Cause, an organization that has raised thousands of dollars to assist hundreds of people. Mason developed his idea to utilize his passion for baking to assist others during the pandemic. He bakes and sells cookies and donates the money to local charities. This inspired an anonymous donor to contribute an additional $5,000. Mason has been approached by students at other schools asking for assistance in starting their own chapters and is fast approaching his goal of raising $10,000 by the time he graduates. He started the initiative as a one-man operation but quickly formed a club to assist, which has grown to 30 members of friends, classmates, and families. Mason is the Beta President for the State of Louisiana and District VII President for the Louisiana Association of Student Councils. He holds leadership roles in St. Mary’s Future Business Leaders of America, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Student Council and National Honor Society organizations. He is a member of the City of Natchitoches Mayor’s Youth Council. Mason is a member on the SMH varsity tennis and cross-country teams and serves as the school mascot with the cheer team. He has been an altar server with his church since the second grade. Recognizing that many teens struggle with emotional, psychological, and social well-being, Mason started a blog to uplift his peers through words of encouragement and to help raise awareness and support for mental health. Many students have reached out to Mason letting him know that his blog positively influenced their lives.
Olivia Stringham
Olivia Stringham of Vivian (Senior at North Caddo Magnet High School) is a survivor. She endured the death of her mother at a young age and was forced to grow up fast to become the matriarch of her family as a preteen and continues to be involved daily in the lives of her younger siblings. Her experience has led her to advocate for mental health awareness, as well as champion social justice issues in her community and school. She volunteers at the local Lighthouse Mission and Thrift Store, serves on the NW LA Teen Advisory Council, is President of Student Council, is a huddle leader in FCA, and has attended Louisiana State Student Council Conventions. In her leadership positions, Olivia seeks peer feedback then makes decisions to improve the lives of teenagers in the Caddo Parish community. She serves as captain on the varsity soccer and softball teams and has been a camp counselor at Camp Feugo and Kidz Camp. She participates in BETA, Talented Arts Drama, the National Honor Society, is an AP Scholar, Student of the Year, and was chosen as the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizenship Student at the school and district levels. She helps with after school activities as a peer ambassador, tutor, and teacher’s assistant. Olivia has gone on numerous church missions both in the United States and abroad. She sets a positive example for all who know her by being professional, genuine, compassionate, and down-to-earth.
Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams of Baton Rouge (Senior at Baton Rouge Magnet High School) possesses academic curiosity, community spirit, strong ethics, and genuine empathy. Even in the face of years of housing and financial instability, Victoria continues to work toward a future of increased equity and remains committed to looking for areas where she can effect positive change. In 9th grade, Victoria joined the LASM’s educational program, Youth Alive, where she educated K-5 students on atomic structures. For Victoria’s 10th grade Science Fair, she studied the effect of colloidal silver nanoparticle solution on Ecoli. She independently continued research during 11th grade. Victoria collaborated with a Water Solutions mentor to study nanoparticle effects on local water species and received Honorable Mention on her presentation at the Virtual State competition. At BRMHS, Victoria saw there wasn't a Black History Quiz Bowl. Connecting with her middle school Quiz Bowl sponsor, Victoria began recruiting students, and as co-founding president, she continued to hold virtual mock quizzes during the pandemic. In 12th grade, Victoria helped officially found the club, recruited 20 new members, and is helping coordinate a Quiz Bowl at Southern University. Victoria also mentors 6-8th graders in Latin Roots at Westdale Middle. She is on the cross-country team and joined the track team to have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be coached by a nationally-ranked runner. Victoria earned a 34 on the ACT and a 4.57 cumulative GPA, placing her in the top 10% of her class. Passionate about science and her community, Victoria plans to study Chemical Engineering with a goal of applying it to environmental relief.
