AMERICA HEALTH OF L LA WE HELP PEOPLE GIVE CARE STAY WELL AND BUILD HEALTHY COMMUNITIES.

CARE IS THE HEART OF OUR WORK.

AND BY THE US ARMY BATON ROUGE RECRUITING.

COMMUNITY COFFEE.

AND THE EAST BATON ROUGE LIBRARY.

WITH ADDITIONINATE SUPPORT FROM HOTELINDIO.

AND EXCELLENCE LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

HELLO I'M LBB PRESIDENT BETH COURTNEY TONIGHT LPB IS SO PLEASED TO BRING YOU A PROGRAM ABOUT HOPE AND INSPIRATION THIS IS OUR 45th YEAR ON THE AREA AND FOR 26 OF THESE YEARS WE HAVE SELECTED AN INCREDIBLE GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE TO HONOR AS YOUNG HEROES.

BUT THIS YEAR IS NO EXCEPTION I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF GETTING TO KNOW MANY OF THESE TEEN AGES.

GIVE ME SUCH FAITH IN THE FUTURE.

SMART HARD WORKING AND MINDFUL OF THE NEEDS OF OTHERS.

MANY OF THEM HAVE OVER COME INCREDIBLE ADVERSITY ESPECIALLY THE CHALLENGES OF THE PAST YEAR WE ARE GRATEFUL TO SHARE THESE INSPIRING STORIES WITH YOUCH WE CARE ABOUT THESE HEROES AND THEIR FAMILIES.

JUST AS WE CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITIES.

THAT'S WHAT MAKES US PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT AS WE CELEBRATE AND HONOR LOUISIANA 2021 LOUISIANA YOUNG HEROES.

BEFORE ANYONE BEGINS A HOBBY IT HAS TO START WITH A CLOCK.

THAT START COULD COME FROM ANYTHING A. TV SHOW OR A SONG.

BUT FOR LEXIE DAVIS IT WAS SIMPLE THAT SPARK WAS HER DADS LOVE OF FOOD.

>>: MY DAD WAS LIKE MY BEST FRIEND WE WOULD COOK TOGETHER AND NO MATTER HOW BAD I MESSED UP HE ALWAYS PUSHED ME THROUGH IT.

>>: AN UNDER STATEMENT.

EGEORGE INSPIRED HER.

>>: HE'S ALWAYS BEEN MY BIGGEST SUPPORTER.

>>: A PASSION FOR FOOD ONLY RIVAL BY THE LOVE OF HES COMMUNITY.

AND HE SHOWED IT AT EVERY EVENT AND VOLUNTEER MISSION.

GIVING BACK THROUGH FOOD.

>>: HIS LAST COTTERRING EVENT WHICH WAS IN DECEMBER IT WAS A FRIDAY OR A SATURDAY AND SHE ASKED IF I COULD COME AND ASSIST HIM IN THAT EVENT.

>>: BY 2020 THOSE DAYS OF CATERING TOGETHER WOULD BE A MEMORY.

DIED ON JANUARY FIFTH FROM DIABETES RELATED COMPLICATION.

>>: IT WAS HARD.

IT WAS REALLY HARD.

THE PAST WEEK.

EVERY DAY JUST WENT DOWN HILL AND JUST BEING ABLE TO BE THERE WATCHING HIM PASS AWAY IT WAS REALLY HARD.

>>: LOSING HER DAD LEFT BEHAIND AN ACHE NOT JUST FOR HIM BUT FOR THE WORK THEY DID TOGETHER ASK IT STARTED HER ON A MISSION TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY THE BEST WAY SHE KNEW HOW.

SO HE STARTED COOKING.

FOR PEOPLE LESS FORTUNATE.

SHE STARTED HER OWN PROGRAM FOOD WITH SOULS AND SHE EVEN LEARNED HOW TO COOK SPECIFICALLY FOR DILETTICS LIKE HER LATE FATHER.

A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL HER ACTIONS MADE HER A ROLE MODEL.

>>: ONE OF MY FAVORITE PHOTS OF HER REMEMBER WHEN WE MADE YOU DON'T, WHEN WE MADE THE ONION SOWP AND I HAVE THIS PRECIOUS PHOTOOF CATHERINE HOLDING HER SOWP AROUND THANKSGIVING AND SHE HAS A SHIRT ON THAT SAYS I'M THANKFUL FOR MY FAMILY.

A PICTURE I WILL HAVE IN MY HARD AND MIND FOREVER.

BUT CATHERINES TRADE MARK IS NOT A DISH.

ITS JUST HER SPIRIT.

ITS HER ABILITY TO UNIFY PEOPLE.

>>: EVEN DURING THE PANDEMIC LECTSY WAS TRYING TO GIVE BACK IN HER OWN WAY.

MADE A BLESSING BAG WITH WIPES AND OTHER PRODUCTS.

OR DAUGHTERS SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.

>>: SHE'S A REALLY HUMMABLE CHILD ALWAYS LOOK LOOKING TO MUCHER SOMEONE OR SMOKED.

>>: WHAT'S NEXT HER COLLEGE AT NICKEL STATE HER MAJOR IS EASY TO GUESS CULINARY ARTS.

AND AFTER THAT HER OWN CATER BUSINESS TO CONTINUE HER FATHERS LEGACY.

>>: I KNOW RIGHT NOW, WELL I KNOW THE THINGS I'M DOING NOW I KNOW WE'LL BE PROUD OF ME.

I GUESS THIS KIND OF NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT ELIATE HAS ACHIEVED WOULD BE LED BY HIS CURIOSITY ALWAYS WANTING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT'S AROUND HIM.

AND ALSO HE LOVES TO BE A PROBLEM SOLVER.

FOR EXAMPLE WHEN HE HEARD ABOUT CHILDREN IN NEED OR 360-DOLLARS TO FUND ONE TRUEITION AT A SCHOOL IN AFRICA WE CAN DO SOMETHING WHAT CAN WE DO LET'S SOLVE THIS.

WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT AND STARTED TO FEEL THIS HE ALSO THOUGHT WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP.

SO ALWAYS LOOKING TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION AND PROBLEM SOLVE.

>>: WHAT I AM SO IMPRESSED JUST FINISHED NINTHTH GRADE AND YOUR RESUME IS LONG ALREADY.

YOU LOVE SPORTS, HELPING, THE ARTS.

HELPING.

WHEN DID YOU GUYS DISCUSS THE DOG RESCUE INCIDENT.

>>: NOVEMBER 11th AND I WAS IN THE FRONT YARD WITH MY SISTER AND NEIGHBORS WHEN TWO ROT WILERS CAME TROTTING DOWN THE STREET ON THE PROWL.

THEN THEY TARGETED THE YOUNGEST AND SMALLEST DJ.

AND PINNED HIM UP AGAINST A TREE.

AND THEY STARTED BITING HIM AND AS SOON AS I REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING I RAN OVER THERE I WAS YELLING DOWN SIT HEEL BUT THEY WEREN'T PAYING ATTENTION OR LISTENING TO ANY OF WHAT I WAS SAYING.

SO I WENT OVER TO HIM, I GOT HYMNOD THE ARMS SO THEY COULDN'T PULL HIM DOWN.

WHEN THEY WERE MOVING AND TRYING TO SHAKE HIM AWAY FROM ME I WAS TOWARDS HIM MAKE SURE THEY COULDN'T PULL HIM.

>>: HE HAD TO HAVE SEVERAL EMERGENCY SURGERIES.

>>: REALLY.

>>: YES.

IT WAS A RESPONSE, MONTHS OF RESPONSE.

BUT AS YOU CAN SEE HE'S COME A LONG WAY.

>>: WHAT KIND OF A FRIEND IS HE.

>>: HE'S AMAZING FRIEND THAT HELPS EACH OTHER AND HE LOVES US LIKE WE LOVE FAMILY.

>>: GREAT.

YOU GUYS LIVE RIGHT DOWN THE STREET.

>>: YES.

>>: ELIATE IS AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY OPTIMISTIC CHILD.

HIS OPMISM REALLY ALLOWS HIM TO BELIEVE IN OTHERS.

AND I THINK THAT IS WHAT GIVES HIM THE COURAGE TO EMPACT THE COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD AROUND HIM.

>>: THAT'S SUCH A GIFT TO HAVE THAT.

ELIATE WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM?

>>: I WILL SAY THAT MY OPTIMISM COMES FROM MY GRAND PARENTS.

FROM AN EARLY AGE THEY TOOK CARE OF ME WHILE MY PARENTS WERE AT WORK AND INSTILLED IN MY THEIR VALUES.

AND OPMISM WAS ONE OF THEM.

THEY ALWAYS SEE THE GOOD IN OTHERS.

AND THEY INSPIRED ME TO DO THE SAME.

IT ALLOWS ME TO GET ON THE SAME THOUGHT PROCESS AS OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE BECAUSE IT KIND OF HELPS ME JUST SEE THEIR POINT OF VIEW.

>>: ON A POLITICAL SPECTRUM AND MANY OTHERS CLASSING OF ALL SORTS OF THING WHERE OPTIMISM IS NOT AT A PREMIUM AT ALL.

HOW DOES SOMEONE WITH HOPE FEEL THAT.

>>: I THINK WE ALL NEED TO REMEMBER THAT WE'RE ALL AMERICANS AND IN THIS TOGETHER.

ITS NOT REPUBLICAN VERSES DEMOCRATS ITS NOT LIBERAL VERSES CONSERRATIVE AS AMERICA AS A WHOLE TRYING TO IMPROVE.

AT FOUR YEARS OLD JACKSON CAN TREL HE WAS JOHN LAFET ON A MISSION TO SMUGGLE IN GOOD OR FEELING GRATEFUL INDIANA JONES ON A HUNT FOR THE CRYSTAL SKULL.

>>: I CHOP IT UP TO MY MOTHER SHOWING ME INIANA JONES WHEN I WAS ABOUT THREE YEARS OLD.

MAY BE A LITTLE TOO EARLY BUT I DON'T KNOW I JUST ALWAYS FOUND IT FASCINATING AND I WOULD COME OUT TO THE PARK ALL THE TIME.

>>: HIS MOTHER SAID HIS IMAGINATION WAS END EXPLSES HISTORY MADE IT SPARK.

>>: HE ASKED TO GO TO THE BATTLE FIELD THAT AGE OF FOUR.

SINCE THEN WHEN THEY OPENED THE WORLD WAR II MUSEUM HE ASKED IF WE COULD PLEASE GET A MEMBERSHIP THERE.

SO FROM WORLD WAR II BACK TO THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS TO ALL SORTS OF OTHER HISTORICAL EVENTS HE'S JUST REALLY REALLY BEEN INTERESTED.

>>: CAN TREL WAS ALREADY AN EXPLERRER IN HIS OWN RIGHT BUT THIS PARK THE FOUND TON BLUE STATE PARK A WHOLE NEW ADVENTURE TO UNCOVER AND IT STARTED WITH A CONVERSATION.

>>: PERKEN WHO WOULD LATER BE HIS MENTOR TOLD HIM THE HISTORY BEHIND THE PLANT.

THE OLD TREE AND THE RUINS TOLD A STORY HITTEN BY TIME.

A STORY JACK DESPERATELY WANT TODAY UNDERSTAND.

>>: ABOUT MAY BE WHEN I WAS SIX OR SEVEN YEARS OLD I RAN AM TO ONE OF THE RAGERS HERE PERKINS AND WE GOT TO TALKING I DON'T KNOW HISTORY AND HE ASKED ME SO JACK, WHAT DO YOU THINK WAS HE'S FAMOUS FOR.

AND I SAID OH, WAS THERE A BIG PLANTATION HOUSE BECAUSE NORMALLY WHEN YOU SEE CHAINS OR ROOTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT A BIG PLANTATION HOUSE AT THE END OF THE ALLEY.

AND HE SAID NO THAT'S WHERE THE ENSLAVED CABINS WERE.

>>: THAT INFORMATION CHANGED EVERYTHING.

JACK THUMBED THROUGH RECORDS TO LEARN EVERYBODY ABOUT THIS PLACE.

IF HE DIDN'T KNOW SURELY THERE WERE OTHERS JUST AS CLUELESS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED HER.

IT TOOK A DECADE TO FIND OUT WHO THESE PEOPLE WERE AND WHAT WERE THEY NAMES AND WHAT THEY DID.

A HUNDRED 53 SLAVES LIVED IN CABINS HURRICANE AND FLOODING RUN THEM AWAY BUT TO HIM THAT WASN'T A REASON TO LEAVE IT BEHIND.

>>: AND THAT SORT OF BLEW ME AWAY BECAUSE NORMALLY YOU COME OUT TO FOUNTAIN BLUE START PARK YOU SEE WEDDINGS TAKING PLACE, BAKEY SHOWER PEOPLE HAVING BIRTH DAYS AND I WAS SORT OF DISAPPOINTED THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT ALL THE HISTORY THAT WAS REALLY HERE AT FOUNTAIN BLUE.

>>: HE MADE THE HISTORY KNOW HE PUT UP A PLAQUE DIRECTLY A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED HERE ON THE OTHER SIDE HIS MENTOR WITH ANOTHER MAKE EXPLAINING THE HISTORY OF NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES THAT ALSO WALKED THROUGH.

THIS WAS MORE THAN JUST AN EXFLOR AN ADVENTURE A LABOR OF LOVE.

>>: IT STARTED WITH MY BROTHER COAL LIKE I SAID HE HAS AUTISM OVER THE YEARS I WOULD SEE PEOPLE TREAT HIM WITH DESREPRESENT AND HE DOESN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADVOCATE FOR HIMSELF OR DEFEND HIMSELF.

I WAS ALWAYS OFT PUT BY PEOPLE WHO WERE YOU KNOW DETERAL MENTAL TO THOSE WHO WEREN'T TILE FEND FOR THEMSELVES.

OR DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO.

AND THAT'S SORT OF I GUESS WHAT REALLY TRUE ME INTO FOUNTAIN BLUE REALLY.

>>: IN A WAY COWL REPRESENTS THE PEOPLE IN FOUNTAIN BLEW WHO WEREN'T ABLE TO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES DIGGING UP THEIR LIVES AND PUTTING IT ON DISPLAY GAVE THEM A VOICE.

>>: WE'RE GOING TO GET Y'ALL LOADED UP AND HAVE FUN ON THE WATER.

>>: SO JACK IS CONTINUING TO SEEK UNTOLD STORIES.

EXPLAINS THE HISTORY THOF LAND TO PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER.

GOING TO ILARY TO STUDY BEFORE HE HEADS TO FLORIDA.

ACCOMPLISHED A LOT OF HIS YOUNG AGE AND HIS MOTHER SAYS THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.

>>: THOSE WHO KNOW HIM HIS TEACHERS, SCOUT LEADERS RESPECT WHAT HE HAS DONE.

NOT IN HIS OWN NAME BUT IN THE NAME OF JUST BEING A GOOD CITIZEN, BEING A SCOUT, JUST BEING A GOOD PERSON I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BATON ROUGE YOUTH COALITION AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS UNDER SERVED STUDENTS TOWARDS COLLEGE AND THROUGH COLLEGE AND BEYOND.

ALL OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE MENTORS.

SO THROUGH OUR SENIOR MENTOR PROGRAM I WAS PARRED WITHIVARY AND TOOK ME A MINUTE TO GET TO KNOW HIM, BREAK THROUGH.

I THINK HE HAD HIS DOUBTS ABOUT ME IF I WAS FORERALLY OR NOT.

MET MIDWAY AND JUST KEPT AT HIM KEPT KIND OF KNOCKING AT HIS DOOR AND EVENTUALLY KIND OF BROKE THROUGH.

>>: HE ALWAYS DOES AND FROM THERE THAT'S MY GUY.

>>: THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO MAKE SURE THAT INCREDIBLY MOTIVATED STUDENTS LIKIVARY WHO ARE UNDER SERVED HAVE THE RESOURCES AND THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED THAT STUDENTS WHO HAVE YOU KNOW STUDENTS FROM AFFLUENT FAMILY HAVE THOSE SOURCES RESOURCES IN DROVERS AND WANTING TO PAYING SURE THOSE RESOURCES GAPS ARE FILLED SO THEY CAN SUCCEED IN THE COLLEGE PROCESS AND PURSUE THEIR DREAMS.

>>: WHAT ARE THOSE CAN HE PLEASE.

>>: THE FIRST PERSON TO GRADUATE IN COLLEGE IN MY FAMILY RIGHT NOW.

>>: ONE OF THE THINGS WE TRY TO DO WITH OUR STUDENTS IS EXPOSE THEM TO THE FULL RANGE OF SCHOOLS AND OPPORTUNITIES THEY COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR EVEN IF THEY HAVEN'T HEARD OF THEM BEFORE.

WE'RE LOOKING AT SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT ONLY SCHOOLS WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE INCREDIBLY ACADEMICALLY AND SUCCESSFUL ALSO ABLE TO MAKE IF FINANCIALLY VIABLE FOR OUR STUDENTS AND SO SKID MORE ONE OF THE WAS THAT HIT THAT CROSS SECTION.

>>: LIKE CAUSE I REALLY WASABOUT WASN'T EVEN LOOKING INTO IT.

WE WENT.

NICE CAMPUS NOT TOO BIG.

WE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME STUDENTS LIKE NICE STUDENTS.

LIKE EVERYBODY WAS SO NICE.

>>: AND WHEN SHE GOT IN THEY OFFERED HIM A ROBUST SCHOLARSHIP PACKAGE.

HE GAVE THE INSTRUDUCKARY SPEECH AT HIS GRADUATION.

HE WON SEVEN AWARDS MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED BEST SCHOOL SPIRITISM HE GIVES BACK TO THE NORTH EAST COMMUNITY AS A LEADER.

>>: I FEEL I AM OBLIGATE TODAY GIVE BACK TO THE PEOPLE AND SHOW THEM LOVE AND HELP THEM OUTCH HELP THE SCHOOL OUT.

POSITIVITY TYPE OF THING.

GIVING BACK WITHIN THE SCHOOL.

HELP MY PEOPLE.

>>: HE REALLY SETS A HIGH STANDARD FOR THE REST OF THE SCHOOL WHICH IS GREAT SCHOOL LED BY A GREAT PRINCIPAL.

YOU CAN JUST SEE THE WAY HE IS IN HIS ELEMENT REALLY WELL RESPECTED WITH WELL LIKED BY HIS PEERS.

>>: MY SUPERHERO WITHOUT A CAPE.

>>: HE MAY NOT SAY THIS ALL THE TIME BUT HE'S ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT HIS FUTURE WHAT HE NEEDS TO BE DOING TO PUT MIMSELF AND HIS FAMILY IN THE BEST POSSIBLE POSITION AND YOU KNOW I'M NOT ONLY PROUD OF HIM BECAUSE HIS OWN ACHIEVEMENTS AND PROGRESS AND THE FACT THAT HE SECURED A FULL ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP TO A TOP NOTCH SCHOOL BUT ALSO BECAUSE HE REPRESENTS MANY OTHER YOUNG HEROES PARTICULARLY YOUNG HERO OF COLOR WHO ARE BALANCING THE SAME KINDS OF RESPONSIBILITIES IVY IS BETWEEN HOME DUTIES AFTER SCHOOL DUTIES AND JUST GRINDING HE JUST GRINDS.

ITS RUR HUMMABLING AND IMPRESSIVE HONESTLYISM THESE ARE NOT THINGS HE THINKS OF HERUOC.

THINGS HE'S RG DOING BECAUSE OF FAMILY AND ITS WHAT YOU DO.

HE PROBABLY THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY WHEN HE FOUND OUT I NOMINATED HIM FOR THIS BUT I WANT HIM TO KNOW THAT I SEE YOU KNOW EVERYTHING THAT HE DOES AGAIN ITS NOT ONLY ABOUT HIM, BUT SO MANY OTHER STUDENTS WHO ARE DOING THESE SORTS ARE THINGS WHO ARE STEPPING UP AT HOME IN REALLY BIG WAYS.

>>: MAY BE NATURAL TO HIM BUT WHAT'S NATURAL IS ACTUALLY EXCEPTIONAL.

>>: I THINK IT IS TWEAPGZINAL.

I THINK WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT EVEN THE TIME MANAGEMENT THAT IS REQUIRED TO BALANCE BEING SO SUPPORTIVE OF HOME WHILE BEING AN LEXERANT STUDENT, EXCELLENT ATHLETE ALL AROUND BOSS AROUND SCHOOL HE JUST GETS WHAT HE HAS TO GET DONE DONE AND I THINK ITS DESERVING OF SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS.

LEWIS HEADS TO COLLEGE AT LOUISIANA TECH ON AN OUT STANDING STUD WANT MERIT BASED SCHOLARSHIP AFTER A SENIOR YEAR THAT TESTED EVERY REALM OF HIS LIFE.

THE PANDEMIC ALREADY MEANT HER FIRST SEMESTER WOULD TAKE PLACE VIRTUALLY WITH ALL INSTRUCTION ONLINE.

BUSHE ALSO ENDURED THE DEATH OF HER MOTHER AND TWO HURRICANES THAT DAMAGES HER HOME.

>>: SHE'SVER BEAUTIFUL AND LOVELY AND SHE'S WELL GROUNDED AND ACTIVE IN HER CHURCH AND A STRONG FAITH.

AND SHE'S BEEN VERY STRONG FOR ME THIS PAST YEAR.

LAST YEAR YOU KNOW I HAD A HAPPY LIFE.

I HAD A FAMILY OF FOUR AND WE HAD THIS HOME AND EVERYTHING AND A HURRICANE CAME AND THEN MY WIFE HER MOTHER SUDDENLY AND UNEXPEDLY PASSED AWAY AND ANOTHER HURRICANE CAME AND IT WAS JUST THE THREE OF US I TOOK THAT PRETTY HARD AND SHE TOOK IT HARD TOO.

BUT SHE WAS VERY STRONG FOR ME.

SHE'S BEEN A BIG HELP FOR ME THIS PAST YEER.

>>: IT SEEMS HELPING AND BEING INVOLVED IS JUST PART OF HER DNA INCLUDING ACDEPPIC CIVIC AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES.

>>: AFTER THE STORM SHE HELPED FEED FAMILIES WITH THE DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAMS AND STUFF LIKE THAT HANDING OUT MRE TO SERVING FOOD AND MEALS.

>>: WE DID THAT ABOUT A WEEK WE WERE DOING SEVERAL EVENTS BUT ITS LIKE TO ME THAT'S JUST KIND OF NORMAL LIFE STUFF.

ALL OF THE EVENTS AND SCHOOL FUNCTIONS PART OF THOSE WERE AVAILABLE.

THEY WEREN'T A WHOLE LOT OF EXTRACULICKULAR PROGRAMS BUT THERE WASN'T A GIFTED PROGRAM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

THIS PAST WEEK I WAS PART OF THE LOCAL PLAY THEY DO EVERYTHING SUMMER AND THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

I'VE ONLY EVERY GOTTEN TO DO IT ONE OTHER YEAR.

BUT I'M A SENIOR SO IT WAS REALLY AWKWARD.

CAUSE ALL THE OTHER STUDENTS HAVE DIN IT FOR SIX YEARS.

LOT OF FUN.

STORY BOOK THEME AND I GOT TO BE DORGTDY FROM WIZARD OF AWZ AND GOT TO MAKE MY OWN DRESS.

A LOT OF FUN BUT I WOKE UP YESTERDAY I DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THERAPY TODAY.

>>: SHE HAD HAVE DONE THAT FOR THREE YEARS BUT IT WAS CANCELED LAST YEAR.

SHE DID 2019 AND THIS YEAR SO.

>>: SHE HASN'T DECLARED A MAJOR YET BUT NOTES HER ABOUT TO COMMUNICATE OR PASSION WIT BE PART OF WHATEVER SHE DOES.

>>: I LIKE HISTORY I LIKE SCIENCE, I LIKE DAD WAS TALKING ABOUT A LEADER OR WHATEVER.

I LIKE TO STUDY WRITINGS ABOUT WHAT FAIRY TALES ARE FULOLLY OF HIM AND OTHER COLLEAGUES CS LEWIS HOW CHIRP SHOULD BE APPROACHED HOW THEY THOUGHT CHILDREN SHOULD BE ADDRESSED WRITTEN TO WRITTEN ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS HOW THIS CONNECTS TO SORT OF THEIR APOLOGETIC OR THEIR FAITH.

VERY INTERESTING THINGS THAT THEY WROTE ABOUT.

AND I HAVE TO STUDY THAT I THINK REALLY REALLY INTERESTING.

BUT THAT'S SORT OF THE ONLY BRANCH OF LITEDTURE I LIKE THAT I TAKE A DEEP DIVE INTO EVERYTHING ELSE GOES OVER MY HEAD.

>>: REALLY DOESN'T GO OVER YOUR HEAD.

YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ON A PRETTY DEEP LEVEL PRETTY MUCH ANYBODY.

>>: I THINK SHE WOULD BE A GREAT TEACHER.

SHE SAYS SHE DOESN'T WANT TO BE A TEACHER.

A GREAT TEACHER OF YOUNG CHILDREN I HAVE SEEN HER TEACH IN CHURCH AND SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES AND I THINK SHE WOULD BE A GREAT TEACHER.

>>: I THINK STORY TELLING IS AN INCREDIBLY POWERFUL TOOL ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOLSISM A SUBBRANCH OF HOW WE COMMUNICATE WE COMMUNICATE THROUGH THINKING THROUGH CONVERSATION AND TELLING STORIES AND I THINK ITS VERY VERY POWERFUL.

WHATEVER I DO WITH MY LIFE WITH MY CAREER I WANT TO BE TELLING PEOPLE THE STORIES OF MY FRIENDS, THE STORIES OF WHAT THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH IN THEIR LIFE, THE STORIES OF WHAT YOU KNOW CULTURE MEANT TO US.

I THINK ITS SUCH A POWERFUL THING.

I WANT TO USE MY PASSION TO PULL SMILES ON PEOPLES FACES WHETHER I DO THAT THREW TELLING STORIES, BUILDING THINGS, THROUGH VOLUNTEER WORK I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY.

TWO CHILDREN AND 33 YEARS OF MARRIAGE PEGGY AND LEE KNOW SOMETHING WAW MISSING A VOID THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO FILL UNTIL PEGGY KNEW WHAT IT MEANT.

>>: SOME FRIENDS ADOPTED TWO YEARS OLD A FROM CHINA AND BEAUTIFUL FAMILY BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN.

AND THAT JUST STARTED ME THINKING AND ITS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WHEN IT SHOWS TO YOU YOU REALIZE OKAY I'M SUPPOSED TO DO THIS.

>>: THE FEELING SHE FELT WAS THE NEED TO CARE FOR ANOTHER CHILD.

BOTH OF HER DAUGHTERS HAD GROWN UP AND MOVED OUT THE HOUSE WAS EMPTY EXCEPT FOR THAT NEED TO CAW FOR SOMEONE ELSE.

THAT ONLY GREW OVERTIME.

>>: REALLY HAD THAT DEEP FEELING INSIDE OF ME THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO ADOPT A CHILD.

>>: THAT'S WHAT THEY FOUND OUR YOUNG HERO MICHAELISM NINE YEARS OLD BOUNCED FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE UNTIL HE WAS THREE.

PEGGY SAYS HE WAS PERFECT FIT.

>>: I MET HIM I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT DAY IT WAS.

AND MET AT A MCDONALD AND WE ALLATE AND HE SAID HE TOLD HIS CASE WORKER HE SAID THEY OFFERED ME TO GET MORE FRIES THAT WAS VERY NICE OF THEM.

HE WAS NINE.

A LITTLE BITTY FELLOW.

BUT THEN THE NEXT WEEK HE CAME TO OUR HOUSE AND NIGH RULES OF THE FASTER CARE SYSTEM STAY IN THE HOME BEFORE SIX MONTHS SO THAT WAS IN NOVEMBER.

IN 2014.

AND WE ADOPTED HIM JULY OF 2015.

>>: I DO REMEMBER THE MCDONALDS THING WHEN WE FIRST METTISM I WAS LIKE THESE ARE THE PEOPLE I WANT TO LIVE WITH.

>>: BUT AS WE KNOW PERFECTION CAN ONLY LAST SO LONG.

>>: MY NAME IS MICHAEL I'M 14 MALICE AFORETHOUGHT EIGHT GRADE AND I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH LEUKEMIA.

>>: MICHAELS SISTER PUT THIS VIDEO OUT TWO YEARS AGO WHEN HE WAS FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE IN LAFAYETTE.

THEY NEVER THOUGHT THE CHILD THEY HAD ADOPT UNDER TO THE FAMILY WOULD SUFFER THROUGH SO MUCH PAIN ESPECIALLY NOT AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE BUT MICHAEL HAS ALWAYS BEEN TOUGH EVEN FROM THE BEGINNING.

>>: I STARTED AT SCHOOL LIKE I HAD A REALLY BAD BACK PROBLEM MY LEGS WERE HURTING AND I WAS TIRED ALL THE TIME AND I STARTED GETTING REALLY BAD HEADACHES AND THEN ONE DAY IT HURT EXTREMELY BAD SO WE WENT TO THE HOSPITAL ACTUALLY MY BIRTH DAY AND I TOLD MY MOM I SAID WE NEED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL AND THAT'S WHEN THEY SENT US TO LAFAYETTE.

>>: ONCE HE GOT TO LAFAYETTE MICHAEL GOT THE WORSE NEWS THOSE ACHES AND PAINS WEREN'T JUST A PRODUCT OF GROWING UP IT WAS A SERIOUS ILLNESS ONLY ONE IN 800 CHILDREN HAVE TO FIGHT.

>>: WHEN THE DOCTOR MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT LEUKEMIA I WAS LIKE NO, THAT'S NOT IT.

>>: BUT IT WAS.

MICHAEL WAS DIAGNOSED WITH LEUKEMIA SEVERE JOINT PAIN BRUISING AND EXTREME FEW TEEING WHILE FIGHTING THIS ILLNESS WITHOUT A CURE.

TO HIS FAMILIES AND FRIENDS WATCHING HIM SUFFER WAS ALMOST PAINFUL AS THE DISEASE.

>>: VERY SCARY I NEVER DEALT WITH ANYTHING LIKE THAT I WAS NOT KNOWLEDGEABLE ON THE SUBJECT SO OF COURSE WE WILL A ZILLIAN QUESTIONFOR THE DOCTOR.

I ALWAYS HEARD IF YOU ARE REALLY SICK LIKE THIS YOU HAVE CANCER OR WHATEVER YOU NEED TO GO TO HOUSTON OR NEW ORLEANS OR MEMPHIS.

AND I JUST FELT LIKE WE WERE LEAD TO LAFAYETTE FOR A REASON.

>>: MORE OF A SHOCK.

I GUESS IT TOOK A WHILE FOR IT TO REALLY REGISTER IN.

BUT THEN WHEN IT HAPPENED I WAS LIKE LOOK I AM GOING TO HAVE TO DO THIS.

I CAN'T JUST BE ALL SAD ABOUT IT.IUM ARER GOING HAVE TO GO WITH IT SOMETHING I HAVE TO LIVE WITH.

>>: MICHAEL STRENGTH TO CARRY ON THROUGH THIS ILLNESS WAS INSPIRING HIS HIGH SCHOOL PULLED TOGETHER IN SUPPORT OF THEIR CLASSMATE THEY MADE SURE TO PLAY MICHAEL STRONG AND PEGGY SAYS THAT MENTALITY CARRIED THROUGH THE TOWN.

A HUNDRED FIFTY UNITS OF BLOOD DONATE TODAY THE BLOOD CENTER.

ONE OF THE MANY THUNS HE'S DONE TO BE CONSIDERED A YOUNG HERE.

>>: I REALLY WANT TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

>>: HE'S A 2021 EOLITHBUG BASEBALL MANAGER AND ALSO VOLUNTEERED TO A CAMP CANCELER.

HE'S BEEN THROUGHOUT A LOT BUT HASN'T STOPPED HIM FROM HELPING OTHERS.

INSPIRING TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

>>: HE HAS DONE A LOT TO CHANGE OUR PROSPECTIVE ON LIFE.

THINGS THAT WE THOUGHT WERE IMPORTANT WERE NOT.

ESPECIALLY AFTER THE CANCER DIAGNOSE THING REALLY PUTS THINGS IN PROSPECTIVE.

AND THE WAY HE'S WENT THROUGH IT JUST BEING A TROOPER ABOUT IT ALL.

>>: HELLY 2021 LOUISIANA YOUNG HERO THE GOVERNOR ARE SENDING A BIG CONGRATULATIONS SO PROUD OF EACH OF YOU FOR MAKING DAYERANCE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH YOUR VOLUNTEER WORK ESPECIALLY THE CHALLENGES OF THE PAST YEAR.

>>: THE FIRST LADY AND I JOIN LPB CELEBRATING YOUR IMPRIEVIVE ACHIEVEMENTS MAKING DAYERANCE RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE AND CHANGING YOUR COMMUNITIES FOR THE BETTER.

>>: WE ARE CHEERING YOU ON AND PRAYING FOR YOUR CONTINUE SUCCESS.

>>: THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

WE HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE YOUR GREAT THINGS FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS AND FOR THE GREAT STATE OF LOUISIANA.

>>: CONGRATULATIONS LOUISIANA YOUNG HEROES.

SUPPORT FOR LPB2021 LOUISIANA YOUNG HEROES IS PROVIDED BY.

AT AMERICA HEALTHCARE LOUISIANA WE HELP PEOPLE GET CARE.

STAY WELL.

AND BUILD HEALTHY COMMUNITIES.

CARE IS THE HEART OF OUR WORK.

AT AMERICA HEALTHCARE LOUISIANA.

>>: AND BY THE US ARMY BATON ROUGE RECRUITING BATTALION.

COMMUNITY COFFEE.

AND THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY.

WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM HOTELIND GO AND DEM CO. AND THE FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU.