by Sam Sutton |

The Hope awards are for students who meet the challenge, walk the talk, serve the community, and show personal initiative, with humanitarian awards given on rare occasions. Only extraordinary students get these awards; they have to be smart, caring and the epitome of helpful.

To be in contention for a Hope award, a teacher must nominate a student they think overcame a great challenge or demonstrates characteristics of being an exceptional student. Some of the students who recieved a nominatation were thrilled that teachers were thinking of them.

“I have been through some really tough stuff with my mom not being here. I overcame that in my life and got through it,” senior Shelby Hook said. “Also, a teacher nominates you so it feels good that someone was thinking about me. In 2008, my science teacher nominated me.”

Senior Sam Hannah was lucky enough to win the Walk the Talk award, given to students who are positive role models, participate in projects or join groups or organizations irrespective of their popularity. One must show dedicated commitment to the goals of the project, group, or organization, expending whatever effort is required to successfully complete the project or fulfill the goals of the group or organization. These requirements are hard to come by in a person.

“It is a district wide award and someone had to nominate me, which means that someone was thinking about me. I wasn’t too surprised when I won this award because I had won awards in the past. I didn’t know what this award was exactly so I was super excited,” Hannah said.

Some of the awesome students who won the awards went through hard times. They have struggled but still persevered through their hardships and accomplished their goals.

“I had a really strong loss in my family. My dad got really, really sick and had a heart attack and he has been out and down for a while. I am on the Lady Jays dance team and I kept pushing through with that,” junior Natalie Motta said.

“The special thing about the award is that we get to go to a ceremony and my dad will get to be present. Also, it looks good on a college application.”

It is an exciting feeling to win an award for being the best one can possibly be. To win a Hope award, that student must stand above all  other students in the Liberty School District. This is quite an achievement.

“I was excited even though I didn’t know what it was. When I first got it I thought it was really neat that I was recognized. We also get a trophy, which is really cool because I’ve never got a trophy before. It is exciting because I won the award compared to everyone else,” Hook said.