Vestavia Voice September 2024

The power to save

By SARAH OWENS

Beau Armistead has dedicated his life to helping people heal from their trauma.

As the founder of Sojourn Counseling, a nonprofit counseling practice located in Vestavia Hills, he specializes in treating trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder through micro current neurofeedback and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing.

MCN is a treatment that uses gentle electric signals to target the nervous system and rebalance brain wave patterns. EMDR encourages the patient to focus briefly on a traumatic memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with the trauma memories. Armistead is a licensed professional counselor and is certified in both of these treatment methods.

“The thing with trauma is that our brains can’t process trauma the way our brain can process anything else,” Armistead said. “So we experience normal life experiences, and go to sleep at night, and during our rapid eye movement sleep, our brain is able to process the events of the day. If we experience traumatic events during the day, those things get stuck. So all the sights, sounds, smells,

physical sensations, emotions and everything connected to this particular trauma get stuck in our brain.”

Armistead said that when trauma stays unresolved for long enough, that is often when people begin considering suicide. With September being National Suicide Prevention Month, he encourages people to seek help for mental health issues.

By LOYD McINTOSH

Vestavia Hills High School has emerged as a leader in the state in reviving interest in world languages and the arts through its innovative Seals credentialing programs.

Under the leadership of VHHS faculty members Lisa McFadden, a Spanish teacher and world languages department chairwoman, and Faith Lenhart, the director of arts education, the VHHS Seal of Biliteracy and Arts Achievement Seal have recognized hundreds of students for their commitment to the arts and world languages, while encouraging them to develop skills beyond the core subjects required for graduation.

Lisa McFadden listens as Molly Mac Sharp, far left, describes what she did over the

Spanish III class at Vestavia Hills High School on Aug. 12.

Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.

ABOUT US

Hope. It’s a wonderful thing when you have it. It’s really hard when you don’t.

For some people, it becomes too much to bear, and they take their own lives.

The pain and struggles of life can be excruciating, and some people see no hope of things ever getting better.

But the truth of the matter is that circumstances and feelings often are only temporary and, with time, things can get better. Perspectives can change. God can heal wounds.

This month in the Vestavia Voice, we’re highlighting the issue of suicide, which has escalated in recent years since the COVID-19 pandemic. In our cover story, Sarah Owens discusses some of the science behind suicidal thoughts. Taylor

Bright explains how military veterans often struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts, and I share how senior citizens are vulnerable and explain how maintaining connections with others is important. I also share what Vestavia Hills schools are doing to combat suicide among youth.

Most importantly, we’re sharing some resources to help people get through difficult times and find that hope once again.

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Vestavia Hills firefighter headed to national competition

By JON ANDERSON

Ana Ruzevic, a Vestavia Hills fire medic, twice has won the U.S. National Firefighter Challenge Championship, and she’s hoping she can pull it off again in Hoover in September.

The national competition this year is scheduled to take place Sept. 25-28 in the parking lot at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium — the second straight year at the Hoover Met.

Ruzevic qualified for nationals on July 27 by placing second in her age division and third place overall for women in the Northeast Regional for the Firefighter Challenge in Exton, Pennsylvania.

The Firefighter Challenge, labeled by firefighters as the “toughest two minutes in sports,” is an event in which firefighters compete against each other by simulating the physical demands of real-life firefighting. Competitors wear full gear and self-contained breathing apparatuses and perform tasks such as carrying a high-rise pack upstairs, advancing a charged hoseline and dragging a 175-pound mannequin for 100 feet.

At the Northeast Regional, Ruzevic came in second behind Sarah McGill of the Lexington Fire Department in Kentucky in the division for women under age 40. McGill completed the course in 2 minutes, 18.64 seconds, and Ruzevic finished the course in 2 minutes, 28.02 seconds.

Ruzevic’s time was just 4 seconds more than her personal best of 2 minutes, 24 seconds in 2021. She was the national champion in 2019, her first full year to compete in the competitions, and again in 2021. Last year, she and McGill were world champions as partners in the tandem competition.

Ruzevic and McGill are good friends and train together once a month.

Ruzevic said she’s had a lot of things going

on in her life and she wasn’t sure she was going to be able to make the Northeast Regional in Pennsylvania, but it worked out so she could be there.

“When I don’t think that I’m going to do well, those are the times I do really well,” she said. “My goal was just to go out there and have fun and see everybody. It was really great to see everybody, and I handled the course better than I thought I would.”

Ruzevic, who is 35, has been with the Vestavia Hills Fire Department since January 2018 and works part-time with the Center Point Fire Department.

Last year, 127 firefighters from 52 fire

departments in 25 states participated in the national championship event in Hoover, said Russell Jackson, a former Hoover firefighter who is CEO of the First Responder Institute, which organizes the event.

Participants will be divided into developmental, competitive and pro divisions and will compete in brackets based on age and gender.

Firefighters must qualify at regional events across the country to compete at the national competition.

The day before the national competition, on Tuesday, Sept. 24, there will be a challenge event just for Alabama firefighters. Last year, 73 Alabama firefighters from 15 traditional fire

U.S. National Firefighter Challenge Championship

• WHERE: Hoover Metropolitan Stadium parking lot

• WHEN: Sept. 25-28

• WEB: firefighterchallenge.com

departments and an Army Reserve team took part, Jackson said.

The national competition starts with qualifying rounds for individual competitors on Wednesday and Thursday. The tandem (two-person) and relay (five-person) competitions are Thursday and Friday, and individual championships will be Saturday morning.

The competitions will be in the parking lot in front of the Hoover Met, with the competition course taking up an area 260 feet long by 150 feet wide, Jackson said. The public is invited to watch the competitions for free, but they also will be streamed online so the firefighters’ friends and families back home can watch. Last year’s national competition drew 1.2 million viewers, he said.

Last year’s overall male champion was Jared Johnson, a 36-year-old firefighter from Austin, Texas, who won his fourth national championship completing the course in 1 minute, 19.47 seconds — about 5 seconds shy of the world record. The second-place finisher was Jake Lanier, 36, of the Pelham Fire Department, who was about half a second behind Johnson and who was world champion in 2019.

The top female winner last year was Brittany Hoffman of Wheeling, West Virginia, with a time of 2 minutes, 13.88 seconds.

Ana Ruzevic is a Vestavia Hills fire medic who is hoping to win her third U.S. National Firefighter Challenge Championship in September. Staff photo.

Well, ready or not, school has started back. I don’t know about your children, but my four grandchildren were excited. Two of them started at Pizitz Middle School, and they are excited to be in the same school, having come from different elementary schools. In all the excitement, please be careful in your carpool, and let’s have a safe school year.

Mayor’s Minute

By Ashley Curry

Our pedestrian bridge construction is actually underway. Surveying is ongoing, and soon the relocation of some underground utilities will make the construction more visible. With that said, you should see some real progress by this fall.

In early 2000, Mayor Scotty McCallum organized a “sidewalk committee” to assess the need for sidewalks in the city, with the intent of improving walkability. That committee felt a good way to connect the east side of U.S. 31 with the west side was to build a tunnel under U.S. 31, similar to the tunnel in Homewood. That idea didn’t last long after it was determined that there was solid rock just under the surface.

Then there were years of design concepts and reviews by the Alabama Department of Transportation. What started as a dream by Mayor McCallum in early 2000 has now come to fruition. The pedestrian bridge will finally provide the walkability between Wald Park, West Elementary

and the Library in the Forest (not to mention the Boulder Canyon walking trails). Two of our most-visited sites will soon be connected for pedestrians.

On Sept. 11, the nation will remember the 3,000 victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania. Since the attack, more people who assisted in the investigation and victim recovery have died from the toxic exposure than died in the attacks.

We should all remember the sacrifices of the first responders who rushed into the crash site intent on rescuing victims, without any concern for their own well-being. Their unwavering courage and compassion serving our fellow citizens on that fateful day should never be forgotten.

I would like to recognize our Vestavia Hills Fire Department and specifically the “swift water rescue” units that were deployed to Florida in early August to assist in the rescue efforts resulting from Hurricane Debby. This storm unleashed historic and catastrophic flooding in the Big Bend coast of Florida.

In the Classroom

ACCOLADES GET TO KNOW

Brooke Wedgworth, director of curriculum and instruction for Vestavia Hills City Schools

By JON ANDERSON

Q: How long have you been in education?

A: I’ve been in education since 1998. I started teaching middle school then. I taught middle school math and then was employed in the Vestavia school system after that and started teaching elementary school. I taught fourth and fifth grade at Central, then I taught third grade at Liberty Park and stayed home for a few years. And I was a part-time interventionist at Cahaba Heights Elementary doing K [kindergarten] through fifth grade intervention, then came back to the school system full time and taught third grade at Cahaba Heights. And then I’ve been the director of curriculum — this will be my 13th year. And I’ve worked for the ARI [Alabama Reading Initiative] department at the state for a couple of years, too.

Q: What inspired you to get into education in the first place?

A: My mother, who was a high school educator. It would also be several teachers along the way, specifically my third grade teacher. Teaching was her everything. She created a community, invested in her students, and that was

really her whole life. She inspired me to be an educator so much that I would leave school in third grade and go home and teach school to my stuffed animals. I tried other majors in college for about a year and then decided I was going to do what I knew I was supposed to do, which was teach. … I thought I was going to be a broadcaster. … Then I thought I was going to do international business and realized that neither of those were really for me.

I’ve worked with kids my whole life — babysat, worked in the nursery at church, did summer camps, volunteered with Special Olympics.

Q: What’s something most people might not know about you?

A: I have three boys — [including] twins who are about to go off to college. And then I have two stepdaughters as well. One of those is about to go to college. We have a farm. I love spending time at the farm fishing, hiking.

Q: What do you love about the farm?

A: Being away from the city and being away from everything that’s distracting. It’s just good to get away and relax, be with my family, be outside and not have to worry about what’s on TV or what’s happening on your phone.

Theater teacher inducted into national Hall of Fame

By JON ANDERSON

Jamie Stephenson, the theater director at Vestavia Hills High School, has been selected for induction into the national Educational Theatre Association Hall of Fame.

Stephenson is scheduled to receive the award at the National Theater Educators Conference in Minneapolis in September. She is one of two teachers being inducted this year and is believed to be only the third theater teacher from Alabama to be inducted into the Hall of Fame since its inception in 1990. The others were Bobby Smith, who was inducted in 1999, and Donnie Bryan, who was inducted in 2012 and was a mentor for Stephenson.

Earlier this year, Stephenson was inducted into the Alabama Educational Theatre Association Hall of Fame and selected as the Secondary Arts Teacher of the Year by the Alabama Arts Alliance. “It’s been a big year,” she said.

She has been at Vestavia Hills High School for seven years and previously taught at Pelham High School for 15 years and a Catholic school in Charlotte, North Carolina, for two years, giving her a total of 24 years as a theater teacher.

Stephenson has been a part of the Alabama Educational Theatre Association for about 20 years and served as director of the group for the past seven years. The group, also known as the Alabama Thespians, has held its state conference

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at Vestavia Hills High School for the past six years, she said.

Her theater students this year were selected to perform a one-act play, “Antigone Now,” at the International Thespian Festival in Indiana in June.

“It went really well. The kids did a wonderful job,” she said. “We’re really blessed in Vestavia to have not just talented students, but incredibly hard-working young people.”

Four of the 10 students on the Alabama Thespians student board are from Vestavia Hills, she said.

“Being a part of those things, it’s really just a way to give back and let other students see what we see in the joy of theater,” Stephenson said.

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Business Buzz

BUSINESS HAPPENINGS

NOW OPEN

The Girl Scouts of North Central Alabama’s new DreamLab recently opened in the Vestavia Hills City Center. This facility is the largest Girl Scout DreamLab in the country, at 11,300 square feet. The DreamLab offers Scouts six STEM labs, an arts section, a full-scale auditorium with state-of-the-art technology, meeting space for girls and troops, a media center equipped for podcast recording and video production, a mock campsite, rock climbing wall, huddle stations and a retail space for apparel, supplies and more. 800-734-4541, girlscoutsnca.org

Katy Bridges has opened Advantage Counseling, specializing in sports performance counseling, at 450A Century Park S., Suite 109. With the rate of stress young athletes face, she hopes to help them improve

their mindset, game anxiety and ability to manage the strain of competition. She also plans to continue seeing children and adolescents for general mental health services. For more information, potential clients can email advantagecounselingllc@gmail.com.

205-365-5847

Sage Dental has opened a new location in Vestavia Hills at 3066 Healthy Way, Suite 116. The practice offers pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, teeth cleanings, dental implants, dentures, oral surgery and more. 205-383-3703, mysagedental.com/vestavia-hills

COMING SOON

Construction has begun on Guthrie's fast-food chicken restaurant at 1437 Montgomery Highway. The restaurant is being built on the former site of the Hardee’s restaurant, between Hollywood Outdoor Living and Vestavia Bowl. The goal is to have the Guthrie’s completed and open by Christmas, said David Coble, the construction superintendent for Ganaway Contractors. The 2,200-square-foot restaurant will seat about 35 people and have a drive-through window, Coble said. guthrieschicken.com

Dave’s Hot Chicken, based in Pasadena, California, plans to open a new restaurant in the Vestavia City Center in October, according to the leasing company for the City Center. The restaurant plans to open in the 3,600-square-foot space formerly occupied by Ironstone Pizza, said Madison Grooms of Crawford Square Real Estate Advisors. IronStone Pizza closed in 2019. Dave’s Hot Chicken serves chicken tenders and sliders, with seven levels of heat. The restaurant also serves fries, cheese fries, macaroni and cheese, kale slaw, water, tea, soft drinks and milkshakes. The Vestavia City Center and Dave’s Hot Chicken plan a series of events

Do you have news to share about a business in Vestavia Hills or the greater Birmingham area? Let us know at starnesmedia.com/business-happenings

Vestavia Voice is spotlighting local businesses in print and online. Submit your business for consideration here: go.starnesmedia.com/business-spotlight

and promotions in conjunction with the grand opening, including free swag bags for the first 100 customers, Grooms said. Dave’s Hot Chicken was founded in 2017 and has grown to at least 200 locations in 32 states, Dubai and Canada, according to the company’s website. daveshotchicken.com

RELOCATIONS AND RENOVATIONS

Postmark Paris Antiques, formerly known as Salon 2412, moved from its previous location in Mountain Brook to 3258 Cahaba Heights Road in December. The store offers hand-curated estate pieces, antique chandeliers, unique lamps, original art pieces and other home decor. The business also has a hair salon at the back of the store, where owner Scott Renshaw continues to see his customers. The business move, name change and expansion came from the desire that Renshaw had to blend the two things he is most passionate about: hair and antiques. Customers can visit the store on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday and Saturday by appointment only. 205-414-7854

CLOSINGS

After 11 years of business, J.P. Holland closed The Fig restaurant at 3160 Cahaba Heights Road on July 28. Holland still owns Watkins Branch Bourbon and Brasserie in Mountain Brook Village and is the new executive chef at Hillside Music & Que (formerly The Palm & Pig) in downtown Vestavia Hills.

Jack Nguyen, manager, Paris Nails salon in Vestavia Hills

Q: How long have you been in this business?

A: We opened almost six years ago.

Q: What made you decide you wanted to be in this business?

A: We’ve been doing the nail business for a long time, over 20-something years. The nail business is popular. It’s kind of easy to manage and control.

Q: What’s something that most people might not know about you?

A: I tell customers how I came to Alabama. I came from California, and I came here in 1999 for a visit, but I visited a nail shop, and it got me interested in it, and I started doing it in 1999, and ever since I love to do what I’m doing.

Q: What do you think about Alabama?

A: It’s a pretty nice place to settle down, compared to a big city. I ‘ve been here 25 years, and I love being here. My family — they moved to Florida after I moved here. They want me to move to Florida, but comparably, Florida is too crowded. I’m not used to that. I love staying here.

Q: Any hobbies?

A: I like to do lots of things with computers. That’s what I went to school for. But you know, sometimes a career chooses you.

Q: Do you travel much?

A: Yeah, I love to travel. We love to travel back to my country at least once a year, Vietnam. Just relax and have fun. We have a lot of relatives there.

Q: What brought you from Vietnam to

the United States?

A: Vietnam is a Communist country, so the government controls you. Whatever you do, you’re under their control. The United States, it’s like freedom country. You can do a lot of things. Freedom. That’s why a lot of countries like to come to the United States and live here. My dad — he was in the military, and in the Vietnam War, he was on the U.S. side, so after the war was over, the United States had an operation for old soldiers to come to the United States, and that’s how I came to the United States in 1992 with my whole family.

SPOTLIGHT

Method Mortgage serving Birmingham area 17 years

By CHARLES VAUGHAN

Method Mortgage, located in the Barbour Building in Vestavia Hills, is a mortgage lender that services the Birmingham area. Established in 2007 by founding partners Adam Stoffregen and Roger Steur, the company provides a variety of mortgage products, including conventional, jumbo, FHA, VA and USDA loans.

Method Mortgage was named the nation’s best small mortgage company to work for by National Mortgage News in 2022, the state’s best mortgage company by the Alabama Mortgage Brokers Association in 2020 and Vestavia’s best mortgage company by Vestavia Magazine in 2022 and 2023.

During the pandemic, the company began giving $25 to a selected nonprofit with every received community referral, a program that company officials say has led to the donation

of more than $50,000 to charity. Past recipients have included UAB’s O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, Children’s Harbor, the Jimmie Hale Mission, the Heart Gallery Alabama and the African Children’s Mission.

Method accepts referrals from anyone, including previous clients or business partners, and has won a Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce Service Business of the Year award for its community efforts.

Method Mortgage is at 601 Vestavia Parkway, Suite 300, and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. The company provides rate request forms, housing market news, refinancing calculators and mortgage tools at its website, methodmortgage.com.

The Vestavia Voice is spotlighting local businesses and restaurants online and in print. If you’d like to be considered for inclusion, contact Jon Anderson at janderson@ starnesmedia.com.

From left: Roger Steur, Adam Stoffregen, Jeff Henderson and Craig Tindall, partners at Method Mortgage in Vestavia Hills.

Photo courtesy of Method Mortgage.

Jack Nguyen is manager of Paris Nails in Vestavia Hills. Photo by Jon Anderson.

Sips and Bites

SPOTLIGHT GET TO KNOW

Emely Diaz, hostess, Sol Azteca Mexican Restaurant

Q: How long have you been doing this?

A: Since I was like 15, a freshman in high school, and I am now a senior in college.

Q: Where do you go to college?

A: UAB. This fall will be my last semester, and then I graduate.

Q: What do you hope to do after you graduate?

A: I would like to get a well-paying job. I worked with the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama for a little bit, and I’m thinking about maybe reapplying, just to maybe get started. I really like the work that they do there. They help a lot of Hispanics, a lot of people in my community. I would like to go back there, maybe to start my career. My degree is in international studies with a minor in political science and Spanish.

childhood, we always visited Mexico. We always traveled. Every summer we did something. We went to Disney World, we went wherever, and it was really nice. It was really a privilege to see it growing up. A lot of my friends — their parents don’t have a status here in America, and my parents do, so I’m very lucky that they do. They’re able to travel back and forth, so it’s really awesome.

Q: Where was your favorite place to visit?

A: We took a trip to Italy one year. It was really fun.

Q: What’s something most people might not know about you?

Sharing Greek cuisine since 1992

By CHARLES VAUGHAN

Pappas’ Grill, located in the Shoppes at City Hall, is one of the most established Mediterranean restaurants in the Vestavia Hills area.

Founded in 1992 by Greg Pappas, the son of Greek immigrants, the grill hasn’t changed locations since its founding and continues to be managed and run by the Pappas family.

The grill serves a variety of traditional Greek dishes, including baked leg of lamb, spanakopita, chicken kapama and pork tenderloin souvlaki, along with several original items that are influenced by Pappas family recipes, like the restaurant’s well-known tzatziki sauce and the Pappas Greek salad dressing.

The restaurant also offers catering services, with its chicken breast, rice and salad plate able to feed groups of up to 300 people.

Q: Do you have any life ambitions?

A: Nobody really dreams of work. I think my life ambition would probably be to travel a lot. My dad has been privileged enough to work here for a while that throughout my

A: When I was 3, I broke my leg. That was really weird. I think I’m very invested in my culture. Growing up, I always wanted to be somebody different, and then once I started getting older and started realizing my background, my heritage, I was like, ‘Oh, this is really cool. I like being Mexican.’ It was like a wakeup call.”

Once the owner of a Sneaky Pete’s location, Pappas originally planned on making the restaurant a hot dog stand, but he changed his mind after seeing how well Greek food sold. Pappas’ Grill still serves hot dogs, along with classic American fare such as hamburgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, Philly steaks and chicken fingers with French fries.

Pappas’ Grill is at 1066 Montgomery Highway and is open on weekdays for dine-in and takeout. Orders can be made in person or online at thepappasgrill.com.

The Vestavia Voice is spotlighting local businesses and restaurants online and in print. If you’d like to be considered for inclusion, contact Jon Anderson at janderson@ starnesmedia.com.

A plate of the pistachio greek lasagna at Pappas’ Grill in Vestavia Hills. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.

Diaz

Thursday, Sept. 12

3pm - 8pm

1:00PM: $10 Early Shopping Pass (Advance purchase available online) 3:00PM –8:00PM: Public Sale

Friday, Sept. 13

9am - 1pm

By the numbers: 2023 vs. 2024

Recently sold homes in Vestavia Hills

► ADDRESS: 2015 Vestavia Drive

► BED/BATH: 4/4.5

► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 4,640 sq. ft.

► NEIGHBORHOOD: Shades Crest Road area

► LIST PRICE: $1,099,000

► SALE PRICE: $1,077,000

► ADDRESS: 3308 Valley Park Drive

► BED/BATH: 3/2

► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 2,096 sq. ft.

► NEIGHBORHOOD: Cahaba Heights

► LIST PRICE: $499,000

► SALE PRICE: $510,000

► ADDRESS: 4351 Paxton Way

► BED/BATH: 4/3.5

► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 2,939 sq. ft. ► NEIGHBORHOOD: Paxton Place in Liberty Park

► LIST PRICE: $680,000

► SALE PRICE: $685,000

► ADDRESS: 3418 North River Road

► BED/BATH: 3/2.5

► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 2,311 sq. ft.

► NEIGHBORHOOD: Overton Road area

► LIST PRICE: $485,000

► SALE PRICE: $480,000

► ADDRESS: 3304 Circle Hill Road ► BED/BATH: 4/3

► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 3,400 sq. ft.

► NEIGHBORHOOD: Meadowview

► LIST PRICE: $569,000

► SALE PRICE: $555,000

► ADDRESS: 2945 Pump House Road

► BED/BATH: 4/3

► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 2,550 sq. ft.

► NEIGHBORHOOD: Cahaba Heights

► LIST PRICE: $449,900

► SALE PRICE: $449,900

SOURCE: GREATER ALABAMA MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE

Library in the Forest hosts back-to-school festivals

By LOYD McINTOSH

The Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest held two Back to School Outdoor Festivals at the Sicard Hollow Athletic Complex and Kelly Park in Cahaba Heights on Aug. 3 and 10.

Each child in attendance was provided complimentary school supplies and a backpack, in addition to an array of activities, including field games, a bounce house, the Shar-Itt Petting Farm “Farm Bus” and music by children’s entertainer Andrew Best.

The events also included Kona Ice, free pizza from Domino’s and support from the Vestavia Belles, a civic volunteer group made up of Vestavia Hills High School sophomore, junior and senior girls.

Library in the Forest Director Taneisha Tucker said the Back to School Outdoor Festivals were an opportunity to promote the library to people living in some of Vestavia Hills’ hardto-reach communities. While the library at 1221 Montgomery Highway is convenient for people living along U.S. 31, Tucker said residents living in Liberty Park and Cahaba Heights find it more difficult to access.

She hopes this and future events will encourage more people to take advantage of the library’s resources.

"This is a first for our library, and we're really excited about it,” Tucker said. “What we want to do is make sure that all of our service areas — Cahaba Heights, Liberty Park, as well as Highway 31 — are all in touch with our library."

One resource on display was an interactive activity utilizing a small 3D printer from the library’s Makerspace department, which is a hands-on creative lab. Under the guidance of Makerspace coordinator Derek Anderson,

students had the opportunity to see the technology up close.

"One thing we do hear often from folks is, ‘Oh, I didn't realize this was a resource that was there,’” Anderson said. “So, this is about getting in front of people, bringing it to them, letting them know what resources they have

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Vestavia Hills Library Board Vice Chairwoman Susan Swagler said it is an exciting time for the library and the festival was an ideal way to celebrate the start of the new school year, as well as to promote the library to everyone in the city.

“This is our library out meeting people where they are,” Swagler said. “It's such a special joyful time because all these kids are so excited to be going back to school, and we’re excited to be a part of them going back to school. … Our library is so vibrant, and it’s just such a cool place to be you, no matter the age."

A child poses for a photo with workers at the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest Back to School Outdoor Festival at the Sicard Hollow Athletic Complex in Vestavia Hills on Aug. 3

Photo by Loyd McIntosh.

Vestavia man, 2 Berry grads chosen for Sports Officials HOF

By SOLOMON CRENSHAW JR.

A Vestavia Hills resident and two Berry High School graduates were inducted recently into the Alabama Sports Officials Foundation Hall of Fame.

Steve Newton of Vestavia Hills and Berry grads Mike Murphy and Kathy Odom White were among 10 people inducted during an Aug. 3 dinner ceremony at the Oxford Civic Center.

“I never envisioned it up until I got the notice,” Newton said of his induction. “I was very surprised, very humbled and very honored. It just hit me by surprise.”

Newton retired from officiating in 2021 after 46 years of service. He was a part of the Fox 6 Sideline Show for five years, providing a segment on high school rules, and was a referee state camp instructor with the Alabama High School Athletic Association for many years.

Newton served on the initial mechanics manual committee when the AHSAA developed its own manual and held many administrative positions with the Birmingham Football Officials Association. In 1996, he received the Dick Burleson Outstanding Member Award, which is named for Hall of Fame inaugural class member Dick Burleson.

Murphy, who graduated from Berry High School in 1969, said he enjoyed basketball and wasn’t good enough to continue playing.

“I got into refereeing intramurals in college,” he said. “I decided I wanted to stay active and involved in it. I had friends who were doing it, so I got into it.”

Murphy officiated basketball for more than 35 years, working at both the high school and collegiate levels, and officiated baseball for eight years. As a member of the Capital City Basketball Officials Association, Murphy served as a board member and assigner for many years

and worked numerous AHSAA state basketball tournaments.

Murphy joined the Gulf South Conference, what was known as one of the most respected Division II conferences in the country, and later became the conference’s supervisor of officials for both men’s and women’s basketball. One of his most memorable officiating jobs was the 1992 game in which Troy set several NCAA scoring records, beating DeVry 258-141.

The officiating crew, which included fellow Hall of Fame members Paul Andrzejewski and Bill Gauldin, saw the most points by one team in a game (Troy’s 258), most points in a half (135), most field goals in a game (102), most field goals

attempted in a game (190), most 3-pointers in a game (51), most assists in a game (65) and 10 players hit at least one 3-pointer in what is considered the highest-scoring men's basketball game in NCAA history, regardless of division.

Like Murphy, White became an official as a way of staying involved with the sport she played from junior high to college: volleyball.

“It was participating in the sport in a different way and contributing in a different way,” the 1984 Berry alumna said. “You can absolutely never replace that rush and that thrill of being the athlete in the game. Being an official and being right there on courtside is the next best thing.”

White, known as one of the best high school

volleyball officials in the state of Alabama, officiated high school volleyball for 26 years and collegiate volleyball for 12 years before retiring in 2021. White helped mold many volleyball officials while serving as a state instructor for the AHSAA.

White was the founder and first president for the Tri-County Volleyball Officials Association and held numerous administrative positions during her officiating tenure.

White had been an outstanding volleyball player for Brewer State Junior College. She was the starting outside hitter when the team won consecutive state championships and earned a trip to the national tournament in Miami.

From left: Kathy White, Mike Murphy and Steve Newton were recent inductees into the Alabama Sports Officials Foundation Hall of Fame. Photos courtesy of Alabama Sports Officials Foundation Hall of Fame.

Under the Lights

ACCOLADES GET TO KNOW

Vestavia Hills running back William Tonsmeire

By STAFF

baseball teams.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about football?

A: I would say my favorite thing about football is the giant crowds at big games, and also just going through ups and downs with all my buddies.

Q: What’s your favorite pregame meal?

A: I actually do not have a favorite pregame meal. I just drink water before games.

Q: What’s the most interesting thing about you outside of football?

A: The most interesting thing about me outside of football is I'm committed to play baseball at Southern Miss.

Q: Who is your favorite sports team and why?

A: My favorite sports team is Southern Miss. The reason is because I'm gonna be going there for college.

Q: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

A: The best advice I've ever received was in John 13:7, when Jesus replied, “You may not know now what I'm doing, but later you will understand."

By KYLE PARMLEY

The Alabama High School Athletic Association held its annual All-Star week in Montgomery in July.

The week is an opportunity for coaches and athletic administrators around the state to congregate for clinics, banquets and other events. Rising seniors were selected to play in all-star games in each sport.

Here is a look at how the selected Vestavia Hills High School athletes fared in their allstar opportunities. The Rebels athletes played on the North teams, competing against South all-stars.

► Patrick Davis coached the North boys basketball team to a 97-85 win.

► Sarah Gordon scored eight points for the North girls basketball team in a dominant 87-46 win.

► Claire Spooner was selected as part of the North girls cross-country team.

► Mitchell Schaaf was selected as part of the North boys cross-country team.

► In girls tennis, Kenley Outzen paired with Madison Standifer, but fell in three sets to Gabby Barrera (Montgomery Academy) and Sarah Ladd (UMS-Wright), 6-2, 4-6, 10-7.

► Luke Bedwell and Louis Kolettis were selected as part of the North boys tennis roster.

William Tonsmeire is a senior at Vestavia Hills High School, playing a starring role on the football and

Vestavia running back William Tonsmeire (1) runs with the ball during a game between the Mountain Brook Spartans and Vestavia Hills Rebels at Spartan Stadium in Mountain Brook in August 2023. Photo by Richard Force.

Vestavia Hills’ Sarah Gordon (33) warms up before an AHSAA Class 7A girls Northwest Regional semifinal game between the Vestavia Hills Rebels and Bob Jones Patriots in Tom Drake Coliseum at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville on Feb. 14. Photo by David Leong.

MENTAL HEALTH

CONTINUED from page A1

“Trauma changes how your brain functions,” he said. “It makes things hard because you’re living with hyper-vigilance, sometimes you’re living with flashbacks, nightmares, certainly increases in anxiety, insomnia, oftentimes anger, oftentimes memory and concentration issues. … When things become bad enough, some people feel like they can no longer go on having to deal with the implications of the trauma that they carry in their body and their brain.”

In order to process this trauma, Armistead said it takes certain types of treatment or therapy, and having open conversations about mental health and suicide can help encourage people who are struggling to seek the right help.

“Oftentimes, people don’t know that there’s actual specialized trauma therapy,” he said.

“They think, ‘Well I’ve been to counseling for it, it’s not done any good.’ Well, you have to have specialized therapy in order to heal from trauma, … so I think helping people understand that if you haven't experienced counseling or therapy that helped, maybe you haven’t done the right thing [yet].”

Research shows that those who seek treatment and learn coping mechanisms are less likely to think about or die by suicide. However, he does note that trying to force someone to seek help when they don’t want it is not helpful. Instead, he suggests normalizing the conversation around those dark emotions and providing them with a safe space to talk.

“Don’t be afraid to say the s-word. People are like, ‘I don’t want to ask if they’re suicidal because that might give them the thought,’” Armistead said. “No, it’s not gonna give them the thought. You’re not planting a seed in someone’s mind by asking, ‘Hey, do you feel suicidal? Do you feel like taking your life when it gets this dark?’ That can be so incredibly freeing for someone to hear that, because they can say ‘Yeah, you know, honestly I am, and it does get that dark for me.’ If no one says anything and that conversation never happens, then that person is left alone with those thoughts.”

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SUICIDE

One person dies by suicide every 11 minutes in the United States, according to post-COVID-19 data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC’s most recent Fatal Injury Report found that over 49,000 people died by suicide in 2022, and the World Health Organization reported that the pandemic triggered a 25% increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide.

With these issues becoming more prevalent, the conversation around them has also increased, chipping away at the stigmas surrounding mental illness and suicide.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness and the CDC both report that one in five U.S. adults experience a mental illness each year, and one in six U.S. youth ages six to 17 experience a mental health disorder each year.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death for people aged 10-24 in the state of Alabama.

Based on the most current verified CDC data from 2021, it is the 13th leading cause of

death overall. Of recorded deaths, 75% of suicides were by firearms, and 47% of firearm deaths were suicides.

In 2023, 75% of Alabama communities did not have enough mental health providers to serve residents, according to federal guidelines.

Alice Churnock, the founder of BrainCore Birmingham and a licensed professional counselor who is certified in Neurofeedback, notes that mental health issues, and specifically suicide, have such a large impact on youth populations due to brain development.

Churnock said that the human brain is formed from the back to the front, and the prefrontal cortex (which is responsible for logic, decision-making and impulse control, among other things) does not fully develop until around age 25. Prior to that development, the amygdala limbic system, or the emotional center of the brain, is responsible for all decision making.

“When you’re an adolescent, we know that you have about a 15-second timeline in making a decision,” she said. “All the decision, all the future planning is done within that 15 seconds, so naturally, you can see how that impulsivity a lot of times is what happens with an adolescent.”

While research shows that brain development is important in understanding youth suicides, Churnock emphasizes that all people are unique and develop differently. Some younger individuals may be more logical or possess a calmer, less emotional response to stressors, and being 25 or older does not guarantee an absence of impulsive choices.

In fact, recognizing individuality is

Beau Armistead is a nationally board certified counselor who provides specialized trauma treatments at his nonprofit, Sojourn Counseling.

Photo courtesy of Sojourn Counseling

Suicide prevention resources

This list was provided by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Find the complete list at afsp.org/suicide-prevention-resources

► 24/7 Crisis Hotline: If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. Veterans, press one when calling.

► 24/7 Crisis Text Line: Text TALK to 741-741 to text with a trained crisis counselor from the Crisis Text Line for free. For more information, go to crisistextline.org.

► Veterans Crisis Line: Send a text to 838255 to access the hotline or go to veteranscrisisline.net for more information

► Vets4Warriors: Visit online at vets4warriors.com

► SAMHSA Treatment Referral Hotline (Substance Abuse): Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) to access the hotline or go to samhsa.gov/find-help for more information

essential in addressing mental health issues and preventing suicide. While we’re often told to look for common warning signs like increased isolation, mood swings, substance abuse, giving away belongings and changes in sleeping habits, both Churnock and Meesha Emmett, the Alabama area director for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, stress that people can be struggling without exhibiting any of these signs.

“What we the public see as a potential cause that might lead someone to death by suicide is oftentimes not; it’s never the full picture,” Emmett said. “Research has shown that it’s a combination of environmental factors, biological factors and historical factors all converging at the same time to create that moment of despair.”

Churnock also emphasizes that there are wonderful parents and individuals who have lost children or loved ones to suicide, and the worst thing we can do is blame those who are already dealing with the guilt.

“All we’ve grown up hearing is the phrase ‘committed suicide.’ The word ‘committed’ in and of itself, we usually use that word to describe things that are negative, like you commit crimes,” Emmett said. “It perpetuates a stigma and implies judgment, and that’s really dangerous, particularly with loss survivors. … We just don’t need to assign that kind of judgment to something as complex as suicide because we never know the full picture.”

On top of being aware of the way we speak about these topics, Emmett said the most important thing you can do is be kind and show up for people in your life, let them know you care and are ready to listen.

► RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: Call 1-800656-HOPE (4673) to access the hotline or go to hotline.rainn. org for more information

► National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline: Call 1-866-331-9474 to access the hotline or go to loveisrespect.org for more information

► The Trevor Project: Call 1-866488-7386 to access the hotline or go to thetrevorproject.org for more information

By the numbers

► Suicide is the third leading cause of death for people aged 10-24 in the state of Alabama.

► Based on the most current verified CDC data from 2021, it is the 13th leading cause of death overall in the state.

► Of recorded deaths, 75% of suicides were by firearms, and 47% of firearm deaths were suicides.

► In 2023, three-quarters of Alabama communities did not have enough mental health providers to serve residents, according to federal guidelines.

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health or contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or visit 988lifeline.org for help.

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Tap into the power of your brain

For those struggling mentally and emotionally, treatment options may seem limited to medication alone. But at BrainCore of Birmingham, clients can explore an alternate, drug-free route to strengthening and healing their mind.

Founded in 2019 by Alice Churnock, BrainCore of Birmingham uses neurofeedback to help create new neural pathways in the brain. Using a noninvasive software that detects and monitors electrical impulses within the brain, clients perform exercises to help the brain better self-regulate and heal.

BrainCore targets multiple problem areas: attention and focus, anxiety, autism, depression, sleep issues, learning challenges, memory loss, headaches, PTSD and substance abuse disorders.

A licensed professional counselor and a certified eating disorder specialist, Churnock said she first became intrigued with the treatment for her son, who struggled with sleep and anxiety.

To begin the process, each client receives a brain map, called a qEEG, which utilizes scans of focal and global sites in the brain to put together a

BrainCore Neurofeedback of Birmingham

• Where: 3430 Independence Drive in Suite 120 (Homewood) and 200 Cahaba Park Circle, Suite 214 (Highway 280)

• Email: info@braincorebham.com

• Web: braincorebham.com

• Social: @braincorebham

comprehensive chart for each client. These maps highlight the most dysregulated areas of the brain and give insight on which protocol would be most effective.

Prior to beginning training, the client will also receive a metabolics screening to see if there are any pre-existing health conditons that may affect how long it will take their brain to change. From there, the client can

choose to continue to move forward with a protocol fit to their needs. For example, Churnock said for someone with ADHD, a focus and attention protocol would have them practicing 35 to 40 30-minute training sessions; Or for someone with anxiety, around 20 training sessions.

“The majority of people do what we call fast-wave training, which means we paste one or two sensors onto the

head that merely monitor your brainwave activity,” Churnock said.

“The best part is that to train, clients then get to watch their favorite TV show. As they watch TV, when their brain starts using waves that are unhelpful, the screen becomes darker and the sound fades in and out. So the brain learns that if it wants the reward of getting to watch TV, it has to use the brainwaves we are teaching it to use. This is feedback of neurofeedback.”

These sessions can be done at a BrainCore office or at home.

For those training at home, they will be using a laptop which comes with the proper software and a required fourweek commitment.

Struggling to align your people strategy with

Churnock said clients should begin noticing effects within 10 to 15 sessions, but each brain responds differently.

Neurofeedback training at BrainCore of Birmingham has no age limit, though Churnock said the neuroplasticity of a younger mind is an advantage. For those who are older, the process will likely take more time.

“The younger we can do this, the better the results,” she said.

Additionally, the treatments can be done in tandem with medication, but the process will take longer, according to Churnock.

“I am not against medication,” she said. “I believe God has given us multiple tools to help us thrive. So even if a client doesn’t want to do neurofeedback, just have a brain map done. That can help get us in the ballpark for which medication may be most helpful.”

BrainCore has two Birmingham area locations, one in Homewood and one on U.S. 280, as well as an office in Huntsville.

For more information, testimonials, or videos on how BrainCore Neurofeedback works, visit BrainCore’s website at braincorebham.com.

Members of a high-performing team go above and beyond because their role, team, manager and culture engages and inspires them.

In order to have a high performing team, not only must you have the right people in the right roles, but you must also know how to manage them in the way in which they will respond.

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Founder Alice Churnock and provider Katie Chapman

Suicide among senior citizens on the rise

By JON ANDERSON

The suicide rate in the United States reached a historic high in 2022, and while nearly every age group experienced an increase from 2021, older Americans fared the worst, according to the National Council on Aging.

Suicide death rates rose 8.1% among people age 65 and older, compared to a 3% increase among all ages, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. In 2022, among the nearly 49,449 suicides that took place in the United States, 10,433 (21%) were attributed to people age 65 and older.

Older adults tend to plan suicide more carefully and are more likely to use more lethal means, according to the National Library of Medicine.

As people age, they often lose their sense of purpose and hope, for a variety of reasons, said Cheryl Dodson, executive director for the Alabama Suicide Prevention and Resource Coalition.

For some people, it’s a loss of physical abilities, while for others it may be the loss of a spouse, which can lead to loneliness and isolation.

While our culture is more connected than ever through tools such as social media, there still is a lot of disconnection, Dodson said. “An elderly person can go a week without speaking to someone if their phone doesn’t ring for a week,” she said.

Older adults also tend to be on fixed incomes, and as the cost of living increases, it can create great stress for them, Dodson said.

Even when loved ones help take care of them, many of those who consider suicide do so because they don’t want to be a burden, she said.

Signs that an elderly person may be considering suicide include giving away belongings, sudden talk of the end of their life, risky behavior, rehoming a pet, extreme fatigue, impulsive spending and alcohol or substance abuse, Dodson said.

“For people in crisis, the most powerful thing you can do is listen,” she said. You don’t have to have all the answers; just giving them a safe space to talk can save a life, she said.

The best advice she has for someone considering suicide is to reach out to someone to talk, she said. For those who are grieving, the Community Grief Support organization is a good resource, she said. The 988 suicide and crisis hotline is another, she said.

It’s also important to build connections with others, Dodson said.

Melanie Perry, manager of the New Merkel House in Vestavia Hills, said senior centers are a great way for older adults to get social interaction and make friends. Seniors gather there daily for activities such as tai chi, rummikub, dominoes and more, she said.

“It does make a difference to be around friends and like folks,” Perry said. “They’d stay here all day if I’d let ’em.”

Rudy Duda, 80, said they have four or five people who have lost spouses, and coming to the New Merkel House is their saving grace.

“It’s a place to come. Otherwise, you’d be sitting alone in your house. That’s a lonely situation, and that’s what we avoid,” Duda said.

Bill Farris, an 89-year-old from Liberty Park, said he goes to the New Merkel House five days a week. “I just love everybody up here,” Farris said while playing dominoes recently. “I love being around all the people.”

To learn more about suicide prevention and older adults, visit the National Council on Aging website at ncoa.org and search “suicide.”

Melanie Perry, manager of the New Merkel House, (left), plays dominoes with Bill Farris and Rudy Duda in August. Senior centers often are considered good ways to build connections and camaraderie and help people avoid isolation and loneliness. Photo by Jon Anderson.

Vestavia Hills schools take suicide seriously

By JON ANDERSON

With suicide being the third leading cause of death among people ages 10 to 24 in Alabama and increasing across the country, Vestavia Hills school officials say they take the matter seriously.

“Emergency rooms right now are seeing a major increase in kids, teenagers and even adults coming in with suicidal ideations,” said Anna Gaston, a student assistance counselor and mental health coordinator for Vestavia Hills City Schools. “Emergency rooms are getting very overwhelmed with that.”

In Vestavia Hills schools, there has been a “slight increase” in recent years, Gaston said. She attributes some of that to the COVID-19 pandemic, which created a lot of stress for students and adults alike. The abrupt break in social contact created more isolation for people, she said. That can be particularly impactful for teenagers because social interactions are a big part of their development, she said.

Then returning to school routines amid conflicting community dialogue about health concerns created a lot of anxiety for students, and parents were feeling the stress, too, Gaston said. “It all became very overwhelming.”

Suicidal thoughts are not uncommon, and there are a multitude of contributing factors, said Brandon Boggs, a counselor at Vestavia Hills High School. The end of romantic relationships can be devastating for some teenagers, sometimes even if they’ve only been in the relationship for a couple of weeks, he said.

Serious physical illnesses and pain also can lead students to feel like there’s no hope that their situation will ever improve, Boggs said. Or it may be emotional pain or loss, depression or anxiety, he said. For children who are on medication, as the teen body changes, sometimes medications need to be adjusted, he said.

Whatever the stressor a student is facing, if it gets so bad they’re considering taking their own life, it can’t be ignored, Boggs said. The worst thing students can do is keep that to

themselves because then those thoughts begin to fester, he said. Talking about those thoughts actually can bring healing and encourage a student to get help, he said.

At Vestavia Hills High School, students are taught about suicide awareness and prevention in their health classes to help them recognize the signs and get help for themselves or friends. Some of those signs include talking about wanting to die, major behavior changes, social isolation, falling grades, changes in appetite, sudden changes in appearance, agitation and feelings of hopelessness, Gaston said. Age-appropriate lessons also are taught to students in elementary and middle schools, she said. Gaston herself leads training for faculty each year. She likes to emphasize the importance of faculty building connections with students, so they feel safe in talking to teachers about issues that trouble them, she said.

The school district also partners with the Help the Hills organization to share information with parents. In the past, this has been through a lunch and learn session during the day or “coffee with the counselor” sessions in the mornings after students are dropped off, but Gaston said she would like to have a similar nighttime event for parents who work during the day.

When students do come forward with suicidal thoughts, the first step is getting them to the school counselor, who assesses the student’s state of mind with a checklist of questions to determine how seriously the student has contemplated this and for how long, Gaston said.

Parents are then contacted and invited to the school for a face-to-face meeting, she said. If an immediate threat is determined, the counselor may recommend the parent take their

child to the emergency room at Children’s of Alabama hospital for further evaluation. Children’s of Alabama has a Psychiatric Intake Response Center that is equipped for such situations, she said.

In less urgent cases, school counselors present a list of other available resources in the community, including counselors, psychologists or therapists and let the parents choose. If parents lack resources to get their children help or have other obstacles, the school district has a contract with Impact Family Counseling, which provides a counselor for children at school on a case-by-case basis, Gaston said. One of the biggest problems regarding suicide is the myth that talking about it increases the likelihood that someone will do it, Gaston said. “The more we can talk about it and really get comfortable talking about it, the more likely we can prevent it.”

Anna Gaston, the mental health services coordinator for Vestavia Hills City Schools, trains teachers about mental health issues on Aug. 2

Photo by Jon Anderson.

Trauma, isolation, a choice: Veterans wage mental battle

By TAYLOR BRIGHT

Maybe the details aren’t important now. Maybe it’s best to keep them in the past.

Amanda Gale Parker weighs what’s important to her story. Is it being dragged around the country as a child with a hippie mother? Is it the trauma she suffered in the military? Is it the way she coped with it? Is it a recognition of her “authentic” self that she has found after the dark storms?

Parker, a U.S. Army veteran turned Homewood housewife, turned Realtor, now looks back at the moments that made her and the decision she made to get better.

“It’s when you hit that darkness that you either are done, done or you get help,” she said. “There’s not a lot in between. And, I don’t think that’s specific to the military. I think it’s every human.”

Parker used alcohol as her medication of choice.

“You just numb yourself and you hope all of the little boxes full of experiences stay shut, until they don’t, because they don’t stay shut,” Parker said.

Then there comes a reckoning.

“And then, at some point, you can’t drink enough,” she said.

That’s when she decided to get help. She found Alabama Veteran, a group that helps veterans with their mental health. Through them, she was able to get more help at the Veterans Administration. She has now been sober for more than 1,000 days.

Alan Cook, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and board member of Alabama Veteran, said the group has a wide range of services to help veterans in their struggles, from retreats to connecting veterans with the services they need to get help. They are currently in the process of building a permanent veteran wellness community in Lincoln called Dovetail Landing, where veterans will be able to receive help and job training.

Veterans are more prone to mental health

issues than almost any segment of society. They accounted for 18% of Alabama’s suicides even though they make up only 9% of the population, according to the Alabama Department of Veteran Affairs.

The No. 1 factor in veterans’ struggles is re-entering society, Cook said. Veterans are given little time to transition from military life to civilian life, often only one or two weeks.

“Now I feel lost,” Cook said. “Not only do they get left behind, now that mental health

starts to impact them. Now they don’t have a structured living environment. Now they have to focus on how to live and provide for a family. A lot of veterans start to feel the anxiousness, the depression.”

On top of that, Cook said, veterans often suffer from survivor’s guilt.

One message Cook hopes to impart through Alabama Veteran is bringing these issues that are often hidden into the light.

“It’s OK not to be OK,” Cook said. “We want to destigmatize it. We’re trying to normalize it.

UNDER THE LIGHTS

UNDER THE LIGHTS

The sooner we start to normalize it and provide resources to veterans, the better we’re going to be.”

The message Parker wants to get across, especially for veterans, is there’s help and it’s OK to reach out for it.

“Reach out, talk to someone,” Parker said. “Make sure the people you’re talking to don’t have a vested interest in you not changing. ... People really don’t listen until you’re screaming. Veterans don’t ask for help until it’s too late, usually. I just got lucky.”

Amanda Gale Parker, a veteran of the U.S. Army, talks about her path to wellness.

Photo by Taylor Bright. Amanda Gale Parker, a veteran of the U.S. Army, talks about her path to wellness. Photo by Taylor Bright.

The Seals concept was conceived by McFadden close to 10 years ago, while searching for ways to improve participation in world language classes at VHHS. Since Alabama doesn’t have a world language requirement to graduate from high school, she saw enrollment in language classes lagging as students gravitated toward more science and technology classes during the rise in STEM programming.

While attending a world languages conference in 2015, McFadden said she learned about new world language programs launched in California and starting to spread throughout the nation.

These new initiatives not only encouraged enrollment but also provided objective language ability measurements and publicly rewarded students who achieved those metrics.

Intrigued by the concept, McFadden used these programs as a model for the Seal of Biliteracy and gained approval from the Vestavia Hills City Schools Board of Education to pilot the program for the 2016-17 school year. The goal, she said, is not just to get more kids to take a language class, but to recognize and certify students’ proficiency in multiple languages.

“Everybody always says, ‘I took Spanish in high school,’ or ‘I know a little French.’ Well, what is a little Spanish or what is a little French?” McFadden said. “This is a credentialing of their true abilities.

“They’re demonstrating their ability to read, write, speak and to listen in English, as well as an additional language at an intermediate-mid level,” she added. “You may not be perfect with everything, but if we plop you in a different place, you could survive.”

Since its adoption in 2017, McFadden said the VHHS Seal of Biliteracy program has served 1,800 students, with 704 students earning the Seal of Biliteracy in 13 languages: Spanish, French, German, Latin, American Sign Language, Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean, Hindi, Portuguese, Arabic and Japanese. McFadden said the program also encourages students to study languages on their own, since VHHS only teaches five languages through in-person classes: Latin, German, Spanish, French and American Sign Language.

She added that the Seal of Biliteracy recognizes Vestavia Hills’ diverse student population.

“The nice thing about this is it validates the diversity within our community, so if a child comes from a different background where they have a different home language, they can embrace that language along with the English piece,” she said. “We live in a global world, and they’re very connected. This gives them the ability to transition that into a marketable skill.”

Vestavia Hills City Schools was the first school system in Alabama to offer the Seal of Biliteracy program. However, the state passed the Alabama Seal of Biliteracy program into law in 2022, which, McFadden said, was modeled on Vestavia’s program. “They did take our template and use that to build the Alabama State Seal of Biliteracy, so that has been a great opportunity to collaborate for growth

across the state,” she said.

Lenhart added that she believes VHHS is the premiere school in the state for biliteracy education and that McFadden is the concept’s leading advocate in Alabama. She also said the program was the inspiration for the VHHS Arts Achievement Seal.

“The state comes to Lisa to find out how to do this,” Lenhart said. “Other districts are starting to catch on, and it’s growing in the state, and I feel like she is responsible for some of that.”

Launched in 2018, Lenhart said the Arts Achievement Seal was created for the same reasons as the Seal of Biliteracy — to spur participation in the arts. Lenhart said conversations with Timarie Fisk, a visual arts teacher at VHHS, led to the creation of the Arts Achievement Seal program.

Lenhart said that while she understands how vital core academic subjects are to the

school’s students and parents, she believes that languages and the arts are also vital components of a well-rounded education. She said the Arts Achievement Seal is making a noticeable impact.

“There is a lot of competition for their time, which is a good problem because we at the school offer so many things for the kids, but we obviously think our programs are important, and this is another way that we can encourage them to stick with it until they graduate,” Lenhart said.

To qualify for the Arts Achievement Seal, students must take any combination of arts classes for six semesters. Additionally, Lenhart said students can also earn an Arts Achievement Seal with Concentration if they stay in a single arts program — such as band or visual arts — for at least three years.

McFadden and Lenhart said the VHHS Seals programs are not only increasing

participation in world languages and the arts, but are also providing students with a more well-rounded education.

Lenhart added that these programs are catching the attention of college recruiters, who are increasingly interested in students with diverse backgrounds and interests, not just great grades and test scores.

“At the end of the day, we’re always trying to do what’s best for kids and give them the most diverse education that we can give them,” McFadden said. “When they have all of those pieces when they go out outside of our four walls, they’re much better prepared to meet people and interact as a well-rounded individual.”

“We’re also hearing from colleges about who they accept and what the perfect applicant looks like, and it’s moving away from that perfect ACT score, SAT score or grade point average. It’s about the well-rounded kids and the kids that are involved in different things,” Lenhart said. “So that is something that is working in our favor.

“For so long, I feel like we’ve been focused on that SAT or ACT score and their GPA,” she added. “If you have a decent GPA, schools are also looking at the other things. They’re not just stuck on the scores.”

Learn more about the VHHS Seal of Biliteracy and Arts Achievement Seal online at vhcs.us.

Above: Lisa McFadden teaches a Spanish class at Vestavia Hills High School. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.

Left: Vestavia Hills High School students in the Class of 2024 receive their Alabama Seal of Biliteracy or Global Seal of Biliteracy. Photo courtesy of Lisa McFadden.

MEDICAL GUIDE 2024 FALL

For information on how to participate in our upcoming 2025 Spring Medical Guide, contact Don Harris at 205-527-6097 or

Keep young eyes healthy this school year UAB

The back-to-school season is upon us. And that means it’s time to prioritize your children’s eye health.

From fall sports to time spent in the classroom, UAB Callahan Eye is committed to ensuring young eyes are healthy and ready for the school year ahead.

CALLAHAN EYE

Children participating in sports and outdoor activities should protect their eyes to prevent injury. Wearing polarized sunglasses, sport goggles or widebrimmed hats are good ways to shield eyes from the sun’s harmful rays. Taking protective measures during learning hours is also important. When looking at digital screens, children should take frequent breaks to rest and prevent dry or tired eyes. While reducing screen time can be challenging, it is important to protect children’s eyes.

There’s also no better time to schedule an eye checkup than at the beginning of the school year. UAB Callahan Eye’s six pediatric-focused clinicians are committed to providing the best care for your children’s eyes. With multiple locations across central Alabama, it’s easy to get a check-up and then get back to life.

At UAB Callahan Eye, world-class

► WHERE: 1720 University Blvd. ► CALL: 844-UAB-EYES ► WEB: uabcallahaneye.org

pediatric optometrists and ophthalmologists are ready to treat your entire family. And if fall emergencies arise, there’s the Level I Ocular Trauma Center, the only one of its kind in the nation, with 24/7 eye emergency services. It’s no wonder Alabama parents have trusted their families with Callahan for the past 60 years.

Making an appointment today is so simple. Find a location near you and start protecting your child’s vision at uabcallahaneye.org.

With multiple locations in Central Alabama, UAB Callahan Eye makes nationally recognized, vision-saving care even more accessible. Our state-of-the-art eye exams go well beyond checking prescriptions to include eye health evaluations, eye pressure measurements, and analysis for other serious medical conditions. As trusted vision experts, there’s nothing in our way of improving people's sight.

See the di erence at uabcallahaneye.org.

TherapySouth providing ‘Hands On Care, Close to Home — and Work!’

Q: What makes TherapySouth stand out in the physical therapy industry?

A: TherapySouth is a private, physical therapist-owned practice that has been serving the greater Birmingham communities for over 15 years. Our numerous convenient locations across the metro area allows us to live out our message of providing “Hands On Care, Close to Home — and Work!”. Our staff develop relationships with each patient and truly make the clinic environment feel like a family. With access to quality physical therapy care, we believe we can help our community live better, healthier lives!

Q: Why should someone see a physical therapist?

A: Most often, patients are referred to one of our clinics by their orthopedic surgeon or primary care physician to assist with recovery from an injury or procedure. But, physical therapy is beneficial to anyone seeking pain relief and improved function. The physical therapy approach is to evaluate the neuromuscular and musculoskeletal systems and address movement limitations or malalignments that are affecting mobility and causing pain. When patients come to physical

THERAPYSOUTH

therapy first, they can often avoid unnecessary surgery and medication. Through intentional exercises and hands-on treatment,

patients can get back to their hobbies, everyday tasks and more.

Q: Do I need a doctor’s referral to schedule an appointment at

► WHERE: 1944 Canyon Road, Suite 100

► CALL: 205-822-7607

► WEB: therapysouth.com

TherapySouth?

A: Patients are able to schedule an appointment without a physician’s referral. Your therapist will perform an initial evaluation to determine if therapy is appropriate for you. They will work with your primary care physician, or physician specialist to create your best care plan. To schedule an appointment, patients can call the clinic directly or visit our website to check appointment availability and set up an initial visit.

Q: What would you like potential patients to know about your practice?

A: We take our core values very seriously. We are a company based on faith that believes in family, integrity, service, compassion, fitness, perseverance, and giving. We try to instill these values in all our employees and encourage them to live them out not only at work as professionals, but also in their personal lives.

Women’s Health Specialists of Birmingham offers women much-needed preventive care

WOMEN’S HEALTH SPECIALISTS OF BIRMINGHAM

Women’s Health Specialists of Birmingham provides the highest quality prenatal to postpartum care for expectant mothers and newborns in a caring, comfortable environment.

Women’s Health Specialists of Birmingham offers high-risk pregnancy care, advanced labor and delivery services and educational resources for new parents.

However, one of the most important services Women’s Health Specialists of Birmingham offers — and one that more women should take advantage of — is preventive care.

“The well-woman visit, or annual exam, gives providers an opportunity to counsel patients about healthy lifestyle habits and health risks,” said Dr. Alexia Novara.

“When a woman comes for her annual check-up, we discuss menstrual cycle patterns, sexual activity and health, reproductive concerns, menopausal symptoms and any other genito-urinary tract complaints she may have,” Dr. Novara said.

Dr. Novara said she will talk to the patient about her personal medical history, medications and any family history that may affect her health, as well as the immunizations the patient needs based on her age and risk factors.

“The main screening exams that we perform are the breast exam and pelvic exam with a pap smear, but we generally do a head-to-toe overall assessment, as well — especially if there are any areas of concern,” Dr. Novara said.

Well-woman exams are critically important because the physician can determine if the patient may have a potentially life-threatening condition.

“Cervical cancer is often preventable with routine pap smears that can diagnose pre-cancer lesions or HPV related changes on the cervix that can be managed

with minor procedures,” Dr. Novara said. “If routine preventative visits are missed, these are potential missed opportunities to find early changes that can lead to more advanced disease.”

The same is true with breast cancer.

“If we can diagnose early or small changes in the breast with an exam or with a routine screening

► CALL: 205-971-3627 ► WEB: womenshealthgrandview.com

mammogram, we can often find earlier stage disease that typically makes treatment options less invasive and more likely to be successful,” Dr. Novara said.

Sadly, not all women are getting the preventive care they need.

“We see so many women who are missing out on routine gynecologic care because they just assume they don’t need it,” Dr. Novara said. “It’s so important for women to have both a primary care physician and an OB/GYN in order to get well-rounded care.”

Dr. Novara grew up in Vestavia Hills, has an undergraduate degree from Auburn University, completed medical school at UAB School of Medicine and finished her OB/GYN residency at Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans.

She believes strongly that patients should choose Grandview for their OB/GYN care.

“We pride ourselves in giving excellent care to our patients, and our clinical team and staff work day in and day out to care for our patients in a way that is unlike any that I have seen before,” she said.

For more information regarding well-woman exams, Dr. Novara suggests visiting the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists website at acog.org/ womens-health/infographics/reasons-to-see-your -ob-gyn-this-year.

For more information about OB/GYN care at Grandview Medical Group, call 205-623-5944 or go to womenshealthgrandview.com.

If you’re pregnant or trying to become pregnant, we know you have questions. The physicians at Women’s Health Specialists of Birmingham are here to help answer them – and with new providers, including Alexia Novara, M.D., it’s easier than ever to make an appointment. From nutrition and exercise to birth plans and post-delivery support, we are trained and focused on giving you personalized maternity care. And, we’re proud to deliver at The Birthing Center at Grandview Medical Center.

To schedule an appointment, call 205-623-5944 or visit WomensHealthGrandview.com.

Medicare doesn’t have to be stressful — let Medicare Advisors of Alabama help

MEDICARE ADVISORS OF ALABAMA

Q: Who is Medicare Advisors of Alabama?

A: We are a locally owned insurance agency that specializes in helping Alabamians better understand Medicare. Medicare is overwhelming, but once someone with patience and knowledge teaches you the questions to ask and then guides you through the process, the whole thing becomes much less stressful. That’s what we provide: a stress-free Medicare experience.

Q: What does your service cost?

A: Our services don’t cost you anything. We’re only paid by insurance companies if we help you enroll in a plan. Our reputation has been built on word of mouth and living the Golden Rule. Let us prove that to you.

Q: Why does someone need a broker/adviser?

A: There are so many advertisements and plans available that it’s becoming almost impossible to sort everything out on your own. A good broker will help you see the positives and negatives of each insurance company and will work to find the

► WHERE: 2116 Columbiana Road

► CALL: 205-704-9020

► WEB: medicare advisorsofalabama.org

best solution for their client.

Q: When does someone need to help me with Medicare?

A: It’s never a bad idea to learn about Medicare at any age. Most people become eligible for it at age 65 or earlier if they become disabled. However, if you or your spouse are still working and have good health insurance you may not need Medicare at all. Deciding when to enroll and what to enroll in are our two most asked questions. Our team can help you make an informed decision.

Q: What if I keep working past age 65?

A: Many people think they’ll face penalties if they don’t sign up for Medicare at 65. That can be true, but not always. You can postpone enrollment beyond age 65 if you or your spouse are still working, and you have health

insurance under an employer plan.

Q: What is AEP?

A: AEP (or Annual Enrollment Period) runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. If you are already enrolled into Medicare, it’s the time of the year you can make changes to your plan for the upcoming year.

Q: What is an ANOC Letter?

A: An ANOC letter (or Annual Notice of Change) is what you get from your insurance plan in late September that lists the changes for the upcoming year. If a person needs to make changes, they can use AEP to make those changes.

Q: Where can I get help with Medicare?

A: You can schedule a consultation with someone on our team. We can talk over the phone, meet virtually via Zoom or in-person at our local office, your home, your business or even out at a coffee shop. Once a month we teach a class called “Prepare for Medicare” at our local office. We have lots of fun, and it’s very educational. No specific products are discussed, but it’s a great way to learn the basics of Medicare and get your questions answered.

A better way to navigate Medicare

If you are starting to think about retirement or are approaching age 65, you have probably begun trying to learn more about Medicare.

We know it can be confusing to sift through ALL the Medicare plan options and decide which one to choose. All the advertisers offer to give you advice, but they’re just trying to sell you a product.

Medicare Advisors of Alabama is different.

We are independent insurance brokers, which means we are not tied to any one insurance company. Our goal is to get to know YOU and learn about your specific healthcare needs. We are Medicare experts, and we would love to help you cut through the clutter and find the plan that works best for you!

Alabama School of Fine Arts

The Alabama School of Fine Arts is an ideal place for teenagers in grades 7-12 who wish to follow their passions in the arts, or math or science.

A tuition-free, state-funded public school, ASFA — at 1800 Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. — inspires students to develop their creative abilities.

Students choose from one of six specialties: creative writing, dance, music, theater arts and visual arts, as well as math-science.

ASFA students get a well-rounded education from a nationally acclaimed faculty. The school offers AP and honors classes, a college counselor and a dormitory for students living beyond commuting distance. A rigorous curriculum equips graduates with the skills to become experts in their fields.

ASFA is “a next-level school,” and more than 90% of its graduates receive merit scholarships annually, said Tim Mitchell, school president.

The 60 students of the ASFA Class of 2024 “set a new standard for excellence” at the school, he said.

The class as a whole received an astounding $17.3 million in merit scholarship offers.

Nine students were named National Merit Finalists, one was named a Presidential Scholar in the Arts, three

○ Grades: 7-12

○ Where: 1800 Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd.

○ Call: 205-252-9241

○ Web: asfaschool.org

students will attend the University of Pennsylvania and three students earned early admission to UAB Medical School. Students were accepted into and will attend some of the top musical theater, film, creative writing and dance university programs in the nation.

“Their achievements across diverse disciplines … reflect the depth of their talents and the strength of our specialized education,” Mitchell said.

For information, attend ASFA’s prospective student Open House Saturday, Oct. 19 at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. or noon or go to asfaschool.org.

ALABAMA SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS

OPEN HOUSE

SATURDAY, OCT. 19, 2024 9 AM, 10 AM, & 11 AM TOURS

Encore Performance Company

For over 20 years, Encore Performance Company has offered its students, from ages two through adult, quality dance classes in multiple genres, in both competitive and recreational classes.

Owner Dalana Moore first began teaching dance over 35 years ago. Growing up in a family of performers and musicians, Moore assisted her father in teaching classes from a young age. By the time she was 16, she began teaching her own classes.

“Some of the ladies I teach with [today], we’ve been teaching together [since 1988],” Moore said. “And a lot of the people that we teach now are third generation, which I think is pretty special.”

For Moore, Encore’s goal is to get children dancing young and provide them with a safe, fun environment that they can thrive in.

“One of the things that we’re trying to encourage [is] their love for dance, but at the same time there’s so many different lessons that you can gain from taking class - self respect [and] respect for others,” Moore said.

Established in 2003, Encore originally was for dancers who wanted more opportunities to travel, compete and perform on stage. Today, anywhere from 85 to 130 students are selected each year and placed on Encore’s four competitive teams: Applause, Curtain Call, Ovation and Spotlight.

“With our competitive program, they learn how to manage their time, and then you have to work together as a team,” Moore said. “Today, more than anything,

the kids are really needing that.”

In Applause, students can “test the waters of the competition world without a heavy commitment,” Moore said. At this level, students meet one to two hours a week.

In the other three teams, which are tiered according to skill level and the student’s level of desired commitment, students meet two to four days a week and have the opportunity to travel and compete with their team. Additionally, students in these groups get the chance to engage in workshops at select regional and national competitions where they are taught

○ Where: 2122 Columbiana Road in Vestavia Hills

○ Call: 205-824-9466

○ Web: encoreperformancecompany.com

by instructors from around the world.

However, competitive dancing is not all Encore has to offer.

“I feel like people think we are a competition-only studio and that’s not true at all,” Moore said.

In fact, Moore said the majority of Encore’s students today dance recreationally — just one to two

hours a week — and the studio is proud to have something for everyone.

Encore offers technique and combination classes for anyone ages two and up, from beginner to pre-professional. Technique and combination classes, which combine two or more genres of dance in a single class, meet once a week.

Encore’s most popular classes are ballet, jazz and hip hop, but other genres are taught as well, such as tap, lyrical, contemporary, musical theater, tumbling and dance team prep.

Registration for classes and detailed pricing are available online by visiting encoreperformancecompany.com and clicking the “register” button at the top right corner of the page. Encore is located at 2122 Columbiana Road in Vestavia Hills, between Shades Mountain Baptist and Pizitz Middle School. The studio can be reached at 205-824-9466.

Classes available for ages 2 and up, ranging from beginner to pre-professional levels.

Competitive and non-competitive classes offered in ballet, pointe, jazz, contemporary, tap, tumbling, musical theatre, lyrical, dance team prep, hip hop, and more.

Virginia Samford Theatre

The Virginia Samford Theatre in Birmingham — through its STARS (Students Take A Role at the Samford) program — provides budding young actors, dancers and singers the chance to learn stage performance in a safe, supportive environment.

The participants learn everything from breath control and singing as a group to choreography and character development.

Their classes are taught by professional teaching artists and educators with a passion to cater to the specific needs of each child.

By offering classes in conjunction with productions, VST Stars gives children the chance to apply what they have learned in a hands-on, collaborative environment.

At Virginia Samford Theatre, the classrooms are the stage and the students are the STARS.

STARS performers also bond with their classmates, creating a diverse community of artists with who they will learn and grow for years.

In addition, the theater is a wonderful place even for young people who don’t necessarily aspire to careers in the arts.

○ Grades: Ages 7-18

○ Where: 1116 26th St. S.

○ Call: 205-251-1228

○ Email: STARS@virginiasamford theatre.org

○ Web: virginiasamford theatre.org

According to the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, drama activities improve reading comprehension and both verbal and non-verbal communication skills. Drama has even been shown to help improve school attendance and boost standardized test scores .

Interested students can submit a virtual audition on the Virginia Samford Theatre website. Auditions should include a video with a 30-60 second monologue and a 30-60 second song with a backing track.

Contact Virginia Samford Theatre at STARS@virginiasamfordtheatre.org or call 205-251-1228.

Virginia Samford Theatre is located at 1116 26th St. S.

Indian Springs School

Welcome to Indian Springs School, one of the top 100 private high schools in America, and the number one private high school in Alabama for the past 10 years. Indian Springs is a coeducational day and boarding school serving students in grades 8-12. Our academic excellence attracts some of the best and brightest students in the Birmingham area, the United States, and around the world.

Our 350-acre campus near Pelham provides a natural sanctuary that inspires our nationally ranked STEM program and world-class art program. Guided by our motto, “Learning through Living,” students can expect a unique educational program centered around experiential learning in an inclusive environment that fosters growth and discovery. Around 90% of our faculty hold advanced degrees and deliver exceptional teaching in our state-of-the-art classrooms.

We encourage students to pursue their passions both within and beyond the classroom. Our diverse student life offerings include special interest clubs, community service opportunities, and a strong athletic program with participation in more than 20 boys and girls varsity sports. We believe the arts are a core component of a balanced education, and our robust theater, choir, visual arts,

○ Grades: 8-12

○ Where: 190 Woodward Drive, Pelham

○ Call: 205-332-0563

○ Email: admission@ indiansprings.org

○ Web: indiansprings.org

and contemporary music programs allow students to explore and express their creativity.

Our alumnus and renowned author John Green ’95 once described Indian Springs School as a place where “all at once I became a learner because I found myself in a community of learners.” Our impact extends far beyond our campus, as we are a passionate global community of alumni, parents, and friends, connecting across generations.

We invite you to visit during our open houses on Oct. 6 and Dec. 8 and see for yourself what makes Indian Springs School so unique.

For more information on admission and need-based financial aid, visit indiansprings.org or contact our admission office at admission@indiansprings. org or 205-332-0563. Applications for the 2025-26 school year will open on Sept. 1.

Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Scool

Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School has an exceptional student-family relationship. The students, their families and staff are a close community. This family atmosphere sets the stage for Our Lady of Sorrows to individually foster the religious, academic and social development of every child from 3K through eighth grade in ways other private schools may find challenging.

Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School provides a comprehensive, Christ-centered academic curriculum with various enrichment opportunities for your child in a safe environment. Our Lady of Sorrows offers advanced math, a STEM program, robotics, Spanish, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (Atrium), fine arts, leadership possibilities, competitive athletics and much more. A dedicated school counselor and resource teachers are always on hand to ensure a positive academic experience for everyone. Our Lady of Sorrows also provides before- and after-school care as well as other additional after-school programs.

○ Grades: 3K through eighth grade

○ Where: 1720 Oxmoor Road

○ Call: 205-879-3237

○ Web: olsschool.com

Our Lady of Sorrows is proud to be accredited by Cognia, a testament to the school’s high academic standards. Cognia accreditation opens doors to a range of high-profile opportunities for students. Building on a solid elementary foundation, many Our Lady of Sorrows alumni have been awarded unlimited scholarship opportunities, with several even being honored as National Merit Scholar finalists. These achievements are an exemplification of the inspiring and enriching environment provided at

Our Lady of Sorrows, where preparing students for a successful future is a priority.

You can learn more about Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School by visiting olsschool.com or calling the office at 205-879-3237 for a personal tour. Tuition support is readily available. Our Lady of Sorrows is growing children in knowledge and faith…find out how you can “Experience the Difference!”

Advent Episcopal School

Discover the difference: Why independent schools lead the way

A PARENT’S PERSPECTIVE

“Since beginning at Advent, my sons have embraced the school’s culture of intellectual curiosity and respect for others and others’ ideas. They have also gained the confidence to grow into who they are as people with the support of their friends and teachers. I can’t overstate Advent’s positive influence on their development.”

– Perry Still, Advent Parent

TAILORED EDUCATION FOR EVERY CHILD

Every child is unique, and independent schools provide personalized instruction. At Advent, we pair high expectations with high nurture. Our supportive and challenging academic environment helps each child thrive and grow.

LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM WALLS

Imagine your child exploring the Birmingham Museum of Art, engaging in hands-on experiments at the McWane Center, or planting vegetables at Jones Valley Teaching Farm. Located in downtown Birmingham, Advent Episcopal offers easy access to these enriching experiences. Excursions from Dauphin Island to Washington, DC, broaden perspectives and prepare students for a globally interconnected world.

FUTURE-READY SKILLS THROUGH THOUGHTFUL TECHNOLOGY

Picture your child collaborating on a robotics project, coding their first

○ Grades: Junior Pre-K through eighth grade

○ Where: 2019 6th Ave. N.

○ Call: 205-252-2535

○ Email: admission@ adventepiscopalschool.org

○ Web: adventepiscopalschool.org

program, or exploring STEM through interactive classes. Independent schools offer specialized classes in elementary school that many public schools are unable to. At Advent, we thoughtfully integrate technology to enhance learning while maintaining a phone-free campus for focused learning and meaningful social interactions.

DISCOVER THE ADVENT DIFFERENCE

Experience Advent firsthand by scheduling a tour. Contact us at admission@adventepiscopalschool.org or 205-252-2535 to set up a visit and learn more about how we can support your child’s development in a nurturing, caring, and secure environment that promotes lifelong learning.

SERVING STUDENTS AGES 3 (JPK) - 8TH GRADE

smaller class sizes, a growth-oriented structure, and a strong commitment to academics, Advent will give your child an unparalleled foundation for success.

The Dance Foundation

The Dance Foundation is a nonprofit organization engaging the community through dance since 1975. The Dance Foundation offers classes, extensive community partnerships, and studio space for community artists. Their unique approach to teaching inspires imaginative learning in young dancers and cultivates technique and artistry as they mature. Programs are student-centered and cultivate a sense of community and belonging. Since their beginning, live music is an essential element to the experience for classes with young children.

“Movement to Music” is The Dance Foundation’s unique curriculum designed for preschool children and children with disabilities. Classes are taught with care and enthusiasm by a professional dance artist featuring live piano accompaniment. Teaching artists weave dance, song, storytelling, and creative play together to transform the classroom into a world of imaginative learning. Students develop skills such as coordination, balance,

○ Grades: Register online for the 24-25 Season for ages 1 to adult.

○ Where: 1715 27th Court South, Homewood

○ Call: 205-870-0073

○ Web: thedancefoundation.org

cooperation, rhythm, concentration, and strength in an age and developmentally appropriate way. Additionally, children gain self-confidence and experience the joy of creative exploration.

The Dance Foundation’s September to May season of dance includes classes in Movement to Music, Creative Dance, Ballet, Tap, Modern, Jazz, Musical Theatre, and Hip Hop. Students participate in a recital at The Alabama Theatre the first weekend of May. Classes for adults are offered in six-week sessions throughout the season. Registration is on-going; tuition assistance is offered for students in need.

Carraway Center for Teaching and Learning

The Carraway Center for Teaching & Learning in Birmingham, using insights from cognitive neuroscience, gives children the self-esteem and learning skills they need to succeed in school.

A learning specialist for 26 years, founder and CEO Kimberly Carraway opened the Birmingham center in 2022 after opening the first center in Nashville in 2001.

“I’m from Birmingham and have a passion for this community,” said Carraway, a Mountain Brook native and Briarwood grad.

She’s also passionate about her work.

“I've never met a student who can’t improve in whatever they’re struggling with,” Carraway said. “We’re very committed and loyal to working with the families to find out what each student needs.”

The center has excellent tutors. “We only hire the best of the best,” she said.

Students can get help with reading, math and science, ACT and SAT prep, and more.

Carraway has degrees in cognitive studies and elementary education from Vanderbilt University and in learning and teaching from Harvard University.

A pioneer in the young field of neuro-education, Carraway specializes

○ Grades: K-12 students

○ Where: 3135 Green Valley Road in Cahaba Heights

○ Call: 205-837-4700

○ Web: carrawaycenter birmingham.com

in the integration of cognitive neuroscience with teaching and learning.

“I travel nationally and internationally to train teachers on applying brain research to instruction,” said Carraway. She also wrote the book “Transforming Your Teaching,” an invaluable resource for teachers.

Her level of expertise in neuro-education makes The Carraway Center unique.

The center takes a personalized approach. “We meet individually with parents and students and design instruction to meet their needs,” Carraway said.

The center puts students at ease with “a cozy, low-stress atmosphere,” she said. “Our place feels like a home.”

The Carraway Center is located at 3135 Green Valley Road in Vestavia. For more information, call 205-837-4700 or go to carrawaycenterbirmingham.com.

Pitts encourages seniors as Ms. Senior Alabama

By LOYD McINTOSH

Sharon Pitts might have what’s known as “beginner’s luck.”

A longtime Vestavia Hills resident and active community volunteer, Pitts was crowned Ms. Senior Alabama on June 1 in her first-ever pageant.

Pitts accepted the nomination to represent Vestavia Hills after her aunt, who is just a few years older, nominated her as a possible competitor. Pitts initially resisted the idea, but after looking into the mission of the Ms. Senior Alabama organization, she realized this was right up her alley.

“What I did learn about it in my research was that it's not a beauty contest,” Pitts said.

Founded in 1987, Ms. Senior Alabama is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of senior women throughout the state. Pitts said she was drawn to the organization’s focus on providing opportunities for networking, community outreach and volunteerism, as well as its efforts to raise money for other nonprofits throughout the state.

Encouraged by the way Ms. Senior Alabama inspires women over 60 to be engaged and adopt leadership roles in civic life, Pitts agreed to represent Vestavia Hills. She also admitted that the pageant sounded like it would be a hoot and a half.

"I thought it would be fun. I hadn't dressed up and gone anywhere since I retired," Pitts said. “I didn't think I would have a chance, but the judges just see things differently, I guess.”

Born Sharon Lanzi, Pitts grew up in the Green Acres community in west Birmingham and attended Blessed Sacrament Academy, the city’s first Catholic high school. She moved to Vestavia Hills with her husband, Joe, in 1986,

settling in the Crossgate community. Pitts worked for over 30 years in human resources with Regions Bank, retiring as the manager of executive compensation in 2017.

Over the years, Pitts has kept a busy schedule as a volunteer with Our Lady of Sorrows in Homewood, including co-presidency of

WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR HEALTH At ENT Associates of Alabama, P.C.Experience Matters

If you suffer from allergies or other ear, nose, throat or hearing problems, we don’t want you to treat your healthcare lightly or ignore symptoms that could lead to more serious issues.

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the church’s Ladies’ Sodality, and other local nonprofits such as serving as a board member of the Exchange Club Child Abuse Prevention Center and The Dance Foundation. Ms. Senior Alabama, Pitts said, has given her a platform to raise awareness for the organizations and causes she supports.

Contestants in the Ms. Senior Alabama pageant, held in Daphne, were judged on active lifestyles, an on-stage interview and evening gown display. To prepare, Pitts purchased a gown at The Clothes Tree in the Rocky Ridge community and eventually hired David Ingram, a local pageant consultant, shortly before the event.

"I turned him down for the longest time and then finally, the last week before the pageant, I thought I could use some help walking across the stage," Pitts said. “I asked him to coach on what the pageant walk was all about because I had no idea.”

She also credits her years in human resources spent interviewing candidates for positions at Regions for giving her an edge in the pageant.

"The interview was probably the area that I was most comfortable. I knew they weren't going to ask me questions where I would just be able to answer 'yes' or 'no,'” Pitts said. "I knew I was going to have to speak extemporaneously as part of my answers."

Pitts now is spending a year traveling around the state speaking at events and advocating for seniors throughout Alabama to engage in their communities and find purpose during their retirement years.

“Now that I'm retired, I'm finally able to do all the things I always wanted to do but couldn't because my career was so demanding," Pitts said. “I will be focused on staying active to the extent that you can, getting involved in something, to stay moving and to keep thinking.”

Pitts also is scheduled to compete in the 2025 Ms. Senior World competition, set for November 2025, in Biloxi, Mississippi.

For more information about Ms. Senior Alabama or Ms. Senior World, visit mssenior alabama.com or seniorworldpageants.com.

Ms. Senior Alabama Sharon Pitts is a longtime Vestavia Hills resident. Here, she receives a Top 50 over 50 award from Positive Maturity in July. Photo courtesy of Sharon Pitts.

Life in Vestavia Hills

GET TO KNOW

Bart Brookins, senior pastor, Fullness Christian Fellowship

By JON ANDERSON

Q: How long has Fullness Christian Fellowship been here?

A: My wife and I and four other couples started this church 31 years ago. Our first location was down next to the [Vestavia Bowl] bowling alley. … This is our third location. This used to be Metro Church of God, and when they built their facility, we purchased this from them and have been here about 20 years in this physical location [2575 Columbiana Road].

Q: Tell me what inspired you to get into the ministry.

A: I really wasn’t going to get into the ministry. I wanted to be a teacher full-time. My degrees are in music. I was first on staff at Vestavia Hills Baptist Church, and this church started out of that church, with their blessing. We’re kind of a church plant. But we’re a very contemporary-style church. They are a more traditional, wonderful church, Baptist church. I was just going to help this church get started and bring in a real pastor, and 31 years later, here I am still pastoring and loving it.

Q: What motivates you to keep doing it?

A: A love of people, a love of teaching the word of God and, at this point, just the love of being able to spend a life with people. Thirty years of pastoring the same church, … I’m marrying and baptizing the children of children that I baptized 30 years ago. Just the lifetime ministry. It’s been wonderful, and it’s a great church.

Q: Tell me something most people might not know about you.

A: The people in our church know me pretty well. I’m pretty vulnerable and transparent in sermons. I’m a father of five. Three of them are graduates of Vestavia Hills High School. They now live all over the country doing different jobs. I love to run. I’m a runner. I like to play golf. I like to be with people.

Q: Do you run races?

A: I have. I’ve done some marathons — the Boston Marathon. I’ve done an ironman triathlon, but those are a couple of years past now.

Q: How long have you lived in Vestavia Hills?

A: My wife and I have been Vestavia residents for 33 years now.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Robbie Dellinger, athletic coordinator and aquatics manager, city of Vestavia Hills

By STAFF

Q: What does your job entail?

A: I’m over the pool, so that includes the swim team, swim lessons, membership, anything that goes on here at the pool. And I liaison with the Vestavia Hills youth soccer with usage of the fields and lights. I’m also over girls basketball for the Parks and Rec Department.

Q: What’s the best part about the job?

A: Honestly, it’s the people I work with, my coworkers at the Civic Center. I love working for [Parks and Leisure Services Director] Jamie Lee. He’s the main reason I took the job. I’ve known [Parks and Leisure Services Superintendent] Sandi [Wilson] for years. There’s a good group of kids down here that are lifeguards. I enjoy working with them and my other coworkers. And you never know who you’re going to meet down here.

Q: What’s it like taking care of a pool this big?

A: There is a lot more work than anyone thinks there is — just the daily maintenance, chemicals, cleaning it, taking care of the sand

filters. There’s not many days off because of the chemical demand with the high bathing load we have here, to make sure we’re in compliance with the Jefferson County Health Department.

Q: How much chemicals do y’all go through?

A: We go through about 285 chlorine buckets during a summer season. Those buckets are 50 pounds, so that’s 14,250 pounds of chlorine through the summer.

Q: What do you like to do outside of work?

A: Spend time with my wife and our twin daughters. They are 5.

Q: What do y’all like to do?

A: Whatever those little girls want to do — if it’s going to see a cousin’s ballgame or going to the zoo, watching Disney movies or going to grandparents’ houses.

Q: What’s something most people don’t know about you?

A: When I was in college at Auburn, I was a volunteer assistant coach with the Auburn University swim team, and I was a part of three of the national championship teams there, working with them. I have friends that are former Olympians and national champions.

On the Mainstage

Laura Ann Daly, art teacher at Pizitz Middle School and product designer for a gift shop

By STAFF

Q: What are some of your influences?

A: Some things that influence and inspire me are vintage design. I love old wallpaper. I love Chinoiserie. I also love costuming and fashion, and as far as artwork goes, I love artwork that tells a story. I love Marc Chagall paintings, and I also love Frida Kahlo. And then I also love just large, abstract work. I love Helen Frankenthaler. She's one of my favorites.

Q: When did you first discover you had a talent for this?

A: I’ve loved making art for as long as I can remember. My mother was an artist as well, so we always grew up with art supplies and crafts and things around. So I just always loved making art and being an artist.

Q: Where can people see your work?

A: I own a small company with my sisters. It’s called Over the Moon Gift. We also have a sorority line called Over the Moon Greek, and I design all the artwork for our products. I’m also an art teacher at Pizitz Middle School, so you can pop in and see me teaching classes there.

Q: What’s something interesting about you that people might not know?

A: I actually grew wanting to be a fashion designer, and when I was in college, I was actually able to intern with Michael Kors in New York City. It was such a fun and wonderful experience. Laura Ann Daly is an art teacher at Pizitz Middle School. Photo courtesy of Laura Ann Daly.

The Vestavia Voice is spotlighting arts and entertainment venues online and in print. If you’d like to be considered for inclusion, contact Jon Anderson at janderson@starnesmedia.com.

Dancers participate in a summer camp with Lindsey Hull of Dance Connections in July. Photo courtesy of Lindsey Hull.

Dance Connections seeks to instill love of dance

By CHARLES VAUGHAN

Dance Connections is a dance studio that primarily serves preschool and elementary-aged children in Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook.

Founded in 2005 by Lindsey Hull, a former National Dance Team Championship judge who has coached Birmingham-area teams such as the UAB Golden Girls and Mountain Brook High School Dorians, Dance Connections focuses on instilling a love of dance in young, beginner dancers.

During the school year, Hull and her team of five teachers lead after-school sessions at Vestavia Hills Elementaries Cahaba Heights, Dolly Ridge, Liberty Park and West, along with Mountain Brook’s

Brookwood Forest Elementary. Classes are also offered at Liberty Pals Enrichment Center (a ministry of The Church at Liberty Park), Saint Stephen’s Preschool and the Gathering Place Christian Academy in Moody. The school year culminates in an end-of-season showcase hosted in May.

Dance Connections offers four-day summer dance camps, which feature different themes throughout the week, and preparation clinics for middle schoolers looking to make their school dance teams.

Class times, locations and dates can be found at the Dance Connections website, dance connectionsonline.com, where parents can also register their children for classes, view program curriculums and contact instructors.

When I was growing up, my dad emphasized hard work.

He didn’t care if we made straight A’s. He didn’t expect superstars. His only expectation was that we do our best with the gifts God gave us.

When I was stressed (about a test, election or competition) his advice was simple: “Kari, just do your best — and leave the results to God.”

He meant it, and it brought me enormous peace to lift the weight of expectations off my shoulders. I worked hard and aimed high because I wasn’t scared to fail or disappoint him. I didn’t have to hit a “mark” to please and impress my parents.

In fact, I can recall several times when I didn’t win (and I felt like a loser!), yet the moment I saw my parents, they smiled as if I had won. They beamed as they hugged me and told me they were proud. In their eyes, the victory came when I stepped out of my comfort zone, tried something new and did my best.

That mattered most. That kept me brave in setting ambitious goals and giving 110% even if that effort was not rewarded.

This mentality saved me from my Type-A, perfectionistic ways, yet it is missing from our current culture.

As parents today, we often get one picture in our head of how our child’s life should look, and anything less feels like a disaster. As a result, this next generation is scared to death to fail. They think they must prove themselves

to be worthy of love.

In our home, we’ve had successes and failures. Highs and lows. What I’ve learned is that even a big accomplishment or a coveted place on a team is temporary. It’s amazing while it lasts, but it won’t last forever. And when it’s over, two things matter:

► Their character (who our kids become in the process)

► Their relationships (with others, themselves and God)

My dad struggled in school, but he was gifted in sports. Basketball was his passion, and God used this to open doors. Nobody in his family had been to college, so it wasn’t on his radar until University of Alabama basketball coach Johnny Dee paid him a visit.

Keep in mind this was the ’50s, and how a basketball coach in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, heard about an athlete in Buffalo, New York, could only be divine intervention. Coach Dee offered him a full scholarship … and that is how my Yankee father landed in the South, where he met my mother, fell in love and became part of the famous Rocket 8 team that led to Alabama basketball’s first national ranking.

Being raised in a sports family allowed me to hear many stories and life lessons related to Dad’s experiences. While he never bragged on himself, I knew he was a big deal by the way that others bragged on him.

It was fun to have a locally famous dad, but my biggest takeaway was how he kept his

priorities straight. He didn’t dwell on his glory days or wish to go back. Sports was his life until he met my mom, and though he still loved playing, his love for her was the first thing to exceed his love for sports.

And when he quit sports (after almost losing his eye when he was hit with a baseball during his time playing professional ball), he never looked back. His new love became my mom and their growing family.

I think of my dad as school starts back and athletics kick in. Many athletes have a story like him, a God-given gift that will open life-changing doors.

Yet even if your child isn’t a superstar, their time on a team isn’t a waste. Sports build character and teach life lessons that our kids can’t get other ways. Among other things, they teach our kids how to:

► Dig deep

► Do their best even when their efforts aren’t rewarded

► Be a team player

► Take constructive criticism to get better

► Overcome obstacles and setbacks

► Show class in victory and defeat

► Develop a good attitude they need for life

We all know adults who have a bad attitude. We’ve all met people with superior talent who never reach their potential because they’re lazy, negative or quick to talk back.

Having a humble and teachable heart makes a difference in sports and in life. The best

coaches know this, and that’s why they coach the heart as much as the talent. They understand this saying that a local coach has used:

“A coachable athlete is an employable adult.”

It’s true, and most people would much rather help (and hire) someone with average talent and a great attitude than a superstar who ruins morale.

In a world where our kids never feel good enough, they need to hear that character matters more than talent. This is one area where anyone can excel.

Raising brave kids begins with them knowing that our love isn’t tied to their latest performance. Let’s encourage them to do their best and leave the results to God. Let’s cheer as they leave their comfort zone. Let’s see the lessons learned through defeat and beam proudly as we watch our kids stretch and grow.

Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mountain Brook mom of four girls, author, speaker and blogger. Kari’s newest book, “More Than a Mom: How Prioritizing Your Wellness Helps You (and Your Family) Thrive,” is now available on Amazon, Audible and everywhere books are sold. Kari’s bestselling other books — “Love Her Well,” “Liked” and “10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know” have been used widely across the country for small group studies. Join Kari on Facebook and Instagram, visit her blog at karikampakis.com, or find her on the Girl Mom Podcast.

Immerse yourself in an engaging community infused with Southern hospitality and an appreciation for the City’s historic charm. At The Crossings at Riverchase, everyday life becomes exceptional with meaningful friendships, gourmet dining, wellness-focused programming and much more. You’ll find bright, well-appointed spaces around every corner, including a fitness center, creative arts studio, patio, pub and theater. Just a short drive to The Summit and Hwy 150 with nearby medical facilities, shopping, attractions and eateries that provide abundant choices to your everyday routine, you’ll feel instantly connected, comfortable and carefree at The Crossings.

The Watts family has trusted Royal for every new ride for years. This time it was Kitty’s turn! Kitty is a tennis player at Vestavia Hills High School, and she needed a new SUV to carry her to school, practice, and everywhere else this new school year will take her. It was our pleasure to match her up with a brand new 2024 Volkswagen Taos with a Basecamp styling kit for a trail-ready look. For every new school year, there’s Royal!

More About the 2024 Volkswagen Taos

The 2024 VW Taos is a compact SUV that leads with efficiency and never lets up. An estimated 36 MPG highway means fill-ups are few and far between. And speaking of affordability, Taos has a lower cost of maintenance than its Toyota, Honda, and Subaru competitors.1 Plus, with standard safety features like front assist and active blind spot monitor, you can feel more confident than ever with a compact footprint on today’s roads. Test drive your new Taos at Royal Volkswagen where I-65 meets Highway 31 in Vestavia. For every ride there’s Royal.

Kitty Watts with her brand new 2024 Volkswagen Taos with Basecamp® styling kit.