Bham Family - June 2023

PAGES 16 & 20

AND THEY TOGETHER Graze SHALL

Local family opens gathering spot.

PAGE 26

Hoover, Oak Mountain grads look to the future.

LOCALLY MADE |

EDITOR’S NOTE

Happy Summer, readers! By now, all schools are out for a few precious, glorious weeks, and you’re probably fielding the “Can I have a snack?” requests every five minutes. I know I am. But we’re also filling the days with summer reading, lots of pool tricks (my daughter, not me), and movie nights. Hopefully you’re finding time to say “yes” to things you normally wouldn’t. Maybe there’s a family vacay coming up. And, of course, it’s the season of relaxed bedtimes. The kids are in heaven! I’m writing this note from the beach, where I fed my child Oreos for breakfast and turned the other way when she washed it down with a CapriSun. C’est la vie!

In this first-of-summer issue, our regular columnists continue to humor and teach me. Find Just for Dads on page 8; Holy Moly Motherhood on page 10; and Sean of the South on page 12, with a special ode to his father and a special trip that now serves as one of his core memories. I am always grateful when the pros from our medical community

share with us (page 14), this time about potential summer eye injuries we can avoid with a couple easy preventive methods. On page 26, we have a great spotlight on new business that’s welcoming community and a shared love of food in Gardendale. You can also find two great pieces on local students doing big things around our city. I’m so proud to feature them on pages 16 and 22.

We love hearing from you—in fact, several of the articles in this month’s issue were reader-generated— so please reach out if you know of a Birmingham business, event, or person we should feature.

Back to the beach. See y’all in July!

Stephanie Gibson Lepore, Content Director and Mom, stephanie@jbmcmedia.com

ON THE COVER

Facing the direst of odds, Ashton Ayers overcame a serious head injury to graduate high school and go on to complete her nursing degree at UAB.

Read about her inspiring story on page 20.

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ABOUT US

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Just for Dads

Ward Williams gives advice p. 8

Holy Moly Motherhood Road trippin’ p. 10

Sean of the South

A memorable Father’s Day p. 12

Medical Q&A

Avoiding eye injuries p. 14

Education

News from local schools and college students p. 24

Schoolhouse

Update from the Hoover School District p. 27

Kids Who Shine

National Merit Scholarship recipient p. 30

FEATURE STORIES

Hoover

Grad Named Top Composer

Student earns huge honor in the state of Alabama p. 16

From Brain Injury to Nursing School

UAB graduate overcomes the odds p. 20

Graze Together

Nonprofit aims to help kids and parents succeed p. 26

Relationship Building

Is there something your significant other, boyfriend, or husband can do for you that would be a game-changer in your relationship? This was the topic recently discussed in my Authentic Manhood group on marriage.

Ward Williams

There were 20 possible ideas that might drastically improve a man’s relationship with his girlfriend, wife, or significant other. Some of the ideas presented included accepting spiritual responsibility for family, making sure household duties are evenly split, seeking input and wisdom of spouse in all major financial decisions, plans for different seasons of marriage and family life, and other great suggestions. Our facilitator asked the group which idea was most difficult to implement, and I was surprised that more than half the men in the group picked developing healthy relationships and serving their in-laws. It quickly became obvious that the topic had touched a nerve in the group.

As someone who is in family mediation and development of parenting plans, I have witnessed the intensity of feelings and fear that extended family members can have on relationships, and

I know that there are some severely unhealthy relationships among family members. The target audience of this piece are those who are trying to maintain relatively healthy relationships with relatively healthy family members. Dealing with in-laws and extended family members is an important part of long-term relationships, but it is a topic that has rarely been discussed in the numerous trainings, conferences, and workshops I have attended during my nonprofit and ministry career. The topic of integrating families is often done in comedies. Some that come to mind include scenes from the movies Son in Law, Meet the Parents, and Monster-in-Law. The scenarios are typically extremely funny and designed to make viewers cringe.

Growing up, my wife’s family had a plan for almost everything. Our wedding was guided by the How to Plan a Painless Proper Wedding (hypothetical) book. My childhood family used spontaneity as a guiding principle, and structure and tradition often felt suffocating. I learned early on in our marriage that building positive relationships with my wife’s family was going to have challenges, but it was necessary for our relationship to be successful.

Here are some suggestions for developing healthy relationships with in-laws:

• Desire to build healthy relationships and schedule time with in-laws.

PHOTOGRAPH BY LEONARDO MIRANDA ON UNSPLASH

• Understand who your spouse or significant other considers to be the important family members to please.

• Understand what holidays, vacations, birthdays, and milestones are important.

• Understand your spouse or significant other might have a completely different role or personality within their family of origin.

• Be flexible in navigating the transitions of life and changing expectations.

• Working to build healthy relationships doesn’t happen overnight. It happens in moments over time. Spend intentional time building relationships, and the benefits will extend to everyone in your family.

Ward Williams is the founder and executive director of Vineyard Family Services. Contact him at ward@vfsdads.com.

Road Trip

On the way home today, I saw a small pink tennis shoe on the side of the road. A nice shoe that was no doubt supposed to still be on some three-year-old feet when they arrived at their destination.

I can just picture the mom in this story, as she is unbuckling her daughter.

“Where is your shoe?”

“Outside.”

“Outside? What did you do with your shoe? We had your shoes on when we left!”

“My shoe is gone!”

“WHERE?”

And then the mom thinks about it. While sitting at a red light, her daughter wanted the window down. It was hot outside and she was not in the mood for the heat, but the threeyear-old whines coming from the backseat were worse than the humidity.

So, she rolls the window down and thinks of all the things we moms think about.

And out the shoe went.

Tossed out as if she was feeding the birds. Or maybe she just wanted to watch it fall. Or she just didn’t like that shoe all of a sudden.

My toddler will do this, with a cracker or some raisins, and then he will immediately regret his decision.

“I want my cracker!”

“Well, why did you throw it out the window?”

They don’t know. They just did.

Obviously, the mom with the shoe decided to leave it there, as she didn’t have time to drive back across town. Or maybe she didn’t know

where she was. Or she didn’t care.

That’s the thing with traveling with toddlers—it’s not for the faint of heart.

And because it’s June, a lot of parents are gearing up for road trips with toddlers. And boy, do I feel for you. And for myself.

There will be loads of whining, questions, snacks, and potty breaks. If another sibling is in the car, there will no doubt be poking, yelling, and arguments like, “I wanted that book! That’s my book! Stop touching my book!”

The question, “Are we there yet?” will be asked before ever leaving your hometown.

Someone’s seatbelt will not be agreeing with them. It will be too tight, and then completely locked up in anger against the child fighting it.

Everyone will be cold. Except for Dad, who will be hot, thus everyone else will be cold. Bring some blankets.

Mom will likely get so sick of answering the children, and refereeing the battles, that she will pretend she no longer hears them, and then Dad will have to finally start speaking.

And lastly, the one thing that will derail your entire road trip is a major traffic jam. There may not be a scarier sight out there to a parent than one thousand red brake lights. Sitting still for over an hour on the interstate creates one very hostile car environment, so you’ll need all the toys, tricks, and probably some toilet paper.

Happy travels, y’all. And Godspeed.

Alana Smith is a boy mom (ages 8 and 3), nurse anesthetist, and writer in Birmingham. She shares her writing at Holy Moly Motherhood (on Facebook and Instagram), where she tackles all things motherhood and marriage.

Alana Smith

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Father’s Day in Nashville

I was a kid. The “Grand Ole Opry” had recently moved to Opryland. My old man was working in Spring Hill, Tennessee, building the GM plant. We were living nearby. It was a July evening and my father was young. Younger than I am now.

My father came home from work one evening, covered in soot and sweat. His red hair was a mess from wearing a welding helmet all day. He had raccoon eyes and the artificial sunburn that come from wearing goggles and holding an oxyacetylene torch.

He announced that we were going to the Opry. Just me and him. To see Ernest Tubb.

Mama dressed me in red Dennis-the-Menace overalls, a Willie Nelson T-shirt, and teeny Converse Chuck Taylors. Then she combed my hair with one of those black nylon hairbrushes that shredded your scalp and gave you a subdural hematoma.

We piled into my father’s truck. It was an F-100, forest green, with a welding-machine trailer attached to the back.

before showtime. We were walking into the building when a man approached my father. He had white hair. He was dressed in rags. He asked my father for money.

My old man never carried much money, for his own protection. Not protection against thieves, but protection against himself. “If I have money I’ll spend it,” he always said.

It was a 40-minute drive into Nashville proper. We entered the city. It was magnificent. The lights. The people wearing cowboy hats. The scent of French fries and pork fat in the air.

My father took me to get ice cream before the show. We sat outside on the curb and I spilled my vanilla on my Willie shirt. So he took my shirt off. I was bare chested beneath my little red overalls.

We pulled into the Opryland parking lot

So he never carried much more than a few tens. He was a notorious tightwad. He was so tight, my mother said, that if you fed him King Arthur flour he would squirt No. 9 spaghetti out his backend.

My father gave the oldster a few bucks and apologized for not having more to give. Then he explained to the old man that he was taking his son to the Opry tonight, and that’s why he couldn’t give the rest of his cash.

The old man said he understood, and he started to walk away.

I could see the struggle on my father’s face. He told the man to wait. Then he opened his wallet and gave the man everything in it. I don’t remember how much it was, but I know that Opry tickets weren’t cheap. I know that during this era, roughly 2.5 million people visited the Opry annually and Opryland raked it in hand over spur.

I also know that on that particular night, as I say, Ernest Tubb was playing the Opry, and my

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ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF SEAN DIETRICH

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

father loved the Texas Troubadour something fierce.

The homeless man took the money and thanked my father. He swore to my father that he was going to use it to buy food. My father told him he didn’t care how he used it. He just wanted the man to know that he mattered.

The man walked away. My father and I walked into the opulent hotel like two beggars. We looked around, we oohed and ahhed.

There would be no show for us.

Daddy squatted on his bootheels and was about to explain to me why we couldn’t go see the performance. He was about to tell me that he was out of cash, and that we would not be seeing Keith Bilbrey, Jerry Clower, nor the Troubadour himself. No twin fiddles, no shouting “How-deeeee!” when Sarah Cannon took the stage in her price-tag hat.

So we just sat there in that hotel for a little while. A hick and his boy, admiring the velvet

luxury and the gilded furniture.

We were about to leave when we passed a large group of finely dressed people in the lobby. We saw a man wearing a white hat and a blue Nudie suit with a red scarf.

When the entourage passed by, my father whisked me into his arms and nearly had a coronary event. He jogged right up to the man and shouted, “Sir, excuse me, sir!”

The man stopped.

My father said, “I just wanted to introduce you to my son. We love your music, sir.”

The man turned to look at us. He was tall. He had a large smile and crystalline eyes. The man said to me, in a baritone voice, “Nice to meet you, son.”

And he shook my little hand.

When the man left, I asked my father who that was.

My father said, “It doesn’t matter who that was. He’s no more important than the man in the parking lot. And don’t you ever forget it.”

A PHYSICIAN

Keeping Sight of Eye Hazards

Eye injuries in children increase during summer months. Here’s how to prevent them.

BY HANNAH ECHOLS

Children are at increased risk for eye injuries in the summer, according to University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers. Eye injuries are much more common in May and June before reaching a peak in July, then falling off as school begins in the fall.

“Sports are a leading cause of eye injury in children 15 and younger, specifically swimming,” said Gerald McGwin, Jr. Ph.D., a professor in the UAB departments of Epidemiology and Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences.

He notes that pool chemicals, which can cause eye irritation, play a

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A UAB expert says that wearing goggles when swimming is one way to mitigate the risk of children’s eye injuries.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

prominent role in these injuries, as does being hit by water toys or flying elbows and feet.

“Ensuring that a pool’s pH level is within normal range is one way to reduce these injuries,” McGwin says. “Goggles and swim masks are another way by providing a barrier between eyes and water.”

McGwin also stresses that eye protection for children of any age while playing sports is important. Basketball, swimming, and pool activities top the list of injury inducers in sports, with baseball, softball, and guns (air, gas, spring, and BB) following close behind.

Sparklers and firecrackers head the list of fireworks-induced injury, with sparklers causing nearly half of all injuries in children under five years of age. Sparklers can reach 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. McGwin recommends leaving fireworks to professionals when celebrating holidays this summer.

“The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends that families should be counseled to attend public displays of fireworks and refrain from using fireworks at home,” McGwin says.

McGwin also notes that an often underrecognized cause of eye injuries throughout the year is household cleaners and chemicals, particularly for younger children. McGwin

says that, for children under two, household chemicals make up more than 30 percent of injuries. For children 2 and older, pens and pencils play a significant role.

“The most startling observation is how many young children under two years of age suffer eye injuries from household chemicals,” McGwin says. “The obvious solution for parents and caregivers is to keep dangerous chemicals and substances locked up or out of the reach of children at all times.”

If there is one piece of good news regarding children’s eye safety, it is that the number of eye injuries among children 15 and younger is going down. From a high of more than 80,000 in 1992, the number has consistently dropped to a low of slightly more than 40,000 in 2021.

“The majority of eye injuries are treatable,” McGwin says. “But the best treatment is to prevent eye injuries in the first place.”

Known for its innovative and interdisciplinary approach to education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a part of the University of Alabama System, is an internationally renowned research university and academic medical center, as well as Alabama’s largest employer, with some 28,000 employees and an annual economic impact exceeding $12.1 billion on the state. Learn more at uab.edu.

“The most startling observation is how many young children under two years of age suffer eye injuries from household chemicals. The obvious solution for parents and caregivers is to keep dangerous chemicals and substances locked up or out of the reach of children at all times.”

Gerald McGwin, Jr. Ph.D., a professor in the UAB departments of Epidemiology and Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

Hoover Grad Among Top Composers

UAB student earns a huge honor in the state of Alabama

BY TEHREEM KHAN

Music is a universal device that connects people no matter their background or culture. Anything that means a lot to you may not come naturally to you, so do not be afraid to dedicate more effort than others to the things you love. These are the two mantras that Cameron Rodgers-Johnson of Birmingham,

Alabama, a junior music education major at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, lives by.

Cameron, a trumpeter who first picked up an instrument during his fifth-grade year at Bumpus Middle School in Hoover, is passionate about social issues and advocacy and uses his music to express it

UAB’s Cameron Rodgers-Johnson, a trumpeter, first picked up an instrument during his fifthgrade year at Bumpus Middle School in Hoover.

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in a unique way. He was recently named a finalist at the Alabama Music Educators Association’s Young Composers Competition at the BJCC for the second year in a row for his concert band work, “An American Outcry,” which explores gun violence and its ties with the K-12 education realm. Last year, he submitted his first full concert band work, titled “After the Dust Has Settled,” which was inspired by the question “What will remain afterward?”

“These awards have meant a lot to me, and it is heartwarming to see my efforts come to fruition,” Cameron says. “They have reiterated my interest in music education as they reassured me that what I am doing is not in vain—it matters, and it is worth all the time and dedication I put into it.”

DEDICATION TO ADVANCEMENT

Cameron has always been committed to his music and does not shy away from going the extra mile to advance his skills and academics. He was not admitted as an Honors College student, but in a short span of his college, he proved himself worthy of admission in the Global and Community Leadership Honors Program, a specialized pathway in the Honors College aimed at laying a foundation for unique educational experiences, engagement, responsibility and inspiring leadership. He learned about the college through advertisements about what they do and how membership in it is valuable and was intrigued by it.

“As a part of the Honors College’s GCL program, I have met people with common interests — people who enjoy taking on challenges and setting high expectations for themselves,” Cameron says. “The whole premise of the program is to have a space to train yourself in how you can apply your

education toward making a bigger, global impact. And who doesn’t want that?”

His favorite class as an honors student has been “Burning Issues,” which gives an overview of various issues facing society such as human rights, sustainability, health care access and educational opportunity. The course concludes with students’ identifying an issue that ignites their passion — their “burning issue,” which was the best part for Cameron.

“It was wonderful finding my passion for education access and, more so, listening to people from a wide array of disciplines about their calling,” he said.

OBSESSION WITH MUSIC

Cameron remembers having an “obsession” with music all his life. Some of his earliest musical memories include humming Disney movie scores long after the credits rolled and listening to his mother, Sybil, a nurse at the UAB Women and Infants Center, singing along

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to gospel music in the car.

“I’ve always had [some piece of music] or another swirling in my head from a really young age,” he says.

At Bumpus, Cameron performed in the regular school band and a middle school jazz band, where he developed a love for jazz. Yet it wasn’t until he was under the tutelage of Hoover High School band directors Ryan Fitzpatrick, Matthew Cicero, and particularly Sally White that he really understood jazz.

“I dedicate all of my love and appreciation for the for the deep, rich history with the music that is jazz to [White] because she’s not only a fascinating educator but a true and genuine musician. Every time she plays, when she teaches, you can tell that this is what she loves to do,” says Cameron.

It was also in high school that he deepened his love of the music he now writes— classical music or, more specifically, “modern contemporary wind band music.”

“I was fortunate enough to be exposed to some really challenging wind band literature and got to play works by some really fantastic composers who have all inspired me,” he says.

Key To Success

According to Cameron, the faculty at the UAB Department of Music has been key to his successful musical journey.

He recalls Cara Morantz, Ed.D., visiting his middle school district honor band when he was in eighth grade, which “put music as a career possibility in my mind.” Morantz maintained that relationship through regular visits to his high school during marching band season and during preparations for Music Performance Assessment.

“She has been a massive inspiration for why I decided to study music education here at UAB and has helped me since then, whether it was by reviewing my work or exposing me to

different opportunities,” says Cameron.

He says the UAB music program is not a huge one, but it comes with the perks that lend themselves to student success. “Each student gets more individual time and attention to ensure they get what they are trying to get out of their music journey.”

This has helped Rodgers-Johnson significantly polish his trumpet skills over the course of his time at UAB. He credits his success to the relationship with his mentor, James Zingara, DMA, associate professor of trumpet in the Department of Music, who has been instrumental in his growth.

“Dr. Z sees me at my best and my worst and has been my anchor all this time,” he says. “He treats his students like his children, takes the time to learn more about them as individuals, and gives them private music lessons every week. He is someone I can count on and ask questions about life beyond music. He gives us the tools to be successful in the real world.”

GOING FORWARD

Cameron’s “An American Outcry” will be featured and performed at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research in April.

Post-graduation, he plans to attend graduate school for music composition in hopes of expanding and further sharing his love for music and advocacy.

Cameron advises future artists to be in touch with their emotions, be able to communicate them and embrace failure. “If I could go back, I would tell myself to be comfortable with the idea of failure being a regular thing,” he says. “Music pushes you in ways that you don’t even know are possible, so don’t be afraid to dedicate more time to something that you love.”

Nursing school graduate Ashton Ayers recently began working In the UAB Women and Infants Center on the Mother-Baby Unit.

Overcoming the Odds

Brain injury doesn’t keep student from nursing school

As Ashton Ayers entered her freshman year at Oak Mountain High School in fall 2012, she was excited for the journey that lay ahead. Less than a month later, Ashton found herself in a hospital room fighting for her life after falling out of a golf cart and hitting the pavement headfirst, causing her skull to shatter and break at the base and leaving her unconscious.

Ashton was diagnosed with a large subdural hematoma, a dangerous brain bleed

that required an emergency decompressive craniotomy. There was a good chance she would not survive the surgery. And if she did, her brain function might be dramatically reduced.

But Ashton beat the odds.

She survived the surgery with her brain function intact. Her path to recovery consisted

PHOTOGRAPH BY FRANK COUCH

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20

of physical, occupational, and speech therapies. Now, a decade later, Ashton graduated with a degree in nursing from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

“I was just beginning to figure out my life. Starting high school is already a big step for anyone at that age, and then to add on an event like this was a shock,” Ashton says. “My recovery was unpredictable, so my family had to prepare for all possible outcomes. I had to relearn how to walk, talk, read, write, feed myself, even breathe on my own again.”

Once home, Ashton worked toward her goal of graduating from high school. With many medical professionals in her family, she had considered nursing as a potential career path from an early age, but her life-changing experience solidified her decision.

“I wanted to pursue nursing because of the way my nurses treated me and the impact they had not only on me, but also my family and friends as well. It really is the caring aspect that drew me to nursing,” Ashton says.

After graduating from high school, Ashton went on to earn her associate degree from Jefferson State Community College and was accepted into the UAB School of Nursing’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in 2021. To Ashton, UAB felt like home.

“UAB to me is Birmingham. I grew up here,” she says. “It’s a tough nursing program, but it’s an absolute honor to be a UAB School of Nursing graduate.”

Now a graduate, Ashton’s journey

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Above: Ashton in physical therapy.

Below: Ashton had to relearn how to feed herself.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF ASHTON AYERS

CONTINUED

FROM

comes full circle as she starts her new role at the UAB Women and Infants Center on the Mother-Baby Unit, working alongside the team that saved her life before she was even born.

Ashton’s mother, Jerri Ayers, lost two babies at 19 weeks and 22 weeks after going into early labor. She was referred to UAB’s maternal-fetal medicine specialists during her third pregnancy, with Ashton. When she went into preterm labor once again, this time at 20 weeks, Richard Davis, M.D., professor of maternal-fetal medicine, performed an emergency cerclage to prevent her from losing another baby. The cerclage held; Ashton was born at 32 weeks and spent only 10 days in the UAB Regional Newborn Intensive Care Unit.

Little did they know that, 14 years later, Davis’s son, Drew Davis, M.D., director of the Division of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine at UAB and Children’s of Alabama, would also play a role in saving Ashton’s life as her rehabilitation physician after her accident.

“Dr. Davis and the UAB team have now saved Ashton twice, which I am forever grateful for,” Jerri says. “Ashton has been a fighter since before she was born. From her TBI to juggling nursing school while her father had a heart transplant at UAB, she managed to excel. It makes me smile seeing all that she has accomplished and getting to start her career at a place that means so much to our family.”

Ashton credits her success in part to UAB’s Disability Support Services (DSS) and the flexibility of the School of Nursing (SON) faculty. DSS worked with the undergraduate and prelicensure faculty to customize a plan based on her needs that provided accommodations during testing. She encourages other students to learn about DSS and use their services.

“I’ve been able to succeed in ways I didn’t know I could,” Ashton says. “Even though it took me a little bit longer to take a test, I didn’t have to feel as though I’m behind because of the opportunities and accommodations DSS

provides for students.”

During her time at UAB, Ashton played an active role as a student leader. She served as a board member of the Student Nurses’ Association and was a member of the Senior Recognition Planning Committee. She also made community involvement a priority. In addition to being a mentor and advocate to other traumatic brain injury patients, every year—on the anniversary of her accident—she visits the unit she was on at Children’s, as well as the two fire departments that responded that day. Additionally, Ashton was awarded the Student Excellence Award after being nominated by UABSON faculty and staff.

Mountain Brook Grad Signs to Play Ball

Walker Ray, a 2023 graduate of Mountain Brook High School, signed to play with the Auburn University Wheelchair Basketball team for the upcoming season.

Woodlawn alumnus First Birmingham Promise Graduate

Destiny Nelson-Miles, a Woodlawn High School alum, is the first Birmingham Promise Graduate. She graduated valedictorian through the early college program while taking college courses at UAB. Destiny has 69 course credits, making her a junior in college.

Vestavia Student Earns Scholarship

Ayden Yother, a freshman at Vestavia Hills High School, was one of 250 students in the United States awarded the prestigious Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholarship. She is spending the upcoming school year in Germany as an exchange student.

Mountain Brook Elementary Schools Recognized

All four elementary schools in the Mountain Brook school system were honored at the May State Department of Education Board Meeting

in Montgomery. Each year, the Alabama State Department of Education recognizes schools for the Legislative School Performance Recognition Program, which is designed to identify schools in one of two categories:

Schools that demonstrate high performance by being ranked in the top 25 percent of public schools, as ranked in the school grading system.

Schools that demonstrate exemplary progress by improving the overall annual ranking of the school by at least one letter grade, as ranked in the school grading system.

Brookwood Forest, Cherokee Bend, Crestline, and Mountain Brook Elementary were all recognized as a Legislative School Performance Recognition Program School because the school grading system score or letter grade fell into the Top 25 Category for the 2021-2022 school year.

University of Alabama Graduates Prove Age is Just a Number

16-year-old LeAnna Roberts and 77-year-old Elaine Smith recently graduated from the University of Alabama. Both graduated with honors. Elaine received her bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies that focus on literature, art, and society. Elaine, a former stay-at-home mother who ran a home daycare for 21 years, returned to school in 2017 at age 71 with tuition-free in-person classes at Coastal Alabama Community College near Foley. She earned an associate’s degree, then enrolled in distance learning at the University of Alabama. LeAnna received her degree in biology. She started classes at the University of Alabama at age 15 after graduating high school and earning an associate’s degree from Shelton State Community College. She is part of the Society of Women in Medicine, an ambassador for Vision Days, participates in Al

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SUSAN HERNANDEZ RAY

Pal’s, and has helped with research. LeAnn hopes to become a surgeon and sat for the MCATs last month. She is working toward a master of business administration with a health care concentration at Alabama.

Irondale Student Excels in the Classroom

Senior Zayden Leonard distinguished himself as an outstanding student and athlete at Shades Valley. Zayden recently graduated with honors, a 4.1 GPA ,and ranked 10th in his class. He will pursue a degree in Biological Sciences with a concentration in premed from Mississippi State University beginning this fall. Zayden received $756,000 in scholarship offers, was a Top-20 Scholar, received the Distinguished Athlete award, the ACT Work Keys award, the Principal’s Leadership award, and WBRC FOX6’s Rising Star award. He was a member of the National Honor Society, National Honor Society English, National Honor Society Spanish, Student Government Association, and Mu Alpha Theta.

Senior Named 2023 Coca-Cola Scholar

Sophia Li, a recent graduate of Mountain Brook High School, was recognized as one of the country’s most outstanding high school leaders by the CocaCola Scholars Foundation and was been awarded a $20,000 college scholarship. As a member of the 35th class of Coca-Cola Scholars, Sophia not only exemplifies superior leadership, service, and academics – she positively affects others in the community. She is one of 150 selected from 91,000+ applicants from across the country to receive this scholarship. “This is a distinguished honor for Sophia and we are extremely pleased to have students awarded in back-to-back years,” MBHS Principal Philip Holley said. “Throughout her time at Mountain Brook, Sophia has excelled in all her activities inside and outside the classroom. This is an extremely well-deserved honor.” Coca-Cola Scholars attended Coca-Cola Scholars Weekend in Atlanta April 13-16, where they were the guests of honor at the 35th annual Coca-Cola Scholars Banquet and participate in the Coca-Cola Scholars Leadership Development Institute facilitated by program alumni.

Professor Named Dean’s Excellence Award Winner

Carlie Stein Somerville, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Medicine’s Division of General Internal Medicine, is the junior faculty winner of the Dean’s Excellence Award in Diversity Enhancement. Dr. Somerville received her doctorate from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2013. She completed her Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Residency and served as chief resident in 2018.

Alabama Golfer Plays in Augusta National Women’s Amateur

Freshman University of Alabama golfer Kaitlyn Schroeder, who came to Alabama as the top-ranked golfer in her class, was invited to compete in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur March 29-30 at the Champions Retreat Golf Club.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MIMI LEONARD

Graze Together

Fast-growing business expands into its first storefront

A few years ago, as the charcuterie craze took off around the country, Katie King started doing boards and tables for family and friends. For more than 2 years, her arrangements of meats, cheeses, crackers, fruits and more were showcased at parties for her circle of friends and family, while others marveled at her creativity.

She really loved it, so she decided to try to make a business out of it last year. She did catering events and then, last fall, decided to move toward a storefront in Gardendale. The

store, Graze Together, opened earlier this year.

I want it to be a place to build community and just a place for people to hang out, have meetings, get work done, whatever, but my main goal is to build community there,†King said.

King, a Gardendale High School graduate and native of the city, felt Gardendale residents needed a space where they could come together, eat, socialize and collaborate. When

Hoover, Spain Park seniors graduate

Hoover High School and Spain Park High School seniors graduated in May, and the two schools had impressive numbers among their graduates.

Hoover: 631 graduates earned a combined $48,766,628 in scholarship offers (accepting $15,947,639. 1 graduate was accepted to the US Air Force Academy, and graduates were accepted to a combined 265 colleges and universities. 169 students graduated with a 4.0 GPA or higher.

Spain Park: 364 graduates earned a combined $18,615,883 in scholarship offers (accepting $7,022,835. 3 graduates are enlisting in the armed forces, with 1 accepted to the US Naval Academy. Graduates were accepted to a combined 143 colleges and universities. 67 students graduated with a 4.0 GPA or higher.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

the store opened, the community immediately fell in love with the space and the offerings.

I have been blown away by the support of my friends, family and people in and around Gardendale,†King said.

The regular menu includes chicken salad options, a charcuterie plate or a variety of wraps. King said the wraps have been a big hit with the lunchtime crowd, but which one is most popular seems to vary daily.

King’s family is a top priority, which is evident by their support and involvement in her business. The popular smoothies are even named after her four kids. The Ryleigh, The Oliver, The Owen and The Riggs are the four regular smoothie offerings (although other specials show up from

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time to time). King said the naming of each smoothie just happened, but admits there is some competition among the oldest two to see whose smoothie is most popular each day.

Every day they ask which one sold more,†King said with a laugh.

So far, Ryleigh’s drink has been the winner each day. Meanwhile, the baby, Riggs, was assigned the green smoothie.

It’s good, but you have to want THAT smoothie to order it, King admits.

Whether you want a wrap or smoothie or just a conversation, Graze Together is devoted to bringing the community in any way they can.

Graze Together is located at 243 Fieldstown Road or you can reach out to them on Facebook. They are open each day, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and sometimes open late on Thursdays.

KIDS WHO SHINE

WESLEY V. SUDARSHAN, 18

BY SEAN FLYNT

Altamont School senior Wesley V. Sudarshan has earned a prestigious National Merit Scholarship, joining only 2,500 students nationwide—35 in Alabama—in the honor.

Wesley and fellow Altamont students Sid Doppalapudi, Pranav Goli, and Lila Mitchell were named National Merit Finalists this winter, but Wesley was surprised by his selection for the scholarship. “I think my progress in debate really stood out to the committee,” he said. His success in that pursuit has earned him many other honors since the seventh grade, including multiple trips to the National Speech and Debate Tournament. He will return to the tournament with teammate Pranav in June, before applying his $2,500 National Merit Scholarship to studies at the University of Pennsylvania starting this fall.

Wesley also played tennis for Altamont, helping his team earn multiple championships. Looking back on that and his other experiences in the close-knit community, he expressed thanks for “Altamont, my friends, teachers and family who have helped me along the way.”

The Altamont School is one of the nation’s premiere independent schools for students in grades 5-12. For 50 years, Altamont’s rigorous academic requirements, leadership education,

athletic opportunities and personalized college search program have given students outstanding preparation for higher education and professional leadership. One hundred percent of graduates are accepted into fouryear colleges and universities.

Bham Family is committed to sharing about the amazing kids in our community! We know there are tons of young people making a difference in the Birmingham area, and we want to celebrate them in our Kids Who Shine column. If you know someone, please send details to stephanie@ jbmcmedia.com. We can’t wait to hear from you!

journey to mend his The

heart led

Qua was born with tricuspid atresia that required a series of open heart surgeries as an infant. But as a teen, his health took a dramatic turn. Qua’s pediatrician and cardiologist recognized something wasn’t right with his heart and sent him to Children’s of Alabama. Our team was standing by when he arrived by helicopter, and within two weeks he received a new heart. He rebounded quickly and was back at home a few weeks later, thanks to the expert heart team here at Children’s of Alabama.

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